I went here recently and was shocked that after 30yrs, nothing had changed, and the place looked very outdated as opposed to retro. The service was low energy and no better than at Olive Gargen. The majority of clientele was either old money there to be seen or younger people celebrating something. They also have this pheasant dish that permeates the entire restaurant with a horrible smell; all the tables around us though it was a gas leak. Very disappointing that they cannot do more with such prime real estate! read more

Delicious food. Service staff is great, especially Marcus.Very attentive. Beautiful bar area. Very comfortable place to enjoy fine dining. Enjoyed talking with Chef Kate. read more

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Best experience I've had at a restaurant. I'm in the medical district, not on vacation and extremely stressed. My wife and I wanted a nice dinner, booked a reservation and Tony's not understanding they have a dress code- no hats, long pants, etc....nothing wild but after a day of tests I was not prepared. I unfortunately flipped out, used choice words, and left...embarrassing my wife. The owner Donna came outside and quickly understood my situation. She sat us at a table immediately and sat and talked with us for a bit making us feel more relaxed. We ordered the short rib tortellini, fettuccine with crab meat/sauce/sausage, lemongrass parmesan broccoli, and tiramisu. These were some of the best dishes we've ever ordered that were elegantly prepared, perfectly seasoned, and very filling. The owner sent over an order of soufflé potatoes, I wish I would have ordered 5 servings of this dish! The reality is I was a jerk, the owner understands what people with a medical wrist band are going through, and she treated us like first class patrons. I couldn't thank Donna and her staff enough for making a miserable week a little more tolerable. read more

Tony's took us back to the old school fine dining days where the service and food mattered more than the niche atmosphere and Instagram moments. Every staff member was so attentive but not overbearing. Our server, Ramon, was pleasant and patient while we took our time with each course. The wine manager had fun with us and let us try a few wines before settling on our dinner glass. And the food! Everything was so delicious. Our dishes came out in a timely fashion but not rushed. We came early, we listened to live music, and we enjoyed each other's company. You can tell by the clientele that it's an old gem of Houston. It was a lovely date night. Definitely deserves far more than its current Yelp rating. read more

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My boyfriend knows I'm a huge foodie, I love tasting menus and I'm hard to surprise but our grand tasting at Tony's for Valentine's Day was everything I could've ever dreamed. First off, I've never heard of Tony's before I walked into the restaurant- and what a shame that is. The inside is beautiful, intimate lighting and art sculptures. We dined along many "old money houstonians"- dress conservatively. The only menu I got to see was the wine list- we chose the Silver Ghost Cabernet (which i highly recommend!). After that, our server simply said sit back and enjoy. First course- Giardno inverno Pickled Chanterelles, Compressed Broccoli, Hazelnut. A beautiful fresh first dish. This acidic dish was very different and the mushrooms were very nutty. I wouldn't order it again, but I appreciated the exposure. Second course-sunchoke E caviale Osetra Caviar, Pine Nut, Littleneck Clams If I could've ordered 6, I would've. This is everything I love all in one bite. The table side plating was a beautiful touch. Don't miss out on this. Third course: Scarpinocc Rabbit Confit Stuffed Pasta, Toasted Pistachio, Heirloom Carrots, Crimson Lentils with table side shaved truffles. This was the moment I knew this was going to be my favorite tasting- white gloved service tableside shaved truffle will make you drool. This rabbit dish would be very enjoyable without the truffles also. Fourth course: Pulpo Crispy Mediterranean Octopus, Zipper Cream Peas, Sauce "Cassoulet" Since I know I'm never going to be able to do octopus at restaurant quality at home, I always look forward to a good octopus dish. The accessory flavors to this octopus really make a great flavor profile. Fifth course: Colorado Lamb Porterhouse Toasted Rye, Sugar Snap Peas, Caraway Lamb Jus How could you not like this dish? Two different cuts of lamb and the charred sugar snap peas were incredible. Highly recommend. Sixth course: Aged Duck Press There is no description of this on the menu, but when the head chef rolled out to prepare our duck tableside, all the other patrons in the restaurant were questioning what we had ordered. I believe this is the only duck press left in the US, but there should be more. The chef pressed the blood of the duck, herbs and roasted veggies into a liquid. That liquid was mixed with grand mariner and duck stock to create the most flavorful sauce I've ever experienced. The duck was aged and cooked to perfection. I know this will be my favorite duck dish of all time. Seventh course: Meredith's Dairy Farmer's Cheese Banana, Rye Oats, Citrus "Bare with me on this one" was the way our server presented this dessert to us. This was a very pungent flavor- I thought the flavor combo was so different from anything I had ever had, but 3 bites was plenty for me. This is one I could've skipped, but I'm glad I got to try it. Eight Course- Kishu Mandarin Bar The Kishu mandarin has a 3 week season- we were fortunate enough to experience this dish while it was still on the menu. This dish was the perfect blend of citrus fresh and sweet. The brûléed Kishu mandarins were a beautiful touch. If you ever have the opportunity (I guess next year?), try this dessert. It was lovely. Overall, I strive to be a regular in this restaurant. The whole experience was perfect- ambiance, food, drinks, service. I commend this place on staff knowledge and presentation. I will definitely be back to try the soufflé! read more

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My husband and I wanted to love Tony's so badly. We are avid foodies and love trying different tasting menus around Houston. Unfortunately, this one was disappointing. I don't want to leave out the positives because this restaurant did have some very good points. I will begin with those. Pros: The service at the beginning was slow, but after we ordered, our waiter and the rest of the staff was extremely attentive. The wine pairings were wonderful. The atmosphere was lovely and some of the dishes I saw coming to other tables were amazing presentations. The chef personally came out at the beginning of our meal and was very warm and engaging. The valet service was inexpensive and quick. Cons: We ordered the seven course tasting menu with the basic wine pairing. We were having trouble figuring out the menu based on how the courses were listed and asked one of the staff members to explain it to us. Basically, what we were told was that the main course and the pasta dish had two available options to choose from and everything else was set on the menu. They did not inform us that one of the pasta options (truffles) was an additional $150 per person added onto the $175 per person for the tasting menu plus the $55/person wine pairing. I will say that there were different prices listed next to some of the dishes, but they also had a heading at the top of the menu stating that some of the options were available a la carte, so my husband and I assumed those prices were only listed for those that did not order the entire tasting menu. The first four courses were very good, but not anything mind blowing. The fifth course, (the lobster in the mung bean sauce) was so fishy and foul tasting that my husband became physically ill and we had to skip the last two courses and have them packed up to go. We were also not informed that one of the main course options (which my husband chose) was an additional fee. We did not get our last two wine pairings because we had to leave, and we still left paying almost $800 for this meal. We may have just encountered a fluke, but I don't think we will be back. The quality of the food just does not justify the prices they charge. read more

Tony's - Baby Maine Lobster in mung bean sauce - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

We came here to celebrate my good friend's birthday in the Library Wine Room. We ordered two of every appetizer and I ordered the Malbec Wine, Birthday girl ordered the Cab and the guys ordered the Old Fashion. Service was on point. Every dish that came out was absolutely full of flavor! Order the Foie Gras and cotton candy, it is delightful in your mouth! My favorite was the Ahi Crudo and Softshell Crab with Angel hair pasta with lump crab. We all enjoyed the whole night with laughs and story telling. The owner even dropped in to say hello, which is very nice! read more

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It remains to be my favorite place to dine. Service is good, food is excellent. There are very minor things that I would like to address. I am not quite sure valet has to be five dollars. Already, the cost is on the high side, so why? The other is how to challenge with other menu, it is a quite an expensive place to dine. So, you always end up eating the same stuff. I wish that they have like a collection of tasing menu that you can try. read more

I come here frequently for Wealth Design Group's quarterly coaching session in the private room. The food is always top notch, as well as the service. They frequently keep the wine glasses topped off and the bread is so fluffy and fresh. It is always a 3-course menu. Starting off with lobster bisque or a custom salad they make for the event. Then entree is filet mignon or red snapper. The filet is slightly a bit dry and could use more gravy at times, but otherwise seasoned well. Red snapper is always a good choice. And my favorite is the dessert which is this flourless chocolate cake. I enjoy my experience every time I come here! read more

A wonderful atmosphere highlighting delicious food and top rated service. Our evening was very special and very well done by the attentive staff and chefs. read more

It's only valet here. The hostess girl looked like she was about to go clubbing or a sugar baby to be honest. I went to dinner with a friend. She had already been seated so when I told the hostess She looked me up and down and asked if I was at the right place. I guess cause I didn't bring out my designer handbags and shoes I guess and came right after work. She found the reservation and took me to my seat, but the transition was not smooth. The ambience of the staff bringing the truffle was great and serving the dishes. Other than that, it was mediocre. The filet mignon was not good. The truffle pasta was great though! But I would rather go elsewhere for truffle pasta. read more

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Update: 3/16/19: Tony never disappoints. However, we tried the seafood gumbo tonight and although it is a good seafood soup, it is not a true gumbo. It lacks the depth of a good, brown roux and it also lacks the essential ingredient of okra. Gumbo literally means okra. At least the did not call it gumbo yaya which literally means okra rice, because this soup is not served with rice either. Very generous portions of crab and small shrimp are in the soup. The prosciutto riserva, parmigiana riserva, and cherry appetizer is wonderful. Would not change a thing. ---------------------------------------------- A small sampling of breadsticks and baked Parmesan are on the table when you arrive with a bowl of butter and olive oil. Be sure to ask for bread or it will not be brought to the table. The artichoke salad was very nice but small. For all portions, think unusually small. The food is a lot more adventurous than your average Italian restaurant. Definitely an older crowd. The pasta portions are e trembly small, but delicious. The chocolate caramel dessert is the perfect ending to the meal. The artichoke salad is absolutely delightful. The pasta appetizers are very small and have gotten remarkably smaller over the years. The Dover sole is light and wonderful. It is citrusy and has just the right amount of olive oil. The recommend having crab meat on top, but it does not need it at all. Request a side of farrow. The macaroni and cheese is a bit heavy. The soufflé - I can't say enough about the soufflé for dessert. There are a variety of choices for the soufflé. All are excellent. For special occasions, tell them and they will bring out cotton candy with a sparkler. So fedtiv read more

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Came here for Valentine's Day. It was my first time. At first we were seated by the bar area. It was extremely drafty and the service was terrible. I was upset with the first 15 minutes of my experience here. But I went to the front desk as we weren't even acknowledged by the waiters once we were seated. I had to ask for water and bread. They moved us to the dining room area and what a difference! The waiters were more attentive and it wasn't as cold and it was more quiet. We had a wonderful evening after moving tables. But that first 15 minutes was unacceptable! I'm glad the team redeemed themselves or I would have left a bad review. Probably won't be back anytime soon tho! read more

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I finally tried this place n went this afternoon an hour after my dentist appointment. I will admit the well-known reputation this establishment has for being extremely fancy was a little intimidating on my first visit here. I have eaten in numerous upscale steakhouses n never felt that before from any of them. It was very nice to be both welcomed in and greeted out the door with pure class by the two hosts or assistant managers standing there. I ordered the 55 day dry-aged NY Strip (medium rare), a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, small size Chocolate Soufflé for dessert and a takeout of appetizer portion Angel Hair Bolognese. Everything was very delicious, high quality and very well made. This meat order was one of the two best dry aged steaks I ever eaten along with the one from Pappas Bros. I usually prefer wet aged and am not too impressed with most dry aged steaks. This dry-aged Strip cut was excellent in seasoning, natural beef flavor, consistency, tenderness, texture and moisture. The inside of the meat was the exact shade of red that medium rare should be. That dry-aged end taste was a bit nutty in the best way and not too grainy, sour or bitter, just right. The texture was slightly firm as this cut is supposed to be, but still very soft and juicy all the way through. Every bite was superb. One of the 4 best steaks in any order I have ever eaten along with Pappas Bros, Ruth's Chris and Morton's was this afternoon at Tony's. The cold, crispy, fruity n bitter white wine paired very well with this warm, savory order. I would have ordered their flourless chocolate cake if they still had it, but they no longer do. Thus, I had to get their famous Chocolate Soufflé. It was very tasty, soft and juicy. The soufflé by itself was a smidge crispy with a lot of softness and was mostly a big winner for its texture. The dark chocolate sauce used in and with it was what made it awesome in taste and a very satisfying dessert. The bartender that took care of me was very classy, well-mannered, hospitable, professional and efficient. My takeout order of appetizer portion Angel Hair Bolognese was so tasty n the best one I had since a really good cafe near my house had one about a decade ago before the owner passed. This bolognese had a buttery, savory, meaty and pleasantly herbed aromatic taste with plenty of well-seasoned ground meat, chunks of tomatoes and loose, buttery gravy. The noodles were very soft, fresh and tasted great with the rest of it. It tasted like a real, authentic one that wasn't Americanized or at least not down in our region of the country. It made a great night time snack n was pretty filling for an appetizer size too. I am planning to take my parents here for Mother's Day. I am unsure if I will order the same as earlier again or try something new on the future visit. We shall see... read more

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Have eaten here for 50 years. The food and service are consistently excellent. The tradition of fine dining is preserved at this iconic establishment. read more

I have a few regrets about this place. Having the tendency to get excited about the hot and new restaurants, I completely overlooked the classic greats, especially the ones that have existed longer than I've been alive (50+ years dang). So my regret number one is not coming here sooner. I also regret not bringing a thicker jacket, because this place really does get kinda chilly inside. And the biggest regret of all is not ordering the party sized soufflé at the beginning of our meal, because that single serving of grand marnier eggy goodness was the biggest tease ever (refer to creeper photo below). You're greeted at the door by the OG Tony crew - Tony Vallone's wife Donna. White linen tables filled with classily dressed fancy folk, you know this place is serious about everything from their food to their service. The waiters are dressed in suit and tie, and the table side shows leave me drooling - delicious looking dessert flambé, loads of fresh truffle shavings, and soufflés bigger than your head cut and served... the visuals are better than visiting the Guggenheim. The food is as good as it looks. I can only speak from the HRW menu. Firstly, there is an assortment of crackers waiting for you at the table. They refill these because we devoured our first bowl very quickly so they came back with two more bowls worth. Risotto truffle is a flavor explosion. The steak was cooked to perfection w an amazing flavor. Short rib was oh so tender. And did I mention the soufflé yet? Get the soufflé. If you want the ginormo sized soufflé you have to order when you first get there because it takes about 45 min to make. Bring a friend. Or just eat it all yourself and be happy. I bet you deserve it. I'll have more to report when we come for the regular menu. I hear they just received their first batch of seasonal white truffles. You best believe we will be back soon. read more

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One of my new favorites! The waitstaff were well groomed and very attentive. The manager took my daughter to a kitchen tour to see the cotton candy making. Her smile explained it all. We are going back next week. The food was amazing, everything was prepared excellent and taste was to perfection. read more

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Great experience. Servers were on their A game. Not pretentious. Very courteous. Pleasant and super attentive. Just really classy all around. Ms. Vallone, dressed elegantly, made her way to each table to make sure everyone was happy and then to the kitchen. The Greenway Express is such a fantastic deal for lunch - $25 for a high end 3 course meal. soup of the day (red pepper that day), pasta (Campanelli which was delicious) and cheesecake You can also opt for a salad on the appetizer or main. For me, I chose the Tony cheeseburger. It looks on the small side, but it's got some serious heft to it. Comes with a coke or Diet Coke - in the bottle. I know it's psychological but being Diet Cokeaholic it just taste better from a bottle. Glass of wine is slightly on the expensive side. but who drinks wine for lunch anyway ... well other than my wife I mean. Bread was crisp on top and soft in the middle and Plenty of butter. Bread man came by twice and there were 3 choices including a cranberry one which tasted surprisingly good. Water man kept our glasses full. Decorations were Fall like with lots of orange. Nice touch. No beachware or athleticware (probably means no shorts or Sandals). I wore jeans and a printless T-shirt and got in fine. read more

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My wife and I normally take a trip on our anniversary, so we very rarely eat an anniversary dinner in Houston. But with a new grandchild on the way we were staying in town and decided on old school Houston fine dining at Tony's for our 24th wedding anniversary. I was a little concerned when we arrived for our 6 PM reservation and the place was virtually empty but apparently we are just early diners and by the time we left around 8:15 the restaurant was very full. The service was excellent as you would expect from Tony's and the food was outstanding. We started with the Octopus which was charred to perfection with an excellent sauce. We then shared the Seafood Gumbo which was top notch and the tableside prepared Caesar Salad. Its always fun to watch the traditional Caesar preparation in action. The salad was good but not great. Probably heavier on the garlic than we would have liked. It was substantial though. We then shared the crab and Italian sausage fettuccine. It doesn't sound like a typical pairing, but it worked nicely. The pasta courses are not very big, so if you want pasta as your main just tell them and they can make you an entrée sized version. For our mains we had the snapper with Barolo Sauce and the Veal Chop. The snapper was crispy on the outside but moist and flavorful on the inside and the sauce really did its job. The Veal Chop was substantial and came with a Maitake Mushroom along with a cognac sauce. Excellent. We ordered the broccoli and crispy potato side dishes. I can't comment on them as we were too stuffed and had them packaged to take home (and we forgot our take home items at the restaurant). Bottom line is that Tony's came through with an excellent anniversary dinner. We hadn't been to Tony's in over 15 years as we had not been to the Richmond location. I don't think we will wait 15 years for our next visit. read more

First time ever to the Famous Tony's Restaurant off Richmond in Houston and the experience was Magnificent!! Okay so this was June 19th when I was treated to a wonderful dinning experience with a few Colleagues. I admit, I have been dying to try this place and when my Friend asked me if I wanted to meet him and another colleague there, I was clicking my Red Glitter Princess Heels and off I went. We opted for a visit during the Lunch hour and it was nothing short of fantastic. The service is impeccable. Fine dinning at its best and at any time of the day. From the moment I valeted my car to the moment I stepped back into my car, it was all flawless. Obviously, I'm big on Customer Service and how I'm treated. Now the Food!!! Wow! So delicious. We all started with the Soup of the Day which was creamy pumpkin yumminess. Then onto a salad which was light and tangy. Then the entree. I had to have Chicken Parmesan. It melted in my mouth for real. So tender and juicy and the sauce!! Wow. Nothing like I had ever tasted. Of course we had to have Dessert. I have always heard about the Tuxedo Cake. Ohhhhhh! It's unbelievable. I had to push my plate away after about 3 bites. I have no other words to describe this dessert other than Heavenly. If you haven't treated yourself or another to a lovely fine dinning evening in a while, you must go and try Tony's. read more

Tony's - Soup of the Day. Pumpkin - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Came here for HRW dinner. The employees there were all very hospitable, almost overwhelmingly so. Our dinner was 6:30p, and the restaurant was almost empty when we arrived, but it was about 1/3 full when we left. At the beginning, there were so many servers and busboys standing around and chatting. I felt like the server was paying overwhelming attention to us, kind of always glancing at us to attend to our every need. It was a bit too much. It's nice the water is never less than 2/3 full, but still, a bit too much to feel like he can hear every word of your conversation and see you take every bite. The food was excellent for the most part. We ordered trombetti (pasta with ricotta), quail lollipops, snapper, duckling, mousse, and lemon tart. The apps were good but not excellent, the entrees were both excellent, and the desserts were good. Also, parking is valet only! And there's dress code. read more

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What a sad day to write a 3 star review, knowing this restaurant has so much more potential. In the tradition of my newfound personal style of my Yelp reviews, I'll start by saying that despite my age, despite having completed my degree, and despite having spent the last few years as a successful corporate businesswoman, I look like I'm about 14 years old. I get carded at PG-13 movies, and restaurants often spend a few extra minutes scrutinizing my ID. I always thought my age would be the deterrent, but thanks to Tony's, I now know that there is far more that you can be discriminated against for. I don't know her name, and frankly, I was too upset to even ask, but Tony's has a MUCH older white woman working at the front desk as a hostess. Apparently, her job description is as follows: When you see a young couple approach the front desk, one wearing dress shorts, a dress shirt and dress shoes, other wearing rain-boots, a cardigan, and hair slightly untamed from the storm raging outside, you're supposed to eye them up and down, walk ALL the way from around the host stand just to stare down their appearance, judge their character from being young and not-white, and then despite their reservation, ask them to leave. No apologies. Never mind what their bank accounts look like, or who they are, or where they work, or if one of them happens to be a Yelp Elite whose been waiting 2 years to try this restaurant, 2 years of working to become a young professional who can afford to eat in a restaurant of this caliper. Never mind it all, right? Cause that's just the job. I'll have you know that this happened to me. And I was humiliated, and enraged. We went home, changed into our finest suits and dresses, pearls and top hats (okay, now I'm just being dramatic), and returned to Tony's with a new reservation an hour later. Upon returning in, the hostess didn't even bat an eyelid. Her head was swooped into finely tuned concentration onto her computer screen. When I said, "Excuse me!" quite abruptly, she shook from her stance, startled. I said, "Get your manager for me. Now." She scurried off to return only a few moments later, mouthing to the gentleman, "He was actually in SHORTS." Loudly, I interrupted her, "Great! Thank you for filling him in. Now I don't have to!" The hostess' eyes widened, and the manager stiffened, cringing at the thought of an upset, bratty young guest. Directed at the manager, I said, "Will you please honor our reservation and escort us to our table?!" He graciously complied. After laying into the manager about the unacceptable behavior of his hostess, we received numerous apologies, and were served by 3 gentleman in suits for the remainder of the evening, who I assume to be other managers. We also had a server, and two other non-servers continuously catering to our every need for the rest of the evening. I couldn't be sure if the level of service was to compensate for the god-awful behavior of the hostess, or if this is the every day standard for Tony's. After further observation of other guests' tables, and after catching the managers huddled behind their wall directly looking at our table was conversing into some top secret conversation, I'd have to believe the former. $200-something later, we signed our bill, and left. The food, pictures provided, was exceptional. It was perfectly prepared, served, and tasty. I had zero complaints regarding the service, other than the intentions behind it, or the food or the cleanliness. Spot on. But to ruin what could have been a really special evening over preconceived notions and discriminatory behavior is completely unacceptable. In anger, I could have dropped this to a one star review. In mercy, I tell the story exactly as it happened. Be better people, Tony's. read more

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Well I have lived full circle in this city. When I first moved here some 40+ years ago, there were restaurants, then there was Tony's and Maxim's. You weren't a Houstonian until you had eaten at these two splendid establishments. Time passes, life gets in the way, and things change. Maxim's is gone, so we decided to try Tony's for the first time in a while, just for old time's sake. Well we dropped in like we were "somebody" and asked for a table for 2 around 12:30 today. "Certainly" the hostess says, "but without reservations all we have is the bar." "No problem says I, I'll feel at home." Should have known....with no reservations at noon, and them not knowing me, the bar is somewhat analogous to having lunch at the food court at Memorial City Mall. We were seated at a 4 top, with only 2 chairs and and a tablecloth - that's it, no nothing. Should have know it wasn't going to be one of our the best experiences. I realized I was not with the Zum Zum crowd any longer. They didn't let us down, we were treated accordingly. Oh, the service was OK, its hard to screw up a lunch, but it was just the way it was presented and served. Back in the day, Tony's staff would pamper the patrons and made you feel on top of the world, that was part of the ambience of going there. But we had to ask for a wine list, had to ask for water; had to ask for bread, brought the butter when the meal was over; had to ask for lemon when both are having a broiled fish entree; had to ask for the check. The coup de grace was when the waiter sauntered up to my wife while she still eating and quietly said, "still working on that?" As though we were at Denny's on 45 South. The only thing missing was he wasn't chewing gum. I then knew that even the mighty can fall from grace. To sum up. The food is OK, the service is so-so, and for the moment the name is still one to drop if you're into that, but if everyone experiences what we did, it want be long. I'm sure the regulars feel it is the same place it was in 1972, but to the occasional patron it's nothing special any more. read more

We had a good experience at Tony's. The service was a bit slow but the food was good. Bread: 2/5 - the complimentary bread was really disappointing. It was cold and hard. Pansoti: 5:5 - this was an amazing dish, really flavorful. Cheeseburger: 4/5 - this was a good burger, had good flavor and the fries were a great pairing. Fettuccine: 3/5 - the pasta here was a little on the tougher side and the sauce had decent flavor. Cappuccino: 5/5 - this was a perfect cappuccino Soufflés (tiramisu and mixed berries): 4/5 - both soufflés were good but didn't stand out. read more

Tony's - Cappuccino - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The service at Tony's was exceptional. We had multiple wait staff attending to our every need. Our main "server" Mark, I am not sure if he held a different title since he was dressed in a suit, guided us through our menu. He explained every little detail and did not make us feel inferior for our lack of knowledge when it came down to the pronunciations of some of the menu items. I chose to indulge in the tasting menu with the wine pairing and it was exceptional. He explained every wine to me and did not make us feel rushed at any moment during our dining experience. We were celebrating our anniversary and he made it very special by recommending the soufflé. We opted for the chocolate instead of the banana foster. We also got to see many table side preparations. Overall it was a great night. I would have given it five stars but as someone else commented, the host in the front is not very welcoming. She saw us and just kind of stared at us at first. I had on jeans and heels as it was a surprise and did not know what to wear since I had no idea where we were going. It was also raining really hard so I opted out of wearing a dress. It didn't take long for us to be seated with our reservation she just seemed very unwelcoming you say the least. read more

Tony's - Chocolate Soufflé - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

What amazes me is the quality and at lunch it is an amazing bargain. You gotta go. Whether it's veal pillows or Wyatt salad or tartare or steak salad or branzino you can't go wrong read more

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Not a place to come if you're on a budget. service is always superb and food is spot on perfection. This is my second time and I highly recommend it for a night to splurge extensive wine list ranges from $50 to 45,000 no kidding read more

Tony's is an iconic Houston landmark with a revered past and beloved reputation for excellence in dining. Service never wavers and the food is an incredible culinary experience of layered yet well-balanced flavors and surprises. To dine here is to be treated like family in a Michelin star worthy restaurant. Reservations are recommended and valet is available. My recommendations are as follows: Veal Chop a la Oscar: 5/5! Bread Basket: 5/5! (It is THAT good) Truffle Risotto: 5/5! Duck Press: 5/5! Red Snapper Barolo: 5/5! Chocolate & Raspberry Soufflé: 5/5! Cheesecake: 5/5! Don't sleep on the happy hour menu for bites and drinks. The house Cab is my go-to (great value at $5/glass) along with the wagyu sliders (5/5!), corn raviolini (5/5!) and crunchy dill crusted chicken (5/5!) Pro tip: on your way out, ask for a bottle of their branded cold-pressed, unfiltered olive oil. Imported from Sicily, it is sensational and makes a fantastic gift!! read more

Tony's - Cheesecake: 5/5! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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From all the reviews of high-end restaurants that I've read so far on Yelp, Tony's seems to engender the highest degree of angst (ie. "we're not River Oaks kind of people but we wore nice clothes to dinner at Tony's and were surprised that how well they treated regular Joe's like us"). C'mon folks- why be intimidated by people whose job it is to "wait" on you? In other words, they work there. You don't. Anyhoo, given that it was Houston Restaurant Week and I'd never been here before, I rounded up some girlfriends for a Friday night dinner at Tony's. After we were seated, at least 4 waiters swarmed around to place napkins in our laps, offered an assortment of breadrolls, asked us what we'd like for an aperitif, told us the truffle special of the evening, etc... When one of my friends ordered a $20 glass of Veuve Cliquot, the frenzied circling of our table increased until..... DRUMROLL... we asked for the HRW menu. There was an uncomfortable silence from our servers who slunk away to a neighboring table who'd probably just ordered a bottle of Screaming Eagle Cab. As would become shortly and oh so abundantly clear, those words instantly transported us to "Dining Siberia"! Upon the mention of the presumably déclassé HRW menu (read: you cheapskates), our cadre of waiters dispersed and all that was left was a hapless fellow who resignedly took our HRW order (and insisted that we order all 3 courses from the get-go. Nice.) When we asked if they had NZ Sauvignon Blancs on their wine list, he pretentiously announced that "Mr. Vallone is only concentrating on French, Italian and California wines". Wanting to comply with Mr T's three country wine edict, we ordered a 2008 bottle of Sancerre. At which point we were told, "Are you sure you want to order that? It is our last bottle". And your point is? As for the food, we all had the "Lasagnette" to start which consisted of dry-ish free form lasagna which had done a significant amount of time under the kitchen heat lamp. Once we were done chewing on dried out pasta sheets, our main course of Veal Scallopine with sauteed tomatoes and a fried artichoke swiftly appeared. It was room temperature - I guess there was no more room left under the heat lamps. Once we polished off the veal, like a cuckoo clocking striking on the hour, our pre-ordered desserts arrived. I had a slice of Praline Cheesecake which was decent but honestly, it was no better than something I could have purchased from Randall's. Our check arrived 5 minutes later and after paying approximately $80/pp for very mediocre, pre-prepared food, we were on our way to the valet stand. As you can probably tell from my review, HRW diners get short shrift at Tony's of which I'm mildly resentful. One deserves better from paying a $80/pp tab. Hence, next time I'm in the mood for Italian, I'll go to Giacomo's or Dolce Vita instead. Basically anywhere but here. Thumbs down, Mr. T. read more

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Wow. Just... WOW! If I could give 10 stars, I would! Every single bite made my eyebrows raise from awe - and there's some Botox in there! I'm just going to keep this simple and say this has become one of my new favorite restaurants in Houston. It's like the American/Italian version of Uchi. It ain't cheap, but there's a reason why. Their course menus (5,7,9 available) include such delectable items such as caviar in sturgeon broth and risotto with black AND white truffles - the seasons overlap sometimes! The complimentary bread sticks are unassumingly delicious! The soufflé is an absolute MUST. You can get any flavor, but the chocolate is a favorite. My personal fave is pecan praline. FYI: they can make any flavor to your heart's desire! The piano bar area is quaint and cozy. Food presentation is gorgeous. Service is impeccable. Ambiance is very romantic. Definitely a gem in Houston! read more

Tony's - Grand Marnier soufflé with blood oranges - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Tony's is an institution in Houston so I had been hoping to dine there for quite some time. I finally ended up going for my birthday and I could not have asked for a better dining experience. Some people say it's too snobby and complain that you have to wear a suit jacket. I get it but I think Tony's is a great spot for a special occasion or whenever if you're a baller. We had reserved the salt dome red snapper which is an experience in of itself. You have to order this dish at least 24 hours in advance and it's available as an appetizer or main course for two or more people. They take a whole red snapper, enclose it in a dome made out of salt, and cook the fish in the salt dome. They then bring the fish to your table on fire, I'll be uploading a picture so you can see what i mean. After a couple seconds, they smother the flames and use a mallet to break through the salt dome. From there, they pick out the best pieces and serve it to you along with a nice sauce and some asparagus. I was worried the snapper would be too salty since it was cooked in a salt dome and everything but this wasn't the case. It was tender and flavorful. The service was also impeccable. We were given salad and sweet corn ravioli on the house. They also brought me some cotton candy with a sparkler as a birthday dessert. The dining area is stunning and filled with modern art. Parking is valet only unless you are able to find some parking on the street. Several of the folks at Tony's wished me a happy birthday. Would they have been so nice if I wasn't celebrating a special occasion? I'll have to go back to be sure but I was very impressed with the harmony between top notch Italian cuisine and top notch service. read more

Tony's - Salt dome red snapper, talk about a culinary experience! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

The service at Tony is spectacular, we frequently come here to celebrate events. On more "low key" celebrations, our favorite thing to do is go to the bar, get a bottle of wine (the Jolete Cabernet from the $70 and under list is FABULOUS) and get the tuna tartare to split. The tuna tartare is UNREAL. It's incredibly flavorful and they mix it table side. You can pick how spicy you want it. At lunch it comes a salad and french fries. The bar portion of the restaurant has great vibes, there is a piano player during the dinner time playing low-fi covers of hip sounds. The servers are friendly and helpful without being overbearing. read more

Tony's - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

the service from calling in for a reservation to the hostess once arriving was horrible and full of an attitude, i made a reservation for the bar area after being told it was full only to arrive and the bar was completely empty,they had all the tables reserved and when asked why can i not sit at a table i was told they were full people who wanted to enjoy the experience which was the reason i went, the food was good but the customer service was rude read more

Tony's - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

So disappointed with our waiter. Other than his attitude and lack of attention and service to our table, everyone else that came to refill our waters and put down our food were pretty friendly. Alright, so 2 stars because when my entire party came and sat down since my other friend and I got there on time, the waiter came and asked if we were ready but in a very rude and short tone of voice. I looked at him and ordered and he went around the table taking everyone else's order but he sure looked like he didn't want to be working. He would check on every other table around us but rarely came to check on our table because we needed a couple of things but we weren't princesses about it. When I asked for the check it had something entered incorrectly on it and he didn't say "Oh let me fix that" he just said "I'll go look at it" but he never came back and walked away rolling his eyes so someone else got sent over with the correct bill. Food was mediocre, small portioned and overpriced. Most definitely will not be coming back. read more

Heads up, they do require "Proper Attire" which translates into "No shorts, no tank tops, no sandals, jacket (sports coat) recommended, tie optional." Another HRW destination 2016. It's a simple yet pretty Resturant, has that "classic upscale Resturant" feel. After being sat (without any drink or food menu mind you) we were immediately greeted and asked if we would like to see either the cocktail or wine list. "Umm, both please?" Wine by the glass, PRICEY! Bottles of wine, EVEN PRICIER! So we order our glasses of wine, same guy brings them and.....then doesn't come back to check on us for almost 30 mins. Are they purposely trying to give us our space so we can socialize and enjoy our wine?? That's nice and all but I is hungry! I mean, I've been to a lot of really nice restaurants b4 but never one that makes you ask for their menus. Finally, had to wave the waiter down and ask "Can we get some food menus? His reply, " Oh, y'all are ready to eat?" Uh....yah, Weird. Bring menus but now I have to flag him down AGAIN to ask for their HRW menu. This annoys me (and at every other Resturant I have previously visited this month HRW and had to ask at too) Some restaurants offer it with the main menu, others make you ask for it. As for the food, very good. My ahi tuna app was ok, barely any avocado on it though. The cannelloni was soooo good; super cheesy goodness. Red snapper: delicious! Lots of lump crab Truffle Filet: perfectly cooked and very tender. Silkened potatoes-wonderful! Comes out in a whip cream like aerosol can, FUN! Truffle Mac & Cheese- one of the better ones I have had. Crazy super ooey gooey truffle goodness. Tiramisu- good but small. Had more or an icing texture Blackberry cake- large portion, very sweet and crazy good icing =) Overall......nice experience. Loved the piano playing in the background. The service kind of threw me for a loop though. Seems to have 1 guy greet and take the drink orders while the other main guy who is consistently on the floor walking around (maybe a manager) takes the food Orders and checks up on the table. Oh, and any Boxed food will be waiting for you up at the front desk on your way out. Interesting and new to me. P.S. They have a nice bread/toast basket; the butter and oil were yummy. I also really enjoyed the gentleman that comes offering different types of bread. Try the focassia bread, it's delicious ; ) read more

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Tony's never disappoints. Such a delightful place... great service and exquisite food. Truly Houston's diamond among gems. read more

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Looking so forward to a nice evening out. Made reservations for HRW one month out. Presented to restaurant. My 67 year old husband is a smart dresser, Ralph Lauren linen/silk long shorts with a neutral colored silk shirt . Italian loafers. After all it was 97 degrees today. We were told that long pants are required. There is no reference to that anywhere on the reservation site or their website. We were not even offered bar or lounge seating . I asked the woman what century she is and she smirked and stated " Ha we are Tonys". Ridiculous and unbelievable smug and condescending . Never again I suggest taking your business elsewhere! read more

Incredible place. I'm averaging once a month. Great service, great wine, and great food. Since Chef Kate is back the restaurant is at a new high! Favorites - Dover Sole - not on menu but just ask Lobster bisque - they will add whole chunks of lobster in it. Great place for birthdays and anniversaries. read more

Tony's is an upscale restaurant in Downtown Houston, that is known for it's high clientele. We started with the beef tartar and a side salad. The server hand crafted the tartar right in front the table, adding different spices and relishes. The staff here is highly sophisticated and exceptionally ready to take care of your every food + beverage need while under Tony's roof! We had pasta dishes here as well as other appetizers. This was the only thing I remembered to snap a picture of! The Bolognese is to DIE for!! This is a Houston staple is something you want a piece of, trust me. *Fun Fact: Every living president has visited Tony's! read more

Tony's - Beef Tartar... so fresh! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food is great. If something on the menu sounds good to you, then it will be. And the service is always top notch. Your water glass will never get close to empty. read more