Tasha was wonderful! We had a great time at the aquarium and restaurant! Quick service and great food.

Kelsey was amazing yesterday good food was good service was good restaurant was clean too

Kelsey was great she was very sweet everything was great I will be back. Thanks again Kelsey!!!

First time going to the aquarium after living in Houston for about 10 years. I would say it met expectations but didn't exceed them. Parking was easy if you arrive when they open at 10am, as was purchasing tickets in person. The aquarium itself had decent exhibits - with several sections quite cramped if you have a stroller. But still lots to see. The tigers were also pretty active but very random. We also enjoyed the outdoor area and particularly the shark train ride. Including a stop at the restaurant, we spent between 2-3 hours exploring today. read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you're coming here because it is an aquarium: I wouldn't recommend it. As an aquarium, it's fairly disappointing and underwhelming. The Houston Zoo has a FAR BETTER aquarium. I also didn't stop at the restaurant. So I can't speak about the food or the service. The aquarium itself took MAYBE 30mins at most. It had nothing exciting, mostly river/pond fish. It wasn't worth the cost of admittance (even with City Pass) or for parking ($16). There was a ton of room for larking, I'll admit. The absolute BEST part of the 30min visit was the 2 Tigers, which was a pleasant surprise (which we stayed in that area for 15mins). The bathrooms were clean and nice. I suppose if you have a large family with young kids: the ferris wheel, the train (shark voyage), splash pad, and other ride might be an opportunity to spend an hour. read more

I really enjoyed my trip to the Houston Aquarium. I will say that I usually spend several hours in any aquarium. In my opinion, that's how you can see the most interesting animal behavior! So the aquarium didn't feel small or boring to me as I can continuously observe an animal for quite some time before losing interest. The main exhibit area is a bit dark and cramped, but there are lots of interesting, if somewhat random, exhibits. Highlights include some juvenile alligators, an armadillo, and axolotls. I kind of wished they had some more informative signage about the animals, but i felt like the exhibits tended to cater towards young kids who don't love reading, haha. Randomly, they also have a few tigers. After the gift shop, you can walk into the "stingray reef." This area I believe may cost extra to enter if you don't buy the all day pass. You can line up here to pet the stingrays and even buy food to feed them with. The stingrays are rowdy and aggressive and splash water on the bystanders! I thought they were cute and glad to see they were having fun. The odor was quite strong though. Above the stingray reef, you can walk up a spiral staircase that wraps around a tall cylindrical tank. The area on the top was closed for a private event when I visited. On the second floor, you can enter the "Aquarium Restaurant." The restaurant allows you to eat while viewing huge saltwater tanks featuring SEVERAL huge shovelnose rays, very cute, adorable, australian zebra shark, an alligator gar, and lots of other fishes of all shapes and sizes. I was amazed by the big tank, and I think they kind of saved the nicest and coolest tanks for the diners to watch while they eat! The food was decent. The outdoor entertainment area is really fun. I felt like the vibe is almost like a summer county fair or amusement park! There is of course the iconic ferris wheel, a merry go round, and a "supreme scream" style ride. The all day pass allows you to go on any ride you want to. Pretty worth while! And you can enjoy views of Houston skyline and Buffalo Bayou right nearby. The "shark voyage" train, which boards in the outdoor area, is definitely something you shouldn't miss on your trip; the train takes you on a little journey around the aquarium grounds. The shark voyage is the only way you can access the aquarium's HUGE shark tank. The tank contains nurse sharks and a few other types of sharks, as well as one sawfish. The sawfish is huge! We were shocked. Then, there is an exciting and surprising conclusion to the shark voyage :) We were happy to see that the aquarium actually can be easily accessed on foot via Buffalo Bayou. This is a great feature that you should def take advantage of to avoid paying a lot for parking, especially on a nice day if you are up for a bit of a trek! read more

Everything was spectacular! From the atmosphere, to the food and the service! Everyone is so nice, very friendly. It's so peaceful to watch the fish while you eat. Great place -10 out of 10! If you're able, ask for Waheed! He was fantastic! So helpful and attentive!! My water glass NEVER empty! And he was just nice all around! read more

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Probably my fault for going to the Houston Aquarium on a Sunday because it was super packed. It was honestly hard to enjoy the exhibits because of how many people were let in. The aquarium is also pretty deceiving in size. It looks like it might be two stories, but the whole upstairs is just the restaurant. We walked through, and suddenly it was over! You could easily finish the whole thing under 15 minutes, and there weren't that many different species to see. They did have a tiger exhibit, which felt a little random at the aquarium, but it was cool to experience. Parking alone was $15, which felt steep considering it was almost the same price as a single ticket. We paid $25.99 for the package with rides and the stingray interaction (Note: stingray food is an extra charge). The highlight was definitely the train ride since it takes you through the shark exhibit, and that was actually really cool to experience. However, if you get the $17 ticket, you won't have access to that, unless you pay for that singular ride. Overall, we spent more time waiting in lines for rides than actually looking at animals. If you're looking for a large aquarium with a wide variety of fish, this probably isn't the spot. read more

Downtown Aquarium - Exterior - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Brian the server was excellent, the food was good, and you get a beautiful aquarium scenery with your dinner. I would recommend and definitely plan to come back when I am in the Houston area. read more

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First of all the service was amazing! It was perfect and cheap 25 dollars to go through the aquarium, pet sting rays and rides it was amazing , the ambiance was family friendly . I would come back . read more

Downtown Aquarium - Aquarium fountain - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Italian Stephen made the evening very special, the food was good, and the fish made for a fun ambiance.

Stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a solo lunch as a new visitor to Houston. You do have to pay for parking, which is why a Star was removed. However the staff was extremely friendly & i had a great waiter who was very attentive. The food was fresh , the drink was delicious & the view was spectacular. Family friendly environment but also great for friend, romantic or solo date. read more

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We needed a spot for a quick pre-show meal near Jones Hall, and this was the only place within easy reach. I'll admit I was a little hesitant since it always struck me as more of an entertainment attraction than a true dining destination, but we decided to give it another try. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The restaurant was quiet on a weeknight, and we scored an amazing table right next to the giant aquarium window. Being that close to the tank really elevated the whole experience. They brought out complimentary bread and butter while we waited, and it was genuinely good--simple but satisfying. My daughter ordered the Kid's Surf Shack meal: breaded fish, mac and cheese, and a drink. We'd been to Captain D's the month before, and this was better in every way--fresher, tastier, and just more enjoyable overall. I went for the surf and turf: lobster and steak with mashed potatoes and fries. It came with a cup of melted butter so delicious I wanted it hooked up to an IV connected to my arm so I could savor it longer. For dessert, we shared the Shark Attack--a molten chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream and Heath bar crumbles. Honestly, it beats Outback's version, and that one has always been a favorite of mine. Sadly we couldn't finish it, and since we had to head to the show, we reluctantly left the remains behind as an offering to the food gods. Overall, this visit was much better than our previous one. Even though we came strictly for the food this time, the massive floor‑to‑ceiling aquarium made dinner feel special. Being so close to it added a calm, mesmerizing backdrop that really made the meal memorable. read more

I am struggling to understand why there are so many poor reviews. My husband and I loved this place. We paid $26 for the all inclusive wrist band that included the aquarium and the rides. Yes, the aquarium itself is smaller that some others but their price reflects that. The aquarium was well maintained and we enjoyed looking at all of the fish/animals. The tigers were unexpected but one of my favorite parts. I rode the carousel, the tower ride and the train. When boarding the train I assumed it just took you on a loop around the park but it was an entire show. It was awesome and the best part of the whole experience. All of the staff that we encountered were friendly and even offered to help take our photo. I really enjoyed my visit here and would highly recommend to those with children who would spend more time than we did riding the rides. For reference: our Baltimore, MD aquarium costs over $50 per adult to enter, they do not have rides and that is after you pay $25+ to park in the parking garage. Houston, be happy with what you have! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Smaller than expected, but still a fun and enjoyable experience, especially if you're visiting downtown and want to combine this stop with others. The exhibits are engaging, and the overall atmosphere is lively. It's easy to get through in a couple of hours without feeling rushed. Not a huge aquarium, but a nice, entertaining stop if you're nearby. read more

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Awesome place!!! Aquarium exhibit is awesome with rides and staff are awesome as well!!! Everyone is so polite and helpful!!! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Nice experience for our anniversary trip and we had the fish and chips at the restaurant. Super delicious and generous portion. Kelsey was great! Very kind and attentive. Wonderful service and overall experience. read more

Great food and recommendations from our waiter Chris! Highly recommend! Try the crab & shrimp dip.

Gerald was amazing waiter. Personable and professional with excellent timing and attention to detail. Food was fresh and delicious. Restaurant is always clean with pleasant atmosphere. We come often with family. By the way we had nine of us for being kids ! read more

We came for my sister in laws graduation and we had a great experience. Our server Gerald was very attentive and we got out food quickly with no problem. read more

Had a great time taking my grandson to the Downtown Aquarium. We started at the restaurant where we had good food and amazing service. They make an amazing espresso martini! The gumbo is flavorful and delicious. Yes it's expensive but you are buying an entire experience eating in the middle of all the fish tanks. We paid $24 for an all day pass. I thought it was a great deal. You can go into the aquarium as many times as you'd like and ride the rides over and over again. Make sure you don't skip the train ride. It goes right into the shark tunnel which was so fun! I would definitely go again! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Lettuce wraps at the restaurant are so good! - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

Amazing service by Tasha food was described in detail and everything came out quick and hot would 100% recommend her for next time.

As always the food was great and our server Tasha was great. Love dining at the aquarium

The food was incredible and our server, Italian Steven, was amazing. Genuinely cannot wait to return. The atmosphere and vibes were immaculate and amazing. read more

Such a unique dining experience! The ambiance of the restaurant is nice and has a fun feel with the aquarium theme. We loved watching the fish while we ate, they were all so beautiful and various types and sizes. The food was delicious, drinks were great, and our service was spectacular. Waheed was a FANTASTIC server and took great care of us! read more

Downtown Aquarium - Seafood Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Kelsey was awesome on Tuesday. Great experience, her recommendations were amazing, tuna nachos with boom boom sauce was great!

I like to visit the aquariums when I visit a new city. While I was in Houston I went to the Downtown one. It was quite small. I had hoped to spend the day there, but I made it through the entire exhibit in less than an hour. Most of their rides were not running. They were also very close to the highway. I still enjoyed the exhibits that were open and the staff was friendly. read more

Gerald was our waiter at Aquarium, and he was great! Awesome service and attention to detail! We will be back! Thanks!

Kelley was our server and she was great! Very attentive and check on us the right amount of times and Very pleasant. Our food was hot and delicious . This is our first visit to Houston from DC and found this restaurant through Google search. We came straight here from the airport. Didn't realize it was a whole aquarium with activities. Very family friendly! read more

Our waitress Kelsey was very professional and helped us celebrate our two year olds birthday

Gerald was great and very attentive. He provided great suggestions as we celebrated our daughter's 5th birthday. Thank you Gerald for making this a remembering experience! read more

Imber was excellent and so kind! Came here for my wife's birthday and he provided great service. The chicken lettuce wraps and sushi bowl are delicious. No complaints! read more

Italian Steven is the best waiter I've had coming into this restaurant. We came for a friends b day and he made the night. Accommodated every request we had. Shout out Italian Steven! read more

Kelsey was absolutely amazing. I really enjoyed the visit and service. The food was so good. Great job.

All the seafood items were delicious. Brian was amazing with utmost care of us and with excellent service. Loved the place.

Italian Steve was awesome! He was attentive. came to eat with my son. Had a very pleasant personality.

Waiter was awesome! Was very on point! Service was fast food was great! Will return. Loved watching the fish while we ate our lunch! Atmosphere was refreshing read more

Waheed is very customer-oriented. Service was fast and he was knowledgeable about the food served.

Low-key food was kind of mid, but our service was really good, always checking up on us. thank you Brian!

My adult daughter and I visited on a Saturday early afternoon. We toured the Aquarium exhibit. It was hot outside and not much cooler inside the Aquarium. The exhibit is smaller than we expected. There were lots of fish that you could see at any Petsmart or Petco. The way the website describes the exhibit is much more exciting than it actually is. The only way to feel like you're observing underwater is to pay extra for the train ride that goes through the shark tunnel and around the park. We didn't do that because we were so hot and underwhelmed after the Aquarium. The only interesting part were the 2 Bengal tigers. We won't be returning. We would have had a more interesting experience at the Houston Zoo.​ read more