Came here for a friend's birthday party recently on a Saturday night and we had a great time. Our…read moreserver impressively managed our whole group of 30+ people efficiently and quickly. The DJ was also bumpin'! Song choices were fitting and he mixed the music seamlessly which made the vibes so much more fun. We loved the Prosciutto Flatbread, the toppings were generous and the crust was perfectly chewy but crispy. We also got the Papas Bravas, which was pretty standard. For drinks, we got the Situationship, Lychee Lemon Drop, Smooth Operator, and Blue Tile IPA. All the cocktails were very tasty and perfectly balanced. Food and drinks here are definitely on the pricier side for a typical Houston bar.

Came here with one of the boys after Too Golf . Very nice place with excellent ambiance and…read morebeautiful people. One of those places where you are sure to meet someone new. We both drink neat so no real reviews of drinks. But they do pour a good drink. None of that "where's the alcohol ish". They have music playing in the background and a good mix for everyone. Vibing music . When we got there, it was dying down but I can tell it's popular. I would go back during earlier hours to see what the full vibe is . Nice place to try.

I've always had a good experience here (I've been here twice.) The chocolate croissants are super…read moreyummy and I love their coffee. Cool they have a drive thru too.

Having been to this place a few times already, I think I found my favorite drink: the Ume Matsuri…read moreincluded on their seasonal menu (this was about 4 months ago). For a non-asian coffee shop, this was a great matcha color-wise, and it was a beautiful sweet treat. I appreciated the little bits of nuts (forgot what kind) that came in a few sips. The Turkish Delight was a good option too, and you can taste the hints of rose that usually get lost in some drinks if not done right. I've also tried the Golden Harvest - which is a sweet corn latte - from their seasonal menu as well and it was good! I have not tried their food items, hemp drinks, or cocktails before, but by the quality and presentation of what I have tasted I'm sure they're good as well. This place is great if you're looking for a casual, late night work/study sesh and there's plenty of seating. I wouldn't recommend for groups larger than 4 though. Parking is the only con since they have limited, tight spots.

I can't believe I didn't previously write a review for La Lucha. I celebrated my birthday here…read moreseveral years ago and had a lovely time. Came here again with a group of friends. Great service back then and great service again this time. Our server was pleasant, provided good recommendations, and we never felt rushed by him. The fried chicken was crisp, seasoned, and not dry at all! They have three sauces available. You can get all three for an extra cost of 50 cents each. Only 1 sauce is included in the whole chicken. Although, I do think a whole chicken should include 2 sauces. Was able to taste the shrimp and pork dumplings and they're solid. The agave butternut squash was what you'd expect from squash, but probably wouldn't get it again. Not that it was bad, but felt it wasn't anything special. I ordered the frozen La Lucha margarita and it did not disappoint! Great ambiance for a group of friends or a date night. Recommend making a reservation ahead of time. Slightly dimly lit inside to set the mood. Both indoor and outdoor dining. Parking lot is valet since it is shared with next door. Street parking available if you don't mind walking and crossing at the traffic light. La Lucha continues to be a great spot from when I first tried them years ago. Would recommend!

My beloved La Lucha... Now that I've moved three hours away from what I consider the best fried…read morechicken in Texas, I had to make a visit during my break back home. I'm a longtime regular here, and my biggest recommendation is to ALWAYS make a reservation, especially if you're planning to dine on the weekend. Thanks to our reservation, we were seated immediately. However, it took around 20 minutes for a waiter to introduce themselves and even get our waters filled, despite there being plenty of empty tables throughout the restaurant. To make matters worse, other tables that were seated after us were being attended to first, which was a little frustrating. Nevertheless, we eventually placed our orders, and the food came out in a timely manner. We ordered a dozen of each of the two happy hour oyster options, along with the whole bird of fried chicken. While I've tried several other dishes here, I honestly don't think they're worth sacrificing the money or stomach space when I could be filling up on their delicious fried chicken and oysters instead. One thing I was slightly disappointed by this visit was the change in their fried chicken sauce policy. The whole bird now only comes with one sauce, and customers have to pay extra for additional sauces. Personally, I find this unnecessary, especially considering how large the whole bird is and how it's typically shared among multiple people. Naturally, a larger party would need more sauce to go around! With that in mind, I'd definitely recommend choosing either the Honey Sambal or Green Harissa if you're only getting one. The Smoked Oyster Mayo, while not bad, isn't anything particularly special to me. Overall, despite the disappointing service at the beginning and the new sauce policy, La Lucha still holds a special place in my heart. The fried chicken and oysters are reason enough to keep coming back, and I genuinely miss having this place so close to home. It's one of those restaurants that makes me wish I could just drive back whenever a craving hits. Needless to say, I'll be making another visit the next time I'm in Houston!

Friendly staff. Food is always very good. Late night hours for those out in the area.read more

I was waiting for about 20 minutes and when I finally grabbed the bartender's attention, she said…read moreshe wasn't going to serve us and she doesn't care.Horrible service and horrible attitude. I understand it's busy but when I finally grab your attention and you say you're not serving me, that's not right. If you can't handle it, maybe this isn't the right industry. This review is for the bartender that dressed as a lion on Halloween. Treat people better and fix your attitude.

Mr. Nice is a great intimate cocktail bar. I love the atmosphere with the dim lighting and upscale…read morecosmopolitan vibe. Since it is a smaller space, seating can be limited, but I visited on a weeknight, and was able to get a couch right away even with it being fairly busy. The service is great. It was quick to get a drink and everyone working was friendly and attentive, checking up on us. The espresso martini was wonderful - and I'm pretty picky about those. They had a DJ that kept the energy going! They have a valet parking lot and some street parking available (though hard to find).

Lovely cocktail bar! I went here on a Friday evening for pre dinner drinks! This was the perfect…read moreplace to start the night and offered the best drinks we had that night too. I ordered the pornstar martini (also served with a side of Prosecco) and my fiancé ordered an old fashion. Both were well made drinks! The ambiance inside was quiet, nice. We got there around 8pm so I'm sure we beat the bigger crowds. This was my first time in the Harlow district area so it was definitely a vibe.

I didn't get to sit at the counter but it looked like that's the spot to be if you want dinner and…read morea show. As soon as you walk in there's a small bar and as you enter the main area there an open kitchen by the counter seating and then there are some lounge like chairs and several small dinner tables. This place is more for a date as the tables are on the smaller size and the place itself. Reservations is probably a good idea to have and they don't have valet parking so the parking is free. They had plenty of parking when I went. We got the drinks menu first and they had a bunch of different drinks. The regular menu isn't so extensive but it did have a lot of sharable items. They also had a taste menu valued at $150 per person. I tried the oysters, elk, quail, crab, and sweet shrimp. For the dessert I had the basque cheesecake. My favorites were the quail where you get 4 tender pieces of quail and baby deviled eggs. My next favorite was the sweet shrimp which was an interesting flavor since it had been pollen in the broth like sauce. The elk was also an interesting bite the thin cracker on top of it was made from sunflower seeds. The dessert was also my highlight. I love basque cheesecake and this one came with a slight twist for me. They had a fluffy white creme under the cheesecake which reminded me of like a marshmallow fluff. Service was great the server knew the menu well and had smooth transitions between meals. The only real reason I give this place 3 stars is because of my palate and the price value of the food. The food was good but it didn't stand out too much for me.

Since our first visit to Baso, have been eager to return so we went for our anniversary dinner…read moreyesterday evening. Waited too late to book reservation so got bar seating but it was just fine and service was great. Upon arriving we were so nicely greeted by the hostess, felt very welcome. Our cocktails were very good--and Old Fashioned and a "Crime!". For a starter we had the aka obi, then the endive salad (best I've had!) and for entrees we shared the shrimp and the whole striped bass which is butterflied. For dessert we got the Basque Cheesecake and it was heavenly. Baso has quickly become my favorite high-end restaurant in the Heights. The portions are nice and the flavors are outstanding. We left beyond satisfied and looking forward to our next foodie adventure at Baso.

Came here during HH with my girls and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The place is pretty, good…read moredrinks, and they have a funny bartender. Easy going place, I came right after work but it's casual setting. I would come back here.

Cocktails, Good Vibes & a Little Disappointment!…read more Stopped by IKTO in Houston, TX after seeing an ad for half-priced cocktails ALL DAY on Sundays! Now y'all know I love a good cocktail special! After checking out their menu online and seeing some pretty good reviews, I noticed they had chargrilled oysters on their bar bites menu. Say less! Between the oysters and the cocktail special, I was SOLD! Of course, I started with my favorite, an Espresso Martini , and baby, it did NOT disappoint! Smooth, delicious, and beautifully presented with those three little coffee beans on top. Definitely a winner in my book! Now for the disappointment... I was SO ready for those chargrilled oysters, only to find out they didn't have oysters AT ALL! Talk about having your taste buds all worked up for nothing! But despite my oyster heartbreak, I actually enjoyed the atmosphere! It's a cool, laid-back spot with friendly staff, plenty of seating, and lots of natural light coming through the large windows. Definitely a nice place to unwind, enjoy a cocktail, and catch a vibe. Overall: Good drinks, friendly service, and a chill atmosphere! I'll definitely be circling back, but IKTO, PLEASE have my chargrilled oysters ready next time!

I looooove their flavor combinations. Service is excellent. We chatted with our server and ended up…read moretaking his recommendations for most of our order. Really friendly staff. Also love the atmosphere. Was an excellent date night spot. The aguachile was easily the best aguachile I have ever had. It was PERFECT. The flavors, the textures, the structures.... Wow. Also loved the sesame noodles. Really perfect texture. The eggplant was an insanely complex dish. It's sweet, savory/salty, spicy, sour...all at once. It is a journey of flavors. There's nuts, chillies, oranges, and eggplant. It feels Thai inspired We got the brownie for dessert. It was decent, I'd try something different next time.

Jun has been on my list forever.. I'm glad we finally decided to pull a trigger on a reservation…read more I came Halloween week, on a random Wednesday night, dressed in costume from a work party and nobody batted an eye. Weird, cause I was dressed in full Joker makeup. Hah! The server said she loved it - speaks to the laid back atmosphere, even though it's a little dimly lit and romantic. Great place for a date night; some dressed up and some dressed down. No biggie for either. My friend started off with a cucumber salad - liked it, with the wood ear mushrooms, the crunch of the cucumber and a little spice (seems like from gochajang sauce). I'm glad we got this cause service was a bit on the slow side - we waited quite awhile to order and then to get our drinks. The food once ordered came out at an okay pace. We had a table of 5 and ordered 2 x gulf shrimp Aquachile. Glad we did cause portions are small, especially for the small plates. Avocado, fried taro, shrimp, radish, and an amazing amazing sauce. Very refreshing dish. They coursed this with the Little Neck Clams, with gooseberries and Chinese fried dough Melba and steamed taro. Very unique way to serve little necks, liked it. Eggplant Stir Fry, Chilled Sesame Noodles, and the Grilled Branzino came next! Eggplant was huge!! But it was cooked where it was mushy and hard to cut into - not my favorite way of serving eggplant but it was good. The chilled sesame noodles had amazing flavors and the noodles were perfect, we liked it so much we ordered a 2nd bowl of it. The branzino was small, but cooked well, crispy skin with a scallion ginger oil on top and purple yams to the side. Liked it, wasn't our favorite Branzino but it was good. Next came the fried chicken and rice cakes - the fried chicken surprised me. I've had plenty of fried chicken in my lifetime but this one was on a league of its own. Sous vide for 40 hours in a shrimp paste marinade, this chicken was literally dying to fall off the bone as you try to pick it up, seasoned perfectly, it was also fried to perfection. Double fried, making it super crispy, it was serviced with a ginger Thai chili honey.. I didn't need any of the sauce cause that chicken was to die for. We ordered a whole chicken, but it came with just 4 pieces.. the 2 pieces of breast with white meat and the two thighs. Delicious - my friend said it was his top 3 for fried chicken and I have to concur. I don't think I've ever had crispy chicken fall off the bone like this before. The rice cakes - basically a Korean Tteokbokki with shiitake mushrooms, yellow bean bechamel, spiked paprika and chives. The rice cakes were a bit crisp on some of the pieces, the sauce was rich and creamy. My friends loved this dish - it was a bit saucy for me. We topped off the night with a goat cheesecake and a brownie à la mode with some spice nuts, a torched meringue on top and ice cream. Both had a sweet and savory component with a kick of spice. We loved both desserts, with the brownie the sweeter one. Overall, a lot of flavor combinations - an American fusion with lots of Asian components mixed in. Even with the drinks - they had a Bloody Mary with fish sauce! We enjoyed our dinner but it took about 3 hours to get everything, and about an hour to even order and see any food come out. Parking is sparse and the neighborhood parking is a bit weird cause of the ditches and blocked areas, just keep that in mind. We did enjoy the place though and would definitely come back. I can see why Jun won the James Beard. Creative and delicious creations.

Went to Gypsy Poet on a Friday night with friends, and now I understand the hype. We ordered the…read morepepperoni pizza with hot honey, and it was spectacular. I can absolutely see why they're ranked among the top 10 pizzas in Texas. I know pepperoni pizza is about as basic as it gets, but when it's done right, it's hard to beat. The dough is crispy on the outside while still being soft and chewy on the inside, and I think that's what really makes their pizza stand out. I genuinely have no notes. We also ordered the Nutella and custard dessert pizza, which was fantastic. It was the perfect sweet treat to end the meal, and the dough was just as good on the dessert pizza as it was on the savory one. My only complaint is that the kitchen closes at 10 PM. Honestly, pizza this good should be available a little later! Overall, Gypsy Poet absolutely lives up to the hype. Great pizza, great dough, and a dessert pizza worth saving room for. I'll definitely be back.

My friend suggested this spot, and since I love pizza, I was happy to try out this Neapolitan-style…read morepizza joint. The place has a modern and rustic vibe. We ordered the Pepperoni Madness ($17.99), which is topped with hot honey and was delicious. We also got the Cappellone ($17.99), which comes with house tomato sauce, fior di latte, mozzarella, portobello mushroom caps, shallots, and Italian sausage. It was equally delicious. The dough had a nice chew, and the crust kept that consistency throughout. This was the only pizza spot we hit up during our Houston trip, and I'm glad we chose this place. I would definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for quality, artisan-style pizza. * Indoor tables are first come first serve

This is such a fun place to come and enjoy some cold refreshments…read more Their menu si so fun! They offer shaved ice with tapioca and exotic flavor combinations. And for the adults , you can get spiked shaved ice too!! With large parking lot, drive through and great covered patio, you will get your refreshments fast. They have plenty of outside tables (there is no inside service), it's very colorful and family and pet friendly. Their menu has something for everyone, we got the Pineapple Express and the Mangonada, delicious and refreshing! Check the pictures I am sharing for a sneak peek of Happy Go Lucky!

Stopped in last week around 4pm. The place was busy. After we ordered, we were approached by a man…read morebegging for groceries. The man had his wife in the car and stated that he needed groceries for his family. We (my wife and I), decided to help him, but told them that we were waiting for our order. We told the couple that we would buy their groceries, but if this was a scam or some type of hustle, GOD would chastise them. As we waited for our GREAT Tasting shaved ice, the couple eased out of the parking lot and disappeared. We guess their conscious spoke to them...., The shaved ice and fresh fruit were fabulous... Restroom was filled with the days trash bags. Outside tables needed to be cleaned faster....