Lucio's far exceeded my expectations. The ambiance is modern and romantic in an intimate space. The walls are covered with sensual artwork from the owner's wife. The food was outstanding across the board. The beef carpaccio was slightly salty but was still very flavorful. The spinach dip, served with crisp fried chips, was a comforting starter. The sea bass special with risotto and crab meat was delicious. The duck breast was tender, and the sea scallops with risotto were simply amazing. For dessert, we ordered the vanilla bean creme brûlée, brownie with raspberry sorbet, and apple pie à la mode, The whole table agreed that the creme brûlée was the best. The other desserts were good as well but didn't top the creme brûlée. What truly made this a great experience was the service. Irina was remarkable and wears many hats - owner, artist, hostess and server. Despite being the only server in the restaurant, she managed many tables effortlessly. She was attentive, personable, and incredibly friendly, making us feel well cared for throughout the night. Her memory is impressive - she didn't write anything down yet got every detail perfect. There is valet and street parking available. Would highly recommend this restaurant, and I will definitely be back. read more

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We arrived about 10 minutes before our 8:30 p.m. reservation and were warmly greeted by the hostess, who offered us a place to sit while our table was prepared. She opened our bottle of wine and brought us glasses, and within a few minutes we were seated. Our server greeted us and we ordered a goat cheese salad, rack of lamb, and hanger steak. When we learned the goat cheese salad was not gluten-free, we asked for a moment to choose another starter. A few minutes later, we decided on the burrata and tomato salad instead. The salad arrived quickly--within about five minutes--and it was excellent. Unfortunately, that was followed by a 45-minute wait for our main courses. During that time, our server never checked in, provided an update, or acknowledged the delay. I eventually spoke with the hostess, who said our food would be out shortly. When our entrées finally arrived, the food was outstanding--exactly as we remembered from previous visits. However, no one checked on us during the meal. When the hostess came to clear our plates, I asked to speak with the manager and was told that our server was also the manager. I shared our concerns about the long wait and lack of communication. During that conversation, the response felt more like an explanation than an apology, citing walk-in guests and the fact that dishes are cooked from raw to order. While our $10 corkage fee was comped and we were offered dessert and a glass of wine each (after finishing our bottle while waiting), the core issue--pacing and communication--was never really addressed. The food here is excellent and absolutely worth returning for, but the service fell short this time. Better communication and attention during delays would have made a significant difference in the overall experience. read more

Lucio's - I live that this place is BYOB. Make sure you head to Specs just down the street for an amazing wine first! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

My family had dinner here a few nights ago. The setting is really nice, cozy, elegant with an European vibe. There is artwork adorning the walls (which we found out later is all original artwork by the co-owner of the restaurant who also works as a manager/server). The service was very good. I really appreciate the fact that this is one of the few restaurants we have found in Houston that allows you to bring in your own bottle of wine (and the corkage was only $10!). We only took one bottle but we saw an adjacent table that had brought 3. Maybe this is a go-to place for folks that want a nice dinner with their own wine! The food generally was good. That said, the menu is fairly limited so don't know how often one can go back. My wife made the comment they should consider seasonal menus to draw back customers. We had: Steamed Clams & Chorizo (4/5) - Littleneck clams in a fairly unique sauce. Delicious but the clams were a touch "over." Crab Cake (4.5/5) - Maybe my favorite dish of the night. Rib-Eye (4/5) - Not on their regular menu but was a special that night. Good quality beef, well seasoned and cooked. That said, not sure I would go to this restaurant is you are craving a steakhouse. Short-rib (3.5/5) - Braised short-rib on bed of risotto. IMO, the short-rib was overcooked. The meat was a bit dry and the sauce had a bitterness that comes with cooking it too long. Overall, an enjoyable meal. read more

I almost don't want to review this place because it's a hidden gem. Great food. Great service and nice wine selection or you can bring your own. Nothing that we had there was average. It's definitely top 5 restaurants in Houston without all the hype read more

I purposely went early at opening to spend time as each Wednesday there is no corkage. I brought annok bottle of cab. I was greeting by my server Ayana who was very attentive. I decided on surf and turf to include scallops and their Hangar steak. The scallops came with mouthwatering risotto and their steak with a potato cake. Both entrees were cooked to specifications and very good. I can think on Wednesday's bringing some good wine and good food. read more

One of the best restaurants Houston has to offer. The restaurant is ran by a husband and wife duo that are simply amazing. The food is always delicious and wonderful. You can bring your own wine as well. As a foodie I highly recommend. Also the wife is an amazing artist and her work is on display. read more

Lucio's - Art from Irina Anikouchine the owner of the restaurant. - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Lucio's offers a high-end yet fun dining experience. We were warmly greeted by the owner, who not only manages the front of the house but also contributes to the dessert menu. It's BYOB with a $10 corkage fee. The complimentary bread was outstandingly pesto-flavored and freshly made in-house. Our meal included beef carpaccio, crab cake, goat cheese salad, short rib, butternut squash, duck, and apple pie. The carpaccio sparked debate--too salty for my husband, not enough for me, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The butternut squash was simply prepared and perfect for our baby. The short rib and duck were exceptionally cooked--textbook perfection, paired with creamy, subtly flavored risotto that balanced the boldness of the meats. The highlight was the apple pie, topped with mascarpone whipped cream, soft and perfectly sweet apple filling, and an amazing caramel sauce with a hint of acidity. If available, don't miss it! read more

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Food and service were great. Casual atmosphere great for dining and conversation. Will definitely go back.

Been holding out for this spot (idk why!!) and it was well worth the wait. Standouts were the steamed clams and chorizo, goat cheese Apple salad, and the no corkage fee on Wednesday nights. It's truly a "refined and relaxed" atmosphere. No silly fluff and I appreciate that. They have a great wine selection if you don't have time to swing by a store beforehand! read more

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The girlfriends and I had the most wonderful dinner here on a Friday evening. The first restaurant didn't work out for us so we went on a whim and let yelp select a recommendation place nearby and Lucio was it. Valet was available for $7 out front. The restaurant is small but intimate. Perfect for date nights and gatherings. There is also and outside patio to enjoy your drinks. Our waitress was so sweet, attentive, and knowledgeable. My gfs were already buzzed from pre-drinking at another bar. Felt like we might have gotten a little to loud bit she assured us, we were fine. The food was amazing. Started with 3 appetizers: calamari, beef carpaccio, and the assorted cheese. I absolutely loved the beef carpaccio! They were all good but the carpaccio... I still think of. I had the scallop and risotto and it was cooked to perfection. One of my friends got the Duck which was tender and flavorful. We also enjoyed the desserts and wine. We have nothing negative to say about this place. Service was perfect. The chef brought out our entrees. We had a lovely girls evening. read more

Absolutely fantastic! My favorite crème brûlée ever. All of the entrees are amazing. My favorite appy is the mushroom soup. The service and ambiance are outstanding. We have been dining here for a few years -one of the best in town. Highly recommend!!! read more

We had a great dinner at Lucio's! It is truly a local gem--the restaurant has been around for a long time (10+ years maybe from looking at Yelp reviews?), and it is truly a hidden gem. Lucio's just feels like a real local restaurant--no flashiness, no gimmicks, just really good food and friendly service. To start, we ordered the goat cheese salad and crab cake to share--both were very good and a great combination too. For my meal, I ordered the scallops, which were excellent, but the real showstopper was the mushroom risotto that came with the scallops. For dessert, we shared a brownie--instead of the strawberry ice cream, we asked them to sub the vanilla ice cream, which request the restaurant happily did. The brownie was very fudgey and delicious. Just look at this list--goat cheese salad, scallops, brownie--nothing crazy but done very well. And any review of Lucio's wouldn't be complete without noting that it's BYOB, with a $10 corkage fee. But it looked like they do sell wine if you forget to bring a bottle of wine. read more

If you're looking for the best scallops in all of Houston then you've found the right place. Everything on the menu is spectacular, but this is always the first thing I order. The scallops are seared perfectly and served on a bed of creamy and fluffy Parmesan risotto. Pro tip; if you go with another couple, ask for an extra scallop that way everybody gets one. The scallop melts in your mouth. I could probably eat two entrees worth of these little golden beauties, but there's so many other delicious options on the menu. I like to pair with the crispy calamari. The seafood is fresh and bought from a Japanese store where they fly in their seafood and only sell to restaurants. I especially love the dipping sauce. It's tart and has a perfect little tang. For the entree you really can't go wrong with anything you choose, but my favorites would be the ribeye or the hanger steak. I love my steak mooing, so it comes out a perfect rare every time. They'll cook it however you like. I also failed to mention, this place is BYOB (bring your own booze) for a small cork fee. As if you didn't need more motivation to come. Lastly, the service is amazing. I read some reviews from almost a decade ago, so I want to say for the record our waitress is amazing. I won't mention her name, but she is passionate and super friendly. You'll find her artwork hanging on the walls. This place definitely has a cool hipster vibe. I highly recommend this place. If I could, I'd give it 10 stars! read more

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I have been wanting to come here for years based on the great yelp reviews. There are always some bad reviews for every restaurant but those I chalk up to: psychos, people that are having a bad day, or just don't now any better. They are usually from people that are not doing reviews with any consistency so I ignore those. Fellow Yelpers did not disappoint on the crab cakes. I make crab cakes 1-2 a year for special occasions and I use a recipe that is a Robert Irvine/Tyler Florence amalgam. I don't like to use "best ever" as I could have another crab cake somewhere that is very different but also very good. This was a 10 out of 10. I am not even sure what the chef does for a binder because it's pretty much all crab meat. Also I am going to have to figure out how they are really seared and super crispy on top/bottom but it's not deep fried or again covered in breading. I would have like a little more of the sauce on the plate but we used all that was provided. That was my wife's starter I had the tomato and burrata salad which was super fresh and tasty. It went great with the crab cake also. The bread service is about the only thing that didn't seem inline with the rest of the dinner, we were very hungry when we got there but why fill up on bread? I had also read people rave about the steaks there which is odd to me. I eat a lot of steaks at great steak houses (Pappas, Mastros, Capital Grill, Flemings, Vic and Anthony's......) I would not go to Lucio's to have steak. If you thinking the same way you need to re-think your mindset when going there. The selection of steak is very narrow because it's not a steak house but if you are in the mood for a steak go there. My wife order the filet which comes with some layered potatoes. It was VERY VERY good. Expertly cooked and seasoned. I am not sure what we could have asked more from that plate. I had the short rib which was excellent. The risotto with the short rib perfect pair and don't eat one bit of that short rib without some risotto on the fork my friend. It wouldn't be justice to your taste buds. We also did desserts chocolate brownie and the "bubbles" special. The bubbles is they have it on special is definitely something to have with multiple people and dig in with spoons. Please is of course clean and very welcoming very much a sole proprietorship run by someone that cares about the product and that is present with all the staff. Service was great and not pretencious. Lastly, the place is know to BYOB (its in the name) There is no hard liquor there which probably makes it more laid back. We took some amazing bottles of wine with us that would have been $300+ so I have kids that need to go to college and am not a politician so can't be dropping $300-600 on wine for a dinner for two. They have a corking fee which I did not mind and we had white with starters and red with dinner and took both unfinished bottles back home. They do have a succinct wine list that is very reasonable for restaurant of this caliber so no need to bring wine if you don't want to. Lucio's is great for date night but I also saw groups of friends there having a great dinner. Definitely want to bring some friends there with a couple bottles of great wine. read more

Excellent food, excellent service, and excellent ambiance! I simply love this restaurant. We always have a great time each time we're here. read more

This is a real gem hidden in the Montrose area. You can bring in your favorite bottle of wine, and enjoy superb dining at a reasonable price. The owner always comes around to greet everyone to ensure that they are enjoying their meal. The dining room is charming and intimate, yet it's large enough to host a private conversation. Each dish is carefully composed and presents as a unique piece of art. Next time you're considering a new dining experience, you should check out Lucio's. read more

25th wedding anniversary dinner was incredible! Found this gem online, and it was beyond expectations! Ambiance was fresh and romantic, gentle buzz of others enhanced the ambiance. Service was informed, owner and wife created a family feel the immediately wanted a second visit, and so knowledgeable of all items (definitely include the cheese board). We both had the "special" ribeye and halibut (fish of the day), and both were incredible. Dessert was apple pie baked 3 hours this morning. Porchini mushroom soup (from the movie "the rundown") is not to be skipped. Bring your own wine and tecorking fee excluded on Wednesdays makes for an exceptional anniversary date. We absolutely loved everything about our meal, service, and celebration (including a surprise celebratory dessert, candle included). All the stars, all the vibes, all the read more

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This place is small and kind of out of the way... but don't let that stop you! The food is fabulous! Never had anything here that wasn't REALLY good!! read more

This is a great place if you want a more intimate dinner with friends or a great date night too. The service was great from the valet to everyone on the inside of the restaurant. I believe our servers name was Irina, she was amazing! Truly related to each table. Offered us suggestions, had us laughing with her personable stories, and is such a nice surprise, she truly was a highlight of our dinner. As for the food, did not disappoint from what I've heard. Everything was cooked to perfection and the flavors were great. We had the calamari for appetizer and then I had the soup du jour and then the yellow fin tuna as an entree. My boyfriend had the lamb chops which were seasoned very well and were very good. I'd definitely recommend this place if you haven't been. read more

Lucio's - Yellow Fin Tuna - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

service is incredible but eh kitchen falls short of perfection. It is eatable but ti could be better. The prices demand perfection else just go to a cheap Resturant. read more

A hidden gem! Loved my night here spent with my husband and two other couples. Intimate, quiet & so classy. The server, ambiance & all of the food we ordered were fantastic. The beef carpaccio, fish special entree & the crème brûlée were my favorites of the night but not a single dish was bad. A lot of the menu is gluten free as well which is impressive considering how good everything was. The guys all loved the brownie & bread pudding! Loved the byob option! Can't wait to go back soon! read more

Lucio's - Fish special, ribeye special, Smoked Duck Breast, Duck Jus & lots of byob wine! So fun!! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great spot! We ordered family style and tried about half the menu with our group and everything was great. The byob is a great deal. Service is friendly and attentive. Only 2 tiny complaints: 1) it gets very smoky in there and my clothes reeked of smoke after we left, and 2) we ordered steak for the table in a group where our temp preferences ranged from medium rare to well done. We asked when ordering if they could just throw a couple of pieces back on the grill after it was cooked to medium rare and the server said absolutely not. This was really strange since the steak is served sliced-- it would only take another minute or so to cook 2 pieces to a higher temp. And indeed, this is what we do at other restaurants. I was a little taken aback when the server snapped at me for asking this. Nevertheless, it was a nice time. read more

Tried calling for 30 minutes straight and no answer. Wanted to make sure they were open since it's 30 minutes away. Ended up eating somewhere else - even if you are busy 30 minutes though? read more

Perfect place for a date night. Food is amazing, I had the steak which was seasoned quite well. The highlight was the apple pie. So good I had to order it twice! Love the ambiance and the service was impeccable. Going back very soon. Update: came back with a group of friends. We sat outdoors since the weather was lovely out. Consistency is key. Again, food was great, the outdoor area was very pleasant. Fortunately we had the same server as the first time I went and it was a pleasure having her tend to us yet again. Unfortunately I forgot her name. read more

Extremely good food, especially the flank steak , any fish, incredible lamb , ribeye and nicest owner/waitress ( Ilena) and talented chef husband! read more

Finally made it here for a birthday dinner and had an awesome experience! Food was exquisite and service was excellent. Our server, Irina, was friendly, attentive, and on point. She really made the night perfect for our party of 4. My ribeye steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked to medium rare perfection. Scallops were tasty and tender, and the risotto was excellent. There is a reason they have been in business 17 years. We had a perfectly enjoyable intimate dinner tonite, and will be coming back in the future. read more

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Dined here for my husbands 40th Birthday dinner and it did not disappoint. Food was excellent. Staff went above and beyond. They were very friendly. Server wore a mask. Kitchen staff was wearing masks and gloves. Love that they allow you to bring your own wine bottles. Corkage fee is only $8.00, but on Wine down Wednesday corkage fees are waived. Can't beat that! Of course they have wine available for purchase as well. Can't wait to dine here again. Thank you for a great night!! read more

Lucio's - Great wine!! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Intimate place for a date night. The restaurant is small with attentive service. On some of the weekdays, the place is quiet enough at later hours that you can easily host a large group and that is what we did. There is a nice outside deck, but that's pretty much useless in the Houston summer. As the name says, you can bring your own beer and wine for a (corkage fee of course) even though the restaurant has a bar. I ended up ordering beer from the bar and tasting every wine that my group brought. I was somewhat confused because of the name that the food was American fine dining, focusing heavily on meat. However, the kitchen was able to prepare me a delicious vegetable risotto and I enjoyed a taste of multiple desserts. Service was patient with us, and the prices are not too bad for fine dining. read more

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Went there for my Birthday in April and had a fabulous dinner! Service was outstanding and food was better than anything else I have had this year! Scallops were amazing! read more

Let me start by saying that I did not know what this place was, but I drive past it when going to my home. After numerous attempts to get a reservation at the neighboring restaurant, I took to Yelp to find out what Lucio's is all about. My fellow Yelpers did not disappoint, and neither did Lucio's. Getting a reservation here was easy, although when you add the acronym BYOB to the end of any place, it raises some questions. We had guests in from town, and were seated immediately. Our server was amazing (sorry I did not get her name) and she offered suggestions. For starters, we ordered the Artisan Cheese Plate, which has some really tasty cheeses on it. We enjoyed that with the Silver Oak Cab that I brought in (there is a corkage fee but worth it IMO). On that note, they do offer wines there. For my meal I ordered the filet mignon cooked medium rare. It was fantastic! Cooked to perfection and seasoned so well! Everyone at the table raved about the food and we all agree that it was the right choice to come to Lucio's. read more

Tried Lucio's for our five year anniversary and we were so happy with the choice! All the food was absolutely delicious and melted in your mouth. We had the crab cake appetizer, short rib entree, ribeye entree and bread pudding and the brownie with raspberry sorbet. I'd recommend them all. Our anniversary happened to fall on a Wednesday, so we got to enjoy the BYOB without a cork fee. Service was also fantastic! We were promptly seated and our waitress was very sweet. She even provided us with some future wine recommendations based off the bottle we brought with us. The ambiance was nice! Perfect size indoors and some outdoor seating. It wasn't loud which was nice because we were able to enjoy our conversation without distractions. There's parking up front as well as street parking. We will definitely be back! read more

Lucio's is my wife and I's favorite place in Houston. It's such a hidden gem. All their food is amazing but it's almost impossible for me not to get the steak. It's easily a top 5 steak in Houston. Plus it's BYOB, so we bring our own wine rather than paying restaurant markup for a mediocre bottle. Their service is also amazing and it's just one lady! She works her butt off and makes sure everyone is taken care of. We recommend Lucio's to all our friends. Such a great spot. read more

Lucios is such a greAt date night spot. We brought our own bottle of red wine (there is a corking fee of $8). They actually do have a small wine list if you prefer to just order off the menu. The service was excellent. Our waiters were very attentive and on top of refilling our waters. The food was delicious but the portions were rather small. I definitely recommend starting with an appetizer and you'll still have room for dessert. The creme brûlée is delicious! read more

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Lucio's is literally the best. Great food, great service, no better BYOB place in Houston!! read more

Lucio's - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

What went well?....Everything!! Starting with Irina, who greeted us with a smile and provided excellent service and recommendations. We started with the crispy, perfectly cooked calamari, which was lightly breaded and came with two different delicious sauces. It was excellent. We also started with the goat cheese apple salad... the salad had small, breaded goat cheese balls that were lightly fried. The salad was was perfect. The entrees were Scottish salmon and Australian rack of lamb. After my wife took her first bite of the salmon she said, " i think that's the best salmon I've ever had". I had the lamb rack, medium-rare and as happy as I was with the lamb, the side of european buckwheat with chorizo took it over the top! Irina was right when she explained how good the buckwheat was going to be. The side of roasted butternut squash was delicate and flavorful. For dessert, we had the creme brulee and chocolate brownie. My creme brulee was perfect. My wife once again after her first bite of the brownie, said, " that's the best I've ever had". That is a big statement from someone who said that the old Houston's had the best brownie...not any more. The drinks were Montucky cold smack beer and Foxglove white wine. Very good. The ambiance was romantic with candle light tables and we could have a conversation with a normal volume. It was a perfect time for celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary. 10 out of 10! read more

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Came here on a Saturday to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday and enjoyed it fully. I made reservations through open table and upon arrival, we were seated promptly. The space is small and the tables were close together but it still gave us our intimate feel. I really liked the byob concept because we could have easily spent big bucks on ordering drink from the restaurant if we did not bring our own bottles. There is complimentary parking although we self parked by choice. We ordered the salmon, lamb chops and calamari. Everything was impeccable and I would absolutely return. The waiter was attentive and picked up on my boyfriend saying that it was his birthday and surprised him with a birthday dessert. My only concern is that I wish the food portions were more but overall it was satisfying. Can't wait to return! read more

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Lucio's BYOB is a great restaurant to have a dinner date. It's fairly quiet inside, cozy and romantic with their dim lights and candles on the tables. Lucio's is also a fun spot to dine among a group of friends, especially with their BYOB policy. They have a short and well-curated wine list, but with BYOB in the name, it would be best if you brought your own bottle of wine. The cork fee is $8, and all of the staff will know how to properly pour and chill your wine. At Lucio's, they pride themselves for concentrating on seasonal and fresh local ingredients. Their primary focus is to provide quality New American cuisine that delights all of the senses. Lucio's features a selection of prime cut meats, seafood, and game hand-selected daily by the executive chef. In addition, they offer daily features and a Chef's tasting menu that features three-to-five courses tailored to any party. We had a group of eight and the wait staff was outstanding with us. They were attentive, cordial and made sure our wine glasses were never empty. Everything we had was presented wonderfully and tasted delicious! The dishes were served light yet fulfilling. Here's my three-course recommendation: Appetizer: Kale Salad w/ Herb Dressing Entree: Hagner's Hanger Steak w/ Chimichurri, Stacked Potato, & Carrot Dessert: Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee Instagram: @houstonfoodee read more

Food were very good. My family were picky eaters and they loved everything, which was pretty rare. We tried duck, short ribs, and pork duo and few other dishes. All were very well prepared and tasty. Missing a bit in presentation of the dishes and decor of the restaurant. All the elements were there but could use a little more intimacy feeling to it. Good service and overall a good experience. read more

Came for dinner a few weekends ago. Food was excellent, no complaints about that. Waitress' recommendations were on point. We sat outside on the back patio - service was very slow, with only two staff members present - took a long time even for water refills. The otherwise enjoyable patio atmosphere was marred by a persistent smell of sewage wafting over from somewhere, which bothered me enough to dock a star. read more

Excellent food, realistic portions. Helpful server, knows the menu well. However, she was the only server on the floor even with every table full. Cozy atmosphere. We felt like we crashed at a favorite spot for regulars. We are not regulars, but we see this as a good sign. read more