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    Ember

    2.1 (437 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    EMBER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ember

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    Reviews With Photos

    Shrimp and avocado salad
    Rickey S.

    Ember is a prominent brand in the IAH airport. The restaurant itself is pretty and was clearly installed as a modern, high-end option for travelers. Even though I had to order through a QR code, my server was still very attentive and checked on me often. I am giving Ember only two stars because my salad was not good, and was also insanely expensive. The shrimp avocado salad was packed with acid that could not be balanced. Between the lime and tomatillo vinaigrette, which tasted like straight lime juice, and the pickled onions, I could barely stomach a few bites. As someone who often eats in the Miami and LA metro areas, for a salad like this to cost $28 in the Houston airport is absurd. I could get a similar salad for less while sitting beachfront. This was a disappointing dining experience.

    Chicken pasta and Cesar salad with Cab wine
    Kristal R.

    Pasta was very try and had very little flavor. The salad was good. The wine was just okay. The service was pretty slow especially for a major airport that wasn't especially crowded that day. It was also pretty pricey even for an airport.

    Thick burger
    Yochanan H.

    I landed at 1708, and as I exited gate C30, I immediately started to look for a restaurant. Besides, as most folks know, sitting in the economy section only gets you a soda and a bag of nuts. So, yeah, I was hungry, but not to the extreme. As I headed towards my next gate, I noticed Ember, but I thought, "Maybe I can find one of those Whataburger joints, especially since I'm in Houston, Texas." Wrong. Why would they have a Whataburger? It's not like it's a Texas thing. So, I walked past Ember, the first restaurant I saw, but kept looking. I saw El Premio, H-Burger, Panda Express, Steak N Shake, and two or three Starbucks. I eventually returned to Ember because it was the only sit-down restaurant with a server. My server was Ria, and she was so cordial. She went above and beyond to work with me on my order, and my glass was never empty. She wasn't overly chatty but observant. I noticed that she assisted other staff members, too. Hopefully, she will make it to the management level. Of course, I do what I always do, and I mentioned that I lip-read and was Deaf. Doing this helped me interact with Ria. A notepad and pen, or at least facing me, works for the majority of the time. If only more folks were like Ria and didn't have to be told or instructed to think outside the box. Luckily, I wasn't asked to use the QR code to order like other Yelps, which mentioned the debacle and hassle of using it. Sadly, I am witnessing more and more technology being used to hinder human interactions instead of making them more manageable. I had zero issues with the food, which was a thick burger. It was even better than my burger at Elway's at the Denver (DEN) airport. Sure, it was pricey, but you're at the airport, and everything is expensive. So, two choices: pay or starve. Finally, it was neat that they had a wood-burning stove and continuously brought wood in on a wheel barrel. This was the first time I had seen this at a restaurant in all my airports.

    Menu
    Sasha P.

    I think everyone should set their expectations when they go into (most) airports. I've had some pretty bad experiences in my life, but Ember was NOT one of them. We did not have to use the QR code, the server took care of us - a win. We did not have to wait for a seat or a table and had plenty of space for our bags. I ordered a salad with chicken added and it was a huge serving. Hubby got fish and chips and I stole a few bites (plus the fries, of course) and it was perfectly fine. My campari sprtiz was delicious and his Moscow Mule was solid. I'd come back again if I'm on this side of IAH. No major qualms here!

    Eisha the best bartender in IAH !!
    Missy R.

    The ambiance and the warm welcome was such a refreshing change for an airport restaurant / bar. I had the pleasure of of meeting the nice bartender ever named Eisha McKinney. What a welcomed surprise if freshness. Kindness and pure sweetness. As I was walking through the airport I was kindly welcomed by Tiffany as I strode by to the restroom and she was so nice I had to come back and get a few drinks while I had a 3 hour layover. The food was fantastic and the drinks weren't measured to a lame shot but a friendly "cheers" shot which had me come back for a couple more. I live in Dallas and usually take a direct flight but because of these fantastic ladies I think I'll fly though IAH a bit more just for the warm company. Well done Embers ! Well done !

    Random pasta at the bottom of my poutine.
    Britton D.

    Dishes are very expensive, and the food is very bland to off-putting. Random pasta was at the bottom of my poutine and what looked like corn. No one stopped by the table until I was packing up to leave. System asks to tip before server does anything. It's just a miss for me.

    Spinach and mushroom eggs open face with sour cream.
    Shannon L.

    I'm not a huge fan of QR code ordering, probably because I grew up in an analogue childhood. This one wasn't complicated to work through so that was good. Tables weren't very clean and had that sticky layer if you had your arms resting on them. I ordered breakfast and a cold brew coffee. The breakfast was good and filled me up for my flight home. They initially brought hot black coffee and it took them some work to figure out my coffee order. It seems their interface separates drink orders and it's not clear for them what table ordered what. Not the servers fault but their QR ordering process needs an update.

    Dirty martini
    Susan B.

    The hostess seated us away from the busy restaurant and bar area which we liked. We just wanted a cocktail before our flight. I got a Dirty Martini gin. Very nice. Good place to relax before our flight.

    TX Karbach Brewing Hopadillo Hazy IPA before the flight.
    Daryl P.

    Stopped in for a beer before my flight. Quick easy and efficient. In the middle of terminal C where you have your United Flights flying in and out. Has beers, cocktails, food and a casual vibe to relax before takeoff.

    Food was really well prepared and packed with flavor
    Jordan W.

    As far as the food goes, it was very good. This is an airport bar/eatery so it was very overpriced but given I had a 7hr layover in Houston, I had to eat something. The parmesan broccoli was very good, very buttery and steamed perfectly. The carrots were tender with just the right amount of pop in the center. I did need to add some additional pepper to both but I really like pepper so I wasn't surprised by this. The fries were crispy and flavorful as well. This location in terminal C was well located for my gates and o didn't have to wait even though it was very busy in the terminal and lunch time. Bring an airport location, it was quite loud as there were travelers and staff hustling around the airport. There were no TVs or anything to keep me busy so I chose to work while I sat. There was power at each table so you could plug in phones, tablets, laptops, etc. Other than the price point, Ember is a good spot to enjoy some real food while traveling thru Houston.

    Scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes
    Christopher C.

    Sure, it's expensive. Eggs, bacon, and potatoes for $22 (tip included) is a bit much, but you cannot go too wrong with breakfast. The service in the morning is cordial and prompt. The food did its job. It didn't upset the stomach and fueled me for my flight! If it was a bit cheaper, I'd enjoy it more, but nonetheless it's a good place to relax and eat. Cheers!

    Audrey L.

    Beautiful place in Houston airport. We ordered bacon cheese and egg sandwich with diced potatoes. We had two orders and it was $43. I asked for some water, but it never came. I asked for napkins and silverware. Maybe I didn't pay enough for the service.

    The spinach & mushroom omelet. Fairly decent
    Thea Z.

    Decent enough airport food. Service was standard, some of the tables were dirty, prices are high but you're in an airport, seating is spacious. Food was super salty. I ordered the mushroom and spinach omelet, needed 2 glasses of water (not easy to come by). Asked for my mimosas to be light on oj, no dice. The servers were fine. I did enjoy the seating area though! It's a useful location as it's right in the middle with lots of seating. It met my needs.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Everyone is either in a rush or completely ignore you. We picked Ember because of their friendly customer service and great ambiance

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    Page 2 of 11

    Ask the Community - Ember

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    1886 Humble Backyard

    1886 Humble Backyard

    3.5(103 reviews)
    4.7 miIAH Airport Area
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    Max is the best bartender! He always is super great with me and my coworkers, our favorite spot to…read morebe after work.

    I'm back my Yelpers. Good to be back. OMG. This place was told to me by one person and another…read moreperson thereafter and had me SOLD. Steak night advertisement is why I came on a Wednesday from it's Instagram page. From the entrance there's nothing like this place. Outside inside, wood built bar, 2 stories, gravel rocks parking and grass entrance. Has the feel of a local crawfish spot but good hole in the wall joint, with good food good prices drinks and vibes. Everyone here either greeted with a smile or greeted with a hi. That's right, leave your worries home, and any bitterness you have on your chest, cause this isn't the place for it. No kiddos here or young folks either. Closes 2am every night. Seems like a more club on the weekend, I can only imagine with alot of open flooring space and a DJ nightly. Grown Grown here. This place... I should of been coming a long time ago. This place is Underrated. Forget your chain bars these days, this is where it's at. Bathrooms, and tables and service everywhere. Behind a Shipley's donut along side the feeder road. You'll miss this place if you blink. Sat up top for the views, FIRST TIME. Fans are near seating so you're not hot. Food is ordered downstairs but they bring it to you wherever. But drinks can be ordered any area in here. MULTIPLE BARS INSIDE A BAR. Steak was tender. But wanted Medium well, it was more like Medium, but turned out better than I normally thought. Seasoned, butter and savory hands down, and potatoes was well done, and fully loaded. Drinks were stiff here as well. I can only imagine a Fri-Sun night... more crowded, probably standing at times for a seat. Parking lot is first come first serve, very limited. And of course parking near Shipley Donuts when they're closed, in case full, just another secondary. I would really recommend this place if you like enjoying outdoor eating and music with a crowd. This is a real bar, no questions. Must try on your bucket list.

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    1886 Humble Backyard - Ultimate Bloody Mary

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    Ultimate Bloody Mary

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