We've thoroughly enjoyed Diana American Grill every time we go to the Hobby Center since moving back to Houston. It's the perfect pre-show experience. You arrive early, enjoy convenient parking, and have a fantastic meal before the performance. Reservations are definitely recommended, though I've managed to sneak in last minute and grab a seat at the bar. The cocktails are excellent, and the wine selection is a huge perk. I've had the steak with mashed potatoes, several pasta dishes, and salads, and every single one has been a stellar choice. Honestly, I prefer to see a show at the Hobby Center only if I can dine at Diana. Don't miss the opportunity to make your night extra special by adding a meal here at this wonderful venue. read more

Diana American Grill - Great wine after snagging a last minute seat at the bar! - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food is always very good to excellent. Service is great and they work hard to get you finished in time for your show. Definitely need to make a reservation on show nights! read more

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We got there really early before the show, in plenty of time. And then for some reason, it took almost 30 minutes after we ordered to get our food, which made us late. And the food was so mediocre. The shrimp in the Caesar salad -- there were about five of them, each the size of a quarter. The The truffle fries, well there were a ton of them that we didn't have time to finish. And I never got the glass of wine I ordered. So disappointing for such a nice (expensive) place. read more

It's a fine, decent restaurant if nothing spectacular. I would label it, Older River Oaks Country Club/everyday dining experience. Kinda banquet type food. Although everything was served hot and fresh. Vegetables actually cooked and not raw. Plus ample portions of veggies and starches (not need to order extra sides). Protein portions more modest about 6 ounces. Sauces basic standards Very efficient service. They can get you in/out within an hour. Very convenient for show as on site. Ticketing available right out doors to first floor seating too. A nice somewhat more private less crowded bathroom located on first floor by elevator too. Flourless chocolate cake very good and definitely a shareable portion if candied pecans stale. Coffee made hot and fresh a definite plus. Definitely worth eating here before show if not somewhat expensive for what you get (convenience and they can only have one seating.). But to be honest, I miss when Churrascos ran the on/site dining rooms read more

Had a super lovely dinner here before a theater performance. The pimento cheese and crackers were really good, crab cake was crispy (though the salad is heavily salted), prime rib was excellent and finished off with Creme brûlée. Overall was a really lovely experience. Staff was quite attentive and was perfect to just walk into the theater. read more

Diana American Grill - Killer mock tail for little shop of horrors - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Being above the Hobby Center, this restaurant has great atmosphere and food for that evening you want dinner and a show!

We enjoy eatting here before going to the theatre. Service & food are good. We will return. read more

The main (only?) reason for coming here is proximity for pre or post show dining. It's good but pricey and wouldn't be worth it if it wasn't attached to the Hobby Center. All the items we had were fine and service was good. Watch out for the split plate charge (they offered to split but did not advise of the charge verbally and we found out on the bill). I do like the option they give for ordering drinks/desserts for intermission. That was a nice thing to have ready for us during the show. read more

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Great food, fast service perfect for a pre show dinner. Get there early like 5:30 before an evening show and you'll be out in 45mins, starts to get crowded at 6-6:15. But perfect for date night before show. read more

Diana American Grill - The Queen Bee martini - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This is our go to place before a show at The Hobby Center. The food is amazing and the service is perfection. Over the years, we've gotten to know Mercy, and she literally treats us like family. I truly never expected to connect with such a lovely human just from visiting a restaurant. Well done, Diana, your people are kind, friendly, and professional. Because of them, we will continue to come as often as we are able, and we will forever appreciate the treatment we receive. read more

Service was great, food was good. Really enjoyed the House Salad (Field Greens, Red Grapes, Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Grape Tomatoes, Toasted Almonds, Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette). While the Seared Salmon with Celery Root Purée, Turmeric Cauliflower, and Citrus Butter Sauce was good, I found the Butter Sauce and purée were a little runny, but still tasty. With the easy access to Hobby Center, we will return. read more

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What a beautiful place to eat at before your scheduled show. Located at the Hobby Center. My daughter got me four tickets to see Mary Poppins so of course I took her and two of my friends. Next time before we come I will make reservations however we were fortunate to be able to be to eat here. Our waitress was so sweet and incredibly thoughtful made our experience so much more special. She offered up some great drink suggestions definitely loved the Chim Chimney cocktail really felt more like a spoonful of sugar (Mary Poppins). And I love it that she new her menu, she again was able to explain the food options and once we settled on our orders she took them. I ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese it wasn't too expensive and filled me up. Had a couple of Coca~Colas to wash it down. When it was close to time to go see the play our waitress by the way her name was Selena, let us know that we could come back during intermission to enjoy another cocktail and a dessert all we had to do was order them. The food plus the beverages would be waiting for us when we came back. And she was right, when we came back everything was laid out on the table beautifully. Food was delicious!!! Cocktails so yummy!! read more

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We dined here prior to seeing Frozen. The ambiance was nice and generally well-maintained, though the booth had some crumbs and food scraps, which we chalked up to the holiday rush. The service was quick but transactional, likely due to there being only three servers for the entire space. While our server was friendly, they only had time for the basics: taking our drink and food orders, doing a quick quality check, and dropping off the check. We were slightly disappointed that after asking for a box for one of our dishes, they never brought it back after clearing our plates. The food quality varied by dish. The vegetarian option was overcooked and lacked cohesion, featuring a mix of squash, tofu, and quinoa. The beef Bolognese was decent but unremarkable. However, the prime rib was the highlight of the night, with an excellent au jus accompanying it. Overall, this is a safe choice for a pre-show meal at the Hobby Center, but there are better options in the area for the price. read more

Let's start with great service. Little angels working here. You can def expect great service. The ambiance is nice too - from the white cloth to the floor to ceiling windows viewing the city. Also wine prices seem high for average name wines but it's because they poor HEAVY. The food is not good. Haha. I feel bad saying that but it's not. The flat bread is great. If we only ordered the flat bread, this would be a 5 star review... but we didn't. We ordered the chicken dish. The chicken was tough and had no flavor, the green beans were fine (very buttery), and the mash potatoes were giving hospital. The gravy tasted like it was frozen from Sysco. Honestly the whole meal kinda reminded me of college Sysco meals. French fries were fine. I've been told so many times to only get the flatbread and dip - def stick to that. But tbh their pour is so great I took a glass to go and it was great for the show. read more

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Great option if you got a show. Only thing is service is slow. We waited I think 15 minutes until getting something. Mostly upper white older clientele getting something to eat or drink before the show. Prices are on the expensive side imo. The waitress apologized profusely for the delay. But I did see it was busy. So I told her not to sweat it. But we did want to make our showtime. So we just ordered appetizers and we made it with 10 minutes to spare having had come 1 hour early. Appetizers of pimento cheese and the spinach artichoke were meh. Cold and somewhat stale. House salad was good though. Also had 1 glass of wine. With tip, it's over $60 for that. read more

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Excellent food and even better service. German is the best, he remembers our orders but also recommends new items. Love the new menu items! read more

A pre-show (BOOK OF MORMON) at this Hobby Center venue proved to one of the best dining experiences we have had in months! The service was extraordinary - like a well-oiled machine, every staff member was well aware of their role, and hustling to make sure that everything was perfect. The experience is intense, because the restaurant opens at 4:30, and diners need to be in their theater seats by 7. Because the entire staff works together and is so well-trained, every request was fulfilled with timeliness, accuracy, and a smile! My compliments to our server, Romeo, and also to Tyler, who was an assistant server who impressed us with his charm and professionalism. The meal was an orchestration of perfection. I started with a shrimp cocktail that had a well-tuned horseradish red sauce, followed by a poached pear salad with toasted walnuts and blue cheese crumbles with a honey-vinaigrette dressing. My entree was a pasta dish with Italian sausage and accents of Parmesan, fennel, rosemary, and thyme. If you plan to attend an event at THE HOBBY CENTER, I highly recommend that you book a pre-show reservation at THE DIANA AMERICAN GRILL. it's fabulous! read more

I've come here a few times before and experienced exquisite meals. I always get the same thing: strip loin entree and a side of lobster Mac n cheese. The very first time I tried this place they were testing out some Boudin balls that were amazing but they discontinued them. I've also tried the artichoke dip. It was good. Yesterday I went and found an updated menu. Thankfully the strip loin was still there but the Mac n cheese was not. The loin also now featured a blue cheese souffle. Unfortunately, the steak was just ok and the souffle fell flat on taste and texture. The blackberry lemonade was syrupy sweet and the key lime pie was a bit too tart for my liking (on previous occasions it was perfect). Even though the restaurant was able to fit us in on a fully booked night and the wait staff was amazing, this visit was disappointing. read more

Beautiful and convenient place to eat when you already have tickets for the Hobby Center for a show the same night. Plus you're in downtown Houston and can snag free parking right at 6pm. Food is great and service is ok as long as they're not too busy. Empty tea glass was quite frequent. Ambiance is nice but not too formal. Great place for the location and parking convenience for the theater. read more

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Looks like most of the bad reviews were regarding service. I showed up pretty early on a Thursday evening before going to the theater and sitting at the bar the service was very prompt and my food came out quickly and scalding hot! I tried the seared salmon and can't complain. It wasn't the best I ever had but nothing to complain about by any means. Prices were very reasonable and the view is great! read more

Diana American Grill - Seared salmon - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Wowww this restaurant is always on top of their game. The food is always good but I want to point out the desserts this visit. I had to try both the tres leches cake and chocolate cake which by the way both are quite good. The service I received was totally a good vibe. I have been a few times and always receive a warm welcome from the manager to the hostess to the table and throughout my dining experience. read more

Beautiful setting and atmosphere with the Houston skyline right out the floor-to-ceiling windows. We were seated promptly and drinks and food arrived without any delay. Service was good. Although it is a bit pricey, the meals were prepared with care and presented nicely. Best of all, we just walked right into the Hobby Performance Center Lobby which is adjoined to the restaurant. Reservations at 6:15pm gave us plenty of time to enjoy a relaxed meal, then get to the show without worrying about timing or parking. It's a one stop evening. Nice! read more

Diana American Grill - Interior - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Entrees did not arrive until 30 minutes before curtain, waited almost an hour for salads. Waiter never refilled water glasses. Upcharged shared salads by 50% without informing us. Have never experienced service this poor at this place before. read more

Love going to the hobby center and Diane is right there. It's a great place to always have dinner and drinks before going to a musical or play. read more

Positives: Lovely views and good service and they will get you out in time for the play. They alert you when you have 10 minutes before show time. Negatives: very noisy, food highs and lows, and split plate charges. I ordered the trout. The fish was very over cooked, dry and tasteless. The corn relish and broccolini were perfect. Although the menu indicates an additional charge for splitting an entree, no such mention is made for salads. Yet they added a $5 charge to split the Ceasar salad. We demanded they remove it. A manager acknowledged there was no mention on the menu, but added, "but we do charge to split salads". She reluctantly agreed to do so "just this once". With all the hard surfaces, the noise level is high. Cocktails and wine are a bit pricey. read more

This was our second meal at Diana American Grill, and we really enjoyed both experiences! The first visit, I enjoyed one of the best prime ribs I have ever had, and I was tempted to order it gain, but the beef tenderloin seemed to be calling my name. Very happy with that decision - the marinated steak had an incredible taste and was really tender, perfectly medium rare. I had ordered Ceasar salad and truffle fries to serve as my version of steak frites and loved the flavor combination. They have a great tasting Old Fashion as a recommended cocktail, for those who partake. This restaurant is inside the Hobby Center for Performing Arts and it is not unusual for them to be sold out on nights plays are being performed, so, I not recommend eating here on such occasion, but you should make your reservation and hour to and hour and a half before the curtain goes up! Have fun!!! read more

Let me preface the review by saying that the food was excellent only after they decided to wait on us. My parents and I got there, looking over the menu. We noticed that after 15 minutes, everyone else around us who weren't a minority was getting drink and bread service. No one would come over and ask if we were ready or needed anything. Finally, I got up and asked to speak with a manager. I explained to her never had I felt less welcome at a restaurant than here. I told her I was not sure we were discriminated against due to race or my disability. Almost immediately, they began to bring us service after a drink, bread, etc. The manager did comp our meal, but it shouldn't take me showing them how obliviously wrong the initial situation was. They said our server was new a got lost. I didn't feel like the staff was working as a team. If the server near us saw what was happening, they could have given a heads-up. I'm also not sure the hostess had their head in the game, either. They should let servers know their table is present. The manager apologized profusely, but and the end, it had my blood pressure high and made what could have been a fun night out with my parents a flop. read more

After leaving a show, first issue we had was entering the restaurant at 4:15 when there were less than 10 patrons and being told that they needed to see if a table could be found. Mind you only 1 table was occupied while all other patrons were at the bar. Once we are sat at a table, the waiter was asked what "EVOO" was. This acronym was listed on the menu and the waiter said she did not know what it meant. She then had to go to the kitchen to find out. Next, we asked the waiter how the Brussels sprouts were made/prepared because one of us is vegan. Waiter said that they were just basic Brussels. She was not sure if they were fried or baked. She also did not feel the need to find out from the kitchen. We asked if there was bacon on them and she said no. We explained that we needed to make sure there was no meat involved in the cooking process. She still insisted it was okay. Because the waiter seemed so unsure we asked another waiter who informed us bacon was indeed mixed in with the Brussels sprouts. We then went back to the waiter and told her that we were told bacon WAS on the Brussels sprouts. She looked surprised. Next the chef came out to explain a vegan option. We came up with a plan for a vegan meal with Brussels sprouts. Instead we are brought out asparagus with prosciutto. We explained that we did not order asparagus and asked to speak to the manager. Manager was not helpful and stated that there must have been confusion with the kitchen (even though we had just made a plan with the chef). Next we were brought asparagus without the prosciutto. Once again we explained that we did not order asparagus. Finally food comes out. We had ordered two margaritas but of course only 1 was put in the system. The initial bill that was shown was for a different table with trout and steak. Next bill shown was correct expect asparagus was still on the bill. Waiter explains that she will try to get the manger to "comp" the asparagus. I reiterate that we NEVER ordered asparagus in the first place. This was one of the worst experiences I have ever had in such a "high end" restaurant. Horrible customer service!! You cannot make up this story. read more

Excellent experience! I saw some negative reviews but understand your location and the environment that you are dining at. Everything is straight forward and you should expect the prices and clientele that are here. With all that we stop for dinner after a Sunday afternoon showing of Wicked. The views and settings were great. Our server Darrell was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. Ordered a bottle of wine, they were out of my selection but brought a more expensive bottle but honored the price of my original choice. Started with soup of the day, Tomato Basil. Creamy and delicious. My wife had the Wagyu Beef Bolognese and I had the Shrimp Corn Chowder Penne. Big portion sizes and great flavor on both. We tried to save room for dessert as the options looked great but just couldn't. Highly recommend if you are seeing a show at Hobby. read more

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Just don't do it, yet! This place is gorgeous and has the potential be excellent, especially located inside of Hobby Performing Arts Center. Unfortunately, the food and service is evidence of a highly inexperienced, well-intentioned staff (service and kitchen). The food reminds me of texture of a frozen Trader Joe's frozen entree (not at all healthy, though) from the free bread to the main course. The chicken arrived pink and drenched in a thick sauce to cover it up. The squash dish had so much promise and was edible on the same level a burnt, frozen meal from the oven is edible. They have no gluten free options and no dairy alternatives. Prices are insane for service and quality of food. And the music is elevator music turned up high and the acoustics are horrible so you hear everyone talking in surround sound (2 stories) with the sad music playing above it all. How about playing Broadway music during Broadway shows? This restaurant is charging for convenience of waiting for the shows to start, walking straight into the venue, and the beauty of restaurant & city view through floor to ceiling glass... but all of this is sadly not enough to outweigh everything else that still needs work. Hope is not lost! This can easily be solved by hiring a strong restaurant manager and new chef to get this place out of the dark ages and into the present to meet the growing needs and tastes of the community and this venue. It is not for lack of trying in my opinion, this is from a lack of restaurant leadership, market understanding, and overall vision. Coffee was Katz and was decent! This place is charging read more

I've dined here many times for pre-theater dinner, but this was my first time coming with kids: Lunch before my nieces' first Playbills...We dined here prior to seeing Frozen at the Hobby Center. My steak was fantastic, seasoned perfectly, as was the broccolini. My potatoes aligot was a disappointment. I expected it to be cheesy with a more substantial/elastic/melty cheesy texture, but it was basically grainy mashed potatoes. The girls ordered a cheeseburger and chicken fingers, respectively, and neither ate much of their food. They did enjoy the fries. I loved that the restaurant had a themed drink! However, again, while they loved its "frozen" appearance, the drinks remained barely touched, because both said it was "too sour." I would suggest that the restaurant use actual kids as taste-testers for their kid's menu and kid specials. I paid over $100 for a lunch they barely touched. The service was GREAT, and as always, loved the decor and view. read more

You're eating here because you're going to a show at the Hobby Center and it's convenient. You're not eating here because the food is tasty, thats for sure. I ordered the shrimp pasta. It was bland and hugely underwhelming. I believe it had 4 shrimp laid on the top for $30. I tried my dates bolognese. Same story - flavorless and lackluster. We even asked our server for some freshly cracked pepper but it didn't help. Everything needed a heavy hand of seasoning. Even with the convenience of being in the Hobby Center I wont return. Far too many good restaurants nearby to be subjected to this. read more

If you're a black woman attending a show alone and want to be treated like a 2nd class citizen then this is the restaurant for you. Service staff was not very helpful. I walked up to the podium to ask about sitting at the bar because I saw an open seat but was told I had to place my order there and pay upfront and then sit outside. While I was placing my order a couple left and there were teo seat open. I asked if it was now possible to sit at the bar and was told maybe if the bartender cleaned the spot. While standing there two people walked in and were able to go to the bar and the bartender proceeded to clean the spot when they walked up. Another couple walked in and were told to proceed outside and a waitress would be with by another service person at the podium. They walked outside then came back in and wondered around until they found an open table and they were brought menus and served. I sat outside Nd waited for the water I order then end up with two. One in a glass and another in a to go cup which I asked for the lid for but never received. My food was brought out in to go box and no silverware. I asked for silver and received them in a balled up cloth napkin. I was checked in on once. The food was subpar but it served its purpose. The view was nice. read more

Food is great I had the swordfish and ceasar salad, my husband had steak dinner and ceasar salad every thing was delicious

Great place to have dinner before a show. Do make reservations though. Service is quick, friendly and efficient. Nice menu and cocktails. The food perfectly prepared. read more

Very convenient with the Theater district. Good food and pricing along with Ambient setting

This is the second time I've eaten here, but this time was a full meal instead of dessert. I had redfish in a gumbo sauce and my son had the natural chicken with Marsala sauce. We shared a crab cake . We also got the cheesecake and peanut butter pie. The service was great. The redfish was excellent. The chicken's sauce was a little bland. The crab cake was great. The lemon cheesecake was wonderfully bright in flavor. The peanut butter pie is great but too rich for one person to eat by themselves. It was a pricey meal, but considering the convenience of the location for a show, it is worthwhile. read more

After reading some of these reviews, I went to my 5:00 reservation a bit scared. I had NO need for that trepidation. The menu must have changed from many of these reviews because everything tasted great and I felt like the food was much more worth it than its predecessor, Artista. A friend and I ordered the following: Texas Pimento Cheese - really delicious with a creamy consistency. Friend liked the in-house-made crackers that went with it but I thought they were a bit soft for the appetizer. The flavoring on it was good though. I preferred to put the pimento cheese on the newly-baked bread they brought to us! Crab-Avocado Salad - a warning that this IS quite a small salad, but it worked as a shared salad for us as we ordered so many other things. Crabmeat and avocado were VERY fresh. It's currently one of their specials, so it IS $19 for a fairly small dish but we both felt it was worth it just for the deliciousness of it. Prime Rib with Fingerling Potatoes in a Swiss Cheese Sauce - the 12 Oz steak was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. I didn't even need to pour in the au jus! I'm not usually a potato person but they were good. What REALLY stole the show was the Swiss cheese sauce. I'm not usually a fan of Swiss but this was amazing and my friend and I literally tried it with everything on our entree plates - the bread, the steak, her chicken (more below). It went well with EVERYTHING. Roasted Chicken - my friend's Entrée was half a roasted chicken with root vegetables. We couldn't figure out what sauce or seasonings they used but this is definitely recommended. The chicken was juicy and not at all dry. The vegetables were also roasted and consisted of two different types of potatoes (seemed like fingerlings and purple), sweet potato, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. Chocolate Cake - I sometimes feel like I'm the only one of my friends to dislike too much chocolate, but this dessert was a perfect ending. It could have been a TAD but more moist, but great balance of sweetness and that bitter chocolate taste that I love. The icing is almost like a ganache (but isn't) and it was topped with fresh raspberries. The service was fantastic. Our server let us relax and we never once felt rushed. He gave recommendations on his favorite items on the menu. We were also visited by two other people - I believe one was a manager and the other may have been a sommelier but not sure on the 2nd - both of whom asked if everything was to our liking. I thought the ambiance was great; there was current music playing softly when we first sat down but I stopped hearing it once more people arrived. Both of us decided we'd come back for the next show we saw. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are going to see a show - convenient with great food. I would rate this more of a 4.5 but I'm rounding up because anything that bothered me seems so insignificant. I just wish the check-in desk wasn't in such an awkward place? (I usually take more photos of my food but I was just enjoying it this time around. All I got was the cake!) read more

Diana American Grill - Chocolate cake - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Restaurant is at The Hobby Center so make sure you make a reservation if going on show night. I realize they only opened a month ago but was a little underwhelmed by the food. The bread was stale and tasted only and several tables that sat down after us were told they were out of bread. The Caesar salad and Potato Onion Soup were good as was the steak just wasn't blown away. I will be back as it is convenient for the theater and hope they improve with some tome. read more

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Started with a bottle of white wine served room temp. At least they brought a bucket, so it could be chilled to finish it up. Salad should NEVER be served on hot plates (right out of the dishwasher). I had the Seared salmon that was VERY seared, way over cooked, husband the Rainbow Trout also over cooked. The only highlight was to nice women who served our warm wine. She brought us a tasting of a wonderful Malbec. Left hungry. TUTs season ticket holder who won't go back. read more