A great dining experience. Fantastic wine list! We started with the mung bean crepe, which was fantastic. Light and airy, but packed with a complexity of flavor. Tagliolini and boiled dumplings followed. The tagliolini was fantastic. Thin layers of perfectly prepared pasta. The boiled dumplings weren't my favorite, but were good. I thought the sauce could have been a bit more flavorful. Next we had the chicken in coconut and the greens. Eaten separately I wasn't in love, but when eaten together it exploded with the right balance of flavors and acidity. The butter cake was a super star and the sun choke ice cream was a close second. Great service and a super friendly staff. Bravo to this chic little spot. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Houston. I come here every year for my anniversary and everything tastes amazing. Highly recommend. read more

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I ate here with my boyfriend back several months ago. We are still raving about our dining experience. We tried the tomato toast (a favorite of ours since Barcelona), semolina appetizer that others have posted about, gulf snapper, and one of desserts that I honestly can't remember that well. We loved the tomato toast and the semolina and absolutely hated the gulf snapper, so much so that our waiter overhead us discussing and had to reassure us that the flavor and poaching was intentional. The broth the gulf snapper was soaked in was so lightly lemon'd or lime'd which was the redeeming quality to the dish...the subtlety that is. I could go on for hours about why the tomato was fantastic but I'll spare you. I really wish they would sell the loaves of bread for us to take home. Also, T Rex has a happy hour from 5pm to 6pm (yes, on Sundays too). F. A. N. T. A. S. T. I. C. D. E. A. L. We had a killer white wine for five bucks. That's a cheap glass of wine even at the worst of coffee shops. Just go once if only to say you have been. read more

We had another wonderful experience here. We had the corner six top which is one of the best seats in the house to me. Service was exceptional. The oyster starter was a big miss - just not good and we love oysters of almost every type and presentation, but everything after that was just super. I drank the broth off the dumpling plate if that helps paint the picture... read more

This was our last meal before a month of fasting for Ramadan, so we went ALL OUT and ordered more than we needed to. *shoulder shrug* From the small plates, my favorites were the marinated Persian cucumbers - just the right mix of different flavors and textures and the Italian bread dumplings - soft cheesy pillows of dough. How can you not like that? The highly acclaimed tomato toast was good, but I can't say I'm impressed by crisp toast with tomatoes. Order it, or don't. You'll survive if you don't. Here's where things got confusing. We ordered the Shaved Loin and Rib of Wagyu to share. I can appreciate mildly flavored premium meat, but this was completely flavorless. The meat wasn't very tender either and arrived room temperature. I was so disappointed that I ordered another entree. We also ordered the Gulf Snapper - this was solid and helped add some flavor back into our visit. Finally, we ordered three desserts, b/c I'm all about overeating. The Paris brest was OK. Not overly sweet, but not that good either. My favorite dessert was the strawberry butter cake (off the menu) served with a warm cream sauce. Easily one of my top ten favorite desserts. This paired really well with the tart frozen yogurt. A little sweet with tangy. Perfect combo. Overall, service was perfect and half of the dishes we ordered were impressive. read more

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Everything here is amazing and so well thought out. Eating all 4 courses is a lot but if you do it it's an incredible experience. The desserts NEVER dissapoint! read more

Great all-around spot! The ambiance is really nice - it's a cozy space, reminiscent of dining in a NY or European place. I really enjoyed sitting at the kitchen counter over there - you can see everything the kitchen is preparing, and get an idea of what you really want to order as you clock the dishes being plated! The food was nice - I had the tomato toast, the tagliolini, and the mung bean crepe (which I forgot to take a pic of, oops!).the tagliolini is a must-have - it is really well-made with a nice balance of flavors. The crepe is also really interesting - it's a good fusion of Alsatian and Asian flavors! I'll definitely be back! for more read more

Theodore Rex - Tomato Toast - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great place, we found this place by mistake, what a pleasant surprise I'm glad they could fit us in without reservation, we will definitely come back read more

I don't even know where to begin. My husband and I agreed that we possibly had our best meal ever last night at Theodore Rex. Amazing. Outstanding. Out of this world. So many words come to my mind. The food was different from what we're used to but the whole meal was just so incredible. We shared a total of four appetizers. My favorite was the 'Carolina Gold' Rice and Butterbeans cooked in soft butter, with crushed garden leaves. It was rich and flavorful. When my husband suggested this, I thought 'oh, a rice dish. But ok. Let's try it.' I'm glad I did. This was definitely my favorite from last night. I even told the chef to never ever take this off the menu! A close second was the raw and pickled cantaloupe served in cold, spicy melon broth, hibiscus leaf, and ' Banana' peppers. I couldn't get enough of the broth. We also had Tomato Toast and the baked semolina. For the main meal, my husband had the wagyu beef and I had heritage poultry with 'Royal Carona' beans - the poultry being turkey. My taste buds were super happy last night. The different layers of flavors came through in such an incredible way. We were amazed by the sheer talent and the genius involved in putting all these different flavors together and making them work. We sat at the bar - to me, the best place to be in the restaurant. Observing them plate and put everything together was sheer joy. It probably made us appreciate everything that we had. Justin Yu - owner and chef and dubbed one of Houston's Most Gifted Chef - took the time to explain each and every dish. I was impressed. Like I said, I can't find enough words to describe how incredible our experience was at Theodore Rex last night. read more

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I would like to thank the chef and the staff for a wonderful evening- the food is superb at the highest level one can find! The dishes are so unique that one has to experience at least once in their life read more

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Truly one of the best meals and dining experiences I've had in a while. Great wine and beer list. I've been rating best bites lately so for tonight it would be: 1) Italian bread dumplings 2) wagyu strip 3) warm blueberry butter cake 4) Japanese turnip and almond and lemon dip 5) vegetable finger sandwiches 6) white chocolate and egg yolk dessert 7) chilled melon That being said - everything we had above was amazing. Just ranking. Highly recommend this restaurant. Also an AMAZING playlist. read more

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This is hands down one of the best restaurant in Houston. I took my family here and they were blown away by the service and the food. The layout of the restaurant did give off a home vibe which I like. Our server did recommend good drinks that went well with our food. My favorite part of the meal when our server go about and explain each dish and what it take to make it! I will definitely come back post pandemic! read more

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It's harder to reserve a dinner at Theodore Rex than finding a husband so I've decided to come here right when they open at 5pm on a Friday and I did not disappoint. - We sat at the bar where we could observe the whole kitchen. They have happy hour from 5-6pm with half off all wines by the glass. Special shout out to our girl Bridget for taking really good care of us for the night. She's smart, funny, and a joy to be around. Justin Yu is very nice and friendly. I can see the details and efforts that he put in each of the dishes before they come out to the eager eaters. - Fav: tomato toast - note: I'm not a big fan of bread or tomatoes, and I can eat this for a month straight without getting sick of it. The wagyu steak was also amazing - crispy on the outside, fat and well balanced on the inside. Last but not least, the paris bret was also very lovely. - Tip: Street parking is free after 6pm. This is a sketchy area, it's confusing if you missed a turn like I did. They also offer limited parking on the opposite side of the street. read more

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I first learned about Theodore Rex through a Texas Monthly article earlier this year. Living away from Houston for a few years during the heyday of Oxheart, I was intrigued by the stories of friends who had been to this small-but-legendary spot beneath I-10. When family came to town this weekend, it was the perfect opportunity to put in a reservation for Theodore Rex and check it out. The food did not disappoint. The tomato toast blew me away, as someone who at most restaurants would go tomato-less on my food. Everything was perfected to a granular level -- the toast had a perfect buttery crunch with an element of tomato that brought out the whole vegetable (or fruit?) without the tart element that often turns me away. The waygu steak was euphoric and easily the best steak I've had all year. Lastly, the pairing of the milk chocolate ice cream dessert with an apple dessert wine couldn't have been better. As good as the food was, the chefs and servers really make Theodore Rex what it is. From the start of the meal, the team was interested what brought us in, made helpful but not pushy recommendations (in one case, referring my brother away from a pricier wine that would be a poor pairing), and talked in the ins-and-outs of Houston restaurants. If I had suggestion, I do wish I was pushed a little harder on ordering an additional small plate to enjoy before the steak. I absolutely loved the food and the experience that Justin Yu's team puts on at Theodore Rex. While I did not get to meet him, I suppose that gives me a great excuse to plan another visit. read more

I really want to love the place and the food was very good I'd say, the the rest of the experience wasn't great. The server we had was really pushy. And the place was really cramped. The ambiance vibe didn't wasn't consistent. read more

Best meal I have had in Houston. The tomato toast was to die for. I still dream of the strawberry butter cake. 10/10

Great food and great service! The service was top notch and the staff were friendly! Would recommend sitting in the jazz room for a more personal experience read more

I may be bias by giving 5 stars to Theodore Rex. But it was so hard to find a modern American cuisine that combined creativity, personality and well execution of the food quality. Of course, service is always impeccable! read more

I am not sure if I came here on a bad day. I had high hopes. The waiting area was cute and my boyfriend and I made friends. I came her last Fall. Nothing we ate was memorable but uh could be sure to bad service. My server was very condescending. I expect to feel special when I go to dinner and this was the opposite. She literally took my wine glass before it was empty TWICE! But her reaction was heinous: The first time she argued with me about it stating it I said it was okay. The second time, she told me it wasn't her who took it this time I was in shock as that is an inappropriate response. Another server came by and talked to me and empathized and got a new wine for me. The food wasn't bad but I had onions in my food when I stressed the importance to 86 them. They did offer to remake it but my boyfriend was already done eating so it was kind of awkward. I'd rather go to BCN Taste and Tradition for a nice intimate experience. But I wonder given all the reviews if this was a fluke? Even so, the service was so egregious it's hard to get past this! Who takes someone's wine glass with wine in it twice ?!? read more

Saving the best of my Houston holiday meals for last. I had high expectations, as Justin Yu had wowed me at Oxheart for years, and happy to report that his new spot continues to delight. My parents reserved a couple weeks out for four of us at 8:30 over the holidays; don't think this is doable otherwise, as small and not much else in the area. The space hasn't changed tremendously from its Oxheart days; utilitarian-chic with plain wood tables and exposed brick. The seating has been refreshed with red-and-blue patterned fabric and the serve-yourself silverware is now a fashionable gold. The format is now a relatively brief a-la-carte list rather than a tasting menu, but with a similar emphasis on humble, high quality ingredients with a vegetarian bent. It rotates frequently, but the current website menu looks quite similar to what we saw. We did a lot of starters, which came out staggered. The tomato toast ($12) had lovely tomatoes and nice crunchy bread, but was not a must-get for me (though other reviewers continue to love). The fried mushrooms ($12) were awesome; such a nice flaky batter and a delicious dipping sauce. The rice and butterbeans ($12) were much better than the description, though I didn't rave as much as my companions. The stewed beef cheek starter ($14) deserves a shout out, as it was the best thing I had here. Oh my gosh. It reminded me of eating an extremely good cheeseburger, but in a deconstructed way. I think it's from the aged cheddar and being "warmed in pickle juice" (least appetizing menu descriptor of the year but so, so well executed). Get it. I think we did all the mains. One was cauliflower ($16), which was sizeable and great for vegetarians but forgettable. The guinea hen breast ($20) was tender and served in lettuce rolls in broth; very good. My mom was very enamored with her fish (MP, $30ish). The wagyu steak ($38) is the most divisive dish here. It's a gorgeous plate, to be sure, served rare with a nice sear. It has a terrific flavor. But it's extremely chewy, as they will warn you. I found that to be distracting, but others may disagree. The desserts were both knockouts. The Paris-Brest ($8), a donut-looking pastry filled with an almost savory cream cheese, was rich and satisfying, though I would have preferred some jam to add some extra tartness. The chocolate ice cream ($8) is just awesome. Great textural elements from almonds and a nice caramel or honey element. Simple and well done. The beverage program is noteworthy. It's an eclectic yet approachable list, with an emphasis on sparkling wine. Median bottle price is $50, and there's a good amount available by the glass. Still bottles are also split into classic and adventurous. There's a little natural, though plenty of interesting choices beyond that. Geographically it's all over the map; French, Australian, Spanish, and Californian are the heaviest hitters. A few beers, ciders, and fortifieds, but the focus is on wine. Staff is very happy to provide recommendations. We had two bottles, one natural and one non, and both were not what I would have picked but interesting. The last time my parents were here, they had a Mexican wine where the producer didn't even know the grape ("it just grows there"). Super fun. Service is superb. We've seen some of these guys around from the Oxheart days, and a few from other places around town (Just Dinner, Backstreet Cafe). Very professional when they need to be, but also pleasant and jokey. Above and beyond. You can have a reasonably priced, adventurous meal here. One thing I would say is to not be afraid to cobble your meal together from small and large plates; although the entrees deliver here, I was more excited about the share plates than the mains. A must-visit if in Houston. read more

Theodore Rex (also the second in Edmund Morris' great trilogy) has so much press and praise I am tempted, by laziness mostly, to keep silent. But for you, my friend, no such luck! My wife and I arrived early for our 9:30 9th anniversary (pottery, baby!) reservation at this cozy little corner bistro with an open view of the kitchen. We were offered comfortable seats on the patio where we sipped champagne and enjoyed the Houston skyline. We were taken promptly to our table at reservation time, and several things struck me upon settling into the place: first it is small and super cozy, and, second, the open kitchen gives you a direct view of the goings-on of Chef Yu and his team fastidiously assembling your meal. The tables themselves are quite interesting, holding the silverware in the drawer underneath, each with a Tyrannosaurus rex handle! The staff seem more genuinely warm, almost like family, than I have felt in many other places. We started with the tomato toast -- you should strongly consider this too! Tangy herby happiness packed into a little slice of toast. If there was a carb hiding in there I didn't taste it! At this point my darling's path and mine diverged, ("small plates, not as good for sharing"). She chose the baked semolina, Roman-style, with carrot escabeche, pecorino fonduta and honey. It was light, flavorful, orgasmic! I went with the lightly cooked, marinated 'Persian' Cucumbers with warm ricotta, almonds, and  'Shiitake' mushrooms, mostly because I love cucumbers and mushrooms. With each savoury, tangy, ricotta-y bite I increasingly wondered, "How can anyone make vegetables taste this stellar!" Because these were way beyond good. Following were the entrées. For my wife, Gulf snapper with an aromatic broth, 'Bloomsdale' spinach pistou and 'Meyer' lemon. The broth is divine! You will not go wrong with this dish. I selected the shaved loin and rib of Wagyu, 'La Ratte' potatoes warmed in cultured butter, anchovy, grilled parsley. I don't get out enough apparently. This was my first time eating Wagyu beef, and this preparation was amazing -- fork tender, melt-in-your-mouth savory satisfaction. From my days in Hawaii I would say, it "broke da' mouf!" You'll be offered one of three desserts if you choose to share, and while the chocolate creations looked delicious I believe Paris-Brest filled with sweet Swiss cheese cream, honey caramel is your best option! It is a bit more on the savory side with earthy overtones from the Emmentaler, But this sweet and savory blend was delectable! As the restaurant was winding down we finished this dessert at the barstools overlooking the kitchen and chatted briefly with the chef. A delightful man with a wonderful crew translating his fantastic vision into delicious and affordable food! Our entire bill was about $185 including a bottle of wine, during our hour and a half feast! You will love this place! While I never had the opportunity to eat at the predecessor, Oxheart, I would say of Theodore rex, bully! read more

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My husband and I decided to spend our wedding anniversary dinner here after making reservations over a month ago. I don't think we've ever had a similar dinner experience! We didn't really know what to expect, and I don't know why I assumed that this place had a rotating/seasonal menu because reservations are so limited. I was wrong, and clearly I just needed to read more reviews prior to our dinner. But all that doesn't matter! Because, geez this place is truly unique and will leave your palate wanting more! First things first, parking. Either street parking or the lot across the street from the restaurant but with limited spaces for customers (5 to be exact). One tidbit we liked about the restaurant was their curtesy to send text messages to remind you about your reservation. We received a text message 30 minutes prior which gave us info on where to park. I mean, cmon, who really is a fan of street parking?? Our reservation was at 6:30pm on a Monday night so we were able to take one out of five of the designated parking spaces. The restaurant is suuuper tiny inside. I think the entire place can only fit 30ish to 40 people max maybe? They have a small bar seating area where you can watch the entire kitchen put in amazing work. The rest of their seating definitely leaves you in close encounters with other patrons, so if you don't like that kind of thing and your opting yourself out of this place already then you're definitely missing out! What we ordered: Potatoes Paillasson - light but very tasty. The spring onions and herbs definitely elevate the flavor. Texture wise, it reminds me of banh bhot chien (vietnamese fried rice flour cakes) except this one is made out of potatoes. Chef Justin Yu served this one to us and mentioned that he prefers this to be finger-food so no utensils needed on this one! 'Carolina Gold' Rice and Butterbeans - umm first off, I'm a sucker for "saucy rice" lol don't ask why but something about rice drenched in some kind of sauce is comforting to me. This dish didn't pack as much flavor as I expected it to but it was still delightful. The butterbeans mixed with soft butter and crushed garden leaves made an interesting combo and the puffy rice added a nice little texture. "Comfort food" came to mind when I had this dish. Marinated 'Persian' Cucumbers with warm ricotta, almonds, and Shiitake mushrooms - hands down my favorite out of all that we ordered. Y'all. I'm not a fan of cheese. Not crazy about cucumbers. To be honest, it was the Shiitake mushrooms that made me want to try this. And my goodness, I almost didn't wanna share this dish with my husband. But it was our anniversary, not my birthday. All the ingredients in this dish complemented each other so well! This is a must order. Don't even think about it. Gulf Snapper - fish cooked to perfection. Again, for some reason, this dish also reminded me of Vietnamese food. The broth that it came with reminded me of pho! It was very flavorful and had me finishing the dish down to its last sip of broth. Shaved Loin and Rib of Wagyu - husband had this as his main dish. IT. WAS. SO. GOOOOOD. Medium rare was the recommendation and he wasn't gonna argue with that. I was just sad I didn't order this myself. Hmm, what else to say about this dish....? Nothing except that you're not gonna regret it! GET. THE. WAGYUUUUU. Paris-Brest filled with sweet Swiss cheese cream, honey caramel - a savory dessert. Such a great ending to our dinner. We paired it with lemongrass ginger hot tea and it pretty much sent me to the clouds for the night. What is "Paris-Brest" you ask? Issa bagel. But the sweet cheese cream is what makes this dessert. I almost wanted to pick the whole thing up and eat it with my bare hands, but *sigh* I had to remain lady-like. Service was excellent. I always appreciate restaurants where the entire staff is dedicated to serving the entire place. Our waters were always filled, our utensils and plates were replaced after each dish. The chef himself was going around asking how your experience is going. Sorry not sorry this review is extra long. But go ahead and add this to your to-do list: Make reservations at Theodore Rex. You're welcome. read more

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Had the opportunity to try Theodore Rex earlier this week with a few friends. The restaurant occupies the former space of Oxheart. Decor is simple but tasteful. There is a waiting area, separate from the main restaurant space, that has a record player. The waitstaff is excellent, with great attention to detail. Justin Yu was in the kitchen the night I went and, while busily cooking, wasn't too busy to greet guests at the tables. I tried the following dishes: Fried Indian Creek 'Oyster' Mushrooms, pakora-style, with creme fraiche, rosemary and mushroom jus (5/5): AMAZING. Mushrooms were lightly fried, and the creme fraiche went so well with it. My favorite dish of the night. 'Charleston Gold' Rice and Butterbeans cooked in soft butter, with crushed garden leaves (3.5/5): Absurdly buttery rice dish. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit difficult to eat a lot of it because of how rich it was. Italian Bread Dumplings with braised mustards, beans, and whey sauce (4.5/5): Excellent dish. The bread dumplings tasted quite a bit like gnocchi and came with beans and mustard greens that were very savory. Very good dish, would absolutely order again. Cauliflower braised in Bordelaise sauce, with roasted kale paste and broccoli leaves (3/5): My least favorite dish of the meal. Although cooked well, the cauliflower was bland, with minimal spice, and was nothing special. I would not order this again. Gulf Flounder steamed in collard green parcels, with Japanese turnips, and green tomato sauce vierge (3.5/5): Good fish dish. The flounder was soft, not overcooked at all, and came with a light green tomato sauce. Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, candied almonds, pear butter (4.5/5): Amazing dessert. The ice cream was so rich and creamy, not too cold, and paired well with the candied almonds. Excellent overall! Paris-Brest filled with sweet Swiss cheese cream, honey caramel (3.5/5): A light, flaky "donut" appearing pastry that was filled with Swiss cheese cream. The cream filling was not sweet at all, and it was too savory as a dessert for my taste. I very much enjoyed my experience at Theodore Rex and would absolutely return again. Highly recommend it! read more

Very impressed with the food and service was excellent. It's very small and intimate, but doesn't feel too stuffy. Plates are a good size if sharing between two, which I recommend you do to get more variety. Reservations are hard to come by so I'd recommend getting there right when they open to trying to get a seat. Tomato Toast - (5/5) This was my top dish. It was so hearty for a tomato dish. Server stated this might be the only dish they don't rotate out. Potato Paillasson - (4.5/5) Like a super delicious(beef fat) hash brown. Perfectly fried with great herb flavor. Chilled, poached 'persian' cucumbers - (4/5) I'm a big fan of ricotta and it paired so well with the cucumber and mushrooms Baked semolina, roman-style - (4.5/5) pecorino fondue was creamy dreamy. Heavier dish due to the cheese, but with thinly sliced pickled carrots. Gulf snapper - (5/5) This was really good. Very unique flavor due to smoking the bones first before being used to make the broth. read more

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It's a tight fit, European feel, inside the womb of a brick building. The food here is professional and amazing. Incredible flavors that you've likely not experienced! read more

First of all I want to say that I was a huge fan of Oxheart. I'd rank it as one of the top 3 restaurants I've ever eaten at. I had really high hopes for Justin Yu's new restaurant, but I feel like it fell short. We had the tomato toast and the rice in a beef and prosciutto broth for appetizers, as well as the cauliflower and wagyu beef for entrees. The tomato toast was simple but tasty. There isn't much to say about this appetizer. It was basically a tomato paste on bread with some fresh tasty cherry tomatoes on top. Good but a bit simple for the price. 4/5. The rice in the broth appetizer was overwhelmingly salty. There were no interesting or complex flavors here, just salt. There was a bit of shredded mustard root in it which seems like it should add something to the flavor profile but all I tasted was the salt. Maybe I should have guessed that a broth made of prosciutto would be very salty. 1/5. The cauliflower was very tasty. It had a sort of green chimichurri like paste on it and a cauliflower puree to dip it in. I think Justin Yu's best dishes are always vegetarian. 4/5 The wagyu beef was a huge disappointment. They warned us that it was tough meat and indeed it was tough. I didn't find it tasted particularly flavorful or interesting, and a much better steak can be had elsewhere for better price. There were some wilted greens on top and a slightly smoky flavor. It was difficult to cut it with the utensils provided (the knives weren't as cool as the handmade knives at Oxheart were). I'm not a huge fan of overly chewy meat. 1/5 All dishes came out warm but not as hot as I might have expected. Despite the food being mediocre, service was excellent. Overall, I'd rate T-Rex a 2/5 for food/flavor and a 4/5 for service, so a total rating of 3/5 but I'm dropping it to 2 due to expectations, price, and how hard it is to get a reservation. Like I mentioned earlier, I think all of Justin Yu's best dishes are vegetarian. I might try this place again after giving them a bit more time to get their groove back after the hiatus. Next time I think I'll stick with vegetarian dishes. In summary, while half of the dishes we tried were good, none of them wowed me like Oxheart did (my two dining experiences at Oxheart were both 5/5 - every dish was perfection), and two of them were big disappointments. I wanted to like this place so bad, and I had such high hopes. Hopefully I'll have another opportunity to try it in the future and things will be better. read more

Awesome, creative foodie experience! Tiny place with an informal/formal vibe. Loved it

Truly enjoyed our meals. The review and ratings really matched with the dishes. I would go back again and try other dishes. We had the tomato toast which was great but do know that it's tomato and toast. Don't expect it to be a mind blowing dish. I thought it was executed well with the fresh cherry tomatoes placed with chive on top of a hearty toast. Now the next dish i ordered was truly delicious. I had the Italian dumplings which was something very new to my palate and the sauce was very rich and full or flavor. I truly enjoyed the beans in the dumplings, and definitely, I would order again! Last, I had the wagyu and it was very tasty. The potatoes was cooked perfectly and lightly salted to pair well with the wagyu. My sister ordered dessert but I didn't have any. She said it was pretty good but I can't really review it. read more

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This tiny restaurant is good but not great. Overall we enjoyed our meal but none of the dishes were memorable or exceptional. We shared Steamed Gulf Oysters with warm turnip puree ($10) which was tasty but you only get 2 oysters so enjoy that one bite if you decide to share. Next was the housemade farfalle pasta and braised rabbit ($22) which was a subtle and light dish. Then our entrees were the Snapper ($28)and the Ribeye ($49) both of which had good flavor. All of the dishes are very small and as they suggest meant to be shared. So I suggest you mentally prepare yourself to enjoy flavors but not be full for $130+ (tax & tip) for 2 people read more

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My husband and I were big fans of Oxheart and pretty excited to check out Justin Yu's new restaurant. The new decor is very modern and elegant. The vibe is a little bit more upscale than the rustic oxheart. The restaurant itself still has a very cool and laidback feel which I appreciate. Even though there were obviously dressed up people on date night when we were here with a 3 months old baby, we didn't feel out of place or awkward. This was later reassured by chef himself that it was a children friendly restaurant. Onto the food! Tomato toast and oyster mushrooms are a must! Between the 4 of us, we shared 3 small plates and each had a small plate and main to ourselves. We left feeling very full! Just about everything we had was delicious. I had the Italian dumplings and chicken. Both had lots of flavors. Can't wait to try the tilefish next time. We always recommend Justin Yu to out of town visitors and consistently get positive feedback from them. It's safe to say that we'll be regulars again at Theodore Rex. So happy that Houston has a great gem like this read more

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We had a fantastic dinner at Theodore Rex. It's in the former location of Oxhart with the same chef Justin Yu. They offer an a la carte menu (instead of the prix fixe menu that Oxcart offered), but the restaurant has a very similar feel of Oxhart. My favorite dishes were the pave farm roasted potatoes and the charleston gold rice and butter beans--really, everything we had was great, but those were my two favorites. The farm roasted potatoes were just so rich and flavorful--while they're listed as a non-sharing item, you really could share them if you wanted to. The rice and butter beans were delicious as well--the flavor is great--and while listed as an appetizer, we had it as a side dish to our main meal. read more

Oh Yes! My wife booked a table last minute and we went early for a seat at the six seat bar. It was naturally full so we were politely ushered to a room next door equipped with a turn table and card games. Leon Bridges was the feature our Friday. Although we were told it could be two hours wait, we got a seat at the bar in about 45 minutes. The waiter/bartender helped us navigate what is no longer a tasting menu, which is a legacy of Oxheart, Justin's prior restaurant in the same place. Even still, we had a sampling of all the greatest hits on the menu. If you enjoy food as an adventure, call early, get a reservation or try your luck like we did. You won't be disappointed. read more

This was our first time a Justin Yu establishment (we were sad to have missed a chance to visit Oxheart before it closed). That being said, we were thoroughly impressed and appreciated the a la carte style menu. The offerings are not extensive, but that makes narrowing down choices just a little bit easier, though no two dishes are similar, as to be expected. With the guidance of our waiter, we had the tomato toast, potato pave, beef cheeks as appetizers to share, followed by the Delicata squash dish and tilefish as a main course, and the warm ricotta with muscadine grapes and the persimmon for dessert. From previous reviews, I noticed everyone was a fan of the tomato toast; so were we. Like the other dishes, it highlights the quality of the ingredients themselves while complementing the variety of textures that comes with a vibrant visual appeal as well. I appreciate also that it could be picked up and eaten by hand, or sliced by knife without falling apart. Nothing was 'extraneous' in the sense that the bread serving as the vehicle for the tomato fondant was light and crisp and yet still imbued with with tomato flavor. The potato pave had all the richness of flavor associated with a hearty serving of pot pie, but was light on the palate with the crispness of the thinly sliced and stacked potatoes with a perfectly crisp exterior. The other dishes were equally impressive, and I think well-described by other reviewers, so I just want to finish by mentioning the dessert (actually, don't overlook the squash dish just because it's vegetarian--pay attention to the smooth, almost mayonnaise-like texture of the pureed squash at the bottom of the dish). Serving fruit for dessert (that isn't orange or watermelon slices/macerated figs) was very refreshing, and a great way to end the meal. Where Houston falls short when it comes to growing apples, it more than makes up for with the flavor of locally-grown persimmons. These came from Animal Farm, and were a brilliant sparkling autumn orange. Enhanced with the contrast of bright, citrus tones from the calamansi juice, these persimmon were perfect. For those who haven't had it before, it's essentially nature's closest version of pudding--soft and custardy, with a flavor perhaps likened to a cross between a pumpkin and an heirloom tomato with the slightest hint of tannin. To share the spotlight, we also loved the grape dish, and how the ricotta and olive oil balanced the alternating sweet and sour of the grapes, some of which had been pickled, some grilled, and some fresh. Kinda like Bertie Bott's every flavor bean in that you can't quite tell which you'll get, but all are good. read more

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Went here twice. First time it was good. 2nd time awful. On arrival the waitress said " you're back, again" it was an awkward thing to say. How about welcome back? I ordered the pasta, the dumplings and asked for wine pairing. NO wine, dry pasta. Waiting on the wine, but the waitress waited on another customer, brought her drink and left for a cigarette! I cancelled the rest of my order and left. No worries T-Rex, I'll never return! read more

Not worth the hype. Nothing really stood out. Really expensive. I might of only liked one dish.... It was like with beef and soup.. I forgot the name but we ordered a bunch. I honestly don't know what people like about this place. Just a hype. I like my food with more flavor lol. read more

Second visit. Spectacular! Two new dishes on the menu of which the sea bass was outstanding. Every dish was great and a few are out of this world. Please note that the Waygu beef is quite chewy and may not be a winner for everyone. Friendly, prompt, but not rushed service. You can have a swell evening here and not go broke. read more

Every bite is delish. We talked them into letting our party of 8 come and celebrate a birthday. There was a $25 a person cancellation fee, and we had to have a prefixed menu. It was fine. We started with their famous tomato toast, enjoyed a green salad with a tart basil and kale dressing, bread dumplings (gnocchi), beef cheeks and main of Texas wagyu beef with potatoes au gratin. Dessert was the chocolate icecream and Paris Brest with cream cheese filling, which was the better dessert. Reminiscent of a Napolean. The chef presented champagne so we could toast the bday girl. Everything has great flavor and each bite was a little different, which I love. Parking is a little difficult, it's on Nance in a chain link parking lot BEFORE the restaurant. If you miss it, you'll have to circle back around bc that one section of Nance is one way. Make a reservation. There was only 1 couple who were able to walk in and be seated in the 3 hours we were there. read more

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Our family celebrated my daughter's graduation yesterday at the restaurant. The food was super salty. The lady served our table was very nice, but the gentleman lacked attention to detail. The private room was nice. But the overall experience was very disappointing. read more

We spent a Saturday night at Theodore Rex, and it was fantastic. Diana the maitre d' was excellent! she gave us great recommendations for wine, allowed us plenty of time to enjoy each course and drink, and added a personal touch to our experience by making us feel like regulars! We will be returning because the intimate setting was terrific, and the food and wine list were *chefs kiss*. read more

Chef Justin Yu amazes again. Completely different from Oxheart yet still completely amazing. Some of the most unique and robust flavors that just absolutely work. I can't wait to go back and try the other menu items we didn't get the first go around. The ambiance is great, super small and cozy, service was impeccable. Here's what we ordered, and all of it was perfect, would recommend it all: Tomato Toast: this one is a must, it's like crispy pizza Roasted Texas Wagyu Italian Bread Dumplings Stewed Beef Cheek: I've never tasted anything so unique but so right BOTH of the desserts! Go, you won't be disappointed read more

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