11/04/09

Great Ribs!

by George C

The baby back ribs at Houston's are some of the best I've had. The literally fall off the bone and are so tender and dressed perfectly.

I honestly haven't ever ordered anything else on the menu because I can't stand to go without these ribs, so I can't give much advice on the rest of their menu. But the side dishes I have had are great, especially the creamed spinach.

HOWEVER, I went to the Santa Monica Houston's once, and was very disappointed. It might have been a bad night for them, but the ribs didn't come close to the quality and taste of the ones at the Century City location.

12/18/08

Tasty!!

by la2vegasxxx

Went here for a quick lunch and was not dissapointed. The food looked terrific and the service is excellent. Upscale all the way although you may want to make a reservation as they book fast and are often very crowded.

The meat is delicious - smells delicous and looks delicious. The price is a bit higher than other places but definitely deliver the goods. Try the burger - it was juicy, flavorful and absolutely perfect. I can't wait to got back again.

Roomy banquettes and hefty portions typify this polished American grill that's popular for business deals and special occasions.

by Contributor

In Short
Burnished brass and stained wood complement roughly mortared brick and the occasional plant. Amid ubiquitous earth tones, corporate types and small parties (celebrating or simply living large) occupy deep booths done up in fine upholstery and lit from above by pin spotlights. Burgers, prime rib and steaks are the specialties of the house, but the menu also includes salmon, salads, pork chops and roasted chicken.

01/05/08

Selective Customer Service

by danheymon

My wife and I would visit this restaurant on a regular basis. One day in the month of July we were on walking on the promenade and we decided to have lunch at Houston's. I was wearing shorts and a tank top. My wife was wearing a blouse with tiny strings on it. We were escorted to our seats and our waitress approached us and asked what would we like to drink. We placed our order and a few minutes later we were asked to leave the restaurant, because I was wearing a tank top. I looked around the room and there were many woman wearing less clothing on top then my tank top. We were stood up in front of everyone and left. This is a beach city and it was summer. I wrote a letter to the coporate office and a few weeks later the G.M. called me. They said, ask for me on your next visit, I would love to meet you. Blah Blah Blah. We never step foot into that or any other resturant owned by the same company. The food is decent but the service takes away from the food, want a good burger drive a few blocks to Father's Office located at 1018 Montana Ave

Santa Monica, CA 90403.

• Pros: nice ambience
• Cons: selective service, poor decisions

11/30/07

the best spinach dip

by manuella

This Houston's is located in the Centurity City Mall. It has the best spinach dip ever! They serve it hot with a side of salsa and sourcream and a plate of tortilla chips. The combination sounds weird but its really good! The menu has a good selection of food for everyone from b-bq check to seared ahi tuna. It can get really crowded so it always a good idea to make reservation or get there early. This is also a good place to go for happy hour.

• Pros: service, ambience
• Cons: sometimes the wait for a table can be long

11/02/07

Make reservation before you go!

by klliuc

The Houston's place is decent, convenient, a good place to stay after a day of hard work. To dine in, you'd better make a reservation, however, you probably have to wait for more than 25 minutes.( That's Tuesday night when we dined in).

We ordered a soup called kind of Chicken gomby ?! That's a soup mixed with rice, chicken and vegetables, it is tasty,fresh! For the entree, we had the center cut beef fillet with carrot side dish, the beef is tender,juicy but a bit salty, the carrot taste alright expect a bit overcooked. The whole dish is like just put two things into the plate, without any decoration, it's like you are having dinner at a fast food chain store!

Pros: too crowded, too dim inside, food is a bit over price

Cons: decent, comfort atmosphere, good service, convenient location

09/08/07

Great food, great drinks and ambiance

by butthugger

I gotta say that Houstons' has one of the greatest pork chops I've ever tasted. I almost always get that when I go. But I've had burgers, prime rib all were very good and very large portions, which as a guy I love. Drinks were spot on more towards the strong side and definitely not weak. Have always had a fun time with friends and dates there. Definite recommendation

• Pros: Good, tasty American style food. Hearty portions decent drinks
• Cons: Can get crowded on weekends

07/26/07

Great food at Houston's!

by texasranger450

My wife and I love Houston's. It it weren't for the prices ($25 for an entree salad), we would go there all of the time. The salads are terrific, as are - well - everything. My wife loves their french dip sandwich -- says it's the best one she has ever had. My best friend loves their ribs. I love their cheeseburgers. I know - it sounds silly...but they are soooooo good. And my favorite salad is the "Grilled Chicken Salad." It's one of the best salads in America. Staff members are usually friendly. We've gone there a lot -- so, of course, we have encountered some staffers who were a bit unfriendly. But those few staffers are the exception...not the norm. If you are in West LA and you want a great meal, go to Houston's!

• Pros: Best cheeseburgers and salads
• Cons: price

01/03/07

Good Food, Highly Overpriced

by jmagcity

I hadn't been to a Houston's chain restaurant in a long time, so I thought I'd take my girlfriend for a decent bite to eat. The hostess was rather pretentious, which was humorous. The waitress was decent, although she didn't do much other than take our order. The rest was left to busboys. The food was good, but ridiculously overpriced. $13 for spinach artichoke dip? $15 for a hamburger? $31 for a 10 oz filet mignon and a baked potato? For two people, no alcohol, we spent $93, with tip. Pretty outrageous for a casual dining experience. If the prices were about a third to half what they are, it would be worth it. It's amazing what people are willing to pay for an average dining experience these days. Perhaps that's just the obsurdity of LA. Only because of price I won't be going back and wouldn't recommend it. You can get much better food and service for the same price elsewhere.

12/21/06

Best Burger in town but pricey and long wait

by futondesk

I have consistently loved devouring the juicy CA burger w/my BBQ sauce on the side. I haven't been to some of the new haunts touting burgers but I've been pretty satisfied with this burger, despite its steep price and tediously long waits to get it. I usually go either super early or super late, say after 8:30-9pm to avoid long lines. I've also had the thai chicken salad, which is excellent but not sure how healthy it is b/c of its sheer size and stuff that goes in it. I think the CA burger beats other famous burger joints in santa monica hands down. I would stick to the meats and salads. Not sure I would order sushi and other things they're not known for. enjoy!

• Pros: amazing burger cooked just right, did i mention the burger?
• Cons: long waits, steep price