Farrah A.

I attended a Yelp event at Kitchen Rumors over the summer, so in October for our date night, I suggested we go back because I had a feeling my S.O. would really enjoy the experience. And no surprise, he did. First, he's not a drinker, and he had three of their delicious cocktails. "Desi Girl" to be specific. :) He said Kitchen Rumors was now one of his top three favorite restaurants in Houston (right there with Aiko and Rumi's). And it's one of my favorites too. I've had two dinners there so far, and my favorite menu items: :: Crispy Kale & Wasabi Ragda Chaat (this is a must, hands down, you'll crave it for days!) :: Infladita ( :: Blue Cheese Chicken Kebab :: Howdy Gulab Jamun (gulab jamen atop pecan pie) :: Chili cheese kulcha :: Biryani :: Roasted oyster tikka Cocktails :: Banghra Routine (watermelon-based) :: Desi Girl We did the tasting menu for two, and it could have easily feed four people. It was a lot of food! Their menu aslo has gluten-free and vegan options. We keep talking about going pack for happy hour so we can enjoy those cocktails for $8.

Jennifer H.

Exceptional in every way. Bold Indian flavors paired with eclectic global fusions come together beautifully to create a truly special dining experience. Every dish impressed. This place is unassuming and the service is friendly and genuine. The lamb chops are to die for! And the dessert is heaven sent (seriously!) Holy Gulab Jamun.

Lupe M.

Came here for the first time and it was such a great experience from start to finish. The hostess was very friendly and playful as I checked in with my reservation. I was seated very quickly and my waiter Tony wasted no time bringing me the menu and giving me drink recommendations. He went in depth about each of the drinks and how they are made and the flavors you will get from them. He did the same with the food menu, explaining the popular dishes and his personal favorites. I ended up trying the Infladita which ended up being a little arts and crafts project lol jk. They are little hollowed balls that you fill with the provided ingredients. Very flavorful and customizable. I also tried the blue cheese chicken kebab which was amazing! So much flavor and the chicken was juicy and tender! I paired it with the garlic naan as Tony recommended. The garlic naan was perfect! Freshly baked and so much flavor. I'll be back soon for sure!

McKenna J.

Tony, you're amazing. This is a now love letter to him- Tony, you gave the best recommendations. He recommended the Bhangra Routine cocktail, I got it. It was the best, very refreshing and tasty. The tajin on the rim was a perfect touch with the refreshing, light, and slightly sweet flavor. For appetizers, our boy Tony knew exactly what's best... lobster dumplings and blue cheese chicken kebab. And listen to him when he says to get the garlic naan. I had to hold my guest back from licking the plate from the lobster dumplings. Lastly, I got the pan fried paneer, get the garlic naan with it too, great combo. One guest got the cauliflower and I think he'd go vegetarian if it meant food that good. My other guest got the butter chicken ramen, so yummy and I'm the lucky one who gets to have the left overs for lunch!!! So would recommend!! Tony, you made it great, can't wait to see you again. The vibe of the place is great, such a pretty indoor and outdoor space. Also the check comes in a mini mail box, how cute!!!

Ambience (10/10): nice hip vibe with modern south asian tones in the plateware, decor, and furniture. Service (10/10): while I was essentially the only one in the restaurant, I also was treated very well. The server was attentive, quick, and helpful Food (9/10): Sichuan eggplant (9/10): perfectly crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. The flavoring was spot on with a hint of the Sichuan spice and classic Indian spices. I was hoping for just a bit more burst of flavor in the crispy outside. Branzino (10/10): very well cooked; perfectly seared to get the outside edge crispy and the inside buttery and flaky. Under the branzino was a delicious sour green dry curry (spinach and fennel based). The dish was perfectly balanced throughout

Jason D.

Having been out for an event, I wanted to come back and show some love. The location can be a little rough. There's a lot of construction around which makes it a bit difficult to get where you want to go. They have a small parking lot in the front and a slightly larger one in the back. It's not necessarily the easiest place to get in and out of. We rolled in on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. We were the only ones in the joint for most of the time we were there. Which is unfortunate. It's a really well decorated spot. And while I do enjoy having a place to myself, I would much rather see the business flourishing with humans during happy hour. They're happy hours 4:00 to 6:00 in case you were wondering. They do have both food and drinks on their happy hour menu. So this time through we ordered crispy kale, but they ended up bringing us crispy cauliflower. That's fine, because it was really good. And we really liked the side of sauce that it came with. Very fresh, very tasty and flavorful. We also got some sliders, which were okay. This is your stand when fair that you would get pretty much anywhere with the side of fries. Nothing amazing. But we did get the Grilled Gossip Lamb Chops, and those were fantastic. Unfortunately they only come in a pair, but they were very, very tasty. Highly recommend if you're into Lamb. The staff were very attentive and helpful. The place is decorated very well. I do hope they generate more business and they get more people to come out. Highly recommend if you're in the air and you want to give them a shot.

Jordan Z.

I went with 3 girlfriends to Houston restaurant week. Unfortunately, the restaurant had a few fans running because their AC was having issues. The first table they sat us at was right in front of the fan. We requested to move and it wasn't a problem. Our food was stellar. We enjoyed a 4 different appetizers and entrees; they were all well balanced and tasty. None had any spice (if you were looking for one). Desserts were great. Cocktails and mocktails were solid. Overall, if the ac was working, it was a full stellar night for a mainstream American/ Indian restaurant. If you are looking for authentic Indian, you will be lacking. But I had a great time and great service. Top bites- pani puri, shrimp curry, blue cheese chicken app Parking isn't great but there are two parking lots (front and back).

Ari K.

We came in around 5:20ish for our 5:15 reservation on Saturday - a train had unfortunately blocked us on the way there. We called ahead about this and they were very understanding about the delay! There is a lot in front and street parking nearby. We asked to be moved to the bar (they were exceptionally accommodating) as it was less busy there. It was also HH which was an added plus. We also saw Chef Jassi, who kindly gave us added information about the dishes we ordered. It was fairly busy and got busier over the course of our stay - the atmosphere was lively and conversational. We got some appetizers from the HH menu and the HRW dinner. I do suggest getting an appetizer along with the HRW menu as some may feel portions are smaller in some dishes than others. We got the Sichuan Eggplant and Crispy Kale off the HH. Both were great, but the warm and spicy eggplant was SO good. They were the perfect warm-up. For our HRW appetizers we got the Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche and the Jackfruit Chilla. The scallops were fresh and tender and we loved the creamy leche de tigre poured on top. We also enjoyed the chilla. Our mains were the Malabar Prawn Curry and the Branzino with Herb Sabzi. The branzino was the star of the show and the sabzi paired perfectly with delicate white fish. The $10 up-charge was well worth it for the portion size and taste. We felt the curry could have had a bigger portion size or have had rice as a side, but the sauce was delicious. The HRW mains also come with a side of garbanzo bean curry and naan, both of which held their own well. For the dessert we got the Chocolate Cardamom Mousse and the Howdy Gulab Jamun. We felt that the mousse had more depth flavor-wise with the warm spice and the rich dark chocolate. The gulab jamun dessert was mainly 'just' sweet - I liked the pecan pie bar and the lemon curd though! The glasses of white wine and rosé we got also paired well with what we ordered. The service was great and the food came in a timely manner. I enjoyed my experience and would love to come back to see what Chef Jassi has in the future or to just try more of the menu!

Sasha D.

Came on a Sunday night at 6:30 and the place was almost completely empty the entire evening, which is unfortunately because we really enjoyed our experience. The paneer tacos were quite good and the spaghetti bolognese with lamb was also delicious (somehow even better reheated the next day) and the chili cheese bread it came with was also just as good. Service was fast and friendly; the rest of the menu also looked really good, would come back again

Kira L.

Kitchen Rumor is a great date night spot -- cute ambiance, good vibes, and the staff was super friendly and attentive. We got the lamb chops, mushroom, and blue cheese chicken with garlic naan. The lamb chops were well-seasoned with a nice char, and the blue cheese chicken was decadent -- creamy, tangy, and indulgent. Mushroom was mainly the bean paste with a few pieces of mushroom on top. The garlic naan was not too garlicky but solid naan. The flavors are bold and rich, and if you're into big, unapologetic flavors, you'll probably love it. That said, most dishes leaned a touch too salty and heavy for my taste. By the end of the meal, I was feeling the weight of it all so if you prefer something lighter or more balanced, just be aware that subtlety isn't really on the menu. I likely would not return because of the heaviness and saltiness in the flavor. Solid pick for an Indian fusion night out in Houston!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Didn't try their cocktails but if I were to try the cocktails I would try the cocktail bites- they look super cute and yummy.

Serra M.

I drive past this location everyday and I was surprised to see the previous restaurant no longer in business. However, I saw that Kitchen Rumors was taking over! I had to stop by on opening day. I must say, it is super cute...I'm digging the color palette! I love pops of color and they have done such a great job. When they bring you the ticket it comes in a little mailbox:). I ordered the Rose Cocktail, Cauliflower Tajin Appetizer and Chicken Sliders. They were all from the Happy Hour Menu...drop the mic!!!! Oh yes, this is my new happy hour spot and it's within walking distance to my home. The parking is limited, but it's located in a neighborhood so you might have to park there if they are packed in the lot. They have a patio that is very spacious. The staff provided great service and they accept walk ins if you do not have a reservation. I'm bummed that I had to leave early due to this Saharan Dust giving me a headache. Nonetheless, I will return next week. They have craft cocktails and an array of dishes that vary in pricing. You definitely should give them a try!

Mike R.

We are big fans of Amrina, so we were excited to visit Kitchen Rumors in the Heights. They are housed in the old Xin Chao space and have done a great job of making the space their own. The service was top notch - We had a lead server, but there was a great deal of support staff and management who made the whole experience flow perfectly. Chef Jassi even came out and greeted us. Antonio, the assistant GM and Somm was extremely helpful. We started with a couple of innovative and tasty cocktails - The Bhangra Routine which was sort of a tequila based Gin and Tonic type drink. The strawberry ice cubes were interesting. We also had the Swag Wali which was an old fashioned riff. Both tasty. On to the food. For appetizers we had the Roasted Tikki Oysters, the Scallop Ceviche, the Lobster Dumplings and the Crispy Kale Salad. Each dish was innovative and very tasty. The oysters were some of the best roasted oysters I've had in Houston. And the Lobster Dumplings could stand out on the best dim sum menus in town. The Ceviche was flavorful and the scallops were tender and the Kale Salad was a mixture of flavors and textures that Chef Jassi excels at. The Oysters were the closest thing to an Indian dish of the 4, but were all certainly Indian influenced. For our main course we went with the Atta Chicken. Insider note - It takes 45 minutes to prepare this dish, so get it ordered early. The presentation of opening the dough crust was fun, but it might have been more fun if the dish was plated at the table rather than taking it back to the kitchen. In any event, it was like some of the most delicious tandoori like bone in chicken I've had. There have been some complaints about the size of the chicken in the reviews, but for me the size was perfect for two guests and the price was consistent with two entrees. The only side dish we ordered was the Sichuan Eggplant that used to be on the Amrina menu. It was great as usual, but we were so full that most of the eggplant came home with us. We were too full for dessert. Great job Kitchen Rumors. We will return to try some other items!!

Kiran A.

**This place was upsetting... to say the least.** My girlfriends and I saw a bunch of posts about this spot on Instagram and decided to make reservations and check it out. It wasn't packed when we arrived, but it's still worth reserving a table -- about 70% of the place was full on a Tuesday night. There's parking in the front and back, not a ton, but there's street parking nearby so finding a spot wasn't an issue. We were seated right away, but wow -- it is *cramped*. There was a group of four guys at the table directly behind us, and every time a server came by to take their order, clear plates, or refill water, our chairs got bumped. Constantly. We were basically sitting back-to-back, rubbing chairs, and could hear each other's conversations word-for-word. Maybe that kind of setup flies in New York, but in Houston? Where space isn't exactly at a premium? It felt unnecessary and uncomfortable. Then came the part that really soured the night. When our server came over to introduce himself, drop off menus, and take our drink order, he gave us a little spiel about the restaurant. And in that, he told *a table of three Desi women* that the food wasn't traditional Indian -- it was fusion, borrowing from different cuisines so you get "the best of everything without that bad Indian smell." We were stunned. Why say that? And to *us*, of all people? What about us made him think that comment would land? It was ignorant, offensive, and honestly, just disappointing. As for the food -- it doesn't cater to a traditional Indian palate at all. Indian food is bold, layered, and rich. This was, across the board, forgettable. Here's what we tried: 1. **Infladita** - Basically a lamb pani puri. The passion fruit water was nice, but otherwise meh. 2. **Jackfruit Chilla** - Looked beautiful, tasted like nothing. Way too thick. 3. **Pan-Fried Paneer** - Actually pretty good. 4. **Bison Short Rib Nihari** - A complete letdown. Barely any shorba, which is *the* star of nihari. This dish missed the mark completely. 5. **Chili Cheese Kulcha, Garlic Naan, and Layered Sheermal** - Kulcha was tasty but *tiny* for the price. Naan was good but swimming in oil. And the sheermal? Not even close to the real thing -- missed both flavor and texture. 6. **Howdy Gulab Jamun** - Didn't hate it, but there was way too much going on. We left feeling disappointed and uncomfortable. It wasn't a memorable meal -- at least, not in a good way. And honestly, we were glad our husbands didn't come. That comment from the server alone would've ruined the night for them. We won't be back. There are too many amazing places in Houston that actually respect the food -- and the culture it comes from.