I came here not knowing what to expect. However I was blown away on the atmosphere and service they treat everyone with respect, very professional and felt like family not just a business. The food is really good doesn't disappoint, it is rich in flavor and cooked just right and able to make changes however you want. I personally enjoyed the BBQ Chicken Wings, and their Chicken and waffles. I also ate a dessert which was delicious it is a chocolate brownie with ice cream whipped cream, drizzle and a cherry. Great place to take family they have outside patio which is nice. Great place for a Saturday night date night, or a business meeting . read more

Red Balloon Cafe - Chicken and waffles. - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

We have been wanting to try this place. It did not disappoint! Great classic chicken tender salad. Will be back to try a burger and the chicken fried steak! read more

Red Balloon Cafe - Chicken tender salad with side of ranch and Buffalo sauce. - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

I really love this place! I'm here every week for the tacos special with rice and charro beans. The ladies here are also nice and always give good vibes! 10/10 recommend. read more

Red Balloon Cafe - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

Red Ballon has expanded its hours and now has breakfast from 7 - 11! Yay - always fresh, hot, tasty food served by the friendliest people in a very clean setting. Can't beat it - best breakfast around - tacos, burritos, omelette, pancakes, French toast, oatmeal - all the essentials served right up in the neighborhood! read more

A very pleasant surprise hidden in a corner of a industrial building. The chicken fried steak will be Houston staple soon full of flavor and cooked to perfection with the best crust ever. If you get a chance go try this place Chef Eric hat together a great menu and awesome staff. read more

Red Balloon Cafe - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had the chicken breast sandwich which was a lot better than I can describe here. The meat was very fresh and the whole sandwich was just delicious. When we tried the cupcake that they had with pumpkin flavor the whole meal was just perfect. All the staff was pretty attentive and very kind. I highly recommend anyone looking for a unique cozy place to come by and try them out. Simply an amazing place and great staff. read more

Red Balloon Cafe - This is how the cupcakes ended up! - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

The best chicken fried steak I've had since moving to Houston 6 years ago. Highly recommended.

Absolutely hands down the best fried shrimp, French fries, chicken Caesar salad, chicken strips around. I have not found any restaurant that compares to the Red Balloons fried shrimp and french fries. Fries are always nice golden brown and crispy! The cilantro dressing is my favorite. Staff is like family and always welcoming. Always clean! Just as our grocery prices have risen so has theirs. I will always support a family owned business serving good food and service compared to a chain restaurant. read more

I came to this place when I started my new job and didn't know the area well so I decided to stop by this place. I loved the shrimp bisque it was very flavorful. I got the chicken fried steak I believe and it wasn't bad, I think it was just a little over cooked but other than that it was great and fulfilling. The owner or manager overheard me saying about it being my first time and he came by and gave me some samples which were both very good. read more

See all

Hidden gem here in Spring Branch. Had the bacon avocado burger today and it was excellent. Fries were really great as well. Will definitely eat here again. Great staff as well. It's a chill at home kind of vibe. Nice place. read more

Red Balloon Cafe is a charming and tasty restaurant for those fond of nostalgia combined with well presented American comfort food. Try the Chicken fried steak. Surprisingly light and tender - not chewy - which is a feat in itself. Owner Eric was gracious, friendly and took that extra step to greet us and personally see to our enjoyment. Icing on the cake is the Cafe name and theme, an homage to his late mother who ran the original cafe as his partner. Anyone remembering the 1956 classic film will also appreciate the references... and the reminder. A beautiful patio area awaits guests which I'm sure will be full once cooler weather arrives. Cheers and a tip of the hat to Eric and his staff. Job well done. Stop in to this eatery - you'll be glad you did. read more

A little cafe where you walk up to the counter and order and they give you a number for when your food is ready. Historically really not the sort of place you should have to tip other than maybe $1or $2 on table for whomever comes to clean off table. Granted COVID changed a lot of things and now we tip everyone for every little thing. I'll accept that, grudgingly but OK. HOWEVER, this place crosses the line! Tip expected and the three options offered were 20%, 30% and 40%. That is outrageous, offensive, ridiculous and tasteless. Food was OK, no complaints about food, it wasn't special but was fine, just tainted by sour taste after expecting might get a 40% tip at a walk up to the counter little cafe where the plates were already on the high end for price. I get everybody is struggling but you can be so obnoxious about soaking your customer for more and more money that they don't come back and you lose in the long run. Personally, will not be back. read more

Stopped by on our way to an appointment, thinking it look just OK. However, the food was fresh, well prepared and simply great. We will be back as we go to that side of the town. Hidden gem on the feeder road read more

My second trip here and I ordered the Crispy Chicken Breast Sandwich and a cup of Poblano soup. Both were excellent. read more

Red Balloon Cafe - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Truly everything our group had from grilled chick Caesar salad, taco plate, burger, onion rings and chicken fried steak were all delicious!!! Then they heard me say it was my Mom's birthday and brought out a beautiful and yummy dessert. Their whole kitchen staff came out and sang to her! It was a great experience! read more

Red Balloon Cafe - Comfort Food Near Me - Houston, Texas

Absolute best food! Fresh ingredients - the chicken tenders are the best I've ever had. And their gravy and ranch dressing OMG. The service is on point - Cynthia is always so happy to take our order and ask about our family. I hope they never change the ambiance - it feels like going back in time to a true diner. You must come! You'll never stop! read more

Got the small chicken fried steak plate. The steak was tough to cut, the green beans were not done and stiff, and the potatoes were good but covered in thick strips of cheese. Not a very good dining experience. read more

Meh, not sure what all the hype is about. Definitely not the best chicken fried steak in Houston. Comes in a small and large size with your choice of sides, well one side since they make you pay extra to avoid the fries. Indoor and outdoor eating. For the lunch crowd in the area it would be an average getaway. Wouldn't drive out of my way to make another visit. read more

The chicken is fantastic! 10/10. The bathrooms are very clean and the staff is friendly. Definitely go here for brunch the food speaks for itself. read more

My first time at this restaurant. I read about it on fb. The restaurant is clean and quiet. They do have a large screen TV but I wasn't interested in that. I ordered the chicken fried steak with French fries and green beans. The waitress was kind and helpful. The food was delish. Haven't had such a good CFS since the days of Black Eyed Peas early days. The green beans were fresh and not overly cooked. They were actually a vibrant green. I will be back. read more

Incredible chicken fried steak, so tender I could cut it with a fork. My partner had tilapia, with green beans that were amazing. The best I have had in Houston. Do not be scared if there are only a few cars in the evening. This is a huge lunch location. As a dinner location this is a underutilized gem.Really nice outside seating that is dog friendly. We will try again soon. read more

Love this little spot super close to work too which is a huge plus! My go to is poblano soup

Super cute place. 2nd time we've been & will definitely go back. The fried catfish was awesome, lightly breaded & very tasty. Shrimp bisque was spot on. Live music on the patio on Thursdays was very entertaining. read more

Lunch today with orders centered on "chicken fried steak" turned out to be "excellent". My friend and I are two "old guys" who like chicken fried steak and the cafe's sign in front stating, Best Chicken Fried Steak in Houston" caught our attention. The sign did not overstate! Well prepared, fork tender, crisp batter, no gristle and served with delicious creamed potatoes and green beans. Sort of a do-it-yourself cafe, but service was spot on and "Yes", we'll go back. The manager, Santos was most accommodating and proud of the service and food. read more

Spotlessly clean charming cafe off the beltway. A friendly welcome walking in side. Great service, however, I'm sorry to say I was a bit disappointed with the chicken fried steak. In my opinion it was a tough inferior cut of meat and lacked any seasoning before breading and frying. I hope the owner will consider getting more tender cuts of steak and not hesitate to season well before cooking. I will definitely go back and try other menu items. I really want to like this place. Thank you read more

I've been passing by this place for about 2 weeks and I really wanted to try it. Today I got a chance to try it and my mind is blown. The menu is very simple with very good choices. The place is very clean. I love the decorations. I got the grilled chicken Caesar salad and it was delicious. The chicken was nice and warm and the lettuce with Caesar sauce was delicious. When I tried the pumpkin pie cupcake I was blown away. It was extremely good. You guys should try it. The recipe was made by the owner's daughter. The staff was very great and very friendly. They have very good manners and are very helpful. I really recommend this place not just because of the food but because of the service. read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food is delicious and we even got to meet the chef! Next time you're on lunch or you need a tasty burger, definitely check this place out! read more

Awesome place! Excellent food and excellent service place will not disappoint.. They're open 11 to 4 but July 19 2021 they're opening for dinner. Give them a try. read more

NOW SERVING BREAKFAST!!!! Are you looking for simple but delicious made from scratch breakfast? This is your place! We ordered bacon breakfast burrito with potatoes and a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich with a side of potatoes. Perfectly cooked and came out hot. No microwaves or frozen stuff here. Super nice people and crazy good food. Go now! read more

I wanted to come here because I liked the name and the idea. Once going through the pictures I got the impression that I would absolutely loose my mind in there and never leave. I think you guys should renovate a bit. Especially the exterior also you guys should update your menu! Love y'all read more

They have a banner outside emphasizing the quality of their chicken fried steak. I tried it & their chicken fried chicken & it may be the best. It was moist & the batter stayed on the chicken when cut. However, I need to add that the gravy is lacking. I ate half of my meal today only because I was not that hungry. To be accurate & fair, I did not ask if it was cream gravy but I assumed it was by the pictures. I am planning to get some cream gravy that I like at Whataburger. The green beans were good. For my other side I ordered creamed potatoes. Interestingly these were potatoes cut into chunks with molten cheese on top. They were ok but it would be a stretch for me to think of them a creamed. I think English is not the native language of the owner which may lead to the variance. Everyone there was very nice & easy to like. The place is clean. I would eat there again as the spirit moves. I would not get the creamed potatoes, but try the fries or another side instead. I would like to be able to give them a higher rating & when I eat there more maybe I can. read more

I heard they had good food and especially chicken fried steak. went in without any expectations but the inside was very nice. the atmosphere was relaxing and classy; the staff was friendly and attentive. most importantly the food was absolutely delicious like they had a gourmet chef in the back. I had the blackened tilapia, green beans and rice. My coworker had the Chicken fried steak. I highly recommend. My bet is that if you try it once you will be coming back for more! read more

You will not be sorry to stop here went on my lunch break and when I tell yea delicious and well seasoned. I was greeted by the owner really nice guy who knows his food and the lady behind the counter was just as nice I had the Texan Chicken breast sandwich OMG it's was made perfect very flavorful and fresh also had the small shrimp basket shrimp made to fried to perfection. Will return most definitely!!!!! read more

The Red Balloon is a wonderful local restaurant! Not a big investment in decorating, but the food is outstanding. Best fried shrimp in town imho. read more

Food was delicious. I especially enjoyed salad dressing made in-house. Also, the shrimp bisque was very good and actually had whole shrimp in it. Owner & staff were very helpful. read more

We finally got over to eat here today. Absolutely delicious cheeseburger and extra crispy fries. The atmosphere was great and the service was spot on. We will definitely be going back soon! read more