Houston’s Restaurant

Always exceptional service. Nicer restaurant but not stuffy for being in Scottsdale. Hands down the best French dip sandwich. Perfect medium rare shaved thinly with a delicious au jus and horseradish sauce. The five nut brownie is not to be missed!

OK, I decided to try Houson’s again. I am a local and used to love this place. So, after a 14 hour work day I decided to take dinner home at 9PM, Thursday night. I called in an order. Got to the restaurant and they could not find my order. After 20 minutes, they find it, no apology, then they prepared my order. Ribs were over cooked, some of them were black and over cooked, coleslaw was good, Spinach artichoke dip was ice cold when I got home, had not even been heated. Fries were greasy. What happened to this once great place. Now, this small order was $ 50 and horrible. They will stay in business because the snowbirds will frequent it but locals, beware.

So I will say the service was impeccable. We came for lunch and it was surprisingly not busy. We had a baby with us and instead of using high chairs, they have one that connects to the table. I like that so much more because then the baby isn’t sticking out in the aisle and they can feel included in the meal as well and right by mom/​dad/​whomever. They offer a very large bar with some craft cocktails. Only 2 of us were drinking and only one get a cocktail. It was a moscow mule. The drink itself was good, nothing over the top and it didn’t come in a copper cup. They do have a good wine selection, somewhat limited in by the glass options but I made due and got a really nice Sav Blanc from New Zealand. I will say the pour is a little heavy and I love it! As for the food, 2 people split the Hawaiian ribeye as per the recommendation of our server. The portion was large for one person so it was perfect for 2. They asked for medium and it came medium with some parts a little medium rare so they were very happy. The char on it was perfect. My husband got the famous french dip. It was enormous. I think it was about 6 inches thick and mostly meat. It also looked like it was freshly sliced meat because it didn’t have that dark brown crusted edge to it but was pink and clean cut. It was excellent. The portion was also huge, he struggled to finish it. Finally, I got the Thai steak salad and wow! I can’t wait to go back and get it again. The amount of dressing was just right, it had a great spice to it but not enough that I wanted to grab water every few seconds. The portion was very large but I had no problem finishing it and basically licking the plate after. I would highly recommend this one. We finished the meal with their famous ice cream sundae. Before you laugh, it was more than enough for 4 of us to share and they give you a gravy boat of hot fudge on the side. Did you hear me– a GRAVY boat full of fudge. Yes, we used our spoons and finished the fudge that way. Definitely worth the calories.

Houston’s is simply a perfect restaurant. It’s consistently delicious and the service and ambiance are just outstanding. It’s comfy and relaxing, a little dark– but just the right amount.
The food is is awesome, I’m a devotee of the French dip, it’s perfect in every way. My favorite thing there is their world class margaritas. They are hand made using fresh limes to order and they are stupendous.
In summary– this place is a gem. Consistently consistent– serving up great food. You cannot go wrong here.

The Hawaiian Rib-​eye is amazing!!! The servers are so friendly. Very upscale environment and loved the hot fudge sundae!

I would give 5 stars if the took reservations…
We love Houston’s. Everything on the menu seems to be awesome. Spinach dip, smoked salmon, artichokes when in season are great appetizers. For lunch my favorite is the french dip, the bread is amazing on that sandwich. The burger isn’t bad either. My wife likes the grilled chicken salad but gets peanut sauce on side. For dinner I usually get the ribs and eat them with a fork they are so tender. Their rotisserie chicken is awesome as well. We are so close but without reservations its not uncommon to wait an hour or more so we get take out quite a bit. Servers are great and they have great high chairs, they clip onto the table so kids can sit inside the booth out of harms way.

I have always liked Houston’s (even when it was on Camelback and 24^th St.). We came here on a Saturday night, hoping the wait was not too long. It was about 20 mins, but a lot of folks waiting in the front area. The servers are always top notch. They know the menu well especially if you are dining with someone with allergies.
SPINACH & ARTICHOKE DIP — «Chicago-​style» with salsa and sour cream: It is so good. MUST order for an appetizer.
HAWAIIAN RIB-​EYE — Pineapple sesame ginger marinade, grilled over hardwood, & loaded baked potato: The marinade for the rib-​eye is so flavorful and make light crispy rust on the rib-​eye. The loaded baked potato is great with everything on it!

Love the décor, very nice. We were there on a Tuesday night and by the time we left there was a very good crowd.
We started out with the spinach artichoke dip. It was excellent. I was not crazy about the rosemary focaccia, it was a little too white bread for me.
I had the Thai Steak salad, which was really good, with a nice little kick to it. My friend had the fish sandwich — the breading was amazing, I did not taste the fish l. A third in our party had the burger, which was also very good, including the house made roll.
We followed up with coffee and cheesecake. The coffee was strong (decaf) and the cheesecake was decadent but had too much lemon flavor for me.

My family came to visit me from Chicago and wanted to go out for steak. Being from Chicago we have so many options and I didn’t know where to take them. Out here everything is commercialized. Also most restaurants here are overpriced with poor quality food/​service.
Houstons was recommended to me by a friend. My dad said he had the BEST steak he’s ever eaten. That was music to my ears. The service was great and the ambiance too. The music playing was classy and classic. The French dip and seared tuna salad was excellent as well.
I definitely recommend making a reservation!

Its closer for me to go to Hillstone, on Camelback but I drive to Scottsdale anyway. To me Houston’s has a great atmosphere. People are more relaxed and not so stuffed shirt like Hillstone. Besides… the wine list alone is worth the trip. The food menu is the same as Hillstone but a dollar or two less on many items (Why I can’t tell ya). I just love this place. Never a bad time and always food cooked to perfection.

Always terrific service! Great food and staff.
Try the French Dip you will not regret it.

It has been a long time since I have eaten at a Houston’s. I had always enjoyed it in the past. Tonight was not terrible, it was just a very lack luster meal for $ 50. I had the blackened ribeye. The only non coated/​marinated steak choice was a filet and I’m a strip or ribeye kind of guy. The steak was cooked correctly but even blackened it was very bland. The Tomato blue cheese salad which was the side was the best thing on the plate.
The service from hostess, to server was 200% my water was alway full and the server was really great. And that’s were the 2 stars come from. I would only go back for drinks at the bar with friends or customers.

Another fantastic experience at Houston’s. Service is outstanding along with the atmosphere and food! My gosh, even the simple dinner salad was phenomenal. Slightly pricey but worth every penny!

I Used To Be A Regular… Never Again
I used to dine at this Houston’s regularly beginning in about 1999. It was my absolute favorite place to eat on at least a weekly basis due to the excellence and consistency of its food and its staff. I nearly always ate at the lovely bar because of the attentiveness and great service from the bar staff. They knew who I was, knew what I drank, and always remembered how I liked my food prepared. It was well worth the price.
Then, a few years ago, the menu began to morph into something quite different. Sushi showed up. The Sashimi Tuna Salad disappeared and then reappeared in a modified fashion before disappearing again. The Sushi (which wasn’t all that) went away. They changed the Filet preparation. The list goes on…
They began to fail in terms of general food preparation — overcooking some foods, forgetting ingredients, over-​salting, food not as ordered, etc. — sometimes after multiple attempts. The staff also began to turn over, and new staff appeared apt to linger having long conversations while I, and others, had to work to catch their attention and be served. The staff still smiled, but friendly, attentive, «all about the customer» service ebbed remarkably.
Houston’s lost its allure as their standards, menu, food and service deteriorated even as the prices continued upward. At the end of 2012 I stopped visiting Houston’s for months at a time, and except for one decent visit in 2014, my experiences have been unsatisfactory.
Last week, craving French Dip and Fries, I decided to try one last time. It was a complete dining disaster. The fries were completely different that ANY I have ever eaten at Houston’s. They were not thin, crisp, or even remotely golden in color. They were a thicker cut, limp, barely salted, tasteless, somewhat oily and unappetizing in appearance given their color and «bubbled» surfaces.
When I finally got my server’s attention she told me that they had changed the potatoes and the cuts (like I couldn’t see that). When I asked her why, she told me they always had, depending on where they were able to source them. She offered to bring me a different side, but I declined since I had an untouched French Dip in front of me which I was certain would be plenty for me to eat.
I turned to my French Dip, my mouth ready for a delightful treat, and I got a mouth full of mushy meat. As I chewed, I struggled to understand what was going on. I hadn’t dipped my sandwich into the au jus yet so that wasn’t it. I finally realized that I had just eaten a mouthful of fatty meat. An experience I have never had with Houston’s French Dip in over 15 years, and never want to have again. At that point I was done. The taste in my mouth was awful.
A second server had appeared at the bar, noticed that I had pushed my plate away, and came over to me immediately to see what the problem was. I explained that the quality of the fries, and the fattiness of the French dip were not working for me. She quickly brought me a menu so that I could select something else to eat, and had the manager come over to assist me.
The manager very nicely informed me that she could request that the kitchen prepare me a French dip sandwich from a leaner part of the prime rib, as if I should have known to ask for a «lean» French dip sandwich when I’d ordered, when I’d never in 15 years had to do. Really? Just like I should have known to order «crisp» french fries when they had always been crisp before? I explained that the experience of that mush in my mouth had completely put me off of any urge for French Dip, and that I would find something different to order.
With most of my favorite items gone from the menu, and desperate to avoid anything fatty at that point, it took me a few minutes to settle on the Loup de Mer (grilled sea bass). It arrived quickly, and was well presented, but once I got past the edges of the fish, it was clear that it was undercooked. Most of the fish, beyond the surface, was translucent. I understand that this was probably sushi quality sea bass, but I didn’t order sushi, or even seared sea bass. I could not eat raw fish.
Tired of returning food, I tried to make it look as if I had eaten some, covered it with my napkin, paid my tab, and began to consider where I would eat before going home.
I am only writing this much to illustrate why I had to give Houston’s only one star. I would have given none if I could have. I’m also hoping that if someone who used to love going there reads this, they will either not bother, or go prepared for the changes that are in store for them. I’m done with Houston’s, and for similar reasons, the rest of the Hillstone restaurants.

This place deserves all of the stars and much much more!
I love the hillstone group and all of its restaurants. I first stepped into a Houston’s in 1998 (ya, I’m aging myself)!
Everything here is phenomenal! From all their appetizers and dinner plates I have been extremely happy with each and every order. Service here is immaculate and on point.
I will always come back and bring friends here for an outstanding good time.

I’ve been here many of times but i was surprised that I haven’t been here for a long time. So it was time to check out all my Unilocal friends reviews to see whats recommended. The place is dark but elegant in its own way.
We started off with the Spinach & Artichoke dip. The tortilla chips were nice and crispy. It came with a warm spinach and artichoke dip, salsa, and sour cream. Oh my goodness, the warm dip was so good. Out standing. We were licking every drop of it. We even got another bowl of chips to finish everything off.
I ordered the famous French dip sandwich. When I first ordered it, it doesn’t sound too exciting but wow. Thinly cut prime rib with this really soft bread and dipping it the sauce made it outstanding. It was like melt in your mouth goodness.
My wife and son ordered their go to dish of a full rack of baby back ribs. They are fall off goodness. The BBQ sauce is sweet and tangy. Really like these ribs. The sauce really makes it so good. They had cole slaw to and it was good and goes so well with the ribs. Nice and creamy. I shared with my wife and it was so good.
The service was good. Usually it’s outstanding but today we ordered our appetizer and needed a few minutes to order but it seemed like she got lost and took awhile to get back to us. That was the only negative but our water cups were bought to us very quickly. Refilled regularly and took our dirty plates on a timely manner.
Loved coming here. Great food, good service, and a really nice ambience. We’ll be back again but not to long like last time. Enjoy

After flying into Phoenix, getting to the car rentals, and then driving to Scottsdale to check into our hotel… this place is a gold mine!
Décor — it’s super super dark in there, kind of a romantic ambiance almost. Too bad I came here with coworkers. Just kidding. Anyway, it’s pretty nicely decorated. A little bit of classic and the lanterns add a contemporary feel to it. Very very pretty.
Food — We started off with the grilled artichoke. Bit on the salty side, but pretty good nonetheless. I’ve never actually grilled one before. Main dish was the salmon. SO BUTTERY AND MOIST. Oh my. Everything about it is great. Tried a rib from a coworker. They fall off of the bone. Delicious. We ended with the cobbler. More buttery goodness.
Service — our waitress was amazing. Sweet and attentive.
I had a great experience. If i’m ever back in the area, I’d definitely come back.

For a 75 minute wait, the only thing Houstons had going for it was the delicious water and tasty salmon.
Things that need to be improved:
Waters were constantly empty
Our table had empty plates from appetizers for 15+ minutes. Our dinner came before our appetizer was even cleared
Half of our meals were forgotten and I had to remind our waiter
The portions are slowly and slowly decreasing while the prices remain very high.
The food is always delicious, that is one thing they get right. But if you want a rack of ribs, all you get is a half rack with reject ribs underneath.
I won’t be returning.

What can you say about Hiustons, always first class service and quality food.
Love this location and generally will go after church on a Sunday afternoon.
Great spinach Dip with chips and salsa. Awesome burgers and fries but the main stay entrée for lunch I an the french dip sandwich.
Our entire family of four salivates when we talk about eating at Houstons and can’t wait for the French Dip Sandwich.
Can’t wait to come back again and again

Houston is a great restaurant for date night. Hillstone (on Camelback) is also a part of this group. I frequent Houston’s for the pork chop! Talk about a creature of habit. I loooove the pork chop! It is generally served with broccoli (seasonal veggies) and mashed potatoes. I have yet to eat the whole chop!!! But man, trying to is heaven!!! I have, on occasion, tried other dishes. I haven’t had a bad experience in the 2 ½ years that I have been coming to Houston’s. By chance, if you have to send an entrée back, they have an open kitchen. You can rest assure that you won’t get any extra sauce!
The staff are always pleasant, making sure that guests have a superb experience. Please make a reservation to save yourself some time. This place is almost always crowded… YES, even the bar area.