While on vacation, we beelined it straight from Hobby Airport to the Treebeards Cloister location for lunch. We were pleasantly surprised to find parking right in front of the restaurant. Delicious-just like I remembered from my childhood. Portions are huge. We could have easily split a meal. If I were going back again, I would get the small instead of a large portion for sure. Definitely recommend this place. Yum Yum. read more

Treebeards - Classic red beans, rice and sausage, large size. Too much food for me. But delicious. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

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You would not know there is a restaurant open to the public that is inside a church that have your cafeteria style food and you can check the website to see what they have on the menu as it change. It is very peace inside here. The food was good and the price is fair. It is a very unique spot for lunch in downtown Houston. read more

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This is the OG Treebeards in downtown Houston. A cafeteria style (literally) establishment, you walk through the courtyard, go in the cafeteria line, get your food, pay, and then find a table to go eat. Pretty simple and convenient. The inside feels like a church / cafeteria hall and is actually quite spacious with tons of tables and seating room. Lots of white collar and blue collar workers during a weekday lunch hour. Prices are between $10-20 depending on what you get, portions are standard. I got the chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, a side of gumbo, and a side of jalapeño cornbread. Is it super gourmet and the best Creole in town? Nope, but it is an interesting dining experience and will fill you up for a reasonable price (compared to other options in downtown). I have no idea how the food is at their other locations in the tunnels but this is definitely the legit location to give them a try. read more

I go to Treebeard's for one thing - the shrimp étouffée. Theirs is what I compare all the others to and it wins every time. I hear there are other great menu items like the red beans and the fish dishes and perhaps I've day I'll try them but for now the étouffée is my happy meal The staff has always been very pleasant and helpful. Houston is lucky to have Treebeard's. read more

Treebeards - The best shrimp étouffée I've tasted - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is a cafeteria style experience with homestyle food options that have a wide selection of food types, consistent quality and are fast. The courtyard is a beautiful retreat for being downtown and staff are always pleasant. read more

Treebeards - Receipt - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food and location always great. Dropped a star because they serve fake butter with the bread, and the bread has declined in quality it seems. I know business is hard but if you've cut back here, I wonder where else. read more

Treebeards - Butter - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

I am happy to say this time was better than my last visit one year ago. I wasn't a Yelper at that time, but I did lots of Google reviews. I went back to see what I posted from my last visit - 2 stars. Yikes! I will have to update my review on that platform. Treebeards is a walk-up order type restaurant. They ask for a tip on the payment screen even though you get your own seat, your own utensils, drink, etc. Not a fan of that concept, but it seems to be the way lots of establishments are headed. I decided to try Treebeards chicken fried chicken. I typically get the gumbo, but after my 2-star experience last year, I decided to try something new. They have a daily special with 4 oz chicken fried chicken and 2 sides. I opted for the mashed potatoes and green beans. I wasn't super impressed with my meal. It was enough food, but very much lacking in taste. I expected the seasoning to be fuller and richer. It was pretty bland. I get the allure of the space and the location, so maybe that's why people seem to enjoy it. They have plenty of seating with large booth options and regular tables with chairs. They also have a bar area and an outdoor area. The parking is both right in front of the restaurant and they also have a small garage parking area for overflow. I will be back for ONE more try when the weather is colder, and I need my gumbo fix. The gumbo from the downtown location who used to cater an oil & gas company I worked for was AH-MAZING! Over 40 times in my 3 years with the company and never anything but over the moon happy with the food. I never went to the actual restaurant since we had it brought in for catering our clients. I keep hoping my visit will be like the downtown location, but I have yet to see this happen. One last shot, y'all. I hope it gets better. read more

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Very nice and clean cafeteria type seating and dining. Friendly staff. Great food and good prices and portions! Would definitely return and recommend. read more

Treebeards - Chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, cabbage, jalapeno cornbread bread pudding dessert. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had such a great first experience at Treebeards that I have already been back for lunch since then. The location I was at is located inside a church downtown with a buffet-style set up for the food and plenty of seating. I ordered the red beans & rice with sausage both times, and both times it was delicious - some of the best red beans & rice I've had. The jalapeño cornbread was also great, but the meal already comes with white bread which might be enough depending on how hungry you are. Also, you can't forget the butter cake! It's like a blondie cake batter hybrid - not sure exactly how to describe it, but if you are a fan of sweet desserts then this is a must try. read more

Treebeards - Red Beans & Rice, Jalapeno Cornbread - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

Oh, Treebeard's how I've missed thee. 20+ years ago, when I worked in downtown Houston, we often visited this place for lunch. It is located in the church cafeteria. The food is delicious. The staple here is red beans and rice with sausage. If you are a fan of red beans and rice with sausage, this place will not disappoint. However, today, I decided to try the baked fish topped with étouffée along with a side of black-eyed peas and a slice of jalapeño cornbread. Over the years of coming here, I have never been disappointed. Apparently, now they take all major credit cards. Bottom line - If you are in the area for lunch or possibly staying across the street at the Magnolia Hotel, I recommend giving them a try. They have limited hours and are only open for lunch. The Southern style food, and/or creole food is worth trying. I think you will be happy that you did. Bon appétit, y'all. read more

Great cafeteria in the heart of downtown Houston. The line moves quickly and the staff are a pleasure. My favorites here are the following, although some may not be available every day of the week: 1. Shrimp etouffee with rice 2. Red beans and rice 3. Chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy They've also got some great sides: 1. Steamed broccoli and carrots 2. Squash 3. Bread and butter (next to the water machines behind the cahiers) The chicken fried chicken is available on Tuesdays. The other two are available every day from what I have noticed. Great place for groups most tables will seat 8 and if you are a smaller group, you may end up sharing ends of a table with another small group. It's a sit where you like situation so don't wait to be seated after making your way through the line. read more

Treebeards - Chicken fried chicken - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

I saw this restaurant on Food Network and wanted to try it. My friend and I sought it out and neither finished our food. There are certain flavors I expect with Cajun food. But a bland shrimp etoufee? Unseasoned greens? Watery veggies. I threw it away and ordered from a place across the hall. read more

Always consistent with the quality of the food- been going for many years and love their daily specials. The sides are my favorite, including the salads and desserts! Sad that their Travis location closed, but glad the Christ Church location on Texas is still open. read more

All around great Cajun cafeteria style food. Try the sausage red beans and rice, and gumbos.

A touch of homemade soul food. Amazing. Quick turn around. Receive your order within 5 min of placing order. Great lunch stop. Thank you.

I dined at Treebeards at the 1100 Louisiana location on Nov 9th 2023 at approximately 12 pm. I ate the red beans/sauage rice and cornbread. The beans were not warm enough and tasted just ok. A few hours later all hell broke loose. I had contacted food poisoning. Left over beans were probably added with maybe newly cooked beans. Be very careful eating from this establishment. In addition i spent $23 for a bowl of beans, 1 piece of cornbread , a slice of cake just to be food poisoned. LD read more

I stopped by Treebeards for lunch on a Monday. I hadn't checked out this location (they have three downtown) since 2011 so it had been quite a while. Since this is downtown, your best bet is finding street parking. Treebeards is cafeteria-style. You grab a tray, pick your meal, and pay for it right then and there. I beat the lunch rush but if you arrive right around noon, expect a 10-minute wait or so. While the menu changes, Treebeards is Cajun so they often have etouffee, jambalaya, etc. I went with their chicken fried chicken special which came with two sides. For my sides, I opted for the mashed potatoes with gravy (can't say no to this when you're having CFC) and the mac & cheese. Plus, an Arnold Palmer. The meal itself was a hit and a miss. Good portion size as I had to take some of it to go. They also have complimentary bread and butter. It's just sliced French bread but I'm always a fan of complimentary items! The chicken and mashed potatoes were good but the mac & cheese was bad. Flavorless and some of the worst mac & cheese I've had in a while. Overall, Treebeards is an average spot in my mind. They're only open for lunch so make sure to stop by early if you want to give them a try. read more

Treebeards is one of those restaurants that Houston needs more of. It has character,comfort and casual while providing a simple menu with good food. I haven't been to all of the treebeards in the downtown area; however, I would suspect that there is a similarity but a uniqueness to each one. Treebeards, harkening back to days of being a soup kitchen for the homeless, serves red beans and rice with sausage and a number of solid but simple meals for the southern pallet. All are served cafeteria style. Don't worry there is plenty of seating and don't forget the bread pudding with bourbon sauce. It's one of their specialties and people come from all over to have the bread pudding. It isn't downtown oasis of comfort and reasonably priced food. read more

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Really nice restaurant tucked away in the middle of houston. I didn't expect to find it so charming. The food was delicious and the ambience was delightful. One of the bartenders was really nice and the manager Eddy was really, really nice. I will definitely be coming back and try some other food and wine. read more

It breaks my heart to have to demote a previous review so much. The chicken fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy was bland and nothing special. My whole meal seemed like a notch up from Luby's. Don't get me wrong--I LOVE Treebeards, but something's was missing. I didn't see whole lot to choose from. Where was the meatloaf I loved before? Where were the gumbos they had last time? The beans and cheese was a good side dish, but that even that wasn't all that tasty. The employees are wonderful. I just didn't think it was special enough to drive halfway across Houston to eat there. read more

Treebeards - Chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes and beans with cheese and chives.  The mashed potatoes were flavorless.  Off day? - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

Consistently good food and service. I LOVE the chicken fried chicken and bread pudding. YUM! read more

A great lunch spot downtown. My husband used to work in at least three different buildings within walking distance from Treebeards. He was a frequent lunch customer and always loved it. I'm glad to see that the speed and quality haven't waned over the years. I met some lovely friends here for lunch recently over the long weekend. Yes, Treebeards has incredibly short hours (closes at 2pm on a weekday), but it would be dead after that time anyway. I ordered the shrimp etouffee and my husband got the red beans and rice with lots of cheese on top. Both of our meals were delicious! We also indulged in the buttercake (OMG! completely addictive!). They also have self serve bread area after you pay. You can take all the bread you want, but only two peppermints per person! So strange! We sat upstairs to accommodate our large group. There is a TON of seating here and is very large group friendly. On a regular workday, this place is bustling! Be warned, it is cafeteria style. As my mother always says "I want to be served", so just know you'll be going through a line and carrying your own tray, possibly up a flight of stairs. 4 stars for cheap fast food with lots of group seating and a convenient downtown location. read more

Treebeards - red beans and rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This is my favorite lunch spot in the city for jambalaya. If it's not the insane crowds, then it's their limited hours - I wish every single time that I wanted to eat here my schedule cleared before the time they close their magical doors that transport you into tasty paradise, like a palantir would have done if Sauron's mommy hugged him more often as a child. I have missed a lot of meals here over the years because of how limited their hours are. I am aware that they have other stuff on the menu, which I have tried at the Tunnel location because they don't have it on the Tunnel menu, but the only thing I get here is the Jambalaya and it is incredible. It is a huge order. It is very tasty, there is never a dull forkful. The flavor explodes in your mouth like a party where everyone has been invited and everyone is still behaving themselves like adults. When you have timed your schedule to be able to eat here you see a big crowd snaking through the "ordering" area but the workers move quick and get everyone their delicious food before you have waited too long. The cashiers are also friendly and work quickly. This place is awesome. I am now hungry after writing this review, but guess what fam, they are not open right now :( read more

Everything is so good! I feel like I'm in New Orleans having lunch. The butter cake is outstanding!

I'm not one of those people who loves sausage, red beans and rice, but when my coworker picks up Treebeards for lunch and the smell just waifs in the air, I give her a hard time for not asking me if I wanted to order anything. So finally after suffering a year, we make it to Treebeards. Located right across from Market Square Park, Treebeards is known for their Southern food, especially their red beans and rice. They are only open during the weekdays for lunch and are a popular lunch spot for people who work in downtown. It's a cafeteria type set up. The lines are long, but move quickly. The salads looked amazing. I had cheesy grits, sausage, red beans and rice. The cheesy grits were awesome. I added cheese to my red beans and rice and it was pretty good. Sliced French bread was complimentary and soft. One of my coworkers had the carrot side dish and raved about how great it was. I also got a brownie, but apparently I should have spent my calories on the chocolate or Italian cream cake, which are supposedly amazing. Service was friendly, food was good and prices were reasonable. Overall, I really liked this place though I wished they had better hours. read more

Treebeards - Cheesy grits, red beans and rice with cheese, sausage and complimentary bread - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food is great but i just bought this watermelon at pennzoil location for $6. Clearly it is not good. Why would you even sell it? I didn't pick up because if it was me i would not have taken it. read more

Treebeards - Watermelon - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

Popped in this hidden gem for lunch and sat at the bar with David. Service was impeccable, drinks were amazing! By far the best mimosas I've had in a long time! Food came out super fast and was very tasteful. read more

One of my co-workers suggested this place for lunch a few weeks ago and I'm SO glad they did!!! It's inside of the church cafeteria so for me, that's really refreshing. The amount of food you get for the price is almost unbeatable downtown! Let me rephrase, the amount of food + the actual taste of the food is unbeatable! Their fried catfish on Fridays is my go to! Their mustard greens & red beans & rice are equally as good! Everyone working their always has a smile & they're extremely welcoming which is also refreshing in itself being downtown during lunch rush! OH AND DON'T FORGET DESSERT!! My cheat days are any day that I make my way to Treebeards because I absolutely HAVE to have a piece of carrot cake or Italian Cream Cake! read more

Yummy food! Will go again! Great location and easy to access! Friendly folks and easy going atmosphere!

This is one of the best places to eat in Houston! It's a must visit if you are looking for some good down home southern/creole cooking. My favorite thing to get is the red beans & rice with sausage(it's spicy) which they top with shredded cheddar cheese and green onions. They have several other items including vegetables, etouffee, gumbo, cornbread and the list just goes on and on. Notes about going: Unfortunately, they are only open during the week for lunch. It gets very packed around 12, so go early. Food is served cafeteria style and then you seat yourself. There is bread and crackers available after the checkout line. Meter parking is available on the surrounding streets and there are some lots as well. The staff is super friendly too! Love this place! read more

Are used to frequent this place a lot but due to Covid I haven't been working in the office as much. This location is walking distance from my office and it's very convenient. The food there is great I always order either the country fried chicken, the shrimp Étouffée, or the Fry fish. Everything that I've tried has always been good the employees there are nice. The seating is plentiful and this location is always clean. I love their cake and it is made fresh daily. read more

I've seen this place many times, and I finally got a chance to try it for lunch on my off day. The food is authentic and the staff is very friendly. I was surprised to see a cafeteria style presentation, but who doesn't like an opportunity to see your food and know exactly what you're getting? It totally worked for me! M Red beans and rice are delicious and so is the chicken fried chicken! The only downside is that you have to find parking and that can be... complicated... downtown. read more

Treebeards - Red beans and rice and chicken fried chicken - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

I eat here alot downtown and the price increase it out of line. $12.00 for a trio plate! I know things have increased everywhere but this is crazy. read more

So my daughter and I went to have lunch together. We each got the spinach salad with shrimp and I got a cup of gumbo. We were both very disappointed in what we got. The salad looked like they just pulled it out of a container that you find at the grocery store and threw a few mushrooms on it with whole cherry tomatoes. The shrimp were not even grilled they were just cheap cocktail shrimp that were not even deveined (Yuck!!)and to top it all off the so-called vinaigrette was so gross and not like any vinaigrette I have ever tasted I couldn't even put it on my salad. I ended up eating the gumbo it was thick and just mediocre but the rice in it was crunchy. The hibiscus ice tea tasted like water with food coloring in it. So overall for two salads and a cup of gumbo, we spent nearly $60 bucks and it was gross!!!! The only reason I even gave it a star was the bartender that welcomed us in was super nice!! read more

Treebeards - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

Baked chicken with broccoli cheese soup and tomato cucumber salad. Nice low carb but filling meal for afternoon jury duty. Chicken sauce was surprisingly good. Love the complimentary bread read more

Treebeards - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I was doing some training a block or so away from here and a few coworkers and I decided to make the walk over and try Treebeards out since it has excellent reviews. It is an ideal spot for a quick, affordable lunch without alot of hassle. It is a cafeteria style set up, so you pick what you want and eat. Easy! I went with the red beans and rice with link sausage and a side of jalapeno cornbread. If you claim to be a Cajun restaurant, you gotta make this dish good. Well they definitely do this good. The red beans and rice was perfection and the sausage complimented it well. The corn bread was great and had a slight kick to it. We hit the lunch crowd right at the beginning so seating was not to hard to get. People that came after seemed to get hit with a bigger crowd. Overall, an enjoyable lunch. There are a bunch of items on the menu, along with their daily specials that I can not wait to try. I imagine when the lunch crowd really hits, you might expect a little bit of a wait to park and or sit. read more

I live for their cornbread. I could eat it all day every day. I stopped by in the afternoon and picked up a bunch of cornbread from the office - everyone definitely voted me best coworker. read more

Party time for a wedding party dinner upstairs. Good variety of food. Etoufee, red beans and rice with sausage, gumbo, jambalaya, salad,. Good creole cooking in a nice atmosphere. read more

I have a love-hate relationship with this location because while I love the food because it's amazing. The majority of the time I'm getting takeout, and if you have gotten take out here you'll know what I'm talking about. This location needs to invest in spill-proof containers rather then always warning their customers to keep the box even so it doesn't drip out. I'm not sure if they haven't realized they are downtown and in Houston, but traffic is not kind, especially if you have to go 5 mph with your hazards on just to avoid spillage in your car. There are ramps, people braking suddenly and bumps anyone has to go over while driving away from there. And no matter what I do (bring extra boxes, blankets or tarps, bungee cords to strap down....I always end up with something spilling into my car. So part of what you pay for is on the interior of your vehicle. So I highly suggest to not get takeout unless you are prepared and don't care about losing a little of your order or just always dine in. So while I LOVE the shrimp etouffee, I HATE smelling it in my car for the rest of the day. Please invest in spill proof containers, I have a feeling this will alleviate some concerns and worries for everyone. read more

Until very recently I could only eat okra prepared in a few ways: fried, pickled, and in gumbo. Of those, my favorites were my great grandmother's fried okra and my uncle's canned okra. I now stand corrected. I've finally found a restaurant that doesn't overcook the irascible vegetable and render them into gross and slimy messes. They were perfectly cooked...and it isn't a fluke. I had the seafood gumbo and stuffed tomatoes. Large chunks of okra. They had retained their shape and had absorbed the spicy roux or sauce they were cooked in. Amazing. I was recently asked by a non-Southern/Gulf Coast region person if Treebeard's was typical cajun/southern comfort food. My answer was something along the lines of, "Kind of. It's good, but there's better out there." That's a bit unfair; there are a few nuances that get overlooked in that simple answer. If you want the BEST "down home," high cholesterol, high salt, crab-claw-sticking-out-of-your-seafood-gumbo good, drive approximately 223 miles east on I-10 to a town called Breaux Bridge, LA. Mom and Pop stores galore, full to the brim with perfect everything Cajun and Gulf Coast Southern. If you want that idea of Gulf Coast Southern, but healthier-ish and a bit closer, head to Treebeards. Most things looked great, but some (jambalaya and red beans and rice especially) weren't cooked down enough to look and most likely taste right. They looked to be on the mild side of spicy. Health be damned, but I'd prefer Red Runner red beans and sliced extra spicy sausage over rice, to the bowls I saw here. Half a link sticking out of a bowl of beans? The desserts looked amazing. I tried Danielle's bread pudding and it was better than anything I've found in a restaurant in Houston. It was made correctly. It looked like a proper pudding, not those gross bars of bread pudding that some people swear by. Also, I was assured by the amazingly nice cashier and Morale Booster that a cookie a day will keep the monsters away. (Just wanted to pass the sage advice on.) I hate their hours, but it fits the concept. Hot tables of excellent food served up a la carte, with a changing daily menu. Also, it is completely doable for lunch as far as time goes. I easily found parking around Market Square and was in and out of the busy restaurant with a large group of talky yelpers in just over an hour. Also, remember to bring three dollars in cash for the parking meter; it's the most the blasted thing will take. I was forced to pay five dollars, without getting change. After I dropped some dimes and a penny and flipped the City of Houston off via a parking meter, a very nice gentleman handed my coins back to me. (That cacophony of voices you just heard were ten Yelpers who have watched one too many episodes of Reno:911. Ignore them; they seemed to think I was buying something from the fellow.) read more