
Houston's
320 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91105
About Houston's - steak house in Pasadena, California
Customer Review Summary
Houston's is praised for its exceptional food quality, with standout dishes including kale salad, ribeye, and apple walnut cobbler. Many reviewers highlight the inviting atmosphere and excellent service, though some experienced issues such as slow water refills and inconsistent seating policies for larger groups. The restaurant tends to be busy, and reservations are recommended to avoid long waits. While most found their dining experience enjoyable, one review noted a troubling incident regarding perceived discriminatory treatment. Overall, diners recommend Houston's for its great food and ambiance, despite some service-related concerns.
Key Features
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Organic dishes
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Cozy
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Upscale
Crowd
- Groups
- Tourists
Planning
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Accepts reservations
- Usually a wait
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- High chairs
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
Customer Reviews
Rating Distribution
Shirley Lin
Probably one of the best kale salads I’ve ever had. Four of us ordered pretty basic items. Mine is the kale with Ruby Grapefruit with palm heart and a few pieces of avocado. One person had French dip, quite plain though, and the bread was much thicker than the thin layer of beef, pricy for that one. We shared an apple cobbler and that was done well. Our waitress was nice and responsive.
Karen Dovigi
We had an amazing dining experience at Houston's. From the minute we stepped inside, everyone - beginning with the host - made us feel welcome and appreciated. The atmosphere is inviting with excellent lighting and ambience. The food was fresh and incredible. We will definitely be back. I recommend making a reservation as this restaurant is very busy.
Ryan Green
With a reservation took 10 minutes to be seated. Table had no straws in cup for straws. Had to ask for water to be refilled. Had asked for lemons for water. Got a plate with three. After using one a waiter took the other two before having a chance to use others on water refill. All without asking if we were done with them. Asked for steak to be medium-well. Steak was more pink than expected. Ribs were awesome. Baked potato was awesome. Coleslaw was delicious. French fries were ok. Brownie with ice cream was ok. Apple stredul was delicious.
gaither loewenstein
Beautifully designed interior. Fantastic service and good food. Extremely popular so it's probably easier to get a reservation for lunch.
Iman Evans-Bey
Houston’s is a top restaurant in food quality customer service and amazing consistency in any state that you go to one . Arguably one of the best cheeseburgers and spinach artichoke dip . My favorite dessert is the apple walnut cobbler ! And love the shrimp cocktail when it’s in season !
Vivi V
This bustling spot tends to draw a crowd, often resulting in a wait of 1-2 hours for those without reservations. However, the wait is well worth it, friendly servers, they offer hot towels upon request. Their French Dip sandwich is nothing short of amazing, while the perfectly cooked steak is tailored to your preferences. For a refreshing twist, don't miss out on their Asian Salad, a delightful blend of crisp greens, fruits, and a tantalizing sweet-and-sour flavor profile.
Mark R
We visited on 01/20/25 at around 11:40 AM with a group of six. While I know this restaurant prefers to seat smaller groups of two, I have personally witnessed big groups of 7-8 dining here before. Despite the restaurant being nearly empty at opening (they open at 11:30am), the two hosts who I always see at the front refused to seat all six of us together. My uncle then suggested splitting our group into two separate tables of three. To make things easier for them, he even proposed having his sister step outside for a minute or two before re-entering so they could seat us separately at different tables because we just wanted to eat at that point. This would have allowed us to comply with their seating “policy”, a policy that appears to be subjective. Instead of working with us, the hosts continuously brushed us off and told us to “get out of the way” to seat other customers. I later saw another review here mentioning that they had witnessed large groups dining here as well, even during dinner service—when the restaurant is much busier than at opening. This made it very clear that larger parties CAN be accommodated, but for some reason, they refused to do the same for us. I truly believe we were treated differently because we are Hispanic, as I noticed they were far more attentive to customers who were not our race. Frustrated by their dismissive and unfair treatment, we left and went to Nick’s just 10 blocks away (20 minute walk), where the service was significantly more welcoming and respectful. Also, the food was better there anyway. Houston’s needs to do better in treating ALL customers fairly.
Shawn Sheng
This place has it all. Food is exceptional, service is excellent, atmosphere is exquisite. First time ever having artichoke and it was quite a nice experience. But the ribeye was to die for. I thought it would just be seasoned with salt and pepper, and when I took my first bite I died, went to heaven, and was resurrected. Absolute flavor explosion in my mouth, crazy good stuff. Very sophisticated interior too designed for small parties and an intimate dining experience. Absolutely 100% would recommend you will not be disappointed.
Location
Contact Information
Hours of Operation
Price Range
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