Bayla is one of the best servers I've ever had. That's coming from someone who only cooks twice a…read moremonth, and thus frequently eats out. I spend ample time at high ends / Michelin star restaurants, and so I am familiar with all star service. Bayla really made our time special by going out of her way to make us feel comfortable and valued. She made it all seem effortless and at no point did she ever make us feel like a burden. Thank you for everything! The food and ambiance were also amazing! Truly a top notch restaurant experience.

Barcelona is a cute wine bar (also serves sangria and cocktails, btw) serving Spanish and…read moreMediterranean tapas dishes. I joined friends for Sunday brunch, which was highly recommended. Our friend booked a reservation and was able to add a fourth person without any issues. It's on Westheimer where all the restaurants and shops are, so it's pretty busy. You can either park on the street or in the neighborhood behind. There's bar, small table and booth seating available. One of our friends who arrived early got to switch us to a booth since we'd have a few plates to share for the four of us. My friend and I shared the NA red sangria. I liked that there was a NA option for that, and you can choose either red or white. We ordered a pitcher since we were sharing. It was delicious and refreshing. I think I had about 3 wine glasses of it. Our group shared the red fish à la plancha, patatas bravas, spinach frittata, olive oil pancakes and bacon-wrapped dates. Some of the dishes were bigger than others. Tapas is meant to be small plates, and they were, but it's a little overpriced. For example, the red fish was $15.50 for maybe 2 oz of fish. The stack of olive oil pancakes were small and thin for $8.50. If you're sharing, it's not that much food. I was going to order another personal stack of olive oil pancakes because that cinnamon butter was so good! I decided not to after I let all of what we ordered and drank settle for a bit after. The valdeon whipped blue cheese under the bacon-wrapped dates didn't taste very good and seemed grainy to me. It was my least favorite. The standouts for me were the olive oil pancakes, spinach frittata that was actually loaded with more veggies and bell peppers and the patatas bravas which was piled with potatoes topped with mayo that melted down and looked almost like melted cheese on top. It's a fun place for friends to gather or a cute date spot. You may or may not be hungry after depending what you order. There are larger plates/entrees like paella and branzino to share.

We recently came here with friends wanting to check it out for the first time (even though they are…read moresadly closing in just a couple of weeks). I've had my fair share of Paulie's but never had the chance to come to Camerata...until now. I had been missing out for so long! We journeyed from white to red wines throughout the night. We started out with the Babylonstoren, a chenin blanc from South Africa. We then moved into pink (rose) with the Ana Beirut - a blend of cab sauv, syrah, and tempranillo grapes with a bit of skin contact to give the wine the pink color. Lastly we ordered the Guelbenzu - a red blend of tempranillo, cab sauv, syrah, and graciano. This full-bodied red was the absolute fan favorite of the table. Food options are on the light side: meat & cheese boards, bread, and small bites. We started out with the warm bread - while it's normally served with butter, there's an option to switch that out with olive oil & herbs which is what we did. We then went for the meat & cheese platter. We couldn't decide on which meats or cheeses, so we did the option of ordering all 8! This came with 4 delicious meats and 4 tasty cheeses (from Houston Dairymaids), also with crispy fava beans, olives, pickles, and bread. This was a good amount for our group of 4 to share. Elena was our server and she was absolutely OUTSTANDING. She vibed with us throughout the night and made sure that we were well-taken care of. I loved her energy along with her vast knowledge of wines. We got plenty of good recommendations from her during our time there. I'm super sad that Houston will be losing this gem permanently at the end of the year (and even more sad that I only discovered it in the last month of its existence). While I know that owner Paulie won't be moving this venture to a new spot, I do hope a descendant of Camerata manifests itself somewhere in Houston in the coming years.

This is a nice little neighborhood wine bar located right off Westheimer, just down the road from…read moreShepherd. It's part of the Paulie's Restaurant brands, but completely separate from the restaurant from what I could tell. Parking is a bit difficult, but after a bit of circling we were able to find a spot and make our way in what looked like the back entrance. It was very low key, and despite the sign, the door seemed almost hidden in that back little corner. The staff seemed to have a bit of a hipster vibe-- not unexpected given the Montrose area-- but were very friendly. They offered suggestions, but let us go with what we wanted to try. There's a food menu along with the drinks, but we were heading to the restaurant next door, so we passed on grabbing food. We ended up going with a couple of glasses of red and a couple of the specialty chocolates. My wife loved her salted caramel chocolate. I enjoyed my peppermint chocolate. For the glasses of wine, I've got better at home for bottles the same price as those glasses. My wife really enjoyed the vibe, but even if this place wasn't about to close down, I'm not sure I'd be coming back here often. It's just too hard to park.

Anytime I come here, it is a great time. The customer service is welcoming, the ambiance is…read morerelaxing and laid back & the Cheese Board pairs well with their wine. My favorite time to come is on Wednesdays for the complimentary wine tasting. I also love that they offer happy hour, the option to join a wine club and that they host events on Saturdays sometimes.

While waiting for our reservation at Rosie Cannonball, we stopped in here for some wine and a small…read moreappetizer. We asked the staff for a suggestion and loved the red wine that they picked. We also appreciated that the appetizers were unique! The staff was friendly and helpful but service is a bit slow. We ordered the butter and radishes which I thought was so unusual and yet it was delicious! Would order this every time we came! Will definitely come back - a nice little stop for wine!

Absolutely loved this place! A friend recommended it to me, and I went in with no expectations but…read moreit completely exceeded them. The restaurant itself is beautiful, especially during brunch with all the natural lighting coming through the indoor space. Such a lovely atmosphere with plants surrounding us. The food was amazing, and sharing appetizers was the perfect way to try a few different things. They also have a huge wine selection, which I really enjoyed. I tried their pizza paired with wine, and honestly, it was the perfect combination. The service was also excellent, everyone was welcoming, attentive, and made the experience even better without feeling rushed. They even asked if we wanted to help to get our picture taken, that was so sweet of them.

There's something about the end of a long day that calls for a warm, candlelit place... and that's…read moreexactly what I found at Sixty Vines. I arrived about an hour before closing, expecting it to be quiet, but at 9:00 p.m. it was still bustling with energy, laughter, and that soft glow that makes everything feel a little more special. I ordered the pork chop and swapped the carrots for broccolini. The pork chop had a beautiful char and was full of flavor--slightly undercooked, yes, but still delicious enough to carry the whole meal. I do wish they had mashed potatoes on the menu, though... it would have made it perfect. We also shared the Brussels sprouts, and sadly, they missed the mark this time. Dry and bitter, nothing like the saucy, flavorful version I've had before--maybe just the late hour catching up with the kitchen. But even so, that pork chop... it lingered in the best way. And sometimes, that's all you need.

stella's has an excellent wine selection and extremely knowledgeable staff…read more we sat in the sun room on a rainy day, and it was a little leaky... but we took the chance since it was freezing cold inside of the wine bar. the fried raviolis were so good, we got two rounds! we did three flights: bubblicious, one i forgot, and the wanna be a somm all of the wines were great and i would definitely recommend trying it out if you are in the area. it's located in the post oak area. bonne santé

The food was really good . The ravioli were my favorite but the truffle fries were amazing as well…read more. Service was very professional. The lady was very knowledgeable and helpful. Ambiance is very dim outside and very nice and elegant. It's giving high end so dress causal or to impress but not too much going on lol they could be a little more welcoming to poc . ( seemed shocked to see us ) but all good . I would love to come back .

Walking in, the place looks very cute. There is a great bar and spacious seating. There is one…read moreother room and a speakeasy room. The seating was comfortable and the music playing created a nice vibe. We originally found this place on instagram and OpenTable and made a reservation on OpenTable. I'm not sure why the reservation is even an option because there is no hostess and it is open seating. The drinks we got were great! There were many great drink options and they did not disappoint. Unfortunately, it was difficult to get service. When we did get someone to help us, we also ordered truffle fries. The fries were fine, but there was definitely no truffle flavor to them. In general, it was fine enough. Nice atmosphere, music and drinks.

Between the vibes of the music, the friendly patrons that didn't mind striking up a conversation…read moreand the bartenders who made great recommendations and had amazing table side service I would give this place a 5/5! Probably one of the best edamames I've had in the city, amazing oysters with a pesto sauce/ side and a yummy house made pizza! If you want to come alone or bring friends this is your place. Perhaps next time I'll try their hidden speakeasy behind the bookshelf.

I am SO glad we finally had the chance to check this spot out! We were in the room for some wine on…read morea Friday night and after reading great reviews about 13 Celsius, knew we had to try it. We were able to snag some free street parking and wandered our way into a cute setup with mood lighting and plenty of seating. There's a central bar and plenty of outdoor patio space. We were immediately helped as soon as we found a table which I really appreciated. The menu is HUGE and has anything you could possibly want. We're big red wine fans so we settled on that page. J opted for a cab while I decided on a couple to sample before ultimately choosing a red blend. I appreciate that they're more than happy to give you a taste before committing to a glass. You can choose between 3 or 6oz pours, or a bottle. We also decided to share a cheese board with the Willoughby cheese which was soft and delicious! I appreciated how kind and accommodating the servers were as they frequently checked on us. This is a great spot to enjoy some wine with friends, on date night, or anything really! It has a relaxed atmosphere and is a pleasure to visit. Till next time!

A friend brought me here to join in her favorite charcuterie board & wine. This place is very…read moreromantic with its dim lights and intimate ambiance. We sat at the bar and the server took our order. I got a sweet wine and we split a small board. I got the brie with prosciutto and she got cheddar with salami. They do charge extra for the prosciutto cut. The jam that comes on the board is her favorite and it's delicious. We chatted with each other and with some gentleman that said they were regulars there. It was a lovely evening. I will definitely return so that I can try their s'mores board.

It's the sort of place filled to the brim with degenerates pulling a Bukowski on their lunch break…read more I love this place. It took over what was literally the WORST Jamba Juice kiosk ever that always made me late to class when I was still in school. This was a much needed improvement, because you can't get turnt up on a smoothie no matter how hard your blessed little heart tries. Even the spelling of the Whole Foods Megacorp's 95th in-store bar will get you a little turnt up, either from sheer whimsy or out of college-educated just plain knowing better how certain things are spelled and how certain things are not spelled unless they are as full of shit as a Christmas turkey. The difference is whether you are on your first or seventh pint moreso than whether you skipped second breakfast and elevenses before showing up here in all of your splendor. Mondays are pizza/pint night for $5 between 6-8pm. Local Brew Fridays are $3 pints between 3-6pm. Write that one down. Also according to the internets, the last Thursday of the month is Zoo Beats Day so between 6-8pm some spare change marches into the coffers of the Houston Zoo's conservation efforts. If you would not drink for the critters then you are a very bad man. Get my hat Felicia, we're drinking for three.

I already drop into this Whole Foods for lunch, juice, meetings, etc. multiple times a week - say,…read moretwo to three - so the fact that wine/beer bar Kirbside is now open inside, I visit even more often. They have happy hour, which sadly ends too early to really consider it "happy." (HH is Mon-Thu 2-5pm). They have a food menu of cheese plates and pizzas, or you can build your own pizza for $8. I created a pretty damn good pizza with chicken, broccolini and artichokes on wheat crust - da bomb. The server even mentioned she was gonna make one of her own. Weekly Specials: ::Mon 6-8pm: Slice of 'za and pint of beer for $5 :: Wed: $3 select pints, $4 select wines by the glass; HH food specials 6-8pm :: Fri: $3 local pints 3-6 pm :: Sun: $3 mimosas noon-2pm The Kirbside Bar opens at 11 am.

What a culinary experience! The imagination of each dish and the presentation of each plate was a…read morejoy. I loved the coziness of the restaurant, considering it was a former home. It just felt warm and inviting. We were attended to by JD who guided through the menu. The service was wonderful and attentive. This is a place I will return to anytime I'm in Houston.!! We were lucky to find parking on the street across the entrance. We strongly recommend reservations.

Boy I really wanted to like this place but I may be one of the few people in Houston that doesn't…read more I had reservations for the outside patio and we were immediately greeted by the water boy. He ended up being one of the best aspects of our experience that evening. Our waitress wasn't nearly as good. We started by asking for ice in the water from the waitress since they just give you room temp water. After 10 mins of seeing her serve other tables and ignoring our request, we then figured the water boy would make it happen...and sure enough he did. We then ordered the grilled oysters, which are very lightly cooked, almost seemingly steamed more than anything, but they were very good regardless of the cooking method with the sauces and garnishes and pickle juice added. Next up was ordering the entrees. The menu here is a little strange with numerous vegan choices with strange titles and only a few items with protein. To top it off, there are not many choices period. The waitress explained that the left side is basically the apps, and the right side is basically the entrees. I knew I wanted to try the wagyu flat iron steak which is priced pretty high here, compared to other wagyu flat irons I've had at other restaurants across the US. We couldn't really decide on a 2nd main dish then the waitress mentioned the off the menu special which was a scallop pasta so we picked that thinking it sounded delicious. The entrees come out about 15 mins later, and we take our first bites and we both thought, oh no, if we share the other person across from me isn't going to like this dish because it's too salty. I tried the steak first and noticed the sauce being extra salty, then I tried the pasta and the pasta was way worse, but the scallops didn't seem to be affected. We immediately told the waitress the next time she stopped by....and she just said okay, and walked away. I figured she would go get the manager....but nope...she just kept on serving other tables. At this point we thought to ourselves only the oyster app was decent.....and no reason to look at the dessert menu since we had already spent over $100 on food we could hardly eat. Sure enough, the waitress stops by a 2nd time and asks if we'd like to see the dessert menu. I couldn't leave fast enough and told her we'll skip. Needless to say we both left hungry as the portions were not only not edible, but also fairly small. The water boy also stopped by and offered to turn on the heater if we get cold. Boy, I wish he was our waiter instead. For a supposedly Michelin-starred restaurant, I feel they really got this one wrong.

We came here with a small group after dinner at Southern Yankee Crafthouse next door. This was a…read moregreat pairing in itself! This shop differentiates itself from others in that they sell natural wines - organic and no additives or preservatives. I did notice with these wines that you don't quite get the same buzz as with other wine; on the flip side, you don't wake up feeling groggy the next day. The vibe inside is super cute and intimate. It's a converted house, and you can choose your seating in the various "common areas" of the house or the patio. The lighting is dark and intimate and they even have a disco ball spinning to some good tunes! We met owner Steve who was super welcoming - he and the entire staff at Light Years is super knowledgeable on their wines and are happy to make recommendations based on your preferences (and something that doesn't break the bank!). We were recommended a white pinot noir (crazy right?) for our first bottle, which was something unique and fun to try. While they did not have a chilled bottle available, they chilled a bottle off the shelf for us, but this did take about 15 minutes before we were served the wine. For our next bottle, we got a pinot noir - it was light and crisp, something I am not as used to in reds being primarily a cab sauv drinker myself. Our group really liked it and we didn't have any trouble killing the bottle. I appreciate having Light Years as a local neighborhood wine shop and will definitely be back to meet up with friends after a long day over some wine.

Great place to relax taste wine and have a bite to eat. Bartender is excellent..Great ambiance for…read morea date.....wines are really good