Taste Kitchen + Bar really delivered on their namesake for me! The food I got here had great taste and I enjoyed the experience. The day I went there were initial plans to go elsewhere but this ended being one of those I'm thankful it did situations. Going on a Sunday to a place known for brunch I went in knowing there would be a wait but for the time of day it was I don't feel like the wait was too bad. Inside it's a nice clean aesthetic. I feel there is a nice amount of space inside between tables with the bar having TVs that can be viewed from up and downstairs. I always enjoy an open kitchen design even though from some of the seats the kitchen is not very visible. Coming in I wasn't quite sure of what I wanted and put the waitress through it but she was very sweet and helpful even with me making changes after I ordered. From a service aspect I feel they delivered amazingly. The food I had was very delicious and some of the dishes surprised me. I'm not quite sure of the name of the drink I got but it was very good. I believe it may have been a pineapple lemonade. I ordered the Jerk Chicken & Waffles with a side of Eggs. I didn't think about it but the waitress asked if I wanted to add cheese to the eggs, which I immediately said yes to. I'm sure she asked because she's had many people who enjoy cheese on their eggs so I think it's a sign of good service to recommend things that you think a customer wants without pushing extra items. The eggs came in with golden cheese melted overtop to the point where someone with me asked if it was mac and cheese. They were fluffy and cheesy and tasty. The waffles were 4 mini waffles and I got them with their standard toppings of strawberries, blueberries and powdered sugar. Simple prep but done well and good. Now for the jerk chicken I didn't think things through fully. I've only ever had fried chicken when having chicken and waffles so I didn't think through this would be grilled chicken. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was cool and I looked later and saw they do offer fried jerk chicken which might've been a better fit. The jerk flavor wasn't that strong to me and the chicken was a little dry so this would be the only part that I was only at okay on. Not the happiest with the chicken I decided I'd add some wings, which I must say was the best decision I made there. I had never heard of, yet alone tried Orange Pepper Chicken but decided to take the chance. It was BANGING! The wings were large, juicy and the flavor on them was unique and hitting. I don't know what all I'll get on my next visit but I know for a fact I'll be getting Orange Pepper Chicken Wings. My mouth literally watered just typing the words here to talk about them. The people with me got various other dishes that included more chicken, chicken wings, fish, fries and waffles and everyone with me seemed to enjoy themselves as well. Even though I don't drink whiskey I love that they had Uncle Nearest prominently showing on their bar selection with an Uncle Nearest barrel. Taste is a place that I've passed by so many times and half of the time wondering how the food inside was. Now that I know how good it is, it's now a place that I see and look forward to the next time I'll be inside enjoying the great food and service that they offer. read more

See all

First time here for Sunday brunch and will be back for the food & vibes! Food was delicious and our waitress gave us great recommendations. We started out with bacon & lobster smoked Gouda Mac & cheese (it came heavy on the bacon!) and also the regular smoked Gouda Mac & cheese (very creamy). The portions for the Mac & cheese were appetizer sized, but still enough to get multiple bites in between 3 ladies. For entrees, the shrimp & grits were AMAZING, full of flavor and the red velvet mini waffles were perfectly soft with that subtle hint of fresh chocolate. The waffle order come with 4 waffles, so I had some to take home since I was comfortably full! For drinks, get the elderflower mimosas and thank me later! ;) Great music (but not too loud that you can't hear your conversations) & great vibes. FYI, they require a $50 deposit/person for reservations (even if you add someone to your party after you all arrive) & an extra 4% surcharge is added when paying w credit cards. The upstairs ceiling is low. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Mac & cheese, bacon lobster Mac & cheese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

My wife and I pulled up here during our visit to Houston. They had some great happy hour specials going on which included lamb chops. The lamb had jerk seasoning, it was A1. The drinks were hitting. We also ordered some collard greens and Mac and cheese and I have to say, that Gouda Mac is the best Mac and Cheese I've had in a restaurant. Our waitress was super attentive and nice and service was attentive. A great experience overall, I got to watch the Knicks win on the big screen too. read more

Went for brunch on Sunday. I had the Catfish Grits, it was only ok. The wait time was about an hour. However, they don't have everything listed on the menu, we order a mimosa tower and it was 150$ too expensive and not worth it! read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

Dj was the best! Anticipating our every need. We will be back. The service was excellent!!!! He was very professional and polite!!! read more

This past weekend we tried this spot out for brunch while visiting from VA. OMG it was amazing. I loved the vibe. It was a beautiful restaurant. It has plenty of seating. It got crowded quick so definitely get a reservation. It didn't take long to discover why. The food was so good. Our server, Diamond, was absolutely the best. We loved her personality. She went out of her way to make sure the meal was just right. I highly recommend brunch. The Mac and cheese was the best I've ever eaten. Everyone was thrilled with their choice in food. All the plates were empty fast. My cocktail of choice was the Side Car. It was a 10/10. I can't wait to go back on my next trip. read more

See all

I love this place! They're ate consistent, visit after visit. Each time I come, I get more and more impressed with the wait staff, the service, the drinks and the atmosphere. read more

See all

On the day of my visit there were 2 young ladies (front desk and seating staff), they were so rude. For me it's difficult to stay and spend money in places that (the kids that work there), don't talk to you in respectful tone. Your kindest staff should be upfront. My group left (even after spending $23 dollars for parking), just to eat at Taste. Best wishes to the owner, I'm sure the food is good the ambiance appeared to be great. read more

The food is pretty good here. Got the taste of soul plates one with oxtails and one with cat fish everything came out hot and the flavors were especially good on the yams and the collard greens. I would get the smothered chicken and a protein next time though. Lastly the Mac and cheese was good too, had a lot of bacon! We also had the sweet potato chicken and waffles. (Don't get a pic) it was really good! They put basically put the yams on top of the waffles with two pieces of either white or dark meat chicken. The service was good too. It wasn't very busy so we had multiple staff members check on us throughout lunch. Overall I'd recommend if you want some soul food or a good brunch The ambiance is very chill and played good music. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Taste of soul plate with oxtails - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

First time at this location and I absolutely LOVE IT. Invited my mom and her husband for brunch with me on a Saturday morning. I made reservations before arriving, which I definitely recommend doing, it just made everything so much easier. We enjoyed everything about the new location. We sat at the top, all ordered drinks and entrees. We all tried a little bit of everyone's order on the table. Now when I tell you everything was DELICIOUS! I mean it! This was my 3rd time at taste but first time at this location. I love the windows that wrap around the restaurant, it just gives it a bright and open feeling. I don't remember our servers name but she was great. Helped me figure out which drink to get after being torn between 2. I can't wait to come back, just knowing that the food is going to be delicious has me upset I'm not there now. See you soon! read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Cocktail menu. So many delicious options. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

Visiting from Philly-Home of the Super Bowl champs-Go Birds!!!! My sister recommended, I come here, I was not disappointed, the establishment, is very nice and clean. The service , was exceptional as well, I love to support, black owned, women, business! I plan to come back, on my next trip here! Thanks , I especially enjoyed, the grits and catfish! read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Mocktail was delicious - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

Visited on a Friday. Food was 10:10 amazing! Everything was great! All of the servers were great but Aaron was exceptional. Answered all my questions and made excellent recommendations. Ambiance was great, the old skool R&B created an excellent vibe. Highly recommend. read more

See all

I arrived there 30 minutes before closing and was told we have 10 mins to put our order in and I was okay with that. They made sure we will get our food but I didn't feel rushed. I order the lemon pepper wings with a side of collard greens, I also order I believe it was a blueberry lavender martini. I can tell it a vibe in there but since we wasn't there that long I can't tell you for sure. Next time I'm in Houston I will for sure be back and order the lamb chops. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Blueberry lavender martini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Meh. Everything meh. Food was "fine" - not great. Service meh. Host/welcome was very poor. It's one of those places where it's obvious no one wants to work there for some reason. Not terrible, but I wouldn't recommend. Meh. read more

Yum! For starters, our waiter was the bomb dot com! (I don't remember his name) We had the lamb chops as an appetizer and they were cooked to perfection..so crispy! I had the lobster BLT and loved every bite! Make sure you make a reservation beforehand because the wait list can get very long. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Lobster BLT - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great service. Popped in for breakfast for Loved it!! I had the jerk chicken and waffles. The waffles were nice and crispy on the outside and soft inside. They were topped with powdered sugar, caramel and whipped cream. So good! The jerk chicken was flavorful and tender. Could use a little jerk sauce type gravy on the side but I loved it. The bartender talked me into getting a drink lol. I got a Hennessy mimosa. Very interesting and very worth the persuasion. A must visit in Houston! read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Jerk Chicken and waffles (caramel on the side) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

I am writing to express my disappointment with the way our party was treated during our recent visit to your restaurant. We paid a $500 deposit upfront for our reservation, and our total bill for the evening exceeded $700. Despite this, we were seated late, the drinks from the bar were delayed, and our food was not brought out in a timely manner. To make matters worse, one member of our party received their food cold. Then, while we were still finishing our drinks, a front desk staff member approached us and told us we needed to leave our table because it was needed for another waiting party. Considering the amount we spent and the multiple service issues we experienced throughout the evening, being rushed out before we had even finished our drinks was completely unacceptable. It made our group feel unwelcome and disrespected. I do want to mention that our actual server was wonderful throughout the evening and did their best to provide good service despite the circumstances. Unfortunately, the interaction with the front desk staff overshadowed the experience. What was also disappointing was the response from management when we brought the issue to their attention. The manager stated he would speak with the employee, yet he never even asked who the staff member was. We ultimately had to point her out to him ourselves. It was difficult to feel that the matter was being taken seriously when no effort was initially made to identify the person involved. I understand restaurants can get busy, but this situation was handled very poorly and lacked professionalism and consideration for paying guests. I hope this matter is addressed to prevent other customers from having a similar experience. read more

Food was amazing! Everything was seasoned perfectly, drinks were spot on, service was attentive and knowledgeable. We will definitely return. read more

I gave it a 2 because I've had the food before. But I can't rate the food today, because after spending 2.5 hours there. We NEVER got served! Here's the story... We arrived at 12:15. No reservation, so we expected to wait to be seated. Table for 2. We waited an hour and got seated at 1:15(ish). We were seated in the space downstairs under the kitchen. Away from the entire restaurant experience. No utensils are on the table. 20/25 mins later we finally get someone to take our drink order. After she brought the drinks she took our food order. 2:00 came and went, still no food to the table. So we asked someone to please go check on our food order. She came back and said that it would be 5/10 mins longer. 40 more mins passed and still no food. By this time it its 2:45 and we still did not have our food. After almost 3 hrs we decided to leave without getting served. It was Horrible service. No one seemed the least bit concerned about us. At all!!! Also, I honestly think that there is a certain look or appeal that they pin point to sit in the main view in the restaurant. The younger crowd with social media appeal. If you don't fit that certain look. They are sure to sit you off into a corner on in the bottom basement. read more

Pulled up to Taste Kitchen and Bar for a brunch biz meeting, and it was straight fire ! Shoutout to our host Paige, who brought all the good vibes and made sure we were well taken care of. The Cajun seafood pasta? A whole vibe--seriously, so good. The place has a dope atmosphere, perfect jams, and bomb food. If you're not hitting up this Houston spot, you're sleeping on it. Trust me, this place is a repeat offender in the best way. And when you go, make sure you ask for Paige--service on point! read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Cajun Seafood Pasta - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

We didn't get any food just wanted to have a couple of drinks before our tour of Houston the place is beautiful I love all the painting on the wall the green velvet chairs at the counter were comfy. Our server was excellent I can't remember her name but I can tell you her hospitality was on point she does have a tattoo on her neck I believe it's 444 thank you for having me try that mimosa the elder berry it was delicious and my husband can't stop talking about his green tea drink. We will definitely be back the gentleman at the host stand was nice too. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Green tea and elder berry mimosa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

Went to yelp looking for something quick to eat and found this spot. I think I got lucky with the parking so I can't talk too much about that. The grits were so good! The jumbo was also great. And the drinks did the job lol. The service was friendly,quick, and they made sure to keep checking on us. Very spacious as far as seating definitely will be back again! read more

See all

Great grits and catfish platter! Craig was an amazing server! Very polite and attentive!

Came here for my brothers birthday and it ended in tragedy. We were running late but my brothers had the table and were putting in orders for us. The waitress harassed them, threatening to call the manager after 30 minutes stating that she 'wasn't making money if they just sat at the table.' They hadn't even gotten their food yet. Fast forward, we get there and she's hassling them to pay, but OUR food orders hadn't even hit the table yet. So why is half the table paying and being rushed out?! Laughable. Literally she was rushing my brothers out while we waited for our food. It was a mess. Happy Birthday right? She didn't care. I have never seen this kind of behavior before but my sister said it was common in this this type of restaurant, I don't even know what that means. I feel this restaurant is all hype. The food is mediocre and they are predatory to a crowd that they feel will accept this abuse. I understand time limits on tables, but do it with tact and within reason. If your kitchen still has orders to fulfill at the table, relax and complete the transaction. Stop being aggressive and bullying patrons with your own issues for monetary gain. There were plenty of open tables in the restaurant that day, so I am guessing she just wanted to turn tables quickly for her benefit regardless of the consumer experience. SAD! I urge this restaurant to get better staff and keep them trained! I will not be returning EVER. read more

Came here for brunch yesterday! The wait time was not along and we were seated as soon as we walked in. Also to mention, ASK for Erin!! She was amazing and very attentive towards us. The management was on point and the other workers made us feel welcomed! My friend and I got the smothered fries as an appetizer and it was super delicious , I wish they added more gravy onto it though. I ordered the catfish sandwich and the gouda macaroni cheese and it came out super hot. My friend ordered the taste breakfast and everything looked amazing. I would recommend brunch, date night, or any special occasion. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Taste Breakfast! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Where do I start? Though parking was...we'll, parking, I mean the restaurant is downtown. And for the restaurant to be open on a Labor Day we weren't picky. We had a bit of a wait, but that again was expected. They sat us in a portion of the restaurant I didn't know existed...it was the basement, but it wasn't bad as they have it set up nicely. Food came quickly and was impeccable! So good that we overlooked being in the basement and the wait we had. And to top it off, David, our server was so sweet, kind, thoughtful and made our time here a wonderful experience! So, food? Check. Wait Staff? Check. Coming back again? Check and check!!! Thank you, David! Thank you, Taste! read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

I wish I could give 0 stars. Our waitress was extremely rude and curt with us, the food was very basic and underwhelming.

I was staying at the hotel next door and decided to try this place out for dinner. Wow! What a great vibe between the music playing, lively bar scene, and the food. I had the fried okra for an appetizer and it was so good. While spears fried with a beer batter? you could tell the okra was fresh and cooked perfectly. Then I had a cup of gumbo, WOW!!! OMG!!! Maybe the best gumbo I have ever had. A flavor explosion in my mouth. Lastly, I had the blackened catfish sandwich. The filet was delicious. Everything was reasonably priced too. I will be back. read more

We just had the most mind-blowingly delicious meal at Taste, and I have to give a huge shoutout to our server DJ -- truly the nicest, coolest, most on-point waiter I've ever had. He made everything feel easy, fun, and welcoming from the second we sat down. Now the food... wow. We're still recovering from how good everything was. * Lobster Bacon Mac - 10/10, rich, creamy, flavorful perfection * Taste of Soul - 10/10, like comfort food on another level * Nashville Chicken Sandwich - absolutely insane in the best way -- juicy, crispy, full of flavor Every bite was bursting with flavor and left us speechless. We're seriously blown away -- already talking about when we're coming back. DJ, you made the night unforgettable. Thank you!! read more

See all

Had a great experience here! The food was good, the atmosphere was nice, and our server Deontrez was amazing. Very attentive, friendly, and made sure everything came out right. Definitely appreciated the great customer service -- will be coming back! read more

Food was very delicious, everybody cleaned their plates! I was happy to snag a reservation because they're usually booked up! read more

See all

This place is a MUST every time I'm in Houston! This time was a little different, as I was unable to physically go there due to conference obligations. However, I was excited to see that they were on UberEats! I ordered shrimp and grits with a side of fruity pebbles waffles. Everything was 10/10! I didn't take pictures due to it not being as aesthetically pleasing as it would be dining in, but the flavor profile was just as amazing as always! read more

Malachi was great!!! From the moment we walked in the service was amazing! We were immediately sat at the bar and every drink we had was delicious!! Chef G came out to greet us and served us our food personally!! We had oxtails and lamb chops both were *chefs kisses* If you're wondering if you should check this place DO IT!!! read more

I love coming to Taste bar and ordering any of their chicken and waffles. They are so well and there are many options. If you don't like the loud music i recommend getting seating upstairs. The waiters are usually great and helpful. read more

Aaron rocked this bday experience. He made it phenomenal! It was a work bday lunch but he made THE experience! The food was amazing and the atmosphere was superb. Let me tell you about the watermelon mimosa! Aaron recommended and it was delicious!! You guys have to try this place! read more

See all

Food was perfect and no waiting for a table on a Saturday evening! The atmosphere was great, music was loud but upbeat. Made it a little difficult to converse at our table. The service could have been more attentive. I would go back. After dinner we headed next door to Off the Record for a drink. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Blackened Shrimp and Grits.!Delicious - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this restaurant while walking Around downtown, and I have never been happier. We decided to try some breakfast and when I say it was amazing, it was amazing! We tried the fruity pebbles waffles and the avocado toast with eggs on top. Wow! That's the word I have to use because it was amazing! Wow! The fruity pebbles waffles came with 3 small ones. They had fruity pebbles baked into each one, yumm!! Hot syrup was served on the side and some lightly powder sugar on top. Holy cow were these good! Just blown away. My boyfriend had the avocado toast with scrambled eggs on top and he said, the best he's ever had. We were blown away by the food. It was so good and by the time we were done, there was a line of people waiting to be seated. Now I need to add, the restaurant was beautiful, welcoming and comfortable. The service was by far top notch and we had such a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this beautiful Houston gem! Run, don't walk! I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu!! I wish I'd gotten photos but we enjoyed this so much, we forgot! Go try this gem out!! read more

Very spacious restaurant. It is street parking only so be prepared to uber or circle around for a bit. I came on a Friday afternoon. It was not busy so seating and service was quick. I ordered the Taste of Soul, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and a carafe of Tropical Punch mimosas. The Taste of Soul plate was delicious and surprisingly it's one of the cheaper items on the menu. The buffalo chicken sandwich was what one can expect: spicy, juicy, crunchy! The mimosas were very tasty and the champagne/sparkling wine was crisp! One thing I did notice is pretty much every entree is above $30. Some items are fair in pricing but $50 for alfredo is eye opening. I would visit this place again because the soul food plate was FIRE and I would be interested in trying other items. read more

Taste Kitchen Bar - Taste of Soul - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Houston, Texas

Late night live music and pretty good food. The service was excellent! The music and live entertainment was great. Hubby however couldn't get his wings cooked crispy like he requested twice. He was disappointed and asked to have them taken off of the bill. Overall nice spot. read more

See all

The Ambiance was a loft setting where you could see both the bottom and top level. The music set the mood and was perfect for Sunday brunch. Our server (Leslie) was Dynamic and we were very pleased with his level of service. The lamb chops were tender and succulent. The chief seasoned them well. I was glad that my cousin chose this restaurant for brunch. read more

See all