The Veranda Steak and Seafood

My third visit Here. Always start with the edge salad and it did not disappoint. We had the rack of lamb This time and it was excellent. It had so much flavor I wanted more. The Key Lime pie for Dessert was pretty good. But the bigHighlight of after dinner was the gourmet coffee. It comes from Amsterdam. It was most bold and flavorful coffee I ever had at a restaurant.

Excellent food and excellent service. This place is amazing and everything is served and timed perfectly.

Normally, The Veranda is closed on Monday. However, for private events, they will open on Monday. We held a private dinner for 23 guests. Honestly, I thought the filet was pretty good (see my picture). It was topped with a mushroom dijon cream sauce. It had a really good taste and was cooked to perfection. For the appetizer I had the lobster bisque which was more cream than lobster. It tasted good but was light on the lobster. The Executive Chef is the daughter of the owners and did a good job preparing the food. If this review was based only on the food, it would get 4 stars. However...Let's talk about the physical restaurant. It is old and dusty. Several of my guest complained about the dust when the HVAC system kicked on. They kept noticing dust falling from the vents in the dining room. I even had one person end up with a clump of dust in his hair. That is really unacceptable. The other major problem I had was the lack of staff. I understand that they opened up for us on an off night. However, the chef had an assistant helping in the kitchen but no help waiting tables. The chef was also the waitstaff which made it very difficult. Glasses remained empty for a long time. It took a while to get everyone served. I feel that I really needed to leave this blunt and honest review for them. I really appreciate the fact that they opened for us on an off night, but they desperately needed more staff there. More importantly, they need to have the HVAC system thoroughly cleaned. Oh, they also need to get rid of the raccoon in the attic. Yes, you read that right. Thankfully, when it got dark, he left the attic and scurried around outside instead of inside where my guest could have heard them.

Our first visit to a venue that has obviously done a lot of things right and stood the test of time. I always gravitate towards one-off family run establishments. We were greeted promptly upon arrival and shown to our table. It is very quaint and intimate, probably only 10 tables in the dining room. I believe they have a seperate group room for those types of activities. For starters, our table enjoyed the crab cake, the goat cheese salad, drunken quail and spinach salad. All were fresh, presented very nicely and very tasty. For entrees we had the Filet Diablo (3 of us) and the stuffed quail. They each were served with mixed steamed seasoned vegetables and whipped potatoes. All were excellent!A huge bonus point for us is that they are BYOB. We brought a bottle of chilled champagne and a cabernet. They promptly brought an ice bucket and correct stemware for the champagne, and cabernet glasses for the red. The service was gracious. There were four tables dining during the evening, and one server. The service was not fast, but there was no need or desire to rush a pleasant dining experience. Each course was made from scratch to order, and brought out hot and as ordered. Looking forward to returning!

My husband and I went there for our anniversary and we had a delightful evening. Pat was very attentive with all our questions and needs. Thanks.

Visited last week for a business meeting.... Whoa! What a hidden gem.The owner was a complete delight and the food was really fresh and delicious. Try the Ahi appetizer.-Darrell, Cincinnati

Perfect date nite location for those wanting an intimate setting. Food was amazing. Atmosphere was great. Dim lights, quite with nice background music, wonderful hostess. Hot fresh rolls are served. We had the crab cake as the appetizer and it was delish! Entrees were cooked to perfection. The sides change to chefs liking. Great dessert options. We definitely will return.

Pros - The food was excellent. Fresh warm bread was serviced with warm butter which was delicious. The wedge salad was amazing as was their delicious filets. They also had a good wine list. Cons - there is only one waitress - the nice owner - but service was very slow. We had to wait at the door to be seated for about 5 minutes. Took over and hour to get our food. Also for some reason the front door waiting area smelled like urine. Seating is by reservation only and therefore it was pretty quiet and empty. Delicious food but the place is a little expensive and outdated. I probably wouldn't return until it was a social event.

If you live in Kingwood or the surrounding area and are not supporting this establishment, you should be ashamed of yourself. This is "Fine Dining" at it's upmost. Always an interesting menu and always prepared with the freshest ingredients and served to perfection. It's BYOB but if you are going out to drink, go to a bar. A family operated business that cares and yes, maybe the physical appearance could be sharper but the atmosphere is so charming, you will let that aspect slide. Just go for yourself and find out what a great place The Veranda is and that you have been missing this little gem for years.Bon Appetit!

12/10!! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! An absolute hidden gem in Kingwood! Reservation only makes for a nice quiet dinner. The owner is so sweet and accommodating. We had the best experience and can't wait to go back. If you are going, I highly recommend the crab cakes and salmon! You will not be disappointed. And to top it off, it is BYOB!