Houston Downtown Restaurant suggestions before Toyota Center concert
 

We will be in town for the Simon and Garfunkel concert on Wednesday, July 7th at the Toyota Center downtown. I know that there are many new places to eat cropping up around downtown. Any suggestions? We are open to just about any cuisine and price is not really an object but we will be somewhat casually dressed for the concert. I heard that Quattro in the Four Seasons is good but don't know if dressy casual would be ok there. The closer to the Center, the better for convienence. Thanks!

I am stayijng at the FOur Seasons over a weekend in August to celebrate my best friend's 50th birthday. We are going to Zin's (across the street form the Alley Theater). Menu is online. It changed names a few months ago- was called something else but I can't think of the old name. Looks great. Recommended by the 4 Season's concierge and some friends who live in Houston. Moderate prices. Not as fancy as Quattro. We are going there before going to the Alley.

Other than Quattro (which would be the closest restaurant to Toyota Center), there's a steakhouse close by called Vic & Anthony's. It's on the expensive side. Also, if you're looking for something more casual, in the shops attached by a walkway to the Four Seasons is a new restaurant called the Twisted Fork. The food there's pretty decent.

On the other side of downtown is a fun Cuban style restaurant called Bossa's.

I've never eaten at Quattro or Vic & Anthony's for dinner, but casual dress is typically fine for almost any restaurant in Houston. (We're not stuffy here!)

Have fun.

Oh, by the way, one good source for restaurant reviews is houston.citysearch.com.

Susan

Susan: Thanks for that info; we might try Twisted Fork for dinner Friday night when my friend arrives. Don't want a big meal that night. I know that shopping area and it would be nice not to have to go outside. What kind of food is it?

Hi, emd!

The Twisted Fork has American food -- rotisserie chicken, salads, etc. All of the food I've tried has been pretty good. (I work in one of the buildings nearby.) Here's a link to their menu from their Chicago location (it's the same menu in Houston). http://www.rdgchicago.com/TwistedFor...ton-menu1.html

They also just started serving breakfast on weekdays. I haven't tried it, but it sounds yummy. (At least it's another option for you if you're there during the week.)

Susan

Actually, the link appears to be for their Houston menu. (The Chicago in their e-mail address threw me off.)

Susan

Thanks for the info guys. I checked out Citysearch and there are many places that are new to downtown...or at least new to me. Has anyone eaten at the steak place in the new Hilton?

Reviews I have heard on Spencer's, the stekahouse in the Hilton, are all over the map; from "great" to "no way I will ever go back". I thought Quattro was decent, but not great. We really like Zula for downtown dining. I think, Mark's, a cab ride away in Montrose, is the best restaurant in the city.

If you can get in, you may want to try the Red & White Wine Bistro in the Toyota Center. I bet the concierge at the Four Seasons can help. Food at the Toyota Center is very good.

For breakfast, catch the lite rail down to Travis and eat at the Breakfast Klub. Great southern breakfast. Wings and waffles are fantastic.

LDLee: Oh we know about Mark's! :) We try to eat there about everytime we are in Houston. We will be back for the All-Star game and are planning a dinner there during that time. I think for convienence sake, we wanted to stay close. I got an email from the Toyota Center yesterday about Red and White opening up for the concert. If you say the food is good there, we may just eat there to make things simple.

I had heard the same thing about the Hilton's restaurant. I enjoyed DeVille several years ago but have not been back since they changed it to Quattro.

Thanks for the hints here. I will try and get a reservation today at Red and White. If not, will keep looking. Thanks so much!

Here is another fan of Mark's. We, too, try to get there every time we are in town. It's really fantastic!

Have either of you eaten at Mark's for lunch? I have always had dinner there. Is the menu the same or it is a lighter one?

Sorry apseals...I've only been for dinner.

Update on the reservations for the concert: We are the first on the waiting list for Red and White at the Toyota Center. They are doing a special buffet for that night that sounds great. She is checking with the restaurant manager to see if they can open up the banquet room next to the restaurant. Either way, we should be able to get in. The menu for the night sounds really good and the other main component (great wine) is a given with their 3000 bottle wine list. In case you are wondering, here is what they are serving that night at Red and White:

"A premium buffet, which will feature
Texas Smoked Prime Rib, a Sushi table, Misoyaki Cured Chilean Sea Bass, Sauteed Soft Shell Crabs, as well as an array of salads, fruit, fine cheeses and more." Price per person is just over $40 I think. I usually avoid buffets regardless of the quality because I have no will power. :) Will make an exception to try something new and for the convienence alone. Thanks to everyone that helped out with this. We will try some of the other suggestions during All-Star week so keep them coming!

My favorite place downtown in the theater District is Sambuca Jazz Cafe @ 909 Texas St.

It serves good, reasonably priced food, specializing on seafood with a creative flair. Nice looking, casual place. And yes, they do have live music there.

Actually, I was thikning about going there after the Alley production is over on Sat. night. Is the music alone worth a visit after 10 pm? I assume there is a cover charge if not eating dinner.

I haven't eaten there yet, but I've heard wonderful things about the new restaurant, Artista, that opened in the Hobby Center for Performing Arts. Here's a link to their menu:
http://www.cordua.com/Artista%20Home.htm

Susan

About an hour after I wrote this, my wife and received an invitation to go to a Comets game. The neighbor who invited said we had to go to Red & White. You might go to www.opentable.com to get reservations. Last I checked they had reservations available. Enjoy your stay.

I have heard good things about Artista, as well.

Got a reservation at Red and White this morning. They opened up the banquet room next to the main dining room and as of this morning had room for more reservations for the night of the S and G concert.

Again, I appreciate all the great suggestions and will try as many as I can the week after next when I return to Houston.

How was the concert and the restaurants?

The concert was one of the best I have ever seen. Ranks right up there with Paul McCartney on his first tour of the US 15 years ago. I give Red and White mixed reviews. To be fair, there was no a la carte as there is for basketball games. It was all buffet at $42 a person. The highlights were some of the sushi selections, the sea bass, the dessert table and the soft shell crabs. The low lights were some dishes that were luck warm at best. Service that was primo at the beginning and really lagged (no fault to the overworked waiter) at the end. We had to sprint to our concert seats right at 8PM after starting our dinner at 6:30 which is when the Center opened. The wine selections were not a 3000 bottle wine list but still ok. Maybe the ala carte menu wine list is more extensive. We ordered a nice Meritage for dinner and it was fine. The Italian sparking wine we ordered to go with dessert was not chilled and we had to wait for it to chill in the wine holder. As said before it was a rush to the seats which was not pleasant, but since we were already inside the Center, it was easier than being blocks away.

If I had to do it again, I would probably go back during Basketball season so as to be able to order off the a la carte menu before pronouncing it over rated. The concert was GREAT!!!