Some food tastes good. Some food tastes like home. Let me start here: I do NOT eat just anybody's Haitian food. I've tried Haitian spots all over Texas trying to find something that comes close to what I grew up eating. There was one place years ago that I really liked, but they eventually shut down. So when Griot Gardens opened and I realized how close their food came to home, I was HAPPY. Great ambiance, great flavors, great company & great eats! Their food is probably the closest I've found to my mom's cooking, and that means a lot to me. There was a time when I came here often, especially when I was missing my mom. I'd grab some food and, for a little while, it felt like my mom had just fed me. That alone should tell you how close to home the food hits for me. And the food actually backs it up. This is authentic Haitian food with the flavors I expect when somebody tells me I'm about to eat Haitian food. Again, I don't play about that. Right now, my favorite is the seafood legume with white rice and plantain. Definitely recommend. I also recommend the griot bowl, and if you see kabrit, get into that too. You really have options depending on what you're in the mood for. Don't skip over everything else either. They have Haitian juices, sweets and other treats, so I usually end up looking around to see what else I can leave with. Another thing I really love is that they host events that bring the Haitian community together. If you're from out of town and looking to connect with other Haitians, this is a great place to start. And even if you've been here forever, sometimes you just want to be around your people, hear the music, eat the food and get a little taste of home again. I really appreciate that Griot Gardens creates space for that. For me, this place is more than somewhere to grab food. Sometimes I want Haitian food because I'm hungry, and sometimes I want Haitian food because I miss my mom and I want something familiar. Griot Gardens has been able to give me a little piece of that. And one more time for the people in the back: I do NOT eat everybody's Haitian food. So if I'm recommending it, I mean it. read more

The fritay platter as seen on TikTok was really good especially the fried pork despite the long wait time which shows that they make almost everything from scratch. I noticed that it was very quiet inside and the opening time of 11:00 am is misleading since the kiosk wouldn't let me order until 11:30 am. Despite that, I enjoyed the food since Haitian food is hard to come by. On the other hand, this restaurant's long wait times to get food after ordering may put people who is time-strapped off. read more

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Visited Houston for the first time and wanted to check out a Haitian restaurant. The food was scrumptious.... They didn't skimp out on the pikliz which I loved. read more

Griot Gardens - Fritay Freak - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food, service and ambience 10 out of 10. The food takes a while but that's because of the love put into it. The food is fresh, juices are fresh and authentic Haitian food. The Haitian art, music and full southern look was also appreciated! 10 out of Absolute 10! read more

The empanadas and fried plantains were our favorite part. We ordered the Jerk Chicken and the Griot. The Jerk Chicken had great flavor but was over charred. Service was slow, took us 90 minutes door in door out. If you go, I would call ahead and do take out. Definitely has a new restaurant feel to it. I can't tell if they are going for a casual feel or a sit down place. The lights weren't on, they were using natural lighting and A/C wasn't great. Definitely worth a try and has potential to be 5/5 someday! read more

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One of the few underrepresented cuisines in Houston is Haitian, and that's a shame. When we visitef Miami over 30 years ago, we sought out Haitian food even more than Cuban food. A Haitian spot in Los Angeles called T'George's sold what I still think is the most succulent chicken I've ever eaten, cooked on avocado wood. Haitian food involves a mix of Africa, France, indigenous Caribbean, and some hot voodoo thrown in for even more magic. I love the use of spices and the always present base sauce of herbs and garlic called epis and the kimchi-like side salad called pikliz. A couple Houston Haitian spots have operated on the far westside of town, but our favorite is a brand new spot in Spring Branch called Griot Gardens (6806 Long Point). One reason is that the menu features an extensive selection of vegan dishes! The sweet owner's daughter is vegan, and she felt challenged to veganize most of the classic dishes of the country. Griot is like masitas--fried pork. But the vegan version here is remarkable, making a creative use of powerfully flavored mushrooms. The "epamamas" here are the chef's take on empanadas, and the veg one is fabulous, as is the perfectly crisp fried yuca served with a mojo-like garlic sauce. For an entree, there is the coconut-curried chickpeas, which paired sensationally with the rice and peas and pikliz. There were oxtails in a savory gravy, downed with a Haitian Prestige beer. It might be because of the newness of the operations, but the time from ordering to actually receiving food was pretty long. We were happy to be patient, but other tables weren't. Hopefully, service will be more efficient in the future. We loved our food and will definitely be returning. read more

Griot Gardens - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The prices on the menu don't reflect what is actually charged. I ordered the Bouillon and on the menu it is $13 but on my receipt I was charged $15. Not sure if it's because I ordered take out or they haven't updated their menu. Also, I ordered the Griot plate. To add the Diri D'jon D'jon ( Black Rice) is an extra cost. The place is spacious.The service is extremely slow. It took over an hour to get my to go order. There were only 3 small tables a head of me. I most likely won't return anytime Soon because no one should have to wait this long to receive food. Overall, the food was delicious! I suggest calling in your order to avoid waiting long period of time at the restaurant read more

I tried to like this restaurant. Not authentic Haitian food. There is nothing au gratin about the macaroni. My chicken was raw. I waited 1 hour additional after I ordered ahead. read more

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I had some absolutely fabulous vegan food at Griot Gardens! The fried jackfruit (Griot My Gardens) was beautifully fried and flavorful and the pickled onions and peppers the serve with it (along with the spicy slaw) bring an acidic tang that cuts through the rich fried food like a knife. The black beans that came as a side were rich and earthy and paired nicely with the plains I dipped therein. YUM! My dining companion had the standard (fried pork) griot and said it was excellent as well. And the food came out at what I think is a very reasonable pace given the freshness of preparation. Also, the staff person looking after us was very sweet and had a lovely personality! All-in-all - this place is very much a must-try! read more

9/10. I just moved to houston from NY and I was getting tired of cooking haitian food, so I searched for a place and found Griot Gardens. The only reason I did not rate it a 10/10 is because I would love my Pikliz to be 1000% more spicy and it got a little pricey but thats okay, it was worth it. Service was amazing & the ambiance makes you feel like you are home in haiti read more

Griot Gardens - Akra - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Came for lunch with 4 team members, the place was empty. The owner took our order, I had the Fried chicken. Unfortunately it took over 30 min. for us to get our food. The chicken was dry and flavorless. The food took way too long to come out especially for a weekday where the place was empty. It took us another 15 min to get our check. Only come here if you are NOT hungry and have plenty of time to waste. read more

I really loved the food and would definitely recommend this place. The only caveat being it takes a long time to get food, so don't come here hungry. But since the food does take a long time to come out, there is plenty of time to socialize with the ones you come with. Unless your kids like spicy food I feel like it might be hard to have kids here. I love spicy food but my son's tolerance isn't that high yet ( currently 7yo) so things that I loved were too spicy for him. Next time we might have to ask which items are not spicy or get their fried chicken without any of the condiments/garnish on top. Surprisingly, the dish we liked the most was the "I like my chicks curried" dish. The other dishes we tried which were also good were the jerk chicken, fried chicken, plantain bowl with griot (this one was actually fantastic to me) and Akra. The empanada was also good but I wouldn't say they were special. The service was very friendly but since there aren't many people working here, don't wait at the table if you need something or else you might be waiting a long time. Instead just go to the front counter and ring the bell, someone will come out shortly to help. read more

A friend has been raving about this place so I just had to go. The food was very flavor and plenty full. I really enjoyed eating here and want to come back soon! read more

Griot Gardens - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Griot was great good and authentic wish they had simple version but the complete was great read more

Griot Gardens - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

One word Amazing loved it 10/10 of course you have to wait the longer the better craft mesi read more

Griot Gardens - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I came two days in a row and purchased the jerk chicken plate w/white rice, and black beans, and a side of plantains. The black beans was a soup not actually beans like I asked for, but when I went back the second day, they did give me red beans & rice. I guess we had a miscommunication with what I wanted vs. what I received, but they did replace the beans when I went back the next day. Day 2 I ordered the Rasta Pasta, and a side of jerk chicken. The jerk chicken is probably the best I have ever tasted, besides in Jamaica, but my Rasta Pasta had absolutely no broccoli at all which the menu clearly says it comes with. The taste was wonderful, but I wanted the vegetables that the meal is supposed to have. I would definitely say my second meal was much better than, my first. read more

We were excited to find a new Haitian restaurant because the other one in Houston isn't good. We'll probably never know how this is, because I called several times to no answer, their website link doesn't work and there's nothing posted on their social media about a closure. Most certainly am not just showing up to a business that doesn't answer the phone. read more

Great service and our first time here. We did a to go order pick up. The menu looks great and we will have to be back for Jerk chicken and ox tail next time. The lady that helped us was really nice and friendly. Great customer service definitely makes us want to visit again! read more

Griot Gardens - Counter space - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Don't go if you don't have one to two and half hours to waste. In then you don't get what you ordered only to be told some gibberish about a scratch kitchen. Two hours wait and then she tells they are sold out. It's faster to fly to Miami eat at chef creole at airport then fly back. I really still want you guys to succeed but at least try on the customer service side to get better. read more

The service was great, Amazing food reminds me of home . The griot bowls were my favorite full of flavor!

Went yesterday with my family for the first time and the food was delicious. It does take a while for the food to arrive at the table, but I could tell from the taste that the food was being prepared to order. Our griot still had sizzling oil and the skin was crackling. The mural at the back wall is beautiful and the counter makes it appear as if you are placing an order at a beachside restaurant. It was worth the drive for us. The next time I am craving home-cooked Haitian food and I don't have access to my mother's meals, I will come here. read more

This is my first visit @Griot Garden. From the moment I walked in, I felt right at home. OMG the service received from Pricia was impeccable .The food, left my mouth watering and wanting more. The passion fruit juice is oh lala. Thank you. Highly recommend Griot Garden. read more

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Inconsistent taste and presentation in food. Highly disappointed after paying $40 for subpar quality food.

I catered with this restaurant for my baby shower and everything was delicious. It's hard to find good Haitian restaurants in Houston and a lot of my guests said this was their first time trying Haitian food. This place is a unique gem. Highly recommend. read more

The best Haitian food I had since I have been here in Houston. The staff is awesome and welcoming. My friends who are from other islands in the Caribbean were also very impressed. One of them said that she felt like she was for a moment transported in the Caribbean. The music was mellow and the decoration added a positive vibe to the atmosphere! read more

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I've learned to call before picking up Haitian orders in Houston because of the wait. With that being said we still had alittle wait when we arrived and it wasn't that busy inside but they could've have some other pick up orders they were preparing. The food is made to order to I understood. Someone came to seat next to us and I wasn't why when all the tables were empty lol but it was chef/owner. She said she was having issues with the kibi batter. She offered me my money back and the broken pieces. Amazing customer services and everything was seasoned to perfection. Even those crumbles just wish the portions were bigger for the price. read more

Griot Gardens - Fritay Freak - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

When fellow Caribbeans let me down it really sucks. Got there an hour before closing to dine-in and ordered 2 entrees via their kiosk. After waiting ~45 mins for our food, we were told one of our entrees was no longer available. Annoying, but ok I changed my order. We asked how much longer for the food to be ready, they said "a couple minutes". Not only did I have to ask for my money back for the difference of my new order, after an additional 30 MINUTES they gave us our food in to-go boxes. We clarified we're there to dine-in, and they said they didn't want to provide plates and silverware because they should be closing. Mind you multiple other tables of guests were still seated having a good 'ol time as well as a private party. We opted to eat out of our to-go plates there because we were so hungry. Only to find out there was no silverware in the bags. Really!? I'm beyond disappointed in the sheer unprofessionalism I experienced from this establishment. If you need to get food in the area try the Marquee plaza or Karbach brewing. Just because you can cook does not mean you can run a restaurant in my opinion and this experience proved this. Food: Poul fri (fried chicken) slightly burnt (2.5/5), white rice had crunchy bits (1/5) and rice/beans (4/5), sos pwa (4/5), bannann/tostones (4/5), pikliz (2.5/5)good kick but no flavor. Recommendations for the staff: Invest in another kiosk or seat dine-in guests yourself to speed things up (I waited 15 mins to order). Invest in a wall divider if you're going to have private parties in the main space. Clean up the counters from unnecessary documents. Find a way to identify customer orders like a table placard to avoid mix ups. I really wanted to love this place. read more

Griot Gardens - Haitian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Absolutely terrible establishment. Ordered soup joumou a day before on DoorDash and went to pick it up the next day just to be told it was sold out. From the waiter to the manager, was rude, disrespectful and extremely unprofessional. The food is not good enough to give this much attitude. I would never recommend this to anyone let alone an enemy. Will NEVER go back, absolutely terrible. read more

This was my first time here, and the experience was amazing! The staff at the front desk were so kind and patient while we figured out what to order. Just a heads-up--since everything is made fresh and with great quality, it might take a little time, but it's well worth the wait. When you walk in, there's a beautiful mural that truly captures Haitian and Caribbean culture--such a welcoming vibe! The food was absolutely delicious. If you're looking for some flavorful, authentic Haitian food, this is the spot--especially if you're craving Griot. I came in not knowing what to expect, and I left super satisfied. Go support this amazing local business--you won't be disappointed! read more

Phenomenal Haitian cuisine. Brought relatives from out of town to try this place and they were very much a fan. Cannot wait until my next time having this delicious food. The owner and staff make it a wonderful experience. read more

Food taste great The atmosphere is friendly. Beautiful mural Restaurant is very clean. read more

The food is an Amazing fresh and professional the place was clean food was so delicious I recommend anyone to go there. You're gonna love it. read more

unless you have a couple hours to spare don't come here! I have been sitting here for and hour, there is 8 tables and no one but one table has gotten food the whole both I have been here! I mean the older lady was nice but the younger chick with dreads was kinda off when I told her what I needed she kinda waved me off not evening saying my order wasnt ready but leaving me to figure it out! that's when the older lady said it would take quite a long time longer even after waiting an hour. I waited anyway longer the 29 minutes she told me after the hour wait. Collectively 1hr and 45 minutes! Listen, this was A CALL IN! Never again! Horrible wait time For fast food service ao to say! Very disappointing. I mean the a motos horror was nice cool little vibe but because of the wait along I can't doing ! It was a Call in! They should have said two hours wait time read more

You wait 1.5 hours before you are served and you realize that the food you are eating is not fresh AT ALL. It is a badly warmed up food. The meat is obviously from a couples days ago... Very inconsistent. First time I went there, I found it very decent. The 2nd time, it was a disaster and it is not cheap. Rice beans and fried pork for $22.00 and that is probably the cheapest on the menu. I will not back but I wish them luck and I hope they understand that fresh food is easily detectable... so is food a few days old. It is unacceptable that you pay for food and served left overs. read more

Great food, clean place, wonderful owner. I had the best fried rice and veggies ever!!! Will definetly be back.