houston's

as some negative reviews have pointed out. yes it's expensive,yes they move you along,suggest your whole party is present. do what! superb food, service, and consistency. for the money, it's difficult to find its equal. if you know one,name it!

fire and oak instead. houston's used to be one of my favorite restaurants. recently however i have grown tired of their food and service which has slowly gone down hill. i have recently been to fire and oak in montvale and must say this is a better version of houston's. located in the courtyard marriot at 100 chestnut ridge road fire and oak is truly the complete dining experience

one of the worst dining experiences ever. incredibly slow and unobservant service. i returned the club salad which was skimpy and wilted with undercooked chicken that tasted like rancid oil. my fiancé had ribs that were cold, tough, and had very little meat. fries were shriveled and cold. we came to treat ourselves and left completely unhappy and hungry.

the best caesar salad and key lime pie in town! we've never had a bad meal here.

the rib eye was out of this world. i have had better quality meat but as far as their marination goes it was unbeatable. grilled to perfection. the side of brussel sprouts, believe it or not was out of this world. never thought i would be reviewing vegetables but it was so good if could not be ignored. the service was top notch. friendly, informative quick. the only single reason they don't get 5 out of 5 is the reception wasn't great. pretty unfriendly. but once we got our table things went great.

fans for twenty years!. decor / establishment: the pasadena houston’s enhances it’s already-popular atmosphere with asian decor inside and out. the water feature with the flowing fountains and friendly koi is a lovely welcome, while the intimate setting of the restaurant is very inviting.


food / drink: we’ve never had a bad or distasteful meal in the twenty years we’ve been patrons at houston’s restaurants. the pasadena location is no different. excellent presentation of both beverages and meals, colorful displays accompanying each dish, water glasses continuously refilled without asking, and world-class flavor, flavor, flavor!


location: 320 south arroyo parkway, pasadena ca 91105. the restaurant parallels a busy thoroughfare in the heart of pasadena, however the relaxing ambiance of both the inside and outdoor areas and lounge patio with double-faced fireplace create a refuge from busy city boisterousness.


service / staff : continual coverage of our needs, refilled water glasses without asking, great attitudes and unparalleled consistent customer service throughout our meal was greatly appreciated. our server, beverly, was knowledgeable, courteous, happily answered questions and addressed our comments, and was an exceptional staff member. we’ll request to be seated in her section on our next visit!


price / value: houston’s service, attention to detail, flavorsome dishes, consistent quality and intimate unique environment all add up to one thing...great value for what you’re paying! you can enjoy the food and sips from 11am – 10pm monday through sunday.


corkage fee: no corkage fee!


contact info: phone: (626) 577-6001, website: www.hillstone.com


parking: free parking is available in the attached lot adjacent to the restaurant.


total bill: $46.75 for a bottle of wine with no corkage charge, the pan fried fish and the grilled chicken salad. coming in a a penny more on another visit, the total bill was $46.76 for a bottle of wine with no corkage fee, a coca-cola, the grilled chicken salad and the rotisserie chicken. one could easily bring in a bottle of wine and have several appetizers for $50 (including tax) or under here as well either at the bar or in the restaurant itself. we’ll do that next time and write up a “follow-up” blog just on appetizers at the bar when we visit again!


photos: see our photos in the urbanspoon "photos" area posted by savorhour.com

everyone seared ahead if us!. make sure you now the front door girl or tip her. otherwise you never seat to eat!


-----18 may, 2015-----

poor service. we waited 20 minutes for a table just like everyone else. we asked how much lner? told us 10 minutes to seat. then came a group of four who knew the floor manager. they were seated right ahead of us! then another couple came in and yiu guessed it, they were seated too. when we asked the floor manager acted like he had no dea what we're talking about! dude, at least make something up instead looking dumbfounded in front of everyone.

the entire staff at houston’s respectfully shows off their professionalism, attention to customers’ needs and adheres to a strict code of politeness and courteousness. on more than one occasion, we’ve noticed the waitstaff deliberately stopping to allow diners walking past them through the walkways of the restaurant’s interior the right of way.

for those folks who are compelled to write negative reviews, get a life! if 89% of the huge # of people like it, it's good, your wrong. you people must be a lot of fun to go out with. you must have chip so imbedded on your shoulder you remove it with an axe.

there is a reason there is mainly a 2 hour wait. this restaurant is simply a place you want to be. the atmosphere, the food, the service. those are the 3 keys to a successful restaurant. i dare you to find an item on the menu that isn't of the highest quality. their burgers are ground daily to ensure the best freshness, their steaks are so tender they melt in your mouth. the 2 famous apps (peel and eat shrimp, and the artichoke and spinach dip) are must haves when you come with a group of people, but do be prepared to wait, i one time waited 2 hours for a table at 5pm on a thursday.

very good and consistent.

app: oysters st. charles. on of the best oyster apps anywhere

lunch: prime rib french dip. very good.

kale salad is fantastic as well

omg. pricey, but so worth it '. try pork loin w/kale salad and brownie sundae!

incredible!! we read the reviews and thought we'd give houston's a try. really, really good. and our waitresses, lindsey and tiffany were both great! very attentive. now, about the food. i had the hickory burger with fries. mmmm....good! my husband and our buddy both had the french dip with fries. loved it! my husband said it's the best french dip he has ever had. oh, and save room for the large slice of key lime pie. out of this world!! do yourself a favor and don't pass this place up. :-)

staff influences enjoyment. houston's continues to provide great food. i love it for that reason. however--and this is a big however, the wait staff leaves something to be desired. now, this would not have been true several years ago. service, at houston's, was second to none. currently, the service seems forced. the servers seem new, raw and unprofessional. that, when at the same time, houston's prices (and food) suggest an establishment that should be capable of first class service.


this concern, by the way, has been brought to the attention of management. , , ,and yes, the situation improved--temporarily. (emphasis)

i, for one, will be delighted when management decides to go back to its previous policies. good service makes for good business.

one of my fav’s resto @ los angeles (pasadena). been here many times. dim lightning decor. always order the hawaiian (rib-eye steak w pineapple-soy-ginger marinade ; gives sense of “very mild” sweetness touch to the taste. so yummy ! will try other entrees next visit.