Italian Steven did fantastic!! Enjoyed our time here. Food was really good! Would definitely come again

My boys and I went to the Aquarium only and not the restaurant. We came here on a Homeschool Field Trip, so the price was discounted down to $12 a kid and free for chaperones (1 free for every 5 kid). With the discounted fee and my fee being waived, it made the trip reasonable. The Aquarium itself was very small and underwhelming. When we finished my first thought was, "Is that it? There has to be more!" So when you do go, you can totally take your time going through each exhibit instead of trying to "rush and see everything." There were many different types of fish, but nothing spectacular. They also had a few other displays such as snakes and spiders. Towards the end, we saw tigers! I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike at a zoo, I felt like the experience of seeing these tigers was a lot better because the two tigers were actually roaming around and we saw action! The first tiger we saw was outside and there is a small tunnel that you can crawl through to have a closer view of the enclosure when you reach a dome. When my boys were inside the dome, the tiger was eating around them and actually jumped on top! It made for quite an experience for them. The second tiger we saw was inside and it was beautiful! Seeing it up close (through a glass) was awesome. I was excited to see MORE after seeing the tigers, but that was literally the LAST exhibit before you enter into the gift shop. However, once you exit, you can make your way into the stingray section where you can touch the stingrays and feed them for an extra cost. The stingrays were very lively and were splashing around almost every time you put your hand in the water. I've never seen stingrays get so excited like that, so that was cool. After the sting rays, you are basically done with all that the Aquarium has to offer on the inside. Outside there are more fun activities to do and see. They have artists who painted caricatures, vendors selling food and drinks, carnival style games, several amusement rides, and a train ride to see the SHARKS! Our tickets included unlimited amusement rides, which was a nice perk. My boys and I rode on the Ferris Wheel, carousel, and train. The Ferris Wheel had a minor wait, but it wasn't too bad. Once you're on the ride itself, it was worth it. My boys loved the carousel and train ride that they did both TWICE. The shark exhibit was super cool. The tigers and sharks were my two favorite exhibits. Afterwards, my boys played in a little splash pad area, where they probably had the most fun. There are many cute photo opportunities to commemorate your trip. Overall, the Houston Aquarium is a one and done type experience for me. It was a nice day trip, but there wasn't really much that would entice me to come back. I'm thankful for the reduced price and all that was included in the ticket because paying full price on top of having to pay $15.99 for parking (yes, you have to pay!) would not be worth it. read more

** We did not go to the Aquarium itself, just the restaurant. We went here for a fun-casual-celebratory dinner and because we'd never been to the Aquarium before. The ambience is top-notch: immersive lighting, large tanks with really neat aquatic life, fun decorations, and other maximalist details that sadly most restaurants don't care to offer these days. It's definitely geared for kids, but we also enjoyed it. The service was also pretty good; our server, Brian, was polite, friendly, and helpful, offering recommendations when asked. The food was middle-of-the-road. I got the castaway combo, and it all tasted fine, but the temperature was not very hot, like it had been sitting. Two other people in my party got the ribeye, which they enjoyed. My dad got the redfish, which he said was nothing special, but fine. Some of the other clientele were a bit rowdy... not the restaurant's fault of course, but there were some very loud and messy parties near us that hampered our full enjoyment. Of course, Rainforest Cafe-type places like this typically do attract large multigenerational groups, so it's to be expected. We probably won't be back, because nothing blew us away. I'd rather go to Rainforest. read more

I went here for work with a party of ten and the service, food, and ambiance were all spectacular. Tyrin was our waiter and he was very attentive to our needs, as well as especially kind. He took a group photo for us at the end, perhaps photography is also his calling because they came out great. For many of us, this was our first time at the Aquarium or it had been 20+ years since. Thanks for a great time and great food. read more

I came on a Saturday night for a birthday dinner. We were late to arrive but the staff was quite accommodating. The setting is beautiful and festive as they have tanks and a view of the Ferris wheel in the dining area. Our server was Brian and he was attentive, courteous, and knowledgeable. His service was 5 star! The drinks were horribly weak. I even got a dry martini and barely felt it when in theory it should be pure alcohol. The apps were enjoyed by all. I got the captains broil with double veg. I was a bit disappointed that the veggies were just green beans. The food was pretty greasy but tasty all the same. Nothing special but given the ambiance the pricing is ok. Bathrooms were clean. $15 self parking, $18 valet or public metered parking for $2/hour. read more

Downtown Aquarium - BROILED CAPTAIN'S PLATTER - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I went there this past Saturday to celebrate my 42nd birthday. The service was amazing, food delicious, drinks on point and very cute displays. My daughters had a great time along with my husband and mom. We really enjoyed ourselves. Our server Josh was beyond amazing . read more

Downtown Aquarium - Me and my family - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

I can't put my two cents on the Downtown Aquarium. I had to ask Google AI to confirm "the Downtown Aquarium in Houston is an immersive, ocean-themed restaurant". Duh. I was fooled. I don't care for it. Maybe I'm not young enough to appreciate. My first impression of this place was the stinks from first to third floor. My friends' wedding was on the third floor. I walked down the stairs to investigate the smell. I think it was from the restaurant on second floor and the stingray area on the first floor. Both smells flew up to the third floor hallway. When the doors closed, smell was gone. My other complaint was the temperature in the hallway on third floor lacked air conditioning. It was stuffy and warm. The wedding ceremony was held outside of the party room and I was sweating like pig. The walls were covered with fake ocean scenes. The spiral staircase surround the floor to ceiling fish tank filled with fish and looks cute. I wonder if those fish were edible. A diver was in the tank waving at us. Looks cute, but not for me. I went to see the stingrays and I didn't need to touch them because I was in my suit and I didn't want to get wet. I went to second floor restaurant and not sure what people were eating. The smell of mixture from food and fish tanks made me nauseous. Yucky. I rushed out. The service at the party room was slow because because of too many varieties of dishes offered. My complaint was the water smells like fish being in there. Not my favorite but the party room was spacious and had a great view from all balconies. Uhhh... I might be back if someone invites me to a party. But I don't necessarily want to come back. Parking is under the freeway bridge. I use my Metropolis parking app and it was easy to exit. read more

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Everything was spectacular! From the atmosphere, to the food and the service! Everyone is so nice, very friendly. It's so peaceful to watch the fish while you eat. Great place -10 out of 10! If you're able, ask for Waheed! He was fantastic! So helpful and attentive!! My water glass NEVER empty! And he was just nice all around! read more

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First time going to the aquarium after living in Houston for about 10 years. I would say it met expectations but didn't exceed them. Parking was easy if you arrive when they open at 10am, as was purchasing tickets in person. The aquarium itself had decent exhibits - with several sections quite cramped if you have a stroller. But still lots to see. The tigers were also pretty active but very random. We also enjoyed the outdoor area and particularly the shark train ride. Including a stop at the restaurant, we spent between 2-3 hours exploring today. read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

our server, Banana, was awesome! so attentive and friendly! The food was delicious too! I would recommend but as for a seat by the tank!

We visited the aquarium in mid-July and had a mostly great time, but the brutal Texas heat knocked a star off. Understandably, the weather is out of their control, however, with very limited cool-off spots or shade, they could do better to keep visitors comfortable. The indoor aquarium tour was excellent as always-- engaging exhibits, smooth flow, and plenty to see. The stingray touch pool was a highlight for the kids, though the ventilation could definitely use improvement; it smelled pretty bad right around that area. The only real downside of the visit was the outdoor attractions due to the uncomfortable heat with limited cool-off spots or shade. In Houston's scorching summers, more misters, or shaded seating would make a huge difference. Still worth going, just maybe skip the peak summer heat if you can! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Probably my fault for going to the Houston Aquarium on a Sunday because it was super packed. It was honestly hard to enjoy the exhibits because of how many people were let in. The aquarium is also pretty deceiving in size. It looks like it might be two stories, but the whole upstairs is just the restaurant. We walked through, and suddenly it was over! You could easily finish the whole thing under 15 minutes, and there weren't that many different species to see. They did have a tiger exhibit, which felt a little random at the aquarium, but it was cool to experience. Parking alone was $15, which felt steep considering it was almost the same price as a single ticket. We paid $25.99 for the package with rides and the stingray interaction (Note: stingray food is an extra charge). The highlight was definitely the train ride since it takes you through the shark exhibit, and that was actually really cool to experience. However, if you get the $17 ticket, you won't have access to that, unless you pay for that singular ride. Overall, we spent more time waiting in lines for rides than actually looking at animals. If you're looking for a large aquarium with a wide variety of fish, this probably isn't the spot. read more

Downtown Aquarium - Exterior - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Dined here for the first time and had a wonderful meal and fantastic view. Moises provided great service and was very kind! We will definitely be back! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Our first time visiting the aquarium restaurant. Loved the decor and of course all the fish! Be sure you get up from your table to do a full loop around the fish tank to see the great variety that are swimming around. Our server was Brian and he took great care of us. Refilled our water glasses multiple times during our meal and was checking in frequently to see if we were doing OK. Our group ordered two ribeyes, one red fish, and one castaway platter. The ribeye was really good and flavorful, the mashed potatoes and green beans were good too. The red fish was OK for the most part. It didn't have a ton of flavor but liked it just fine. The platter with the deep-fried alligator was as good - about as expected for that sort of dish. I probably wouldn't get it again just because there was so much fried stuff that I would opt for a healthier option, but the food tasted good and the flavors were fine. Overall we had a really nice experience and I felt like the prices were fair considering where we were. read more

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The aquarium was pretty boring overall. The highlight of the visit was actually the Blue Bell ice cream. Admission felt overpriced, especially since we only explored the exhibits. I think the cost should have been lower, but I don't mind knowing that our visit helped support the care and maintenance of the facility. I would only come back if I had a reason to, but it's not somewhere I'd go out of my way to visit again. That said, it's a good place for young kids or for taking out-of-town guests. One thing I did appreciate was how clean and well-maintained everything was. read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a solo lunch as a new visitor to Houston. You do have to pay for parking, which is why a Star was removed. However the staff was extremely friendly & i had a great waiter who was very attentive. The food was fresh , the drink was delicious & the view was spectacular. Family friendly environment but also great for friend, romantic or solo date. read more

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We waited beyond the day 15 minute threshold that we were told we would have to wait to be seated and never got the notification by phone. Our waiter was a sweetheart, but overworked. He disappeared for quite a while having to work the bar and our area. The food was decent, but not great. This was a very subpar experience. read more

Dined in tonight 6/25 and you can see by my review that I had an awful time. The intention was to celebrate a friends birthday. Our reservation was at 8. The hosts were great. She recommended the appetizer we ended up getting... after 16 minutes of waiting to be greeted. We had to flag down a server. He took the drink order. Appetizer order and my daughter's kids meal order that he ended up getting wrong.. the waitress who ended up being ours came and dropped off the waters. Was basically rushing us to order... Asked if we wanted bread.. that hit the table... then 3-4 minutes later came back with plates... entrees came.. I ended up realizing my calamari was tasteless. No flavor even either 4 lemons added.. she asked if it was okay. I told her it didn't taste like anything.. you should have seen the look she gave me.. no poker face nothing. It was like she was disgusted with what I said. It gets worse.. SHE ASKS US IF YOU WANT REFILLS.. mind you.. my friend had 2oz of tea in her cup.. no ice.. She left. Came back 10 minutes later .. and said.. I kid you not.... "The kitchens closed so even if you'd like something else I couldn't get it for you" this was a terrible celebratory dinner. No manager in site. The serving staff is pathetic. And need some serious fine tuning. I will not be back. Ever read more

Restaurant has a great atmosphere & awesome view of all kinds of fish. Our host was friendly & our waiter Bryan was exceptional. Friendly & quick bringing our order. Food was delicious especially the fish & shrimp. I highly recommend eating here. read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Brian the server was excellent, the food was good, and you get a beautiful aquarium scenery with your dinner. I would recommend and definitely plan to come back when I am in the Houston area. read more

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I really enjoyed my trip to the Houston Aquarium. I will say that I usually spend several hours in any aquarium. In my opinion, that's how you can see the most interesting animal behavior! So the aquarium didn't feel small or boring to me as I can continuously observe an animal for quite some time before losing interest. The main exhibit area is a bit dark and cramped, but there are lots of interesting, if somewhat random, exhibits. Highlights include some juvenile alligators, an armadillo, and axolotls. I kind of wished they had some more informative signage about the animals, but i felt like the exhibits tended to cater towards young kids who don't love reading, haha. Randomly, they also have a few tigers. After the gift shop, you can walk into the "stingray reef." This area I believe may cost extra to enter if you don't buy the all day pass. You can line up here to pet the stingrays and even buy food to feed them with. The stingrays are rowdy and aggressive and splash water on the bystanders! I thought they were cute and glad to see they were having fun. The odor was quite strong though. Above the stingray reef, you can walk up a spiral staircase that wraps around a tall cylindrical tank. The area on the top was closed for a private event when I visited. On the second floor, you can enter the "Aquarium Restaurant." The restaurant allows you to eat while viewing huge saltwater tanks featuring SEVERAL huge shovelnose rays, very cute, adorable, australian zebra shark, an alligator gar, and lots of other fishes of all shapes and sizes. I was amazed by the big tank, and I think they kind of saved the nicest and coolest tanks for the diners to watch while they eat! The food was decent. The outdoor entertainment area is really fun. I felt like the vibe is almost like a summer county fair or amusement park! There is of course the iconic ferris wheel, a merry go round, and a "supreme scream" style ride. The all day pass allows you to go on any ride you want to. Pretty worth while! And you can enjoy views of Houston skyline and Buffalo Bayou right nearby. The "shark voyage" train, which boards in the outdoor area, is definitely something you shouldn't miss on your trip; the train takes you on a little journey around the aquarium grounds. The shark voyage is the only way you can access the aquarium's HUGE shark tank. The tank contains nurse sharks and a few other types of sharks, as well as one sawfish. The sawfish is huge! We were shocked. Then, there is an exciting and surprising conclusion to the shark voyage :) We were happy to see that the aquarium actually can be easily accessed on foot via Buffalo Bayou. This is a great feature that you should def take advantage of to avoid paying a lot for parking, especially on a nice day if you are up for a bit of a trek! read more

I am struggling to understand why there are so many poor reviews. My husband and I loved this place. We paid $26 for the all inclusive wrist band that included the aquarium and the rides. Yes, the aquarium itself is smaller that some others but their price reflects that. The aquarium was well maintained and we enjoyed looking at all of the fish/animals. The tigers were unexpected but one of my favorite parts. I rode the carousel, the tower ride and the train. When boarding the train I assumed it just took you on a loop around the park but it was an entire show. It was awesome and the best part of the whole experience. All of the staff that we encountered were friendly and even offered to help take our photo. I really enjoyed my visit here and would highly recommend to those with children who would spend more time than we did riding the rides. For reference: our Baltimore, MD aquarium costs over $50 per adult to enter, they do not have rides and that is after you pay $25+ to park in the parking garage. Houston, be happy with what you have! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food, service, and the ambience. Brian is so helpful and very formative of everything, we couldn't be happier. I highly recommend this place. read more

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First of all the service was amazing! It was perfect and cheap 25 dollars to go through the aquarium, pet sting rays and rides it was amazing , the ambiance was family friendly . I would come back . read more

Downtown Aquarium - Aquarium fountain - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food was great. Great service from brian will be coming back and asking for him for sure.

The food was great and the service was great! Tasha was such a sweetheart and took great care of us while dining in!

Our server waheed and the manager Steven were awesome, and accommodating. The food during restaurant week was great too.

Smaller than expected, but still a fun and enjoyable experience, especially if you're visiting downtown and want to combine this stop with others. The exhibits are engaging, and the overall atmosphere is lively. It's easy to get through in a couple of hours without feeling rushed. Not a huge aquarium, but a nice, entertaining stop if you're nearby. read more

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This is our first visit to this restaurant. Waheed provided great service We enjoyed our lunch read more

Awesome service and really nice staff. Tasha was amazing and food was delicious. Beautifu place to visit. Definitely recommend!

We needed a spot for a quick pre-show meal near Jones Hall, and this was the only place within easy reach. I'll admit I was a little hesitant since it always struck me as more of an entertainment attraction than a true dining destination, but we decided to give it another try. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The restaurant was quiet on a weeknight, and we scored an amazing table right next to the giant aquarium window. Being that close to the tank really elevated the whole experience. They brought out complimentary bread and butter while we waited, and it was genuinely good--simple but satisfying. My daughter ordered the Kid's Surf Shack meal: breaded fish, mac and cheese, and a drink. We'd been to Captain D's the month before, and this was better in every way--fresher, tastier, and just more enjoyable overall. I went for the surf and turf: lobster and steak with mashed potatoes and fries. It came with a cup of melted butter so delicious I wanted it hooked up to an IV connected to my arm so I could savor it longer. For dessert, we shared the Shark Attack--a molten chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream and Heath bar crumbles. Honestly, it beats Outback's version, and that one has always been a favorite of mine. Sadly we couldn't finish it, and since we had to head to the show, we reluctantly left the remains behind as an offering to the food gods. Overall, this visit was much better than our previous one. Even though we came strictly for the food this time, the massive floor‑to‑ceiling aquarium made dinner feel special. Being so close to it added a calm, mesmerizing backdrop that really made the meal memorable. read more

Awesome place!!! Aquarium exhibit is awesome with rides and staff are awesome as well!!! Everyone is so polite and helpful!!! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Bad experience I went with my family and the aquarium was very short and was a little good. In the machines, my mom,my sister, my friends and I went to de feries wheel. So we got in and the cart stoped at the top and my mother wanted to leave all ready. So my friends mother ask to the conductor to stop and he said that they couldt stop it. So my mother was dizzy and we went for 5 MORE SPINS. We were mad at the conductor because he was laughing at all that was happening. The shark exbint was kinda good and the other rides were meh. read more

Had a great time taking my grandson to the Downtown Aquarium. We started at the restaurant where we had good food and amazing service. They make an amazing espresso martini! The gumbo is flavorful and delicious. Yes it's expensive but you are buying an entire experience eating in the middle of all the fish tanks. We paid $24 for an all day pass. I thought it was a great deal. You can go into the aquarium as many times as you'd like and ride the rides over and over again. Make sure you don't skip the train ride. It goes right into the shark tunnel which was so fun! I would definitely go again! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Lettuce wraps at the restaurant are so good! - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you're coming here because it is an aquarium: I wouldn't recommend it. As an aquarium, it's fairly disappointing and underwhelming. The Houston Zoo has a FAR BETTER aquarium. I also didn't stop at the restaurant. So I can't speak about the food or the service. The aquarium itself took MAYBE 30mins at most. It had nothing exciting, mostly river/pond fish. It wasn't worth the cost of admittance (even with City Pass) or for parking ($16). There was a ton of room for larking, I'll admit. The absolute BEST part of the 30min visit was the 2 Tigers, which was a pleasant surprise (which we stayed in that area for 15mins). The bathrooms were clean and nice. I suppose if you have a large family with young kids: the ferris wheel, the train (shark voyage), splash pad, and other ride might be an opportunity to spend an hour. read more

We had a wonderful experience, and Tasha made it even better! The food was delicious, but the highlight of our visit was definitely her outstanding service. She was friendly, attentive, professional, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. Her positive attitude and genuine hospitality truly stood out and made us feel welcome. Thank you, Tasha, for going above and beyond we will definitely be back! read more

Gerald was amazing waiter. Personable and professional with excellent timing and attention to detail. Food was fresh and delicious. Restaurant is always clean with pleasant atmosphere. We come often with family. By the way we had nine of us for being kids ! read more

VERY small, minimal exhibits. The main aquarium can be walked on 20 minutes. Every thing else is extra $$$

I like to visit the aquariums when I visit a new city. While I was in Houston I went to the Downtown one. It was quite small. I had hoped to spend the day there, but I made it through the entire exhibit in less than an hour. Most of their rides were not running. They were also very close to the highway. I still enjoyed the exhibits that were open and the staff was friendly. read more

Food was great and the service was wonderful! Italian Steve provided excellent service. Thank you.