This place was fantastic. The waitress was very nice. The food was delicious. We will definitely go back and look forward to their move from Post Oak. They did a nice dessert for my gf birthday that was so respected and appreciated. We look forward to trying the rest of the menu! I couldn't do five star because they suffer from the same basic unforgivable flaws that all Houston fine dinning restaurants suffer from. Don't know how to set a table (how is it these places can't count to two on small plates) and basic inventory management (you can never, never run out of your daily special, it is like a ice cream store running out of ice cream). It is called specials not "limit items". No other place on earth except for Houston (78 countries and 1000's of restaurants) has this problem. I was going to tell the owner this when he came to the table but he was such an adorable old guy. read more

I'll join the crowd with 5 stars for Masraff's. Tony & Russel really know their business. They have put together a wonderful dining experience. To top all of the wonderful things I hope you have read from our fellow Yelpers, now a bottle of wine is half price on Saturday nights. I thought they were kidding when we chose our favorite Peter Michael Sauvignon Blanc. It's a little spendy. But, no kidding, it was. We're taking advantage of this special again real soon. However, wine and food here is just the beginning. It's true this is a special occasion place, but not intimidating, don't need to wait for the "special" events. The service is professional, yet personable. The least wrinkle of the nose or rise of an eyebrow brought a question from Kenny, our waiter. My sweety liked the John Dory, but perferred the accompaniments with the Sea Bass. That's the way he had it. I had shrimp and scallops that were the freshest. I can't do mushrooms or sweet peppers. They accommodated with no questions. Then, the Gran Marnier Souffle for dessert was a warm, sweet treat. (This takes 20 minutes to prepare) Even the decaf coffee was delicious, and they have a good choice of after dinner drinks, like port & desert wine. I love this place. Not too fussy, but inviting. We didn't feel hurried, and it's a great place to people watch, though my mother would not have approved of this past time at a nice restaurant. She would approve of the quiet conversation most patrons enjoyed. Anyway, you should go if you can. I suggest a reservation. read more

My husband and I had an extremely disappointing dinner. Admittedly, we had high expectations given the reviews we had read, but from the onset we realized that our expectations would not be met. My husband ordered a Campari and soda when we were seated at our table. After a great deal of time, our waiter returned and informed us that the staff had to go upstairs to the storeroom to get a new bottle of the Campari but that it wouldn't take much longer. After another 10 minutes or so, our waiter returned again and informed us that they actually didn't have any more Campari after all. Anyway, we both ordered salads: I ordered the Romaine salad with "roasted garlic buttermilk dressing" and my husband ordered the Spinach salad. My salad arrived and was clearly overdressed. To make matters worse, the dressing was atrocious. Somehow, the mixture of the cracked pepper, buttermilk and whatever acidic element they used combined to create an almost bleu cheese taste. It was awful. My husband's salad was overdressed as well, but his vinaigrette dressing (while strangely creamy) was tolerable. I ordered the paella risotto as my entree and my husband ordered the John Dory. When our entrees arrived, for some reason, I was brought the evening's special sweet potato risotto instead of the paella risotto. I brought the mistake to our waiter's attention, who apologized and stated that he had misheard my order but would bring me the correct risotto as soon as possible. However, instead of leaving the incorrect dish, he removed it from the table! So, I sat with no food while my husband's fish got cold. If the waiter had left the wrong dish, at least I could have eaten something (and my husband could have eaten) while I waited for my correct order. My entree finally arrived and, perhaps most ironically, it was overcooked! How a rushed dish can arrive overcooked is beyond me. The dish had 2 shrimp, 1 scallop and perhaps 4 slivers of sausage and cost $26, which is absurd. The shrimp was so overcooked that they were difficult to cut with the knife provided. They had the texture of a pencil eraser. The risotto itself was also overcooked so that it took on a pasty consistency. It was absolutely terrible. My husband's John Dory was also overcooked and had basically disintegrated during the cooking process. He managed to eat it though out of sheer hunger. Overall, our meal was awful. For the reputation and price, we expected more. We will definitely not return and I urge you to think twice before making reservations. read more

It was a very last minute decision, but while visiting Houston, we decided to make a dinner reservation at Masraff's, and luckily, they had an opening for us. The restaurant must be pretty big, because once we got inside; I could see that there were different dining rooms where people were seated. I'm not sure I love the interior design of the restaurant, but that could be due to the fact that we went in so quickly and had such a swift dinner, that I didn't have time to take it all in. Our waitress was kind of weird. She was very standoffish and it almost seemed as if she was ready to go home instead of finish her shift at work. I know we had a late reservation, but we still finished dinner before the restaurant closed, and even as we walked out, I could see people still coming in with even later reservations. I'm not sure what her deal was, but she was definitely not all the way present. We weren't hungry enough for an appetizer, so we add a little of the complimentary bread and ordered a bottle of Sangiovese. The piece of bread that I selected was good and had a nice rosemary taste to it. For my entrée, I decided to order the special of the night, and it was everything it could have possibly been and more. Now, I've had the honor of experiencing a lot of restaurants all over , and I can say that I've had my fair share of five star dishes; however, I think the meal I ordered here was the best meal I've ever had. It's so hard to give this dish that praise, but it was just that good. I'm not even sure where to begin. It was a plate of innovation. The chef must have awakened early that morning and decided to take his creativity to the next level. It was pure perfection. The dish started off with a mildly spiced tomato sauce of heaven, that tastefully surrounded a crab stuffed plain pasta ravioli. One top of that sat a huge piece of buttery halibut and vegetables. It was so heavenly. I ate very single thing on my plate and wondered how I could ever thank the restaurant for such an amazing meal. Even though our waitress was a bit of a nut, I can't do anything but give Masraff's 5 stars. It was absolutely amazing! I will definitely come back again. In the meantime, I am recommending this restaurant to all of my fellow foodies that can appreciate a good meal! read more

Masraff's - Trio of Braised Rohan Duck Leg, Roasted Peking Duck Breast, and Pan Seared Foie Gras - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This place was excellent! We came in from Atlanta to watch super bowl and root for Falcon's victory!!! Seafood gumbo, crab cake, sea bass , bacon wrapped ribeye.... AMAZING! The service was impeccable... Mr. Masraff stopped by and was sincere and humble! 5 stars! read more

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

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Let it be noted first that I only gave this place 4 stars because I only ate here for restaurant week and have not tried their complete menu. That being said, my meal felt like 5 stars to me. Starters: Wild Mushroom Ravioli - Amazingly tasteful. The plate tasted very fresh and the blend of the truffle oil and lemon sage complimented wonderfully. Garlic Seared Calamari - Another great dish. Cooked perfectly and had great texture and flavor. There was an asian influence with the dish, being sweet and slightly tangy. Paella Risotto - I've never had paella, so I feel like I can't give this dish it's deserved judgement. All I can say is that risotto was cooked very well (much better than at Voice) and the flavor was definitely plentiful. Although there was a hint of heat in it, I thought it could have used a little more. Diver Scallop, Prawns, Rock Shrimp mixed in made the dish even more enjoyable. Pan Seared New Zealand Sea Bass - Delicious fish. Sea Bass is one of my favorite to eat because of its versatility with cooking and taste. The sea bass was cooked just right and combined with the sweetness of the corn compote and butter, it was one of a kind. Only thing I didn't like too much was the oyster mushrooms. It just didn't work for me. The scallops on both entrees were also delicious. I don't think I've ever eaten a scallop that big. Dessert: Warm Double Chocolate Fondant - Seriously. I was in love with this dish. I highly recommend this to any chocolate, ice cream, sweets lover. Butter Roasted Pear Creme Brulee - It was a different concept involving creme brulee, but it actually worked out very well. The berry sauce's tartness complimented the pear's sweetness very well. To top it off, a delicious, smooth and fluffy creme brulee helped hold both flavors together. I really would love to come back here and try the rest of the menu. Maybe after a couple of more dinners, I'd give it 5 stars. The restaurant itself is beautiful and very modern. Tony Masraff also came by each table to greet us and thank us for coming in. It was a great experience, and I highly recommend this place. read more

It wasn't a bad experience, but it wasn't what I usually expect from Masraff's. We came in for my birthday lunch celebration and I was really disappointed in almost everything! Food: they no longer have the lobster pot pie as a side with the filet mignon. Instead it now comes with shrimp and sausage Mac and cheese, which had 1 piece of sausage and no shrimp, plus needed salt. (I'll admit the filet was still delicious and perfectly cooked medium rare). The trio of scallops was ok, but one of them was gritty. The side salad was completely over salted. For dessert we had the pear creme brûlée, which is basically a bland poached pear with creamy brûlée on top. Just...nothing was as decadent and delicious as it normally is! Is it because we came during lunch?? Service could have probably bumped them up a star, but again it was subpar compared to how 'above and beyond' it usually is. Water was never refilled and my iced tea only once. Overall this was a restaurant I trusted to celebrate special occasions, but after today I might need to start looking around again. read more

I'd truly give Masraff's 4.5 stars, and I highly recommend it for HRW!!! Although the earliest reservation we could get on a Saturday night was 9pm, our party of 5 happily took this time and were excited about trying Masraff's out for HRW dinner. The ambiance was very nice (think warm Euro modern, if that's possible), and the service was spectacular throughout the evening. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, and our food came out as the perfect times. Masraff's had a sale on a few of their wine bottles (great selection) in honor of HRW, so it was definitely a nice plus to get a bottle of malbec for only $28! The best part of dining with a large group for HRW is that you can try almost all the dishes offered on the menu (all were very well-done and delicious): Appetizers: Garlic Seared Calamari (4.0) - Definitely a new and different take on what you'd expect calamari should be. Rather than being deep-fried, these bad boys are grilled and served with this sweet oyster/soy reduction. The only gripe I had about it was that the calamari itself was a little too salty for my liking. Risotto du Jour (4.5) - Perfectly cooked, the risotto they had for us was with pork and shrimp. Very creamy, and great portion. Entrees: Slow Cooked Hawaiian Walu (Escolar) (4.5) - Deliciously prepared for a delicious fish. The escolar was seared on the outside and slightly raw in the middle - perfect for me. The three berry beurre rouge was the perfect sauce for the fish. Huge portion Angus Ribeye A la Plancha - (4.0) Although it was ordered medium, it came out medium rare. Otherwise, a solid steak dish with potatoes and mushrooms. Desserts: Molten Chocolate Eruption (3.5) - Extremely rich and extremely liquidy, this is your standard molten chocolate cake. The ice cream was yummy though. Warm Triple Berry Bread Pudding (4.0) - Very delicious, with a wonderful white chocolate and berry sauce. The cream cheese mousse adds an interesting saltiness to it, in a good way. Sugar Roasted Texas Peach (4.0) - A perfectly roasted ripe white peach topped with creme brulee (but not quite enough). Very unique and yummy. Overall, large portions of delicious food, all included with wonderful service and atmosphere. I'll definitely be back if I'm in the mood for a fancy dinner. read more

Just no. I do not understand the hype of this place at all. I made reservations for HRW (I thought the menu was impressive than others, but man was I wrong). There's valet if you prefer. When I arrived, there was a wait to get a table and the entire place was packed. We finally got sat down and we were offered the menu. Since we're ordering off the HRW, we got a look (I am seriously tired of this, if your restaurant isn't good during HRW, why would I bother to come back?). Later on when I went to another restaurant who use to work at Masraff, I found out they recycle bread and rinse off the olives at the end of the night then serve it back to the new customers. Thank the lord I didn't even touch the bread/olives due to the lack of service. Food: Garlic Seared Calamari - The Oystem mushroom with the sauce is good and I preferred eating just that. The calamari is fried nicely, but the sauce that was drenched made the breading soggy. Herb Roasted Rack of Australian Lamb - Lamb was overcooked over a bed of stuff....black stuff. I wasn't sure what's in there, but I didn't think it was interesting or good. The broccolini was huge and buried with that black stuff. I just ate the lamb and called it a day. Mango Three Times - All those mangos were different types creme brulee. Guys... I can't even. Tip of the iceberg. Service. Our waiter wasn't there half the time. I saw the guy that refills my water more than I saw our waiter. I wouldn't waste my time going back again and I will not recommend coming to try either. I wouldn't pay full price for any of the food I "ate". read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Houston! Every time I've dined at Masraffs, the experience has been perfect. This was my first upscale restaurant experience in Houston and it really made an impression on me that keep me coming back. It's highly recommended to make reservations at this restaurant (you can do this via opentable). It's located in a strip mall, which is kind of odd, but this doesn't take away from the experience. They have both self and valet parking. They seat you immediately when you have a reservation, which is nice, I've never had to wait for them 'get the table together', they're always prepared. Most of the patrons here are dressed up business casual, so its best to do the same. Masraffs changes their menu often, so it's always something different. Their bread basket is delicious, they serve a mixed variety of bread, usually a nut and berry along with sourdough, and a savory bread. I have enjoyed their mushroom ravioli, that is made fresh in the kitchen, served with a velvety cream sauce. As for their entrees, I always order some type of scallops. They are always cooked perfectly and have wonderful flavor, I've had them with tuna, with a corn chowder, with a polenta, they are always good! If you even like scallops a little bit, order them! My husband usually orders the steak, which he always enjoys. What's nice about their steaks is you do not have to order separate sides, the dish comes plated with sides. The Chocolate fondant is your classic lava cake, served with ice cream, always a safe choice. During restaurant week they also featured a dessert with mango mousse, which was also delicious. You won't be disappointed here, no matter what you order. read more

Excellent service, excellent food! Our server Adam was very good and attentive as well. He knows the food they serve very well and was able to give excellent recommendations. This place is highly recommended! read more

Night #10 of my HRW takes me here. I went with a gut feeling here and my friends suggestion. I read fellow yelpers reviews and this place looked great. So we decided to make reservations. We all agreed to share a nice bottle of Pinot Gris and everyone enjoyed. Appetizer: Went with the Garlic seared calamari and it was not your usual appetizer of calamari it was served as pieces of calamari steak and was fantastic, the seasoning wasn't overpowering and it tasted great. Entree: The waiter suggested the NY Strip or the Paella and they were both great. I ordered the paella trying to enjoy something lighter than the beef buffet i have taken on in the last few weeks. It came with a huge sea scallop which was cooked perfectly and two huge grilled shrimp on a heaping warm spoon of risotto. I devoured the whole thing it was wonderful. Even had a chance to try my friends steak and that was great too. Dessert: I had the Warm Double Chocolate Fondant which was simply their interpretation of a warm chocolate cake and unfortunately they didn't know i went to Voice the night before so they couldn't live up to what i had yesterday. It was good but not incredible. It was a great touch that Tony Masraff himself came by our table and said hello. Its nice to see this personal care to given to every guest in the house. read more

This was one of my favorite places precovid but the menu has changed since they relocated to I10 and i'm not a fan. Cocktails were good but was sad to see the old menu disappear. read more

I wanted a a restaurant with a glamorous uptown feel, great service and of course awesome food; so I made a reservation for Masraff's. I met my Godson and his mother there this week, and the experience was everything I hoped for. The setting was lovely, the service was perfect and the food was scrumptious. To top things off, Mr. Masraff stopped by the table to make sure that we were having a lovely lunch. How cool is that?! read more

Masraff's - What fun! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

3.5 rating in my view. Very close to a 4 but a couple disappointing misses held it back just barely. i do want to mention that the service here was great. A friend and I were promptly seated upon arrival for 7:45 pm reservation. The Waiter was outstanding and had great knowledge of the menu and wine pairings as well. And finally, Mr. Masraff himself, the owner of the establishment came by to thank us for coming and to check up on our meal, as he did with pretty much every other table around us. (I've come to find out that he does this very often and what a great personal touch. Really shows the passion he has and the "care" in wanting his diners to have a great experience). Let's go onto the food: Garlic Seared Calamari (3.5/5) - I loved the flavors coated on these but for me it just comes down to the texture of the calamari itself. Personally it was just a little "rubbery" for my liking and some of the pieces were just too big in my opinion. i can def see why this is a favorite app for many people though. Different from your typical fried calamari at most restaurants and If you are okay with the texture, it's a great dish. Jumbo Lump Crab Cake (3/5) - I pretty much order the crab cake at any restaurant i go to as one of my apps. For me, the one here was just very forgetful. Nothing really impressed me about it and I thought it was just mediocre Pan Seared Halibut (3/5) - I thought the fish was a little dry for my liking and there wasn't nearly enough of the sauce to help compensate. These are minor complaints on my end as I thought the fish was still pretty good and all the accompanying elements were spot on (Just wish there was more of the vanilla reduction sauce!). I just think a restaurant of this caliber shouldn't even these minor mistakes. Hawaiian Swordfish (4/5) - I liked this dish more than the Halibut. The fish was moist and the skin was crispy, exactly how i like it. Once again, all the side elements and sauces were fantastic. Sorbet Terrine (4/5) - I believe the flavors change periodically but during my visit it was Lemon, Passion Fruit, and Strawberry. I loved this as a way to end my meal and my only minor complaint was that the Lemon section didn't have the same consistency as the other two flavors. I'll def go back to try some other dishes. Grading a little hard on this place based on the reputation it has. read more

I came here during HRW since I haven't been back in such a long time. Service is great and I like how the owner stops at each table to ask how everything tasted. I ordered the steak deal from HRW menu and it seasoned perfectly. Everything tasted great and it is a cute spot for date night. read more

I've dined at Masraff's on two occasions. The first was during Houston Restaurant Weeks. Strangely, I can't remember a single dish I had on that occasion. All I remember was that I had no complaints about the food. I suppose there was nothing really memorable about it... except that it was very busy and loud. Two things that I don't really care for. The second occasion was a little different. An early reservation for two on a Saturday night. Much less commotion and definitely a lot quieter. Although it was a little strange with so many of the staff just standing around doing nothing (stop staring!). Luckily, as more people arrived this changed. First, we had a great waiter. Really nice and attentive. A basket of various breads was brought out while we looked over the menu. There were three types of bread. One stood out way above the rest. I have no idea what kind of bread it was (something spicy), but it was delicious. I don't usually get excited about bread, but this was very good. Appetizers were skipped so on to the main course. I had the Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with smashed Yukon potatoes, broccolini, and a pickled garlic and herb pesto. The lamb was good, tasty and tender. The pesto added an interesting contrast to all the other flavors of the dish. Very good overall. For dessert I had the Hot Mini Donuts with cinnamon sugar. These were more like beignets pretending to be donut holes than mini donuts. That is definitely not a complaint though, as they were delicious. The only bad thing about the dessert is that the sugar gets everywhere (sugar all over my face). I also had a few bites of the Granny Smith Apple Pie with caramel and vanilla ice cream. Nothing spectacular but still a good dessert. Overall, the food and service at Masraff's is very good. I don't think you will find any dishes that attempt something new or adventurous, but that's not always necessary for good food. read more

One of my favorite new American streak houses in town. Good proportions and pretty consistent with food quality. For some reason I always go for HRW but I think that's mainly because they offer the best deal, you can get 3 thing for the price of 1 pretty much. The biggest reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is because they deserts are always kind of lacking and that outdoor patio area kind of has inconsistent service so try to avoid it if you can. The squid and goat cheese salad are a must try. As for entrees they are solid throughout, I personally like the steak and lamb chops. I don't really care for the deserts here so go with whatever sounds good to you. read more

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

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Came on a Thursday for Restaurant Week. My friend went to the old locale and recommended it, and I have a sneaking suspicion this place was better when it was quaint rather than in a strip mall. Now, it's located next to a Luby's (albeit a pretty fancy Luby's). There's complimentary valet parking but you really don't need it; strip mall equals ample parking. The restaurant itself looks sleek, but the lighting was almost uncomfortably dark, and almost uncomfortably loud. Our waiter was ruthlessly efficient, filling our water and wine multiple times and asking us how every dish was. I don't think I once saw him crack a smile, though. For the first course, we went with wild mushroom ravioli and garlic seared calamari. The ravioli, which was my most anticipated, was my only real disappointment. The entire dish tasted like truffle oil, which was too overwhelming for my palette. The calamari was a pleasant surprise, and the cilantro and soy reduction made for an Asian-like sweet and sour taste. The calamari was also cooked perfectly, without any of the chewy texture you get at those MSG Asian restaurants. Side note, the menu said the calamari came with "Oyster Mushroom," which I assumed meant oyster in a "mushroom" style. My girlfriend thought this was crazy, since it clearly meant it was served with oyster mushrooms. I countered that the word after could mean "in the style of," such as the "corn compote" that came with my entree. Furthermore, the menu should have then said oyster mushrooms with an S, since it clearly didn't come with just ONE mushroom. But I digress. For the entree, we went with the pan seared sea bass and the paella risotto. The sea bass was quite tasty, and the diver scallop that came with both plates was delicious. The sea bass sides left something to be desired, as the leek couscous and corn compote were both bland and tasteless. The paella risotto, which almost sounds like it should be an oxymoron, really did taste like both paella and risotto, with a hint of Cajun jambalaya in the mix. It certainly left me intrigued, anyway. For the dessert, we went with the triple berry bread pudding and the pear creme brulee. I'm neither a fan of bread pudding nor creme brulee, but douse anything in a berry reduction and I'll take a few bites. The bread pudding was decent, although it took a few bites for us to figure out the accompanying mousse was made of cream cheese. The creme brulee, however, was phenomenal and the hit of the night. It came on top of a poached pear, the entire thing glazed, and perfectly complemented by the berry sauce. It was both visually and tastily magnificent and a perfect end to the night. Overall, the combined service and food fell short of the lofty 5* goal I reserve for fancy restaurants, but we had a great night and will make it back one day, even without the restaurant week prices. read more

My friend told me about this place, and after I read a couple of reviews, I decided it was a must try! I took Stephen Y here for his "surprise" birthday dinner. He had never of this place before, so I knew he would not figure it out until we actually arrived at the destination. When we first walked in, I loved the open, bright, large windows atmosphere. Typically fancy places are all dimly lit, so this was a nice and refreshing change. The wine connoisseur came to our table to help us select a bottle of wine, and we decided to go with a red (I think the brand was Carpe Diem). He was really helpful, and he accurately described the taste of the red wine we selected...very knowledgeable and nice. We decided to get an appetizer to start off our meals and we chose the calamari. I did some Yelp research before we came, and I am glad we chose this dish. It was a very Asian influenced dish, and for a change, the calamari was not fried! Stephen Y had the filet mignon because I saw great reviews on Yelp about it (this is why I love yelp!). The meat was perfectly cooked to medium rare, and it came with this potato bacon side which was delicious. I think the bacon made it delicious! =P I ordered the special of the day which was a Mediterranean sea bass. It was pan seared with the skin on, and it was not fishy at all...it also had a side of risotto. Since it was Stephen Y's birthday, the waiter brought him a free dessert which we thought was decent for a dessert. Not the best, but it was free, so I cannot complain. It was nicely decorated with birthday writing just for him. At the end of the meal, Mr. Masraff actually came by our table to say hello and asked if we enjoyed the food. I thought that was pretty nice of him...you typically do not see that very often anymore. If you haven't been to this place, I suggest you try it at least once! read more

Just went last week for Houston Restaurant Week and was pleasantly surprised. I hadn't done much researching so had no idea what to expect, but even just walking in, I was in awe of the intriguing decor. The food...oh my goodness...if I could've licked each of my plates clean without looking crazy, I totally would've! What I had: Wild Mushroom Ravioli - rich and irresistible; the touch of truffle was divine Paella Risotto - loved the perfectly cooked scallop that topped off the dish full of complementing flavors...rice, sausauge, prawn, shrimp Butter Roasted Pear Creme Brulee - never imagined how delightful pear and berry sauce could enhance my favorite dessert! At first I thought the service was slow, but then I realized the waiter was just being courteous since we were deeply engaged in conversationa at the table. I felt they were being polite not to interrupt and were actually always watching us for the slightest cue that we were done, needed more water, needed more bread, etc. I don't ever recall having to ASK for anything (I guess execpt for the Houston Restaurant Week Menu since they didn't realize we were there for that instead of a regular dinner). They were quick to take note of what was going on and act on it. Now that's service! Will definitely comy back and again! Had a wonderful time! read more

Ok....Look....All you people out there that would like to make a great impression on someone, land some business, date a girl, you name it, bring them to Masraff's....period. I never give 5 stars...ever....and this place gets one. I took my wife there for our anniversary and we have the chef's special where he cooks you a full meal, his choice. Please do not waste your money on this meal unless you are absolutely sure that you want plenty of wine, a 3 hour dining EXPERIENCE, not just a meal, and alot of food that you probably have never tried before. Do NOT argue with the waiters or staff, they know what they are doing, and if they serve you a red wine with your lemon sole on a mushroom ragu base, then don't fight it, just eat and enjoy it. Inside, the place is modern yet classy, the atmosphere is to your choice, the bar area is lively, fun and loud, the dining areas are more intimate and quieter. This place does not make you feel like you should be dressed in "oil money" clothes like the best steak house in Houston does (Brenner's), but more like maybe you should step up your finance industry game instead or get a job at Goldman Saks...lol I would NOT recommend this place to anyone that thinks heaven comes with white gravy on it, but if you are open to a REAL Frenchish dining experience at a dining EXPERIENCE pace, then this is the place to try. If you not sure, then please see below for what my menu consisted of. 6 courses, pictures attached of my experience. 1. Sashimi grade tuna tartar with aged balsamic and olive oil and deap fried carrot curls. 2. Perfectly cooked foi gras with a cognac aged berry medley sauce and toast points. 3. Fresh Seafood Ravioli in a saffron cream sauce (picture attached) with perfectly "deshelled" claw meat (how did they do it?). 4. Lemon Sole on an intense mixed mushroom ragu. 5. 2 small encrusted Lamb Chops served rare with a herb infused mashed potato "bite". 6. Chocolate eruption mini cake in a pool of liquid ganache with a mini scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream. If you do not think you will like all of the above, don't try it, instead order off the menu, I recommend the Lemon Sole, Lamb chops or Ravioli!!! Please note that you better come hungry and consider NOT cleaning your plate. This IS a lot of food and you will NOT go home hungry. And if you are thinking that the above is not anything that you couldn't do at home or get at Chili's, you are WRONG. I love to cook and I love food and I have eaten on several different continents and in several countries, and I have NEVER tasting anything like the above, it was glorious to say the least. In addition to the food, everything was perfectly paired with the perfect drink (wines of many types and styles). Happy dining! read more

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everything was delicious! and to top it off, service was equally superb we got the: foie gras: a little sweet sea bass and scallop: scallops cooked perfectly new york strip: i usually only get a ribeye cut so that the higher fat content can compensate for lack of flavor/toughness...but this steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare). and extremely flavorful paella risotto there was one side (i forgot the name) that was unique: leek and brie stuffed in cabbage and wrapped in bacon (yum!) and the risotto and etc etc, all delicious sides everything was 4 - 5 stars in my book. our waiter allowed us to substitute whatever sides we wanted for each dish. i was surprised he remembered all of our random combinations. read more

I am so very confused! This restaurant has excellent reviews from people that I follow and so I took the BF there to sort-of celebrate his birthday. I ordered the Chef's Risotto du Jour: oyster mushrooms & crab and it was FANTASTIC! For my entree I ordered the Caramelized Diver Scallops with Carrot-Ginger Bisque, Buttery Sweet Corn with Petite Arugula Salad. Now before the dish even got to our table, both the BF and I could both smell it. The scallops had this strange/odd odor that I couldn't identify, but it wasn't fishy/old smell. It was more like whatever they had caramelized the scallops in. Even worse, they tasted just like they smelled! I didn't even know that it was possible to mess up a scallop so much that I couldn't even eat it, but Masraff's apparently knows how to do this very thing. What a huge and utter disappointment. I literally left a large beautiful diver scallop untouched on my plate because the taste had permeated my palate and I couldn't stand it anymore. What a complete FAIL! :-( read more

Fine dining at it's best. Quality meats with the service to match. Can't go wrong here.

I think you just can't go wrong here at Masraff's. As many times as I've been here I'm not sure why I have never written a review. Had dinner here this past Saturday and was not disappointed. Friends wanted to have a nice dinner and so I made reservations here. The other 3 had never been here and I was elated to be the one to recommend it to them. They loved the ambiance and our waiter, Seth was funny and quite attentive to us! Seth let us know what the specials of the night were and we chose the smoked scallops from the appetizer and a friend ordered the fish off the special. Along with the scallops on special for appetizer, we also ordered the calamari- I mean, it's one of their staples and I always have it when I'm there. Also ordered was the foie gras- I mean, need I say more? As well as the risotto w/ shrimp. I've had everything before minus the scallops but I wanted my friends to enjoy what I enjoyed before and we were so satisfied with each and every bite. For entrees- two of them ordered the duck- cooked medium and with their nice piece of foie gras, that combination is amazing. They thoroughly enjoyed it. I've had that before too and loved every bite. (I know we had foie gras as an appetizer too but really, can you really have too much foie?) Mentioned earlier, another friend ordered the fish special of the night- sorry, I forgot the name. He had originally wanted to switch out the sides for what the halibut on the menu and they were able to accommodate the request however, Seth suggested he stick to what the dish had already. Yeah, there was nothing left on his plate. I would say that was a good indication that his dish was delicious. Service here is seriously always great. So because of service, ambiance, and amazing food, you get 5 stars! read more

We had reservations for dinner and were told when we went in that there was a 10 minute wait. Almost 20 minutes later we were finally seated. It was restaurant week in Houston so we were only handed the restaurant week menus and had to ask for the full menus. This is strange since I've been in other cities for their restaurant week and we've always been handed both menus. I order the crab cakes and the mushroom ravioli and my significant other ordered the onion salad and the duck with foie gras. My crab cakes were extremely fishy-I would have guessed that they weren't made from crab because I've never had crab that was so fishy. My significant other enjoyed his salad but for me it was overwhelmingly onion-y. The mushroom raviolis were fair--the pasta was fresh and it was cooked fine, but nothing really stood out for me. The duck was seared and almost overcooked on the outside. It almost had the consistency of a very tough steak. We ordered the fried banana split for dessert. The bananas were a tempura fried with some very bland vanilla icecream. Between making us wait almost 20 minutes after making reservations ahead of time and the mediocre (at best) food, the only thing that we enjoyed was the good service from our waiter. There are so many good restaurants in this area, I would recommend you look into something else before settling on Masraff's. read more

I came here for my birthday recently. We made our reservations ahead of time for 8 on a Thursday. There's a lot of parking here and they also have valet so that's pretty covered. We parked and entered the restaurant and was promptly led to our seats. I loved the chairs at this place. I thought it was super intimate and great for a date night even though I was just with a friend. But next time! Lol. Anyway, for starters I got the cucumber cocktail and my friend got the jack and coke. They were very strong and were not at all watered down. I loved them. For appetizers we got the seared calamari and the crab cakes(I think, can't remember). They were both fantastic. For our main meal I got the rib eye and mashed potatoes and vegetable, it was okay. Would not order it again. Even though I got the rib eye medium rare it was still dry, could barely eat it and I didn't take it to go either. My friend got some fish option which I can't remember now but it was absolutely fantastic. I would go back for that. Overall it was a good dining experience, just expected more from this place. read more

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I visited Masraff's for the first time on Tuesday night for HRW and it was fabulous! I dined with a girlfriend in the bar area, the atmosphere was upbeat and lively. The restaurant is beautiful and it's a great choice if you want to get dressed up and go somewhere. Tony Masraff himself visited our table and asked how we enjoyed the evening. He was funny, personable and it really enhanced our dining experience! Pros- The restaurant was bustling, even on a Tuesday night. Trendy, beautifully decorated, large bar area, gorgeous patio. Portions are a good size, the food is well worth the price. Valet and self-parking available. Cons- None, it was a perfect dining experience. Between the two of us we had- sauteed calamari, risotto du jour, filet mignon, scallops and tuna, creme de caramel, and the hot mini doughnuts. The filet was served with asparagus and wild mushrooms bordelaise, it was one of the best entrees I have had in a long time. Definitely recommend. The hot mini doughnuts were great, as you don't normally get doughnuts as a dessert choice in many restaurants.. and these were perfect! read more

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Excellent. Really excellent. On my second trip to Masraff's they definitely came through. We had a reservation at a new restaurant nearby, which the restaurant lost. My friend called Masraff's and they set us up with a table for six right away. They were waiting for us when we arrived and led us right to our table. Excellent cocktails followed immediately. I ordered a Hendrick's and tonic, and they knew to add fresh cucumber without having to ask. Brilliant. Then we ordered wine and food. My lamb was outstanding--tender and not too gamey. And the sauce, wow. It had tangy, sweet flavor that perfectly highlighted the delicious flavors of the lamb without overwhelming the lamb. We were so satisfied with our food that we never even made it to desert. I really have to tell you that the service was superb. I forget sometimes just how much that can make a difference. We were attended to throughout the meal and never rushed. Our server had great suggestions and recommendations. And he was always available without lingering. Next time you need a great meal in a comfortable setting you should go to Masraff's. read more

A friend and I came here for lunch today because Philippe across the street was closed. What a disappointment, we both ordered the Risotto of the day which according to the waiter was a Crab and Avocado risotto. Since it was an appetizer the waiter offered to make it into an entree portion to which we agreed. There was not a hint of crab meat nor avocado for that matter. The risotto was definitely not made with Arborio rice, but more likely with Uncle Ben's - why else would it have turned out mushy rather than slightly al'dente as it is supposed to be? It was actually closer to Grits than to a true Italian Risotto. As far as the crab meat and avocado is concerned, I guess the crab walked off with the avocado - because there wasn't a trace of either one. So essentially I got a bowl of sticky mushy rice with little flavor and a huge sticker price - not bueno at all. The only positive attribute,was that the bread was good and the service was OK. read more

I came here with a date the night before my special day to celebrate. We got the garlic seared calamari and pan seared foie gras to start. The calamari here is made unlike any other restaurants I have been to in Houston and is a healthy alternative to fried ones made elsewhere. For entrees we ordered the lamb chop and the pan seared branzino (Mediterranean seabass). Yes, there was much searing going on in the kitchen that night. The lamb chop was moist and tender and the fish was cooked just right and tasted great as well. I also liked the "birthday cake". read more

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

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I got the airline chicken breast, chicken was moist, mashed potatoes and the sauce with tomatoes combine with chicken goes pretty well. My fiance got the filet mignon well done and she said it was delicious. I had a bite and it was good. Had a glass of moscato, it's the best moscato we had. Service was good. Man.....rich people food is nice but honestly rich people taste and palate doesn't exceed my expectations, no matter where I go. This only means I've never been wow to an extent. read more

For my 100th review, I wanted to write about something really good...Masraff's fits that bill to a tee. I have been going to Masraff's for a long time, before they moved to their new, swanky digs on Post Oak, across from RDG. Definitely moving up in the 'hood (though their other place on the quiet end of N. Post Oak Lane was across from the Bushes - 41 NOT 43!). The new place has excellent Valet Parking, so just get over the valet parking hating people amongst you! Once at the door, it is hard NOT to notice all of the little details that have gone into making this a distinctive and memorable experience. The glass front door has a stylized "M" as a door handle, and it is repeated discretely throughout the restaurant, like the brushed steel M on the front of each leather bound menu that you are given once settled into your booth. The layout of the rooms is like this: Long hallway and hostess stand; large bar to the right and a series of 2 or 3 public/private dining rooms on the left (each capable of being opened or closed by frosted glass doors around the room, cossetting the diners in privacy). The back room is spacious and open with a soaring cieling that faces an open kitchen. At the opposite end of the kitchen, in a tall nook cut from the wall, is a large faux wood log with flames, adding to the "warmth" of both the bar and the dining room. Tables and comfortable booths fill out the room. The menu offers many choices. Though not the most adventurous food in town (no parts, no jarring spices, etc.), it is among the most extravagantly luxurious. One of their signature appetizers is a sauteed calimari with mushrooms. Trust me on this one, DO get it. It is not tenticals and tubes, like most calimari, but steaks cut from large calimari and sauteed with mushrooms and topped with a devine butter sauce, so good that you will ask for more bread to clean the plate. One of the most decadently delicious plates of food I have had in a long time. Other appetizers include salads, soups, and the usual suspects like crabcakes. They are all excellent and well-prepared, but nothing is like the calimari. For entrees, there are lots of fish and beef dishes as well as a few surprises. I recently had the Paella Risotto with Spanish Sausage, Scallops, Jumbo Shrimp and Crab Meat. It was delicious. One of my dining companions had the Fresh King River Salmon and he could not stop talking about how deliciously mild and fresh it was and my step-mother had the John Dorrie on vegetables with a seafood nage. Delicious and perfectly light for the summer; expertly seared and served beautifully. None of the portions are Texas Sized, so do not go expecting huge portions - except for a few of the steaks that I saw....like the giant filet. However, it is plenty to eat and you will not want to spoil your appetite for dessert! Desserts are excellent. Each better than the last. You can also request an off-the-menu souffle, but please tell your waiter when you order your meal so that you will not have to wait. Served in their generous 20 ounce coffee mugs, they come out with both a crème anglaise and a raspberry coulis...heaven. The Wine Menu is admirable for both its' scope and price. Some good bargins on there (we had an $80 Rombauer Chardonnay, which is priced the same around town) and a $280 Justin Merlot (an allocation wine, but it was worth the price). SO, my verdict: Go and check out the bar and order some appetizers. A beautiful crowd of people there and it can give everyone a chance to see how the older, more experienced people party (and they can!). Or save your centavos and make it a blow-out evening on a special occassions. I estimate that you will spend at least $100.00 per person for a 3 course meal and wine...or more. Service, ambience, food and the people watching are all worth it. Noise level is loud, but who wants to eat like this in a morgue? read more

My first experience at Masraff's was last week for Houston Restaurant Weeks, but it definitely won't be my last. I went with a date so we were able to enjoy a few different items. The standouts were the walu walu and (drumroll, please) the calamari! The walu walu we were told (by the owner Tony Masraff) was flown in from Hawaii that very day! It was tender and accompanied by some wonderful quinoa and assorted, fresh micro greens. The calamari was also so amazing! First of all, I shamelessly LOVE super fried food and this calamari was not your typical calamari. It was very lightly fried and doused in the most incredible sauce ever. It had an Asian flair and complemented the calamari steaks so well. It had so many different layers of flavors and was punchy, bright, savory and super umami! If you can't tell, I really just wanted to bathe in the sauce for the entirety of my meal. The service was slightly rushed but very professional. Never did we have a stray fork lying around or even crumbs on the table for more than 5 minutes. The desserts were anti-climatic to say the least. For a lot of HRW restaurants I've been to, there are few I'd return it. Fortunately, Masraff's is one of those restaurants I'm dying to go back to. read more

This is probably my fourth visit to Masraff's - I'm in Houston for business fairly regularly and I try to make a visit every time I'm in town. However, I feel the need to write an updated review after my experience with my visit this week. As always, the atmosphere at Masraff's is luxurious and upscale, and the holistic dining experience is great - the wait staff are attentive and I consider it a great experience. In this instance, unfortunately, I experienced some issues with the food. Historically I've loved their mushroom ravioli and this time I saw that it was replaced with a new rock shrimp ravioli with a vinaigrette. I figured I'd give it a shot. Unfortunately all of the wonderful things about the ravioli at Masraff's I used to love weren't present in this dish - maybe it was a conscious stylistic choice, but instead of a hand-made ravioli wrapper, the wrappers that they chose to use literally tasted, felt, and looked like store-bought wonton wrappers. They were chewy, tough, and bland. Additionally the combinations that were used in this new shrimp ravioli dish I thought didn't really work as well. (That flavour palette is more of a personal preference though, so I wouldn't hold it against them). My main course was unfortunately where the trouble really started. I had the special. which was a type of pan fried fish with scallops, saffron potato, and broccolini. The "saffron potato" was nothing more than a slice of boiled potato tinged slightly yellow with no flavour and slightly undercooked. The broccolini, rather than being crisp, green, and fresh, had stalks that were tough, stringy, and I couldn't even cut it with the knife. The Fish - it was served to me raw. It wasn't even cooked. While I'm a huge fan of sashimi style raw fish, when a pan fried fish is served to me raw on the inside, there are significant issues somewhere in the kitchen. I hate sending things back at restaurants, but when its raw I have no choice - I ended up feeling pretty turned off to fish and went with the duck instead, which wasn't terrible. I did have dessert - the warm bread pudding - which was unremarkable. While I did appreciate the attentiveness of the waiter and manager in getting me a different entrée, I felt that they didn't take the seriousness of serving someone something that was raw as seriously as I'd have liked. My primary concern would be to communicate that this sort of thing should never happen again - I'm not sure they took that message serious enough. I'm amending my updated review with 3 stars - had this been a standalone experience I would have gone with 2 stars, but because of my previous 4/5 star experiences here, I'm choosing to give the benefit of the doubt. I will definitely visit again to have the opportunity to once again be blown away by the food at this restaurant, but if I have another poor experience, I doubt I will be as understanding. read more

Was solo in Houston for work. Sat at the bar on a busy Wednesday evening. A busy Wednesday evening? This is a good sign. The good: The staff! Super friendly people! However, coming from California maybe I'm just used to people being not-so-friendly at restaurants. Regardless, I sat at the bar and had a lovely time with the bartenders. The bad: And not that it was even "bad" - maybe I'm just a food snob? At any rate, I ordered the foie gras appetizer. It had a larger-than-I-could-finish-in-a-timely-manner piece of foie on the toast - would you kill me if I said too much foie gras? Sorry. But it was! Especially for one person. And the cherry reduction sauce was just too sweet. More green pesto stuff, less cherry reduction please? :) Had the Sea Bass as an entreé. Again with the size portions! You Texans eat a LOT of food, don't you? The Sea Bass was just "ok". Too many mashed potatoes. The mushroom sauce was sorta flavor-less. Sea Bass was of good quality - but I've had better. See, I guess that's the food snob in me. The ugly: Maybe it was the 1 shot of tequila that the dude sitting next to me bought (nah, why would we want to blame 1 shot of tequila on anything?) but I dunno... I went back to my hotel room and was not feeling well AT ALL. Needless to say the smell of previously digested foie gras... well, I might not be able to have foie in awhile. :\ Sorry, was that too much? Oh also - the wine list seems sorta lacking for such a semi-pretentious place. However I also am from the wine country and am sorta spoiled - but I was definitely hoping they had a better by the glass list. Oh well. Can't win 'em all. read more

My fiancee used to eat at their old location when she had an expense account with her former employer. (Said employer even had a dish named after him on the menu for awhile.) Without said expense account, we had to wait for Houston Restaurant Week to come around to try the new location. I'm glad we did. This is a very different room than the original. Instead of being in a little house, you're in a sleek, modern room, with interesting glass details & fixtures. (an aside: the bartender said they were able to acquire the original building recently and it will return as Masraff's banquet and reception facility.) We arrived early for our reservation and started on a bottle of wine at the bar. Service was attentive. We were upsold on that bottle of wine... we had ordered a glass each, but we finished it over dinner so it was the right call. When the time for our reservation came, we were seated. It's a very loud restaurant, but it's a good kind of loud. Service was top notch and efficient; the courses were well paced. I enjoyed the calamari, although I had to question myself if I was eating calamari as opposed to chicken at first because of how it was prepared. That's not a knock on Masraff's; it's just that I haven't had calamari that tender in years, and the sauce with its carmalized onions would work well with poultry as well as fish. It was different, but it worked, and I found myself sopping up the remaining sauce with the bread. The paella risotto was an interesting take on paella. The smokiness of the sausage permeated the whole dish and the seafood was first rate. I longingly eyed my fiancee's New York Strip steak - it looked delicious from across the table - but we were enjoying our food so much neither of us were in the mood to share. (Also, these portions were not cut down for HRW. Portions here aren't huge in general, but sized right for one person to eat without leftovers. You know, properly sized!) The chocolate fondant wasn't overly rich (as that dessert sometimes is) and neither of us left a crumb. With food and service like this, the owner and chef didn't need to come by every table, but they did, and it was pleasant to talk to them. Unlike the River Oaks crowd, we can't afford to make this a regular dining event, but we will be back when a special occasion warrants. But last night I got to eat an amazing meal with a beautiful woman... it was worth every penny and every moment. read more

I love the new location and decor - very nice and sleek. Just went there for a charity cocktail, and ended up staying at the bar - mainly because of the great bar food! I had one bite of the calamari that was being passed around, and that was such a tease. I had to see what else their kitchen could dish out, and they brought it on! Their bar menu is a great way to try what they have to offer without having to blow a hole in your wallet. Everything is $10 so it's easy to do the math (for those like me, who think numbers are shapes... ahem) We ordered, devoured, and loved: Crispy Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Spring Rolls with Cilantro and Sweet Chili Butter, the Mini Tuna Tartar Tacos with some kickin Wasabi Aioli (favorite of mine!) some Oyster Shooters, more of the Calamari Fries with this "Kabayaki Sauce" and finally their pizza with Baby Spinach with chicken and tons of garlic. mmmm! What I really want to go back to try are the Fois Gras Sliders. OMG, those sound amazing!!! couldn't really give it the full 5-star rating, a little because some of the crowd was a tad "douchy" but easy to ignore that, but mostly because we didn't have a full meal. But if the rest of the food is as good as the bar food, which i'm sure it is, then it will be delicious! Can't wait to go back to see... read more

Esther and I decided we were only going to go to one restaurant for Restaurant Week this year. Last year, we wanted to go to Masraff's but changed it up last minute, so this year, we were set on checking it out. Masraff's new space is really nice. It is interesting how a restaurant's interior can be all different shades of grey but still colorful and intimate. For starters, I had the calamari (after reading other Yelp reviews, I had to go with it) and Esther had the ravioli. We both agreed that the calamari was awesome--four cuts of tender and flavorful calamari--but that you really can't go wrong with the ravioli either. Food-wise, it was a bit downhill from the great appetizers. At least for me. I had the seafood risotto paella and it was way too heavy for me. The texture of the risotto was great and the seafood was fresh and well-cooked but the entire dish tasted like one huge clump of cheese. What was worse was that Esther's entree was probably the best tasting fish I have ever eaten. It was cooked so perfectly, was seasoned well without being heavy, and the accompaniments that went with it really worked. If you're doing restaurant week, get the fish. Desserts weren't that interesting to me. Molten chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream is good and safe but nothing that will really ever blow your mind. I had a less sweet dessert--bread pudding, which was good but somewhat dense and I was really stuffed. Felt kinda bad about wasting it but was bored with both desserts. Our server was great-- very, very good overall service. At times, it seemed almost a little too over the top. This is a small gripe (nothing to do with our personal server) but there had to be 8 primary waiters serving their sections and at least 10 more secondary waiters who would fold up the napkins after someone got up to use the rest room and race to pull out a chair. It is really a nice gesture but they also do hover around a lot. We were seated near the middle, so that could be a reason we saw so many of them. Overall, will come back and check out what's on their regular menu but I'm not making any excuses to come back as soon as possible. read more