Another amazing event in the bag!! I had an amazing time and made acquaintances with wonderful…read moreprople, the belly dancer, food, and atmosphere made it an incredible experience. I will absolutely continue to support this business, the inspiration from the owner is very dear and close to my heart. I am heavily warmed and positively impacted by the world coming together so beautifully to share experiences. The blends of flavors from Pakistan and Africa are exceptional, hats off to the chef, to the owner, and our amazing Yelp team for introducing us to this gem!! SYOY!

I'm always grateful to be apart of these events. Big thank you to Jando and Yelp for putting this…read moretogether. The staff was very nice and attentive. The owner made everything fresh for us as we were there. This meant there was a slight wait for dishes but it was never anything crazy. The evening started with a belly dancer which distracted us while we were waiting for the food to start coming out. This was my first time experiencing a dancer...in a restaurant. Once the food came out it was time to go to work. First item to hit the table was the house made strawberry, lychee green tea lemonade. This was super refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness. The first dish to come out were hot wings. These had a great flavor to them with just a little heat. These were really good and a must try if you come in. Second dish was the chicken quesadilla. This was average good, nothing really special about it. We then received some side dishes of rice and corn. Again just average good. Last item to reach the table was split chicken. It looked really good but unfortunately I think I had a bad batch served to me. When i took my first bite, I saw blood coming out of the chicken. After that I played it safe and filled up on rice and corn.

This was my first year attending White Linen Night in the Heights after many years of wanting to…read morego. It always falls on the first Saturday in August which to me was one of the drawbacks. It's hot in August! Not sure if there is any significance on the date, but the event is inspired by a New Orleans tradition and started by New Orleans natives who moved to Houston. If you haven't guessed from the name of the event, they encourage everyone to wear white linen for comfort in the summer hear. From what I understand, it used to be a free event, but now they charge a fee of 15 bucks which to me is very reasonable as these type of events take time to plan, set up and clean up afterwards. They have live music, all kinds of pop up vendors, art, and all around good vibes. Alot of the vendors like White Claw, Saint Arnold's and others were giving away drinks which in itself should make one feel good about the small entrance fee. We did buy drinks and food to snack on as well. They also allow people to bring coolers which is cool and all, but there was some people that clearly were drinking all day and needed their friends to keep them upright. Glad I grew out of that stage. Once the clock strikes 10pm, they start shutting down and telling everyone to head on out. Overall, this was a cool event that I can see myself coming back to. I love how diverse the crowd is and the good vibes all around. Would I prefer it in the fall? Of course! Maybe they can make that happen one day. See ya'll there next year!

I really don't know why I keep coming back to this event. It's usually hot, super crowded, and…read moreusually overtaken by a bunch of sweaty boozing bros. I guess there is something a little appealing about the whole chaos of it and I usually mange to run into people I haven't seen in a long time so I guess it's not all that bad. A word of advice: bring a little cooler for yourself with water or other beverages. To be honest, I have no idea what the alcohol rules are there but most people there are lit up real good so I guess it's pretty lax. As for parking, you're better off not bringing a car or taking a shuttle. I usually park 5-6 blocks away and walk but then I'm kind of grizzled and know my secret spots. A lot of street parking does open up after sunset too once the families evacuate the area with their children and the night boozing begins.

Wow!! What else can I say??…read more Over 600 Elite Yelpers signed up for this event, so I was lucky to get a party pass....and this was definitely one for the books!!! So interesting to hear about Otto's journey from Iguazu Falls, Brazil to Miami to Houston using his mom's Pincho (Spanish for Kabob) recipe as inspiration. Love this! Apparently after having a corporate America job, he decided to live the American dream and open his restaurant chain. His friends in Miami all loved his mom's seasoning and always wanted her to season their meat. So eventually he scrambled for investors, including a high interest loan from an uncle ,and the rest is delicious, award winning burgers and kabobs history. The kabobs. So delicious. The seasoning make the chicken and beef sing especially when coupled with the dipping sauce. Reminds me of my husband's old family restaurant's spice blend. The burgers. Wow!! And they kept coming and coming during this omakase food fest. My favorite was the Pincho Burger with the potato sticks and Pincho special sauce, but a special thank you to Otto, Adrian and their team who made me a Bacon Me Gouda and a Pincho Dog with no bacon. The sides were also amazing. Loved the fried haloumi cheese with the guava ketchup. Insanely delicious. The sweet potato tots with the apple dipping sauce were a bit addictive...and those fries....another wow!!! Couple this with the best table mates, Tiffany, Ruby, Olivia and Mark, a mix tape from a "Boombox," Yelp frisbees and the amazing hospitality from Otto, Adrian and their team and you feel like you are at a South Beach party. Brought a box of goodies home from our generous "samples" and the family enjoyed every bite as well. A huge thank you to Otto, Adrian and the whole team at Pincho's who really showered us with love. Otto, your mom should be so proud of you sharing her delicious recipe outside of her home kitchen. And, as always, a big thank you to our Houston CM Jando for doing what you do best....connecting amazing businesses with our community. It really is sweet to be Elite! Note: Iguazu Falls is on the border of Brazil and Argentina. Over 270 waterfalls!! Taller than Niagara Falls and wider than Victoria Falls, it is stunning.

"It's a marathon, not a sprint" was the mantra for last night and frankly today, as I grazed on…read moreleftovers for lunch and dinner. It's been awhile since I've been to an event where we were instructed to come hungry. I knew the servings would be generous from the reviews that I read at previous Pincho's events, but nothing could have prepared me for the amount of food that we received! I told some of my fellow Elites waiting for the 2nd session to stretch their stomachs lol. They knew it was serious when all of the 1st session folks walked out with take out boxes. It was hard to pace ourselves with the amount of food coming out. Not only were there a ton of courses, but the portion sizes were massive. I couldn't even try everything because my stomach was over it about half way through. Omakase Rundown: Kebabs - I enjoyed both the chicken and beef, especially with the dipping sauces! The meats were seasoned well and the sauces had so much flavor! Burgers (Pincho, Jalapeño, Bacon Me Gouda, Smash Burger) - My favorite was the Pincho Burger. I enjoyed the contrast of textures and each bite packed a punch full of savory goodness! Fried Cheese - So delicious! I liked the texture and it wasn't breaded which was different and unique. Bonus points for the side of Guava Ketchup that accompanied it! Fries - Crispy, hot, and perfectly salted. I wish these would have been brought out sooner in the evening so we could have enjoyed them with the burgers. Sweet Potato Tots - I don't like sweet potatoes so I didn't like these. Dulce de Leche Ice Cream - I literally licked the spoon just to get a taste and it was really good! By that point, I was on the verge of tapping out because I was miserably stuffed. Pincho Dog - I was so full that I didn't try it, but it looked good. I'm not big on hot dogs, but this one did look tasty and I wouldn't mind trying it on a future visit. It was so great to hear from Otto and Adrian. I always love hearing the back story of how a business got its start. So cool that they already have 14 stores with plans to continue expanding. I also appreciated that they reached out to CMs Jando and Brittany to help get their name out in the Houston food scene. I absolutely loved the music! It was definitely a vibe in there. The open bar was a bonus as was the company (Olivia, Helene, Ruby, and Mark)! It was fun to mingle with some Yelp friends between sessions too. Yelp is always bringing people together! Thank you, Otto, Adrian, Pincho's staff, Jando, and Yelp HTX for allowing us to turn up on a Tuesday!

It's been a hot minute since we have had an elite event. There were two sessions and I attended the…read morefirst session. Of course, we got a chance to try their lobster roll. The bread on the roll had a nice crunch to it that went well with the lobster meat. I like the lobster bisque more than the clam chowder. Also got a side of chips and whoopie pies. It was a great night seeing old friends and also catching up with a few more friends on the way out. Thanks to Jando, the Yelp Houston team, and the Maine-ly team for hosting.

Oh I love seafood. So when we got a chance to come out to New England specific joint, I was all…read morein! A few of the yelp-folk and I met beforehand across the street, so we didn't have to worry about parking, but even so it didn't seem that disastrous come event time when we passed through on the way in. Check in was easy breezy. I had not actually met 3/4 of the attendees, so it was nice to meet new folks, and mingle a bit. The place was small, and a bit tight for the crowd. You could compare it to a take out joint, with limited seating. The AC was on blast, which for some was too much, but I loved it. Cold is the way. The staff were very efficient, and quiet. They came through twice first handing out lobster rolls, and the second handing out chowder and bisque. The Lobster Rolls. 2/5 We each had one sample sandwich, they didn't come out with seconds. In speaking with everyone around me, we all really enjoyed the bread. The stuffing was very light, and not overly flavorful so I can't really say much to how it would compare to a legit Lobstah roll from my home state (Massachusetts for those who weren't aware). But I'll be there in a few months, and will post one to compare. In speaking with one of our OG Yelp-folk, James R., he had great things to say about their rolls on-the-menu if you were to purchase. James is on-point when it comes to food, and I trust his opinion. So maybe it's just the sample that was lackluster. It ain't cheap on the menu, but seafood never is. New England Clam Chowder 2/5 Again not overly flavorful to me. The consistency was good, but lacked distinguishing flavors, and warmth. It came out cold like a tapioca pudding. Again, on the menu would probably have a different experience than out of sample cup. Chowdah isn't a soup, so don't expect it to be thin. Lobster Bisque 3/5 Like the chowdah, this came out as cold as the AC (but I absolutely loved the AC). Unlike the chowdah, this had flavor to it. A little meat was garnished on the top, but probably would have served more purposed mixed into the bisque, with heat to add more flavor. Consistency/texture was on point. Had it been hot, I would've enjoyed it far more. The whoopie pies were good. I would go chocolate over snickerdoodle. It had far more flavor and depth to it. What we didn't have was Mac n Cheese, which session 2 had an opportunity to enjoy. That was a bummer because I was looking forward to seeing what they offered for that. I can count on two fingers how many restaurants in general have a legitimately good Mac n Cheese, because most are not worth it. The hunt continues. As always, it's a treat to be able to join for these events. I appreciate the hard work that went in from the restaurant to host us, and also the efforts by Jando and team to put events like this in place. After chatting up some yelp-folk afterwards who have been here outside of this event, I might suggest trying their food on a normal business day to get a better representation of what they truly offer. I will try it out some time in the near future.

Thank to everyone who attended my landmark UYE (Unofficial Yelp Event). We had 110% attendance -…read moremore the merrier. As you heard from other reviewers, this was my first Chinatown Crawl style UYE and celebrating 3rd Annual Asian Heritage Celebration in Houston. We moved from one business to another business as a group. It was nice to see Tracie A with her kids & her +1 (Trent), Eugene L & his +1 (Amber), Jose C's family. As well as the Around the World UYE regulars: Belly G, Mike M, Eddie S, Cherry A, Matt S and his wife Anh D. I also met a few new faces: Andrew Z, Millie C, Steven W, and Kevin L. Also, special appearances: Greg F, Olivia K, Na S and Shawn S. I'm honored to see this event as "Best UYE in Houston". Read my blog at http://iyelpalot.blogspot.com/2016/07/best-uye-in-houston.html. For few of us Yelpers love to party but couldn't attend at Official Yelp Events. So, we organize meet up parties to cater these crowds. One thing I learned from this UYE is to consider gluten-free option. So, at my next Chinatown Crawl UYE, I have prepared items to include vegan and GF dishes. Coming up... Time for Taiwan UYE @ Lai Lai Dumpling House in August.

This was my first time ever to the Dun Hung plaza, the parking lot was packed but luckily the…read moregarage was pretty empty. I was a little late getting to this UYE, so I missed the Fit Japanese store. Bummed out about that! I did get there just as everyone was getting to Strings Noodles, though. Lou greeted my kids and I right away, We were seated and handed some pretty awesome personalized name tags that said " Asian Heritage Month UYE Chinatown Crawl". The tags even had the date! My heathen children even got their very own name tags. Lou let us know that the tea and the starters would be on the house. All of the starters were amazing but my favorite was the pickled green beans. I have never thought to pickle a green bean and now I feel like I had been missing out. I would go back just to get them. We were handed some sheets of paper that had different noodles to pick from, kind of made it easier for everyone that way. I ordered thin noodles with beef in a spicy broth. The noodles were some of the best I have ever had. The soup had a hard boiled egg in it and it just soaked up all the amazing flavors. The wait staff was great with my kids too, my daughter specifically. she doesn't do all that well in restaurant settings, but it was quite a pleasant-ish visit. I will for sure be returning! When we were done we headed to Six Ping and got some pretty tasty pastries. I got a Taiwanese Red Bean cake and it was so good. it wasn't too sweet and it had tons of flavor. My kids thought the Hello Kitty cake was hilarious, the look on their faces was even funnier when I said I wasn't buying it. HA!! And then! We went to Nu Café and it was a life changer. Oh man the Shaved ice is like nothing I have ever had before. I didn't know shaved ice could be so good. I got the Coconut shaved ice with condensed milk, strawberries, and rainbow jellies. It was glorious! Oh my I want to leave work right now and go get some! It was sweet but not too sweet, it was incredible. Lou definitely went above and beyond for this UYE. Thank you, Lou!

Good times at HAPI office hour hosted by Jando. We enjoyed boba at Tsaocca, a new hot spot in the…read morearea. I got a chance to meet new elite friends that I haven't met before along with old friends. This is a good time to ask Jando anything you want about Yelp or bring up any suggestions. I enjoyed my rose strawberry green tea. It was very refreshing and the edible rose petals were a nice touch. Jando also got us some popcorn chickens that were pretty crispy. A great turn out for the night. Thanks Jando for hosting and the boba.

So nice to celebrate a HAPI Office Hour with Jando and friends…read more Get your burning questions answered while sipping on a refreshing boba tea. The Mango Pomelo Sago was super cooling and refreshing. Packed with mango, hints of coconut and chewy sago pearls, it was a perfectly balanced sweet treat. Q & A with Jando..... How many countries have Yelp? Argentina. Brazil. Chile. Australia. New Zealand. France. UK. Italy.The Netherlands. Germany, Norway. Spain. Portugal. Singapore. Japan. Hong Kong. Taiwan. Turkey. Canada. Mexico. Ireland. Austria. Finland. Malaysia. Poland. The Phillipines. Denmark. Switzerland. Germany. Czech Republic.....and of course, the US! Can you go to events in other cities? States? Countries? Yes, yes and yes. When should you review an Elite event? Within 48 hours. Thanks to Jando and TSAOCAA for another It's Sweet to be a Houstonian Event!!

I'm so sad that this review has been pending for so long! This was one of the first real toga…read moreparties I have ever attend. It was so much fun and filled with such great company. The are food, drinks, yoga, and dancing! What else could you ask for?

What a wonderful event! Thank you David N., Yelp, Bering Omega, Barefoot, The Counter, St…read more Arnold's Brewery, Dripping Springs, and other sponsors for the unexpectedly stupendous bash So okay, up until this point, I've never actually attended a toga party. I wasn't very socially inclined in college and I'm not very good at adhering to party themes (yes, I have "party pooper" tendencies, so what?). But then I thought "why not?" and pulled out that ole long transformer dress (mine is brown, but ladies - the white ones are perfect for toga parties, although I didn't exactly tie mine "toga style," but anyway, just FYI!) and dug up a twin flat sheet out for the boyfriend to show that yes, we were darn well trying, and made our way to the adorable Craft Salon. The Counter was doling out Greek-inspired sliders to the attendees and from what I understand, they were quite tasty. Us Yelpers congregated, snapped a few photos, and then proceeded to get our drink-on. I was a bit surprised at the roominess of Craft Salon, but then again, they stripped the place down to allow for small sponsor display, propped by the hair stylist stations, and a couple of tables and stools for the weary (like me). We continued to chat it up, strike our best yoga pose ("Tired tipsy girl sitting on bar stool" - know that one? Cuz I do!), sip our plentiful wines, beers, and vodka beverages, and marvel at other attendees' ridiculous and brilliant toga creations. I was quite appreciative of the efficiency by which I received my wines, despite there being only two bar stations. I was a little bit disgruntled about the one-person restroom (see "efficiency by which I received my wines"), but hey, I managed to make it out mostly alive . . .? The DJ was pretty darn great, and ceremoniously started streaming Journey and 80's hits as the evening came to a close, much to everyone's intoxicated delight. For this being only the second year that Bering Omega has put on this event, it was really quite impressive and entertaining, and it's all for a terrific cause too. I mean, I am almost feeling inspired to actually design some crazy sort of toga for next year, but let's not be too overzealous yet . . . this is only my first toga party, but certainly not my last.

Another amazing event for the books! I was really excited about this event, because I love Cajun…read morefood and all that it represents. The food, the drinks, the people and the music Rouxpour embodies in all that they do!! Upon arriving, we were greeted by Farrah, Jando, and the great hosts, where we got badged up, armed with fans, and gifted drink tickets for our bevvys and a giveaway! As we made our way through the restaurant, the elite squad united around the bar and our Yelp setup to grab drinks and start our fun night! It had been a while since I got to see everyone, so the night was filled with lots of hugs, laughter and catching up! Before we knew it, the night was off with a bang! Food started to appear, and of course the camera always ears first! It's kinda a funny thing to watch everyone capturing food before anyone ever grabs anything, and staff I don't think are ever truly prepared for our excitement of food! But this staff, they were just as excited as we were, and it made for such a great evening! First round of food to come out were shrimp deviled eggs, which were a deliciously perfect two bite hors d'oeuvre. Next up were I believe crab cakes and boudain balls which were perfectly seasoned and just enough kick to wake you up! Then for the oysters, I met Grayson who was kind enough to share an order of his with me, they were chargrilled and oh so delectable!!! Perfect bite on their toasted bread, to sop up the remaining juice from the shell!From the photos it looked like there were a few other items served up, but I unfortunately had to leave before the end of the event. I want to give a huge huge thank you the all the staff, the servers were amazing, Gabby behind the bar, was whipping those drinks up and had the best smile! And to mgmt team of Rouxpour, you should be proud, your staff showed some beautiful southern hospitality! And lastly but not least, Yelp, Jando, & Farrah! You all put so much love and effort into these events and it shows! Thank you thank you for all you do for us! We are lucky to have you have you both!

I don't even know where to start with this review...let's start by saying Thank you Jando for a…read moregreat event! This event had all the right elements for an amazing night. From the moment we walked in the service was top notch. After checking in and getting our name tag and drink tickets, the first step was the bar. Gabby did an awesome job making sure my cup was never empty. Those Mexican Martinis were amazing! I would go back just for the drinks. There was a wide range of food served. I didn't get to try everything but that was my fault as I was busy catching up with people I haven't seen in a while and making new friends. It probably didn't help that I never left the bar area lol. I did try the deviled eggs with andouille sausage, which were really good. I also had some crab cakes and boudin balls. Both were cooked perfectly and had great flavor. But my favorite dish was the shrimp gumbo! This was probably the best gumbo I've ever had. It was so good I made sure to get a second serving. Thank you Yelp for a great time. Let's rewind and do it again!

What a way to end the year with an event at Luby's. I definitely had to be here since I haven't…read morebeen to a YEE since May. I didn't come here for the food more so just to catch up with a few close yelp friends and getting to know the newbies. Thank you Chris (Yelp elite) and his staff for their awesome hard work, shoutout to the band as well. * Pork tamales- dry. 1.5/5 * Sliders- not bad. 3/5 * Deviled eggs- too much dill for me. 2/5 * Greek- definitely my favorite. The dressing was acidic & vinegary. 4/5 * Squared fish- batter was crispy, tartar sauce was good. 3/5 * Ham- it was alright. 2.5/5 * Cornbread dressing- pass. 1.5/5 * Mac and Cheese- good. 3.5/5 * Green beans- weird aftertaste. 2/5 * Yams- not overly sweet. 3/5 * Pumpkin pie- wished they had sweet potato pie but this is good. 3.5/5. When you think of Luby's it's more suited to the older crowd but the food is not bad. Definitely nostalgic. I will say that their desserts are on point. I'm just grateful that they were able to throw a yearly tradition at Luby's. Thank you Jando & Brittany for putting this together, you guys are the heart of the Houston Yelp community. Keep doing what you're doing. I can't wait to see what events are going on for 2025.

What a great way to end the 2024 Yelp event calendar for Houston! Don't get it twisted…read morethough...Brittany and Yelp North Houston still has things going on in their neck of the woods. Big shoutout to Jando and Brittany for throwing this event together. Also big thanks to Chris and his team for having us and reminding us why Luby's is such a loved spot. Most of his team has put some years in at this location and that speaks volumes to the Luby's brand. The live music from the two man band Don't Worry About It was awesome too! I grew up on Luby's. It was a regular in my parent's rotation of after church spots every Sunday. It's nostalgic. A few years back it seemed like they were all going to close, but it's nice to hear new ownership took over and we still have 16 in the Houston area. I still meet my family up randomly on Sundays at Luby's around town. They really took care of us at this event. It was also cool to be able to bring a plus one to see what Yelp events are like. We started off standing around and sampling passed appetizers. We had deviled eggs, tamales, off the menu sliders, and Greek salad. I skipped on the salad but enjoyed everything else especially the sliders and tamales. We sat down for the main event and did it cafeteria style like Luby's does. We had the famous square fish, ham, Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes and green beans. This meal hit in every way. Comfort food at its finest. It was totally as I remember it. Some of the items were new to me but will definitely be on my rotation in the future. Again, thanks to all those involved in making this event happen. It was a nice, chill event to round out the amazing Yelp year we have had!