This was one of the most anticipated spots for me to try out during Restaurant Week and I was really disappointed. Like another reviewer said, just because I'm dining off the Restaurant Week menu doesn't mean you should give me mediocre service. Every time I have dined at a 4 or 5 star hotel, I notice that the service is always a cut above a typical casual restaurant. The waitstaff go above and beyond and add in those special touches to show their exceptional service and training. Not the case here. I felt like the waiter just brought my my food and picked up my plates. That's it. There was no custom or personal service. I really expected a lot more from Tony's. As for the food, it was just okay. Portions are a generous size for a fine dining establishment. I probably wouldn't recommend getting anything I got (if you're curious, I had the mussels, red snapper, and cheesecake. Well, the cheesecake was good). If you are looking for a fine dining experience in Houston, there are dozens of other restaurants you can pick from. read more

We were by far the youngest folks in the room, but that is fine by me. We were seated promptly and given the option of a banquette or a table, the banquette was just straight across, so you were sitting right next to each other, quite an odd set up and definitely not for me. Love that they give you time to settle in before handing you a menu and that the specials are printed out daily on their own separate menu. The wines by the glass selection was wonderful, they even had a great Brunello as an option. I opted to start with the lobster bisque and try the flounder special. Hubby had the short ribs ravioli and the Osso Bucco. The bisque was overwhelmingly rich and I shouldn't have eaten the whole bowl, but I did, making me too full to finish my flounder. They gave us the option of preordering a souffle for dessert, which we did because we had seen them go by earlier and they looked amazing. I think everyone in the place had the souffle. The Osso Bucco was perfectly done and the presentation of the huge steak knife was wasted, it didn't need one at all. I was too full of the bisque to try the truffle mac n' cheese, but I have some to try in my take out container. The ginormous souffle arrived with fresh berries on this metal tree sculpture, with sugar, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. They plated us each a piece of the souffle and took the other half away. I wonder what happens to all the half eaten souffles? Does the staff get to enjoy them? They cannot possibly be thrown out, can they? There was a whole lot of wasted souffle going around. I nearly forgot my to go of my flounder because they leave it at the front desk for you, right as we got into the car my husband remembered and retrieved it for me. So now I have flounder and crabmeat for lunch today...yum! Only one odd thing from the evening, the first person who placed my napkin on my lap came uncomfortably close to groping me. It was the strangest thing. read more

Just because I dined during Restaurant Week doesn't mean I deserve second-rate service. Tony's' approach to Restaurant Week is the opposite of what I have experienced at other Houston restaurants. Every other place I have dined has been excellent in quality and service - in hopes that you will come back later and pay full price. Tony's seems to have the attitude that Restaurant Weekers don't have the $ to come back without the discount. Bad assumption. I have been to Tony's several times (not during Restaurant Week) and really enjoyed it, especially the soufflé. However, my Restaurant Week experience changed my mind and ensured that I will not be back. We had to flag down a waiter to give us menus (it seemed they forgot about us). We had to ask again for Restaurant Week menus even though we noted this with our reservation. The food was mediocre at best, and undercooked at worst. Three people at the table had the veal; the flavor was overpowered by the capers. I was the unlucky one that had the chicken that was underdone and made me ill. The bright spot in the whole experience was the praline cheesecake. It was fantastic. After dessert, we were ignored for another 30-40 minutes and had to flag down someone for the check. Tony's is a place to see and be seen. If you're looking for an overall great dining experience, take your money elsewhere. read more

Stuff happens ... but some people handle touchy situations better than others. I had contacted Tony's GM, Mr. Scott Sulma, a couple of days ago to ensure that I would be handed the check for lunch today, not my guest. I have not met him but via e-mail he assured me my server would grant my request. From the beginning, Ms. Donna Vallone approached our table and greeted me and my guest. How delightful and unexpected. But aside from Ms. Vallone's special touch, our server was ready for us--no need to wonder when anyone was going to help. We were not made to rush, so we took our time ordering. Our meals were superb, and throughout our meal, our server and others, including Mr. Vinny Montecuollo, checked on us to make sure all was well and we were enjoying our meals. I enjoyed the seared sea bass; and my guest, the tuna tartar, both from the lunch menu. After our lunch, my guest and I sat and conducted business. She departed, and when it was time to pay our bill, I discovered I did not have my billfold. I had no ID, only my word that I would pay my bill. I was distressed and disclosed this fact to the individual who handed me my check. He nonchalantly stated that sometimes that happens. He asked I wait a moment, so he could apprise his superior about the matter. Mr. Vinny Montecuollo approached me and, without hesitation, set me at ease by telling me to take breath, to relax. I verbally gave him my address, but that didn't matter. He asked for my phone number and told me to drive home carefully; then to call in a credit card number. His kindness and consideration floored me. Who am I? A stranger who walked in to have lunch at this elegant establishment. I calmed down and sat and thought for a moment. I remember being on a trip and taking a picture of the cards (including my ID) I would be carrying in my pocket for the day. I perused my photos and discovered I had a picture of the card I wanted to use to pay for the meal. I proceeded to write it onto a piece of paper and handed it to the gentlemen who was responsible for collecting my payment. Done. But I truly, truly appreciate that Mr. Montecuollo proved to me that accepting one's word alone to complete a business transaction (gentlemen's agreement) is still alive today. Thank you ever so much. read more

Lunch Bunch #18 we decided to take a walk on the wild side, Hello Tony's. Tony's offers a Greenway Express Lunch for $17, which consist of a 3 course meal. To start the lunch you get a choice of a house salad or a tomato bisque. The main course selection consists of breaded baked chicken stuffed with fontana cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach or a cannelloni, and finally a dessert a choice. I don't recall what the choices were, all I heard was gelato and that's what I ordered. Dessert was served in a martini glass with 4 half ounce scoops of pistachio, chocolate, cherry, and vanilla gelato, all were delicious. My only complaint is at the beginning of lunch when they ask you if you are in a rush and you say no, I didn't expect to sit around at lunch for 2 hours, seriously. read more

Their valet listened to music in our car. Normally I couldn't care less, but it was changed to a different station which made it super obvious. You know when you were a kid and randomly decided to walk into your mom's bathroom and play with her makeup you'd be super careful to leave it the way it was before so she wouldn't notice and you wouldn't get in trouble? I feel like if you're going to listen to music in my car as a valet, then please just pretend to try to cover it up and change it back to the original station when you bring the car back to me. I probably wouldn't have even mentioned this if I had enjoyed my experience here, but considering the service and food, I will be as picky and judgmental of every fault at this establishment. At the beginning, this place had set itself up for a 4 star review. I had made a reservation and mentioned that we had a symphony concert to attend at 7pm, so we needed to be out by 6:30pm. When we walked in, they seated us quickly and when I gave them my last name they immediately realized I was the one that had a time constraint and had to be out within 1.5 hours (which shouldn't be terribly hard to do, i would think -- and neither did they at the time of booking). This is where the up and down (mostly down) of the dining experience started. We came in with a coupon I got on Google Offers. I guess I didn't read carefully and thought the $40 for $80 tasting menu was for two people, not one. I take full responsibility for that. I will NOT take responsibility for the fact that the rest of the time we felt like we were being a little bit judged / ignored after I pulled out the coupon. Minus 1 stars. The portions were European sized. I actually usually like it when a restaurant gives normal-sized portions like that. But if you're going to bunch three 1-inch diameter, 1/4-inch thick medallions in the middle of a 12-inch diameter plate and charge $18 for it... then at least do a little dance for us or have a live quartet playing in the background. I don't understand how restaurants can get away with that. Minus 1 star. Later through our dinner, our waiter asked my boyfriend and me if it's prom time. And, since I graduated high school 7 years ago, I said I wasn't sure. In part, this is a compliment that we both look so young (boyfriend's been out of school for 9 years). On the other hand, I was slightly offended because of the insinuation that it must be because of our age that we came in with a coupon. Meh. Minus 0.5 stars. I decided to get the flounder. I had never had flounder before but I thought my first experience would probably go best if I got it at a $$$$ place. And I have to say I was not disappointed at all. I now have a top two types of fish: sea bass and flounder. Plus 0.5 stars for giving me that good first flounder experience. The dessert was the one part of dinner that was American sized. For the amounts they charge and the overall snootiness of this place, I would have expected much better dessert. Don't get me wrong, it was good. But I think I prefer La Madeleine's tuxedo cake over Tony's. No points lost, just disappointing. Now it was already 6:23pm by the time they had brought us the dessert. They were cutting it a bit close to getting us out by 6:30pm, but I still had faith in them. But when we finally got someone's attention again, they said our assigned waiter (who we had given our coupon to) had an emergency and had left abruptly so they couldn't ring us up. Well, I'm sorry for your incompetency, but you knew full well we had to be out by 6:30 and now it is 6:42 already. Get with it. (I didn't say this out loud to them; just mumbled it to my boyfriend, instead.) Anyhow, after them alternately coming over to ask us if we'd found the coupon in our emails using our phones and ignoring us to serve the very, very rich people around us, we finally walked out at 6:58pm. Minus 2 stars. Thank you, Tony's, for allowing us to miss the first half of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana." Without you, I may have actually enjoyed my night out. (And yes, that was sarcasm.) read more

Like the movie "Speed II", this restaurant has been a victim of hype. The food is decent, but does not live up to public consensus or the price. We ordered the duck dumplings, pan seared scallops, ribeye and some unmemorable desert. The duck dumplings tasted like it was out of a 'Hungry Man' TV dinner platter, over-sauced and grimy texture. The scallops were tender and flavorful with a nice caramelized coat. The ~$50 steak was not cooked to order. Here's my logic: If you pay more, you should get more. So, if an average restaurant charges above average prices, it warrants a below average ranking. Conclusion: Come here only if you want to impress your high school prom date or your bourgeois wife. Just because a restaurant decides to dim its' lights and is liberal with butter, it doesn't make it 'nice' or 'fancy'. See below for supplemental info: - Price: Not worth it (~$15 and ~$40 per starter and entree, respectively) - Atmosphere: Not my cup of tea, 2/5 (Old Houston blood peppered with 'special occasion' diners) - Service: Great, 5/5 - Sanitation: Great , 5/5 Big turnoff: - Cheesy atmosphere. Is the metal contraption that they skewer strawberries suppose to be chichi? Seriously, it could hurt someone (visually or physically)! read more

Whoever designed Tony's deserves some serious accolades. The water-filled glass ringing the entrance side is beautiful, the massive sculpture in the middle looking like a three-pronged modern statue of Venus is fun to puzzle over for a bit, and as ridiculous as it may sound, the ceiling and red trim are are clean, modern, and very impressive. The decor is spot on. Sadly, even the best eye candy in town can't save the restaurant from its tangible failings: bad service and blah food. My first tinge of doubt hit when I met the Maitre'D. She was nice enough, but seeing her nervously scurrying around like a headless chicken while we waited for a table wasn't a good impression. I got the feeling she was the proprietor's daughter making inroads into the business rather than the calm, seasoned professional one would expect in a place like this. After being seated, it took over 15 minutes just to get menus. The dining room was full but nothing crazy. The same waiter provided a larger table seated after us with food and drinks faster than he did us. Hmm. Out of the 7 courses served, only two were done well: the bolognese and the sea bass. The bolognese was appropriately meaty and flavorful and the sea bass was cooked to perfection with creative saucing. Everything else was drab to bad, including: (1) undercooked risotto; (2) squash blossom with breading that tasted identical to beer battered onion rings served in bowling alleys all across the midwest (though served alongside a nice salad); (3)over cooked, bland duckling puzzlingly served with a butter knife for deboning; and (4) the scrambled egg whites they sold as souffle. The bottom line: bad service and inadequate food seductively gussied up by mind-blowing ambiance. Every high-end game in town I've tried hasn't just been better, they've been far better. Learn from my mistakes, and just spend the same money at Da Marco for Italian food that is considerably better cooked, much more creative, and worth every dime. I'd even say the original Carraba's is superior to Tony's and does it for 1/3 the price. read more

For someone like me it's very hard to be speechless. I ate here for the first time today for lunch and 2 words came to mind... COMPLETE! and PERFECTION! This place allows you to put those two words together in a sentence. Then when I think of numbers... I think of 100%! 100% Service 100% Ambiance 100% Quality 100% Selection & 100% One of the Best Places to Dine in Houston- Hands Down. When I think of how to describe this place, I'm speechless When I think of how Great the food was, I'm speechless When I think of how well the Presentation of it all was, I'm speechless When I think of how well they take care of you, and I mean truly take care of you, I'm speechless The only thing I'm not speechless about is whether or not I'm coming back... and to that, I say YES indeed. Hopefully once a month for the rest of my life. Yeah.. that's how good it was. I ate the "30-Day Aged Akaushi Beef" which is considered the Finest and most Healthiest Meat in the world.- Priced at $125. For my sides I had the Sauteed Roman Artichoke as well as the Oven Roasted Truffled Potatoes. I can't explain how much I enjoyed this meal other than it was like eating what Kings and Queens would have on their menu. The taste was so good that I wanted more as soon as I was finished. They are fairly high priced but I've never felt so good paying so much for such a great meal. My only problem now is to figure out how I can find a HOOK-UP so I don't have to spend a $160 once a month to eat there. I highly recommend! Enjoy! read more

Okay, this post Valentine's Day dinner, I now have a new favorite desert! The baked apple tart in a crispy filo with a lovely brown butter cinnamon sauce (and was that a hint of Frangelico?) As always the pasta, salmon and salads were great. The in-house cut truffle fries with aioli are simply the best in town, period. The super friendly staff treat you like family while Tony and Donna are lovely hosts, personally checking on their patrons. Simply a must dine in Houston. read more

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I've been to Tony's twice and both times was an amazing dining experience. From the second I step foot out of my car, the valet team was attentive, the hostess was warm, and the server absolutely made us feel as if we were the MOST important clients in the restaurant. As for the food... it was all about presentation and delicate flavors. My favorite starter is the beef carpaccio. For entrées I suggest the Braised Lamb Shank or the Osso Buco with risotto. The sommonier was delightful and recommended a bottle of Cab for us that went wonderfully with our dinner. To end the perfect dinner, the server treated us with complimentary ports to accompany our soufflé. Granted, the prices can be a bit high but it's all worth it for the quality of food, ambiance and outstanding service. read more

Amazing experience. Get the course menu with wine pairing. The soufflé is a must! Be prepared to spend $200 a person. This place is for foodies and people who are planning to splurge. Every bite was memorable. Their menu has some really interesting stuff you would have a hard time finding elsewhere. Presentation is beautiful. Very romantic place. read more

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Service was excellent, almost too good. The food was good but I have had much better. I expected more for the hype and price. I went there to celebrate my friend's birthday. I told them when I made the reservation. They did nothing for it. I followed up after with the manager via email. They said they would get back to me but never did. I don't feel the need to return again. read more

Can't say I was impressed with this place service wise.. Sat in the bar area. I was asked what I wanted to drink with no menus on the table. Then I had to ask for drink/wine AND food menu. Another server or manager maybe?? Came and asked me if I needed help with the menu. I was ready to order so I did. It be came over kind of rushed and had the same notepad Waffle House employees use to take orders.. I thought this was upscale? Offered no bread. Food came out and then the "bread service" I requested came. He gave me the tiniest piece of focaccia. It was good but it was a crumb. Placed it on my pasta as there was no extra plate. No fresh pepper was offered. I asked and I received but isn't that normally standard to offer? Wine was good and the crab pasta was good but would I come back for a full dinner? No. read more

I am very sad to write this review. When my boyfriend told me we were going to Tony's for Valentine's Day, I was delighted! I read each of the many, many glowing 5 star Yelp reviews for dish recommendations. But last night was not at all what I had expected. We were seated right away, but all of the tables had been turned longways along the banquette so that we were sitting on the banquette next to each other instead of across from each other. (I guess they could fit more tables with this set-up.) Nothing says romance like gazing into...the back of someone else's head? -1 Wine list: very pricey - the vast majority of the bottles were 3 or even 4 digits. The sommelier was friendly and helpful even though we were clearly at the low end of the list. We ordered a bottle of Altrovino (a Tuscan blend) which was delicious. +1 First course: I ordered the Fettuccini with sausage and crab meat. It was good, but way too salty, and I like salty food. Boyfriend ordered the Carmelli (I think?) which was a lot like tortellini. I don't think either of us were wowed. Our food came out immediately and had clearly been pre-made and sitting under a warmer. -1 Second course: I ordered the Astice salad. WTF (the W in this case is Who) thought that would be a good idea? It was like a mismatch of ingredients all over the place. The dressing was good and the salad overall had a fresh taste but I made a huge error in ordering that. Boyfriend ordered the lobster bisque which was amazing! I should have taken one bite of my salad and sent it back to exchange for the bisque. -1/ +1 Main: I ordered the braised short ribs which were the highlight of my meal. The ribs were pull apart, melt in your mouth tasty. And the 3 parmesan noodles on top were full of cheesy goodness. Yum! I did wonder about plating. My tiny portion of meat (which was ok because with all the bread they kept giving us I was getting quite full) came on a gigantic plate which had a giant green skidmark running horizontally across it. Curious.... Boyfriend had the lamb filet which was tasty, but sort of forgettable in my opinion. +1 Dessert: We did not have a choice of dessert and each received bite sized pieces of cheesecake, chocolate something, and key lime tart. The key lime tart was delicious - the others were not. +1/-1 Service: the waiter to table ratio was very high but there were too many service people running around and rushing. We were the second seating of the night (7:30) so knowing that there was a 9:15 seating had the staff trying to get us out of there as quickly as possible. At one point they took away my silverware and I was still eating my salad. The guy was gone before I could stop him. Also, I guess we were seated along a busy walkway, but the service people were literally running by and at one point knocked over my glass of water (but didn't notice). Luckily it was water, not wine, and fell the other way and not on us! -1 Atmosphere: Nothing says romance like rock n' roll, right? Wrong. Whoever was put in charge of the music and lighting should be fired. Valentine's Day is all about romance. Why didn't they have dim lighting, soft jazz playing, candles or flowers on the tables? Instead it was bright, loud, and business-like. - 1 I understand that this was a busy night for Tony's, but when you charge that much for a meal, you should deliver excellence all around. Maybe instead of being greedy and trying to squeeze as many people as possible into the restaurant, you should focus on creating a superb and memorable experience for fewer customers who will be likely to return and recommend you. This is not the place to go for Valentine's Day. Maybe it's better on other days, but I personally wouldn't want to pay the $$$$ to find out. read more

Tony's might be the fanciest restaurant in town. This is a date spot to wine and dine your main chicks; you definitely don't take your side piece here unless you have DEEP pockets. I mean, there's an $85 steak on the menu. I found two sufficient reasons to finally check out Tony's- Houston Restaurant Weeks and a surprise celebration for J's birthday. J gives me credit for upgrading his once pitiful wardrobe. Not so long ago, he lived in tall tees, basketball shorts, and the ultimate fashion faux pas- socks with mandals. Now he's blending in with old money patrons. I never thought I'd live to see the day. We were seated at a round table, which was appreciated. So much easier to converse without having to shout across, and every seat is optimal. We ordered off of the HRW menu and splurged on some extras. Duck, risotto, ahi tuna- classic and understated. I like that they know when to pull back; things don't necessarily taste better as you add more and more expensive ingredients to it. My new BFF was the only one who'd been to Tony's before (her dad actually built the restaurant- what a boss), and she said the chocolate souffle with Grand Marnier is a must. She's never wrong. Totally worth the $8 surcharge, especially considering the HRW desserts (praline cheesecake and tuxedo chocolate cake) were laughably small. They were the size of my pinky. That's like the amuse bouche before my real dessert. Our server presented J with cotton candy and a sparkler, which was nice. Apparently, at really fancy restaurants, they hold your leftovers at the hostess stand for you to pick up on the way out. Don't be that clown (me) asking the whereabouts of your leftovers. Bottom line: the restaurant looks lavish, but the food was just okay. If you're willing to pay a pretty penny, maybe the regular dinner service is better. read more

A real let down. Brought my wife and daughter for a special dinner expecting 'special' food and service. We received neither. Waaaay over priced for average fair ($73.00) for sole on the special and we were not informed of the price on anything we ordered. $28 for a side of Mac and cheese and I've had better at Olive Garden. Long story short the bill was almost $600 including tip for three of us and only alcohol was 3 glasses of wine. I don't mind at all paying for wonderful food .... but this didn't come close. Our head waiter was beyond arrogant and intrusive. Felt like he was doing us a favor by letting us eat there. We'll never be back. Hugely regret going read more

Definitely way over priced especially on seafood entrees which were not cooked that great. The daily special was offered to us as Dover sole with crab and they did not tell us it was $73 !!! I've had better sole at other places in houston and sauce was lacking. Waiters were over bearing as well. Mac and cheese (which was also average) was $28 with cheap tasting cheese sauce. And barely served all three of us! read more

If you are kind of old, reflect fondly on the Reagan era, and are possibly from New Jersey, then this is your place. Tony's is from a time gone by, and not really in a good way. It is OLD SCHOOL "classy", complete with dozens of really cheesy and gimmicky touches like plates with Tony's face on them, a weird metal tree that they skewer strawberries all over, and food forced into weird shapes (think crab and zucchini mushed up in some fashion to resemble a deep fried tulip). The service is friendly, but kind of misses the point. Overall, it was a tad slow and timing was slightly off. We didn't really seem to have one dedicated server, which was odd. I also didn't feel that our server seemed to be that knowledgeable about the menu. It was the type of place where if you asked for a recommendation, all you'd get is them saying something like "well...people seem to like this or that a lot." As for the entrees, preparations were just so over done and over-sauced that the appeal of the fresh seafood was stomped out for the most part. This was a time warp that I could have just assumed skipped. For a little digression, I'm pretty confused by all the stellar reviews as well as the multitude of recommendations given by Yelpers on the talk threads. It's pretty difficult to imagine a young person really being into this place. Is this really the best there is in Houston? Ah well. To each their own, but in my case the 3rd star is only given as an act of mercy. read more

First time visit to Houston and to Tony's. Pretty decent and well dressed crowd, even on a Monday evening. We were the only group without jackets, although a similar group arrived later. Excellent arrangement of grissini, Parmesan crisps and toasts arrive with a tiny dollop of oil and a generous potion of butter, enlivened with what I thought were truffle shavings, but turned out to be black lava salt. Delicious. It is replaced twice even though we had not finished it. Generous, if a bit extravagant. My host picks a nice bottle of chardonnay, possibly the Phelps, I didn't get a good look. A bit of semantic confusion - my host asks the waiter if the halibut is a steak or filet. The waiter says it's a filet but like a steak. To my mind this makes no sense - either it's a halibut steak on the bone, or a boneless filet. My host plumps for it anyway. He chooses the starter of a cold antipasto. I go with the orecchiete and our other colleague chooses the artichoke appetizer. An amuse bouche of mushroom tea with a bit of almond arrives. Somewhat pointless. The orrechiete with baccala arrive quickly and I realize they are fresh pasta, delicate in a creamy sauce, but a small portion for an appetizer, more of a tasting menu portion. The cold antipasto is lovely to look at, prosciutto, wrapped around what I took to be burrata and figs, but small for an antipasto. The tower of artichoke (insalata ortolano) is the best portion. We are offered delicious breads, a marvelous focaccia and what I thought was explained as pumpkin bread, moist and sweet like a date nut bread. I order a glass of Danjean Berthoux pinot noir ($16) to have with my tagliata. A cutting board arrives, and soon after the steak itself - it's a good sized rib steak, not a fiorentina. The steak is sliced and plated with a tiny scattering of grilled radicchio. The balsamic sauce is one of the better uses that has been made of that condiment. The wine pairs nicely. My host's halibut arrives, a filet of about 6-7 ozs. in a cream sauce. Our colleague goes for the Chilean sea bass. We share a small side of asparagus. The steak is aged to perfection and there is little fat for a rib steak, perhaps it was trimmed away in the slicing. I thought it was superior to the last great rib steak I had, at Joe's in Chicago, but at $68 it was a good bit more expensive. The only disappointment was the rib bone. I believe that the steak had been portioned so that the bone was split between two servings, and the small bone got cold while I ate the slices of meat. My colleagues seemed please with their fish entrees. I eschew dessert, being full and having spent on the steak. My host goes for a panettone french toast, our colleague opts for the tuxedo cake. Both arrive in large portions, atoning for what has come before. Their eyes are bigger than their stomachs. I am forced to share. The panettone toast is delicious, but would serve better as a brunch option. The cake is generous in a size, like something offered by a Jersey diner, but much higher quality. There's enough for my colleague, more than I wanted to eat, and a large piece leftover to bring home for his better half. Espresso is on point, accompanied with a nice almond biscotto. Four different petit-fours is offered - so we each have to try something unique. Pretty sure mine was a tiny key lime tart. Expensive, good service, good food, but larger apps and smaller desserts would make for better balance. A special occasion restaurant. read more

Next to the Boheme in Orlando, this has been the best meal of my life. The food is outstanding, the decor is impeccible, and what can I say about the finest service in the United States? I've been here a couple of times, and every time, it amazes me that there is never a drop in service or quality. Their menu is an Italian/Asian fusion combination, but I can never seem to stray from their Filet. It's the best steak I've ever had. Period. I know I already stated this about the Boheme in Orlando, but that was before I knew about Tony's. I've always been here on the weekend an it's always been packed. I recommend reservation made at least a week in advance. But don't worry about feeling like a second rate person, they treat EVERYONE as if they're royalty. Go. Enjoy. And don't forget dessert. read more

I would think Tony's is THE best restaurant I've been to in Houston. Hands down. A company took a group of us out and we were in a separate group room. The service was impeccable. They would put the napkin on your lap, refill wines, and scrape the table after eating the appetizer or main course before they serve another dish. The atmosphere and setting was absolutely fantastic and classy. I had some sort of seafood appetizer and main course, and both were fantastic. If only the price was not so steep, I would come here weekly if I could, but fortunately my first experience here was footed on a company bill. The dessert was a cake with sparklers on it. What a grand entrance! I would definitely suggest this place for anything special, be it anniversary, birthday, wedding, whatever. It's good. read more

We came here on Thursday night because of houston restaurant week. The food was surprisingly good considering the bad Yelp ratings they have. I had the escargot for appetizer, beef short ribs for entree and the chocolate flourless cake as dessert. The escargot was topped with lots of garlic and had a nice taste to it. The short ribs were tender and flavorful. The only disappointment was the cake but my friend ordered the cotton candy so I fully indulged in that and was satisfied. Overall, the food was pretty good but it's definitely a fancy wancy place so if you're not dressed to the nine, you will get the stare down. read more

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Wow. This place is first class. I've been to Tony's twice, and both times it has been an incredible dining experience yet to be matched by any other restaurant. It's the food, but it's also the outstanding, impeccable service, and the ambiance can't be beat. Who else in town has a Robert Rauschenberg hanging on the wall in their dining room? From start to finish, meals are out of this world. The last one I had started off with wasabi-encrusted raw fish (three different types), and then moved to a lasagnette (paper-thin lasagna noodles with the most amazing cheese you've ever had, basil, and fresh tomato). Weird choice on our part to put those two together, but we loved them both. We were offered an appetizer of pasta with shaved black truffles that had just been flown in that day (those things were gigantic!), but had to just go for the entree. I had the copper river salmon, with caramelized summer melon and mint, and my dining companion had the truffled filet of beef. Both were prepared impeccably. For dessert, we pre-ordered the chocolate souffle (it's a must at Tony's!). They have 20 flavors of souffle in addition to their regular dessert menu. It's hard to get to the dessert menu when you can get any flavor of souffle you want. If you have a special occasion to celebrate and want to make it an unforgettable event, go to Tony's. They will treat you right every time and make sure you'll be dreaming about the food you had for years to come. read more

The rumors of Tony's demise have been greatly exaggerated. I've had an amazing experience at Tony's on each of my trips here. If you go to Tony's, I highly recommend ordering the 6 course tasting menu. It changes regularly, but the experience is divine. You can still have a great experience without ordering the tasting menu, though. I brought my mom here for her birthday when she was in town. The service was excellent. So much so, that my mom remarked about the great service (and how much better it was than the restaurants in Miami). The trip to Tony's made my mother's day, and for that they have both my gratitude and my preferred choice for future special occasions. My favorite things on the dinner menu are both snapper dishes, the Prime filet, the salmon crudo, the rustic potatoes, and last but not least, the white truffle souffle. The white truffle souffle deserves it's own separate mention. The souffle itself is light, fluffy and airy. The sauce paired with it is rich and creamy with a divine truffle flavor. Make sure you save room for dessert, and if you're celebrating a birthday, enjoy the cotton candy. read more

I came here with the girlfriend for Valentine's Day. I thought the experience overall was pretty good, but there are definite areas for improvement. And yes, the dinner did burn a hole in my wallet. We started with ordering a bottle of wine with the sommelier's help - he was great and very helpful. We got the Duemani Altrovino, which was fantastic and thankfully not insanely expensive. For the first course, she got fettuccine and I got a dish called caramelli - I liked both, and thought mine was very good. It was rich and cheesy. Excellent. Second course: She got the crab and lobster salad, which was so-so. It was all fresh, but just wasn't exciting. I got the lobster bisque, with a little sherry added. Really, really good. Third course: She got the braised beef short ribs while I got the filet mignon of lamb. Her dish edged mine out slightly, but I was still happy with my lamb, perfectly cooked to medium. For dessert, we each received the plate with a mini key-lime pie (great), chocolate mousse/cake thing (okay), and cheesecake (pretty good). Service seemed a bit rushed; it was often hard to catch someone's eye to get more water, but we got a lot of bread. Weird. I was also not a big fan of the table set-up. We were seated against a wall, seated together on the bench with the table pushed in. It made for a good view of the dining room, but I was sorta hoping to watch my date the entire night, not waiters rushing to and fro. Music: The biggest negative. It ranged from horrible rock music to horrible dance/pop/disco, or something like that. The music was too loud and horrific. It totally clashed with whatever 1) Tony's should be about and 2) what Valentine's Day at Tony's should be about. Basically, it ruined the mood and ambiance. Tony's: remember the name Bill Evans, download his jazz albums, and play them softly. That's the mood you should be setting. read more

Been a long time patron of Tony's...back to the 80's at the Beautiful, historic Post Oak spot. My father first sent me there for a nice dinner while I was home from university. I'll never forget how well two young college students were treated among all the rich and famous. On my wedding night when we hit the limo to head away from all the hoopla asked the driver...Tony's please sir. As we pulled up Tony was outside and said I think we are closing down but can I arrange a dinner another night? I said it was our wedding night and we'd just like to hit the bar. Well the rest was amazing. He escorted us to the bar and told the bartender to take great care of us. We ordered some cocktails and that's all we planned. About the time we were done a bottle of Veuve Clicquot showed up compliments of Tony. Then a few very scrumptious appetizers that were beyond wonderful. It's was such an wonderful ending to a beautiful evening...been a happy guest at Tony's ever since. Please ask for the roast duck with cherry sauce...from the old Post Oak menu..it'll change your life. read more

Talk about fine dining, this is probably the best I've ever had. The food is phenomenal. I got the duck here once and I didn't expect much more than just well cooked duck, but I could've never imagined how delicious that duck was. It was beyond delicious. Entrees are about $60-$90. Appetizers are $15-19. They also have over 1100 wines in stock including a 1700's French wine for $13000. They are also one of the few restaurants in Houston who carries Louis XIII Cognac. Service 100+, Decor 95. Come here for the experience! read more

Tony's is an old school Houston establishment, which means the people watching and clientele isn't exactly what you're used to seeing at typical trendy joints. We went with another couple on a Friday night, and even though we had reservations, the place was pretty much dead. The space itself is unusual. Located at the bottom of an office building, the interior is surprisingly open with tall ceilings, which make it look even emptier than it really is. Let's just say I wouldn't use the words "intimate" or "cozy" to describe the space. Nevertheless, the quality of food and service is exactly what you'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber. There's no rush to order or move your meal along, because it seems like the kinda place that really wants you to enjoy the experience. If you share an appetizer (as we did with several dishes), they actually split every dish and plate it for the individual diner, which I thought was a nice touch. We started with the tuna tartare and burrata with prosciutto, both of which were fabulous! We loved every bite and probably could have used a few more. We also started with an order of the pappardelle, which was also very small in portion but perfect when split between 4 people. For my main course I got the branzino, which was also fantastic. It was crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and had the perfect lemony buttery tartness you'd expect. It was an excellent dish! Every Houstonian foodie should experience Tony's once. Make an evening out of it (our reservation was at 7:30 and we didn't get home til almost 11!) and enjoy the variety of dishes with a group. I don't need to go back anytime soon, but I'm certainly glad I can cross this one off my Houston restaurant bucket list. read more

After more than 30 years in Post Oak, Tony's is now in Greenway Plaza. I only mention because a restaurant in Houston lasting 30 years deserve a damn medal or something. Very well-heeled clientele, lunch verges on affordable and makes for a good scene, if you're into some people watching. The seafood gazpacho was spicy but great and my friend said her braised short ribs were perfect. We didn't have room but the peach crostada is supposedly legendary. read more

Tony's - wine cellar - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We went to Tony's for my Birthday celebration. The service was top notch and my entree was incredible. I will definitely be back and so glad we decided to dine ar this Houston staple! read more

Came here for lunch for two on a Tuesday, and it was crowded! We arrived around 11:30 (restaurant opens at 11), and there were not that many people. But when it was around noon, the restaurant was completely full. Say what? It'll probably be best to make reservations. :) ENVIRONMENT: Omygoodness...this place is so, so, so elegant. The bread is set up like little flower pots. When I first saw it, I thought it was a decorating piece. Then I realized you can actually eat it...Haha. Even the butter was pretty.... Most "upscale" restaurants have dim lighting. TBH, I'm not a big fan because what's so romantic about not even seeing the face of the person you are eating with? Well, Tony's has a really bright and colorful interior. Plenty sunlight gets in through the large windows, so you can see your friends' face bright and clear. :) SERVICE: Sooooo there are about 50 waiters here? No joke. Someone came to my side before I even opened my mouth asking for something. Tony's, why is your service so good? The manager even came and personally served us like we were Royal guests. Best service I've ever had in a restaurant, hands down. So attentive to every customer. Filled my water cup after each sip...Haha, just joking. But seriously, phenomenal service. FOOD: We got the business express lunch ($21/person) with 3-course meal! You get the option of two soups, 3 entrees, and 2 desserts. I had the tomato basil soup, and it was alright. My entree was steak, and it was pretty good. Not the best, but hey, what can you expect with a $21 3-course meal? My dessert, however, was SO good. We both got the cheesecake, and wow...so, so rich. BUT this is just the business express lunch. We peeked at the OTHER side of the menu with REGULAR food prices...and the price/dish is around $40/each. Tony's is known for its steak, and one of its steak dish was $97. =O I'll come back if I'm a millionaire. Haha. So if you want to come here for regular meal, be prepared to send some $$$$. PARKING: Valet only. Because remember that you are Royalty. I first thought I arrived at the wrong restaurant because everyone walking into Tony's were successful businessmen in well-tailored suits, so I stupidly asked the valet guy, "Is this Tony's?" when he was clearly wearing a Tony's shirt. Haha...doh! Hooray to cheap(er) business express lunches! =D read more

My boyfriend and I dined at this restaurant earlier today around 6:00. We originally made a reservation for 5:45, but because of rush hour traffic we could not make it in time. We called in to inform them and they were very helpful and assured us that we would not lose our table. When we arrived, we were greeted by 3 valets who all welcomed us with smiling faces. Likewise when we walked through the doors. We were escorted to the table and there were about 4 waiters standing around who all joined to welcome us. They moved our dishes for us, made sure we were comfortable, and were extremely nice. Throughout the entire dinner i do not recall one instance where i was not pleased with the service. The food was spectacular! My boyfriend ordered the Fettucine and i ordered the Pappardelle Bolongese -- yummy and filling. We also ordered rustic potatoes and mac and cheese on the side -- even more yummy! When we told the waiter that it was our anniversary, he planned to give us a cotton candy platter on the house and they even wrote it in chocolate! So thoughtful. Overall, i would reccommend this restaurant to everyone and anyone. It is an inherently fine, quality restaurant with elegant food to match. Bravo! read more

Insanely rude waitstaff, terribly cooked food. My husband is Italian and I think his nonna would roll over in her grave if she even smelled the food. Complete waste of money, and next time I spend 400 dollars we will just pull it out and light it on fire. read more

My boyfriend took me here on a fancy date this past Saturday for restaurant week and we both had a great time. I've also been here a few years ago for a work lunch during the week and remember having a delicious meal with excellent service. This is an upscale restaurant so you need to dress up, especially on the weekend that means jackets, gentlemen! Our food was amazing and they even have two reasonably priced bottles of wine on the HRW menu. They provide you with breads at your table but someone also comes along and offers two different styles of fresh, warm bread- get the brown piece, I promise you won't go wrong it's delicious. For the main course,I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly and he had the chicken francese. My blackberry crostata for dessert was divine! On our way out the hostess gave myself and another lady in front of me a small bag of biscottis "for our coffees in the morning" which was a great touch! I'd recommend this place for a special occasion. It really is great food and service. read more

This place is what inspired me to get on YELP to start reviewing. My husband and I went here for our anniversary and we were very impressed. The service was impeccable. Always there when you needed something but never rushing you or making you feel like someone is hovering over you and your meal. The menu is seasonal and it a good idea to try their special dishes as those are what is most fresh. It was truffle season so we tried many truffled dishes and all were superb. Each bite was delectable and presentation was well done. If it's on the menu, I highly suggest the truffle macaroni and cheese as a side dish. My only regret is that it was towards the end of the meal and I didn't have enough room to enjoy it more. For a special event, this is definitely the place to go. read more

My husband and I came here for valentines day, and the menu was fixed but still had several options for each of the four courses, which was nice. The price was $95 per person, which seems on par for what I would expect to spend on this holiday. On any other day, though, I would have thought that for what we got, $95 each would have been significantly overpriced. First, when they brought us to our table, it was obvious that they had brought in extra tables just for the occasion, and ours was one of those. Normally, this would be perfectly acceptable to me. However in this case, the table legs were such that it made it virtually impossible to sit next to each other at our round table, as the table was set, so we had to do some rearranging and sit across from each other instead. It was ok, but it would have been nicer and more romantic if we had not had that issue. The service was excellent throughout the whole evening, well done. We started out with the bread basket and two types of butter, one of which had truffle on top. Nice touch. The first course: I got some tuna tartare which was very yummy. Raw tuna with an Asian soy sauce thing. My husband got some ravioli which was very very good as well. The second course my husband had the primavera salad and it was also excellent. I had the grilled baby octopus and it was not good at all. There was some sort of flavor that I didn't like. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be that way or not. It was very very smoky and something else that I can't quite describe. The main course was duck with risotto and cherry sauce for my husband. This was also excellent, as was my fish. My fish was Sea Bass lightly fried with mushrooms and a delicious sauce. Lastly, dessert was tasty as well. A trio of small desserts. All in all, I was happy with our dinner. I could have been more impressed, but for a crowded restaurant on valentines day, it was A OK. read more

Not too impressed. I made a reservation for 7:30pm on a Friday night. I got there and had to wait 15 minutes which wasn't that big of a deal. After I was seated I had to wait another 15 minutes until I finally asked for the menu because the waiter did not attend to us. The food took a long time to come out but I didn't think it was anything special. The lobster bisque was too salty and the sea bass was tiny. The only thing I would say was good was the ambiance. I would consider spending that amount of money somewhere else. read more

Stellar. I had the Stuffed Truffled Filet of Beef, which was done to absolute perfection, followed by the best soufflé I've ever had. The "personal size" soufflé was enough to feed three of us, and the other end of the table ordered one that overfed the remaining eight. Reasonably quick service, knowledgeable staff, especially the sommelier, and a bit too expensive to make the place a regular Friday night hangout, but definitely a worthwhile destination if you wanted to impress a date or a business colleague. I'll echo previous reviews that question the oddly psychotic "berries on a metal tree" that they bring out, but will add that the berries were exceptionally fresh, even in early January. read more

I made a reservation 2-3 weeks prior to the day to make sure our big group is catered. When I first called, they made sure we were dressed properly. (Dress fancy : Female: Dress/ business casual Male: Long pants, jackets or button ups, closed toe shoes, no sandals, no sneakers). When I talked to the lady on the phone, they were proud to represent themselves as best authentic italian place. When we finally arrived, there were several hostess walked us to our table. Several servers were hanging around our table area, waiting to be called. I definitely felt like they were very serious with their service, and make sure we get taken care of. However when we started with drinks, we ended up waiting so long for the waiters to take our orders. Some of them actually refused to take our order because he wasn't supposed to help us. Despite of how lovely of this place was with fancy sculptures and beautiful paintings, it seemed like place was so unorganized. Its not the most spacious place, almost reminded me of hotel lobby with grand entrance with several tables. As mentioned, loved how they decorated the place with artistic works. Almost felt like we were dinning at a art museum. We enjoyed the soft music in the background, classic yet subtle. HRW menu was also presented with regular menu, and every dishes were excellent. They weren't americanized or catered towards the general public in that they were very authentic. I loved every dishes they had!! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!! With a big group of people, we were able to taste little bit of everything, although it seems to be discouraged to share foods. Every one of them were perfectly cooked, and presented with perfect demonstration with impeccable flavor. Of all the dishes I want to just point out few dishes from HRW and few of my favorite regular menu. 1. Fettuccine alfredo: WASN'T WHITE! 4.5/5 We always assumed Alfredo sauce was white and creamy, but this showed little bit of orange color bit of tomato flavor. Cream was just so flavorful, eating it with bread was another way to enjoy this dish. Now, the pasta though, you can tell they hand make this pasta. It was so soft and chewy. I wish the portions were larger 2. Risotto de fungi: They suggested it was the best risotto in town. They had a record of winning an award for this dish and it didn't disappoint us. Definitely amazing and flavorful with mushroom and cream with aldente rice. Definitely wished it was larger portion 3. WINE!: They have a wine selection called ultra violet. $90 range. It was so amazing. We ended up looking it up and you could only get it from ordering it online. I was surprised they had such a good wine lists to go well with the food. Definitely going to order this wine myself Overall I want to give 4/5: Reason for not giving them not 5 is that, their disappointing service, and overly set price despite of small portion. Tony's definitely already have its reputation for serving high quality food and what not, but wish they can improve their service. read more

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