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    El Meson Restaurant

    3.6 (310 reviews)
    ModerateSpanish, Tapas Bars
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    El Meson Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    EL MESON RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    a group of people sitting at tables
    Charles L.

    Ate dinner here with a work colleague. Nice atmosphere, friendly and efficient servers. Varied menu ... tapas, Cuban, Mexican, seafood, meat, and pork. All tasty. We had the Albindigas (meatballs), squid, and gambas (shrimp) with garlic to start, and then the Sea bass and lamb chops for entrées. Bread tasty too. Not inexpensive, but I thought it was decent value. Fairly empty just before 6 pm on a week night, so did not need our reservation.

    Lauri B.

    What an unexpected nugget we found today! We originally left the hospital heading to Shake Shack, but waiting in traffic turned our attention to this elegant little place, so we pulled in to try it. The parking is super convenient, directly located outside the door. This is a must mention as places in this area are not always easy to park in/find parking. It was mid day after the lunch rush, so that possibly helped us. Tapas, TexMex, Cuban, Latin flare, they have it all! I was super impressed with the decor of this restaurant. Just walking to the doors, you step into a small little Latin world on their pretty patio. Upon entering the doors, there is a wall of crawling ivy that is simply stunning. I love my ivy plants, so this was immediately impressive. We were warmly greeted and seated in a lovely large booth. A Giara (flip-top swing stopper) bottle with water was brought to our table. I thought that was a nice touch. So much more elegant than a regular glass of water. The music playing set the tone for a little Havana scene. You really feel the atmosphere! Our server was excellent. He provided several suggestions on popular items. I ordered the cheese enchilada dinner and my aunt ordered the Tacos al Carbone. We contemplated getting tapas, but decided to keep it with TexMex. Our meal was delicious! Presentation was nice, everything was cooked well, the seasoning was on point, and the portions are a nice size. I was very impressed with our entire experience. I still can't say enough about the restaurant decor. Everything was top-notch and detailed. Even the table settings were detailed and elegant. I love the ambiance. Though we stopped in for a late lunch wearing our capri pants and flip flops, I can see this place also being a great date night spot. It's on the finer side of Spanish restaurants, but still cozy and comfortable to be dressed down. Very impressed! Our total for 2 meals and one glass of wine before tip was $68.00. Highly recommend.

    OSSO BUCO braised veal shank demi-glace, spinach, goat cheese mashed potatoes
    Tondra H.

    I recently visited El Meson on a Sunday evening. We were greeted by the hostess into a welcoming atmosphere...cozy lighting, comfortable booths, and pleasant decor. Our server was reserved but professional and cordial. He was well-informed on the menu's offerings and answered our questions quickly. Everything we ordered arrived fast! My Osso Buco was decent, but a little pricey for "decent." In all fairness, I'm not typically a veal eater. The meat was tender and juicy. It had a subtle flavor that wasn't bad at all, but it definitely wasn't my favorite. It may be right up someone else's alley. The goat cheese mash and spinach were fantastic. The nachos, enchiladas, salad, etc. were also enjoyable. Overall, the service, ambiance, and food were worth the visit. I'd be open to returning to try additional options on the menu.

    Lechon Asado
    Juan Pablo S.

    The food was very good but nothing to say wow. Had the lechon lunch plate. Great combination. The tortilla española was excellent. The Sandwich cubano was dead on. I think it is overpriced specially since I've been to Miami a few times and you would buy the same food for 1/3 of the price. The flan was very well made. The service was ok. Lost of seating and I assume the Havana Room is for smoking cigars. Overall I do recommend this place and would come back just not as often as I would like.

    Salad
    Morgan W.

    Sleeper restaurant to be honest. Food is great. Service is decent. Ambiance is very "walk to your neighborhood restaurant" which is one of the things I love. The food is a variety from Cuban, Tex-Méx, seafood, and Tapas. I always order the same thing the Lubina (sea bass in a garlic butter sauce. Vegetables and potatoes). I also ordered a mango margarita this time which was perfection! I tried the plantains and they have the perfect sear! Sharing my sleeper restaurant but don't crowd it up ok?

    Shrimp & lobster paella
    Roxy Z.

    Service wasn't welcoming for it being in the Kirby drive area. We ordered the lobster & shrimp paella and it was delish. The Cuban saucey shrimp with rice & beans were not great. Beans tasted old and possibly out of a can.

    Our table and the view.
    Amanda O.

    Great atmosphere, quiet on a Wednesday night! We enjoyed the pork belly, nacho cabana, cuban salad, and the pork cutlet.

    Solomillo
    Lane M.

    We've been visiting the area for about a year for the unfortunate reason of MD Anderson appointments. Rice University Village is close to the Hilton where we stay and there's a free shuttle so we keep trying new places. This was our first trip to this restaurant and I wish I had skipped lunch so that I could've tried a few tapas selections. The wine list, or should I say book, is comprehensive and will please any taste. I can see this as a place to explore the tapas offerings and try new wines with friends or family. It has a real neighborhood feel and family owned vibe, although I don't know if that's true. We were surprised to be served a light dinner salad before the meal. The dressing was delicate and delicious and my only complaint is that I wanted more of it. I had the Solomillo which was fantastic. Butterflied meat is so easy to overcook but mine was done to perfection. It was well grilled and very juicy. The onions were a delicious addition to the meat. I don't know how you're supposed to eat them but I added the white rice to my black beans (served in the little bowl). It was a wonderful bite to me. My husband had the Pollo Salteado which was perfectly grilled chicken served with fragrant green bell peppers and onions. I snuck a little bite and both of us chose well. There was no room for dessert but I was definitely tempted. My advice is to go hungry and they will fix that.

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    6 years ago

    I love the pork belly and sangria . Authentic Spanish food . Love the service and love the calamari . Will come back soon.

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    7 years ago

    Gross tiny bathroom.. disgusting.. food is ok , a step above taco cabana but five times more expensive, slow service .. I won't be back

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    5 years ago

    Extremely nice servers and everything was delicious!! The flan was the best one I have had in a long time, 10/10 experience.

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    Barcelona Wine Bar

    Barcelona Wine Bar

    4.4
    (295 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$$

    My wife and I's favorite restaurant in the city! Great vibe, great service and great food! Quality…read moreof the food and ingredients is next level! Great wine selection, Estrella if you are a beer person and some stellar cocktails! All the tapas is great but do yourself a favor and order the chicken pimientos... best dish in Houston! They also accommodate for vegetarian and vegan eaters!

    Came here for my birthday dinner and everything was amazing. We had a reservation for 7:15 pm on a…read moreFriday and the place filled up after that. Our server was checking in on us very frequently and she explained the menu to us when we told her we hadn't been before. The manager on duty also had stopped by and introduced herself. They told us up front that tapas would be able to be out quickly with only up to a 10 minute wait but that larger plates could be up to a 45 minute wait. We ordered several tapas and one large plate half order. I don't know much about wine, personally, but the drinks we did get were amazing. The restaurant itself was very pretty as well, lots of natural lighting and then low lighting as the sun went down. The music was low and we were able to hear each other well, apart from one group across the room that would get rowdy but I can't blame them for having a good time. Our food was all delicious and I forgot to take pics of some of them because we devoured them so quickly. Not pictured, we ordered the grilled asparagus and focaccia. I highly recommend all of what we ordered.

    Photos
    Main dining room
    Main dining room
    Octopus
    Octopus
    NA red sangria. Cheers!

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    NA red sangria. Cheers!
    Oporto Fooding House & Wine

    Oporto Fooding House & Wine

    4.4
    (1.6k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$$

    I am still recovering from yesterday's dinner. First time going to a Portuguese restaurant and it…read moreexceeded my expectations! It was busier than usual on a Wednesday night because Portugal just played for the World Cup in Houston! Such a special moment and some Portuguese fans were also at the restaurant. This restaurant does crank up the AC to the max so make sure to bring a sweater if you get cold easily. We ordered the paella, beef skewers, fish, croquetas de bacalhau, polvo com batatas, and pao com tomato. All of this food was more than enough for four people. Our server was kind to show us which one he recommended and the food was well spaced out. My personal favorite was the paella and the polvo com batatas (grilled octopus with potatoes).

    What we ordered: * Maracujá caipirinha…read more* Prego sandwich Service * We had a large party but still decent service * Drinks take a while but are very good Ambience * Dimly lit environment with tvs on * We were able to watch the world cup game They are a portuguese/indian place and combine flavors well. My prego sandwich was pretty traditional and I added an egg only complaint was I wish the egg yolk was runny. I had another experience at this restaurant on a Sunday and they were missing many ingredients (try to keep thing fresh and not frozen) which was a bit frustrating but the quality of food and service was much worse than the first time, hence the 3 star rating.

    Photos
    Literally one of my fav spots!
    Literally one of my fav spots!
    Oportobello
    Oportobello
    Bolo De Bolacha

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    Bolo De Bolacha
    Nancy's Hustle

    Nancy's Hustle

    4.4
    (1.3k reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    Delicious, creative meal with friendly and attentive service. We sat in the patio out back in June…read moreand it was a bit warm even with the fans so my preference would be to try to sit inside. Still it was fine. Enjoyed the gem salad, Nancy cakes, lamb tartare and wood grilled half chicken. Side of the beef fat sticky rice. Nancy cakes: yes I could eat these every visit. Really good combination of flavors and textures. Everything was nice: lamb tartare was delicious, salad was strong. Chicken satisfying. Had a solid dessert too: hazelnut marjolaine. I look forward to returning and trying a whole new batch of dishes.

    Nancy's Hustle is the real deal…read more Walked in with no expectations and left wondering how I'd gone this long without eating here. The Nancy Cakes are worth the hype, piping hot with that whipped butter and smoked trout roe combo that somehow just works. We also had the dumplings and the double cheeseburger on the English muffin, both excellent. The burger especially punches way above what you'd expect from a bistro. The vibe is perfect. Dark, relaxed, no pretension, and still feel like you're having a great night out. Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason. This is one of the best restaurants in Houston, full stop. Just make a reservation, the place fills up fast.

    Photos
    View of the rear dining room
    View of the rear dining room
    Nancy Cakes!  @coreyd123 on ig for all your photography needs!
    Nancy Cakes! @coreyd123 on ig for all your photography needs!
    Grilled snapper-$35 and the silver lining- $15. My last meal request. The best combo I've had in 2025. Perfect portion size.

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    Grilled snapper-$35 and the silver lining- $15. My last meal request. The best combo I've had in 2025. Perfect portion size.
    Nobie's

    Nobie's

    4.3
    (715 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$$

    I came here for my birthday and I had slight reservations only bc i'm not a huge fan of New…read moreAmerican food. But WOW this place did not disappoint. The service was 10/10, food was amaaaazing. We looked at other reviews before going and went with an app we didn't hear much about, but an entree that we did hear amazing things about. Appetizer: everyone talks about the dilly bread but honestly, the puff puff pass sounded better, esp the scotch bonnet aioli. 10/10 loved the flavors together, esp the fried bread with the aioli Entrees: we had the pork belly special and the nono's pasta. Everyone raves about the pasta and rightfully so. The noodles with the right amount of bolognese was such a flavorful comfort food. The pork belly was also delicious but the pasta hit better. Dessert: of course i had to get both! We got the famous olive oil cake and their banana rum cheesecake. We didnt taste much banana unfortunately but the cheesecake was tasty. But olive oil cake takes the cake! This place is a must to try in Houston.

    Houston has done it again! I'm going to be a little controversial here, but why is the food so much…read morebetter here than it is it Dallas? Had a 5:30pm resy, seated outside right away that Saturday evening--it was a full house 45 minutes later. You'd be a fool to skip the dilly bread--a complete fool! The rolls are pillowy and warm. I could eat the butter by the pint. The fingerlinging potato dish is also a must have...pretty small for $19 but tastes like heaven. Spicy! Zaddy was being a bit of a clutz that evening and knocked over my $20 mezcal cocktail, so what does he do? Orders me another one! (That's why he's "zaddy") ....kind of wish he hadn't...so wasn't worth the price tag. Skip it. The chicken dinner was definitely the winner--fresh, juicy breast, crispy skin...don't be cute, you won't finish it unless your party has at least 4 in it! The flies were ruthless! Very annoying! They were acting like the geekers that come bother you just outside your favorite fried chicken joint in south Dallas! Our waitress brought out a table fan so that made the experience a little more tolerable. The chocolate peanut butter pie tasted like a salt rock and the lemon chiffon pie had great flavor but not lemony enough for me. All in all this place is a bit pricey but truly a gem! Until next time, Nobie!

    Photos
    Bar interior
    Bar interior
    Clam chowder croquettes
    Clam chowder croquettes
    Robobby's back-$20. my 2 favorites! Mezcal and egg whites! Wasn't worth the price tag! Zaddy spilled the first one so had to get another!

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    Robobby's back-$20. my 2 favorites! Mezcal and egg whites! Wasn't worth the price tag! Zaddy spilled the first one so had to get another!
    Roots

    Roots

    4.4
    (167 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    I love this place .... I went on a date here and it was very nice . Vibes were good. They have so…read moremany wine to try and they all are reasonably priced . I will deff come back . Next time I'll do a food review. My fav wine is red wine but his fav wine was the orange wine. It was very refreshing * you get a fake debit card and it collects all the prices for the wines you try . Which was pretty cool !!

    I still like Roots. It's truly a unique concept and one-of-a-kind in all of Houston (self-serve…read morewine tastings). However, my recent visit was just okay. It was warm and humid inside (Texas summer is mostly to blame). That said, the handful of whites that I sampled were not very chilled. Kinda defeated the purpose of getting a refreshing chenin blanc or rose. And a lot of the tasting notes were not available above the bottles. By the time my friend made her way through the tastings, she had already spent $20+. They also charge a 20% auto-grat. Not a fan of that percentage for self-serve and counter service (you have to order food at the register). We ended up going to Mimo down the street to sit at the bar, taste complimentary samples, and then order a full glass. I'll still go back to Roots but have kinda lowered my expectations of the wine selection and value. Some of the novelty has worn off. Good news is that their food is still solid: loved the mushroom toast and ricotta toast last I tried it.

    Photos
    The wine bar.
    The wine bar.
    Salmon Ceviche
    Salmon Ceviche
    Inside seating

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    Inside seating
    93' Til

    93' Til

    4.4
    (273 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    I felt like I was dropped off in the middle of Brooklyn or perhaps even Tokyo at this very trendy…read morevinyl listening bar with great cocktails. It also felt like a third space of sorts, because I was hanging out with a well connected friend, and everyone who came in was a who's who of the Houston restaurant/nightlife scene, and gathered for what turned out to be an unplanned hang out. They were hosting a vinyl swap night, so folks were coming in to peruse the many boxes of vinyls, and a DJ spun classic r&b tunes. I hear that on some nights they make space for a dance floor so people can show off their best two step in the space. The drinks were great and well priced but the wine selection is what got me. I was told they were inspired by Japan's many vinyl listening bars-- having been to many across Japan as well as many NYC imitators, this place actually impressively comes close. A true gem in Montrose.

    Service was solid and Kevin was an excellent waiter who took great care of us. Music choice put on…read morethe patio was questionable but otherwise nothing wrong with ambiance. Regarding the food, the Frisée Salad was pretty good, well dressed and flavorful. The chicken sandwich was okay. The batter was crispy and flaky but it had no flavor. What made it a lot better was the coleslaw that brought a great deal of tang and moisture. The steak was not quite for me. It came on a bed of sauce that was flavorful with fresh veggies but it did not go well with the steak. Perhaps chicken would've suited better. The steak itself was dry and quite chewy. For dessert we had the carrot cake tres leches which was decent. The carrot cake flavor was there but the moisture from the cake was not fully spread in the cake. Overall nothing here was bad but with the plethora of restaurants in the Houston area I can't justify recommending or returning.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Amazing grilled cucumbers...who knew??
    Amazing grilled cucumbers...who knew??
    Inside

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    Inside

    El Meson Restaurant - spanish - Updated August 2026

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