alas... i have to update my review since i was disappointed during my last visit sometime last month. once upon a time this was my 'go-to spot' for lounging, drinking and snacking al fresco. since then it has fallen from its lofty position to the jagged rocks below... what happened? i'm so sad to report that this place has gravitated to the dreaded 'overrated' status IMHO. the main dining room might be a different story but out in the lounge... i realize that it all comes out of one kitchen and two of the three appetizers we ordered were very salty indeed. the wait staff was still excellent (alexa, you were the saving grace in all this) and our server tried very hard to compensate for the kitchen. she tried to be creative despite the limitations of the kitchen by providing a vegetarian-friendly dish (for my woman) since the latest offerings they had on the menu were uninspired, the ambiance is still unique and unmatched. dear management, please don't rest on your laurels and provide more quality control! the not so good: - too salty on the asparagus - need other options on the provided flat breadsticks that were salty the good: - our server, alexa (see above) - great ambiance (see above) - bacon wrapped quail (see photo) - egg sunny side up topper on the asparagus (see photo) - pimento spread (see photo) - crispy bacon next to the salty asparagus (see photo) read more

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We decided to kick off the 3-day weekend with a happy hour at Blue at Brenners. We wanted to take advantage of the $5 drink and small plates, as well as enjoy their patio. I loved the outdoor setting; it felt like a resort! My husband appreciated being able to have a cigar as well. The landscaping, the layout, and the furnishings created a luxurious, sophisticated atmosphere. However, we didn't love the drink menu. St. Tropez is basically a gin and tonic, which is not bad, but not that great either. The pear martini intrigued me, but ended up being a bit of a letdown. I'm not a big fan of flavored vodkas, and both of their martinis featured those. The Paloma was probably the best thing I tried, but paled in comparison to the ones at Hugo's. And the margarita tasted extremely sweet. Our server did remove the margarita from our tab, which was thoughtful, but I wish we had been able to find a signature drink that we really loved. Happy hour prices on wine and beer are okay too, so I may go that way next time. Of the 3 small plates we tried, Chicken Satay, veal and ricotta meatballs, and Angus sliders, the sliders were the most flavorful and interesting. All 3 items tasted good, but they really are "small" plates. But for $5, I can't complain. If you're looking for a classy spot to hang out with friends, this is a great choice. And don't be intimidated by the valet--it's complimentary! read more

This place looks and feels just like a ski lodge; cozy and comfortable. We tried pretty much everything on the menu, including all the drinks. Stick to the sliders, fried calamari, bacon-wrapped quail, and truffle fries (really good). Definitely get the pretzels too; they were DELICIOUS, and it comes with 3 types of dipping sauce. If these pretzels are making you thirsty, quench it on the martinis, sweet tea vodka concoction, and margaritas. Luckily, since Houstonians are afraid of ice, it wasn't too crowded. The outdoor bar/patio area looks amazing too. I'll definitely be back in the spring time. Overall just a great HH experience; you won't be feeling blue at Blue at Brenner's read more

On a rare evening, when the heat stars aligned with the humidity stars to make for blissfully temperate patio weather, I brought my boyfriend to Blue at Brenner's to have a pretty little cocktail on a pretty little patio for happy hour. Apparently, the service was attempting to align with the temperature, because it certainly was cool too, with a chance of nonexistent. Sitting on the decks below the restaurant, it could be that the servers do not attend to the lounge tables. But its not an unremarkable feat to hike the stairs up to order the next round... after having completed a round of drinks. Or two. Additionally, the snacks and small plates menu seems not to have changed in quite some time. Seasonally, yearly, or otherwise. We ordered the soft pretzels and veal & ricotta meatballs. The pretzels were stale and overly greasy, while the meatballs were somewhat bland and forgettable. The wines and cocktails on the menu were well selected and a good deal, but were unaccompanied by a water on the side. I seem to keep coming back to Brenner's and Blue, and continually return home with the same impression: service is cool, forgetful and somewhat amateurish, while the food is dated and unremarkable. I've kept returning,with the hope that the experience quality will live up to the lovely venue. But, enough money's been spent at this point. Sorry, Blue, sorry Brenner's. read more

I've been here a couple of times for Happy Hour. I have to say, this is probably one of the most scenic places in Houston to enjoy a nice meal. I was just shocked with I arrived and was able to seat on the patio overlooking the bayou. You can actually access the bayou if you continue to follow the steps. On a sunny day, this is just the best place to hang out and sip a few glasses of wine or cocktails.... Their pear martini is pretty good. Most happy hour drinks are $5. Also, the appetizers are $5. We tried a different variety including the meatballs, the calamari, the slides. All were pretty good food. The calamari was huge...the rest were decent sized. I don't think I was completely full from the food but hey, it's just happy hour. The view you get is worth it! Valet is required but it is tips only basis. read more

Went here for HH. Unfortunately Blue was closed for a private event but still enjoyed the upstairs bar. Got truffle fries and pretzels along with a blue coat cocktail. Truffle fries were good but pretzels are a must. Blue coat was interesting with the hibiscus syrup. Overall, great HH experience. Hopefully I'll get to enjoy the view next time. read more

The only reason this is not a 5 star review is because they need to add a few more fans to the patio area for these hot, hot Houston July evenings ! This was the only flaw myself and my husband could point out for our experience here. We had a Happy Hour with several of our friends on a July evening to celebrate my Birthday. The Patio is beautiful, the views are spectacular, the food was very good for the price and the drinks were very good too. I love that Pear Martini and all of my friends bought me several of them LOL ! We took over one of the corners of the large upper Patio and the fan that was in that area, just did not kick out enough air for our comfort. Now, it got somewhat better as the evening wore on, but at one point it was just not good. This is the perfect Happy Hour spot in the Spring and Fall, just not in the middle of July ! Duly noted. read more

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Love, Love , Love this place!!! Did I say Love!! In my Tony the Tiger Voice This place was Grrrrrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaaatttttt!!! My Fav!! Happy Hour was great price, great location, great service!! I will be back again and again!! read more

Blue At Brenner's - Yummy!!!! - Lounges Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great Happy Hour: 5-7pm $5 drinks ($3 blonde bombshell beer...which i love) and light little plates to munch on. Great atmosphere - blue lighting and heaters and really cool blue glass that was on fire with a big group of COMFORTABLE chairs/couches. It over looks the bayou, and it's suprisingly beautiful and restful. I went for a quick drink after work and i could totally relax. Had a paloma - i make some good palomas after my time working at a mexican food reatuarant, but her's weren't that bad either...i felt it after one ;) Overall, great! And if you happen to meet a classy business man looking for someone to treat to a nice dinner after drinks, y'all can just walk into Brenner's for an amazing meal (and huge fireplace....romantic) read more

My boyfriend and I both got food poisoning two Friday nights ago. It was the chicken fried buffalo and egg on top. We believe it was the egg actually. The couple we were with ordered the salmon and the manager came to our table and said he was not comfortable serving it because the size of the salmon steaks were small. He suggested the snapper. Then they are served a super small portion size of that! Really??? None of this is acceptable at all for such a place! read more

The Bottom Line: The Amazing Atmosphere and Great staff make for a great evening - especially if the weather is beautiful! So I was with Alice T. when we went to Blue at Brenner's for a mutual friends' birthday and I quite enjoyed it. The location is amazing, with the Bayou running through and it being landscaped quite beautifully and on a beautiful spring evening like the one we spent there - the atmosphere was amazing! I felt the staff did a pretty good job. They seemed quite busy, but I think they managed to stay more or less in control and seemed to be attentive to our needs. The food was decent. Nothing to write home about (This review is more for an overall experience - than one written for the quality of food). I quite enjoyed the sliders and veal meatballs - and the mini-pretzels were decent too. I was disappointed that after our first order they seemed to have run out of the mini-buns and started serving with some crappy alternative bread. The mini-buns I thought actually completed the sliders and the ones with the other bread just wasn't as good. The dessert was good - I order the chocolate mousse cake which was extremely heavy - and we even though I had other people grab about half off it - I still could not finish it! But it was tasty enough where I hacked away more than I should have.... Finally, I have to say my night ended with an unsettled stomach. That may have been due to the very light snacky dinner followed by a ridiculously heavy cake - or some other unfortunate combination of my dinner that night. READ: I'm not saying it was Brenner's fault - Just if you try to do what we did with the appetizers and desserts - you may end up with an unhappy stomach as well! read more

Great place to have some cocktails with the girls. This place never fails with great drinks. This place is totally cozy. OH... must order the pretzels. Def coming back for more HH. :) read more

Prior to our reservation time we decided to have drinks on the patio of Blue At Brenner's. We started off by getting drinks at the bar area then moved to one of the couch areas. We sat there for roughly 40 minutes without anyone coming around to take any additional drink orders although they repeatedly visited all of the other couch areas adjacent to us. I finally decided to walk up to the waitress and ask if we had to go to the bar to place drink orders and she responded by saying she didn't know if we planned on staying in the patio therefore she didn't come by. I think regardless of your assumption someone could have stopped by and asked if we needed anything rather than skipping right by our group. read more

Awesome atmosphere unlike any other bar in Houston! Would be better if bar seating area was bigger and stayed open later but we'll take what we can get. read more

"It feels like we're on vacation!" my friend said, when we sat down at the patio for Happy Hour Thursday. The patio and bar has multiple tables surrounding a number of couches and cabanas that overlook the bayou and tranquil landscaping... not bad scenery to the end of a nice day in Houston. The Happy Hour menu has tons of plates for sharing for only $5--as well as martinis, wines, and specialty drinks. We split the sliders, truffle fries, pretzels, and chicken skewers between three of us and it was plenty, with some drinks on the side. Described as a "luxurious, high energy patio bar," you could tell from the sea of suits and office attire that young (and some older) professionals come here to unwind after their 9 to 5 jobs. Even though I don't necessarily fit in the "office job" category, I felt pretty grown up being a part of the atmosphere. Overall the service was friendly, the ambiance was beautiful, and the food was good... and all for only $23 a person. I am sure I will be back. read more

This place was AMAZING!! I wanted to try a new place for my birthday and browsed around on yelp. I found Brenner's and although there weren't very many reviews I decided to give it a try - boy am I glad I did! :) We arrived for their happy hour and sat in the back patio that overlooks the bayou. (Ugly water, beautiful atmosphere! Lol) The back patio has a lounge feel, music in the background, and we noticed a number if older individuals there - fear not, you will still be warmly welcomed! Very attentive & friendly staff! Everything on the hh menu was $5 & boy was it delish! We also ordered dessert (not on hh menu)...OMG TO DIE FOR!! Can't wait to return! Actually come to think of it, my bf and I just recently got engaged...maybe we'll have our engagement party/get-together w/close friends & family there! Yep, that's how much I LOVED this place! read more

Came here once with some friends for happy hour. It was like old sugar daddy & young PYT central lol The spot is cool; nice & relaxing. I wasn't a fan of the happy hour food menu but the drinks were okay. I would have LOVED to experience their restaurant but you need reservations and it seemed kind of exclusive and "ain't nobody got time fa dat" lol read more

You absolutely cannot beat the gorgeous patio and views of the Bayou that BLUE at Brenner's has to offer. It's the perfect way to spend an afternoon on a beautiful day, soaking up the sights and enjoying $5 Happy Hour Drinks & Small Plates! It's situated on a beautiful piece of property and has several comfy lounge chairs and fire pits that are so appealing! The drinks are fantastic, and the small plates are pretty good as well. I was surprised to find that the service was not what I expected of a steakhouse/bar/lounge like Brenner's. I cannot speak for the waitstaff serving Brunch, Lunch or Dinner, but the bartenders at BLUE disappointed me. That being said, you just can't beat the views so it's now part of my weekly Happy Hour rotation! Be sure to arrive by 5:30...the bar gets packed fast! read more

Omgosh!!! Found a new love! It's 50degrees outside, beautiful view, drinks are on point! Fire pits and Enclosed patio (atLEAST while it's cold :)) YOU have to try this place!! Great to sit back have a drink and enjoy each other ! Also, steak is to die for!!! read more

Blue At Brenner's - Lounges Near Me - Houston, Texas

May 1, 2011: After an uber fabulous event at the Houston Polo Club a few friends and I decked out in fascinators, hats and pearls decided to go to Blue Bar to round out our evening. We took our seats near the bar and began to enjoy the beautiful evening and surroundings. Blue has a wonderful patio and I must admit the patio is the reason why I have returned to Blue four times. After waiting for what seemed like an inappropriate time, we realized we have been seated for 20 minutes and in that time no one had greeted us, brought water or acknowledged us. Within this time, two couples sat next to us and within minutes there were two waiters pouring water and wine for them. I tried twice to gain the waiter's attention and was unsuccessful. ***Scene 2*** We decided to move to the lounge area (near the fire pits) with the rationale being perhaps the service would be better there, WRONG. There were two other parties on either side of us who had drinks and food, we had to literally flag the waitress down to ask for menus. When the waiter (someone new) brought the menu, I promptly placed an order for sparkling water and the bill for I decided I was not going to stay at an establishment with sub par customer service [45 minutes passed and we were just receiving menus]. The waiter returned with my sparkling water, bill and that was it...no water for my three other guests, no menu and *poof* he was gone again. The patio had patrons, but it was not packed. This is the restaurant business, and a good one has wait staff who know how to handle multiple customers. After my guests still had not received their water or menus [55 minutes now] they stopped the waitress who just finished serving the patrons to our right and asked for a menu and her response was, "I have them, those and over there to deal with, I will get to you when I can" and she was off. This was not my first time to Blue but I must admit I only received good service from them during my first visit, which was a year ago. Although I adore the outdoor space, I will not return. Customer service is definitely a deciding factor in where I choose to spend my time, energy and money. Although Groves (Discovery Green) may not have the same outdoor landscaping, they do have an outdoor patio, great drinks and most importantly fabulous wait staff. Each and every time I have visited their service has been consistent, excellent. I am just one person, and I am sure Blue Bar will not lose any sleep or revenue due to my decision to never return, however, the quality that distinguishes excellent from mediocre is not the material aspect of a business, but it is the way in which said company treats EACH customer realizing that everyone is important. We have a plethora of options as to where, when and how we spend our money, and it is privilege to have customers. Just ask the numerous companies that go out of business daily. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! I'm a huge fan of this place, especially if you just had dinner at Brenner's and you wanted to keep the night going, or if you just want a girls night out. I came here with couple of my girlfriends and we all loved it. The seating area was pretty open. The view was awesome. You're out on the patio and the you can see the bayou or greenery on the other side. I fell in love. When we first came in, we went downstairs where the big group couches were and we didn't get any service there. So I'm not really sure if it's because you go down some stairs they cant bring you drinks but we decided to move up and go back upstairs. As soon as we sat down, our waiter/bartender came over and introduced himself. He recommended couple of drinks which were good, not too strong and not weak. They were just perfect! He also recommended couple of small bites. We got the: Angus Beef Sliders: they were AMAZING, my favorite by far. Lobster rolls: I was a little disappointed, I mean they were good but not as good as I thought they would be Sauteed spinach: GREAT Parmesan fries: were YUMMY. I mean who doesn't like fries and Parmesan??!? lol Overall, I loved it and I will be going back! read more

Blue At Brenner's - Parmesan fries - Lounges Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The food and atmosphere was amazing, it definitely doesn't feel like you're still in Houston. We went for happy hour and there was plenty of seating early on a Wednesday. The service was a little off, with multiple servers coming around never really knowing who ordered what food, and the waitress spilled parts of drinks fairly often. Despite that, the experience was still very enjoyable. Decent drink selection and fantastic foods. read more

I highly recommend checking out this happy hour for the view. The patio is gorgeous! Pretty location outdoors to chill after work or even for a casual date. They've got a few HH items that are $5 until 7pm, as well as complimentary valet (super convenient). The sliders are okay (very cute and filling); the truffle fries have an excellent flavor (but our order was kinda greasy as if it'd been sitting for a while)----I will say though that the mini gyros were packed with flavor and we really enjoyed them with our cocktails--soft pita; roughly chopped, flavorful olives; lots of bright white feta cheese. I ordered the mixed berry martini and it was a bit sweet and licorce tasting for me (maybe its a drink for others). While all of our servers (between the bartenders and the cocktail waitresses) were wearing smiles and were very polite, the service was very slow. I might try this HH again to give the food, drinks and service another shot, but for any of you who haven't yet---the view is the feature. Other positive side note: We ordered the creme brulee trio dessert (from the regular dinner menu) and enjoyed it. read more

Beautiful Place, Terrible Manager: Blue at Brenner's has a very nice and unique setup, however it is completely let down by it's management, or rather manager- Anthony Hassan. Never have I been treated with such unwarranted disrespect and hostility as Mr. Hassan displayed. As long as he is employed there I cannot recommend this bar to anyone. read more

Great cocktails, happy hour is definitely the time to show up. Be prepared to dress nicely (of course) and have some attitude from the servers. But a nice place to sit and drink and enjoy the view. And the drinks are strong read more

I'd give the bar a 3.5 for a great HH menu and scenery. But a -0 for the service!!! Our server was plum AWEFUL! My friend grabbed a table at about 4:45pm on a Friday and ordered a drink. We arrived at 5:20 pm and seriously waited for 25 minutes until I had to wave someone down to find our server. Throughout the evening service was inconsistent our server would be somewhat attentive then disappear for a while. We actually went to the bar to order a round of drinks and appetizers because we couldn't spot out server. Our appetizers however came out quickly and the HH drinks were great! We orders the St. Tropez and Fresh Berry Martini both were good. For appetizers we ordered off of the HH menu as well. Sliders, Truffle Fries, Gyros, and Meatballs. All were tasty. I'm not sure Ill suggest this place again for HH. I've been for brunch and I had a very pleasant experience. We'll see! read more

This place is beautiful at night! Somehow you do not feel like you're in Houston anymore (other than the humidity setting in...). Drinks here: heavy pour = good drinks! Walked around the spacious, pretty garden and just fell in love with it! Definitely will come out here more often :) read more

It is so strange how much the site of the old Rainbow Lodge has changed and how much that it hasn't. A lot of the rustic charm of the old lodge remains, but the lounge looks like it should be set in Miami Beach, not along the banks of the bayou. It is a odd combination of night club and nature. The service was fine, nothing overly special, but not bad either. The drink specials are good, the St Tropez is a fantastic cocktail. We sampled the short rib ravioli (good, but not great), truffle fries (small serving and need more flavor), calamari (fantastic with sweet potato chips and shrimp), and the chicken satay (great flavor and kick!). I will return as long as the weather is good, but be sure to get there early in order to get a seat. It was packed by 5:30pm on a Thursday. read more

This is perhaps the best looking place to have happy hour in Houston. The setting is absolutely awesome. I've only had drinks here (so far) and while the service was slow, I cannot complain about where I was because it was relaxing and felt like I was in a different city than Houston (almost like I was in the country along a river). Now I didn't go when it was super packed...I went on a Monday, but it was still a good time because I came to hang out with my friends. There's a free valet in front for parking. I can imagine this place is quite packed during the weekend nights so maybe I'll avoid it for now unless there's a very special occassion. read more

The scenery for this bar/lounge is the best in all of Houston. I mean it. Based on this fact alone, I would give this place five stars, but the service was kind of slow, even though the place was not crowded, so I am docking one star overall. The happy hour deals are awesome... I came here yesterday for HH at around 6:00 ish. Since it was Monday, the place wasn't ridiculously crowded. We stuck to their HH menu... the deals are incredible! $5 for their signature Margarita and for the Signature Martinis = happiness! The drinks were good and strong. The bar bites were good too, especially the sliders and the truffle fries! I could have kept eating those for hours! The veal meatballs were pretty good, but the chicken satay was kind of dry and bland. The best part of the meal though was their ice cream sandwich trio- which comes with vanilla, chocolate and cherry ice cream cookie sandwiches and two peanut butter and chocolate stacks! The total tab came out to under $40, but we got $25 off for using our Landry's Select Card. It ended up being a super deal. read more

BLUE-autiful Views! Blue is an excellent spot to enjoy cocktails with a view. The bar is all outdoors on the patio of Brenner's on the Bayou, so be sure to plan to go when the weather is nice. Service is very friendly, both the bartenders and servers are attentive and pleasant. There is lounge seating and bar tables, as well as some regular dining tables towards the back. There are a few TV's, but the best way to see them is by sitting at the bar itself. The drink menu has some unique items - the Pear Martini is my favorite! It's sweet, but not too sweet - benefitting from a tart kick and a light vodka flavor. Other favorites are the Hibiscus Cocktail and Signature Margarita, both light and fresh instead of overly sweet. There is a light food menu to order from that has sharing plates and easy appetizers, but you can also order from the Brenner's menu if you sit at the regular dining tables. We have actually preferred to sit on the patio and have dinner rather than inside the restaurant when the weather is nice, but even if you have dinner in the restaurant, this is a great spot for before or after dinner cocktails. Cheers! read more

A few changes since the first few times I've been there: Happy hour has been scaled back from 5-7 (it was until 9). $5 app menu has fewer items, and the portions are also shrinking. The quality of the food has declined a bit, items served cold. Service about the same - a little slow at times. But the view is still SPECTACULAR, even better now since it's Spring. One weird observation - an older gentleman was there with a young man, maybe his son, who appear no older than 14-16 and was served wine and beer. I know TABC allows parents to serve alcohol to their minor children but I felt Blue was not the appropriate place. read more

We went to Blue a few months ago for Happy Hour. The back deck is in a really unique setting - you don't expect all the greenery and views, it really feels like an oasis. We walked down to the bayou after drinks just to see what it was like - pretty neat that the stairs and landings lead you down there. The crowd was a little too trendy for my taste, but the service was excellent, the drinks were good and fairly priced. We had fried calamari and their french fries from their happy hour menu, both were great and I would go again. read more

What a nice area to lounge after enjoying a steak from Brenner's! I love the whole ambiance. Beautiful view overlooking the bayou at night. Love the whole landscape they have going on here. Everyone was having a good time. Bartenders were friendly and made my drink just right in a timely fashion! Nice, well-lit path that you can walk down and there are places to sit on that path if you just want to get away from everyone. read more

Very nice place, I wish they stay open for more hours, you can order great food, the place is a bit upscale but you get what you pay for.

Beautiful patio and grounds, and right on the bayou, too. I would come here just for the view. It really feels like a private retreat, right in the middle of Houston. Happy hour specials - $5 drinks and appetizers - are a pretty good deal. Pretty hoppin on a thursday night - kind of an upscale, "clubby" crowd. Drinks are nice and strong but a little on the girly side. Check out the review on my blog: http://backyardbartender.blogspot.com/2011/04/bartenders-choice-blue-bar-at-brenners.html for suggestions on drinks to order "off the menu". read more

Blue At Brenner's - bartender Michael Manahan made me this drink...it's called a Bottany Bay. purdy. - Lounges Near Me - Houston, Texas

I'll add to this review later but for now, let me say that sitting at the bar feels like sitting under a gale force hurricaneS in pretty sure my notepad is going to fly away. read more

Five star all the way around! By far one of the best experience my boyfriend and I have had in a really long time. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone! read more

I've visited 4 or 5 times now and I'm really enjoying this place. I typically go on a Friday night. Multi-cultural crowd between the ages of 30-35. Friendly crowd. Lounge music playing is a bit loud a difficult to tall over but no biggie. extensive happy hour menu with over 10 beers and 10 different wines in addition to a specialty drink menu and small plates. The food and drinks are good but the scenery and the crowd are my main attraction to Blue. There isn't a place in Houston that can match Blue when it comes to its outdoor patio. Sits right on the bayou. Nice place to entertain. read more

As far as happy hour goes, this place is at the top of my list. Walking distance from my house, I love the location, and the backdrop of Brenner's. With the Bayou in the background, and lush landscaping, sitting on the back deck, sipping cocktails on a Summer night sounds like a perfect evening to me. I've been to the restaurant a couple of times, but never hung out in the back at Blue, but happy I decided to give it a whirl. Their Happy Hour menu is fairly extensive with $5 wines (actual good ones) $5 martinis (coconut cream, berry (my favorite) pear (also looked delish) and some other ones. They have $3 St. Arnolds, and other craft beers, and some killer $5 Apps. I was pretty darn impressed. We ordered a number of things to share including the $5 mini gyros, sliders, homemade pretzels, yummy veal meatballs and truffle fries. They also had chicken satay with peanut sauce, and one other app I can't remember. The service was top notch, the food was excellent, and the prices were really good! Def. will be back! read more