Oh. My. GAWD. The food. Amazing. Service. Amazing. Decor. Amazing. WE HAD THE BEST TIME!!!!! Went for restaurant week menu but after talking to our server decided we need pretty much one of everything and y'all every single thing that went in my mouth was better than whatever I had before. Absolutely an experience and I'll be back! read more

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Great Spanish food with a surprisingly high number of vegetarian options! The service was fast but didn't make me feel rushed.

This place is dear to my heart because our very first nice date was here. I would still go there over and over again. It's a vibe. You have to check out the bathroom. The food on point and the service top notch. Pricey but worth the money read more

My first impression of this place is that the decor is funky and unique. There's an eclectic mix of sofas and chairs for seating. The bar is also the focal point and located at the center of the restaurant. We came during the weekend for HRW. I recommend making your reservations at least a week in advance. I made our reservation the day before and only high top seating was available. The chairs were uncomfortable and the table was quite small to fit each course for 4 people. My first course was the hamachi tostada. It was a refreshing sampler with high quality yellowtail. The second course was the beet ravioli. There wasn't really anything remarkable about it and the beets were a bit tough to eat. You have the option to order paella for your third course but you and another person would both have to make one dish your course. One was definitely plenty to share and it was my favorite course of the night. There was so much seafood flavor and the valencia rice was cooked perfectly. Lastly, the fourth course was the apple financier. The cake was super moist and the peaches on top were a great pairing. Overall, I definitely think all 4 courses were worth $55. The cost of the paella alone is more than that. Highly recommend checking this place out! read more

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This restaurant is really cool! The decor and ambiance is fun and filled with twists and turns. I wasn't impressed with the food as much as I expected. Kinda reminded me of playing in my little kitchen lol fun ways to display everyday items. read more

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I love this place for upscale, moody vibes. From the trendy decor and funhouse mirror bathrooms, they really hit the mark on atmosphere. I've come here for my birthday and also girls' brunches. The gin & tonics are *amazing* - not cheap at $16ea but sooo delicious! The food presentation is also eye-catching. One of my G&Ts came with flaming garnish. Another win for MAD is their happy hour! They have both drink + food specials, and it's a great way to try new dishes at a lower price point. The reason I'm rating 4 / 5 is for the consistency in food quality. Some dishes are amazing (like the pulpo) and others are disappointing (pork croissant). There are also some weird quirks with service... they ask you if you want still or sparkling water but fail to tell you that still and sparkling are $8pp, while "regular" water is free (tap). I've learned to always say "tap water is fine," but some people in my group did not and were surprised at the $40 charge for water on our bill. Additionally, service speed is inconsistent. It was not particularly busy on either occasion I've visited this year, but sometimes drinks come out right away, and other times it could take up to 20 minutes. The food comes out as it's ready, so not much to complain about that. Regardless, it's a fun spot to visit and overall a positive experience! read more

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The vibe is cool, the restaurant decor is fun and lively. We've been three times, most recently April 2023. Service was attentive and good. The food is quality but way overpriced. I get that it is quality over quantity, but wow is it too expensive for what you get. The churros are delicious. The Jamón Ibérico with the tomato bread was my favorite ($35). The bread is delicious. The croquetas (4 for $16) were good and very rich. The Jamon Bao Buns (ham and butternut squash) were very good and small for $16. At $8 per tiny bao - it's just not worth it. The Beet Ravioli was very pretty and unusual. The Porcini Bomba Rice with Cochinillo Iberico (mushroom rice with suckling pig) was the most expensive thing we got at $85. The suckling pig is delicious and we would totally get that again. The porcini bomba mushroom rice was so so greasy. It was dripping in oil. Talking to others who have gotten the same rice, I think ours was just badly made. Others said there dish wasn't swimming in oil. Some of the items were delicious but at $200 (no alcohol), the food (quantity and quality) just isn't commensurate with the price. read more

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They'll be your dream, they'll be your wish, they'll be your fantasy They'll be your hope, they'll be your love, be everything that you need You'll love them more with every dish truly, madly, deeply do I am not wrong, I will be faithful 'cause MAD will give you A new beginnin' A reason for livin' A deeper meaning, yeah I wanna order two more hamachi I wanna taste more yuzu foam I wanna eat like this forever Until my stomach bursts open on me And when the croquetas come out fluffy with the most perfect fry You'll take that first bite, it is so good and will make you want to cry The tears of joy for all the pleasure and the creativity You'll be surrounded by many options and concoctions Of the highest powers During dinner hours You'll devour everything An' I wanna order two more steak tartare I wanna taste more of that edible paper I wanna eat like this forever Until my stomach bursts open on me Oh, can you smell it, foodies? You don't have to close your eyes They're cookin' right before you All that you crave will surely come Ooh, yeah They'll be your dream, they'll be your wish, they'll be your fantasy They'll be your hope, they'll be your love, be everything that you need You'll love them more with every dish truly, madly, deeply do I am not wrong, I will be faithful 'cause MAD will give you A new beginnin' A reason for livin' A deeper meaning, yeah I wanna order two more Rabo de wagyu I wanna taste more of that delectable beef I wanna eat like this forever Until my stomach bursts open on me -Sailor out read more

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Had brunch with friends on a Sunday at Mad and it was an awesome experience. Absolutely love the vibe and decor! The sangria was beautifully made. We had the seafood paella, octopus, lobster roll and a side of potatoes. Really good cheesecake and churros. Great service too! read more

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We were running late to our reservation but they still honored our table, so good customer service starting off. Our waiter was good. When my bubble on my drink popped before he arrived, he brought me out another bubble lol. The decor overall was nice, but I have to say I really did not like the close quarter seating arrangement. We literally could reach over and get something off of someone else's plate, that's how close we were. In fact the guest next to us heard our conversation and then made suggestions on what to try lol. We were nice about it but just know that most of the seating is close together. I don't remember the names of the dishes but I had the duck taco and it was super tiny I mean smaller than a fortune cookie. It was interesting , but not something I would order again. We also had the beet ravioli. The ravioli was light and a good palate cleanser after the duck taco. For our main dishes my husband had the chicken and rice (forgot what flavor his was). I had the octopus and squid ink rice. The squid ink rice was very good and the octopus was tender. I would recommend that dish for sure. My husbands chicken was very tender but I preferred my rice better. If your into photos, the restroom area was the photo spot with all the cool lights. Also they have valet that is complementary. When the valet guy dropped the car he tried to tell us it was $10 dollars and then when we corrected him he said we work for tips. Well he was going to get a tip but when he pulled that stunt that blocked his blessing from my pocket. Overall it was a cool experience to have a different dinner date night. read more

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MAD was a lot of fun. Come for dishes that place visual appeal above all else, just enjoy the art. The dishes and cocktails were interesting and the interior of the restaurant itself is interesting. The Jamon Iberico was, by far, the standout star. I did not personally taste the pulpo, but my friend said it was wonderful. The wine list is enviable. read more

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Went here on a date night. Got the "pick" 3 menu. It was off the hook. I had the Empanadas , the hamachi The octopus. My date had the chicken paella. Excellent place! read more

Reservation highly preferred! No rules about reservations on Monday (happy hour all day) I made a reservation a week in advance for 715pm on a Monday night and we got seated immediately. The interior is exquisite with beautiful light fixtures, nice comfy seating, and great lighting. I ordered the happy hour wine and some bites to share with a friend and we were happy with all of our choices. The bites seem to all be fried, using something fried, breaded or in lots of cheese so if you're looking for healthy this is not it. Each dish was cooked perfectly and presented in such a cute way. I think this is a great place to take someone who's in town visiting or if you're looking to a fun date night. read more

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The ambiance was amazing! We tried the tasting menu, which did not disappoint. Food was well paired with wine from the Spanish region. Not only did it taste amazing, but the way it was presented was beautiful. I enjoyed every dish and left very satisfied. Definitely will be back! Worth to try the tasting menu with wine pairing. read more

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Bae and I had a date night. He picked the place and said he had been there once before. Seeing as though I was missing Miami, he said this would be the perfect place. As we entered, I was impressed by the ambiance and decoration, very vibey. We were seated in a small booth towards the back. I started off with a glass of the Raventos de Nit Cava Rose, subtle and bubbly. My partner had the Watermelon mocktail - and said it was delicious. My partner knew I was doing a review so we decided to try a little of everything. For appetizers, we started with the Bravas Tomas, Empanadillas, Steak Tartare, Rabo de Wagyu, and Grilled Shrimp Al Ajilio. The Bravas Tomas was filling and savory. The empanadillas were decent - lacking flavor but crispy. The Steak Tartare was made so intricately - I loved the display of it and the fact that it was made with edible potato paper was so cool, the taste was nothing memorable. The Rabo de Wagyu was absolutely delicious. The grilled shrimp al Ajilio came out steaming and hot but I think they were old because they smelled a bit funny and were overcooked - rubbery to taste. Before we even ordered appetizers, we had decided on our entrees after tasting the appetizers, I was like no. Let's share something because I definitely wanted dessert. We ended up getting the Valencia Arroz with the Shishito Peppers. The waiter asked if we wanted it for one or two people, my partner said one. Initially, I was like um, I don't know about that. But when it came out, there was no way one person could eat this. It was the perfect thing to share with two people. The rice was okay, I felt it was slightly undercooked, but maybe that's just how it comes. The showstopper was the chicken - literally juicy and delicious! The shishito peppers were delicious as well, I loved the seasoning they put on them! A couple next to us got the dessert-tasting menu, so we asked them what their favorites were. They said get the Huevos Voladores. We decided to also get the Praline Bar, because who doesn't like chocolate and peanut butter? When the Huevos Voladores came out, it was presented by the server "Tito" - the way he described the dish was amazing. Honestly, I wish he would've been our server because our server was less attentive. The Huevos Voladores came and left no crumbs, such a delicious dish! The Praline Bar was not my favorite but the mango sorbet that came with the dish paired perfectly with the Huevos Voladores. I would come back for the drinks, the ambiance, and the Valencia Arroz, Shishito Peppers, and Huevos Voladores. read more

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If you're looking for an amazing food experience, this is the spot. This has to be one of the best spots we have been to in Houston. The moment you walk through the doors and are greeted by the lovely host(s/esses), you are swept away with the theming of the restaurant. We had reservations and I always recommend making them, however, they didn't seem to be completely necessary (at least tonight). We had the privilege to be served by ERIC! This is our second time here and we made sure to ask for him. He made excellent recommendations, was attentive, friendly, and truly seemed to go over the top to ensure we had a memorable experience! Everyone is definitely friendly and attentive, but a big shout out to Eric (he is also bilingual which for us is a big plus). Food was incredibly delicious. The drinks were terrific. Overall we had such a great time and we definitely plan on coming back. Parking: there is valet parking which is very convenient but there is also street parking available if you get there early enough. Third option is garage parking. We were lucky enough to find street parking when we arrived at 5 pm on a Friday. read more

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Such a fun experience... presentations, textures, service, company.. tapas with a twist. Looks like the menu changes regularly so can imagine another session here in the future. It's a whimsical place so go have some fun... read more

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MAD apparently is under new management as of February at it shows .... And I am not sure if I am a fan ... This is probably our 4th or 5th HRW we come to MAD for just because we love it so much. Last year we got the wine pairing and absolutely loved it. Tonight things felt different. The usually attentive service was still there but it felt that less servers were present making it much slower. The menu changed and some of the staple items were overhauled. I Stan for the tuna tartare .... But it was not the normal fantastic dish it was. The HRW menu was changed and not in a good way. Where before the papas bravas were in a separate course form the seafood small plates, they were now combined forcing you to choose one or the other. The wine pairing was reduced from actual course pairing of 4 to 3. Super disappointing. Not sure what's going on with new management but this is not the MAD experience we love and go back to over and over again. We found this out after we paid and were just talking with some of the staff .... Also - the regular weekend night DJ ..... gone. read more

Came here for a quick dessert for our anniversary and didn't know it was happy hour! Nice options on the menu. I've come here several times and enjoy it. Beautiful indoor restaurant, service always nice. We ordered a small bite off the happy hour and two other desserts. The lava cake is a MUST every time. The cheese and wine pairing in a dessert is so delicious! They also gave us a free little dessert for our anniversary which was very cute. read more

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We did the tasting menu and it was a nice experience to enjoy the top dishes the restaurant had to offer. Service was the best, with an attentive team to bring out different dishes. Great location for date night or an intimate dinner. Hands down would recommend leaving the little ones at home since menu is a little intricate and $$$ (as we left our 2 tots at home). read more

MAD - Huevos Voladores and Exotic "banana" - Spanish Near Me - Houston, Texas

An absolutely beautiful restaurant with great food. The art and decor is incredible giving the vibe of fine dining in a contemporary art gallery. Mad offers an experience that is difficult to match with a staff that gave the impression that they were happy you were spending time at their restaurant. (Not just doing their job). We started with cocktails giving us time to soak in the surroundings. The mixologists are highly skilled and take pride in their craft. However not practical, you'll want to try every beverage on the extensive craft cocktail list. My food was as amazing as the cocktails so go with friends and share different dishes. The Pulpo (octopus) was grilled, tender and full of flavor. The menu is has something for everyone and takes time to sort through so many options. Of course, they are on the must repeat list to continue my journey through the menu. read more

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This place is MAD experience (in a good way). They serve unique and delicious Latin cuisine. I highly recommend MAD read more

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the atmosphere is fun. There is a live DJ and the interior design is elegant and mysterious. We ordered: -Papas bravas ($14): this was my favorite dish, because although it was simple, the foam sauce on top was really good. The portion size was also more reasonable. -Virgin mojito ($12): probably should not have gotten this drink because I paid $12 for lemonade -16 oz. Fillet mignon ($95): this dish was absolutely overpriced. A 16 ounce filet mignon shouldn't cost this much, unless it comes with special sides. But the side that came with the steak was creamed spinach, which is so cheap and not unique. The steak itself was pretty good, but filet mignon is naturally good. -tuna appetizer ($18): this was good, but you can't really go wrong with tuna sashimi in a citrus marinade. I also think that two slices of sashimi for $18. It's also a little much. -sashimi ($22): this appetizer, although small about four slices, I believe, was very tasty. It also came with a little bit of caviar, so the price point was much more reasonable. We made a reservation days in advance and unfortunately we got seated at the worst table possible. There is a lone table that is away from everything else, right next to the DJ, and right in front of the entrance. So, of course we were away from everyone else which wasn't great, the music was booming in my ears, and the cold breeze kept blowing towards us every time the door opened. I asked to be moved, but unfortunately, there were no other tables. Service was also not good. They checked on us multiple times before we ordered to see what we wanted to order and then after the food came, they never came to check on us. read more

MAD - Spanish Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Our waiter, Daniel, made a delightful first impression. He said they are known for their G&T's, so following his recommendation I ordered the Fresa: the strawberry and earthiness of the gin are both prominent flavors. HRW: the food came out family-style, so I was fortunate enough to try several items. The Bravos Tomas had a very creamy flavor with the occasional hint of spice, but nothing really stood out. The watermelon burrata wasn't the best pairing of melon and cheese. The winner of our first course was the Serranito. It's all the right combo of savory flavors and the epitome of an excellent tapas sampling. In true HRW fashion, our rule is that no two people may order the same item. As such, I ordered the Spanish Huevos with shrimp. My friends ordered the daily rice and the MAD burger. Once I tried the MAD burger, every other dish faded into oblivion. Y'all. The burger is to freaking die for. Everything else is a waste of your time and precious tummy calories. The burger was so good, I can't even fathom taking another bite of my subpar eggs and fishy-tasting shrimp. I'm regretting my life choices and just watching my friend enjoy the rest of her burger. So, overall, fun ambiance. Great burger. Everything else was alright. read more

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Highly recommend. Wife and I had a date night here and were not disappointed. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was great. I loved the Astronaut theme sprinkled throughout. The 2-top seats facing the kitchen kept the meal interesting, watching the cooks stoke their flames with a fan. They were a little "intimate" and close with the other guests, but it's not a large place so it is what it is. We had the Waygu on Toast, the Truffle Toast, Croquettes, Carbonarra....alll incredible. From the cocktail menu, the Cosecha Abudante was a winner! read more

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This place is a vibe!!! Service and food is good. I would come back for some dishes but honestly mostly for drinks. Our server Josh was superb. He told us about the astronaut experience or I forgot what it was called lol. He creates a tasting menu for us it's great for when a group doesn't know what to get. Honestly everything on the menu looks so amazing but I didn't love any of the dishes. Each dish is unique but has a lot of different flavors going on. The paella wasn't too great either it was soggy. Lowkey just tasted like the frozen Costco fried rice it wasn't crispy either. A lot of the dishes I tried did have a fruit/jam ingredient in it too. They have little holders for your purses which I love! Also beware when you go to the bathroom it's trippy haha. Hamachi Crips 8/10 Foie gras 5/10 Pulpo 7/10 Lobster carpaccio 5/10 (I wanted to like this but had a lot of garlic chuncks) Paella 4/10 Steak Tartare 9/10 Wagyu 10/10 read more

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What an experience! Straight from Madrid... the food was exquisite! The customer service was great and the ambiance was eccentric and lively. If you're looking for something different, then this is a great spot. It's going to cost you (see receipt)... but, it's worth every penny. My only complaint is going to be the seating arrangement. The space where we were seated was a section cramming 4 tables within 3 feet of one another. I think they should eliminate at least one of those tables to give the couples eating a little more space. We could literally hear everything thing said by the coupe next to us. Other than that... a great experience. The huevos voladores were truly the highlight of the evening! read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for awhile now and finally got around to visiting! My husband and I went for restaurant week and was amazed by the interior decor and the food! They did an awesome job with the ambiance, it has such a nice vibe, with the live music and private art piece collections from Picasso and Salvador Dalí! We've always had an appreciation for gastronomy and MAD did not disappoint! The tapas were both delicious and playful, for the main entree I highly recommend the Fire & Ice, the sweetness of the piquillo pepper sorbet mixed with the creamy spinach on top of filet mignon really added another dimension of flavor! We also tried the restaurant week cocktail pairing and were blown away by how tasty the drinks were! We had their Gin & Tonic, some kind of spicy rum drink (sorry didn't catch the name of it), and the Carajillo. The staff were very attentive and friendly, and I love how their manager Andrew came and checked in on us and took the time to tell us about the art pieces in the restaurant! Overall we had such a spectacular time and can't wait to visit again! read more

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Visited MAD on a Sunday later afternoon for cocktails and a few tapas. The happy hour bar menu is absolutely fantastic. About 10 options and all priced $9-14 per small plate. Iberico jamon for $21 was an excellent value. Highlights were the Hamachi Tostada, braised pork empanditas, shrimp with white beans and country bread, and the Iberico secreto cut sandwich with cheese and carmelized onion. The Gin and Tonics are some of the best I have ever had. Inventive, aromatic, tasty, and beautifully crafted. Ask for the Negroni gin and tonic. Off menu but any Negroni lover will enjoy. The MAD G/T was amazing. Want to come back for dinner then hit up BCN. Don't miss this place. They pay attention to all the details!!! Modern interior and great ambiance. Wood fired paellas anyone?? Love this place. read more

This place was really beautiful and artistic located in the heart of River Oaks, but if you're looking for good food this place will really leave you MAD! There was nothing inventive or unique about the food, the quality and flavor was lacking. You will pay a lot of money for mediocre food. This place is all hype and no real substance. Sorry, not sorry! read more

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Let's start off by saying this restaurant is stunning! The design is upscale and fun. They also had a dj playing the night we went. Our server was so attentive and really took the time to break down the menu for us and offer various suggestions. The menu was sectioned off into three sections: individual tapas, shareable appetizers, and entrees. For an appetizer, we shared the tuna tartare and it was amazing! For entree, we wanted to try a paella. These were offered in two different sizes as well as an option to create a custom paella. We chose the small size of the surf and turf which is said to be good for 1-2 people. It was perfect! The filet mignon and lobster tail were great portion size for two. My only critique is that for the price I felt like the paella was missing more paella. They definitely could have added more of the rice. For dessert we went with our servers suggestion of their award winning dessert called huevos voladores. The presentation was beautiful, but it wasn't my favorite. It was ok. Since it was our anniversary they gave us a complimentary cake. The thought was nice but it was the tiniest slice ever. Thanks MAD, I will take it. Overall, liked the restaurant but would skip the dessert and maybe go for the drinks. read more

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Came here for HRW. The interior design of the restaurant was immaculate. Very posh feeling with good live music. A bit on the darker side but provides an intimate setting. Service was good and attentive. Food wise we were surgical and got different dishes to share between me and my fiancé. Started off with pork empanadilla and ultimate croqueta. The empanada was amazing and so juicy whereas they can easily be over cooked and dry. Next was the tuna tartare and lobster carpaccio. You don't get a lot of blue corn chips with the tuna tartare so we had to be sparing with it. The lobster carpaccio was something new so we wanted to try it and weren't disappointed! Next we got double the portion of the seafood paella. We were seriously craving paella and this satisfied our palettes. The seafood was fresh and paella was well seasoned and cooked. For dessert we closed with the cheesecake brownie and apple financier. For drinks we got the Fresa and Ay Guey. The ay guey had just the right amount of smokiness to balance out the sweet tropical fruit taste. All in all a decent experience. Portions were a bit small as we were still slightly hungry by the end of the meal. Most of the plates were an up charge on the HRW menu. Just don't think the food was worth the price honestly. read more

I had so much expectation from this restaurant because I heard sooooo many good reviews about it. The ambiance of this restaurant was probably the best thing about the whole evening We did a tasting menu that was $100/pp Upon receiving our food, we peeped at the menu and was excited. Everything SOUNDED delicious and my mouth was watering -- baby eel, suckling pig, waygu??! Hell yes. Not. Everything was either too salty, gamey, or fishy. Portions are VERY small which I knew that coming in. But the sad part is 5 out of the 9 dishes remained on the plate when the server took it away simply because it was not appetizing. Some items worth mentioning: Sautéed baby eels -- looks like worms and tastes very fishy 1/5 stars Suckling pig -- very gamey 1/5 Fish of the day -- Branzino ( I love, LOVE branzino) but this was fishy. And the rice was FISHIER because they use a seafood stock. Everything was underwhelming and we left very dissatisfied. For the price you pay, the quality has to be better !!! GM came up to us and I expressed my concerns with some of the menu items but he just thanked us for the feed back. I gave an extra star because they didn't charge us for bringing in a cake and they gave the birthday girl free dessert. I don't think I would give this place another try. The drinks were tasty but food was very mediocre. read more

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This is a review for the 2023 Houston restaurant week menu. Everything was yummy, and we got four courses. We ate at the bar and absolutely loved our bartender, though we didn't catch his name, and he was listed as "Bartender 2" on our receipt. Our service and recommendations were excellent. Do be aware that they add gratuity automatically for restaurant week, no matter your party size. We wouldn't have caught that if we had read the itemized receipt. Here's what I had: - Hamachi tostada: Small little plate to start of the meal, delicious flavors and different textures, yum! - Beet ravioli: The "pasta" part was actually made of beets, so it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was really good if you like beets! - MAD chicken: The sauce was so delicious, and I actually liked it better than my husband's branzino (seabass), which was one of the upcharge options. - Basque cheesecake: This was a generous-size piece of cheesecake for a HRW menu, and I gobbled up every bite. I also thought my husband's apple finacier cake was good too, but if I had to do it again, I would still order the cheesecake because (1) I love cheesecake and (2) there was more of it! read more

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I always have a great time here! I've been coming for about the last 2 years on girly dates for their amazing tapas. Every item on the menu is so well prepared! the patatas bravas are by far the best potatoes in all Houston. My other favorites are the rabo de wagyu and the tuna tartare. I recently brought my management team to enjoy their Monday happy hour. I made a reservation for 7 people. Unfortunately we were too large of a party to sit by the bar and Happy Hour was only bar seating. Luckily the manager was gracious enough to extend the HH menu to our table anyway. We were able to have a meeting since the noise level is not too distracting from 5pm to about 6pm. Everyone was also so impressed with the service and ambiance! read more

This place is the place to be for girls' night or the after party!! It's a bit too loud for date night though on Thursday to Saturday evenings, since there's a DJ and he BLASTS the music. If you've ever been to Las Vegas or even in midtown, imagine you're at a club but also eating small bites. There's a free parking garage nearby and it's not a far walk to the restaurant. You also find street parking as well. Do note that they are no longer serving the empanadas with the jelly. I was so saddened to hear that the last time that we went, but our waiter told us that the restaurant changes the menu often. Hopefully they bring back the empanadas! That's why I docked the one star since I was quite disappointed. The other food like the "Houston's tiniest taco" and the other dishes (pictured) were a burst of flavor in your mouth! To get the most flavor, eat it in one bite!! Make reservations in advance! No reservations needed if you're just getting drinks. Good for large groups! read more

MAD - Bar area views - Spanish Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I have a love and hate relationship with Tapa restaurants. You get great and flavorful food but it is small plates so often times I feel leaving hungry after spending tons of money on food. I dined in at mad during restaurant week and it was reasonable priced with a decent amount of food. I was little skeptical as the first couple of dishes were small. As the meal progressed on the plates started to get bigger. They really take the great dishes and flavors of Spain and deliver them to your table. Some of the standouts to me were the ultimate croquetta and the paella was so flavorful. The octopus was another hit with me. It was cooked just right it wasn't too crunchy and didn't taste slimey either it is hard to get octopus cooked right. A very trendy and posch vibe to the place. A place to go to get seen in the trendy Royal Oaks neighborhood. If you are looking for a great place to get dinner with excellent tapas I can't recommend this place enough. The staff treated us well and gave us a great rundown and recommendations on the menu. read more

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First, this restaurant is all about the atmosphere and everything else comes after. This was my first visit, my birthday, and I attended with three friends. Our reservation was 7:30pm and we seated around 8:20pm. Not a huge deal as that can happen with popular restaurants, but because they reserve the bar area, there was really no where to wait. Luckily my friends wanted pictures in the very IG worthy bathroom area, so that killed some time. On to the food! I love a gastronomy experience and Spanish food. Barcelona is my favorite city. I came here for the food, and everything read well on the menu, but the execution was a miss for me. I ordered two items from the tapas menu, cod fritters and potatoe bun calamari sliders, and one entre, saffron rice with lamb, and churros for dessert. My cod fritters were way too salty, the potato bun overpowered the calamari and the saffron rice had an unfamiliar tang I didn't recognize. The churros were Spanish so not super sweet, but also under cooked in my opinion. Maybe it was an off night for the chief. As for the service, the hostesses were really nice, but our waiter was less than satisfactory. He mostly seemed very confused and forgetful, possibly training. All in all, I'm still happy I chose this restaurant, but for future trips I'll just sit at the bar and try more from the tapas menu. read more

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This is more of a preference review. I love Spanish Tapas style restaurants and thought this one would also be a hit for me. While I'm used to Tapas style restaurants having raw options, I'm not used to the majority of the menu being raw options only. I'm a foodie, but my food game hasn't leveled up to raw fish or rare beef. Maybe in the future. Otherwise, the ambiance was nice. It's perfect for a date night spot. Service was 6/5 and the punch bowl gin and tonic was excellent. read more

MAD - Spanish Near Me - Houston, Texas

4-star as a bar. The ambiance and decor are interesting if you are seated in the main dining room area, or at the bar (but the small curtained off sections are a little awkward). The drinks were also interesting. 3-star as a restaurant. The entrees are ridiculously expensive and the tapas are weirdly pretentious without much flavor or quality to back them. For drinks, I had... The Fresa G&T - which was nice - Zephyr gin, St. George Aqua Perfecta, basil, mint, strawberry, lemon, green tea, Q Elderflower tonic And we also had a special take on a margarita cocktail which was special that night, and was pretty good. For Tapas, we had... 2 of the Olivas Liquidas - which were really weird...they tasted like butter, and while I personally really like olive juice... I did not like this at all. Ultimate Croqueta - One with Jamon Iberico and the other was Mushroom; My preference was for the Jamon, but both were just fine. Tuna Tartare - Which was good, but not great. Hamachi Tostada - Which I liked, but I did not care for the foam. Fried Octopus Tapa - Which was just terrible, very chewy, neither of us could finish it read more

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