Great place for drinks and appetizers. My friend and I came here back in September 2020 for my birthday. Due to covid, we had to make reservations (which was fine) but they were rushing us during every course we ordered. I totally understand the 1.5 hour allocated time but we didn't even stay that long. The appetizers and drinks were good and my main dish was nothing spectacular but nonetheless, good. We asked for desert and the server stated that they were not doing sit in deserts, only take out!!????!! So we ended our time there and went over to the Cheesecake Factory for another drink (which was better than Houstons) and desert! read more

Great all around place, enjoyed the food and service was great. Ambiance was just what we needed.

We love Houston's from having lived in the DC area before moving to Brooklyn, so were excited to find this one in Hackensack. Our experience was our best yet. We had the grilled chicken salad and pork barbecue ribs - which is what we always get - and both were amazing. But what made the experience really special was the service provided by Monica our server. She was super friendly, but in a professional non-intrusive way, made good and knowledgeable recommendations, and topped it off with a winning smile. She also let us know about Hillstone in Manhattan, which we didn't know was part of the Houston's brand, but is an easy subway ride away. We go to a lot of good restaurants in NYC, but this was the best experience we've had in quite awhile. read more

It's an experience from start to finish. There's isn't a single thing on the menu that isn't to die for. The hostess was outstanding. Our waitress was a Delight. The food though. To die for. My chicken sandwich is a must try. Hubby loves the ribs. They fall right off the bone. My 6 yr old loves the I'll have the chicken please. It was cooked to perfection. Little pricey but worth it. read more

Great food and good service. Went for a birthday and had the Hawaiian rib eye def won't regret it

NEVER AGAIN!! After enjoying a good meal with my family on July 31, 2022, celebrate my Dad's retirement with my mother and my 2 children, as we were enjoying our coffee and desserts, a young lady, named Sapphire (who I later found out is a manager came over to our table, and asked if she could get anything for my baby (1year old), because she's basically making too much noise and may disturb the other diners.. I literally sat there in shock, as I listened to a loud crowded restaurant over the noise of my daughter, and she's disturbing the other diners?? I couldn't believe it, I thought she was joking, but nope. She said she could hear my daughter didn't want her to disturb others. So you basically discriminated against my 1 year old child! Who was NOT disturbing anyone, over ALL the noise of voices and dishes, forks hitting plates and house music. If you've ever been to Houston anywhere, you know it's not a quiet setting. My daughter was not disturbing anyone!!! I was livid to say the least. How do you handle child with disabilities Houston's? Or just people in general? She made no scene! Just there being a typical 1 year old. We been going to the Hackensack location for years, but you've lost me as a customer! Never again! Shame on you Houstons's!!! Oh, and your Corporate office WILL be getting a call from me!! read more

Houston's is one of our favs! Lots of great menu items and everything is delicious. Service is very good too. Our group enjoyed the French dip, chicken salad and sashimi tuna salad. read more

What happened to this place? Please some one tell me because I been going here for 25 years and never have I paid almost double for less portions. It's a sad thing to see this. I don't wanna stop going here but I'm gonna have to.I feel cheated when I pay for something. Fair well old friend. read more

Food is outstanding! Service is excellent and friendly! They do everything well. It is an upscale but cozy restaurant that is very clean which says a lot nowadays. There is a nice family oriented atmosphere and the quality of everything is consistent. read more

Pretty solid spot but be prepared to wait (even with a reservation) and shell out a decent amount of money. I'll preface this review by saying that steakhouses and American food in general aren't really my thing. Houston's is pretty on par with your average higher-end steakhouse, I can't say that there are many differentiating factors. This is definitely a favorite family spot for many, it seems, because even on a random Tuesday night close to 9:00pm, it was PACKED. Super loud inside too so it's not the best for must conversation. We were treated really well and our waitress was great so no issues there. We got the spinach artichoke dip which was good (as it usually is) but it wasn't anything that was worth the $17 price tag. As my main entree I got the French Dip (pictured). It was a pretty big dish (enough for lunch the next day) but at $22 I would have expected something a little bit more. More flavor, more uniqueness, more something. I tried a piece of the steak too and it was average. That being said, it's a pretty poppin' spot and people must love it for a reason. Personally, if I'm going to pay these price I expect a little more but if you're looking for a standard upscale steakhouse, look no further. read more

Houston's Restaurant - French dip - American Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Hostess running reservations was downright rude and unpleasant - seated 3 tables without reservations before my party who had a booking. She's ruined the Houston's experience for my family. read more

Hostess- Unwelcoming. She waited a while to acknowledge my husband and I as we were standing right in front of her. A simple "Hello, I'll be with you in a sec." goes a long way. She looked miserable. Waitress- Super attentive and friendly. The bbq ribs with cole slaw and fries were amazing. I've had it four times from here and it's been consistently good. I like that it comes with spicy Mayo. The burger was great as well. Smoked salmon appetizer- We couldn't believe how good it was. We will definitely come back for the ribs and the smoked salmon. read more

This is without question my favorite restaurant. The food is always spectacular and the service excellent. Not today. Today I ordered the grilled chicken salad. It was excellent. However. I asked for the bill with two different servers. Waited twenty minutes. Finally got up and walked to the cash registers to get the bill. Soon after, the bill arrives with an additional "groth" charge that was accidentally added to my bill. I was tired at this point of the poor service so I asked to see the manager. A young woman arrives wearing chef clothing who claims to be the assistant manager. She tells me she can certainly correct the bill. I said it would've been nice if you had offered me a free dessert or glass of wine for all my frustration. Do something to act like you want the customer to leave happy. She told me she's not able to do that. I told her I found that hard to believe that a manager couldn't do that. Then she backtracked and said she could but not for all the customers that complained. I felt like saying "were you lying then or are you lying now?" it's such a shame when your go to restaurant disappoints. read more

Houston's is no longer the best since it has secretly initiated a corporate policy which I perceive as discriminatory and prejudicial. It used to be our go-to as a family for celebratory events. At no time did we ever have a problem being seated as 6 (all adults). We were told this weekend that we now can only be seated as parties of 4 or less and they would "try" to seat us near each other. So much for a family dinner. We chose to leave as it appears that many others did too. Houston's used to be bustling on the weekends with long waits to which we were accustomed. There was no one waiting. The bar was near empty. It seemed an anomaly that the restaurant was so quiet. Why no one probably cares, we will not be party to their practice and will no longer give our business to Houston or any other restaurant in the Hillstone brand. So unfortunate. read more

Went there last week with two friends. I had the Ahi Salad, which was good but it was much smaller than previous orders. We decided we would get desert but they never came back and we waited for at least 10 plus minutes. When the woman came to the table she gave us our check and said we had to leave so others can get a table. Both the waitress and manager had an attitude. Waitress from the beginning . I would recommend the Cheesecake factory where you get better service and will save money. Our bill was $280.00. read more

The food was excellent. The Thai salad is a must and the steak was cooked perfectly. Everything was on point! I will definitely be going back! read more

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ZERO!!!!!! This was absolutely the worst hospitality I have ever encountered. We had made a reservation 30 days in advance at 5:45pm so that our children could have their last dinner before leaving for camp for seven weeks. It's been a tradition for a decade with our closest friends at this very establishment. Our friends also made a reservation, theirs at 6:00pm. Upon arrival at the restaurant our wives and children checked in with the host. They asked IF possible that they could sit our tables close. The host made a rude comment to them and said NO!! I walked in and was made aware of the hosts comments. We then waited five minutes before the manager comes over and tells us they can't honor our reservations. That we were breaking their rules around large groups. Are you FKM!!! They refused to seat us even though we had two separate reservations and this was two different families because we "KNEW EACH OTHER!!!". So apparently at Houston you are not allowed to know anyone. We both had children with us. They than threatened to call the police as we were very upset. Their rules around any party over 4 is ridiculous and discriminatory. So if your a family of 5 or more you are not welcomed at their establishments. We weren't even a family of 5+. Mine was a family of 4. You seat us no matter where in the restaurant and honor our reservation. It was the most unprofessional, unpleasant experience I have ever experienced at a restaurant in my life. These people have no clue what hospitality is. None. We were blatantly discriminated against and humiliated if front of our children. I will never step foot in a Houston's or Hillstone again and I strongly suggest nobody does. What a sorry excuse of a hospitality company this is and training employees to act the way they do is a complete shame !! I have worked in this business for over 25 years and never ever ever would any of the companies treat customers like that. Customers come first end of story. Never again will they get a dime of of my business and this is not the last they will hear about this situation. Lawyer up Hillstone! read more

I love the seared tuna here it's the best ever ! I love the ambiance the food and everything! I've been here many times

3 words. Spinach Artichoke Dip. That is all. Yeah the rest of the menu is awesome. Their prime rib is definitely a highlight. But honestly, the dip kicks royal ass. If you come here and try it, you'll know why. Not much else to say other than the fact this chain is always packed to the brim for good reason. And yeah, if you actually want to eat here, make sure you show up early. Otherwise, get ready for a ridiculously long line, even for lunch. Other stuff = great ambiance, service, portions etc. It's all good. read more

The spinach avocado dip is fantastic--can ask for extra chips. French dip is delicious and is not too salty. Fries are good. Chicken is yummy read more

Simply the best restaurant in America. I've been enjoying Hillstone Group for 20+ years. The service, food and ambiance are always top notch. Lastly while it's not cheap it's an incredible value given all the things above. read more

I have visited many times, however today will be my last due to the change in service. It's basically The Cheesecake Factory with ambience and better wine and cocktails. If you want excellent casual dining food with a fine dining price tag, enjoy Houston's. If you want a leisurely fine dining experience, go elsewhere. 1. Despite having a reservation, we had to wait to be seated upon our on time arrival. 2. Our server rushed us through our meal by constantly interrupting, even though we stated we wanted to enjoy a leisurely lunch. 3. Our server and other staff were constantly collecting plates and glasses without asking and before we could enjoy the last bites or finish our wine. It was so disruptive! And finally, we received our check with our dessert when we had planned to have more wine. 4. We spoke with the manager who defended the service but confirmed the table had no time limit. 5. After dessert, we headed to the bar for more wine since we were rushed from our table and when we took our seats and informed the bartender that we had just finished dining and would just be drinking, she informed us that if it got busy we would have to give up our seats to patrons who wanted to eat at the bar. At that point, we just decided to leave and take our business elsewhere. read more

Never disappoints. The food and cocktails are always impeccable, and the service makes it a great experience time after time. read more

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Could not get a reservations for two on Saturday night at this very popular restaurant, so we waited until Sunday. We were seated immediately and greeted properly. Our drinks were the house wine for $12 and a Patron and pineapple juice for $14. Our appetizer of wood grilled artichokes were grilled and seasoned to perfection and served fresh within 3 minutes of our drinks. The wait staff is amazing there. They watch you so closely and do not bring your next serving until you have completed your first. Perfect timing! and no one rushes you at all. You get excellent service here. Each of the wait staff are intelligent, articulate and extremely courteous. Our dinner choices (see photos) were cooked perfectly and my requests were all delivered. Not one error. Dessert and coffee brought us to about $150 with tip but it was so worth it. The ambiance is nice. A little noisy but good noise. No screaming children and very cozy booths. Will definitely be back. read more

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Sorry to say not the same Houston's in Riverside Sq Mall. They have changed the menu for the last time for my patronage ! I have loved their Ribeye steak for 20 years! Now it's only served with sugary whipped butter??? WTF! Nutritional Benefits: Healthy steak sauce is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can boost your overall health. Flavor Enhancement: A good steak sauce can take your steak from ordinary to extraordinary by adding depth and complexity to its taste. That's what it's for! Now wanna be famous influencers disregard any tradition that seems old to appear hip!! It ain't broke don't fix it and sugary butter is unhealthy!! No more garlic sautéed spinach or their famous lump meat crab cakes?? And those tiny cosmopolitan glasses that equate to 2 shot glasses of liquor. The staff of young millennials that serve now that have replaced the well experienced staff I've been served by for 2 decades tells me someone either bought this chain or the new owner just want to compete with Applebees! I'm done!! read more

Their quaility of meat has changed. Hawaiian steak isn't what it used to be. I thought I was chewing on rubber. read more

This is not about food, but lack of customer centricity for client's that have been coming here over 20 years. We came last year for Mother's Day at 11:30am; no problem. This year we are here at 11:30am with an empty restaurant and they will not sit us because we are a party of 6 and they only allow party of 4. I asked for us to be seated separately with a separate bill and they said no that we do not so split parties. It's really ridiculous. I spoke with Todd Martin, Executive Manager, who reinstated the no split policy. If this is how a corporate company wants to run their business I foresee a long term lack of revenue. Customer service is everything! Oceandaire took great care of us! After reading the reviews and many saying that customer service has been terrible for the past year, perhaps Todd needs to go! Waitress were rude, the manager chef is more of a bouncer for the waitress than a chef, no manners. This is no longer an upscale restaurant. You get better service at McDonalds. There are so many reviews with the same bad experience. read more

Went to Houston's with a few friends planning to enjoy good food and enjoy each other's company. We arrived at 4:30 and told that it would be a 40 minute wait even though the place was half empty. The hostess also informed us that we had 90 minutes to eat! She was nice enough to break the 90 minutes for us. First, appetizers 1/2 an hour. The entree 1 hour, dessert 1/2 an hour. I felt like I was in an episode of the twilight zone! So we left and went next door to enjoy a great relaxing meal with no time limit. read more

Clubby mid-level steakhouse with prices which would lead you to believe they're a top top top chop house. They aren't. The food is very good although a very limited menu. Good steak, excellent rotisserie chicken and outstanding Key Lime Pie. However, the prices are just simply ridiculous. They also have hostile reservation policies and anti-customer nonsense like forbidding credit card splitting (just silly in the 21st century). The place is packed every night, so what do I know? read more

Reservation for 4 people ,me my husband and 2 friends, food is usually top notch but today one of the Hawaiian rib eye steaks was not in the temperature we asked for.Drinks were good. Ambiance is always good. Didn't like that April (I believe that's the server's name )was too friendly probably due to the mistake on food. We always tip good anyway read more

This is an excellent choice for an intimate date night. The vibe is upscale and the wait staff is extremely attentive. I was impressed when my cocktail glass was replaced with a chilled glass. The food is superb, and the chefs take pride in what they send out of the kitchen. I would book early in the week if you plan on dining Thursday, Friday or Saturday. The only downside is that they close around 10 PM. I wish they stayed open until 1130pm or 12am. read more

The server Jessica is just spectacular to put it frankly. We needed extra lemons, limes, chips, this .. that you name it she did everything for us and with a smile. She kept changing my moms martini glass to keep her drink cold and fresh, a very special touch. Food and service as well as ambiance 5/5 stars. Love this location. read more

Houston's Restaurant - American Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

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Food is ALWAYS on point. Love the artichoke dip - as does EVERYONE else. Yummy! Also, the Ahi Tuna Salad & Hawaiian Rib Eye TOP TOP TOP choices! Ambience is dark and intimate. The only negative is seating reservations on time. You ALWAYS have to wait - sometimes over 45mins (WITH a reservation). Aside from that, Houston's ROCKS. read more

I use to go to this place maybe twice week not anymore after last night we waited 1,5 hour at the bar and the bartender keep telling us your next you next and keep seating other ppl so I decided yo leave , by the time we were waited we had ordered 1 round that was from beginning so with all this wait i forget we step out than 3 min later I remembered that we did not pay our round will in going i had phone call from someone to come back and pay we enter the restaurant and it was some ( though). Guy never knew that houston have a bouncer ) name Sam cannot be a manger or any responsible person because the way he talk to ppl with no respect cannot be , this guy have the guts to take on the side and treating me that if j do this one more time he us going to treat me differently waw waw me at this place after going to almost 9 years every week i was really shocked how this guy tald i still not sure what hes position is with hes white chef coat never seen someone talk to a costumer i. Hospitality like that in all my experience Sam Sam Sam read more

In my heart, Houston's deserves 5 stars. However, I can not get over this one time, I asked the waitress for a to go box and she put a dirty napkin on top of my food. Now, I feel pretty passionately about my Hawaiian ribeye so this was traumatic. I hate to knock it down a whole star but the waitress was just a STRUGGLE (atypical but unfortunately memorable). Nevertheless, I love this place. It is my go-to for special occasions. Atmosphere is great, food is great, drinks are great...what more can I ask for? However, be prepared to wait to be seated. More times often than not this place is packed. The advantage of it being in the mall is having something to do during the wait (like get cupcakes or buy things you shouldn't)- yay! I would recommend this place to anyone-you will most likely leave happy no matter what you get! (My faves: Lemon drop martini, spinach dip, caesar salad, ribeye, loaded baked potato, coleslaw, spinach!) read more

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I love Houston's and their food. I just called to make a reservation for a special occasion and was turned down because my family is 5 people. I was told that they do not sit parties of 5 which is ridiculous because our family has all eaten here multiple times. I am very upset with this service and don't understand why they wouldn't seat us. I felt offended with the way this situation was handled. read more

A few friends and I planned to meet at Cheesecake Factory a few weeks ago at around 9pm. When we arrived, the wait at Cheesecake was at least an hour and a half. (It was a Saturday night) We walked over to Houstons and immediately were relieved to see a quieter and calmer atmosphere and were told the wait was 30 minutes. We waited a bit longer than 30 but were seated with ample time prior to Kitchen closing at 11 pm. (Wish it was open later due to wknd) The food was fresh, warm, served nicely and in adequate amounts and very tasty. The service was excellent. Again, the atmosphere was just relaxing, calm, and exactly what we needed because we could all enjoy our meal, drinks and each others' company. Delicious Pomegranate Martinis ($17 each) again.... Superb! Amazing Spinach Dip! Veggie burger was huge! Tuna Steak salad was very filling and perfectly cooked and seasoned. Definitely a must try! Located in the Riverside Square Mall but can enter via the outside of mall as well as the inside. read more

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4/10 update: the lack of responsiveness to my previous review during the past week is a clear statement that customer service is not a priority for the management team of the NJ location, hopefully this wrong leadership style won't spread accross the country and drag down the name of the iconic HOUSTONS brand! read more

Very good food. This restaurant has been around for ages. Only complaint I have are the drunk guests Using profanity and speaking about how she is not a virgin. She should have been asked refrain or to leave. Very classless. read more

Excellent atmosphere and the food was very very tasty. My family loved it. The waitress was amazing and she recommended other affiliated restaurants with Houstons in MD. read more