Worth the wait. We didn't wait entirely too long, and sat upstairs. Really good Mimosas and a great setting to chill in. Food was amazing. It's Black Owned and the staff is amazing. We will be back for sure read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Catfish and Grits - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place was pretty cool! The food is good and I for sure will check this place out again and try something new like one of their mac and cheeses. However the wait times are insane here so prepare to wait. We did have an hour and a half wait time but ended up waiting 45 mins. The staff all were very sweet and you can tell they work together as a team. We had multiple staff tend to our table and even check on us to see how everything was which was impressive giving how the serving industry can be sometimes. My fried lobster tail did not have any wow flavor to it but I did love my waffles. The drinks here are AMAZING though and its a great place to mingle with friends. Outside dining is more a vibe here too than inside. read more

See all

Downtown Houston is the area on the corner of Main. I will always go for what my family loves most Chicken and Waffles. We are here for it and I could cook it at home. On Friday nights, I'm beat from work so I order to go and I don't like their new setup at all. You have to go to the location to place your order. They use to have several locations for pick up for TO GO.. let's get that service back. They use to have live music now they sound like a club with the music so loud you can't have a conversation without yelling. Lol But the food is the reason I keep coming back. Red velvet waffles, peach cobbler, and pecan praline waffles with flavorful chicken are what I'm here for. If you love brunch, you know what to do. read more

A great brunch spot. We ordered a variety at of entrees and every dish tasted great. Good customer service. Food came out in a timely manner. Nice variety of mimosas. I loved the Jerked Lamb Chops. Will definitely recommend and will dine there again. read more

I have been here about 3/4 times and I've had a great experience every time. I usually order the jerk lamb chops and lobster tail that comes with collard greens (I sub for Mac & Cheese). The lamb chops are tender, the lobster tail is lightly fried and amazing. The waiters are very attentive, professional, and helpful with decision making for new comers. My best advice is to arrive about 30 minutes prior to opening because tables can fill up fast and due to the pandemic seats are limited. read more

See all

This place is next level of comfort food and I had the shrimp and grits. But those red velvet waffles was crazy. I have nightmares that I won't find food this tasty again, but when I tell you that food was so delicious it really was. I've eaten all through the Houston area. But those shrimp and grits were banging and the best I've ever eaten. So if ur in need of soul food, go check em out see it for urself I promise it won't disappoint. Here's some pictures to prove it.. read more

Visited during Houston restaurant week for the first time and even though the wait was extremely lengthy and the service was not it, they food made up for it!! The jerk lambchops were breath taking! The blueberry lavender drink was also a great plus! I totally recommend the fruity pebbles waffles, you definitely taste the fruity pebbles! The Buffalo fried chicken went perfect with my meal even though I was a little skeptical. I give it 3 stars bc I used to be a waitress and I wouldn't give no one the service we received. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Jerk Lambchops - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Visited on a Saturday and arrived before the doors opened. I still had to wait 1.5 hrs after they opened their doors to be sat down (party of 4). The place is very packed with large parties on weekends, if you want to try the place I recommend going on a weekday. I ordered the Cajun chicken and waffles and it was very delicious and a good consistency. The mimosas carafes are $25 each even during brunch hours. The service leaves a lot to ask for. As we were enjoying our food and had ordered another mimosa carafe and a few other drinks the GM approached our table not to ask how was everything but to tell us that he needed the table in 40min so to wrap up. This was extremely rude specially coming from the GM (who wasn't wearing a mask at all on a busy Saturday brunch hour). I asked our waiter as to why he requested that of us even though we had just bought more drinks for the table. She said there was a party taking all over the patio and if we wanted to order more food or drinks we would have to get on the waitlist again (after we waited an hour and a half to get in!!!) As I waited for the check the GM came back and told us "I need the table now y'all need to leave" That being said, glad I tried the food but I won't be returning. They have a lot of work to learn that Texas hospitality and how to treat their guest. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Cajun Chicken Waffle - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I came to this place and was delighted when they offered both indoor and outdoor seating. Now the food, AMAZING. I wanted lobster Mac but because I wanted a bigger portion I got the lobster tail and waffles and substituted the waffles for Mac. It was so creamy with a bit of spice which is the perfect mix for me. I also ordered the Hennessy breeze and it was clear that Hennessy was supposed to be in there (via the menu). However, my drink had no Hennessy in it. When I asked someone for more Hennessy, they said there was none left since this afternoon. I felt bamboozled that I paid $15 for a drink that didn't come with the key ingredient it's named after. Would I come back? Yes for the food. But not so much for the drinks. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Lobster Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Nice venue and the drinks were great, especially the watermelon Hennessy margarita. The food was average. The menu looks/sounds good and it can be overwhelming but the lobster was fried too hard that it tasted burnt and hard to chew. The biscuit waffle tastes amazing and their Catfish was grilled to perfection. read more

Can I order a side of Covid with my eggs? The staff will hover right over you and your food, not wearing a mask, and using a lot of H words. Would not recommend. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Super spreader - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was not fresh, drinks was watered down! Only thing that was good was the customer service! Tequila sunrise was orange the first time! My cousins plate had hair in it, the first plate came out in 2mins which was weird but ok!! My other cousin ordered jerk chicken, asked for dark meat they brung out white meat. She asked for it to be fixed, they brung out regular fried chicken. There's not many ppl here today! We were also told we could only have happy hour prices if we sat at the bar which was also weird. Any way the manager was nice but yea!! One star for sure on food and drinks. The service I'll give a five star, the manager on site did his best to make us satisfied I will not leave that out and it was much appreciated..!!! One other person who was with our group mentioned hookah is 40$ here and only 25$ everywhere else! LOL they did say the jerk chicken was good though..!! B read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Hair on the bottom of the waffle! NASTYYYYYY - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I took my friend to Taste Bar and Kitchen, the food was really good, big portions and quick. The reason for the low score is the decor, they need to upgrade and put more back into the business. My other concern is spending $80 for 1 drink (Watermelon Tiini) with Lamb Chops/Mac & Cheese. read more

See all

My kids and I visited on a Tuesday around 11:30. There was no wait. We were sat immediately and chose to sit outside. There were about 3-4 servers around and barely any tables sat inside or out. The first thing I noticed were the greasy menus. It was some type of damage to them where they were falling apart. It took our server ten minutes to greet us and get our drink orders. It took another ten minutes for them to come and then order our food. While waiting 15-20 minutes for our food, we sat with empty water glasses with melted ice. The food was decent. We ordered two of the taste breakfast plates and I'm just now realizing we never got the hash browns that are supposed to come with those plates. but we got the fruity pebble waffles, red velvet and chocolate chip waffles on those plates. I myself had just a side of Gouda mac and cheese and greens. Those were both excellent. My kids said the waffles were just ok, that they were dry. The grits and bacon on the breakfast plates were good. I had the lavender margarita. It tasted good but really had no liquor in it. We had orange juice and a strawberry lemonade as well which were good. We waited another 10 minutes after finishing our food for the check. The service was TERRIBLE! I wanted to get up and leave but I'd valet parked and with three hungry children, I decided to stay instead of driving around searching for another place. I was so disappointed in this place. It's definitely overhyped. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Soiled menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Went to celebrate my friend's birthday and first time ever going and didn't have to wait to be seated! Food was hot and fresh, the only complaint we had was our drinks took a loooongtime to arrive our food came out quicker than our drinks. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - General Tso's Chicken and Waffle - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Me and a friend have been wanting to try Taste Bar & Kitchen for a while. It was on our list and when we were in the area we decided to try it. This restaurant is everything people have said and more. It will not disappoint. Just a heads up that they only take reservations for groups greater than 5. It was just the two of us, so there was about an hour wait. I ordered the Taste of Soul dinner. It included Smothered chicken, collard greens, candied yams, rice and gravy and buttermilk biscuit in the shape of a waffle. The chicken was very tender and flavorful. The sides were delightful. My friend ordered the Shrimp & Grits, which included gulf shrimp sautéed w/bell peppers, bacon, cajun cream sauce, and creamy grits w/shaved parmesan and scallions. She also tried the lobster mac and cheese, which was made with smoked gouda cheese. The food and service were wonderful. I did not order from the bar, but they do have an extensive bar selection. Parking: They have valet parking or you can do street. COVID Precautions: Hand sanitizer provided, temperature checks done, they offer indoor and outdoor seating. I look forward to going back again. It makes for a great dinner and brunch spot. read more

See all

We didn't make a reservation for this Friday lunch but were able to be seated immediately on the patio. There was a wait for inside seating. A decent sized crowd inside & on the patio but spacing wasn't an issue at all imo. I forgot to get their names but the young lady who was the hostess & our waitress had a bright affect. They were all around pleasant & made the first time experience enjoyable. The ONLY issue I had was that I ordered over medium eggs & they were over hard. The bottled water kept us cool & hydrated on the patio. The potatoes were amazing & seasoned perfectly. The jerk lamb was fire! A lot of places lose out when they skimp on making their original style waffles. These original style waffles were good without syrup! I will definitely be going back! read more

See all

Visited for Mother's Day. Got in line about 9:30 am to make sure we could sit, so glad we did...by 11am the line was wrapped around the building. The restaurant opened on time and right away started seating guests, they were so efficient, and polite. Two of our guests were running behind so we ended having to wait a lil longer... your entire party must be present to sit. We sat on a deck off to the side in shade and chairs until it was our turn again. The food and the drinks were amazing! We all ordered different things and tried each other's so I can honestly say everything was delicious. Our server was prompt and professional, she got us everything we needed and some. She gave suggestions and even brought different sauces for us to try. The biscuit waffle was a surprise hit, we all tried it and loved it! Thank yall for a great experience! I've attempted to try Taste 3 times before and each time the 2 hour wait turned me off, I'm so glad it worked out this time and was worth the wait. read more

See all

Update: I knew it was something about this place that smelled worse than the trash. The story all over the news is indicative of the business I received when I visited. I still can't get over paying $100 when the employees aren't being paid and the chef is embezzling money. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

This was my first visit here, so here goes : Parking: very little parking. Had to park across the street. Seemed valet was full as well. Inside: Only about 6 tables can sit and fit during corona. But I can't imagine before corona. Bar: I sat at the bar, in which I would not recommend. The young lady behind the bar did not greet me, ask for a drink or anything. My dad asked can we order, she said yes, then he called out our order. I tried asking what do she recommend, she looked down the entire time, not acknowledging me- and answered. I was happy to even get a response. The music is great. And honestly the other servers seem to be friendly. Food: a young lady next to me had jerk chicken, she said it was delicious. It smelled good as well. Everything here is pretty much chicken and waffles. Literally. If you do not like spicy food, I was told all the chicken had spice except for the smothered chicken So I just asked about how does the fried Cauliflower taste (because I want to make sure it did not come out with my food) my server who works the bar- response was "I don't know I'm not a cook" wow! How rude !! Sanitation/ Safety: I would not recommend this place until the corona virus dies down. (Unless you go at slow times with less people) No one had on gloves, and out of all of the entire staff, only one buss person had on a mask and another young lady who stocks up the inventory had on mask. They are not using paper menus, they are using standard menus. At the bar the seats are not 6 feet apart. After I finished eating, the bar back person sparked a conversation. Strange considering she didn't at first. I would recommend this place if you are in it for the chicken and waffles. I would not recommend this for the customer service. I would most definitely not recommend this place for kids or families. Seems to be a mid 20's crowd that just love to hang out. Scenery. This is more of an eat and go! 3 stars because the chicken and waffles (and other food) was DELICIOUS. read more

See all

Short visit. Long wait. 1.15 hr/ minutes. Great thing is they call you when your time has areive to be seated, sonu can move freely. However you have 5mins to approach the host stand. To go orders available. Reservations are NOT accepted here. (Bummer) Small seating area. Black own! I will definitely be back! read more

This place is sooo good ! The outdoor seating was really nice, I liked the red booths. The food was amazing and came out fairly quick. We got a lot of food for a pretty decent price. What an great food place In Houston ! read more

See all

I can't believe that I missed this place. I ordered take home food from here and was amazed at how delicious it was. The drinks to go were immaculate as well. Pros: Great service Great food Variety of delicious flavors of food and drinks Nice ambiance and upstairs and outside dining To order or pick up an order "to go" just go straight in. Cons: Parking Crowd can get large and line can get lengthy. There may be a wait. read more

Been wanting to try this place after hearing all the hype, but we first attempted to come here on NYE but the wait was WAAAY too long (over and 1hr), and I don't believe in waiting in long lines - especially for food. SOOO with the COVID19 stuff we had the opportunity to give this place another shot by ordering food to go. Plus side, the ordering process was easy, down side not everything was available on the to-go menu -PLUS the prices were more considering. With that being said there was still enough to order what I wanted so that I could have an idea about their food. With all of that being said, we ordered a variety of things to try: pecan praline, red velvet and peach cobbler waffles, greens, and fried chicken. I LOVED the pecan prailine waffles; I was pleasantly surprised at how good the peach cobbler waffles were - decadent. The greens were seasoned well and a hint of sweetness. The fried chicken "wing" was great and well seasoned also, but not so much with the fried chicken breast - tasted old and dry. Overall, I'm looking forward to trying this place when it fully opens up to try their cocktails and brunch experience. Reservations are STRONGLY suggested. Signing Off, FLB read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Patio - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

BEST FUCKING FOOOD HANDS DOWN Lambchops were tender ! With the right spice. Mac n cheese was perfectly cheesy. Lobster tail was seasoned to perfection the greens.. the fucking greens and the drink? TIPSY. off just one. Would definitely return. 10/10 read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Watermelon Hennessy Taste Surf and Turf" Jerk Lambchops, fried lobster Tail, Braised Collard Green, Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Got mixed feelings about our visit here the other day. Service is very slow. My food was good but came out warm almost cold. Nice drink selection but not strong enough for us. They have valet parking and waitlist on Open table. Maybe need to go again read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Jerk lamb Jerk Lambchops, Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese, Braised Collard Green & a martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I ordered the Captain Crunch waffles paired with the 2 red velvet waffles and the Nashville chicken. You have a choice of 2 waffle flavors. I didn't do the cream cheese frosting. I also chose the white meat. This dish did not disappoint. The waffles were thick and moist, and the chicken was seasoned down to the bone. We were there on a Sunday morning for brunch to celebrate my birthday with my bestie. The staff were extremely courteous and very attentive. Probably the best staff I've ever experienced to be quite honest. The cons: We were told there was a 1 hour wait, however we waited over 1.5 hours. Wear comfortable shoes and check the forecast. It rained but we were lucky to find shade. I would give this restaurant a strong 9.5. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - "Chicken and waffles." - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food is good but its next to impossible to get a reservation even if you book weeks in advance there is nothin. When I just showed up the wait has been as long as 2 hours. Unfortunately I've only been able to experience Taste Bar twice due to their supposedly not being any availability on any day at any time. read more

Food, service and layout is nice! They have the best Shrimp and grits I've ever had! Chicken is fried to perfection! Best to come on weekday if it's your first time, the weekends are very busy and have over 2 hour wait times. read more

See all

I really wanted more for my experience at Taste especially considering how popular this place is. I was meeting up with a friend there for my first time and the line moved pretty quickly and the wait time wasn't that bad (45 mins). They had us wait on the outside patio area and a bartender was able to serve us drinks while we waited, it was real nice. After me and my homegirl both finished our drinks it went downhill quickly after that. I had to go to the host stand and check if we were getting seated bc it seemed like they had forgotten about us. They tell me to check with the host stand inside, as soon as I walk in I can feel the heat. It was hot AF, they had fans blowing but it was clear their AC wasn't working. The smell coming from the bar (which is across from the host stand) was not pleasant either, idk if it was the heat or the garbage but it was awful. There were no tables available except for two seats at the bar, we opted to sit there bc were hungry after waiting an hour and drinking a strong henny-colada. The bartender was cool but again, the bar stank and it was hot! -- We eventually ordered and our food comes out but it was lukewarm, my grits were lowkey clumping together bc they were cold and my catfish had bones all up in it! I really wanted to enjoy this spot but I was so disappointed. I'm glad I got to say I experienced Taste but I won't be going back. read more

Finally made it , it took long enough. Between the pandemic and coming storms, I figured a line and waiting would be non-existent. On arrival temp taken , was a little high from walk after parking car. Given ice water to cool down, great idea . Once seated instructioned to download menu . Already knew what I wanted , choose the hot chicken and waffles side of green and fries. Babbyyyy that chicken was good hot and spicy, I picked white meat and it was moist not juicy . The waffles were soft and warm "oh my" ,fries were good not sure of topping but we enjoyed them shoe string fries which I dislike ,but the greens was made by big mama honey for a Sunday feast . Overall great experience, but wait staff could check on customers a little more often, and just BS...on the food arriving soon. Food takes a while but I guess it's worth it read more

See all

My friend came in town and saw this place on TikTok. I'm actually from Houston and didn't know about it. Let's cut to the chase, they had a "comedy" show and boy it was everything BUT comedy. The opener for the main attraction was reading jokes off her phone, then when the main attraction came he kept getting mad at the audience because we weren't showing him enough love. Now for the food and drinks, drinks were great, food; I ordered lobster Mac, believe it was $20-$22 came with no bread and it was generic af! Then had the nerve to charge automatic gratuity, gtf outta here. That's why I can't deal with some black owned businesses. Turkey Leg hut beats this by a long shot. For two people the tab was $161! Not to mention my tab was wrong and the waiter was not willing to fix it. Do not spend your money here! read more

I'll start by saying I really like the location of this establishment but that's it, I started by ordering the Taste Breakfast with red velvet waffles and a side of pecan praline waffles, once the food arrived to the table I was extremely impressed at presentation but it lacked so much more like, flavor and temperature, the eggs taste as if they were cooked earlier in the morning and the grits were inundated with pepper and I know for sure they were cooked the day before, lastly the waffles were delicious I must say I like the PECAN PRALINE WAFFLES better. Overall I gave this review a 3 star due to where we were seated, the food itself and the less than stellar service. Will I return? More than likely I WON'T read more

See all

The waffles are certainly the best thing about this restaurant! I ordered the jerk chicken and waffles with a side of grits with Gouda cheese. Let me just say the jerk chicken is spicier than I imagine but it was still good. The Gouda Cheese grits were not the greatest or even seasoned. They also served the grits with the cheese on top and not mixed in. The drinks are bomb - the Watermelon Telly is superb! I think this would be a great happy hour spot but don't go if you're trying to have a decent meal. DON'T ORDER THE TURKEY BACON - it's $4 for 2 pieces and it's not even quality bacon. I think it's the dollar store Jenni-O's bacon. When I asked the waiter he said he couldn't answer that question! =\ read more

My introduction into Houston's amazing food culture was definitely a hit! Taste Bar not only has an interesting take on your typical chicken and waffles but they also back it up with great flavors and a great environment. Despite Covid, you are still able to dine-in at the establishment. All employees follow proper COVID safety. If I can bless someone the way I was, order the collar greens. I've never had some that good that WEREN'T my mamas. I'll definitely be making another trip to try out the rest of their menu items. 10/10 would recommend to anyone! Relaxing environment, great customer service, delicious food... What more do you need? read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Chicken & Waffle (Pecan Praline and Sweet Potato) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

It was pretty busy and the wait was about 40 minutes. I chose to get my food to go. The food was good. Pieces of the lobster were way over cooked but the flavor was good a little spicy. The praline waffles were extremely Sweet. I ate a half of one. Chicken was crispy. I got a tiny wing and a breast since I asked for white meat. I'd like to go back when I'm in houaton again but sit and eat vs taking it to go. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Lobster, Bacon Mac and Cheese - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

I've been to Taste 4 or 5 times. The food is delish, but they have got to work on their customer service. The 1st time was opening week so I make some allowances for not having great service, but several month later sitting at the bar they put in the order incorrectly and took a long time with the orders. However that pales in comparison to the service (or lack there of) tonight. We decided on Taste because it's open until midnight, we arrived and were seated at about 10:00PM. FIFTEEN minutes went by with not so much as an initial interaction with a waiter. I had to flag down a busser to ask for water. There were only two other tables on the 1st floor with us (a table of 2 and a single patron). The waitress took the single patron's drink order, and delivered the drink (waiting for it while shooting the breeze with the bartender) instead of coming to our table. So after 15 minutes of zero service we decided to leave. I asked the hostess to speak to the manager and she acted liked she didn't understand what I was saying. "Do you need to tell him something?" Why else does one ask for a manager?? I told the manager about the lack of service and our decision to leave. He apologized and I left. You'd think this would be the end of the story but no. At Taste they apparently have an aversion to answering their phone after 11pm even though they close at midnight. I called at least 5 times because after returning home my boyfriend realized that he'd misplaced his phone. After retracing our steps Taste seemed like the logical location for the phone. We called at least 5 times and no one answered any of the calls. Seeing as how Taste is closed on Mondays we decided to drive back to see if the phone was there. When I walked in at least 5 Taste employees including the manager were hanging out around the bar on an empty first floor and not a single one acknowledged me when I walked in or even after a couple minutes. Once I got the manager's attention and asked if they'd found a phone, (due to our previous interaction he knew exactly what I was there for) he came over to the hostess stand to hand me the device. The earlier service issues I could possibly excuse but having an empty 1st floor and patrons not being acknowledged for 15 minutes and then just blatantly ignoring several phone calls... what kind of business does that? If you are looking for really good food with crap service... this is your spot. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - The numerous unanswered calls though many of the night staff were just sitting around. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Cali girl first visit to Houston and this place was suggested. We attempted this place twice. The first time the wait was an hour. We chose not to wait because we wanted to see more of Houston but vowel to come back. We did... we thought we were playing it smart by being there when it open, thinking we wouldn't have to wait long. ‍ we were wrong. Pulled up there was a line to the next corner. We stayed cause we heard this place was black owned and tasty. We waiting about 45 minutes in line to put our names on a list. Once we did that there was another hour and half wait to be seated. By this time I could hear my stomach growling from my back... that's how empty my stomach was. But we waited... the establishment and service was nice. My plate was delicious. I ordered the smothered chicken what I loved most was that the chicken was crispy although it was drizzled in gravy. The gravy was the ish... I must saw everyone in our party wasn't pleased due to wait and a few items ordered was missing. Not sure if I would come back here, but I can saw I enjoyed the freaking food. The wait was too excessive for us... that just mean this place is poppin" maybe too poppin if thats a thing. read more

See all

First time coming back since expanding their menu. I love the selection! Everything was really delicious, seasoned perfectly. The grits were flavorful and buttery. Bacon was a little sweet and soft how I like. The waffles of course were delicious. I got the pecan praline and the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I came at an off-peak period and food came quickly and customer service was great. VERY HAPPY! read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Taste plate - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

The wait is way to long and service is super slow. I went on a Sunday after they opened back up due to covid. All employees were not wearing masks and it was pretty much like business as usual. When we sat down after waiting 2 hours it took another hour to get our food. However when the food came out it was delicious! I may just order to go next time. The food was so delicious so I will have to get more in the future. And they comped us for the crazy wait etc. read more

Taste Bar + Kitchen - Mimosas are way too high. The wait is very long and the staff extremely rude. But mimosas was acceptable - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all