Had dinner here for a girls night out, and the food was amazing! We ordered a bunch of different things both hot & cold and shared, Bc they're small plates.. there was 4 of us, we had to order 2 of the same dish just so we could all have a piece, i.e. the mushroom empanadas 2 per order- we also ordered 2 different types of Perogies (Eastern European dumplings) potato & caviar I loved the caviar Pierogies-they were perfection!!! Also the dessert was quite memorable we ordered 2 different ones, "bee's knees" which was divine!! Overall def would go back, enjoyed the food, service and overall ambiance of the restaurant! read more

Highly recommend the steak tartare, and mushroom empanadas topped fresh chimichurri. My main was a hanger steak cooked to an absolute medium perfection as requested. I tried my friends scallops, some of the best I've had topped with some crispy idk what but delicious. Drink menu is full of great cocktails. read more

We had an excellent time at Riel. Great cocktail list and delicious food. Definitely recommend the pork belly fried rice and the caviar and truffle pierogis. Those were my two favorite dishes. We also had the oysters, short ribs, and cauliflower which were all good as well. We can't wait to come back read more

Amazing. Very cool venue, great food, fun staff. Finally a menu not like every other place. Special date night made even better. Definitely going back!! read more

started with their PEI oysters which were excellent. followed with cauliflower tempura, mushroom empanadas, and cabbage rolls. the cauliflower was actually quite soggy so the poor texture killed it for us. empanadas were pretty good but not memorable. cabbage rolls were such a miss for me. they were totally traditional style - not sure what was elevated or original about them, perhaps incorporating pork was the non-traditional part, but any european grandma would do a better job making these. had market fish main of red snapper - also pretty good but nothing to come back for. overall the dishes are satisfactory and nourishing but I'm pretty confused about the price point. since we really enjoyed the cocktails and oysters, I would come back for happy hour or evening drinks but definitely not to dine read more

I arrived to find the parking at The Riel could accommodate no more than 6 to 8 vehicles. After I completed my visit here, it was made clear to me the owners could not envision they would ever have more people than could fit in 6 vehicles wanting to eat at an establishment offering sub-par cuisine T sky-high prices. The only positives I can note are the ice water they serve was cooler than room temperature and I won't ever have to eat food from The Riel in the future. read more

The chef really knows what he's doing here y'all! The food is incredible and the waiters know how to make sure you have the best experience. Heather knows me by name and has always made our experience one of the best! read more

Wow! Really outstanding experience! All the flavors in the meal couldn't have been any better. Service was outstanding (thanks Jared)! We had the hanger steak, duck confit, carrots, blue crab, and the Montreal smoked meat for dinner. The plates are all shareable and was nice to be able to taste all the different dishes. For dessert we had the toffee pudding and flourless cake. Both were great. Definitely a must in Houston! read more

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This place has me feeling awestruck. I am beyond pleased with the quality of food. Where to start? The snapper was by far the BEST raw dish I have tried. The cream mixed with the orange and fish is a breath of the fresh sea air. You cannot go wrong here unless, of course, you don't like raw fish. The risotto was something straight out of a dream. As an eggs Benedict addict, the poached egg yolk was perfectly cooked. The oyster mushrooms rival that of truffles, but in a peculiar way, make this dish truly unique. The hangar steak was described by our waitress as a favorite. Let me tell you- there is a reason for that. Perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, spiced meat, spicy yet robust horseradish sauce, perfect green beans, garlic cloves, just a perfect mixture. When it's time to explain the human reproductive system to my first born child, this dish will be what I describe. The frog legs. Let me just tell you, that when I say this, I do not take it lightly. Frog legs are better than chicken wings. Now that I have admitted my greatest secret, I would describe the frog leg dish as the human reproductive process to the rest of my children and dogs. Waffle? Check. Lightly fried frog legs? Check. Butter and creams cheese? Check. Spicy syrup? MOTHA LOVIN CHECK. All together? You have something straight out of those old power ranger flicks where everybody comes together to defeat baby Jesus in one fell swoop of teamwork and ultimate dynasty. You have the epitome of every meal in one. Breakfast of champs, dinner of B.A.M.F.'s, a whole lot of excited wiggles, and incoherent sounds of satisfaction when the waiter/waitress walks by and asks how everything tastes. I have never had beard envy until trying this dish and looking at the head chef at the same time. His is shorter than mine, but still. This ensemble of flavors and explosions make him the alpha by default. The drinks were pretty good too. read more

Had a good time last valentine. The food wasn't that impressive, but I'm open to try again soon. It's in my neighborhood. The best part though, the extra plastic wraps in our food! Yay. They offer us free desert. But we were so full with our of the menu steak for 2. Over all, who doesn't make mistake. Would like to try again, may be a year later. They'll have more experienced. read more

There were obvious asian influences in the dishes that didn't come out quite right. The cauliflower tempura was one of them. The cauliflower on the inside was mushy and the sauce was like a shiracha/hot sauce not a Korean gochujang...didn't really go well together. Maybe a spicy miso would have been better. I had the softshell crab as my entree, the crab was cooked perfectly and the fish sauce added a great umami flavor. I don't think the Bok choy did anything for the dish. It was bland but the watercress, they have something there, but needs more garlic and salt for seasoning and it would have been perfect or better yet mix it in with the fish sauce that was on the crab. My boyfriend had the pasta, it was ok in flavor but lacking in content, for a $30 dish I don't expect to be eating veggies such as corn and peas. I think they could have done a little better with that. The BeesKnees dessert was very good, I enjoyed it very much. I would go back just for that. Haha. Service was great and the server was attentive and accommodating. The space is elegant and perfect for a date. read more

Canadian food from Manitoba. Good vibe. Perogies are not for those on a carb or fat diet but are yummy. Most Canadians miss Nanaimo bars from home (sheet layer cake with custard and choc) and they have a passable cake version. Skip the Montreal smoked meat entre which is a few fatty pieces om a plate. The hanger steak is a God choice. Small space but usually room at the bar. read more

We came here for our 11 year anniversary and we will definitely be coming back. The food was great and the service was top notch. Our server was great at explaining the dishes and providing suggestions. The Hog Fish Crudo and Tempura Cauliflower were both very good. Our favorite was the sticky toffee pudding with foie gras. Sounds weird but was so so good! read more

One of my favorite spots in Houston. The food is incredible and original and I love that this place has a vibe. Pump up the jams and throw some tempura cauliflower at my face and I am happy. Also- their butter burger on Tuesdays is a treasure. read more

Wow!! We grabbed take out from Riel's sandwich shop Louie's and it was awesome. Had the butter burger sliders, Le Riel Mac and poutine.....did not disappoint. The burgers had perfect flavour with nice crispy edges. Hands down best poutine in town, the brown gravy was perfection. We've had dinner here before and it never disappoints......lunch was the exact same. Well done Riel!! read more

i think we need to go back here to try more seafood dishes. last time we had shishito peppers, tempura cauliflower, hangar steak and some other things i can't remember. basically we filled up on the apps before our entrees came so we didnt get to enjoy them as much. i do like the atmosphere and vibe. we had great cocktails and a bottle of wine as well. i think their menu changes seasonally so i'll have to go check out some other dishes soon! read more

Amazing! I can't express how impressed I am with Riel. From service to food execution- suburb! I let the staff pick our meal and I can't complain on any dishes served. I can only praise their style and menu selection. Oysters- amazing! Corn gnocchi - deliciously unique! Tomato burrata- flavor packed! Signature hanger steak w/ pirogies - classic favorite with a welcomed twist! The staff was on point and so attentive! You don't really find that kind of service AND food execution at an establishment in houston without paying the price - literally. Nick Nguyen - the GM was absolutely friendly and helpful in our course selection! Can't wait to see their fall/autumn menu! read more

Had a lovely dinner here with over the top service. It truly amazes me how much a competent and friendly staff can add to an experience. I look forward to returning. read more

I was so disappointed in our meals after reading all the great reviews. The hanger steak cooked medium rare was so tough and chewy that I didn't even finish it. It was lacking on flavor too. The green beans that came with the steak were great. The BBQ crab legs, half were over cooked and chewy. I could get the same quality at a chain seafood restaurant. The spinach that came with the crab legs were overly salty, i couldn't eat them. The pork loin was ok (per my partner), it wss on the tough side and the flavor was okay. The sweet potato garnish was good. The Bannock was decent but I wouldn't go back just for that. Finally, the cocktails were not to my taste. I like herbal, floral or spicy cocktails. I'd say they had strong profiles that didn't match my taste buds. The service was great and the staff were attentive. They did a great job with cleaning. Overall, I wanted like this place so much since it's walking distance but I doubt I'd go back. read more

Well, I've always wanted to visit Riel. So, far the food is ok but too long a wait for the main dishes to arrive. Ok the food is finally here. Let's see! Worth the wait. Damn!!!!!! The food is great. My complements to the chef. I highly recommend this place. read more

Loved this place! Atmosphere and food made for a great date night. I won't comment specifically on the food since the menu rotates frequently. I will say that I'm looking forward to coming back and trying new dishes! read more

Ok so this was on my list of places to go. Finally went last night and was left disappointed. The dishes I tried were: - Watermelon salad: this was actually pretty tasty. The flavors really came together nicely for a great summer salad. However, the watermelon were frozen from a bag. It didn't have the crispness of a fresh watermelon that I was looking for. - Bannock: fried bread with blueberry bacon jam and butter. The bread was delicious when it was warm! Do not let it cool down like we did because it then became really hard and almost stale. - Bone marrow: First off, I love bone marrow. The dish was a hefty size with a good amount of bone marrow. The bread that was served with it was so good along with the sauces. I could care less for the pickles on the side but otherwise I definitely recommend this if you like bone marrow! - Hanger steak: yum! This was really good. Decent portion and cooked just how I asked (medium rare). This one is a good one! - Bee's knees: the brown butter cake was moist and dense. It tasted really good with the lemon curd. The waiter said it was a light dessert but it's definitely not! That said though, I would definitely got that again. Ok so up until now you are probably wondering why I only gave Riel 3 Stars? First, off the seats at the counter were really uncomfortable. And...the service! Dinner took 2.5 hours! The food came out SO SLOWLY. I think we waited about 25 min between the starters to get the steak! While the waiter was nice and very apologetic, I was definitely getting annoyed by seeing all the tables around us turn around with us still waiting for our entree. Would I go back? Ehhhh maybe...maybe not. If I had the time for a 3 hour dinner then maybe...but I don't so I probably won't be going back. There are too many other places in Houston to try! read more

The decor of the place is very Chic, they had a nice upscale crowd there, the specialty drinks were very good, and the meal was Fantastic. I highly recommend the Mushroom empanadas and they were absolutely delicious! Every dish had a blend of flavors that were truly unique and creative. Great place! read more

I'm not sure what people like about this place. Menu is so limited with only a few main course choices. Definitely not impressed with the service either. We have given this a try on two separate times-- we are not impressed. There so many other better restaurants in the area. read more

The food and service here was excellent. Everything that we ate was good but in all honesty, the flank steak with chimichurri was better than even the largest steak (believe it was the porterhouse). I think we could have ordered 3 of the flank steaks and it would have been quite satisfying, taste and price wise. We did have a group of about 6 people so we were able to order alot of dishes to share. Definitely would come back to try other things read more

Was very excited to try this place, but left disappointed. Our service was great and the oyster starter was fresh and prompt, unfortunately dinner was subpar for the price and portion. I got the Amberjack w/ soba noodles in a Thai broth and, while the broth was really good, the dry, over-cooked fish ruined what could have been a great dish. My boyfriend also felt his hanger steak could have used more seasoning and a longer marinating or brine time as it was very tough. The drinks were boozy, but lacked complexity in flavor. May give it another try because it is close to our house and the menu changes frequently, but we aren't in a rush to return. read more

I had a great experience at Riel. We sampled the menu and it was well worth it. I really enjoyed everything.

A wonderful restaurant with a very friendly and attentive staff. Innovative menu with frequent changes. Last night we had the caviar service for the second time- it is perfection! Be sure and make a reservation. Riel just started a happy hour as well with some special bar bites and unique drink menu. Run don't walk... enjoy! read more

Riel - The "Perfect" caviar service. - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Everything was absolutely fantastic! Definitely ask for recommendations as the menu is constantly changing. Service was top notch and our entire meal was out of this world. Can't wait to go back!! read more

I had very high hopes, but this take out experience is kind of disappointing. Tempura Cauliflower is good, but Hanger Steak is overcooked, and Grilled Eggplant has an odd taste... read more

I made a reservation here before seeing the menu. I'm glad I did because I got otherwise would not have gone. A bit strange. The pirogies as a side are a must. The cauliflower appetizer was delish. The sticky toffee pudding was amazing. The atmosphere was great, although a bit loud. Fun night. read more

Very good atmosphere and great food. Mechelle and Ryan ... keep up the good job! This place has amazing food choices and very good service. Must try once and you will be hooked. read more

Outstanding meal. Everything was perfect, and sitting at the counter was really nice for a change of pace . We had the crudo and the borscht to start; yellowfin tuna and duck for the entrees; sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Service was great. Highly recommend ! read more

Great food and drinks, and excellent friendly service. It's all a bit of a dreamlike blur, to tell you the truth, so I'll have to come back and leave a more detailed review after my next visit. I'll be sitting at the counter by the pass. read more

Had dinner here recently and it was just absolutely fantastic. Loved it. Came here with a friend for dinner on Friday and it was excellent. Our reservation was at 9 and we got here at 830 so we had to wait a couple of minutes at the bar. We ordered some drinks, a jack and coke for him and an au pear for me. Mine was delicious. We got our table shortly after this and was shown to our chair where we ordered a bottle of one of their carbs for our meal(I have a picture of this bottle), it was so nice and a good accompaniment to the rest of our meals. For our starters we got the oysters and the gulf fish(I think) and they were absolutely delicious. We got a complimentary starter of the cauliflower and some Korean sauce? This dish I did not like, I love cauliflower but the sauce was so overwhelming. Did not enjoy it at all. For our mains, we got the duck breast and the hanger steak. Ahhhh, these were fantastic. Absolutely lovely! We left the restaurant feeling just right. I love that feeling where you've had just enough to eat but not too full. Anyway, their menu is super limited. They have only like 4 entrees on the menu. Would definitely recommend. The waiters and bar tenders where also very nice. read more

Had dinner there. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and the personal touches that are a fantastic breath of fresh air. The complimentary valet parking starts out the experience. The food is not pretentious and in adequate portions. Absolutely delicious on a great atmosphere. Chef Lachaine and his staff have hit it out of the park. Highly recommend. read more

Riel Lame - I was really looking forward to trying this place after finally getting a reservation. Arriving promptly at 8p for my reservation, was told it would be just a few minutes. We waited at the bar. 15 min later I went to ask the hostess the status, because none of the tables had food on them. She said just another few minutes. At 8:35, decided that it was too long to wait, I let her know we were leaving. She seemed surprised, and asked if anyone (or. The Manager) came over to offer a drink or appetizer. Nothing. Before we left, the Manager came over to simply give me his card and said hope you'll try us another time. Boy, I really felt his empathy- Not. Some hints - if you know something isn't going smoothly or as planned, own it and don't hide. Find something to make it better so customers feel valued and appreciated. read more

Went here with as a group of 4 and had a reservation fro 8pm. Upon arriving they informed us it would be just a few minutes to seat us at our table, but as we were waiting in the bar it became 30 minutes and we were still waiting. When I looked into the dining area there was clearly a table for 4 that was empty and set ready to go, so I asked one of the host why we were not being seated at what was very obviously meant to be our table. The host or manager (young guy, tall, thin, in a suit) responded by saying "We are holding that for some very special clients". Well I always love to be reminded that someone else is special and I as a customer with a reservation am just a nobody. He did offer to give us a free round of drinks at the bar but after that rude comment I really was put off. We were sat at another table that finally became available for us at 8:50pm and the waiter was incredibly nice and apologetic for are delay- although he had nothing to do with it. The food was great along with our waiter's service, and we enjoyed the meal, but we couldn't help but notice that the other table for the "special clients" remained empty until about 9:15. If a chef has friends or family coming to the restaurant I do understand, and the host/ manager should have found different words to use rather than a phrase that he did not realize in an industry built on hospitality was anything but considerate. read more

This is a gem of a restaurant. Chef Ryan Lachaine is a food magician. The complexity and competency of each dish is amazing. The place is worth a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

Riel may be hot and new, but it has some serious work to do to command the prices and crowd it surely hopes to. First off, I will say the service was excellent which is my primary reason for a second star. The crab BLT appetizer was also delicious. Atmosphere is what you'd expect, pleasant and rustic chic. The good news stops there. The snapper crudo ended up being grouper and was unimpressive--my friend thought it tasted fishy. We ordered the flagship menu item...the $95 (not a typo) 32 oz. strip steak for two. Presentation was good but the steak was not. Not only was the steak not worth its price tag, it was one of the worst and fattiest pieces of meat I have ever eaten. We kept cutting...and cutting...and discovering more fat. There was a tiny square in the middle that was way overcooked (we had ordered medium rare) that we ate along with the cold green beans, and fried eggs. The Bernaise sauce was cold and didn't flow out of its little jar. Should have sent it back. Waitress acknowledged the fatty piece of meat and brought us a complimentary dessert that was just OK. Coffee was like dishwater. Awful. I really wanted to love it but all in a very disappointing experience. If you go, avoid the big steak and go for smaller dishes with drinks. For me, there are too many other great spots in Houston to ever walk back in the door of Riel. read more