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    Barbacana

    4.2 (45 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Barbacana Photos

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    BARBACANA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Happy hour specials

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    Evelyn L.

    Received a gift card for here and I'm very grateful I got to try this place out. The food was top tier. The quality was impeccable. I forgot the name of the plates we ordered but both of them were delicious. I haven't been impressed with a restaurant in houston for a while now. Definitely recommend trying this place out. The place is nice and the service was phenomenal.

    Crab cake
    Francisco T.

    Loved it! So, I didn't know this place existed, but couldn't get a reservation where I actually wanted to go and stumbled across this while looking for an alternative, and I'm so glad I did. I tried the restaurant weeks menu, and I've got the crab cake, the steak and the hazelnut ice cream cake, and everything was soooooo good. Specially, the Texan wagyu with some sort of mole that was slighly spicy, so good. The ice cream cake was a lot better than I was expecting, actually it was delicious. I am a fish lover, so I stole a bit of my friend's fish, and that was totally on point too.The staff was friendly and so attentive, the place is in a historic building with a lot of character and close to the new promenade. Their wine selection is good and they also have a lot of cocktails I will have to try next time!

    Onion Crab Tart
    Sophia J.

    We went out for houston restaurant week. Ambiance was great - bright, amazing backdrop of the mural, amazing music selection, bathrooms pristine Service was stellar - food came at the right times, waiters and staff were super helpful and attentive. They gave excellent recommendations Food was amazing. I did not think I would like the wagyu carpaccio but it was the star of the show. Bright freshness of the strawberry, the toasted barley gave it an amazing crunch. Loved it. The tortillas were fresh warm and flavorful. Presentation amazing. Great and memorable night out. Thank you Barbacana!

    Menu
    Maggie J.

    After hearing a lot about Barbacana we finally made it for dinner on an early Thursday evening before seeing a show. The restaurant itself is beautiful but I can't speak to the vibe since we got there at 5:45. The service was really wonderful and our waiter gave us great recommendations. We did not do the tasting option but I think it's nice that they have that available. For dinner we shared the tuna Crudo, broccolini, carrots and dry aged duck breast. My favorite dishes were the carrots and the duck breast which was served with a delicious date sauce. I was more impressed with dinner than my spouse who thought it was good not great and was underwhelmed by the affogato. He said that the ice cream was served much too cold and that instead of being slightly melted by the hot coffee it immediately chilled the coffee and was very difficult to eat with a spoon. Either way, I really enjoyed both the space and my meal and would be interested in coming back with a group to try out more dishes.

    Blue Fin Tuna
    Stephanie I.

    It was my first time trying the restaurant. Overall, I had a great experience dinning here. The restaurant is clean and it was not full for being a Friday evening. The staff took great care of us and was knowledgeable of the menu. We got the Kampachi Crudo, Masa Cornbread, Blue Fin Tuna, and the Muenster Cheese Bratwurst. My favorite food item was the cornbread. It was unique and creative with lots of flavor. There were some menu items that are limited time on the menu for the World Cup. I choose the sausage and it was good. I also tried their cocktails which were very good. One was created by the bartender. It was margarita like but with cucumber and it was very refreshing.

    Bluefin tuna crudo
    Pareesa M.

    I came to Barbacana for Houston Restaurant Week, but somehow ended up ordering their "No Reservations" menu instead. I did enjoy this experience as it's kind of their version of an omakase style where you get to try most (almost all?) dishes on their menu, but would I order this twice, probably not. There were a lot of stand out dishes to me. I really liked the bluefish tuna crudo and the masa cornbread the most out of our dishes. Everything else was good, but those two stood out to me in terms of the appetizers. The mains were also good, but my favorite was the Snapper Zarandeado that you could enjoy as mini tacos. The other two mains, the duck and the wagyu, were good but I just dont prefer those meats. The standout here was definitely the desserts and the service however. We had two people in our party who were allergic to nuts (me included), and I'm also allergic to eggplant, so the staff was very nice to accommodate us. Since a good number of the dishes included things we were allergic to, they also brought me an additional bluefish tuna crudo at my request (since I couldnt have 2-3 of the dishes on the No Reservations menu). They also took off the pistachio topping for the duck so we could have it. Big shoutout to our waiter Seth for looking out for us so much. The standout here was definitely dessert though. Me and my friends ordered all different desserts so we could try each others, and oh my god nothing was a miss. My favorite was definitely what I ordered, the strawberry honey cake. Probably the best dessert/cake I've ever had, like ever. I would definitely come here again just for the dessert. The others were good too, like the affogato and the bananas and chocolate, but that strawberry honey cake was by far my favorite. Loved it here - definitely stop and DO NOT skip on dessert!

    Shaved jicama
    Jinny C.

    I was visiting Houston and decided to stop by after a local's recommendation and I am so glad I did. The food and drinks were amazing, and I ended up ordering more during the meal because it was that great. The flavors they mix into each dish are playful but done well. Service was attentive and friendly as well. -Shaved jicama: very light and refreshing but grounded by the pumpkin seed sikil pak -Wagyu carpaccio: the combination of cheese and raw Wagyu is light and the strawberry lightens it up even more -tuna tartine: so good. Was tempted to order another one -cocktails: I got the Rumba III which was refreshing and the bartender came by with a sample of a new cocktail he made and it was so fresh and light I had to order that one as well. Don't think it's officially on the menu yet but if you see something with watermelon and gin, get it

    Duck and steak
    Jacob D.

    In what used to be an old beer tap, something pretty unique has sprung up for downtown Houston. Probably one of the more approachable taste of upscale dining that I've been to in a while. The decor is an elegant mix of stones and woods with splashes of color and pattern that pair to the eclectic feel of the food available. Our server seemed passionate about the menu and unlike when you can tell they also enjoy the food they are offering. The menu is very tight, so intentionality has to come through. I asked for a dinner menu and lunch time, and we were accommodated which opened up many of the more interesting options for our group. I was impressed too to bottom with the dishes. Each plate incorporates an interesting flavor pairing, contrast of textures, purposeful plating. Duck breats that had shatteringly crisp skin, tuna toast with bread that melts upon contact. Even the mocktail is presented with a bit of flair and attention to detail. I could gush a bit more, but it feels like spoiling a movie. Worth a try or two and I look forward to seeing what's next.

    Sourdough
    Long T.

    Amongst all of the dishes we had, the real standout to me was the newest dish on their menu... a crispy rice with mushroom sauce dish that was complex in flavors and textures. This was the highlight that really stood out to me. Everything else was cooked nicely in a largely protein forward meal selection. I am still thinking about that crispy rice dish.

    Seeded Sourdough with Whipped Butter+Local Honey
    Giuliana S.

    My husband and I first noticed Barbacana while walking our dog a few months ago, and we finally decided to stop in for lunch this week. The décor is colorful, eclectic, and definitely interesting, though I didn't quite get the "upscale" vibe mentioned in other reviews. Perhaps the atmosphere feels different at dinner service. Since there were only two tables being served, I expected things to move fairly quickly, but overall the service was on the slow side. Our drinks were refilled promptly, which I appreciated, but the food took quite a while to arrive. We were offered bread right after sitting down, though they forgot all about it and we had to remind them. Once it did arrive, though, it was excellent. The butter with honey was so absolutely addictive I could have eaten it by the spoonful and called it a day. The menu itself is brief but clearly curated by Chef Hernandez with thought and intention. We decided to share two dishes: the Texas toast wagyu burger and the sticky rice with lemongrass chicken. The burger was solid but nothing memorable (I'd give it a 6/10), while the sticky rice was a standout (8/10). The balance of flavors and textures was spot on, and I ended up loving the lemongrass, which I wasn't sure I would at first. When the check arrived, I was surprised to see we'd been charged for two orders of bread when we only received one. They did adjust it when I pointed it out, but I was also surprised to learn the bread wasn't complimentary--it's $10. That said, it was so good I can't even be mad about it. I'd honestly come back just for the bread and butter. Overall, I enjoyed trying a new spot for lunch, but I'm not sure I was wowed enough to return to try their dinner menu.

    Henry B.

    Came in with a reservation for date night on Friday, seated immediately. Food 5/5: we had the tuna toast, mushroom Donburi, robuchon potato's and pork collar. Got the rumbo III as well. Everything tasted fantastic my personal favorite was the pork collar but you can't go wrong with any of them Ambiance 5/5: beautiful restaurant with quiet ambiance, location in downtown Service 5/5: fantastic service, very attentive, polite and knowledgeable. Folded napkin when I stepped away and quick. Value 3.5/5: you get what you pay for, seems about what to expect at a fine dining restaurant like this. Overall 4.5/5: would come back to try other options on the menu, wish parking situation was better. Parking: street parking with a tiny like 10 car lot out front. We parked 3 blocks away and walked as we were headed elsewhere in downtown after.

    Thuy P.

    We chose this restaurant randomly in Houston downtown and it turned out to be good. It does require a taste bud while eating the food. Chef Christian Hernandez has a very good blend of mixtures ingredients in his food. Service was very good. The restaurant is emptied during lunch but we were told they are packed at nite.

    Beth W.

    Was super excited to try this spot but left with a 50/50 attitude regarding returning. The location --- love to see more true downtown spots that are near Post, theater district, etc but with that unfortunately comes parking perils. I was lucky enough to find street parking with a little walk but my friends ended up paying $20 for a nearby lot. The interior gives you warm, upscale vibes so a good ambiance for a date night or pre-show experience. The Food --- we decided to go with the "Around the World" experience which is a chef's tasting menu. The portions and amount of food brought to the table was ample except that dessert was not included which was kinda weird? Some dishes we really appreciated and some we were meh about. Specifically, the tuna crudo was slightly fishy and lacked balancing flavors, the shrimp tart had a strong bitter seasoning taste that reminded me of like crab boil/old bay vibes. The chicken tacos had great potential but was overmarinated with blobs of yogurt? underneath the skin that needed to be removed prior to enjoying. We did appreciate the accompaniments with the tacos. Pork collar was nice. Our favs were probably the desserts! We loved both the corn and smores desserts. An odd experience during dining probably sealed the rating here -- - We unfortunately were approached by an individual asking for money. He entered the restaurant and proceeded to take a lap around the uncrowded dining area asking for money. He left then came back for a second lap without staff knowing. We made them aware as this could be a safety issue since the person made 2 laps in and out of the restaurant without acknowledgement. Overall could I be persuaded to give it a second go -- probably. But would it be my idea? Probably not.

    Butterscotch squash in foreground, pollo Al carbon with fix ins

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    Barbacana Reviews in Other Languages

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    Great drinks, friendly service, and delicious HH appetizers! We enjoyed our first time here and…read morehope to come back again!

    After enjoying a late night snack at Handos, we decided to mosey on over to Kampai Club. I had…read moreheard good things for years, and I remember driving past it a couple times and not seeing it or any signage. Even this time the GPS took us to an entrance that had us going the wrong way down a one-way, but we eventually figured it out I will say that the parking isn't all that great, but we were able to find a spot. If the parking lot is full you should be able to find street parking nearby Kanpai Club is a sister location to Handos. They share a kitchen and you can walk through an inside door access either. You can find the same cocktails and bites from Handos on the Kanpai menu, but there's also additional drinks and bites The bar feels like a Japanese Izakaya. It's a narrow space resembling a Japanese outdoor bar. It's intimately lit and well decorated. We did have to wait for two spots to open up, but that didn't take too long The bartenders were friendly, professional, and efficient. We went on a Friday night (fairly late), and they had two dedicated bartenders The cocktails were fun and were beautifully crafted. Most were served in novelty glassware. You can order classic cocktails, but both Kanpai and Hando offer a variety of signature cocktails. Most having some sort of Japanese or Asian fusion. They have beer, wine, and extensive sake list, as well as green tea and other nonalcoholic options The cocktails were tasty. The only one I was iffy on was their Espresso martini. It was poured from a machine and I guess there were having issues with it. The presentation was phenomenal. There was a roasted marshmallow garnish. The drink itself was far too Smokey in flavor than I like, or at least in terms of my espresso martinis The Yuzu Kosho fries were incredible. The flavors really hit the spot. The Okinawa Potato salad was both questionable to looks and and to eat lol. This purple mound of potato's had an interesting taste, look, and consistency. It wasn't bad, just... interesting and new Some tips: If you can't find this spot from the street, look for Handos. It's part of this restaurant Ask the bartender about the happy hour menu. And most nights they're open until 12am, but on Fridays and Saturdays they are open until 2am If you order food online (technically from Hando's) you can get 10% off using code: HANDO10. This is part of their "Hando and Chill" special Cheers!!

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