FOOD: Wow the food was 10/10 I don't know what is in the green sauce that was on the dishes but it was so good we ordered more of it on the side. Chicken and biscuits were amazing. Also ordered the special which was braised beef cheek and wow it was incredible. Eggs were perfectly poached - yum! DRINKS: Ordered almond milk lattes and they were very good. SERVICE: Great service. Valet parking only charges tips. No wait at 10:30am on a Sunday. ATMOSPHERE: Loved the outside patio seating. It was a little weird you have to walk through the kitchen to get there. read more

See all

The courtyard seating was beautiful- casual dining and the food was top level! Extensive wine list, impeccable service from great staff. Great date night or even just meeting friends for dinner- you won't be disappointed. read more

See all

Great date place. Menu is a little limited but has a great patio and delicious food. I would make sure you have a reservation as they seem to stay busy read more

Backstreet Cafe - Beautiful patio - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Wow! This place was incredible. We had amazing service, the atmosphere was quaint, but lovely. The drinks were wonderful, I had the Gin & Tonic and finished my night off with an espresso martini that really hit the mark for me. The star of the evening was by far the short rib, which I wouldn't have ordered without the recommendation from our waiter. So glad I did. Will definitely be coming back to this spot again, hopefully for lunch next time because the menu has some great lunch options! Two thumbs up from me! read more

Backstreet Cafe - Bone-In Short Rib - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

We went with a group of friends for Restaurants Weeks and had a great meal! For Restaurants Weeks they actually have three menus which also have wine pairings for an additional $27. There was a Red, White and a Vegetarian menu. They will actually let you mix them. So, for example, I had two courses from the white menu, one from the red and dessert from the vegetarian. All of the food was excellent as was the wine that they paired. I don't know why we have never been here before but I intend to return. Although the service was good - it was a bit uneven. The main course arrived before we had finished the previous course and then when the main course returned we had run out of utensils and had to request knives. I don't blame them too much as everyone is having trouble getting enough staff. read more

Backstreet Cafe for HRW brunch: Scones and mini muffins as a complementary starter were moist and perfect with coffee. watermelon salad was a nice combo paired with queso fresco, arugula, and a lime dressing. French toast stuffed with bananas and Nutella, Bulgogi beef, biscuits and gravy, and avocado toast were all delicious. For dessert the best one was the guava sorbet - not too sweet, perfect with berries, and reminds you of Hawaii. The chocolate creme brulee and coconut cream pie were still good but could've been stronger in flavor. Only flaw was how loud and packed the restaurant was, but speedy service made up for it. Overall worth going for 4ish courses at $22/person. read more

Backstreet Cafe - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Backstreet Café has been a long time favorite of ours, but it had been several years since we visited. Our recent meal did not disappoint! We came for the Houston Restaurant Weeks menu. As a vegetarian, I was excited for the four course vegetarian menu. My husband went with the red wine menu which features skirt steak. I also ordered the wine pairing with my meal. The watermelon gazpacho soup and braised lamb neck pasta came out first. Now the menu didn't have any description of the soup. It came out with tons of cilantro mixed in. I'm one of those people who just can't stand cilantro. There was no eating around it and I wouldn't have ordered it if cilantro had been mentioned. Our server asked if I wanted their other soup, but it wasn't vegetarian, so I just asked for my salad course to be brought out (since my husband would only have 3 courses). I wasn't too upset because I still had 3 courses coming. My husband really liked the pasta. The salad was brought out and it was fantastic - arugula, tomatoes, Parmesan, toast and lemon vinaigrette. I really liked the wine paired with it, it was light and not too sweet. Before our entrées were brought out, our server brought me a second appetizer. He offered the cauliflower and chili dish from the main menu. It was so good. It was not necessary for them to bring this dish as a substitute but I felt like they went above and beyond to make this a good meal for us. When they brought out our entrées, they mistakenly brought out a dessert wine for my pairing, but quickly fixed it. My husband says the skirt steak was just okay - he liked the Brussels sprouts that came with it. The cauliflower steak was well cooked, but a little bland. It didn't come with much Greek yogurt dressing (just as a garnish) and just had pesto on the top layer. My husband asked the server if he could bring more sauce despite my pleas that I would eat it as it was, but I was glad he did. Our server brought out a warm tomato sauce that was delicious. He said they used to serve the cauliflower steak with that sauce and it improved the dish for me. When they brought out our dessert, they brought the red wine again that had gone with the entrée. It was very good but I asked for the dessert wine for the pairing. They were again quick to fix this, and our server explained that not many people order the vegetarian dinner and wine pairing :) My husband's chocolate cake was good but I actually preferred the lemon poppyseed cake that came with my meal! The dessert wine tasted like honey and was also a nice touch. Overall, it was a great meal with excellent service. We hope to go back again soon! read more

See all

Love this place so much!!! Consistently amazing service and food. My favorite has been the pesto chicken and grits. read more

See all

Every course was fantastic, all well done. Wine was deelish! All staff were courteous and attentive and having a good time doing it. With expected rain, the patio wasn't an option but always nice to spend time there. Backstreet is always our go-to restaurant, with consistency in meals and service. read more

Absolutely fantastic. Hugo Ortega is the GOAT and this concept is just as good as the rest. Really cool vibe good outdoor seating as well. We tried the migas (epic bacon in this one) the pasta and a banana custard dessert + flan. Would highly recommend. read more

See all

i went to the Backstreet again yesterday. What I saw confounded me. There in the band area, the woman who had been serving wine, was on the floor, shoes off and picking dead skin off her feet! The Maîtr d' stood next to her and allowed it. Disgusting to see a staff member on the floor and picking dead skin off of her feet; and this during service! read more

My husband and I came here on a Saturday night for dinner. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the sound of the fountain outside. The restaurant had a nice crowd. We had a 7 pm reservation, arrived a bit early and had a table right away. Our server was very kind and attentive. I ordered garden mule for a cocktail & loved the cucumber mint sorbet on top, very cute & made for a nice spin on a classic. I ordered the crab cakes as and appetizer and my husband ordered the wedge salad. The wedge was huge! We could have def split, it was a solid classic wedge salad. My crab cakes were my favorite item of the night (besides the soft bread and spreadable butter;)) for entrees my husband got the snapper that was on special for the evening and I ordered the scallops. Again, both solid & decent meals, no complaints! The food & drinks at Backstreet Cafe are always quality. The interior of the restaurant, IMO, is in need of some updates to maintain its status as "fine dining" in the competitive Houston restaurant industry. It has an old New Orleans style charm. For dessert we ordered the butterscotch bread pudding and that, was the best I've had in Houston. Overall the crab cakes and the bread pudding stood out to us the most & were items we would definitely order again on our next visit! read more

See all

This spot in Montrose has been around for ages! The parking is valet only. There is a small interior space and large outdoor patio. The atmosphere is cute and there is a large menu. I tried the Backstreet Benedict. It wasn't awful, but I wouldn't come back for it. Cute spot for a brunch! read more

Backstreet Cafe - Backstreet Benedict - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Not to mention, you can have not only an incredible meal, but also have your vehicle detailed while enjoying an incredible meal. Score. I am making reservations to attend this evening, and it was an easy (goes without question) decision on behalf of my husband and myself. Sincerely, EM read more

Backstreet Cafe - CAPPUCCINO- W/ Golden Delicious Apple Cinnamon Crisp - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

This was such a gem for my mom and I for years but it's been some time since we've been and wow it's just awful...the oysters were small looked like they had been sitting out and were dry looking l, even the mignonette was gross.....shallots and red wine vinegar absolutely nothing else...the food was so bad I don't even wish to remember read more

See all

Popped in here today for the first time at lunch. Everything we had was so good! We started with the Pear Flatbread - so good! So different. Could have used a little more pear since that is the essence of the dish! The Bibb Salad was also just simple perfection. Putting dressing on the bottom of the lettuce - that's how you do it! The basil vinaigrette was one I need to recreate at home. My husband ordered the tagliatelle bolognese and ate all of it. I had the Pecan Chicken and that red pepper sauce is what made it unique! Overall, we were really happy with our experience and hope to come for dinner next! read more

Backstreet Cafe - Pear Flatbread - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

A mainstay in the Houston restaurant scene! It's been around for decades and is a lovely venue with a fantastic patio. Much effort is put into making your dining experience something memorable! read more

I hadn't been to Backstreet in a few years and was there for Mother's Day (dinner). It was wonderful. The food was fantastic (I had snapper), the patio is delightful and the best part is the staff at Backstreet. Our waiter, Javier was great. I ended up coming back to meet friends on the patio last night and Javier was our waiter. He was exceptional as were the table clearers, valet- hostess. To me this means that staff is appreciated by management which is as important to me as any other aspect of dining out read more

It's been awhile since I have been here, it might be awhile before I come back. Ordered a burger and it was a slimy mess. An excessive amount of condiments and grease had everything sliding out of the burger and made the buns mushy and wet before ever taking the first bite. Seems like they are more interested in getting plates out fast at the expensive of quality. read more

Excellent service & excellent food! Manuel was top notch and the complementary muffins were sooo good! Can't say enough good things about this place. Thank you! read more

Backstreet Cafe - Latte - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Great Food, Service, Atmosphere & more- got to go get your experience! Backstreet Benedict read more

Hell no. Food was terrible and it smelled bad. Nice atmosphere though. We ordered 3 different meals and nothing was good. The pastas I ordered tasted sour as well read more

There are not enough words for me to describe how delicious this place was and how impeccable the service was. We were able to get a reservation the same day, and we went around the tail end of happy hour. Affordable happy hour cocktails ($6) and glasses of wine ($5), and upon sitting down, we were immediately brought a complimentary place of warm bread and whipped butter! I got the crispy duck with scalloped potatoes and grilled cabbage as my entree. The duck was probably the best I ever had the the portion size took me by shock because it was HUGE! I had leftovers (which the staff packed themselves) for the next day. My boyfriend got the jalapeño chicken pasta, which I had a bite of, and it was also delicious and the jalapeño aspect really brought some flavor. I already want to go back and try everything else on the menu!!! read more

Backstreet Cafe - Crispy Duck with Crispy Scalloped Potatoes and Grilled Cabbage... my oh my this was so tasty and the portion size was huge!! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

My 5 friends and I went during Houston Restaurant Weeks for lunch. We weren't that impressed with the food. We ordered summer watermelon gazpacho, iceberg wedge salad, grilled salmon tacos, wood-grilled Hugo's burger, duck confit (pretty good), Chile shrimp, milk chocolate caramel creme brulee, sorbet, and butterscotch bread pudding. read more

See all

I've been here twice and each time has been delightful! This place has a nice relaxing feel to it with great service and great food to back it up! I got the duck spring rolls and a red snapper special. Both were good however them spring rolls, omg them spring rolls!!! Those spring rolls were absolutely phenomenal! DELICOUS! Can't brag enough. Only thing that could have made it better was the sauce. They gave me a soy sauce but the spring rolls were already pretty salty so I think a sweeter teriyaki sauce would've been better for it. Along with that to round it all off I got the bread pudding which was a perfect completion of the night! 5 out of 5 and I will definitely continue going back! read more

I had the best brunch today. The presentation and taste of the food was fantastic. Service was great!!! Food was delicious. Perfect location!!! read more

See all

Cute spot, it's a quiet atmosphere. Seems very business oriented. Everyone there were looked business professional. Came by for a quick lunch, sat at the bar it's a nice set up. I had my old fashion, wish they had ice spheres. Keeps the integrity of the drink. Bartender did an awesome job, just the minor fix to make it better. The flatbread was decent, with the added salt and pepper it was lovely. The crab cakes were nice, wish it had more crab meat in it. Over all a decent lunch. If you ever need a quiet place to do some work and have a light bite, this is the place for you. read more

See all

Will definitely be back! The service and food were incredible! My favorite thing we had was probably the wagyu hangar steak with chimichurri. The patio looked amazing for cooler days! read more

I came here with my friends and family and it felt so cozy. If the weather is nice i recommend sitting in the patio because it is so relaxing. I got the 12 oz ribeye and it was cooked perfectly. The crust on the steak was nice and the butter on top made it even better. My sister got the crab pasta and that was also pretty good as well. The texture of the noodles were perfect. The waiter took a while to get our orders in but it's understandable since it was pretty busy. If you are going on a weekend i recommend you make a reservation ahead of time to avoid the wait. read more

This place has been on my list of places to visit and today I finally made a trip for an early dinner, at around 4 pm. Man, I should have come earlier! Someone said that the place felt formal and business-y. This was not my experience (though it might be due to the time I went--Saturday at 4 pm). In fact, I was really surprised that a place can feel so refined and so casual at the same time. The waiter, Nicolas, was great. Friendly, energetic, and quietly attentive. What I mean by that is that he didn't hover over my table asking how everything was every five minutes. And yet whenever I thought I needed him, he somehow was at my table within seconds. That's a skill. And how was everything? It was phenomenal. I had a mushroom soup and a lentil salad, and both dishes were excellent and beautifully served. What I appreciated about the menu is that there were a few vegetarian options to choose from and that the menu included items in the $10-15 price range so you don't have to break a bank to dine there. Finally, I'm new to Houston and don't have many friends here so I tend to dine alone. So I pay attention to how solo diners are treated at different restaurants and whether it feels awkward for a single person to have dinner there. The Backstreet Café was perfect--I sat comfortably on the patio with a book and didn't feel weird. Though the vibe might be different later in the evening or during the busy weekend brunch. I'll definitely check this place out at another time and report back! read more

See all

I've been wanting to eat here for a really long time. Service was great. Food was amazing in flavor but the skirt steak was chewy and unfortunately so was several pieces of the smoked chicken. Which is why I can't offer 5 stars. They had a huge party that was very loud, so loud that all the tables around us were uncomfortable. They could've pulled the curtain closed to provide some separation. I will definitely return but only for the downstairs experience. read more

Had a lovely experience with my girlfriends here. They were debuting their frozen cocktails during brunch and they were delicious! Staff was amazing and took good care of us. The food was delicious as well. We ordered the migas and crab cake Benedict. We will definitely be back! read more

Backstreet Cafe - Drinks: comfortably numb; violet something lol and a mojito - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came with two friends - Melissa and Valerie. Sat upstairs and was served by Sergio. Great customer service, velvet white glove for sure. Started off with Humus and pita. I ordered the Jalapeno Fettuccine. Val ordered the Cauliflower Steak from the vegan menu and substituted the broccolini for charred brussels sprouts. Melissa ordered the Black Pepper Tagliatelle. Everything was amazing and plates were completely cleaned! Originally intended to get desert but we were so stuffed we had zero room left for it. Parking is valet only so just fyi. Located directly behind Rice Box on Shepherd where it has a hard turn. There is a small street that goes to the side directly behind Rice Box and Back Street Cafe is on that small street so drive slow as you are approaching of you'll miss it. Ask to sit in Sergio's area, excellent host. Sergio knew everything about everything on the menu. Was managing several tables simultaneously and able to offer all the same velvet white glove service. Even brought me a dessert on the house for my birthday. It was delicious. read more

See all

This review is specifically for the vegetarian option for Houston Restaurants Week. Vegetarian options for HRW can be hard to find and this one was recommended by a friend of ours. When we heard the main entree would be a "cauliflower steak," I think we expected to get more than the lightly seasoned head of cauliflower with vegetables on top. It was very bland and not very filling. For how much we paid for HRW, I think we had expected something more. The other courses were all delicious. Great ambience, very classy. The service was overall good, although we didn't receive our last wine glass with the last course because the waiter forgot. He did end up bringing it at the end of our meal. read more

I wish I could say that I had a great experience here but I did not. I attended a birthday brunch at 1pm on 11/11/18 upstairs. My friend had the entire upstairs area reserved for her party. One of the servers working the event was beyond rude and dismissive to our party. The server was male, tall and spoke with an accent. I never caught his name and I'll explain why. Shortly after we arrived he literally threw a cocktail menu at us and said "here's the drink menu. You can order cocktails but you must pay with cash only. Or credit card". Then he walked off. Strike 1. We ordered wild berry mimosas for our table and it wasn't until we were ordering refills that we learned that the garnish was missing. We didn't have the berry garnish in our glasses that they usually provide. We had it during our 2nd round but felt cheated that they rushed through the first round and didn't provide the berries. Once the family style appetizers came out, the rude server literally shoved a plate of small appetizers in front of the two men at our table. They weren't sure if he was trying to put the plates on the table or what so we began to make room on the table. Sensing their confusion, he yelled at them to take one. We all know that you serve women first so that added to their confusion. And secondly, if the appetizers are passed appetizers just explain that....no need to be rude. The menu said family style apps. Strike 2. When it was time to order, my pregnant friend asked if she could pay for a side of fruit with her meal because she didn't eat the side that was offered (grits). He talked over her and wouldn't let her explain herself. We understood that the meals were being paid for, but just like we had the option of self paying for cocktails, she wanted fruit. He told her the food was coming out as is and did what he does best...walked off. Strike 3!!! At this point, I'm frustrated for my friend so I ask my husband to intervene. I thought that maybe he would show some respect to another man. I was wrong!! Lol. My husband pulled him to the side to ask about the fruit and he wouldn't listen to him either. My husband did eventually ask the other male server and he said that would be no problem but my friend was so annoyed she didn't want the fruit anymore. Rude server has already struck out at this point but he continued to be his rude self when my friend asked if her desert could be packed to go. He told her everything was coming out plated and insinuated that it could then be packed up. This was long before they brought it out. He had more than enough time to redeem himself and just pack it for her. She was in a hurry and left after this so the dessert came out and she was long gone. This server is a direct representation of Backstreet Cafe and I strongly suggest that you address his behavior before he ticks off more customers. His behavior was unacceptable for anyone, especially when people are pouring this kind of money into your establishment and providing brunch to 30-40 of their closest friends. read more

Backstreet Cafe - Wasted Bread pudding - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Had a lovely brunch during restaurant week here with my mother - the place is just as fun now as it was 25 years ago, according to her, and the food was delicious! Parking is a bit difficult if you don't want to valet, but they were prompt with seating and serving us. The peach salad was especially good. Definitely try to get a reservation, the place fills fast! read more

I wish I could give Backstreet more than five stars. Everything from the service, atmosphere, and food was a 10 out of 10. The restaurant weeks menu was stellar! Everything we ordered came out perfect. Can't wait to come back! read more

Backstreet Cafe has been around for so many years. It's a staple restaurant here in Houston and for a good reason: the food is consistently excellent! Today, I'm coming in to eat inside for the very first time since the pandemic started and I was not disappointed! The service was quick and in no time I had my strawberry mimosa and Nutella coffee to sip on. The former was great, a nice change from the regular mimosa. The Nutella coffee was a bit underwhelming for me. They also gave us some complimentary warm bread with butter. Next, the Duck Spring Rolls starter came out hot. I thought the filling was sort of bland and the soy dipping sauce did not seem to go well with the dish. Now, came the lunch special, which was a grouper filet topped with crawfish and served with reduced sauce, finger potatoes, and tomatoes. It was the star of the show: vibrant color, well seasoned, crunchy potatoes, I mean it really wowed me. Because of that, I didn't have anymore room for dessert, which is not always a bad thing, right? read more

Backstreet Cafe - Excellent lunch special: grouper topped with crawfish! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Never have had a bad bite at this restaurant. Great ambiance inside and fantastic outdoor patio on a nice day. All waiters are helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. read more

We enjoyed a FANTASTIC dinner ay Backstreet Cafe on Friday. Our wait staff person, Sergio, was excellent. Super attentive, knowledgeable, friendly - he really stood out to us. By the end of the meal, talking with him was like talking and joking with an old friend. Food was top to bottom delicious. We had the burrata salad as a starter, which was super fresh and light but with great, subtle flavor. I had the scallops which were accompanied with a cauliflower risotto. Texture and flavor were excellent. I tried to eat every last bite even though I was so full. My husband had the chicken enchiladas which were also delicious. The combination of the chicken, potatoes, the red corn tortillas and the crema, was amazing. I had the Antojito mezcal cocktail and my husband had the Blushing Bramble. Both had great balance and flavor and also really refreshing summer cocktails. Definitely rivaled the craft cocktails we have in Las Vegas. Lovely table right by the window made it all the better. I would not change a thing. Highest recommendation. We will be back! So many other dishes on the menu we wanted to try. read more

Backstreet Cafe - Burrata Salad - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas