This place is an institution in the Creekside area but I had not tried it out. We went for a birthday dinner. This is a detailed review. TL:DR it is a solid choice for a special experience and a great steak. I would go again. We started off with a couple of mocktails: The Blood Orange Fizz and the mint virgin Old Fashioned. The Old Fashioned was a very tasty concoction--no alcohol burn of course but it captured the sharpness of an Old Fashioned and I really liked the mint. The Blood Orange Fizz was a mild disappointment--it had very little fizz and really needed it. Flavor was OK but not as good flat. We later got a bourbon flight, which was delivered by the bourbon sommelier and was quite fun. For starters we got a wedge salad, the Steakhouse Meatballs, and the Bacon Wrapped Scallops. The salad was fine, a standard garden salad with nice fresh ingredients. The meatballs were excellent--a steak and pork belly blend with a blueberry pepper sauce with onion strings. Great texture, lots of umami and good salt flavor. I absolutely want these next time. Same with the bacon wrapped scallops. They come on a bed of 3-cheese grits that were wonderfully creamy. The sauce has just a little heat. The scallops and bacon were cooked just right. Their seafood entrees are served over these grits, and though we didn't get any seafood I would try some next time for the grits. On to the mains: We had the Refuge Filet, the New York Strip, the Wood-fired Chicken, and the pork chop. The Refuge Filet was the highlight--the jalapeno, bacon and bleu cheese really complement the steak flavor. The steak was impeccably tender and done just right. The New York Strip was also very good. I am not a fan of this cut--when I cook it at home it's always tough. But their version is reasonably tender and has great flavor from the tallow butter they put on it. The steaks came with mashed potatoes that were pretty bland and ordinary. The wood-fired chicken was tender and had good flavor. It is marinated in lemon but we couldn't really taste it except in the bed of risotto. The risotto was quite good, nice and creamy. The pork chop was complicated. It had a tender uniform texture all the way through and nice flavor. I couldn't find any grain in it, almost like it was a fine grind. The sauce was ok, a bit one-note sweet for me. Different from and perhaps better than Perry's chop, but I think I would try something else next time. These dishes came with Apple-Bacon Brussels Sprouts and roasted carrots. The brussels sprouts were a disappointment. Might have known since it's misspelled on the menu. The brussels sprouts were barely cooked and quite tough, with too much of the bottom stem left on, adding to the bitterness. The roast carrots were fine. Since we had a birthday in the party we were treated to a special dessert. Birthday dessert at The Refuge has two major advantages--a nice tableside presentation of bread pudding flambe, and no annoying birthday song. Yay! Definitely tell them it's your birthday. The dessert is a banana bread pudding topped with ice cream. Rather uniform texture but good flavor and excellent with the ice cream. The ambiance is appropriately dark and sumptuous for a fancy steakhouse. The bathrooms are upscale, with available cloth towels. Service was fine but at a pretty relaxed pace, I definitely felt ready for the next course before it came. But we at times requested things from waiters other than the one waiting our table, and they responded immediately--good teamwork. This is not a bargain place, but we got out for under $100 apiece which I actually think is pretty good for an end-to-end meal. If you go to a steakhouse for steaks, you will do well at The Refuge. read more

We have wanted to check out this spot for some time now, so we stopped by on a Friday evening for dinner and the live music. Upon arrival we noticed the live music was held on the outside patio that's shared with some other neighboring restaurants. We approached the hostess and requested to sit outside however she stated there were no open tables. I asked if we could be notified when a table opened and she stated yes. In the meantime we sat in the bar area. A gentleman approached us initially to take our drink order, then he switched with another waitress. The restaurant was really nice with dim lighting that sets the tone for an intimate date night. We ordered a wedge salad, crab cakes, steak, fries, and mac n cheese. Presentation of the food was really nice and overall the food was decent. We anticipated this steakhouse being comparable to a Perry's or Kirby's, however customer service and food quality did not meet the bar as we expected. There were a few tables that opened up outside however the hostess never informed us that we could move to the patio. That was disappointing as we mainly came for the music. But overall it was a decent experience. read more

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We've been wanting to try this place for awhile now. Reservation for an early dinner on a Saturday before going to a movie across the street. Promptly greeted and seated upon arrival after being overcome by the scent of candles. Very rustic and dark interior reminiscent of a traditional NYC steakhouse. Lots of Bourbon and Whiskey bottles on display with client lockers in the front. Menu offerings seemed well balanced steak and seafood choices. Waiter, Octavio was very attentive and helpful in answering questions. Extensive bourbon and whiskey offerings including several price fix bourbon flights. I didn't care for the single producer bourbon flights that were printed and he said they do have an off menu flight that has a mix of different producers which I opted for. I was concerned about the number of ounces total and he equated it to be in about 1.5 to 2 drinks, which was fine and appropriate with our over doing it. I thoroughly enjoyed the flight. Bread was burned on the bottom and way too done. Pork Belly and Scallops appetizers were fine, but far from extraordinary. Chicago Chopped Salad lacked flavor and was a bit bland. Was offered fresh cracked pepper and it seemed to me either it was broken, clogged or empty? I saw very little if any pepper come out and upon tasting verified it. I added some from the grinder on the table. My sister enjoyed her Scallops entree. My wife was upsold on the "bone in" ribeye which had good flavor but was too fatty and gristle........shocking for an $80 steak. My Cajun NY Strip was flavorful but not evenly cooked. Ordered medium rare and got one half was medium well and the other half was medium, never experienced that before. Service was outstanding, food was not what it should be at the price point. We'll give them another try, but agreed that we'd pass on the steak in favor of trying a fish entree. read more

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Loved this place. Went here a while back and thinking to go back soon. We had a great double date here and even brought the kiddos. It was a packed night but we opted to be seated outside (it was a cool night). We were served very quickly. Steak was cooked perfect to order, we also enjoyed the crispy calamari and the salads. The Cajun bruchette was so delicious. The drinks like The old fashions were on point and they made a good mojito (which is my fave and it's a hit and miss at some places) They have The Refuge Experience curated for parties of four or two with different types and cuts of meat. We didn't have this but we saw some others being served this and will try it at our next visit. Will update when we go back. read more

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Our service was excellent and the food was even better. We had a party of 14 and they managed the event very well. Great job to Luis and the team! read more

This place is good. Let's not mince words here. It was delicious. Expensive but I don't think it is wholly their fault. Came here for dinner with some friends and loved that you could make a reservation with resy so make sure you had a spot. And I'm glad I did because there was a wait. I don't like the flow of the restaurant itself. It seems cluttered and cramped. I had my back to an open door and I was uncomfortable all night. Not their fault for my own paranoia but I feel some walls or a different layout might help. Maybe not. But had to say how I felt. The waiter was top notch. We didn't want for anything i feel like. They really have a great expeditor there. Food was delicious, everyone said the drinks were good, and everyone was polite. It's a little out of the way for me but that being said I would definitely come back. read more

The Refuge Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar - Steak frites - Bars Near Me - Tomball, Texas

From the moment we walked in, the staff was incredibly attentive. Our waiter, Nick, was the epitome of what a great server should be--I honestly wish we could clone him for every restaurant. He made excellent drink suggestions, took a genuine interest in our visit, and made us feel like valued guests. The manager also checked in several times to ensure our experience was going well, which we truly appreciated. This was our first time dining here, and the food was outstanding--from the appetizer to the main course. The steak was cooked to perfection. I even took the rest home, and when my kid reheated it in the microwave, he said it was still tender and moist! This restaurant not only impressed us with its service and food but also made my birthday truly memorable. read more

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We had an amazing experience! The food and service were top notch!! We had the meatballs as an appetizer and The Butcher's Table for the entree spilt among 4 people. For dessert we had peanut butter pie. We had an old fashion with Angel's Envy which was delicious- even for someone that doesn't normally drink bourbon. read more

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This was a special treat from my son for a pre Christmas dinner. First visit here and Bourbon was a plus. The restaurant and service were exceptional. 5 star. The food was a little disappointing. The pork belly appetizer was the most disappointing. Very soft texture and fatty. Needed some crunch to it. I have no clue why it says candied? My steak was 6oz filet mignon was good. Cooked perfect. My son and husband ordered The Crab Stuffed Shrimp & Filet Mignon was extremely disappointing. The entire meal was over powered with lemon. The shrimp was over cooked. We could not taste the crab. It was pure lemon! We each had one and left it. We skipped dessert. Our mixed drink was good. Not sure I'd go back. read more

My anticipation for this visit was high. I had viewed their website many times for happy hour specials and their live music schedule, but had not made time to visit prior to this Father's Day. We shared a side order of brussel sprouts for our appetizer while I sipped on a Maker Mark Cask Strength Boubon on ice and perused their extensive bourbon menu. Both the brussel sprouts and the Makers Mark were satisfactory flavorful. I order the prime rib from the Father's Day menu. I order medium well and enjoy beef anywhere from medium to well done. The steak came out medium rare. Our waiter was nice; the service was good and the ambiance pleasing. Their convenient location and bourbon offerings make The Refuge worth future visits, so I will continue to monitor their website for live music and bands that fancy my interests. read more

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Amazing service and great food. This is our go to restaurant for a nice meal in Creekside. Much better food, service, and value than any other restaurant in Creekside. read more

Business dinner and the bartenders were great. Enjoyed the drinks. The dessert was amazing. Will definitely be back next time we are in town. read more

Food. Very mixed reviews. Fried green tomatoes: excellent Pork belly app - just no. Don't do it. Filet : really good. Cooked perfectly. Mashed potatoes served cold (barely room temp). Brought new ones - same thing. Broccolini: so ridiculously salty I couldn't eat it. Red snapper : (was it even snapper?) hard crusty coating. Just meh. Dirty risotto : undercooked but tasted good. Salmon dinner really good Bar service not good. Ordered a drink at the bar by ingredients only. We sat in the bar for dinner. Bar tender forgot what I asked for but instead of asking me he just made everyone else's drinks and just didn't make mine. I finally got up and went back to the bar. Once he made it, it still wasn't correct (forgot one of the 4 ingredients). Never did bring it. Probably won't go back. read more

The place is ambient and warm. The service was really great. Even though the bar was full, they got me a high table to sit at. The appetizer (warm lobster stack) and drinks were great. The filet mignon was probably the best I have had in years. read more

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We had a really wonderful dining experience at Refuge. It was the perfect choice for a quick escape for dinner & drinks on a Saturday evening. Amazing steaks, great cocktails, and stellar service. Everything was cooked & crafted perfectly, and the waitstaff was super attentive. HIGHLIGHTS: - The Coffee Rubbed Beef Brochette is smoky, slightly peppery, and oh so good... Worthy of a repeat (many times over)! - The RIBEYE was EXPERTLY cooked. Temp & doneness to our liking, with that perfect char from the grill. Tender & flavorful, we enjoyed each and every fatty morsel. - And, the Sweet Chili Brussels Sprouts were a surprise hit. They really know how to do things well, here... 10/10 would recommend will be back!!! read more

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Bruh!, You gotta check this place out amazing food truly off the hook, broke the mouth ono kine grindz. Amazing atmosphere, staff was amazing but Bruh, the food excellent read more

This is what a steakhouse should be. Upscale yet unpretentious. Amazing appetizers, incredible cocktails and if you're a bourbon drinker this is your nirvana. The bone in ribeye was spectacular. Can't wait to come back and try some of seafood dishes that we watched coming out of the kitchen, and the tomahawk steak carved tableside is a showstopper. So glad we found this place. Service and food both 5 stars read more

So excited for this restaurant I have been wanting to try for the two years. We've been living in the Woodlands area and after seeing it on the TV show. Good taste...... we really really wanted to like this restaurant. Unfortunately, this might've been one of the most underwhelming experience experiences since living here in Texas. Arriving 15 minutes early before our 7:15 PM reservation. The restaurant was busting at the seams. I saw at least a 20 top and a 10 top party going on. An hour later we are finally set. They did offer my daughter a drink while we were waiting. A seating option was offered at the bar, which I didn't think was appropriate for my daughter only being 13 years old.. I do wonder if we would've received our table any quicker if the young lady working the host stand would've spent less time checking her phone every five seconds and spent more time focused on her job at hand. Upon arriving to our table. The ambience is absolutely beautiful in this restaurant! Our server Kevin was the absolute highlight for the evening. He was personable and attentive. We ordered two appetizers and two entrées. My daughter ordered the tuna poke appetizer. I ordered the lobster stack appetizer. Bland at best. Lemon zest, any type of citrus or finishing salt would've absolutely put these dishes over the top. The dice on the tuna poke was fantastic. The texture of the lobster was very similar to the same texture of the frozen lobster knuckle product You can get from Sysco foods. Now the entrées arrive, and this was the lowest point of the entire experience. My steaks were literally cold to the touch. My daughter's salmon was room temperature at best and the risotto that was her side dish was identical to the risotto offered on my "steak flight" entree. A restaurant at this price point should be embarrassed to offer the same side for two different entrées. Being a chef for over 30 years from Michelin star restaurants, amazing restaurants, and country clubs in Las Vegas. It is quite obvious for me to see when a starch side is being held in a third pan and in a Bay Marie and just being put on a plate. We ordered two sides. Their brussels sprouts, as soon as they arrive to our table. Our server would not even let us keep them. He sent them back because even he was not happy with how they looked. They were supposed to be roasted. Was not even close. We also had lobster mac & cheese, again, absolutely no seasoning. When our server came to check on us, I explained my concerns and my dissatisfaction. He immediately took my steak back. Within five minutes I received three hot pieces of steak on a hot plate. But again absolutely zero seasoning. I have included a picture of the steak entrée that I received. For $78, regardless of the entrée this plating is unacceptable! This literally looks like this could've come from a local diner or cafeteria. Seeing the dissatisfaction on my daughter's face for evening that we were both extremely looking forward to. I had to let our server. Kevin know our unsatisfactory experience. Again, he was a very good listener and understanding. I did see the owner busting his ass, moving tables serving food as well as the management staff. Would've been nice if one of them came over to touch the table. In conclusion, this restaurant seem very popular. They would have been better off, capping their Reso for the night instead of trying to jampacked the restaurant. It was very obvious to me that these cooks back there were completely overwhelmed and they were just throwing the food out to get it out. I hold no fault to the kitchen staff whatsoever because they were really grinding their ass off back there. I hold responsible whomever was working the pass as this food was coming out because obviously everything that was going out was acceptable to them. On a sidenote, the table sitting next to us was a four top. The lady I saw when she received her steak was extremely disappointed with it, telling our Server. But she said she would keep it anyway. Kevin, our savior told me that we should come back on a Sunday or a Wednesday when they are slower. We could truly get a proper experience. But at the price point that we spent for dinner here I do not foresee that happening anytime within your future. read more

The Refuge Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar - Extremely poor plating for a $78 entrée! - Bars Near Me - Tomball, Texas

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Bread with herb butter was the highlight of my meal here. The crab cakes were crispy with limited crab. The calamari was soggy. My entree which was the 12 Short rib was very fatty with minimal meat. The brussels sprouts were flavored and probably the second best food item here. As for dessert, I tried the banana bread pudding, strawberry short cake and chocolate parfait. None was memorable but the cheesecake someone else ordered looked good. Decor and service was great though! read more

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I have visited your restaurant plenty of times. I brought a friend there from out of town and I had really hyped this place up. From the moment we sat down it was unpleasant, management can reach out for further details. The hostess may not have known what to do but in my opinion she should have let management know of the issue. We ordered the refugee sampler, which came out lukewarm! Asked for bread twice, finally came out with the meal. My steak was under cooked but better than being overcooked. We asked for coffee and cappuccino to have with our dessert which had nothing but grounds in the cup. The dessert was delicious! Our waiter was great! I just wish my rave over this place would have lived up to the expectation! read more

My first time eating here I ordered the steak & frites cooked medium with Brussel sprouts. My steak was medium rare and I never got Brussels sprouts. I had two glasses of wine which were fine but waiter picked up my glass before I was even done to get me another one? Overall food wasn't that great and my steak was a bad cut, tough and undercooked... needless to say WAY TOO EXPENSIVE for the quality of food I received. My friend also had a more expensive steak and it was rare she ordered med rare so not sure what's going on with this steak house? Maybe it was an off night maybe a new cook who has no idea what a Med steak is suppose to be? read more

The Refuge Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar - Look medium to you?? - Bars Near Me - Tomball, Texas

What a nice date night. Monica was our waitress and she was very patient, knowledgeable, and accommodating. My steak was DELICIOUS. It wasn't cooked the way I asked but it was still so good, I didn't even bother sending it back. read more

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First class steakhouse. Their Steaks, Beef Stroganoff and Steak Burger are all very good. Service has been excellent every visit. Bar area is nice with experienced bartenders. Whiskey / Bourbon selection is very large and fun mature atmosphere to have drinks with friends and family. The owners and management are their greeting and visiting you to make sure you're having the experience you deserve. I highly recommend. read more

Refuge never disappoints! The service, food, ambiance is all divine! I celebrated my 70-ish birthday here last night and the attention was worth the visit but the food (steaks) were fantastic!....perfectly prepared and presented. Thank you Mark and Louis for all your hard work in making Refuge a top notch restaurant! read more

Well we had the food picked up so by the time it got to the house everything was lukewarm. Two steaks medium, both medium rare. Lobster Mac and cheese not great. Wedge salad subpar, hardly any bacon. Crab cakes good. Only thing that really stood out was cheesecake. We probably need to eat in to be fair but this was marginal at best read more

I would have given this place a much higher rating except for the fact that when I came here for the first time, meeting someone on a first date, the waitress FLIRTED with my date so overtlyt that it was inappropriate and shocking. To the point that SHE SPOONFED HIM from his plate! All kinds of wrong. I wound up leaving at that point. I will never go there again thanks to Tammy. read more

Tried to dine here this weekend, but the scent of the candles (which must be everywhere) was so strong we had to leave. My wife and I continued to smell the fake Carmel odor for hours after we left. Was looking forward to a nice steak and Bourbon, not possible with the candles. read more

Refuge is our fave! We prefer to sit at the bar as whatever you're feeling they can create it for you. Shh! We really want it to be our secret! We love the menu and haven't had any strike outs and we've been here so many times! read more

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Not really impressed with the food. Felt like the meat on the board was not flavorful and dry. Fish was good. Crab cakes were not something I really enjoyed. The environment was nice though. read more

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Dinner was great, service was impeccable and ambiance was perfect. Ordered the fried green tomatoes, the ribeye, and desert. All were excellent. read more

The Refuge Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar - Mousse desert - Bars Near Me - Tomball, Texas

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Refuge is the best, great variety and unique menu including the drinks. Great atmosphere and management/staff. Usually have great service but Kaitlyn Y was over the top and the best we've ever had. She has a great attitude, delivery of information and commitment to excellence. Definitely recommend! read more

The food was out of this world good and the service was beyond. What a great night we will definitely be back.

Service is always outstanding and the food is incredible... haven't tried something that we didn't like and the ambiance is upscale but not snobbish like Perry's - wear jeans read more

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We made reservations for two earlier that day and had to be seated outside due to availability. I was quite relieved by this despite the extreme heat, because the inside is quite loud. I do not believe we would have enjoyed our meal otherwise. The complimentary bread was OK. I expected a bit more from a nice steakhouse. It just tasted like toast but more difficult to eat. The crab cakes were super tasty but a bit too small and overpriced in my opinion... 2 for $24 I believe. The filet was great. Super tasty. Mine was slightly undercooked but nothing I couldn't eat. Broccolini and mashed potatoes were average. Our server was nice and attentive right up until we needed our check. We waited several minutes for him to come to the table before I had to track him down. This was not a bad meal or experience, but I don't think I will plan to come back here or recommend it to anyone. It was quite underwhelming and could get better food and service for the same price elsewhere nearby. read more

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Great service. Great food. Great atmosphere. Really, the best kept secret in The Wodlands/Spring area. Hate to let the cat out of the bag, but that's an honest review. read more

Food, atmosphere, service and drinks were phenomenal!!! Highly recommend for special occasions or celebrations.

Great neighborhood hangout. Dress it up or dress it down. Worth the drive from surrounding areas. Friendly staff and great food. Patio is a great spot to hang out and enjoy some music or catch the game at the bar. If you are into bourbon, they have a great selection. Bartenders are talented and can make anything you can imagine. Our go to spot in the Creekside area. read more

The restaurant has excellent staff who are attentive and courteous. I was curious about the local whisky steakhouse cuisine, and I enjoyed the experience. The ambiance is relaxed and family friendly no need to get to dressed up. The restaurant is not modest, but it is worth it for the quality and taste. We had steak and porkchops as our main dishes, which were cooked to perfection. The restaurant also has a great selection of high-end drinks for those who appreciate them. read more

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Came here become for only cocktails and this time I wanted to have some apps while dinner was slow cooking at home. I feel that the cocktails lack presentation but flavors are good, not great. We ordered the sampler platter which had crab cakes, scallops and shrimp. For 29 dollars I felt that the flavors were great but yet again presentation was a huge plate for such appetizer and it fell short. Ambiance and service was exceptional and will be back again. read more

The Refuge Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar - a bottle of bourbon and two glasses of wine - Bars Near Me - Tomball, Texas

Always love The Refuge. Tried the steak flight, with the cheesy grits- WONDERFUL. Great service and the best cocktails. read more