Five stars. Nick is the best bartender in Houston. Can't say enough, but I'll be back soon.

Hum. This one was hard. This was a gourmet style burger. This are hard. So hard it is an inconvenience. We went back a second time for a double take, wink. Lost a star for the fry's, and another that the brisket was dry, contrasting the perfect bun, wink. Default temp was medium and got med-rare as usual, I need the victim to bleed-ish-kinda, wink. My recommendation for the gourmet style burger is to really make sure the toppings create an art piece not just extra toppings, and fry's for frying out loud, wink. read more

The Rustic - First pass. Prob 2.5/5 - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Horrible first impression! Came here with a friend who raved about how much she loved this place but it was a total disappointment. The bartender was not polite or kind, asked for Jameson and they were out, how are you of a whiskey that's your whole theme, tried to order off the happy hour menu and they out out of ingredients for that too. Placed an order for a SALAD & Meatballs and it took AN HOUR, and then the salad had an ingredient I asked it NOT to have. I began to think this guy just didn't care and a young lady helped us out. Btw we got asked for IDs after we got our drinks lol Won't be back, at least not to this location. Just made us late to a concert Tomato tomato read more

I attended a private event at The Rustic over the weekend. This was my first time going to The Rustic (I tried to go a few years ago after a show at Toyota Center but they had already stopped serving food). The marquee at the entrance was funny and gave me El Arroyo vibes (IYKYK). The restaurant is much larger than I was expecting and they have a nice sized stage for live music on the patio area. The entire outdoor area was reserved for us. It was a little warm, but nice to sit under the trees while listening to the music. Since we had so many people in our group, they provided a brunch buffet for us. We also had a private bar which was nice. The buffet offered all of the options on the Jam and Toast Brunch menu. I had the Country Baked Eggs, Bacon, Green Salad, and Baby Fried Toast (i.e. French Toast). I really enjoyed the meal, especially the salad and bacon. I didn't try the Texas Hot Chicken, Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage, or the Cheese and Potato Hash, but my friends that did try these items enjoyed them. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. When the musicians took a break, they were respectful of our group as we shared memories of our friend who's life we were celebrating. The musicians waited for us to finish sharing stories of our friend before restarting the music which was extremely thoughtful. Parking downtown can be a pain, but they do offer valet for $10. You can also park in the Avenida Central Garage underneath Discovery Green and get your ticket validated as long as you do not exceed 3 hours. I parked on the street near Toyota Center and didn't have any trouble as it was early in the day before the Rockets game. The Rustic is a great place to go before/after a show at Toyota Center or for brunch with friends and family. read more

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We went here for my birthday lunch with my coworkers and it was a nice time. There was not a wait to be seated and it was not overly crowded. It actually was quite empty. Even though it was rather shy during lunch I didn't mind. However, service was extremely slow for it to be so empty the day we went. We had to Flag our server down just to refill our drinks. I was a little frustrated because there was literally no one there. We have two appetizers, the cactus fries and chorizo empanadas. Both were delicious but I favored the cactus fries more. It almost tasted like fried asparagus but still good. I ordered the spicy salmon Cesar salad. The salmon wasn't truly spicy but that was okay. Lastly I was surprised with and Oreo type cheesecake with a melted marshmallow on the top. I can't quite think of the name of it, but I was amazing. read more

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Huge thank you to The Rustic for a seamless and fun event! Kristina and her team took really great care of our group and had every tiny detail in mind. The food is absolutely delicious, the staff is friendly and plenty of space to host a huge event. Can't wait to come back! read more

The Rustic - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I really enjoyed my dining experience at the Rustic. I loved my Chivken Fried Chicken & the Micktails and tacos were very good! Very coo country, 'rustic' ambience, with a big open area, where they often have live music. Only thing I disliked about this was the mandatory valet parking! They should include it or add free parking close by. read more

Six of us one of us asked the waiter what old fashioned cocktail they recommend. He recommended one. It was horrible. We all agreed. The waiter later in the evening when we asked if anyone else liked that drink. He said no. No one does but if they recommend it and someone orders one they get points in a contest from manager. Do better Rustic. Also food came out at different times. Cold fries etc. read more

Varied brunch items per person for $20 before tip? Count me in. Reserved a 1pm lunch for two through Resy, arrived 20 mins early, was led to a 4-top table, saw a booth of equal seating, asked for it, got it, felt the breeze and got some sunlight listening to a lady playing guitar and singing giving Jewel vibes - so far so good! The menu is very limited during the weekend brunch hour (see the annotated picture). We went for the Jam & Toast brunch so we both got that. Now that I've had this meal and it's been a few wks -- The spread is really cute! You really get a variety of items from fresh fruit, cheese, and ricotta crostini to French toast, egg frittata, potato au gratin southwest style, sausage and greens, and hot chicken. Notice I didn't say magnificent because the portion size is on the smaller side, but the variety makes up for it, and I didn't leave hungry. So I'd say the portion is adequate size-wise for most women and probably calorically adequate for most men. My only qualms are that the food was served lukewarm and that everything cooked was salty. It also took 20-30 minutes to get our food, which is a little surprising considering everything is probably pre-made or batch cooked. That said, this is a great deal given that I would never make 10 different things on a Sunday morning, and while none of the dishes was profoundly good or will be missed, it was nice to get a little bit of each at the price point provided. The food itself had a lot of potential; if they were less salty and served hotter, I could easily have missed it more as I'm writing this review. Our server Chris was really kind, checked on us and brought us more crackers upon request (to balance out the salt), and kept our glasses full, and we enjoyed our time at the Rustic. So I'd say 3 stars for the food itself, extra 0.5 star for the variety, 4 stars for the barnyard ambiance, and 5-star service/experience gets us at a 4.2 star experience. This is definitely a pleasant brunch spot with Gram-worthy presentation to bring visitors for a western vibe without breaking the bank. Check it out! read more

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What a fun place to take a group for dinner! The server was attentive and fun, the food was delicious with generous portions, and the drinks were great. Try that big margarita that comes with a popsicle! read more

Food wad pretty good. Service by Taylor and Kayla was fantastic! Very attentive and fast! Thank you ladies! read more

Went for a bachelorette's party dinner on a Saturday night. We had a reservation at 7:00, which although a nice atmosphere, a little disappointed no live music from 8-9:30. We pretty much watched the band "set up" the whole time we ate. The food was, however, good. Got the hot chicken sandwich. read more

The food was ok, place is nice and big and clean, my only complaint is the loud music during the weekend. We had an anniversary planned with just two couples and we could not listen to each other's conversation, we weren't even sitting outside or close to the band, that's how loud it was. We haven't gone back since, I guess if you want to go and listen to a concert this place is it but wouldn't recommend for a nice romantic dinner read more

The steak was pretty tasty, drinks were good. The service was lacking a bit, but I'm willing to go again to give it another try. We went late at night, so that may have been a factor. read more

Loved everything! It was our friends' 20th anniversary, so we decided to surprise them with an anniversary brunch at The Rustic off of Polk St. It's definitely worth it to valet park. Just be sure you follow the arrow showing which way to enter. Once inside, we were in awe of how large the venue was. We were sat out with a view of the stage. Our waitress did a great job of greeting us and making sure our needs were met. We ordered the brunch spritzer carafe to share. It was so good. Then we all 4 enjoyed the brunch. It was brought out family style. I personally love tapas, so this was right up my alley. We enjoyed everything. If I had to pick one thing that we all raved about it would have to be the French toast bites. Regardless, everything was delicious. I'd love to return when there is a band playing. Looking forward to enjoying lunch or dinner in the future. read more

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Went here for a work lunch and looked at the menu in advance - it has a LOT of offerings! The Rustic is a fun dining experience with an event/ performance space outside, where you can hang out with people and listen to music. The staff here are super nice, and there's plenty of options for everyone on the menu. My team and I ordered the smoked dip duo, Texas hot chicken & cheese, shrimp & avocado salad, and the chicken caesar wrap. The smoked dip is definitely really smoky! It came out with a cover and smoke inside of it, so you could really taste the smokiness in each bite. My coworkers thought the wrap and the avocado salad were okay, same goes for my sandwich. I really liked the chips though, since they're freshly made. We almost ordered the cactus fries, but the server told us that it's the order that's sent back the most and to not even dare order it lol. Would I come back here? Maybe for like a happy hour, live music or something, but not to dine-in consistently for a meal. read more

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Solid 4 star experience. Came in on a Friday evening to Happy Hour and dinner with the family. We made reservations for a party of 6 and had a nice table facing the stage. The seat was in the indoor area, so is was still cool and comfortable. The service was good, and the only issue was one drink not being charged HH price when it was ordered right before HH was over. Valet parking is $10 and not a bad deal seeing as many lots in the area charge more. You can look for street parking but that is a risk. The happy hour menu is worth trying to get their early, it has good deals on the drinks and some food. The Rustic is not cheap so getting some HH deals really helps the bottom line. Plus you are set up to get good sets if you are interested in watching the live music. Peach Tea Cocktail: A++, I drank it in one sip. had to order a second one. Bourbon Old Fashioned: Good, if you like Old Fashioned you will like this. Wild Boar meatballs, $7/$14: Above average tasting meatball. It was not dry, like many pork meatballs can be. It had a country style breakfast pork taste. The sweet glaze complimented it nicely. Smoked Dip Duo, $7/$14: Good size portion of brisket queso and about half a cup of pimento dip. It come with homemade chips. The presentation is in a glass "cake cover" that is filled with smoke. Be warned that when the lift the lid the smoke will get on you so if you are adverse to that let the waiter know. I would say even at full price this is a great choice to order for a group. If you get it yourself, there will be enough to bring home. Tamales 3 ways, $7/$14: Great tasting "non-traditional" Tamales. Lets me start by saying all these Tamales had great flavor and each was unique. I would recommend these and order them again. However, these tamales are not made the traditional way. The masa and husk seemed to be put together and pre cooked by themselves. Then the topping/protean is placed on top of the open Tamale. This may offend some traditionalist, but in the end they tasted good and were moist. Cedar Plant Salmon, $27: Nice large portion of Salmon. It was cooked nicely, and had a good seasoning. However the Jalapeno Tamale was the worst item of the whole meal. I would absolutely recommend the Salmon especially if you want a lighter meal... it would be great if you would sub out the Jalapeno tamale. Hot Chicken and Cheese, $17: I was a bit disappointed in this sandwich. It was not bad, but it was not living up the pictures I had seen and the taste was lacking. First off it was not Spicy. The cheese was not melty and googy. And it was kind of smashed flat, so the toast was not nice and soft. It was fine I ate the whole thing, but I was left wanted something a bit better. I think the Rustic is a fine place to have a drink, meal, or see some live entertainment. It is not a bad place for a first date or to bring some family from out of town. I would recommend and return. read more

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Understaffed. And I'm certain our waiter was high. The drink was fine and the food was just ok. But all that could have been forgiven if it weren't for the prices. Literally 1 drink + 2 tacos = $58. That's absolutely insane!! read more

The Rustic - 1 drink + 2 tacos = $58.29 - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

People go here for the entertainment not the food . Unless if you're drunk as a fly then the food here is probably the best thing you have eaten . Yea the food here is your basic American food and very expensive and over priced. This place gets entertainment and food confused entertainment should be separate from the food . Also the entertainment stage here isn't the best ya get pretty crappy views cause this place loves to get packed which ain't worth the headache. Overall this place is definitely over hyped and ain't worth it . read more

We had a reservation at 1pm for a birthday and when we arrived, they told us they were close for private event. They tried to call us 1h before and let a voice message inviting us to call back. I called 3 times, only a voice mailbox responded each time I called. Then, they sent a message 10 minutes before the reservation on OpenTable saying they will be close at 2pm and we should be out at this time. read more

Three greats- service, food and vibe. Our server was excellent- friendly, attentive, knowledgeable. Our first visit and she explained the menu and made great recommendations for us to try. read more

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We came here for a company Christmas party and this place is great! It has a casual outdoor ambiance that had good vibes. The margs here are addicting! And the service we experienced here was also great. We enjoyed the food provided too - specifically loved the Mac and cheese! read more

Lily was fantastic. Great service Food was delicious Prices very reasonable Fun atmosphere read more

Excellent experience overall. Took a bit to get initial service once seated, but once May got to us she did amazing! Love the live music. We worked through the appetizer menu and enjoyed it thoroughly! The artichoke and meatballs were amazing! Highly recommend this restaurant and say hi to May if you're lucky enough to get her! read more

The ambiance was good and the service was alright, but the food was overpriced, not much of a selection, and tasted just okay. Probably not coming back to this location for food. I would say the drinks are great, but I usually order tequila to sip on and this place has no good tequilas. None! So I'm not coming back for drinks either. read more

Great atmosphere! Food was good, not great. Service was great. I had a salad with chicken. French fries looked like shoestring potatoes and were delicious! read more

Been to the Rustic a few times in the past. Always great service and food. However, our most recent visit was not so great. Upon arriving, we asked for a table and were told it would be a "little bit" of a wait for 2 people. No problem, when we asked for a little more of a time line (20/30/45 minutes). The hostess couldn't tell us. There were 2 seats open at the bar, so we opted to sit there. The two bar tenders looked at us multiple times, but continued to wait on other people who just walked up to the bar. Finally, after waiting several minutes. A bar tender walked up. No greeting. He honestly looked annoyed to even be there. Took our drink orders and appetizers. Never came back around. We eventually called over someone who wasn't working in the bar, and asked for our check. Planned on staying awhile and eating dinner. But left after 1 drink and appetizers. Hopefully just an off day. Because we loved going to the Rustic. read more

We made a reservation before the Andrea Bocelli's concert. Because of traffic, we arrived 10 minutes late, and they would not honor our reservation. When we asked how long the wait might be, the hostess will not give ANY idea. I will not bother returning. read more

My partner and I happened to stumble upon this place while looking for places to eat near the House of Blues in Houston this past weekend. After looking at some of the photos on Google, including the menu, I decided it was a good bet and man was I so glad I did! First off, the building seems understated, situated at the edge of downtown Houston, but when you go up their ivy covered ramp to the entrance and see the interior, it's so gorgeous. The appropriate wooden "rustic" accents mixed with the modern minimalism of steel and glass gives it a very comfortable yet upscale vibe. The indoor dining area includes a full wrap around bar and bar top tables up top, then cozy booths and more intimate table seating down towards the middle. It then leads to the very large and fully covered "outside" dining area and event stage, where they provide free music on certain nights (there was a vocalist with acoustic guitar that night). We sat in the middle seating area just before you head to the outdoors area. Our server Joseph saw to our drinks and order right away. It was happy hour, so we ended up going with 2 of the bourbon drinks they had on special: the Texas Old Fashioned with Still Austin Bourbon, Ancho Reyes Verde, hot honey, bitters, and a smoked salt rim, and the Peach Tea with Yellow Rose Harris County Bourbon, iced tea, peach puree, and fresh lemon. The drinks were phenomenal and crafted with care. For an appetizer we had the Cracklin' Deviled Eggs which came as a set of 5 (an odd number for 2 people, which I thought was strange), and they were so creamy and delicious with little pork cracklins topping each one. For the entree, we went with the Smoked Brisket "family-style" Joe Leo Tacos (MORE than enough for two people!). Priced at $17.95 a person I felt like we got what we paid for. The brisket was perfectly cooked and it came with handmade bacon-fat tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, and a beautiful smoky salsa that was just spicy enough without being uncomfortably hot at all. They even brought out more tortillas and fixings when we ran low. While working on the entree our drinks started to disappear (in the best way) and since happy hour was ending, we decided to branch out and try some of the Agave cocktails that weren't included in the HH: the Passion Fruit Sour with Montelobos Mezcal, Amazonian passion fruit, chamoy, and a sprig of rosemary, and the Pineapple Smoke with Casamigos Blanco & Mezcal, agave, pineapple, fresh lemon, and cinnamon. Again, both drinks were fantastic and finely crafted. MAJOR kudos to the bartenders; they know what they're doing. For dessert, we were torn between the Peanut Butter Pie (10.95) and the Banana Pudding (9.95 - which we had seen a photo of on Google prior). We decided to go for the former and man... What a PIE! It was huge!!! I feel like it would have been more easily split between 4 people, but we made it happen. The Peanut Butter Pie included chocolate ganache at the base with roasted peanuts and a bittersweet chocolate sauce on top, covering a beautiful peanut butter filling that was neither too sweet nor too savory. It was perfect. Joseph was incredibly attentive without being pushy and the food came out VERY quickly and we couldn't have been more pleased. We were so pleased in fact, we decided to come back the very next day for their brunch, which they offer every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm. I really enjoyed this place and was pleasantly surprised that a random pick from Google turned out so well. All in all, it was priced accordingly to quality and quantity, and for 2 people, with 2 rounds of cocktails, appetizer, entree, and dessert, it came to just a little over $100, which I felt was very fair. read more

Amazing way to treat customers .... We are on a private party spend at least 15k for 30 peoples , Food run out and asked one of the manager on Duties if I can order food and PAY for it so I can eat . His answer was : you can't order food and take to the private party , you need to go eat on the restaurant , You can't absolutely take food where the private part He refused to sell food ... After back and Forth they allowed it , First and last time ever on this Place . Good Job Rustic. read more

The Rustic - Stage - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food was decent. I got the Texas hot chicken and cheese and my wife got the drunk chick. She loved her meal. Mine was ok. It lacked any sauce or "hotness". The server was the main issue with this restaurant. Not attentive at all. Never checked on our table after the food was brought by a food runner. And I was completely unable to flag him down for refills or condiments for the meal. read more

The Rustic - Texas hot chicken and cheese and the drunk chick - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Nick was the best!!! He made me all the drinks and he's was so nice. We came for our firm Christmas party :)

The service was amazing! The bartender Marjorie Renderos was amazing and very helpful with drink selections. Food was hot and delicious. Can't wait to be back. Excellent in my opinion! read more

The Rustic - The Drunk Chick - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Came here for drinks during my Houston visit. This place is gorgeous and huge but it is very loud. They had a band playing but it was awesome. The drinks were great but service was a bit slow. read more

The Rustic - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I usually do not write reviews when I go to places with a large party but felt this was needed. Came for a birthday gathering with a group of friends (10+) and was told wait time would be around two hours (expected) but was not warned that the food would take a long time (over 35-40 minutes). Waitress said kitchen was backed up AFTER we ordered and asked where the food was. Food is also overpriced for what you get. Asked for ribeye medium rare but was too dry and overcooked. Some food was also forgotten.   Would do valet (10 dollars) to save time because it is a busy place. On good note, ambiance is very lively and drinks are pretty good!  A good place should know how to handle large parties. Probably will not come back unless it's just by myself or with another person. read more

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Food was Bussinnnn!!! Lilly was a good server, but occasionally we couldn't find her and was either needing something or ready to order. Super great person and very personable. read more

The Rustic - Hot chicken sandwich. - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love this place! We went here for a Valentines Day meal right before the Springsteen concert (a couple Blocks away) and had a wonderful time. The server from Holland was super friendly and took care of us nicely. The decor here is really cool with lots of wooden beams and a garden area to sit in as well. They even have this unique wall of glass panels that can come down to separate the bar area from the main dining room/concert stage area. The food was top notch with excellent tasting meatballs, chicken portobello kale salad was fresh and the deviled eggs had an unexpected different flavor (a bit sour) but good nonetheless. read more

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Very nice and very delicious food, but it's too loud and a little bit pricey. Me and my husband had so much fun and I think it's a very nice place for a group or for a couple read more

Really great place, every time. I've been to the Dallas location a number of times (solid); this one is different in that it's more of a music hall paired with bar/restaurant. Easy awesome time, made better by (fellow twin) Corey who's about as cool and attentive of a server, and human, as one could have the pleasure of sharing an evening with. He's top notch. I'll be back next time I'm in Houston. And BTW the Hot Chicken and Cheese sandwich is bomb. read more

Customer service We made this reservation over a week ago for 12 people. Good messed up, half got their dinner an hour before the other half Convention in town.... Do better! read more