The food was excellent. We started off with the Ruby Reds shrimp cocktail. Then we had the butter burgers and a potato dish. We cannot wait until we go back and try other options on the menu. read more

Great place. Fun atmosphere. The Butter burgers were like pure comfort food. Also recommend the Freezer Martini. We love the small plates concept for dining. Would definitely return. Service was great. Our waitress was very helpful with recommendations read more

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I guess we came with high expectations. We had a reservation at 5 PM. One a couple walked in ahead of us and despite an empty restaurant, they actually seated us two couples at two tables directly next to each other. So that wasn't really the best start. I would give the food mixed reviews. The High Point was the tempura cauliflower. And it was priced reasonably. We really enjoyed the butter burgers, though we differed in opinion as to whether they could've used some more seasoning. The pear salad could have used more dressing. The bannock bread was a complete waste of money. But the thing which really got us is that while our food was served in reasonable order when we got to the last dish I think we waited about 20 minutes for our shrimp with noodles. Now for $28 you would expect more than a small bowl with three shrimp. I'm going to repeat that three shrimp. I just wasn't impressed. So, as long as you go, with your eyes wide open, you'll have a good time. read more

This place was a stunning surprise. My husband (who is notoriously not easily impressed) and I had dinner there for our anniversary last month and every item was incredible. It's an eclectic mix of items on the menu, but you can tell that each one had genuine thought and care behind it. The staff was also very friendly and attentive and clearly had been well versed in the ingredients. Absolutely recommend. read more

Went to Riel for a friend's birthday over the weekend to try it out. Half of us liked the food and the other half not so much. The restaurant itself isn't very cozy... tables are small and space is quite limited and cold... so were the staff. I personally really liked my fish entree that I ordered as well as the mushroom empanadas, but didn't care much for the crawfish rolls. None of us really left with a desire to come back anytime soon. read more

Riel - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The place was small and intimate, casual date night type place. The menu is not exactly kid friendly so don't bring your kiddos here because there isn't much for them to eat unless they have a mature palate. Appetizers and drinks were good. Entrees were just ok. Our waiter was super nice and patient with us... read more

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First time back to Riel in a while. Love the atmosphere! I tried a couple new things this time. The Mushroom Empanadas with Macarpone, Lemon and Thyme were seriously delicious. I can't wait to order them again! Borscht soup - fabulous. I've never had Borscht before but I love beets so it didn't seem like a huge gamble to try it. I think even someone who isn't overly fond of beets would have to say this soup is wonderful. We really, really loved it. The Maple Porkloin was lovely. It was really very nice but not spectacular like other dishes I've had here both this visit and before. Riel is on my list of top ten restaurants in Houston to check out for creative, delicious, inventive cuisine! read more

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Life is full of surprises, and Riel was one of those rare gems. I had heard great things about this place, but nothing could have prepared me for the amazing experience I had that night. The outstanding service, old-school hip-hop, and incredible drinks set a vibe. And then came the food - the mushroom empanadas and the kimchi carbonara were out of this world, leaving my taste buds tingling with delight. I can't recommend Riel enough - it's an experience you won't forget! read more

Excellent! There are many great restaurants in Houston, but few offer truly original dishes without trying too hard. Riel finds the right balance. All dishes were original but so tasty and well presented. This is on my Houston short list. A few comments, not negative but for consideration. - The menu is relatively limited, but offset by the fact that every dish we tried (which were many) were outstanding. - Several of the dishes were pretty spicy which was perfect for my taste, but may not be for everyone. - Concerning the staff. They were efficient and courteous, but I really don't like being served by women with big rings in their noses. read more

Everything we ate here was amazing. My favorites were the butter burgers and the caviar tater tots. CHEFS KISS!

Favorite caviar service in Houston. Done on a beautiful board with all the fixings. Great cocktails. Great ambiance. Excellent service. I've tried almost everything on the menu and love. The burger is bomb. Obsessed with the bone marrow. And my husband loves the cabbage rolls. read more

Honestly shocked I have never reviewed here. Riel is our absolute favorite for date night. We try to always sit at the bar, because Derrick and Carly are awesome, but the rest of the staff is also great. The cocktails are wonderful (try the So Fresh, So Clean or the Freezer Martini) and the food is always amazing. I have never had a bad dish here. Favorites include the bone marrow, maple pork loin, and kimchi carbonara, but don't sleep on the bannock or mushroom empanadas. Riel also has some seasonal dishes, and the corn gnocchi and watermelon salad are definitely standouts. For dessert, the bee's knees is always a fave or finish with their frozen espresso martini which almost tastes like a frosty. Overall, this is one of the best spots in Houston. read more

Riel - Butter burgers - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

High quality Service! Oysters are fantastic, and bone marrow is unreal good. Highly recommended as a hidden gem in Montrose read more

Riel - Bone Marrow - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The food was delicious. Standouts included the duck, mushroom empanadas and the cauliflower. The bees knees was the best of the desserts. The cocktails were solid. Our server refused to bring our entrées all out at the same time. She claimed the kitchen was not set up for that because of their sharing philosophy. It's hard to believe there wasn't a way to make that happen. This makes it impractical for a business dinner. The service was also very impersonal. I think they were understaffed for the evening which killed the vibe. The portions are incredibly small relative to the price point. For example, the mushroom empanadas were tiny at $15 for a pair. read more

Let me break this review: Cocktail: I ordered a gin and tonic. I am an expert in this drink. The tonic was awful. I give 0 stars. Appetizer: we order 3 appetizers. Grilled oyster and bone marrow were very bad. Ousters were dry and the grilled bone marrow was under cooked. Zero star Main course: We ordered hanger steak. Ot was okay. 2 stars Service: zero stars. Our orders came out late and. Oh before forget, the staff keep taking shots constantly. No wonder the food and service is below the average. The head chefs pretending that they are controlling everything but not at all. read more

I'm conflicted on Riel. Is it a great happy hour place serving high quality, moderately priced drinks and an awesome bone marrow app, with good service? Or is it the kind of place that serves "kfc" chicken wings that are off the mark? And covers a fish dish with clam sauce and chorizo despite no mention on the menu? We both felt a little queasy after eating here, and the overly high price tag for the non happy hour items made me slightly queasier. I might consider coming back for happy hour drinks and bone marrow, but otherwise I'd avoid. read more

Riel is a nice restaurant. It has an intimate setting that is great for a date night. I loved the artwork inside. There is free parking in the front and back of the building. The staff are very attentive and friendly. They have items on the menu that can excite an adventurous eater. I tried the mushroom empanadas, crispy fried rice and bone marrow. Overall, we had a really good experience and would definitely recommend this spot! read more

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Wow, first time in and everything was incredible. I sat at the bar with my wife, Amy the bartender that night was amazing. Not only did she recommend great food, she also held great conversation with us. The cocktails were amazing. She let us know about Wednesday and Thursday specials which are great. Wednesdays half off all bottled wine and Thursdays 1$ oysters until they run out! We loved the "vibe" of the restaurant, the music, the art, all made a great ambiance. Looking forward to coming back! read more

The portions here are tiny, so start off with a few and order more as you go. There's not really any appetizers or main entrees, but heavier and lighter dishes. Expect to eat family style! Highlights were - Frog Legs, Pork Jowl & desserts. The frog legs had such a unique flavor - creole seasoning and spicy sweet pepper jelly accompanied the dark meatiness of the frog legs and buttery waffle. The pork jowl was cooked well and was very fatty and savory! I liked the idea of the flavors of the other dishes, but many of the dishes didn't end up being stellar, just mediocre. The Corn Gnocchi had a lot of potential, but the cheese fondue sauce was lukewarm and the gnocchi a bit soggy. For the price, only a few dishes were truly worth it. This is a great place to try some new flavors, but maybe not something you will end up returning to. read more

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We went for the restaraunt week menu. We were surprised when we sat down to find out that the menu had changed since we had booked our reservation. When we booked the menu had a 4 course meal for $55 and when we arrived it had been changed to 3 courses. The food was good, portion size small, except for the Pork Schnitzel. The service was on the slow side, we wondered if they had dialed back the courses because of table time, but it was the wait time between courses and drinks that took so long. At the end of the day, the food was good. They of course can change their menu, the price should have reflected the change in my opinion. read more

We went here to catch dinner. Service was great. Food was on the mark. Pork chop and hanger steak were excellent. Good blend of fusion items. Drinks were great. Parking is not bad but I had to find parking on street. All in all I Would highly recommend. Plan to return. read more

Met some friends here on a Friday night! Nice spot, good ambiance great food and drinks! read more

Riel - These Butter Burger were hittin!!! The Lemon drop was fire too - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Let me just say this, get the fish filet sammich. I'd never had one of these before but I fully endorse this one in particular. The tomato toast was also a pleaser of the table. I think the flavors were there for the sesame noodles but I would have preferred a softer noodle like a sweet potato glass noodle. Butter burger should come with a warning. It is very delicious but super rich, not for the faint of heart. Service was excellent! read more

I found this restaurant on a number of lists of the best restaurants in Houston and it definitely deserves to be there. We tried the steak tartare, mussels, and hangar steak and absolutely loved all of them. My boyfriend just kept raving about how great everything was. They do offer gluten free options, although If i have one complaint it's that they don't have gluten free bread. Definitely recommended though. read more

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To start, I sat at the community table, where it is in between the host stand and the bar. I loved it. You get double service from your server and the bartenders. Grand service that you deserve. I had a group of friends and I order from the happy hour and a few items from their actual menu. The happy hour drinks were fantastic. Great spot for delicious drinks. On the pricey side for happy hour. We ordered the following: Chicken skins Gator Egg rolls Cauliflower Snapper (fish of the day) Hanger steak Bone marrow Pierrogis Gnocchi corn Pudding Lemon cake like dessert Chicken skins, not my favorite. I'm all for the skins but these were chewy. Texture-wise, I didn't like. Flavor was not bad. Maybe something you have to try for yourself. The gator was my favorite on the Happy hour. Crispy and flavorful! The cream sauce paired well with it!! Egg rolls were okay, I didn't taste much of the boudin. I wish it had more spice. The duck sauce didn't taste like duck sauce. Cauliflower reminded me of buffalo wings. Which isn't bad. They were soft and not crunchy, the pillowy texture was unusual to me but not bad. Snapper was delicious. The sauce it was served with was a great match. I could've not ordered the steak and been okay. It definitely needed seasoning. Tasted like steak with nothing on it. A bit tough also. Bone marrow was the star. They did a great job on the sauces that came with it. The sweet sauce was so delicious i couldn't get enough!! Ask for whiskey shots and do a shot with the bone marrow. The fat from the bone marrow makes the shot smoother than just shaved legs!! Pierogis were okay, but they were on the steak. I don't remember loving them. Gnocchi corn tasted like uncooked tortilla dough. Not a fan of this one. The pudding was the best ever. It was lovely. Heavy but worth it!! Must get!! The other dessert was more acidic and light. Not bad, but maybe bc I'm a fan of heavy cakes!! This was good too and beautifully presented. All of their drinks were great. You won't be disappointed. My favorite was the so fresh so clean. Helped lighten my mood after a hectic day!! Although all the food wasnt so wow, the drinks and service were fantastic. I did enjoy the atmosphere very much and how there was valet available right in front. read more

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Food was fantastic. We were a party of three. Wedge salad very good. Maple Pork Loin mouth watering and seasoned perfectly. Hanger steak flavorful and tender. Kimchi Carbonara was perfect. We finished with the sweet Sticky Toffee Pudding. Server was attentive and helpful. read more

We only live a few blocks away and just tried Riel for the first time! It was exceptional from beginning to end. Our server, Elle (sp?), was just a delight! Seriously perfect service!! We sat on the line and it was such a great vibe! The bartender rocks!! Truly delicious drinks with all fresh ingredients and attention to detail!! I've had drinks many other places for $14 bucks that don't even come close to Riel's! Every, single thing we ate was the 'mmmm' out loud kinda dish! Cauliflower tempura, tartare, pierogies, hangar steak, and Elle treated us to The Jerk dessert! Yum!!! I love a one page, eclectic menu! Riel is unpretentious, has that cool, Montrose, everyone's welcome vibe! 10 stars!! Thanks to all for the exceptional service! read more

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Everything tasted great and came out in a timely matter. The service was as good as the food. read more

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I love this New American cuisine restaurant! I wish I could've had more unique items on the menu. If you come here, I recommend you having an open taste pallet for different flavors. But also, the mushroom empanadas were AMAZING! read more

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A M A Z I N G ! ! ! ! This was an incredible experience as we grazed through the menu. We started with steak Tartare, then Burrata Salad, followed by Mushroom Empanadas, truffle & caviar pierogies, hanger steak and finally Foie Gras torchon toffee pudding. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures, but they don't do justice to how incredible the food tastes. The funny thing is that the dessert is probably the ugliest dessert and I couldn't resist taking a picture because I couldn't imagine what it looked like based on the menu's description. There was nothing left on any plate! This meal was amazing. The food, the staff, the restaurant, the ambiance. What a way to enjoy the evening. Cheers! read more

Riel - The Menu - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Riel knows how to keep it real. Their presentation is beautiful, and service - unreal. Your plate is so pretty you don't want to touch it. Your cocktails are strong but not nasty strong; tasty strong, strong enough like the equivalent of Brawny but like the Brawny of cocktails. They have valet parking but because you're a Houstonian and you know better, you will find street parking because your mama taught you better. Their bar is beautiful and you want to make sure you are looking at it when seated. When we entered the host asked if we had dinner rezzies (which I did) and seated us to probably the best spot in the middle where you get the best of both worlds - people watching and the beautiful views of modern houses out the window. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful in helping us decide what food and cocktails we wanted to order. Note to all those wanting to try the BORSCHT. It has veal stock in it so vegetarians cannot have it. But to all us carnivores - it's a MUST!. I honestly came for the borscht and never have I ever had a warm borscht before. Let's see if I can say borscht again in this paragraph. This borscht was everything. The first cocktail that I had was the dama dorada which has tequila and mezcal. It was good but the tajin on the side was so strong that I could smell it the whole time. Granted it was my own fault for ordering something with that, I should have steered away from it. But other than that, it was a good drink. The Riel old fashioned was a good drink. I honestly don't like old fashioneds but this one was great because it used maple syrup. We tried the fried cauliflower and the duck agnolotti. The fried cauliflower had an interesting taste. It was not crispy like I imagined it would be. When I hear something is fried, I imagine loving it but this was not anything like your typical fried cauliflower.The duck agnolotti was so beautiful that I took several pictures of it. This is a very light dish when you are eating it, but while in the process you realize how delicate and bold (and you didn't think that was possible) the flavors are ... perfect execution. To end the night I ordered the black sea cooler. Ingredients: rum, cynar, lime, orgeat, salt. Win. Dessert: Nanimo Cake which comes with a coconut-ginger sorbet. This sorbet makes you think of pure happiness. Riel is in it for real. read more

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I loved Riel! I was not expecting the dinner we had based on the menu and the descriptions I had read, but we were blown away by every bite. Each dish was unique and flavorful and we were wiping the plates clean. The service was incredibly attentive, kind and knowledgeable. The vibe was artsy and sleek, but not uptight. We got to sit at the chefs counter, which was really fun to see the work put into the meal. Special highlights were the steak tartare, the crudo, and the Bees Knees for dessert. Will definitely be back!! read more

Riel - Dirty martini - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Went here for the 1st time. Cute place live the art and the music set the vibe. Drinks a 10 out of 10. I ordered a butter burger- ehh I wish they offered different cheese options ( pepper Jack, Swiss ) with the caramelized onions I think would make it better and they're aren't any sides.. grant it I know truffle fries are popular but offer something to accompany the basic burger. read more

Easily the best new restaurant of 2017! The space is intimate and inviting without being overwrought. Staff is friendly and helpful. The FOOD is delicious! Beautifully crusted hangar steak is accompanied by perfect pierogi pillows. The Montreal smoked meat is a great lesson in contrasting and complimenting flavors and textures. Fresh and briny oysters, tender fish karaage, sweet head -on shrimp. Great cocktails from the bar as well. Sitting at the counter is a fun show but can get a little warm. Bathroom murals are worth a look of their own. Can't wait to go back! Street parking very limited. Valet to be safe. read more

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Definitely recommend coming here. Their food selections are very original and tasty. We ordered: -Bone Marrow (5/5) -Gator Karagge (5/5) -Kake Soba (2/5) We also took advantage of the red that was on HH which was a good tasting red. Nothing worse th a cheap HH red. Overall extremely happy with my entire experience and I look forward to coming back and trying some more food. read more

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Houston Restaurant Week Review Only: definitely make reservations! We were lucky enough to make same day reservations and were sat at the bar. I believe that they only have valet parking, but there's plenty of side street parking. On to the appetizers, the empanada was amazing. I wasn't too impressed with the cauliflower. My friend and I only ordered the streak and let me just say that it was amazing! Perfect size, cooked to perfection on sautéed veggies. The dessert was just amazing! Not too sweet, but very well balanced. Riel is also known for their drinks, but I think I'll just stick to their regular Old Fashions and red wine. Service was decent. Our waiter looked a bit overwhelmed and didn't really check up on us. The ambiance is great! You can definitely bring a date here or a friend. read more

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Husband and I went for a rare, nice dinner without our baby, and Riel didn't disappoint. We started with cocktails - So Fresh, So Clean - and the burrata, caviar tots, mushroom empanadas, and pelmeni. Everything was delicious, but I'd probably not order the pelmeni again. Caviar tots are basically a novelty item; no special flavor, but the presentation was nice. Mushroom empanadas were my favorite of the apps and I don't even love mushrooms. Burrata was also delicious with fresh herbs infused in the cheese, which was a great variation of the standard burrata I'm accustomed to. Ella, our waitress, was outstanding. Perfect amount of attentive, very friendly, and offered excellent suggestions. Second round of cocktails, at her suggestion, was the Corpse Reviver #2, which was a perfect follow up to our first round. Mains were hanger steak and kimchi carbonara. Steaks were cooked well and paired with fluffy pierogis. My husband's carbonara was out of this world delicious with a nice hit of spice. Overall we were very happy and will definitely be returning. Strongly recommend reservations for weekend dining. Parking is free behind the restaurant. read more

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3.5/5 Didn't quite understand the theme of the food - one Ukrainian dish?, two Canadian dishes, and Asian. Recommend! - Borscht: tarty, creamy (non-dairy) beet soup! J who dislikes beets loved this soup. Paired really well with the creme fraiche (what doesn't). - Sticky toffee pudding: topped with a foie torchon. Really delicious. We had so much blood toffee sauce left over that I wish the cake portion was larger. Coffee was also really tasty too! - Hanger steak: thicker cuts of tender meat. I'm used to eating flatter cuts of hanger, so I liked this version better. Cheese perogis were nice and dense. A-okay - Brick chicken: sousvide chicken, tender. Nothing special, but a-okay. Pass (2/5) - Crudo: tiny portion, a little fishy if you don't eat it with its garnish - Red fish karaage: tasted like flour and ranch. Didn't care for the dish personally. Seems like I enjoyed Asian inspired dishes the least. Looking forward to come back to try the smoked meat platter and meat pie. read more

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Phenomenal food! Highly recommend trying out the Hanger Steak dish with the potato and cheddar pierogi's which you don't come across very often. Brick chicken is so good and evenly cooked and juicy. This dish jumps to the top of my list of best chicken I've had here in Houston. Gulf shrimp are also a must and the hot and sour sauce that comes with it, I could lick off the bottom of my flip flops if I had to. Try the Borscht Sour cocktail, perfect! This place is cozy and staff is friendly, but what held it back that one star is I had ordered coffee and cream, but instead got the check, Ohhh-k then. Also, as mentioned in my tip half the patrons were wearing their coats while eating because it was beyond uncomfortably cold inside. These are all minor nit picks that I'm sure will get resolved in due course. read more

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Riel is a contemporary spot in Montrose serving up "globally inspired Gulf Coast cuisine," which mostly ends up being Ukrainian and Asian-inflected. I came with my parents and a friend over the holidays and left not sure what they were trying to accomplish. Drinks include a nice selection of house and classic cocktails ($13 and $11). I had one that was mescal-forward and quite good. Wine is on the pricey side. We ended up doing largely small plates and largely vegetables. We started with a burrata and spaghetti squash dish that ended up being one of my favorites. Our other squash dish ($15) was basically just quinoa sprinkled on delicata; tasty but basic. Bannock ($12) served as our bread course, a puffy Scottish skillet bread with delightful butter and pickled shallot jam spreads. Fried rice ($16) executed a puffed rice remarkably well, but there wasn't much going on with it otherwise. We of course needed to get pierogies ($10ish); they come three to an order and overfried. Eggplant ($22) was another favorite, with a nice coconut-ginger curry sauce, but it was the same size as the smalls so we didn't quite get the price differential. Dessert was an unqualified success: Bee's Knees ($11) paired a moist, pancake-y brown butter cake with honey ice cream and lemon curd. Perfect. The dining room is bland but inoffensive, and doesn't seem all that upscale compared to the prices; my chief complaint would be the lights are too bright for dinner. Service is excellent. The pacing was just right and our waiter was great. Overall the prices are just a bit nuts, and I say this from a New Yorker's perspective-- we hit almost $300 after tax and tip for our party of 4. Drinks are largely the culprit here, but that's still $50 a person for food. We left full, but had pretty much no meat or high-end dishes. What happened to Houston's low prices? read more

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