I love Mark's. I had one of the three best meals of my life here, the other two being from Auberge du Soleil in Napa and the Glass Wall right here in Houston. The bartender makes a perfect martini and the wine list is awesome; do not be afraid to ask for help, that is what they are there for. I have, however, had a bad meal here recently which makes me tend to agree with other reviewers who say it has gone down-hill in recent years. Though everyone else's dishes were perfect, my tuna was over done and dry.
(4)
Jenn C.
HRW! A small little church building off of Westheimer... wow! This place was amazing... the creativity in the dishes, the presentation, the service, all were top notch! Started out with the seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Fatty, buttery, crispy all at the same time. The after taste was so comforting that it kept you going back for more, oh what melt in your mouth goodness! Then to the roasted salmon with coconut risotto and yuzo citrus carrots. The salmon was fresh and cooked just right. The coconut risotto was different, smooth and rich with hints of the tropics. Also tried the Trio of seafood... wow. That was even better than the salmon. The variety of the trio, from crab meat to scallop to shrimp, the dish definitely engages your creative side. I got a special shout out to the spinach flan, amazing! I wish I had a whole bowl of that alone. Lastly, the dessert... so sad dinner had to come to a conclusion... while waiting for a table before dinner I saw plates of dessert go by. At first I wanted to pick the chocolate cake, but then after seeing the presentation of the raspberry shortbread tart, I changed my mind. So glad I did! The raspberry tart was like eating a giant warm shortbread cookie by a whole lot better. The crust was a cross between cookie and pie flake, sweet and so delicious, coupled with the warm raspberry filling... its a piece of the country. On the side, a beautiful scoop of pistachio ice cream sat eagarly waing my approval. Yes child, you did 'good'. Teehee... so well that I ate the sugar cone that held the ice cream too.
(5)
Tracey L.
During my week of gastro-gluttony, I decided to spend a serious chunk of change at Mark's. I started with the Lobster Bisque and it was full of lobster pieces and extremely rich and flavorful. For my entree I went with the Chef's special: Half of a roasted Spiny Lobster tail, 2 large rock shrimp, a scallop and then popcorn shrimp strewn throughout. It was delightful! For dessert I ordered the in-house made truffles, and they too were decadent. Even though I enjoyed my food, I seriously doubt that I will be returning. Why? Because although the food was very tasty, I really don't know that it was worth the price considering there are seafood restaurants that only serve seafood at nowhere near the price that Mark's is charging!
(4)
Ken M.
A fine dining experience like no other. Forget everything you know about eating. Mark's makes the taste and experience to the next level. A bit pricey BUT worth every dime.
(5)
Steven B.
One of the best meals I have ever had !!!!!! The presentation, taste and wine were all a perfect combination. This is a must if you love fine food.
(5)
Mary L.
My friends and I recently celebrated one of my best friend's birthday at Mark's and I have to say I was disappointed. My entree, grilled cod, was good but nothing to brag about. The best part I could think of was the onion bread. I could have eaten that all night. What I was really not happy with was the cake cutting fee. When I made the reservation two days earlier I asked the hostess if it was okay for me to bring in my own cake for dessert and she said yes. When my friend and I arrived and asked the hostess if she can put the cake in the cooler, the manager walked up to me and asked if I knew about the fee we would have to incur for them to cut the cake. I was taken aback because I have never heard of such a thing! The girl who took the reservation did not once mention a cost to cut the cake. He then goes on to tell me it is $5.00 PER PERSON for them to slice up the cake!!! I told them we could cut it up ourselves but he said they would still charge!!! I HAVE NEVER EVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING! Except for at weddings but never at a restaurant. I think that is such a ridiculous rule. Needless to say I will not be returning to Mark's. Not because of the cake but overall my experience. I have to agree with the other reviews in that the food was not memorable.
(2)
Andrew B.
This was officially the first restaurant we got to experience when we visited in mid Feb of 2012. Having a complimentary valet was the first impression although you would not think this restaurant would be located where it is although I am not one to judge.... The ambiance was just amazing and the building I guess was and old church which really added to the charm. This would be a great place to have a first date or anniversary. It just so happened to be the birthday of our host's so we got to enjoy the dessert they offered. Although I know that all of the items we had were fantastic, I wish I could add more detail to what was actually really good....The menu changes daily so I can imagine there are items that are always there but other items that come and go. The service was great, the food was fantastic, and we will be back. Tough way to start our dining experience in Houston since it is going to be VERY hard to beat Mark's. If you have not been, do yourself a favor.....GO!!
(4)
Izzy Q.
Wonderful establishment. Marks still holds the top spot on my restuarant list. Wish there was a little bit more lighting but it seems this has not dampered the success. I cannot wait to visit again.
(5)
Grace K.
Truly mediocre-tasting food. The cathedral interior is not as "romantic" as everyone claims. It's pretty un-memorable. The food was disappointing for the price, but the dessert was my favorite course! The creme brulee was good, and a pretty generous portion. The chocolate plate (one of the special desserts of the day) was also yummy... it came with a chilled choc. souffle, choc. mousse, choc. ice cream, and something else chocolatey. My creme brulee reminded me of the movie Amelie, and then my friend's chocolate plate made me think of Chocolat...
(3)
Jeff S.
A few friends and I went for restaurant week. We ended up getting the wine pairing with our meal. I had the oysters, duck and crème brulee. All in all between the 6 of us we tried the RW menu except the chicken entree. Everything was just OK and the portions were very small. So much so everyone at the table went out for a snack after. The most disappointing was the duck it was almost jerky. One of us sent the duck back when the new piece arrived it was uber rare. So we think that one of the cooks was screwing with us for sending it back. The best was my Crème Brulee, It was the best i have ever had!! All in all i would say to the chef, if you don't want to participate in restaurant week, don't. Mark's is always full, but for the 4 people in our group who hadn't been there before they won't be back. I have had the regular menu and it is good so I would come back. So stay away from restaurant week at Mark's
(2)
Bryan H.
Best Restaurant in Houston. Great food and phenominal service.
(5)
Lam N.
Great service. Waiter desribed dishes very well and made choosing my entree a delite. Not the best seating situation. Seems a bit cramped. Overall good experience.
(4)
TJ W.
Had dinner at Mark's last evening with 8 friends. The restaurant is beautiful as always, however, the food was nothing to write home about. We shared two of the appetizers, tuna tartar and a pasta with shaved black truffles. Both were fare, but nothing exceptional, and certainly not worth the asking price. The bison steaks were supposed to be medium rare, however, came out quite over cooked. The duck was mostly fat and skin, soft and chewy. The medium rare steak was medium well..... There is a theme here. On an up-note, the coconut cream banana pie was outstanding. Service was also very good, however, I was very irritated to find almost a full bottle of white wine in the bucket when we left. The waiter(s) never came around and re-filled the white wine glasses. All in all, a $1000 dinner. I have had a much better dinner at Shade. We probably won't be back. .
(2)
Nikol K.
I went here for lunch and everything was excellent. The food was very good, service was extra efficient and friendly.
(4)
Phil L.
This is one of the best restaurant's I've eaten at. From the appetizers, to the soup, to the salad, to the main entree, and finally to dessert, everything tasted perfect! The roasted corn chowder was awesome, creamy and just the right amount of spiciness! I had the lamb chops which were a special the time I was there. Very flavorful and grilled to perfection. Something I did find peculiar was th decor. As some of the other reviewers have mentioned, the restaurant is supposedly a converted church. From the outside, the restaurant looks like two spiffed up double wides fused together. The overall decor is nice but if you take a closer look at the walls and the ceiling, it's faux paint! The bricks aren't really brick, they're painted! Kind of cheesy for a restaurant of this caliber if you ask me.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Marks failed to impress. This was my second time to the restaurant and I really wanted to love it
(3)
Esther A.
***Note: this review is based on Mark's service during Houston Restaurant Weeks*** Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Food: 3.5/5 Service: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: 2/5 See, I've been secretly stalking Mark's on Yelp for a while...... so when my team director suggested going there for dinner during HRW, I was super excited. Perhaps I was way too excited or my expectations were too high, at the end of the night, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. First of all, FOOD: For the first course, I picked the Hearth Roasted Flying Point Oysters (3/5) - the sauce was rich and creamy, the truffle aioli vinaigrette was a nice touch, but the oyster itself is a little weak, and I'm not a huge fan of the little deep-fried pieces of oyster on top, mine was a little burnt. Main course, I picked the duck (3/5) - this little duckie nearly broke my heart, because this dish had the potential to be so good, yet the flavor is little imbalanced, my mouth was screaming for more tart berry sauce, and the duck breast is pretty dry. (If I could pick again, I'll definitely go for the Trio, my teammates got it, and they all like it) Dessert, Ginger Pavlova with Vanilla gelato & Peaches (4/5) - this is pretty much the star of my night. The dish has a very good balanced of texture and flavor, not too sweet. SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant looks cozy, since it used to be a church, however, it is LOUD. Mark's definitely busy, they probably get a lot of new customers due to HRW, so to their defense, the people that I saw tonight was probably not the usual crowd -- but still, for a nice restaurant like this, I was just surprised by how noisy it was. Service was okay (which is a horrible thing to say for a top restaurant like Mark's). Did the dishes come in a timely manner? Yes. Was the service tentative? Muh~ Did our waiter introduce himself? Nope. Was a helpful and give good suggestions? Yes. Did he entertain us with amazingly funny personal stories/words of the day/random comments? No, but that would be nice. So anyway, here's the moral of the story: Overall experience at Mark's = pleasant. Is it worth $35, w/$10 per glass of wine? YESSS! Did the whole experience blow my mind? Nope. Is it worth paying over $60 per person for a normal dinner? Hmmmm, I'm not sure. I'd rather go to Da Marco. But here's the deal, IF like me, you've been secretly stalking Mark's on Yelp for some time, while the HRW is going on, JUST GO! In fact, GO (reserve your table) RIGHT NOW! Cos whether you'll fall deeply in love with Mark's or not, it'll still be worth it!
(3)
Cody M.
As you may or may not know the month of august is restaurant weeks in Houston and when I saw that marks was on the list of restaurants I jumped at the chance to eat here. Our experience was not bad, but it was not good either. First our waiter brought us the wine list but we had to ask for our menus and he acted super rude about it. I'm sorry I like to know what I'm going eat before I order wine. OK, I would be willing overlook that and continue with our meal but as soon as we expressed interest in the set courses for restaurant weeks his attitude completely changed. He start being short with us and it just felt like he was just trying to turn the table over. THEN, we had our appetizers which were great. I don't really have any complaints. I had foie gra and bacon wrapped quail stuffed with serrano and cheese. it was awesome! my girlfriend had the oysters with spinach flan which was good as well. For my entree I had the duck, which was fine but my girlfriend got the trio entree which is diver scallops, shrimp and softshell crab. The scallop was way over cooked! Should never have been on the plate! For desert we got the raspberry shortbread tart and the creme brulee. The tart was awesome but the creme brulee was disappointing. The reason I score this place so low is this: inconsistency in the food and service. I feel like if you are going to participate in a charity event like restaurant weeks you should not just half ass your way through it.
(2)
Sergio M.
I used to love this location, beautiful decor meals were excellent until... Something went sour! Food is dry, lamb is a 2 out of 5, and jumbo shrimp was rubbery and could pass as "long johns silvers" combo number 5. On the upper hand service is still excellent. But when one is "fine dinning" all around excellence is expected. My recommendations. " lamb. medium rare"
(2)
Vanessa M.
Here is what we got: - Oyster Appetizer - My husband and I both had to pick oyster shell debris out of mouths. They were tasty and well cooked but nothing creative like I was hoping for. - Walnut Crusted Rack and Loin of Lamb - The lamb was cooked medium as requested. The meat was very tender. The seasoning was perfect. Maybe not the best lamb I have ever had but I did thoroughly enjoy it. The three color potatoes were flay-vor-lus. The thyme roasted summer squash and zucchini screamed precooked. Also, one bite would be full of salty seasoning while the next would have no flavor at all. - Beef Tenderloin - The beef was of the highest quality no doubt. It was cooked medium as requested. The flavor of the natural steak was wonderful but that was all you could taste. It was very under seasoned. The spiced cabernet sauvignon sauce was also underwhelming. So sad. The mashed potatoes were a garlicky buttery dream that I can make at home very easily. So I was not impressed. The mashed potatoes were topped with what they referred to as "tater tots" but were just old, dry, obviously pre, pre, precooked sweet potato balls rolled in Parmesan cheese. BORING.The roasted squash was not edible. It was diced up, very small with onions and tasted horrible. And like all the other side vegetable seemed very precooked. - Vanilla Creme Brulee - Ah yes, one of my favorite desserts, though I think I say that about every dessert. The sugar on top was burnt, essentially ruining the entire dessert. The custard itself was very tasty, nothing out of this world and not as smooth as most creme brulees I've had in the past. Service was over bearing as it sometimes is in upscale restaurants. They sat us next to the kitchen door so we had the pleasure of people rushing back and forth our entire dinner. And apparently it is where the staff likes to stand while they wait to make their next move. So it was like we were dining with a group of people. I sound grumpy I know but I didn't have the best experience here.
(3)
Billie P.
Very classy. Superb service, fantastic quality on the preparation of the meals, professional presentation. I had the beef plate with prime rib. this was absolutely he best prime rib I have ever had. Great for that special occasion or date night with the spouse. Well worth the price. Setting is an old church from the 1920's that has been kept in meticulous condition. Dinner, wine, dessert all rank a 10. Parking is tight, valet only. Will visit again.
(5)
Kathy Z.
So Mark's already has a gazillion reviews. My little review is just a drop in the big big ocean. I feel like Mark's is a rite of passage for all wanna-be food critics in Houston though, no? It's the holy grail of Houston fine dining. (Holy grail or money drain, same thing) Love the decor and ambiance. Classy but not stuffy. It's so unassuming from the outside, like so many other places in the Montrose area. I came for HRW because this starving student can't normally afford $40+ entrees plus wine. The food was on par with what I expected from. Meticulously prepared and obviously well thought-out. Everything was nice, but I wasn't blown away. I think the menu can stand to be a little more creative, maybe using more exotic ingredients or techniques. All in all, It's a solid choice for a date night or small special gathering.
(4)
Elizabethe A.
Mark's is everything a restaurant should be. The food is always perfectly executed with the perfect ingredients, the atmosphere is beautiful and warm, the service is perfectly orchestrated and very professional, I just don't know what more you need. Oh yes, a fat wallet. But putting that aside, I have been to Mark's again and again and have always been completely blown away by the food. This time I ordered a seafood trio which had several things including a perfectly seared giant scallop, a tasty clam mixture, the most tender shrimp I have ever had in my life, and some other delicious stuff that I can't remember. It was very complicated. Anyway, you can tell that I every aspect of every dish has been thought out and then cooked and plated to perfection. That night, there was also an angel hair pasta dish with a light cream sauce topped with FRESH TRUFFLE, shaved right at the table. I mean holy crap, you can't top that, you just can't. And it tasted as good as it sounds. It was just mind blowing. I also tried the venison which was cooked perfectly rare, so it was a deep purple color in the middle and it was fork tender. How do you make venison not gamey, I DON'T KNOW, but Mark's does. I also tried the tuna tartare appetizer which was also good, but I mean that wasn't as unique and Mark-like as the other dishes. We also indulged in dessert with the bread pudding which was had the perfect smooth and custardy texture and some kind of toffee mousse cake which had all kinds of different layers of awesomeness. Just the toffee crumble garnishes alone would have pushed me over the edge of ecstasy. Anyway, as in all great things, people wonder if they're overrated. No. No.
we celebrated our 8-year anniversary here and it was for a short while my favorite restaurant in the city... Visited again (this time with my sister) for Houston restaurant week... Our waiter tried really hard to sell the lobster meal for $44 to us. Even after I politely turned him down, he insisted.. this was just the beginning of our experience which was quickly headed downhill. The meal sizes were a joke. My appetizer was two tomatoes with other stuff in there and the beef entree maybe had 3 or 4 Oz's of meat. I even asked my sister if we were being punked. To top it all the menu that was in the rest week website was different from what they had that evening. On asking the waiter he said the menu online was a sample menu. I hate when businesses pull the "read the fine print". Also be prepared for one of the loudest restaurants you will ever visit, so if you are thinking romantic atmosphere... keep looking!
My recent visit to Mark's was sobering. And it has compelled me to give Mark's one star. Allow me to explain. The Houston restaurant scene is awesome. From food trucks to Tony's, the perfect meal can be had for any occasion and at any price point. As more and more contenders arrive on the scene, the perennial favorites must stay on their game. Mark's has not. And this can be seen in the dining room, the menu, and the pricing. The dining room at Mark's is dated. You can see it the minute you walk in. It is not charmingly antiquated, but dull. This could be forgiven were it not for the myriad of issues that lie beyond the decor. The menu is problematic. From the appetizers to the entrees, Mark's has decided that more is more. I don't mean quantity, I mean the number of items on the plate. For instance, the"poke" appetizer was not poke. Great poke is some iteration of raw tuna, sesame oil, soy, scallions and maybe avocado. It's beauty lies in its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients. But Mark's decided to make it about noodles. In fact, the dish was predominantly noodles with bits of raw tuna. This was made all the more problematic given the price, which I will address in a moment. Then there was the Scottish salmon entree. If you have a beautiful piece of fish, don't detract from it by putting a bunch of unrelated, average things on the plate. One baby carrot, one piece of broccoli, a clump of ratatouille (maybe), and an unidentifiable fried disc do not belong on a plate when they have noting to do with the main item. If you have ever had the "fish" at a large, business-hotel-banquet function, you have an idea of what I am describing. I could live with all of this bizarre mediocrity were it not for the borderline offensive pricing. Appetizers (for one) at $20 a pop? Entrees starting at $40 dollars? At a world class restaurant (or in NYC, Tokyo, or London) I can live with that. But not in Houston. Name one other restaurant in this town that charges those prices and I will promise you one of the better meals of your life. Not at Marks. Now, this is one man's opinion. Perhaps I had a bad experience. Perhaps everyone at my table had a bad experience. So take this review for what it is worth. But I believe that something has to change at Mark's. There are just too many wonderful restaurants in Houston for me to patronize this establishment.
(1)
Paulina T.
I surprised my boyfriend with a dinner here for his birthday with some of his close friends and mine. It was more than I imagined. I always heard such great things about this place, and I finally made the leap to try it out myself. The atmosphere and lighting were beautiful. It's small, but not awkward or clustered. The service is great and available. My boyfriend and I had the quail for appetizer, and it was perfect. The fruit preserves with the quail was delicious. I had "the salad" it was light and fresh. My boyfriend tried the lobster bisque and loved it. For my main course I had the duck. Everyone had told me how heavenly it was, so I had to try it. IT WAS. We also tried every single one of the desserts Mark's offered, and let me tell you... You will die and go to heaven. AMAZING is the only thing I can say. Absolutely beautiful and delicious place. The manager, Miguel was so friendly and welcoming as well. I will of course come back.
(5)
Peter T.
Food: 4/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Services: 3.5/5 Prices: $$$$ (avg 80/person) I have always wanted to check this place out since I moved here 5 years ago but never get the chance nor occasion. Finally, with the help of Yelp and Yelpers, I have arranged a romantic dinner with my partner last Friday for a little celebration... I booked & requested the best table in the house via OpenTable about 1.5 months ahead! In my humble opinion, Mark's (& the staff) earned good review from me based on 2 very basic but ethically important things which they did it RIGHT (by my book): 1) the staff did not clear my partner's plate when i am still finishing my food 2) they prepared medium-rare meat as it supposed to be, still bloody/red inside Now lets briefly go thru our evening... I heeded the advise from the Yelpers and called the day before to re-request for their best table. Indeed, we got the table on the loft overlooking all the diners in the main dining room below. The waiters were very attentive & knowledgeable in terms of the Today's Specials and wine pairing. We started with a glass of Brut Rose $20/glass, a bit steep. We both had starters, entree and shared a dessert, here's what we had: Trio of Seafood (Day's Special) Scallops, shrimp & stone crab claws. I only tried out the tiny scallop and they were delicious, very well seasoned and seared. It really quite a lot for a starter especially for a non-American diner like ourself Duo of Foie Gras $22 AMAZING. Comes with 2 versions, one the regular (just like butter) & the other seared. I have never try a seared foie gras, its heaven! Its lightly charred on the outside & soft in the inside oozing with juices as you cut it. The accompaniments are pear & squash compote, pumpkin ginger butter & cherry preserve just didnt do much, so, i skip those & just devoured the foie gras as is... YUMMY! I prefer using the fresh sliced bread instead of the crackers. This is a highly recommended starter and its enough to share but if you are going to have it your own, i suggest to go for a lighter entree which i did not, read on... Lamb Shank $43 (Day's Special) The partner decided to go for this. Was told that i would be cooked similar to Osso Bucco, but WRONG! It was deep fried but still very tasty. It was marinated well and rubbed with lots of spices. Another very huge serving and if you already have starter, this is way too much... Duck $33 I was torn between the salmon and this but decided to just check this out since duck is never easy to cook, so, i just want to try out how Mark's prepare this meat... the result, WELL DONE! I ordered med-rare & for the first time after living in the USA, I had mine correctly prepared. The duck is not too gamey but still has it taste, well marinated, tender and i could simply eat it without any accompaniment. Its a huge portion and with the addition of a lumb of duck confit, this is really worth the price & heavy dish. The wild & farro rice side also very tasty & well seasoned, and as for the roasted forelle pear, its just add to your taste buds, slightly sweet with a tang... I wish they could give me more of that instead of just a tiny half piece of the pear coz it does go well with the duck! Chocolate Combo (Day's Special) We decided to share a dessert & glad we did coz this is no ordinary 1-man dessert. It came with 4 type of chocolate heaven. The mousse, ice-cream, peanut butter choco, and one other which i cant remember what. We both agree that the choco ice is the BEST! Overall, Mark's deserve the 4 stars and accolades/awards that were hanging at the entrance. If you have the money & a special occasion to celebrate, then I highly recommend this place and make sure you get the table on the loft... That being said, this is NOT a Michelin star restaurant BUT with a Michelin star prices. The food still need a tad of refinement in taste & better accompaniment, this is just my 2cents!
(4)
Larae M.
And so the wait is over! Literally & figuratively. After fielding questions from our dinner group ("so what would you give this place," "how many stars," "but what about the ambience, the service"), I've finally come to the conclusion to give Mark's 4-stars. Let me enchant you with a little story on why there was so much confusion in our group of 11 regarding the rating for this restaurant. On a Friday night, we were celebrating two gal pal's bdays and had reserved ahead of time for the 8:30pm time slot. The birthday celebrant herself (upon making the reservation) asked the reservation hostess at the time if this was a good time slot, as the restaurant apparently also had another large party at 5:30pm. The hostess assured her that it would be plenty of time for the party before us to be seated, served, & cleared by our 8:30pm reservation. And so on a slightly chilly Friday evening, after valeting our cars, we piled ourselves into the tiny waiting area at Mark's. It was 8:15pm, and half of our group was there. We were told by the maitre' d at that point that the dinner party before us was paying their tab, and that as soon as it cleared, they would seat us. We didn't mind, at first, since some of our party weren't there yet. At 8:45pm, our group was complete, and we ask if the table is ready. The maitre' d nervously explained to us that the party, although paid, was still loitering around the table, but that he would go over to *politely* tell them that our party was waiting for that table. For the time being, that was a sufficient answer for us. It was, after all, only 15 minutes past our reservation. At 9pm, a complimentary round of champagne rolls on by us, served by the maitre d himself. He profusely apologized, and stated that the table STILL had not left. We asked if we could be seated elsewhere, if table arrangements could be made, and frankly, if we were actually going to be eating dinner or BREAKFAST. Finally, at 9:30pm, we were seated with the promise of comped dessert for all! Other than the 1 hour wait for our table, the rest of the night went smoothly. Our main server and his two accomplices were great at answering all our questions, from wine pairings to preparation questions, etc. He also rattled off a few off-the-menu specials that I ended up ordering. This, of course, is when I get into trouble. There are a few food items that , if available, I always want to order. One of these are truffles. That night, they had WHITE TRUFFLES shaved over some buttered bowtie pasta.. And yes, that needed to be in caps, and if possible, in bold letters as well. As soon as I heard WHITE TRUFFLES (for appetizer) coming out of the server's mouth, I was $old. When the "diamond of the kitchen" came out, it came with a full on presentation...and I was even offered to do the last shavings of the truffle for a photo-op (I declined, because as much as a picture-whore I am, I don't play with my food). Did the taste hold up to it's presentation & reputation? You bet your mother's knickers! I savored every tiny, buttery, shaving, and was even able to share a few bites to my seat mates. For the main entree, I again went with a special. It had the giant spiny lobster. And by giant, I mean gargantuan. Split right down the middle, and served alongside some sauteed spinach & angel hair pasta, the "meat" inside was plump, juicy, and tender. Though served with two dipping sauces (melted butter, and a lemon-butter sauce), the lobster flavor really did not need any aid as it was prepared perfectly. I've NEVER been full on lobster before and for the first time in my life, I conceded defeat. The low-point of the evening was my chocolate cake, but to be fair, it was possibly just hugely over-shadowed by my app and entree. Our group ordered mostly bread pudding, chocolate cake, and even the $20 milkshake. All were decent, but didn't induce fireworks. And now came the exciting part of the evening...splitting the bill! For a group of 11, our tab came up to roughly $750 (with grat included). At first, we thought, NOT BAD! Between 11 people, that's roughly 60-70/pp, which is what we alotted for. However, when we truly separated the checks, $300 out of the $750 was all MINE. =) How did I do that much damage, you say? Well, for starters, the white truffle app was (gulp) $60...spiny lobster: $80. And it just snow-balled from there! Now, was the truffle worth $60??? I'd say $40 (since most apps cost between $15-30), but it shouldn't cost more than most entrees on the menu! I do understand, however, the price of white truffles and supposedly, it contained a sufficient amount in my dish. The spiny lobster to me was worth every penny, if not more. Do I regret spending so much on one night of gustatory indulgence to celebrate two birthdays with 11 friends? Not one iota! Life is short! Carpe Diem! Insert whatever old adage here, and then head over to Mark's and enjoy.
(4)
David C.
I've always raved about this place and considered it super safe for very special occasions. Even though I have wanted to try out some of the other high end restaurants in Houston, the few times I've come to Mark's before convinced me that it was very consistent and reliable. To celebrate Valentine's Day and some other things, I took Esther L. here on the Thursday before, hoping to beat the rush. We didn't beat the rush. We were seated at a small table against the wall and there was an office party on the other side of the wall. We were also surrounded by 3 other tables (remember, the wall is taking care of a side as well). Our service was pretty bad. Our waiter, who was an elderly man, gave us the specials, took our order, placed our food down, gave us the dessert menu, brought dessert, and picked up the check. That sounds like a lot but it was done very briskly--not rudely--just because of how busy it was, how packed it was, and how many tables he was waiting on. It was ridiculous. Our food (tomato salad, corn soup, duck entree, butterfish entree, some coffee dessert) was good but I think that should be expected at any high caliber restaurant. Truth is, this is the first time I ever wanted to just get out of a restaurant as soon as possible. My suggestion to anybody who wants to celebrate an intimate and special occassion-- don't risk it here. I don't think Mark's can handle crowds. There was one waiter who was literally sprinting up and down the stairs for some reason. Unless there is a fire, there is no reason why that should happen (we were near the staircase). I definitely won't be coming back here again.
(2)
John I.
Mark's American restaurant is housed in an amazing two story venue that was once a church. The cathedral style ceilings and the unique staircase makes this a very unique venue. The ambiance could be considered "romantic", but there was more noise than I would like perhaps in part due to the construction of the church and lack of sound baffling. Here was my evening: Appetizer: Hearth Roasted Chef Creek Oyster Topped with a Ragout of Jumbo Crab meat, Shrimp and Roasted Leeks in a Truffle Aioli Vinaigrette. This was a very disappointing dish. It basically tasted like a baked oyster. The jumbo crab meat was not flavorful, the shrimps were over cooked and the vinaigrette didn't seem to work with the dish. Main: Grilled Medallions of Veal served over Vidalia Onion Risotto, with Asparagus in a Marsala Field Mushroom Sauce. A very pathetic attempt at grilled medallions of veal. I ordered the veal medium rare and they came out medium. I should have sent it back, but I moved on as the service made me feel quite rushed. The sauce wasn't plentiful and it was almost like they forgot it. The risotta was OK, but it lacked seasoning. Very poor dish. The overall evening didn't live up to expectations. The service was reasonable, but very rushed as my plates came out within 15 minutes of each other. This can't be typical of a restaurant who caters to the "romantic" crowd. I appreciated the number of specials on the list, but it made the evening very chaotic. Not relaxed at all. The price points are just too high for this type of quality. I can't recommend Mark's American Cuisine
(1)
Sydney L.
My husband and I love Mark's. We went for lunch in november and had the seafood trio (I don't love seafood but figured at a place like this you couldn't go wrong with what is recommended-I was right) and it was to die for. I still dream about the scallops and delicious pumpkin sauce that was paired with something on the plate. I had the salmon for my main course and it was delicious. I can't remember what the hubs got but I remember he liked it. The best part may have been the dessert though. I had the house chocolates and they are almost too beautiful to eat but so delicious that it's worth it. My husband had the "snickers bar" and it was delicious as well. We will go back over and over again.
(5)
Destiny T.
From the vegetable soup to the trio of ice creams, everything is absolutely delicious. There has never been a time where I've regretted choosing a meal. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, as well.
(5)
Sasa L.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!Best waiter, and great atmosphere. The food couldn't be better!!! Remember to save some rooms for the desserts. I tried all of them and I must say they are heavenly!!! And it is expensive...so maybe good for some special occasion
(5)
Sherwin S.
If you try one restaurant in Houston, then it needs to be Mark's. Sure there are plenty of options in the city that dines out 4.5 nights a week...but there is only one Mark's! Converted from an old church, Mark's provide a beautiful backdrop to a wonderful meal. Sure the tables are a bit close together, but once the food hits the table almost everything else is drowned out by the culinary masterpiece demanding your attention. Make sure to visit during soft shell crab season...there isn't a chef in America that makes a better soft shell crab than Mark's!
(5)
Eric H.
A beautiful setting in a old church. Everyone else was here on a date or celebrate. We just came here for a team dinner (not during Houston restaurant week). The food was decent. Appetizers are not for sharing and not very vegetarian/pescatarian friendly except the tuna. I had the salmon for dinner. Nothing out of the ordinary, and exactly what you think when you order salmon at a high-end restaurant. I had the Blueberry Mascarpone Tart - this is the most popular dessert on the menu; It was good, but lacked the ginger "kick" the waiter raved about. Overall, nothing really "wow-ed" me or planted a seed for me to return. If this is on your list of Houston places to check out, do it during HRW. Other than that, there's nothing overly exciting about Mark's. Also, I was easily able to fine parking on the street outside, since I dislike valet parking where there's a parking lot. And, an overly chatty waiter was a bit annoying.. You would find this even more annoying if you're on an intimate date.
(3)
Frank A.
Came here for Houston Restaurant Week with my girlfriend and I must say the food here was divine. Reservation was at 8:30 pm on a Sunday and we arrived at around 8:15. At that hour, it was still incredibly packed so we waited at the bar for a table to open up. Service was relatively prompt (got a table at around 8:40) but the drinks at the bar definitely burned a bit of a hole in my pocket. I had a pear vodka cocktail and my girlfriend got a Riesling. Altogether including tip ended up being around $30 (though thinking back on it, the prices were pretty normal for an upscale place so I shouldn't have been surprised.) But enough of my ranting. Let's get to the good stuff. For the appetizers, I ordered the foie gras which came out seared with a sweet tangy dressing and some additional pieces of duck on the side. The foie gras was buttery though a little too blackened but the duck pieces were tender. My girlfriend had the oysters which were cooked and on a half shell. They were tasty and quite well seasoned and cooked to a nice consistency. The entree we got the duck and the salmon. The duck was nothing terribly special but the salmon is the reason why I would rate the food 5-stars. This one dish was perhaps the best fish I have ever tasted. The salmon was so tender to the point that I actually felt like it would melt in my mouth. It tasted almost like butter but not in the fattening way. It's terribly difficult to describe... you just really need to try it yourself! For dessert, my girlfriend got the creme brulee and I had the seven-layer chocolate cake. Both were delicious albeit a bit sweet. However, after such rich food, the dessert just feels a bit like a burden at the end. I'll tell you this. I don't think I've ever been full off of a Restaurant Week dinner but this one was both fulfilling in the physical and metaphysical way. This place is a high recommend but the only reason I'm not giving it a 5-star rating is because of the regular prices. For $40? I'd better be having endless steak rather than just an entree.
(4)
Verna U.
My boyfriend and I came here for our third anniversary. We had both agreed to this restaurant because of the reviews on Yelp. We were both pretty excited. We made a reservation. Wait time was 10 minutes. We were seated in such a crappy area by the restroom and against the wall which had a giant curtain that I kept bumping into! The place is very loud and the seating isn't that far apart, so I could hear people talking about golf and I heard this lady slurping on her wine. Definitely not the setting for an anniversary. Our waiter was this really nice older man. Never overbearing but he had no personality whatsoever. My boyfriend was upset because nobody ever said happy anniversary to us. He thought it was unprofessional and rude. My food was pretty good. I had trio of salmon and escolar. It left me wanting me more. My boyfriend ordered potato soup and steak. We loved the soup, but he was disappointed with the steak. He had a glass of wine which he was quite amazed with but not for the portion or price. For dessert, we had a little chocolate cake with brittle. Meh, I've had better. I didn't think the $200+ we dropped was really worth it because I left hungry and we've had way better experiences elsewhere. It was okay overall.
(3)
Ian H.
We have been waiting to try this restaurant. Food was absolutely out of this world. I had Ahi tuna appetizer and my wife had singleness crab salad. We split the Miso Salmon and for an extra $7 charge it was well worth jr. It was served on top of some steamed veggies and with some garlic mashed potatoes. On top of the mashed potatoes was nova lox salmon. Attention to detail was very key. The only problem I had was that when we ordered the caramel white chocolate bread pudding I specifically told the waiter that I wanted a cappuccino. It never came. I didn't feel like I should ask twice for something at a 5 star restaurant. It never showed up on the bill. Oh well. Very good experience. Awesome food.
(4)
Angel C.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 7th year anniversary, our server, Ray, was phenomenal! The food was delicious, the setting was beautiful, and the service was wonderful. If you ever happen to read this review, Mr. Ray, you made my first time here and fine dining overall, a beautiful memorable experience. Thank you so much!
(5)
DH N.
Had a private lunch in the Alcove room at Mark's during the holiday season. Great ambience and service from the whole staff. We were taken care of from the e-mailing of the room confirmation to when the bill was paid at the end of the meal. A few extra touches I appreciated: fresh flowers and printed prix fix menus. The food was fabulous. I had the sea bass and it was perfectly cooked. Others enjoyed their pork entree. Salads were good, crab cakes were above average, and the desserts (chocolate cake, bread pudding) were perfectly portioned and equally delicious. Excellent Pinot Noir, Emeritus, with our meal that day. No complaints here. There's a reason I frequently book firm lunches/dinners at Mark's. There is something for everyone on the menu, it's a beautiful and unique ambience, and lastly the staff takes care of you.
(4)
Lisa B.
The food was great, environment was rather splendid, but I have chosen to give three stars because our waiter was a jerk. We had a small table of 4. He only shared the appetizers with two of us (Who arrived first), and halfway through explaining the specials for lunch he stopped and rudely said "Looks like yall are ready." He never finished the specials and he didn't even ask what we wanted to eat. One of us just ordered, followed by another, then he took our menus. He never asked if we wanted anything else and forgot to ask one of us what we'd like to drink. I'm not sure if it was because we were younger than most of the people in the restaurant or if he was just a rude person. I don't know if I'd go back here. The food was great but the service was not a pleasing dining experience.
(3)
ben h.
if you have a romantic evening planned, mark's will not let you down. the ambiance in this remodeled church is so warm and inviting that i had to stop myself from making eyes at my business partner across the table. i really wished he was someone else the evening that i went to this restaurant. our service was impeccable and the food did not shy away from the impressive facade of the establishment. the food is a bit on the expensive side, but for a romantic/celebratory evening it is well worth the money.
(5)
Aimee L.
HRW menu left me wanting more and I will have more! Made reservations for 8 and was seated promptly and service was immediately given. Menu, water, bread, before I even blinked an eye. Now that's some fast service. I wasn't sure if it was because we were HRW diners and they wanted us in and out or if it was the norm. Either way it was nice. We didn't even look at the the wine list because they were offering a wine flight with dinner. I was loving the wine flight especially since it was only $24 for 3 different wines which is a better price splitting a bottle between two people. All the wine were wonderful and it gave us the chance to match our wine to our dishes. Highlight of the meal was definitely the appetizer. We both had the oysters. Each appetizer came with two oyster shells with a a steamed shucked oyster and with crab creamy spinach. It is then garnished with a light tomato salad and corn meal fried oyster. Honestly I could have had like ten more it was that GOOD. For the second course I had the fire roasted duck breast over wild rice. Like others have said, the portion was small but I was ok with it. It was a wonderful rich smokey flavor. Dessert choice was the chocolate sponge and ganache cake with the coffee ice cream. I have to say this was perfection. Coffee and chocolate...yeah some of the best flavors in the world. I don't care what your culture or background is. Coffee and Chocolate just goes hand in hand and when done like this...yes perfection. Seriously like the first course, I could have had few more slices. Yes I wasn't stuffed when I left, but I left with a great impression of Mark's and we definitely make this a place as a must go.
(5)
Keisha B.
One of the best foodie experiences of my life! From the excellent service (thank you Marco & Keith) to food that speaks for itself. The Nantucket scallops melted on my tongue and I had a near orgasmic experience when I had my first bite into my medium rare (perfection) Kobe steak. This was my hubby Mark's birthday... So happy I took him to Mark's!!
(5)
Josh O.
Went there for our anniversary. Great atmosphere as always. We sat in the loft and it was very nice. I had the Alaskan crab appetizer and my wife had the soup. Both were amazing. My meal was great. I had the fish. She had the beef. Hers was missing flavor. Nothing really to rave about. The dessert was chocolate 4 ways. It was very good as well. All in it was a $300 meal with wine. Great time and we will be back.
(4)
Chris R.
This is another one of my favorite restaurants. They had a terrific lunch here too that I would take advantage of frequently (but I think they stopped doing it). Oh, and the best assortment of breads they bring to your table. YUM! The service is top notch and the food is always executed perfectly.
(5)
Christy D.
Like a lot other reviewers, I was also here for Houston Restaurant Week. Contrary to rumors that I heard, they are not booked solid for the month of August...at least, not at "off" times (Sunday evening at 6:45). Our group of four was seated upstairs, overlooking the awesome looking wine cellar. Atmosphere is definitely unmatched. It was a bit chilly--why do restaurants HAVE to turn the A/C temp down when it's so hot outside? People are already dressed in less for the hot weather, we don't need it 50 deg--but what can you do. Anyway, it was dimly lit, with a cute winding staircase and just an overall quirky layout that was lovely. So, for the food, I picked the oyster app, beef tenderloin entree and choc cake dessert. My favorite parts were definitely the oyster and cake. That was one delicious appetizer! It was so complex, and it was hard to tell the ingredients apart, but it all tasted good. I used the bread from the basket to sop up a bit of the sauces (side note - I think there's some sort of soft oniony bread in that basket that was wonderful!). The beef was good, cooked medium as I requested, and went well with the shrooms, green beans and mashed potatoes. The single tater tot wasn't as exciting as I'd anticipated though. :P ...the cake was delicious and light! Best coffee ice cream I've ever had. A mini scoop of it with a bite of cake was the perfect end to the meal. I thought portions were great. I was still stuffed when I left. Maybe that's because I probably gobbled up 40% of the bread, had a Pinot Noir and cleaned all my plates. I did have a bite of my dining companions' lobster bisque, duck, creme brulee and peach dessert. Thumbs up to all. If I have the opportunity to come back here, I will definitely get excited!
(4)
Whitney S.
Mark's is located on the north side of Westheimer just east of Dunlavy. It is situated in a 1920's renovated church which simply adds to the restaurant's charm. I loved the atmosphere. Each separated section had unique distinctions where you could dine in a different reserve room and feel like you were in an entirely new restaurant. My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and how romantic! We started our evening with a cocktail at the bar. It was pretty crowded as it is right between the in and out doors of the kitchen. We just took it as an excuse to sit extra close. We were escorted to a snug corner table for two and were approached quickly by the sommelier. After discussing our personal preferences, he recommended the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Martin Estate. This killer bottle of wine (featured in my profile picture) was worth every penny. We decided to plan our meal around the wine instead of vice versa. With the recommended pairings, we selected the duo of quail and foie gras as an appetizer. I remember there being this fabulous citrus compute that truly contrasted well with the earthy, gamey tones of the dish. We had a bit of a role reversal with the beau ordering the lamb and I chose the beef tenderloin. As always, we shared the scrumptious meal. And the Martin Estate bottle enhanced the flavors appropriately without completely stealing the show and overwhelming the plates. We were impressed by the large servings compared to other high-end restaurants that leave you longing for more. We were perfectly satisfied and ready to share our rave reviews with our foodie friends.
(5)
Eva D.
Romantic? Sure, why not. What got me was that the only way I'd step foot into a church again was if I was dining at Mark's, then I'd go to this church everyday and every week and worship the chef if it didn't put a dent in my wallet.
(5)
VictoR G.
A great friend and I decided to celebrate HRWs and chose Mark's as our restaurant of choice. Since I am a seasoned HRW veteran I know that to get the best out of a meal at an establishment like Mark's it is best go early and go mid week. Well, I couldn't do early since I am taking kickboxing so we decided to go on a Wednesday to avoid a crazy popular night like a Friday or Saturday. Reservations were for 7:45p and we got there a little before 7:45, more like 7:42 or so. When we entered we quickly realized that Mark's is the kinda place that is probably always packed. Not to worry we were only a party of 2 so we just sat in what was once the church vestibule and waited. Our wait was short and pleasant. But we did notice a lot of other HRW clientele ... so here is a tip I know we do not all get to enjoy places like Marks very often, and they are gracious enough to participate in HRWs but please do not take their discounted menu offerings as a reason for you not to dress appropriately to such establishments. Yes I am talking about you lady that brought a backpack and wore rainbow flip-flops, you looked like trash, who's your mother? They were kind to seat you albeit in a hidden corner! Back to the meal .... Our waiter Mario was awesome, he assessed our need for an alcoholic beverage quickly and brought pack two great drinks. I ordered the orange crush which had a great carbonated vodka taste, not too sweat and not to strong, just right. I forgot what my friend ordered but it was too sweat for me but perfect for her. From the HRW menu my friend ordered the lobster bisque which she loved, and I ordered the oysters which were freaking delicious. We both ordered the salmon which was good but if I could reorder I would have gone with the trio option. For the desert I went with the cake which I loved and my friend went with the tart which was very good but we were stuffed and didn't finish it. Some other reviewers had mentioned that the portions previously had been too small. However I found that the portions were perfect. After kickboxing for an hour and a half I was starving, so I had anticipated to still be hungry after this meal but that was not the case and I am not a small guy. So def check this place out, but only if you dress appropriately!
(4)
Devin M.
I have waited a long time to go to Mark's and told myself this year ( at least during HRW ) I would finally go.... I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED!!!! If you are an avid HRW'er such as myself, you look at the menus before deciding on the restaurants you want to go to during the month....Even if the restaurants are top notch but do not offer a variety on their menus, I am not wasting my time....Mark's offers an incredible menu... Appetizer- Hearth Roasted Flying Point Oysters ....I am a "raw" kind of gal, so I stay away from the fried and stacked high with junk kinds, but these oysters were pleasantly topped with crab meat, spinach, a creamy sauce and an interesting viniagarette...delicious and waiter also agreed they were the best choice in app (though from other reviews I would want to try the foi gras) Main- I went with the Halibut...soft, light and buttery...The main dish had 3 separate additions .....Perfect Portions (cannot repeat that enough) starting with a shrimp and crab risotto..Wow...spiced cauliflower which were tangy and almost like onion rings....and a field pea salad...delectable! Dessert- Why do all the REALLY Nice restaurants have the Best desserts?? Rasberry tart w/ pistachio ice cream- this was out of this world....especially when paired witht the ice cream Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crem Brulee- not ordinary, not ho-hum, absoultely the best hands down creme brulee I have ever had...light, fluffy, like silk Mark's 7 layer choc cake- paired with Turkish coffee ice cream...not as heavy as you would think and it was moist and light as well...ice cream just like the pistachio was awesome I had a friend with me who just started her own foodie blog and we mentioned to our waiter and next thing we know here comes Mark Cox himself to our table ( What an Honor!) He talked to us for awhile, we got to pick his brain on how he picks his food, so interesting!! Then he sent out his warm chocolate cake to us (think molten lava, with a thin praline cookie and vanilla bean ice cream...we still devoured even afte the trio we just had) You know when you anticipate something for so long and the event definitely lives up to the hype??...This is what I experienced at Mark's, worth every penny one small side note-The only blemish was a rude Hostess who got very defensive when we asked for the first time when our table would be ready (we had resos at 8:15, we were not seated till almost 9pm) and she was sarcastic with us and had a bad attitude the rest of the time....
(5)
Rodolfo M.
Very good food, complex flavors if a bit on the salty side, excellent presentation. My big issue was paying $33 for two sticks of white asparagus (it was off the menu offered as a daily special as an appetizer). The waiter (unfriendly but porofessional) should warn the customer if a nonprotein appetizer is the price if an entree! I could not believe the $33 non-listed tag for an appetizer. The rest of the appetizers topped at the $25 range and they were things like oysters, duck, quail, NOT asparagus! In general, not a welcoming type of restaurant, a pity. On second thought, the valet was in fact friendly.
(2)
Cynthia L.
Just remembered to write about my experiences at Mark's...still kind of peeved! The food here is wonderful but I would never return to Mark's because of their valet and service. To me a great meal is about the whole experience, from the moment you arrive at the restaurant to the food to the service to the last step out the door. The server rushed our table. We had drinks, ordered a few appetizers and the HRW dinner prefix. The check was on the table no later than 45 minutes after we sat down. It is one thing to be efficient but this is nuts! I know, I know, Mark's doesn't employ the valets but they are an extension of the establishment and they need to know. When I got my car back from the valet, the car smelled like sweat and BO. I thought, odd...I did shower today and that couldn't have been me. It is hot outside. I didn't think anything and just turned my air cabin filter on and made my way home. The next morning as I drove, I noticed a huge foot print on my dash board. Then I connected the dots and came to the realization the the valet guys probably used my car as a cooling/resting station. if they just drove it from the point where I dropped off my car to 10 steps away from where they parked the other valeted cars, it shouldn't smell like that! TOTALLY NOT APPROPRIATE!
(1)
Jaime Q.
I cannot say enough about Mark's. Everything about Mark's, from beginning to end, is delightful and deliberate. The staff go above and beyond to make it a perfect dining experience. When more people showed up to my dinner than I had reserved on a Saturday evening with no tables free, the staff just magically made a table with enough chairs and space to fit us all appear. I go often enough that it'd be impossible to list all I've eaten here. Some highlights from my last visit are the seared foie gras and quail appetizer and the Canadian hard shell lobster when its available. I will say this as a rule to eat here by: You can get steak in any one of a dozen high end steakhouses so when you're here skip it. Not because its bad but because you're here to eat the specialty of the house. Whatever it is that day.
(5)
Mac A.
Wife took me here for my birthday based on some google search. the lower westheimer location was less than ideal but the building itself was pretty unique and interesting. The food is over priced and very fu fu. I like to eat, good food and big portions but this did not hit the spot, Maybe if I had a hankering for foie gras this place might fit the bill. In the end, we spent $300 and I'll likely never return- because money aside, its just not my type of food and I'm not drawn in by the hype.
(3)
Seb G.
Marks could be a great restaurant but it isn't. The food was fine but not exceptional and the noise level was very high. Most of this can be forgiven if it wasn't for the rude, pompous wait staff. We won't be back. Our new favorite is De Marcos. At least they appreciate their patrons
(2)
Gary Y.
I was here for a group dinner. Cozy experience in the private dining room. I had the pork chops with maple sugar which was surprisingly good. Some people ordered the sirloin which looked decent as well. Warm chocolate cake was very rich and decadent. The service was also fairly good - attentive but not intrusive. Would be up for coming again on a regular night with a small group.
(4)
Bobby W.
With so much already said about Mark's, what more is there to say? My wife and I were married in 2010, and our first anniversary was quickly approaching. I wanted to go somewhere special for our anniversary and I quickly remembered someone recommending Mark's as a great place to go for a special occasion. Mark's did not disappoint. We decided to dine a bit early on a Sunday evening (which was the night of our anniversary), so I made reservations at 6:00pm through OpenTable. The process was very easy, and I even received a call a few days beforehand from Mark's to confirm the reservations. When we arrived, we were quickly met by the valet service out front, and we were inside in no time. Since it was 6:00pm on a Sunday, there were maybe only a few tables occupied at the time. We were quickly seated and met by our waiter. The service was simply outstanding. My wife ordered a cocktail and I ordered a St. Arnold's Amber Ale (I'm not really into cocktails). My wife said the cocktail was outstanding. We each ordered an appetizer and an entree. For my wife, it was the corn chowder and one of their fish specials (unfortunately, I can't remember now what it was - I was too focused on my food). I ordered the lobster bisque and the veal medallions. I know this phrase gets tossed around a bit too much, but it truly was the best meal I've ever had. Everything was seasoned and cooked to perfection. The plating of the food was artful and unique. I absolutely loved every single bite. My wife decided to order the creme brule (I was simply too stuffed to eat anything more). I had a few bites of it, and it was one of the most decadent desserts I had ever tried. The waiter did ask at the beginning of the evening whether we were there for a special occasion, and we told him it was our first anniversary. When the creme brule came out, the manager brought it out with a candle and a small chocolate decoration which said "Happy Anniversary!" He said he wanted to come and wish us a happy anniversary and thank us for choosing to come celebrate the occasion at Mark's. I'm sure a large portion of people eating dinner there come for a special occasion, but they certainly made it feel a bit more special with that little bit of hospitality and attention. Shockingly, for all of our self-indulgence on a very special night, we got out of there, tip and everything, for just under $200. Given the fact that we each had two drinks, an appetizer, an entree, one dessert, and my wife ordered coffee at the end of the evening, it was an outstanding value. We will absolutely be back!
(5)
Courtney C.
One of my all time favorites in the entire United States. Service is always impeccable, as is the food. If you go when soft shell crabs are in season, even better! Inventive menu, but not too inventive that you have tiny portions of unrecognizable food. The bison ribeye is amazing for meat lovers, and their wine selection is great and not too terribly expensive. If you're curious and browsing the dessert menu, the $25 milkshake is worth every booze-filled sip. Just go and enjoy is all I can say!
(5)
Brooke B.
One of my most favorite restaurants in all of Houston!!
(5)
Vanessa G.
So far I've been once, but it really sets a nice tone. The soft shell crab appetizer I had was to die for, seriously memorable. I can not wait to go back.
(5)
Fernando C.
Good food but not great. Marks is far from ever earning 1 Michelin Star.
(3)
DL S.
We had a great experience. Wonderful service, and great food which you can't duplicate at home. It is a great restaurant for special occasion. That is not much room between the tables, and the table for 2 ppl is rather small. But with great service and excellent food, you can't complain too much. Would definitely go back there and highly recommend it.
(5)
Sonia T.
I LOVE Mark's. We went there when katrina was going on. Sept 21-which is my birthday which totally sucked because everyone evauated.... Anyway, mark's was still open, and I can still taste the bernaise that went with my perfectly cooked steak..... The desserts were to die for, and the service impeccable! Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Ebert C.
Great international cuisine but a bit pretentious... They get slow and confused with big groups ... Food quality is outstanding ... They have a lunch set for a decent price, otherwise I found it a bit overpriced
Mark's is fabulous. It's a happyish marriage of blue bloods in training (younger than 80 year old River Oaks folk) and young professionals, with some Nouveau Riche thrown in for Tanglewood representation. I was at Mark's recently with a bevy of young professionals, and of course we recalled the days of shopping there (Dream Merchant) for our next outfits to show off at Numbers. We, none of us, knew each other back then, but we were most likely shopping at the same time during the day and dancing to Nine Inch Nails and Ministry in the evenings. This time around, we were there to take advantage of Houston Restaurant week. Did I mention the fabulously perfect meal? If I didn't, you can be certain your waiter will tell you it's wonderful. A steal. That was a bit obnoxious, because I feel that a restaurant should never sing their own praise. It makes them sound cheap, like adding an "e" to grill or throwing "Upscale" into their name. [end of fugue] I ordered the three fried oyster appetizer. A bit bland, I would have rather had baked oysters (think Rockefeller and that sort), but these were some of the best fried oysters I've had in a while. The seafood platter came next. Crawfish on cheese grits, spinach flan, shrimp, soft shell crabs, and a scallop. It was a nice little cornucopia of the sea. Just the right portions of each, perfectly arranged, and overall, the perfect-sized meal. I'd go back alone for that Spinach Flan. Think souffle, but a bit more gelatinous, and well formed. I went with the waiter's suggestion of the raspberry torte. Not ideal after the seafood, but it was nicely comforting. Almost enough berries with a fair amount of pudding/breading. The meal was the perfect portion. I was not full and stuffed when I left. Who wants to be Muffin-topping when you leave a restaurant? It's uncomfortable, the seat belt is uncomfortable, and all you care about is finding your most comfortable stretchy pants. Here, I felt like high-rolling Goldilocks after having found Little Bear's porridge, chair, and bed. The one caveat/downer to this whole meal was that while we were sitting at my favorite table shape (round), and that always makes me very happy, our courses were rushed. I spent $50 on a meal and glass of wine, and only got to enjoy the experience for about 45 minutes.
(4)
Kevin B.
Wow -- I want to like Mark's I really do. Seems to be quite trendy to do so. But latest experience confirms my thoughts that there are just so many better places in our fine town, why waste $$$$$ (mucho dinero!) here. Made reservation and were promptly seated. Mark's is a great interior and feels cozy. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Here's the chronology: -- minutes 1-10, asked about drinks, request wine list -- minutes 11-20, wine ordered and delivered -- minutes 21-30, menu provided, no mention of specials -- minutes 31-40, specials described, we ordered -- minutes 41-50, appetizers served And so on. Not interested in eating anywhere that can't take my order within 30 minutes of seating, or it's more than an hour before I'm eating. And prices are crazy -- if a steak is going to be $60 in H-town, better be over the top. Ours was mediocre at best -- not surprisingly not cooked to order but after an hour of sitting there you'd be surprised what you'd accept and eat! Nice wine list but all wines marked up minimum of 350%. But, that's getting to be the Houston way. Made the mistake of using debit card, and of course multiple random charges (unrelated to actual cost of our meal)) show up next day. When final transaction posted, our server had added an extra $25 tip to the 20% I (shouldn't have) left him. Mark's cleared it up promptly to their credit -- but this shouldn't happen at Houston's current trendy darling. Lots of great restaurants in Houston. Sorry, but Mark's ain't one of 'em.
(1)
Amiko A.
Excellent as always
(5)
Holly S.
I'll admit, I'm not a fine dining type of person. Sure I love to get dressed up sometimes and go have a nice dinner, but then I have to keep my table manners in check and sometimes that can be difficult for a girl with "hood" roots. I came to Mark's during HRW with some fellow Yelp friends and was pleasantly pleased with my experience. The ambiance is one of a kind and the food was pretty darn good too! The service was prompt, but sometimes too prompt. I don't really enjoy someone watching over my shoulder to see when I will be finished with my plate, just so they can whisk it away to rush on to the next course. Outside of feeling rushed, the HRW menu had slightly changed but still had some very pleasing options. I ended up settling on the oyster appetizer, the cod entree and the chocolate cake dessert. The first two dishes were excellent. The size of the oysters were a bit saddening, but the trio of flavors were a great way to start the meal. My cod entree was paired with a risotto that was so creamy and comforting, and the cod was light and flaky. Many of my table mates were not satisfied with the portion sizes, and although mine seemed small it was just enough for me. My main disappointment was the cake for dessert. The chocolate cake slice was uber tiny and thin, and in all honesty it tasted like Pepperidge farm cake, right out of the grocers freezer. Now, don't get me wrong - they are tasty cakes, but for $5 I can get the whole cake to myself! I expected a little more from such an upscale dining establishment. In review I was very pleased with Mark's and would love to visit again in the future, but it probably won't be this quarter. I prefer to spread my fine dining out evenly throughout the year so I don't always have to be on my best behavior!
(4)
Sandy H.
Beautiful! This place is very pretty! If anything, I recommend bringing your future-fiancee here and proposing (it just have that romantic feel to it!). And trust me... it's not a hint at all! (The fact that we saw a dude propose here the night we came, na-uh... not happening!). So we came out here with my group of girlfriends (and their significant others) to do our annual HRW dinner. Luckily, I made reservations the week HRW posted its 2011 list because it was packed and reservations were gone! (So if you're trying to not spend much, remember to make reservations in July 2012 to get a decent dinner slot). I did take a peek at their regular menu and really wanted the veal (yummmm, I love me so baby cow!), but decided to stick with the HRW menu because I was being cheap. First off, their bread basket was fabulous! It had an assortment of bread and my favorite was their onion bread. It was fresh with onion strips on top... mmmm-mmmm. But, be careful of asking for a refill because they will charge (it was stated on the bottom of the menu); however, it might be because of HRW and might not be on the regular menu. As my appetizer, I had their heirloom tomato salad. It was light and very tasty. The balsamic glaze on top of the salad was perfectly drizzled and I enjoyed it thoroughly. For my entree, I had their beef tenderloin, which came with potatoes and mushrooms. The steak was cooked to my liking (medium rare- and I wouldn't have it any other way). It was plump and juicy. Unfortunately, I gave half of it to my boyfriend because his halibut was half the size of my steak and I figured he would be hungry if I didn't share. However, his halibut was very good too! I kinda wished I had ordered that. For dessert, I tried Mark's Seven Layer Chocolate Cake. I was between the chocolate cake and the Ginger Peach Pavlova, but the waiter highly recommended the cake. Thank goodness for the recommendation too! The cake was decadent and very good!! I did try the pavlova and it was decent. Not something I would order again. The ginger was over powering for my taste. Mark's was delicious and very pretty! Service was also good. I recommend coming here, especially on a nice, romantic (but pricy) date.
(4)
Kate F.
This was my second time at Marks. I decided to try it for HRW this time. I was a little worried that the portions would be too small because of the great price. But for me it was just enough food. We started out with the tuna and the oysters. Im not a big fan of tuna, but the appetizer was delicious. My favorite was definitley the oysters though. You get two oysters each prepared a different way. The first was similar to an oysters rockafeller, but better. I also got one with crab meat in a butter sauce that was just delicious. Of course the sauces on the plate were very tasty too. First course was a hit! We had a really hard time picking our second course, finally we decided on the beef tenderloin and the seafood trio. The sauce on the beef was heavy in flavor, but delicious. I love Marks Risotto, not sure what they put in it, but its the best I have ever had. The trio was just delicious! I dont know how to even explain what was on the plate. The scallop was cooked to perfection, and I wish I could have had more than one. The crab salad was delicious and fresh. The flan and shrimp were very interesting, I enjoyed all three parts of my meal. A lot of people complain about the desserts, and I will have to agree with them, after such a great meal you only hope the desserts are just as great. They werent bad, but just not spectacular. I am not really a dessert person any way so it didnt affect my rating of the restaurant. Also another thing worth mentioning is the onion bread they bring out before the meal. It looked like carmelized onion on top of some delicious fresh bread. I really enjoyed that as well. Overall Marks continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. HRW is a great deal at this place!
(5)
Ashley S.
I came here for lunch one friday and it was amazing! The wine was good the food was good the people were great. What more could you want? Great place! P.S. get the Creme Brule!!!!! -TO DIE FOR!
(5)
Ti C.
We had the seafood platter (lobster, scallops, shrimp and I think clams) and for appetizer the truffle alfredo (shaved truffles over pasta). The food was outstanding and cooked perfectly. The seafood was fresh and everything came in good portions. The truffle pasta was amazing. Service was fantastic, the place is romantic, and price is on the high side. We went a 2nd time for restaurant week. The food was amazing once again, however the portions were a bit small. We left unsatisfied, but food was outstanding nonetheless. This restaurant overall was a great experience and so far, tops our list of favorites.
(5)
Melissa T.
The bf and I only came here because my brother gave us a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate. We made last minute reservations on a Friday night and were able to snag a table on the first floor. Nothing on the menu stood out. We got the duo of foie gras to be adventurous, but I wished I had gotten a caesar salad instead. Yuck! Bf got the duck, and I got the beef tenderloin. I don't eat a lot of meat on a regular basis, so it was just too much meat for me. Give me some rice! The desserts looked really good, but we didn't get any.
(3)
David N.
The food tastes heavenly. Maybe because this once used to be a church and the chefs must be blessed. I came here on a week day night for an anniversary dinner. Booked reservations on Monday and had a spot that Wednesday night. Their website suggests if you can make it during the week come then instead of on the weekends when it's crazy crowded. We came in and we were seated in their main dining area. It looked like there was a decent amount of space upstairs and a possible side room? The first thing I notice was their wine cellar. OMG just beautiful. The lighting inside is dimly lit for a very romantic feel, but not so dark that you can't see each others faces or the food you're eating. We started out dinner with a sample of their cocktail menu. I had Mark's version of a mojito, smooth, but packed a good punch. My gf had the berry sangria, sweet but not overwhelming. Our waiter was very informative and went through the night's specials in about 5 minutes. They had a seafood sampler that just sounded amazing. So we started our meal off with that. The scallop on top of a crab cake flan? was like the best thing I had ever tasted. The scallop and that flan just melted in my mouth. Also another one of the specials of the night was the bison, really? buffalo? I've had buffalo burgers but never as a steak. I was imagining a very tough piece of meat but the waiter assured me it was the exact opposite. So that was my choice. He also suggested medium rare, which is a lil more rare than I normally get of just medium but he was right on with everything else so I followed. My gf had the salmon. My bison was great. It was served sliced into about 8 pieces, with a side of potatoes and cheese. The meat was so moist and cooked exactly as described. Usually when things are on the rare side it's bloody, not the case here. The salmon was cooked through and had a good seasoning on the outside. It was served with a rice that was very similar to a coconut sticky rice. As for dessert, we were stuffed, but the waiter surprised us with a small creme brulee in celebration of our anniversary. Top things off, I was able to use a gift certificate from restaurant.com . If you're looking for a nice dinner atmosphere with food to match, Mark's lives up to the hype.
(5)
Sohel K.
Food was very pricy, but worth every penny. We started with the soup of the day which was this lobster/seafood bisque with green vegetables. It was very hearty and delicious. Probably one of the best bisques I've ever had. My woman got the seafood special and I got the meat special. I don't even like seafood normally, but I thought her fish was made very well and tasty. I got the bison meat fillet along with the Kobe beef short ribs with double baked loaded mashed potatoes. I really can express how good it was, I just remember savoring every single bite. Oh yeah, don't forget to get the Nutella filled donuts.
(5)
Dan G.
The A1 Kobe Steak was the best of my life and worth all $22/oz. This is a great place to visit for special romantic occassions and if you can get the groupon it is an awesome tasting deal. The loaded oysters come with everything and make me think Asian fusion. I wish that the drinks menu had some better gin options. This is my favorite steak in Houston, for now and ever more. The deserts and pasta are not very memorable here.
(4)
Megan D.
When you have the most expensive meal of your life, you expect the experience to be the best, too, or at least close to it. Hubs and I have had the year from hell (not in our marriage, but all the other crap life throws one's way) and we NEEDED a night out without kids to celebrate our 5th anniversary. We read that Mark's was voted the "Most Romantic Restaurant in Houston" and figured it would suit our needs perfectly. When we called to make our reservation, we explained the occasion and asked for a nice table. When we arrived, we were seated at the worst table in the whole joint: right next to the hostess stand and stairway, so that everyone coming in, going out, headed to the bathroom, or walking to the kitchen would pass our table. It was extremely noisy and full of high-power men in overpriced suits who spent most of their meals yelling into their phones over some douchy business deal or another. Not exactly the romantic experience I was hoping for. We knew the price of the food before arriving, as we had perused the menu online and decided we could splurge for such a special occasion. But when it came down to it, we dropped well over $200 on our meal for two and left feeling unsatisfied and even a little sick. My duck, at $37, was terribly undercooked and lacking flavor (and left me with a two-day stomach fiasco, the details of which no one should be forced to endure, except maybe the chef). My husband's lamb, on the other hand, was charred, chewy, and tough. When they asked about dessert, we were already pretty disillusioned with the meal, but came up with a polite excuse that we were far too full. Our waiter insisted that since it was our anniversary, we should indulge in their famous creme brulee. We relented and it was brought to our table...I'll admit, this was the highlight of the meal, but they charged us $12 for it! Even Chili's offers free dessert for birthdays and anniversaries, and given the high-pressure sales pitch, I assumed the waiter wasn't planning to charge us. I know it seems silly to complain about paying for something we ordered, but given the circumstances, I figured it was the least they could do. If our meal was half the price, I wouldn't even bother writing a review. It's not that the food was terrible, but it wasn't great. And at over $200, it should have been coated in 14K gold and delivered to our table by half-naked cherubs in flight. There's just too many good restaurants in Houston to waste your time on this level of pretension.
(2)
Mark J.
This was my first time for lunch at Mark's and I actually enjoyed it more than for dinner. It wasn't as packed as for dinner and it was considerably lighter inside which made me notice what a nice building it is. I went with a friend, and we both chose the same "prix fixe" lunch special: Corn Souffle for the appetizer, Chateaubriand for the main course and the Creme Brulee for dessert. Everything was excellent, but the portions were rather small in particular the appetizer which was miniscule. Creme Brulee was good but not exceptional - I have yelp.com/writeareview/bi… much better elsewhere. The price was decent for lunch and had it not been for the filling dessert I would have left hungry.
I've gotta say, Mark's definitely has the reputation, but after giving it 3 separate tries, i can say with a high degree of confidence that I'll never go back. Decided to take my wife (new mommy with our beautiful 9 month-old) and my parents to Mark's for Mother's Day's brunch. Mark's offered a 3-course selection for Mother's Day. When we got there, we were quickly seated, however for Mother's Day, I was surprised the restaurant was not jam-packed. It was pretty full, but I thought it would have been busier. For the appetizer, my wife ordered the smoked salmon. My mom and I ordered the crab 3-ways and my pops ordered the quail with fois gras. My wife's salmon was not bad. When they brought the crab dish out for my mom and me, they "forgot" the soft-shelled crab on my plate. How do you forget to put the soft-shell crab on a dish, especially when my mom ordered the same thing and they didn't forget hers ??? After letting our waiter know, it took another 10 min for them to bring out missing crab. By that time, everyone else had finished with their appetizers. For the main course, i ordered the lobster (an additional $8.95 on top of the $60). I can say I've had better lobster at a casino buffet. It was lukewarm and VERY chewy. My dad ordered the ribeye (again, an additional $8.95 on top of the $60). When they brought it out, I SWEAR I thought the waiter mistakenly delivered an appetizer to the wrong table! The "ribeye" was sliced into six 1/8 inch slices, six thin slices. This was the MAIN COURSE?!?!?! My dad didn't say anything, but I know he was disappointed with his selection. My mom ordered the sea bass; that was okay. All in all, the bill including tax and tip was $375 (no alcohol). I don't mind paying $$$ for great food, but this was a very disappointing meal for such a wonderful occasion. Mark's, three strikes, you're out!!!
(2)
Juvie C.
BIG fan of the baked oysters here and everything else I have ordered, myself, has been outstanding. Lacking a star because one time I went, my guest's soup was cold....for these prices, the soup should be piping hot and spoon fed to you. Another reason for a star deduction is the wait staff. Although very knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients...the ones I have had are usually very snotty. When I went during Restaurant Weeks, the waiter was snotty. Then when I went on a regular evening, the waiter asked if we were celebrating something special which I found offensive. We had come after a night at the symphony, so we were dressed appropriately. *SHAKING MY HEAD*. The restaurant is an old church, so you can imagine what it looks like. Many people like this look, using adjectives such as "charming" and "romantic." From my humble point of view, I feel it is dark and cramped. This review is based solely on my personal experience and reflect my personal opinions. Your experience may be completely different.
(3)
Eugenia L.
I was there on 09/25/2013 with a friend, not celebrating any occasion but rather just to have a casual dinner. I think the ambience is great there - a little dark, pretty intimate setting. Services are excellent as well, our wait staff was very attentive. However, I think that for how much we paid for the meal, it could be better. I ordered their mushroom soup as a started and think it was just average. The soup is fairly salty and I didn't think it was special enough to be a $12/$13 soup. For entree, my friend and I both ordered their rib eye. I know Mark's is not particularly a steak house, but the rib eye had really good description and sounded delicious. Well I think it is a little better than average at best, meat was tender but not very flavorful and I wasn't a big fan of the sides or the sauce that came with the entree. Definitely have had better steaks. We also ordered dessert, my friend tried their creme brulee and I ordered nutella donuts. I've had a bite of the creme brulee and immediately know that the eggs were cooked ( as in scrambled eggs taste) during the prep process and that the custard itself was not smooth or creamy. The torched surface wasn't crunchy, but a little sticky, meaning they didn't just torch it when we ordered but this plate had been sitting in the fridge. I've actually made better creme brulee myself. The nutella donut was ok, really just filled mini donuts and nothing crazy/ special in particular. Overall, I think it's ok to try but I am not crazy about it. Maybe I just had high expectations because of all the good reviews I've read before.
(3)
Sandy N.
I decided to check this place out on my last night in Houston. I'm so glad I did. I started with a sweet Riesling, my favorite. Then went for the special of the night, the soft shell crab with shrimp risotto and lump crab meat. Wow, that was the most perfectly fried soft shell crab I ever had. It was so tasty and lump. I also enjoyed all the little compliments to the dish (spinach topped with the lump crab meat, roasted veggies, risotto. I ended the meal off with the Espresso Toffee and french press coffee. The dessert was very addicting I could've eaten the whole thing but stopped myself halfway and took the rest to go. The coffee was delicious as well. Service was great, the waiter resembled Liam Neilson. haahaa. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. It's quite pricey so it had better been awesome!
(4)
Son H.
I've been to Mark's a few times and it's always been great service and great food. The interior is very quaint and you won't find many places like it. The location is ideal and the valet parking is very helpful.
(4)
Miranda L.
The most romantic restaurant in Houston...... I'm not too sure about that. Let me begin. A friend and I pulled up to Mark's for Houston Restaurant Week on a Sunday evening. Mark's has always been known to be the most romantic restaurant in Houston, and we were told that the food is pretty good so we had to give it a try. Yes, the restaurant used to be a church and we were seated in the left section of the place. I didn't like that so much since it was small and a little crowded. It didn't feel very romantic. I ended up ordering the soup of the day which was corn chowder, the salmon, and the Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee . My friend ordered the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the duck, and creme brulee. The corn chowder was good. Nothing special but wasn't bad either. My friend was extremely excited to try the foie gras and ended up extremely disappointed. My salmon was pretty bland. It tasted as if they just cooked the fish without any seasoning and threw it on top of the Sherry prawn sauce, which wasn't a lot. I was trying to save every drop of the sauce for every piece of my salmon just so I could have some flavor in every bite. My friend's duck was OK. She didn't say much about it. Last but not least came dessert. Now that was great! It was burnt enough on the top to be warm and crispy, my favorite part. It had the right amount of sweetness. The funny thing is that our server told us their lunch portions are bigger than their dinner AND cheaper than HRW prices for three courses. So if you'll like to give it a try, I suggest lunch time. Overall, I was disappointed. I guess my expectations were set too high or maybe I ordered the wrong dishes. Either way, I don't think I'll be coming back to give it a second chance.
(2)
Am'e C.
My GF and I decided to give this place a try since it was HRW.............. Great restaurant for a romantic date, but not THE most romantic place. Lets get to the food!! she had some kind of fish and I had some pork. Both were totally yummy in my tummy.. no complaints. Huge portions. I was licking the mash off my plate. Such creamy goodness. the meat was so tender and juicy... gosh.. my mouth is watering just thinking about it. totally coming back. Kinda $$$$$ for me, but a special occasion would suit. This place has a huge wine selection, so if your a wine snob, ur def. in for a treat. Don't Forget** Valet ONLY***
(4)
Stephanie T.
Romantic ambience and great setting, if a little stuffy. Prices may be a tad steep but the food is inventive and indulgent. I say 'indulgent' because there is often a lot going on on your plate. For my main, I had the Hawaiian opa fish which came with fried enoki mushrooms, vegetables, risotto and shellfish. My partner had the turbot which was served with the same accompaniments. Both our fish were perfectly cooked but you could taste the smoky grill they came from, and while that's fine for BBQ, I think it's a disservice to the fish. Everything on my plate tasted amazing, especially the risotto, but they kind of overwhelmed the fish. But that's just my opinion so if you're someone who loves to have a variety of flavors and textures, then you will love the food here. We really enjoyed the starter though - Crawfish and Salmon. It was delicious and well-presented. And for dessert, we had the Creme Brulee which was a rich, satisfying end to the meal. Save this one for special occasions.
(3)
Michelle D.
Mark's is a very nice restaurant. Service is top notch, the setting is beautiful, and the food was pretty delicious. However, prepare to be incredibly shocked at how far your money gets you here, especially if you are used to ordering a bottle of wine with dinner. I was really looking forward to a couple of game meat options that I saw on the "daily" menu, and I guess they got those in on Friday and they were out of those by Saturday night. We started by sharing the crab trio appetizer, then I ordered the snapper entree, my fiance got the half size seafood entree (regular was $88, eep!), and we shared the chocolate cake for dessert. It was pretty good, but for $300 I expected to be WOWed! Also, like others have said, nothing on the menu is really meant to be shared.
(3)
Alice T.
Mark's, you're killing me. You were so good, but so overpriced for what you were. I'm glad I got to experience Houston's best, but I just didn't think that Mark's offered the quality or value that I wanted. I understand how many just come for the quality- screw the value, but the options weren't even anything too fantastic. Case in point, I ordered the turbot ($40), which came with two small lumps of crab meat, a pesto risotto, and asparagus. My bf got the salmon ($40) that came with one deep fried piece of shrimp, risotto crusted with coconut, and veggies. Both pieces of fish were really well cooked. I'll even go as far as to say that the salmon was perfectly cooked- tender enough to be almost raw, but not raw like what happened at Raven Grill. But at the end of the day, it's salmon and turbot. Not very expensive pieces of fish and not very expensive sides to warrant a $40 plate. I should have gotten the duck or lamb. So where do I think all the overhead on meals go? One, to maintain the beautiful restaurant. Too bad we got put on the side room, which was slightly claustrophobic and very dark. This room was a cave compared to the expansive and lighted main dining area. Avoid cave at all costs. Two, the bathrooms are awesome. Besides having the standard nice restaurant paper towels that are more like towels than paper, the women's room had all-you-can-use feminine hygiene products. The branded good stuff, too. I had to refrain from stuffing the whole basket into my purse. You can't have that kind of behavior at Mark's. Anyways, we decided to skip dessert, and our waiter said that we were missing out on "the most palate-moving experience in town." Haha, maybe that's true, but I'll come back during Restaurant Week to find out what I missed at a more affordable price.
(3)
Lesa T.
My boyfriend and I decided to dine at Mark's after receiving a $50 gift card and purchasing a $25 restaurant.com certificate to use for dinner. The place is gorgeous, with beautiful vaulted ceilings and the intimate ambiance. Service was a little below average, being it was a busy Friday night. The food was good - we started with the seafood trio (highly recommended) and the ceasar salad (refreshingly yummy). (The sweet onion bread they bring out to the table is amazing too, by the way.) For entrees, we decided to order the 8 oz kobe beef ribeye and the lobster specials off the menu. Both were pretty good and had so much food that we didn't have any room for dessert. I think I would've given Mark's 3.5 stars for their food alone. But then the bill came. We were expecting that our gift card and certificate would at least knock off 30% of our total expense, but we were floored to see that the cost of just the two entrees was $200! Without the vouchers, our total bill including tip was close to $300, without having ordered alcohol. Don't get me wrong - I'm fine with spending good money for amazing food, but I didn't think the steak and lobster were worth $200. I mean, I've dined at Michelin-rated restaurants in NYC and Napa Valley that served amazing food, and they don't even charge that much! So unless you have the money to waste for a really fancy dinner or are dining on the company's tab, I wouldn't recommend coming here. There are plenty of other fine dining restaurants you can go to that serve the same quality of food that cost only a fraction of what Mark's charges.
(2)
Alan J.
Not as good as it used to be. A few careless errors in our last meal. My scallop was nicely caramelized, but the interior was cold. It had apparently not been warmed up before cooking. My wife's fish was nicely done, but had been salted carelessly so that there were spots that were almost too salty to eat. For a place that I used to rank in the top ten in Houston, this was disappointing.
(3)
Cameron Y.
I agree with the other non- 5 star reviews. The place is beautiful and has great ambiance, and the food was delicious, however for the price I was expecting a more inventive menu and much better service. I am a 28 year old who doesn't eat at places like this often, however when I make reservations for myself and 5 other co-workers (most of them much older than me) I expect the same top notch customer service that an older patron would get. I have been to many nice places that were much less expensive in which the staff treated everyone like royalty. I was a little annoyed when I was treated as second class. Now on to the food... We ordered a few of the oyster appetizers to share. They were roasted in the shell than topped with crab meat and a crispy fried oyster. I had some shell in my first bite... but all other bites were pretty good. For my entree I ordered the salmon which was served with coconut risotto, carrots, and other seasonal vegetables. The salmon was cooked to perfection. It was lightly seared and the flavors of the salmon with the sweet risotto was delicious. For dessert I ordered a blueberry cheesecake tart. It looked amazing, however I was a little turned off by the blueberry topping, as it reminded me of the canned blueberry's that come in a blueberry muffin mix. I guess I was expecting more of a simple syrup with some fresh blueberries. Overall I wouldn't go back here if it were my own money but I'd be happy to give it another try on the company's dime.
The best restaurant in town? Really? I don't see it. Yes, the interior is very pretty and elegant. I can't help but remember buying my doc martins in the early 90s from where the kitchen is (yes, Mark's used to be a clothing and shoe store called Dream Merchant). I've been to Mark's before, but it'd been a long time. This week I went back for Houston Restaurant Week. I made my reservation weeks in advance and arrived on time. My group of 5 was promptly seated in the main dining room. Then the race began. I felt like we were in some type of speed eating contest. Our waiter was pleasant, but we all felt the urgency for us to order, eat, and leave. We ordered some drinks, wine, and then our food. The menu was a little different from what was on the HRW, but still looked great. Our food came out at a blistering pace. Obviously everything was prepared and ready to be served. I had the lobster bisque soup which was very good but not very warm. The oyster trio appetizer looked good. As soon as we finished our appetizers they were whisked away and replaced by our entrees. I had the seafood trio which consisted of a scallop, shrimp, and soft shelled crab. The portion size was ridiculously small. When I mentioned that to the waiter later when he asked how everything was he just shrugged it off and said "look at what you are paying". I wish expensive restaurants either embrace HRW or don't do it at all, but don't call an plate barely the size of an appetizer an entree. The seafood trip was fine except for the spinach flan. It just wasn't very good, but the rest of the food was fine. My husband had the chicken which was a larger portion size. Nothing was amazing or worthy of anything more than 3 stars. I feel like people get swept up in the hype of certain restaurants. The dessert was the best part of the meal. The raspberry torte was very good and a definite above average dessert. The chocolate dessert was good, but once again nothing special. I don't like being treated like a second class citizen just because I'm there for HRW. That aside, the food was nothing special and the speed at which our food was served was so quick that it was uncomfortable. Mark's: Don't do Houston Restaurant Week unless you plan to keep your supposed high standards otherwise, it's just not worth it. You'll lose potential diners.
(3)
Rebecca N.
The food is good, but I don't think it justifies the price.
(3)
Danielle S.
Sexy dining. BF and I decided to have dinner here together during Houston Restaurant Week, so after contemplating the menu we made our rez. One advantage to living in this area of Montrose: no need to deal with valet nonsense. We walked in and after some waffling about my reservation from the front desk we were shown to our table, located in the beautiful room called the Cloisters. With sweeping, vaulted ceilings and painted motifs around the walls, it's a gorgeous space. Our server was completely on point, experienced and courteous. We decided on our apps, entrees and desserts and our culinary adventure began. For my app I had three oysters, served in the shell, and each with a different theme. The first one had a creamed spinach base, the second was more cheesy, and the third tasted like a salsa fresca. Each was totally delicious. I tried BF's salad, which had fruit such as nectarines, grapes and strawberries with spinach tossed in a vinaigrette. I love mixing my sweets and savories and this was a delicious twisting of the two. My entree was veal, which was cooked to utter perfection, and served with a few different sauces. A few spears of asparagus and a Vidalia onion risotto topped off my plate. BF's cod was dee-lish, served with a tangy shrimp risotto that was totally intriguing. The real star, though, was dessert. I chose a chocolate cake that was so decadent it melted in my mouth, and BF's lemon tart, with its graham cracker crust and fresh mint, was so tasty I bounced up and down in my seat. Portions are small, but I kinda liked that considering I didn't leave feeling immediately regretful and sloshy. The ONLY thing that knocked off a star--and I do mean the ONLY thing--is the fact that my hot dishes came out scalding hot. And I don't mean the food; I mean the actual dishes themselves, and they all came out way too fast for a restaurant of this caliber. I'm pretty disappointed that a restaurant like Mark's would have premade portions just sitting around, even for HRW. I feel like I was kind of being put through an assembly line, and after hearing the raves from others, I think I might have a better experience if I come back on a non-HRW night. Boyfriend is already begging for us to come back as his graduation present, so I may update with another visit in the next few months. Stay tuned.
(4)
Jessy P.
OK we are officially done with Mark's. We took some friends a total of 4 people and spent $800 dollars. This was mainly because exclusive wines and drinks but still the food which is the main reason we took them there was not excellent. We experience terrible service and we were seated upstairs in the last corner were we could barely fit, For all the money spent I was expecting more of the 10 times we have been there this has been the worse :( My husband asked for the lobster and he had to send it back and even after it was brought back it was not good. very dry over cooked we were Very surprise abut this.
(3)
Gloria S.
Mark's has a very intimate decor. The high ceilings were a plus, but because it was so dim it felt kind of gothic to me. It was unfortunate but we got seated in the room next to the main room so I didn't really get to take in all the decor. They also have complimentary valet so that is a plus since there parking lot didn't look very big. Once we got seated it took awhile for us to get our menus and for the rest of the night it felt like the server was a step behind. It must have been busy because I was watching managers deliever food. At a place like this I feel I shouldn't have to rise my hand to claim my dish but that's what I was doing all night. Plus I watched them drop off our dish to the table next to us. I also ordered the Wine Flight that they were offering and it kept coming late, my dessert wine didn't arrive until we had finished our dessert and our plates were all cleared. Then at one point I still had food on my plate and I had put my fork down for a second and the manger comes by not to check on us but asked if he could clear our table! lol Look I don't what to wait forever on my food to arrive or to get my table cleared, but I also don't want to have my food taken before I'm ready. Anyway a restuarant of this calibre I accept a much smoother transation between dishes even when they are busy. Ok now to the important stuff. . . Food! Our first course was the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras and the soup of the day which was Lobster Bisque. The Lobster Bisque was creamy but tart. The Foie Gras was confusing. There was a lot of little things on the plate and I didn't know what to pair with what. In addtion my Foie Gras was dry. :-( Our next course was Seared tenderloin of beef with field mushrooms, roasted squash, crispy sweet "tater tots", served with a spiced Cabernet Sauvignon sauce and V-10 diver scallop, Texas crab, asian shrimp, crab filled zucchini blossom, spinach flan, asian salad and two vinaigrettes. The seared tenderloin tasted like a dry sirlon which was disappointing. The mash potatoes was beauitfully season (they piped it out, too bad it reminded me of dog poop) and the veggies were good too. The Trio was intresting, but nothing really screamed delicious except for the spinach flan. It was basically a concenrated creamed spinach and I love cream spinach. By now I am stuffed to the max so I to-goed my dessert and we just had Markss Seven Layer Chocolate Cake. The cake was very moist and the coffee ice cream was addicting. The serving size may look small but it is very filling. The food was magnificently presented. I would try this place again.
(4)
Monica K.
HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEK ONLY! Hands down, Mark's has one of the most amazing-sounding menus for HRW. Foie Gras app? Oysters topped with lump crab? I'm so there!! Portions are smaller than usual but it's a tradeoff I am happy to make. Their HRW menu is subject to change daily, so be prepared for something different than what's listed on the official HRW website. We had entree options of roasted chicken, seared halibut, duck duo, pork, and seafood trio (U-10 scallop, soft shell crab, shrimp) - They all sounded amazing! Service was excellent and our reservation was ready on time, even though the place was completely booked. What we had: * Complimentary Bread - Normally not worth mentioning, but their bread basket was great. There were 4 different kinds, and one of them had like a caramelized onion glaze on it. YUM. * Foie Gras Appetizer - This plate had like 8 tiny components to it. There was a small piece of seared foie gras about the size of a silver dollar, a pear compote, some kind of sweet paste (quince maybe?), a cherry sauce, and - the best part - a quarter-sized slice of foie gras torchon!! The torchon was excellent, but the seared foie was chewy and spongy. I would probably avoid this one. * Lobster Bisque - A good, classic lobster bisque, served in a cup-sized portion and garnished with some nice chunks of lobster meat. * Summer Garden Salad - Large portion of a beautiful-looking salad. The base of the salad was a wedge of bibb lettuce, with all kinds of colorful vegetables on top and a light vinaigrette. * Oysters topped w/ Crabmeat - Another beautiful dish. I had food envy when this dish came out, because I didn't order it and there wasn't enough to share. * Pan-seared Halibut w/ Risotto, Sesame-Crusted Shrimp, Spiced Cauliflower, & Fried Mushrooms - Everything on this place was delicious, with one major flaw - seriously overcooked seafood, to the point of chewy and dried out. That goes for the fish AND the shrimp. If it weren't for that, this dish would have been the clear winner of the night. * Roasted Duck Breast w/ Duck Confit, Wild Rice, & Berries - Plate was cleaned without offering any tastes * Pork Dish (can't remember the details) - Plate was cleaned without offering any tastes * Creme Brulee - A solid, classic creme brulee. It came in a shallow dish for maximum sugar crunch! * 7-layer Chocolate Cake - A thin slice of heaven. Moist, rich, chocolaty, and not too sweet. The coffee ice cream was perfectly creamy. Definitely the winner of the desserts. * Raspberry Shortbread Tart - I imagined this being like a strawberry shortcake, but the raspberries were actually mixed into the shortbread batter and baked. It was a very large portion - tasty but dry. The pistachio ice cream was excellent. Go ahead and make your HRW reservation. Maybe the food won't be perfect, maybe it will. Either way, I think you'll enjoy the experience! Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: 5/5
(4)
Kelly L.
Foods are really not much impress, not suitable with its price. But they did look like they were well prepared. I suggest the server gives more detail on the price. We had truffle as appetizer listed as 21.95, but they redeemably charged us double price on 2 gram of truffle without asking. That day was one of my important day, we called in advance to ask if they do anything for birthday. The lady answered the phone said they usually give out free dessert as their complimentary, so we did. But at the end they charge us the dessert. When we asking about it the server said,"if they give out free dessert to everyone, they would out of business." No wonder you are out of business, as least I thought good business should keep its own words, especially on such little thing. We left 20% tip guess we won't go back for their foods, but maybe their bobble wines.
(2)
Camille P.
Sorry, no five stars for Mark's. It was a table for two. We were seated immediately, but were seated in the middle of the area and getting tapped and bumped by not just the other clients but also the servers and runners. Our waiter seemed to be in a hurry most of the time. Other than that, food was delicious. i had a first course of spring greens with fingerling potatoes and haricot vert---wow--so fresh and clean. My entree was the braised duck with a tasty rice pilaf. Not bad at all. Dessert was good. We ordered the trio of ice cream puffs. It's ice creamed stuff in a cream puff. I need to go here again..just been too lazy to commit to a reservation.
(4)
Katie F.
Great place. The food is phenomenal, but not just for the taste: the presentation is what puts it over the top. I will say the stone fruit salad (a seasonal special) was probably the best forkful of food I have put in my mouth in a long time. Yes, it was a salad. I think they must have laced it with something :) Needless to say, I was impressed. So I had the stone fruit salad, the duck confit, and shared the warm chocolate cake. My dining companion had a tomato & mozzarella salad and the "study of pork." All food was good, but the duck leg was the best in my opinion. The duck breast was good, but not as unbelievable as the leg. Wild rice pilaf was also great. The study of pork was really interesting, and it came with some really good yams. As for the tomato & mozzarella salad, it was good and the mozzarella was prepared three different ways, but I have to say I liked my salad better :) For anyone who likes chocolate, I beg of you...get the warm chocolate cake! It comes with a small scoop of peanut brittle ice cream, a thin piece of peanut brittle on top of the cake, german chocolate goodness to paste the brittle on top of the cake, and finally a moist, flavorful, intensely chocolate treat on the bottom that is a perfectly-cooked work of art. Eat it, love it, share it. Or else you'll need a gurney to roll you out of the restaurant.
(5)
Abasi T.
I was initially excited to give Mark's a try because of the great reviews that I read, and initially it made a great first impression. I found out that the place was a converted old church which I found to be interesting. The place seemed a bit pretentious as I pulled up. (Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, and Porsche's all lined up outside) I was a little disappointed that I had to wait about 20 minutes after my reservation was scheduled. The bread was was great, and the wine was delicious, but the food left a little to be desired. I ordered the pork and I found my meat to be a bit dry. For the amount of money that I was spending, I didn't find the service to be that attentive after the food was served. My date ordered the bison and venison and her meat was cooked perfectly, although hers lacked a bit of flavor and she was tempted to have to add salt, something I confirmed as I shared her meal.
(2)
Vincent T.
I went here with a couple of friends for the restaurant week event in Houston. The lobster bisque was very rich and creamy. The flavor was strong, but the serving size was rather small. The seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras was a little burnt, but aside from that, very delicious. My veal was cooked medium rare....it was okay........but I think I would much rather have the duck instead. My favorite dessert would have to be the warm chocolate cake. It sounds very simple, but the presentation came as a surprise. I felt the pecan brittle was what made this desert unique and flavorful. The lemon meringue tart was pretty good too....but the warm chocolate is the way to go. OH! The service was awesome by the way. The waiter made sure everything was ready and available and stayed on top of things even after closing time. Great experience!
(5)
katherine k.
I read the other reviews (on yelp and other sites) that the staff tries to upsell by pushing their specials - I was prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for, however, was receiving my check with a 20% tip ALREADY handwritten in and totaled for me by our waiter. No, we weren't a big party of say 6 or more (and even if we were, it wasn't stated on their menu). HOW TACKY IS THAT??? The GM got the situation fixed right away. The waiter came back and told us, "We do that for parties of 6 or more." We were a party of 4. Hmmmm... With that said, Food = good. Service = good. Ambience = faux gothic church interior. I don't write reviews on yelp, but I'm hoping that people don't fall for the BS the waiter tried to pull, or at least, Mark's makes sure that their caliber of service stays up to par.
(1)
Doug S.
We had a reservation for 10:30 PM on a Saturday night. We were coming from the theater and the performance went a bit longer than expected. As a result, we arrived at the restaurant at 10:45 PM. When we arrived, there was no host to be found. A waiter came over and said the kitchen was closed. I told him we had reservations at 10:30, but he said it did not matter -- the kitchen was closed. This despite the fact the restaurant takes reservations until 11 PM. It was clear the waiter was more interested in getting off than in honoring our reservation. So, we left and went to Eddie V's on Kirby. We arrived there just as the kitchen was closing. But the host made a special effort and sat us, only asking that try to order quickly -- which we did. Dinner was great. In short, arriving 15 minutes late to a reservation is not unusual. Mark's, or at least one of their waiters, simply did not want our business.
(1)
Beth R.
I have to start this review off with a moment of silence as I go back and savor the moment of my experience...Aaaaahhhhh. This is hands down the best restaurant in Houston. This was a fine dining experience like no other. The setting was in an old renovated Gothic style church, with pointed arches, mid-evil tapestries, table clothes, and dim lighting which set a romantic and intimate tone. There was a wine cellar above where the alter was (now the bar) embedded in one of the pointed arches. It was quite remarkable. In the front of the restaurant (which was the back of the church in another time) was a spiral staircase where more seating was overlooking the ground floor. We were seated below, but any seat would have been adequate from the beautiful architecture. The service was at top form and we were definitely guided as new comers to the appropriate selections. We were even offered a complimentary dish because of our first visit. The first course for me was the soup du jour (lobster bisque) and my husband had the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Serrano wrapped Quail. They offered us a seafood trio which included a shrimp and spinach mousse, a soft shell crab, and a scallop with cucumber salad. My pairing for the first course was a Chadonney and Pinot Nior for my husband. It was exquisite. That was the best lobster bisque I had ever had and I tasted the quail which was tender and succulent. They also had a bread assortment, which was even tasty. I got pleasure out of the onion bread and butter. Second course for me was the Chicken (Hearth Roasted Bryan Farms Chicken, House Made Cilantro Chicken Sausage, Mississippi Style Grits, Ratatouille with a Petite Salad of Grilled Portabella and Baby Arugula with Chicken Glace). My husband had the Grouper, but I think he wished he had ordered duck. He enjoyed his dish, but when he saw the duck at another table he made a comment of envy. My second course was paired with a Pinot Noir. My dish was a simple work of art. The presentation was finely detailed. I savored every ounce of flavor, which is indescribable. Third Course for me was the warm chocolate cake and my husband had the raspberry tart. We both were paired with a dessert wine. Mine was a port and his was a muscat that almost tasted like champagne. I am not a dessert person, but was left satisfied with my dessert. It was divine. The highlight of the evening was Chef/Owner Mark Cox stopped by our table for about a half hour. He spoke about his arrival to Houston in the 80's. The places he had worked (partnering with Tony Vallone for many years) and the beginnings of opening his own restaurant. Chef Mark spoke about where some of his ingredients came from and how special each of them were to his culinary creations. For example, the beans from our seafood trio dish were exclusive to his restaurant. He puts the finishes on the dishes, which validates the artistry I described above. We asked him about selecting the church as the venue for his restaurant. You could tell we hit a key note of passion as he described the metamorphosis that is Mark's today. He envisions more renovations and changes, the next being his kitchen. He even shared with us they were using one oven and turning about 300 covers on average a night. We also got to pick his brain on places he enjoyed outside of work. Some of which were mostly Asian Cuisine. He said this cuisine was simple, fresh, and a certain level excellence goes along with it. He mentioned one that was in proximity to our house, Kaneyama, which will be next on our restaurant list. The evening was romantic, pleasurable, and an experience that was memorable almost magical. We will be back because we believe in the concept.
(5)
Hungry L.
Absolut Perfection! My favorite restaurant in Houston so far. I have only been twice, as it is out of my regular price range, but the experience is so worth it. Both times I have been was for a special occasion and Mark's did not disappoint. I was worried about getting one of those "undesirable seats" but it seems like every seat in Mark's provides nice atmosphere. My first time, my wife and I sat upstairs which provided a great view and the second time, we got a very romantic corner. Funny thing is, we got the same waiter twice, AND he remembered us! It all starts with service, folks, and Mark's emphasizes it. From friendliness, to timing, to being attentive but unobtrusive. I've been a waiter before and you can tell these servers go through some great training, as well as the other service people, like the busboys. Ok, ok, on to the food. The stuffed Oysters were impeccable, like nothing I've had before. I ordered them both times I went and will order them each and every single time I go again. The menu is so unique and incomparable to anything I've ever had. The flavors, textures, aromas of each individual dish is expertly created. Nothing placed in front of you could make you think "I COULDA MADE THIS AT HOME!" like other places. You know what's placed in front of you is made by PROS. A little caveat though - I ordered the Kobe steak the second time I was there, which was very good, but if you want meat, just order their steak instead, it's a better value. My wife and I plan on returning as much as our wallets will let us. A meal for two adds up, but at least this place makes you feel like it was worth every penny.
(5)
Brandon C.
OK. Only four stars might seem harsh for a place that most people I know think is "the best fine dining in Houston." And Mark's is very good. But it doesn't live up to all the hype in my opinion. The dining space (renovated church) is gorgeous--I've never seen better in Houston. But the food I've gotten the few times I've been there, while perfectly good, hasn't been the kind of good I expect from a place aspiring to be the best restaurant in a major city.
(4)
Monique N.
This is one of the few restaurants that I think is actually worth it's high price tag. My hubby and I ordered the Seafood Trio appetizer, the shrimp entree, the steak entree, and finished off with the Coffee Toffee dessert (coffee mousse with pecan brittle *drool). Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection. Amazing food, great atmosphere, wonderful service. This place is perfect if you're looking for a romantic date location and are willing to splurge a little. Loved it.
(5)
Adam O.
This place is truly brilliant. It starts with the decor. They remodeled the old church with a modern twist. They have the vaulted ceiling, but it is made with painted steel. Towards the top of the far wall, they have a beautiful wine cellar (can you call it that if it is basically on the ceiling?). They have little alcove dining rooms off of the main hall, definitely looking very romantic. The food itself is what I was really interested in. And that is what definitely sets this place apart. For my meal I had the shrimp three ways (tempura, grilled, and sesame). The shrimp were cooked perfectly in all three variations. The light sauce for the sesame and grilled shrimp was a great compliment, and the tempura shrimp was a nice mix texture next to the other two varieties. I was full after my meal, but the people I dined with decided to go for desert... and boy did they make me jealous. The desert I was really interested in was the one that got the most rave reviews. As an addition to the menu, the chef had a perfect seasonal addition to his desert menu: butter-pecan bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream (you don't get more Fall than that). All in all it was a spectacular meal with attentive yet not overly intrusive service (by far my biggest complaint about most higher-end restaurants). It is definitely a wee bit pricey for lunch, but it really was worth every penny.
(5)
Cheri D.
Special occasion dining and they know how to make you feel very special. I like that.
(5)
Jason B.
Mark's is by far my favorite fine dining restaurant in Houston, every time I have visited there the experience has been fantastic. The service has always been great with multiple servers taking care of us and one time we even consulted with the sommelier! The atmosphere is fantastic with it being housed in a converted church (note: there are some bad tables there so make reservations well in advance) and I have always found the food to be the best of fine dining in Houston. If I have a date for a special occassion then Mark's is always my first choice, however I go there prepared to spend a LOT of money and they probably know that from their records so that probably helps me obtain the great service.
(5)
Linda P.
I expected much more from the food. The ahi tuna appetizer was prepared with a lo-mein type pasta and Asian-style sauces that overwhelmed the tuna. My lobster entree was paired with a fettuccine pasta and Asian-spiced vegetables that didn't combine well. My partner had the on-the-bone tenderloin topped with a barbecue sauce; we tend to believe that a good cut of beef wouldn't need the sauce (I'm thinking of Bohanan's in San Antonio for example, or for a good Tex fine-dining experience, we'd prefer the tasty and better-priced Stella Sola). The waiter was no help with the wine list, which was surprising, since we read reviews about the good wine list. Nice ambiance, but overall, a "fair" experience; expected much more and were disappointed.
(2)
Jess M.
I started going to Mark's from the first week it opened. It deserved 5 stars back then. I am giving it 3 stars, because I feel that for their prices they need to step up the food and menu. My food on my most recent visit wasn't up to par. I ordered duck and when asked how I would like it cooked I said however the chef recommends (which is usually quite pink). The waiter talked me out of my choice and told me to get it medium. He was very amendment that I would be happier with it cooked medium. Well guess what, it was over cooked and too dry for me. Not the chef's fault but I told the waiter from the start that I preferred cooked according to the chef's standards. From what I have been told since then is that women have a tendency to think that they want their meat pink and end up sending it back to be cooked more. So the waiter made the assumption that I fell into this category I presume. Everyone in our group had dined at Mark's numerous times and we all ordered different starters and entrees. Everyone thought their food was okay but not spectacular.
Definately a special occasion place but worth every penny!! First of all-the restaurant is gorgeous!! Go to the bar early and have a drink before your reservation time-soak up the atmosphere, and get ready for the food. I've only been about 3 times in a 2 year span, but every time we went, we had a great experience. The food, the service-love it all!!!
(4)
Tameka S.
Great wine, Outstanding Service, Memorable dishes...definitely a must try...
(5)
Michael H.
Building 5* Servers 3* Food 3-4* Value 2* Wine$$$ A few tweaks could make amazing!
(3)
Shazia C.
Its alright. Nothing amazing. The waiters are pretty anal about changing what's on the menu for example if you want steamed vegetable instead of grilled. The place is romantic alright but that's pretty much it. I would recommend staying away from the duck, their beef isn't that bad. Also, I hate its location.
(2)
Raquel V.
I had the pre fixe meal during lunch. it was amazing, and for the price, not bad. they serve you just enough so that you don't feel stuffed, or still hungry as you walk away. i plan on going back for sure, but dinner this time.
(4)
A A.
A delightful evening! I haven't been in Houston for years.....glad I don't live here, or I'd be back often!! I love the atmosphere and decor inside the main dining room. I kept gazing up at the wine display...the feeling is very comfortable....the service staff extremely attentive...you can feel from the moment you arrive, that this dining experience will be special. From the looks of the other parties, you can tell that people use this restaurant as a special occassion place, and deservedly so. Waiter had several suggestions...the trio of salmon appetizer must be a specialty, I saw it on the website, so I had to try it. Wonderful is all I can say, I'd definetly order it again. the angel hair with truffle was also very good. Wow! Perfectly cooked lobster was the main fare this evening. I was glad I listened to the server and only ordered 1/2....I would have never made it through a whole lobster. Very flavorful...and perfectly cooked and presented!! My dining partner had a steak....again perfectly cooked and seasoned. A fabulous overall experience....I'm coming back when I get back to town. Thanks for a memorable evening "W".
(5)
Jennifer T.
The food and environment was excellent! A different menu every time you go. Save it for a special occasion!
(5)
Peter D.
I hate reviewing the overreviewed, but here we go: Mark's is pretty much as good as it gets in Houston, even during tourist season (ie restaurant week). The lobster bisque is incredible and one day I'll have a birthday where I call up and order half a gallon of it. Go with someone worthwhile and ask for advice. Don't expect oversized portions, but you shouldn't leave hungry.
(5)
JA M.
We have a Thanksgiving tradition with my aunt that has been going on for years. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, when it's relatively quiet and most of the relatives have left, we go to Mark's for a wonderful dinner. It has never disappointed. We also tend to visit Mark's on our anniversary as well. I highly recommend. We enjoy sitting on the second level next to the rail so we have a view of the restaurant below. It's beautifully decorated for Christmas. Just a note: my least favorite part of the meal was the white truffle pasta appetizer, which tells you how much I enjoyed the rest as I love truffles This is the second year in a row I ordered it, and it doesn't "wow" me the way Da Marco's does with its black truffle pasta. But everything else was so amazing, it more than made up for my disappointment.
Cuisine, culture, and... church? Yes, dear friends, never has the Inquisition seemed like a good idea until you've bathed in the delicious radiance of Mark's. Meals here come at a premium, but the presentation, the ambiance, the quality of ingredients and craftsmanship of the artists in the kitchen cannot be denied. The idea of a restaurant in a church at first may seem cliche, but do not be fooled, Mark's is not defined by such stereotypes. When I went, I tried the veal, which was tender, moist, and utterly delectable. The veggies that were served with (aspagus and potato) were delightful, but the dessert was when I was taken aback. The name sadly escapes my memory, but it was a toffee coffee bean filled confection that my tastebuds have not yet forgotten. The wine list is unreal, the food is fantastic, and the service is excellent. Will be back (when I save enough money to return)...
(5)
Claudia R.
I was really excited about going to this place, especially as I heard somebody quote it as "most romantic place" in Houston. Service was a little slow for me, and the food was good, but I have definitely had better in Houston. I loved the building as it was once a church but didn't really like the decor. It was too loud to be romantic. Maybe I have high expectations, I have been told that before.
(3)
Corwin S.
Absolutely First Class! Every restaurant and service experience I have is benchmarked against Marks. Most fall short. Marks delivers flavor, service, courtesy and consistency.
(5)
Texas Transplant L.
I LOVE Mark's. It is Amazing. I am from NYC and consider myself a food snob and Mark's food is fantastic. Just be prepared to spend a lot of money. Pricey but worth it for a special occasion.
(5)
emeril l.
The food here was amazing. Went here for Christmas/Birthday celebration. Just the two of us. Full courses and wine for $250. Service was good, atmosphere amazing. We had a table along the wall in the main dining room. It was perfect for a couple. We had trios of shrimp and crab, respectively. Then we moved on to main courses. Samplings of pork and beef. The food was so memorable, it's hard to remember exactly what it was, other than delicious and well presented.
(5)
Avril D.
The worst $600 for two I've ever spent. We were in town and decided on Mark's for a Sunday Dinner. Got seated promptly but we waited around for about 25 minutes before a waiter ever got to our table. Actually, we had to flag someone down who wasnt our waiter but that was fine. We waited waited for the sommelier to make it to our table but she never did. So we ordered on the whim a bottle of Fleur to start off. It was a little overwhelming when two different waiters give you 8 different specials. We went wit the Seafood App trio and the Beef Tartarte. Seafood App was good but Tartare was ok. Had soups which were average. We were ready to switch to a nice red but the waiter and sommelier never made it back. My wife had the chicken (dont ask me why but she was feeling it) and i had the lamb shank special. Both entrees were subpar. I guess our palate has changed but we thought the entrees were too heavy and hearty for what we were looking for. Waiter never checked on how our entrees were going. We did have dessert and after dinner drinks but my mind was made up on that. I guess if service was better our experience would have been ok but it wasnt and we were regretful we didnt spend our sunday somewhere else. Last time we'll ever be here.
(1)
Loc N.
Went to Mark's for Restaraunt Week and the menu looked appealing. I chose the Proscuitto for appetizer, Veal for the entree, and 7 layer chocolate cake for dessert. Food was good. Only gripe on the food was that it was small portions. I'm totally a quality over quantity kind of person, but even of rme it was bit "underweight". My take on the service. Our waiter was (to summarize) "preoccupied"....when i got seated, no one came over to ask for drinks or greet me until about 10 minutes later. But i noticed 2 blondes enter and got seated at table next to ours...IMMEDIATELY they were greeted and given water. Surprisingly their waiter turned out to be our waiter as well. FUNNY how that was. (hmmmm?!) Throughout the night ppl at my table would comment on how they noticed that our waiter and another waiter were taking turns flirting with the 2 blondes. (To quote one of the waiters to the blondes:"We usually tag team on tables with hot ladies, haha..." Yea ...totally not what i want to see at a restaraunt...let alone a supposed "Upscale" one. To summarize, FOOD=GOOD, SERVICE=DISAPPOINTING.
(2)
Betsey M.
Marks is where we take friends who know and appreciate great food.We are never disappointed even though the bill is high the dinner is definitely worth it.Our choice for best in Houston.
(5)
Leigh M.
Well before I could order from the extensive wine list, I fell in love with this place. It's expensive but worth every penny. If you are in Houston and love food, make a point to dine here. The food is amazing--try the grilled Chilean sea bass with cumin-dusted pumpkin seeds, sauteed spinach, crispy plantains and tequila-lime sauce. Incredible. Housed in a 1920's church (anyone remember when it was Dream Merchant?), the vibe is decidedly hip and elegant without being stuffy. I love sitting in the choir loft! Mark's is at the top of my list for places to revisit when I'm in Houston this fall. I'll update accordingly.
(5)
Stephen P.
Our favorite restaurant in Houston. Great for special occasions. Expensive, but worth it.
(5)
Corey D.
My wife and I were in Houston for the holidays and I wanted to take her out for our first romantic dinner since our daughter was born. I consulted Yelp, and the reviews sounded great (Boooooo Houston Yelpers). I'm not a total snob, but when I'm going to drop $200+ for a nice dinner for 2, everything better be impeccable. So many things were good, but so many things were bad. First we showed up an hour early so we could have a drink at the bar before dinner. They informed us that our table was ready and proceeded to sit us in the side room away from the main dining area even though the restaurant was almost completely empty. Our table was right next to the door and the cold draft made enjoying anything a challenge. So about the food. Our appetizers were fantastic, and that's where the good times ended. I had a foe gois and quail dish, and my wife had a poblano/corn soup. For our main dishes we opted for two specials, one seafood and one steak. My wife got the seafood special that included crab meat (excellent), a very bland and dry fish and some average scallops (claimed by the waiter to be super rare, and the best around). I had a Kobe beef dish that was flat out not good. (On a side note, I hate when waiters try to feed you information to make the restaurant seem so special and they're really just full of shit). Both of our main courses were $55 each and I wouldn't have paid $20 for them both. The dessert was ho-hum. I was very impressed with the wines, but was astounded by the absurd prices. Being from San Francisco I know wine and relative prices and their wine list is so so so so so so over priced it's a joke. All in all, I would probably never go back. Being from Houston I tout our amazing restaurants all the time so this is a major disappointment. I'm even more disappointed that Yelpers have made this one of the top restaurants in Houston.
(3)
Julie S.
Oh my goodness. Hadn't been here in a while and feared my memories of this place were better than reality. Not so, this is still one of the best in town. Get the shrimp dish if it's still on the menu.
(5)
Leila S.
This is probably one of the best restaurants in Houston. We had an 8:30 reservation, but had to wait at the bar until our table was ready (another 30 minutes), but otherwise than that, the experience was great. I had soft shell crab and my husband had kobe beef. Definitely one of the best fine dining restaurants in town.
(5)
Harold F.
A nice, reasonable New American place in Houston. I was pleased with the food and service and will come back when I'm in the area. The servers are professional but also genuinely amicable than what you typically experience on both coasts. That made up for the dishes that were not exactly awe-inspiring, at least for me. I'd give it a solid 3.5.
(3)
Joseph N.
The temple for great food, and great service. Mark's is the best in the city of Houston hands down. Everything is well prepared, sauces savory, flavors blended perfectly and very easy to understand. It's not cod roe with monk fish livers and chocolate foam. It's good down to earth flavors presented in a way your taste buds can understand.
(5)
Casie C.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary last year. The location isn't that hard to find and the place is small but very cute since it was an old church that they turned into a restaurant. From what I remember, they usually just takes reservations (depends if they changed that already). When we first arrived, the valet drivers were very sweet and professional.The hostess was kind and seated us immediately to our table. Our server was funny and had such a great humor which also made our dinner date experience something that we would never forget. They are very limited on food choices, I guess it depends on what days you go and dine in with them also. My boyfriend doesn't eat anything seafood and all the appetizers that was on the menu consisted of seafood which was a little down side for him. He played it safe and ordered a steak and I went ahead and tried their trio salmon for appetizers. It was decent and good and something I don't mind getting again. My entree was Shrimp, and that I liked. Overall, it was a great experience and I will be returning to this place again.
(4)
Peter Y.
We went to Mark's over Labor Day weekend. Beautiful interior, well decorated. We had a table on the second floor overlooking the main dining area. Food was great and portions were quite sufficient - my date and I were satisfied in that regard. But, this restaurant was definitely not among the best experiences I've had and did not live up to the hype. Food presentation was a little ostentatious and actually made some things harder to eat - the tomato salad and shrimp were overdone experiences example. Service was merely adequate; our waiter was polite but we sensed he didn't really want us as customers. The main issue was that I had actually planned to propose to my date there at the restaurant. The restaurant knew this, so I was surprised when I was attempting to talk to my date and we were both weirded out by the multiple waiters hovering around the floor, talking to each other, etc. We had to leave and go somewhere else. The proposal worked out well in the end, but Mark's wasn't a high point of the weekend.
(3)
P P.
For the price, the whole experience left much to be desired. We made a reservation on line but apparently it never made it into their system, so we ended up waiting half an hour on a very busy Saturday night. When finally seated, the service was pretty prompt and our food came quickly, unfortunately, that's the best I could say about the food. The lobster bisque was so salty I had to complement it with water with each sip. The oyster appetizer had way too much going on (also too salty) and everything sort of became blah. My date and I got the pork and duck respectively. The meat was tender (especially the duck) but not spectacular. They just did not live up to their price tag. Overall, I'm disappointed.
(3)
Christine H.
I am going to give this place 5 stars even though my last 2 experiences here have been a bit disappointing. The first few times I'd been to Mark's, I was blown away by the ambience--it's located inside what used to be a church so there are still wooded ceilings, windows, and an enchanting curved stairway that give it a majestic yet quaint feel. It is the perfect atmosphere for an intimate dinner. I know a few people who have gotten engaged here--it's that sort of place. The food is also fantastic; the chef pays special attention to his food, creating careful continental dishes that are almost always off the hook. I say "almost always" because one of the times we came here, the waiter told us about a special off-the-menu fish (I can't remember for the life of me which fish it was--all I remember was it was a deep sea fish). The waiter told us that it is similar to sea bass, and being lovers of sea bass, we said okay. The fish turned out not at all like sea bass--it was not buttery but instead dry. Because we were seated in a dark corner upstairs, I attributed the situation to the waiter being a newbie; he probably didn't know how to describe the fish properly. And then the last time we were here, we had a 9 PM reservation on a Wednesday night and still waited 30 min. before being seated. Then we had to wait about 20 min. from the time we were seated before our orders were taken, and it was 9 PM on a Wednesday. The waiter was also impolite. He kept interrupting us to say he "didn't catch a thing we're saying." I don't mind being told to speak up, but I would hope a waiter would preface it with "pardon me" or "excuse me." Instead, he acted annoyed and rushed. The food, however, was still very good--something I didn't expect considering it was a Houston Restaurant Weeks menu. (I think it's hard to judge a restaurant's food based on HRW menus because it is often not indicative of their true menu which may have better ingredients or larger portions.) Despite it being HRW, I enjoyed my meal for the most part. The oysters topped with lump crabmeat, shrimp, leeks, and a truffle ailoi vinaigrette were phenomenal as always and one of my favorite appetizers at Mark's, so I was elated to see them on the HRW menu. I also tried the seared foie gras with was good, but the tender pork bites that came with it were even better than the foie gras itself. For the second course, I had the duck confit with berries and wild rice--the duck was, for the most part, juicy and cooked well (with a few dry bites), and the fruit played great complement to the duck. The rice was a little too hard in texture for my preference although I suspect it's due to the wild rice grains. I also had a bite of the trio entree which featured an array of seafood; all the seafood was good but not the best I've had. Surprisingly, the spinach flan was the most enjoyable thing on that dish. For dessert, I had the raspberry shortbread tart which was HUGE (actually, TOO huge--imagine me complaining about a too-large portion). It made for too much sweetness, and I felt sick halfway through. My advice would be to add more of the pistachio ice cream and cut the raspberry tart portion down by almost half. I had a bite of the chocolate cake which made me jealous I hadn't ordered that instead, or even my usual creme brulee. Along with my dinner, I ordered a 3-wine flight and asked the sommelier to send out the proper wines according to what I was eating. The chardonnay with my oysters and pinot noir with my duck were good, but the dessert sparkling wine for my dessert (albeit good on its own), when combined with the overly sweet tart, was just way too much. I felt myself growing more and more diabetic by the second. I ended up giving away my dessert wine. All in all, aside from the too sweet and disproportionate tart, the long waits for a table and service, and most of all, the initially rude server, I enjoyed my meals at Mark's over the years enough that I'm willing to overlook these things and still give it 5 stars on the average.
(5)
Nala L.
This is my all time favorite restaurant in Houston and I have only been twice. Great setting, great service, amazing atmosphere, and amazing food!
(5)
Ty D.
Even though I weigh something like 400 lbs, it isn't every day that I see a menu and think to myself, "man, I would be happy ordering literally anything." The variety and creativity inherent in Mark's seasonal menus always makes settling on something difficult, but the other night, my wife and I had a near-perfect meal, with everything done right on the food end. I had a shrimp prepared three ways dish followed by the rack of lamb (one of the top 5 lamb dishes I've ever had), while my wife had an heirloom tomato salad and steak. Since I weigh 400 lbs, I also had a bit of her plates, and could easily have gone with her choices as well. Service was friendly and professional, and the wine list was well thought out, though perhaps not as expansive as one would expect of a "special occasion" place like Mark's. Whatever--quality not quantity, right? The ambiance is always wonderful at the converted church, although I echo some of the previous reviewers who noted that the food is a bit slow to arrive. Again, though, this is a minor complaint, as a meal like this should be savored slowly. Mark's was just as good as I remembered it, and I cannot wait to go back.
(5)
Jimmy W.
still amazing, don't believe all the negative reviews. two years later after my first review, still one of the best restaurants in houston. foie gras, crab, fish, soft shell crab, you name it, they do it absolutely right. you have not experienced fine dining in houston until you have been to mark's.
(5)
Cory O.
Um, yeah, best restaurant in town. That I've been to. But I've seen my share of delicious restaurants and I will say that the food here is near perfection. Some great things that they did right (and are to be expected at a restaurant of this caliber) were in details. The butter was in the shape of a cute M. The linens were of a quality that I haven't seen in a restaurant in a long time. The service was polite and informative. The food was phenomenal. Things that really need to be improved and almost cost them a whole star: 1) ridiculously long waits in between courses 2) having dirty, empty plates in front of us for the entirety of these ridiculously long waits 3) waiting for quite some time for them to fix the check after they accidentally double the ounces of steak that was ordered! And yet, these three things (annoying as they were) could not ruin the amazing flavors that were dancing in my mouth. Let me take you step by step through my meal so you can fully understand why I'm willing to make the bold statement of loving the food better than my first paramour, Mockingbird. My little Orange Crush was good, but then I had a taste of the sangria--oh, wow. This is on par with the sangria at Open City and if you've had theirs, then you know what a statement that is. I loved all the fresh fruit just bobbing around and it did a great job of not being overly sweet or tangy. Delicious. We decided to get the crab tasting as an appetizer that was unbelievable. I love crab, but have yet to find a place that impresses me since I have pretty high standards from home (I was spoiled in Alaska). Mark's completely exceeded my expectations with this dish. They had four different types of crabs all prepared in different ways. There is no way I could pick a favorite. I loved each one immensely and kept eating more than my share. Oooh, I'll have dreams about the crab plate for days now. Yum! Speaking of shellfish, I also got the white lobster bisque. I'm such a soup girl that I couldn't resist and I'm so glad that I got it. This was, hands down, the best soup I've ever had in my life. They were very generous with the chunks of lobster throughout and even though it was a little runny for a bisque (I like mine nice and thick), the flavors were incredible. It was so complex while not being overwhelming AND they didn't use anything fish related so the hubby could also enjoy the heaven I was in. I just cannot describe how smooth and flavorful this soup was. I'd go back just for that and be quite content. For my entree, I decided to actually get an appetizer. I like to get things that my hubby isn't allergic to so that I can eat off his plate without feeling guilty about it. Plus, I like to share. My mommy taught me well. :) So, I ended up with the foie gras and quail. Oh, jeez. No really--oh, jeez. My foie gras was phenomenal. It just melted in my mouth and I literally did not want to swallow the food. The quail was prepared in a few ways and my favorite just the plain old pan fried. I love a nice, crispy skin and they did it to perfection. The only problem is that with quail it is a little hard to get the meat off the bones without using your hands. And I think it would be frowned upon if I just went to town with my quail. Since I like to sample, I was excited to see what the hubby would get. The specials all sounded wonderful but the hubby went for the rack of lamb and duck. The lamb was perfectly pink and well seasoned, but the outer layer of cheese actually distracted from the taste. After tasting an inner portion, I immediately began to melt in my chair from the foodgasm going on in my mouth. I composed myself and went for a bite of his duck. Oh. Wow. When they say that the skin is perfectly crisped, they aren't kidding. Oh, wow. It completely locks in all the flavor and juices. Wonderful. The purple mashed potatoes on the plate where out of this world. You'll never taste mashed potatoes like that! There were an assortment of sauces on the plate and I tasted each one. While they were all phenomenal (and I may have just stuck some bread in it to sop it up--yep, I'm a classy gal), I just didn't want to distract from the dance party in my mouth from the meat so I kept them separate. The desserts looked phenomenal but we ended up just doing a muscato and it was perfect. Light, airy, and a perfect balance of sweetness that made it so refreshing at the end of the meal. The sorbets looked particularly good that night and I have a feeling that next time, we won't skip that part. They still need to up the service a bit, this would be a perfect dining experience. And though the service wasn't actually bad by any means, at these prices, I expect a little more.
(5)
Miguel G.
On my first visit here, I was slightly disappointed in the food. I had the pork and Lopez had the duck. She was less impressed than I was. Not that the food wasn't good, it just wasn't memorable. It tasted good and was presented exceptionally. The service and atmosphere was excellent and we had a couple of excellent drinks at the bar before dinner. I forgot to mention dessert: the warm chocolate cake is incredible. If I visit again, I'll try a different entree.
(3)
Dakota L.
I was pretty excited to try Mark's after hearing about it being one of the most romantic restaurants in Houston-- and I have to admit the ambience and decor were very nice. However, that was really the only thing I was impressed with. We went for my boyfriend's birthday and were looking forward to some good food. Our waiter largely ignored us and was pretty rude most of the time, despite the fact that we were there shortly after opening and there were maybe only three other couples in the restaurant. For an appetizer, I had the soup of the day, which was completely unremarkable; I could have gotten that soup anywhere. For the entree, I had a lamb dish that was a bit underseasoned and again, unimpressive. I was still holding out hope for dessert -- again, disappointment. It was dry and bland. Typically, when I spend $150 for a meal, I'm hoping for great food. There was not a single thing there that I would be interested in having again and it was completely forgettable. Both of us did order from the fixed price menu, so perhaps that is where they put all their disappointing dishes (and maybe that was why the waiter treated us like we were annoyances), but I'd say avoid Mark's unless you want to overpay for food that tastes like it came from Olive Garden.
(2)
Brandy Z.
Marks is the place if you want a unique atmosphere and fancyness to go with it. It is a old church now converted to a fine dining restaurant you can tell by the windows that it use to be a church it is pretty dark inside but a intimate setting. no pews though. It had a good amount of people when I came for dinner. There was wait staff everywhere. Fortunatly we got a really good seat in the center of the dining area. I started with a martini it had cucmber vodka in it and tasted like a Mojito. Then ordered a bottle of red wine for the rest of the time there. It was called Ken Wright Pino Noir. They sold it for 172 the next day just for curiosity I checked the price and you could get a bottle of Ken wright pino for as low as 25 to 52 dollars online wow. I didnt see a marked up price online for it. I was surprised and kind of erie now about what wine to order. Dont get me wrong it had a great smooh flavor with a hint of blackberries but I now know what my friend says now when he says wine is wine and it soesnt matter what the brand is.. The dishes are very artsy and very petit. I got a soft shell crab sampler had all the little fishes like crab, fish, soft shell crab, shrimp tasted pretty good but not enough to fill you up to share with anyone else. also tried the Folie gras appetizer to be adventurous finding out it was like a duck liver served as pate' on a cracker I didnt really care for it knowing what it was but it did have a good flavor for someone who was into that. For Dinner I had a 8 oz kobe ribye. I never had kobe ribye I ordered it medium rare which it came out as but was surprised how charred black it was on the outside. Every bit was juicy and could taste all the fat and cholestrol after. Had a desert wine after and ordered a rasberry tart desert with some icecream honestly not tasting anything like what Id imagined it to be. But it was a artsy very interesting meal and the high prices must be for all the design and folie gras which is extremly popular there. Was a good time. and Im glad I got a chance to try what everyone raved about in Houston.
(3)
Rahul R.
The service is great, the specials are always creative, and the atmosphere is very intimate. My wife thinks the steaks are dry but I think they are done well. I suggest the house tenderloin, the mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, and the creme brulee. (I know nothing groundbreaking but everything is done well) Best date spot in Houston!
(5)
Lea M.
Totally a Houston staple. Food is phenomenal! I would always recommend getting the tasting menu. Chef Mark is an artist and you can tell that he loves his work through it's quality and originality.
(4)
Kathryn S.
After reading some of the reviews that don't involve eating here during restaurant week, it seems we had much the same experience as a lot of other people. We had a table of four for a birthday dinner that started out well. The wine selection was good and my bf's lobster bisque was excellent. My autumn salad, however, was nothing special and had peaches on it that tasted like they came out of a can. Disappointing for a place with Mark's reputation. Then the entrees came. The other two people we were with seemed to like their entrees (lamb and a fish special), but my salmon came out raw. And I don't mean tender raw, I mean cold and mushy raw, to the point where I had to send it back for them to cook it longer. The funny thing was, when I waved the waiter over, he anticipated what I was going to say, so If that many people send the salmon back because it's raw, why doesn't the chef just cook it properly the first time? My boyfriend ordered the off menu soft shell crab special and was majorly disappointed. It was completely over-salted, way too crispy, and tasted like they had been fried in old oil. The taste of the crab was completely lost in the salt and the bad fry job. The highlight of the night was the dessert we ordered: a vanilla shake with aged rum and some other deliciousness in it. But again, $20 for a snifter full of vanilla ice cream with a couple of shots of booze is completely outrageous. For four of us to eat a mediocre meal with two bottles of wine, including tip, came to over $500. I don't mind spending that kind of money if it's an unbelievable dining experience, but Mark's ain't it. There are so many other good restaurants in this town, I will never go back.
(2)
Ross W.
One of our all time faves. In a city known for great dining, this restaurant is one of the tops. Chef Mark Cox brings the culinary magic. Innovative menu, beautiful environment, flawless service. I really like the clever seasonal dishes and variety that make each visit unique.
(5)
Annie B.
Has Mark changed chefs? We had been to Mark several times, over the years, the food wasnt this bad. We went on Sunday, May 24, 2009. We were 3 people. One had shrimp, the other steak, and I had the chicken. Appetizer- Soup. All the food was really bad. Overcooked, and even burned. We decided to skip desert. The service as always was great. But never had I had such bad cooking at Marks
(2)
Usman A.
Appetizer was good. Entree is alright. Nothing special. Service was great though. The food may have too hyped up because of Zagat's. Don't believe the hype. Not worth going back.
(3)
James W.
Simply delectable, exquisite, wonderful food presentation, ambiance and service. One of the best restaurants in all of Houston. All around a 4 1/2 stars in my book but I'll round up. If you've ever been to a AAA-rated restaurant such as Victoria and Albert's then you know what 5 star dining experience is all about. Anyhow, take out your special someone for a nice fine dining experience. Besides your pocket book, you't won't regret it!! Cheers!
(5)
Donut D.
mark's was one of the best restaurants, and i have fond memories of the food and the experience..... but i'll be honest, i find it hard to think of it as the same place it once was. it used to be a "special" place, and i guess it's not in that category for me anymore.... what i still love: 1) the bar!!!!!! i love to go and have a drink at that bar, in that setting. it's perfect for some cocktails... but that's it 2) the memories.... what i found "unsavory" 1) my server on my last visit..... i usually give servers a lot of patience and respect since i've done that job, but i knew the place had gone down a level when the server was unsure of basically everything on the menu, and actually brought me the wrong food on each of my 3 courses. wow, now that's impressive!!! just not in a good way. i didn't want to make a scene since there were four of us, but gee, it was really annoying. 2) sorry, the food was just ok, not the same to me as it once was. maybe it was the poor service that time, or just lack of detail, but overall the food just didn't manage to make up for the service the last time i was there. im not saying i wouldn't go back or think it's a bad place, i just think there are so many good restaurants here that i'd probably go somewhere else. i'd still suggest it to people if i thought they would enjoy it, but to me it's just simply "lost its luster" ....
I had high expectations from the rave reviews that I've heard from every one. To this day I'm still the only person I know who doesn't like the food there, so they must be doing something to please people. It was an easy $200 for the two of us and we didn't even have dessert. I thought the food was bland and overrated. The restaurant itself is unique because it was an old church, but other than that it is stuffy and the crowd is fuddy duddy. The service was sub par because we didn't get menus, bread, or water for like 15 minutes. I was truly dissatisfied.
(2)
abby r.
My husband brought me here for our 2 year anniversary. I have to say the place is very nice, romantic, and the hostess was was very polite. However, the place is really old and could use just a little updating. The food was very good but I have had better. It was almost like expensive hotel food at its best. The service however, was horrendous. Our waiter some soo rude. He acted like he could care less. He had a get in get out attitude. Never once did he return to the table to see how things were, how is the food, can I get you anything.. All he cared about was shoving more drinks on the table. He did not even bother to ask if we were celebrating an occasion. Other tables got a little something for a birthday, etc..but we got nothing but bad service. Even when we left, the waiter looked eye to eye with me and did not even say thank you for coming or have a nice evening or anything..and yes, we did leave him a good tip, however he didnt even deserve a penny. I expect more from this place and I dont think I will return or suggest this place to anyone ever. Too many great restatuant in Houston to have to take that kind of attitude.
(2)
Daniel H.
i have to use a made-up word to describe how good my veal chop was; my veal chop was splendiferous. it came with porcini and morel mushrooms, which i love, and various other deliciousness. the interior is really cool, and its interesting that the restaurant used to be a church, but really, the food was just impressive.
(5)
Keith D.
I cannot begin to express the affection I have for this place. There is a specific ambiance here that will not be repeated elsewhere. This church was, at one time, a gay club, and then an alternative clothing store (Dream Merchant). This was the only place one could acquire Doc Martin's for some time. It now houses one of the best chefs in the USA. The food and service are superb. I took my parents here for an anniversary one year. A waiter overheard us discussing menu items we were curious about. In minutes, a sample plate arrived. Impeccable, divine, special. REALLY GOOD TIMES. Seldom in my forty years do I have, what I call, a "food-gasm". One of my first "food-gasms" occurred at Marks. Tell them if it is a special occasion. If there is a chef's special..........ORDER IT!!!!!! Never order what you are used to in a place like this. Take their word for it. They will know what you like more than you do. Go forth unto Mark's American Cuisine and INDULGE. You will not regret it.
(5)
Trang T.
I've heard about the restaurant here and there and I must say, Mark's matches up to its hype. The restaurant is beautiful in the inside. Very romantic. Our appetizer was the fried oysters topped with crabmeat. I have to say it was divine. The sauces around the pearl oysters was unique and made me want to savor each bite and figure out what I was tasting. My taste buds were probably in awe over the wonderful new flavors. The lamb was cooked to perfection. I enjoyed the presentation of each dish and the mixture of different flavors. I saw a fruit salad on the appetizer plate and was a bit iffy, but the mixture of spice and sweetness was wonderful. I highly recommend Mark's. A great dining experience from beginning to end.
(5)
Rebecca v.
So, I drive past this place almost everyday and have been dying to try it... so after completing the MS 150, My friend and I decided to celebrate and try it out... I made reservations 1 week in advance to guarantee a decent table. We were seated promptly, the inside is very different, I think its a renovated old church.. the bread basket was sooo good, especially the caramelized onion bread, we actually had 2 baskets! Great wine list, we had a Syrah- red Jacob's creek I think. Both of our starters were about 25.00 each, and boy was I glad I wasnt paying!! The portions were perfect, I was actually expecting less than what I got! I ordered the duo of Fois Gras, which were served with homemade brioche! Fantastic, my friend ordered some seafood creation, cant really remember, I was so focused on my food... Then I ordered the Sirloin with an aged balsamic vinegar glaze, whch was served with potatos, and chicken fried bacon on top.. Boy this was superb, possibly one of the best flavoured and seasoned steaks I've ever had, and it looked about 16 oz. not sure the exact weight. and again I cant tell you what my date ordered because I was too enamoured with my food. by the end of our meal and after a good bottle of wine, we had no room for dessert.. unfortunately. but there is always next time. too bad it wont be any time soon, I think dinner came out to about 400.00 + tip.. ouch best restaurant in Houston, but also prob one of the top 5 most expensive!
(5)
Margie L.
This place is amazing! I went there on a special occasion and I loved it! A week later I was looking for another special occasion...my friend came to Houston...good enough, so we went back to Mark's. The atmosphere is great (an old church), the food is superb, service is exceptional! It feels like a sanctuary of food! Kobe Beef, seafood, lamb and even chicken all taste amazing and unique and the meals are presented beautifully. The waiters are there but not there, there's no loud music, you can concentrate on appreciating your food. Tip: Always ask for dessert specials, they're not on the menu....it was the highlight of my meal. Mark's is one of my favorites in Houston!
(5)
nic f.
this is hulaboy's parents favorite restaurant in houston so we spend at least one night eating here whenever we're in town visiting his fam. i'm not a giant fan of anything houston has to offer but mark's is great for the following reasons: 1. the bartenders always know how to make an excellent brown liquor cocktail 2. the food is reliably good 3. the space is gorgeous and, even though it's an old church, i've never been struck by lightening my only complaint is that we've been eating there for years and there are some menu items that have never changed. i understand that there are fan favorites but feel like some variety (other than specials) would be nice now and then.
(4)
Blair B.
Definitely in the top echelon of Houston dining. The atmosphere in the old church is amazing, and service is great too. Word of warning.. Houston restaurants are usually pretty easy to get into, this one you might want to make reservations in advance as they are frequently booked up!
(5)
Andrew R.
After a previously disappointing trip to Marks, I have to give them very high grades on my most recent trip. It was our anniversary, and my wife and I were looking for someplace "different". We had gone previously and found it loud and crowded, with wait staff bumping into my chair, etc. This trip was very different. We were seated quickly and on time, up in the balcony and out of the traffic flow. The theme ingredient of the day seemed to be truffles.. and oh they were good. My wife had "Crab three ways" as her appetizer, while I had the angel-hair in a cream sauce with Parmesan. Then, the shaving of truffle directly on to the pasta at the table. Smelled heavenly, and if you wait a minute to the let the truffle warm and release its essence, mixing it in the pasta, it was divine. Entrees were similarly wonderful, my wife had a Hawaiian red-fish with a sauce she described as superb. Desserts were great, and the decaf coffee, often a disappointment even in great restaurants, was excellent. I will be interested in a return trip soon to see if this is consistent behavior, but this evening was fantastic.
(4)
Karen S.
I have loved Mark's American Cuisine since I first went there in 2001. The atmosphere is beautiful, I love the old church its in. The wine list is extensive and meets the needs of a beginner wine connossieur :). I've tried things I would never TOUCH anywhere else, Foie Gras, Soft Shell Crab - etc. and even things that don't appetize me taste phenomenal at Mark's. The service is also top notch. I can't remember the name of the waiter, but he's older and has been there for years. What a remarkable man, he knows his wine and the menu like the back of his hand and makes great recommendations for both. I can't wait to visit Mark's again soon.
(5)
Julie L.
By far, my favorite restaurant in town. We love the ambiance, the food, the wine & dessert. Great waitstaff--- they anticipate our needs before we even realize what's coming!
(5)
Jess L.
My boyfriend and I went in the weekend of Valentine's day. We had a late reservation so the restaurant wasn't too packed. They had hardwood floors, and I was wearing heels...you can guess what happened..I almost slipped. Close call. We were seated at a very small round table which I wasn't too happy about. We barely had any room for our plates! I guess they can't put many "square" tables since the restaurant has limited space. We ordered the oysters for the appetizer, which was a very good choice. My boyfriend ordered some type of meat, which was very tasty and tender. I decided to get something different and was deciding on the shrimp or the salmon. I asked the waiter which one he recommended. He said the shrimp. He brought our food out, and boy, was I disappointed. Shrimp had no great taste, and the grit cake and cilantro coulis was not good at all. I expected better. But the creme brulee was great. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here.
(3)
Gary H.
Well....I've heard that the food is good. I tried going in for lunch wearing a polo shirt and shorts (mind you they were mad nice shorts) and they wouldn't let me in, and this was LUNCH on a TUESDAY. Who do they think they are...we're in houston, c'mon, cut me some slack here.
(1)
Michael F.
Ina city with many great choices this is my favorite. I recently dined here again and despite coming in fairly late on a Sunday night, the place was half full and our service was never wanting. After a quick libation at the bar we sat and began with the heirloom tomatoes which had a nice selection some basil oil, fresh herbs, Fleur del sel and a touch of balsamic reduction (less is more here). The quail foie gras appetizer was thankfully still on the menu and of course we ordered that too. Prices have definitely risen here, but we felt that we got our money's worth. As good as the Kobe is, they were serving A-5 grade for $30.00 an oz., so we passed (you can find it cheaper at a few places). Our table negotiated and we all ordered different entrees so as best to try as much of the menu as possible. The veal was incredibly tender. My lamb trio was good. The lamb sausage on it was distinctive, crisp on the outside and just the right amount of salt. I liked the pork tenderloin and the duck was the usual hit ( parts were a bit too rare for me, but my dining companion loved it). A TX tempranillo had a bold aroma, if a bit of a weird snap on the finish(reasonably priced). The recent addition of a new pastry chef has made old favorites stronger (raspberry tart) and showcased some new presentations and ingredients that are excellent. The study of chocolate swept all cliches away and was filled with wonderful textures (frozen souffle) and reasonably sized portions (just enough to enjoy and share). Part of what I like most here is that when Mark obtains a rare or high quality item he lets it shine by not smothering it in spice and showmanship. Still my number one in Houston and they serve late (till 11:00 weekdays & 12:00 Fri-Sat.).
(5)
Lily L.
This is actually "Mark's American Cuisine" not Mark's restaurant. Being that this is the top Zagat rated restaurant ("28" for food) in Houston, I couldn't resist. In any case, I walked in solo to dine for one. There was, happily, no wait for the bar area. This was perfect, since the bar staff gave me an excellent recommendation for a wine (pinot noir) to pair with my entree (duck confit). Coming from California, the dishes here are definitely bigger than average. But, what did I expect? it IS Texas - they DO do everything bigger here. I've been to very nice restaurants in San Francisco, but nothing compares to the duck I had here - skin was perfectly crisp with a slight hint of the wood used to cook the duck, and the sauce, MY GOD THE SAUCE, made from mango/blueberries or some other out-of-this-world combination... it was truly PERFECT. Pair all this with the risotto on the side, and you can't help but stuff your face. I was so full from the huge portions, I didn't have room for dessert. Too bad because the sorbets looked yum.
(5)
Morgan G.
Celebrated our wedding anniversary here and it was wonderful!
(4)
Chris B.
In town on business and need to blow a few bucks on the expense account? Or celebrate a special occasion in an intimate atmosphere? Then head to Mark's. It is a truly out of the world dining experience, and this is coming from a San Francisco food snob. The wine list kicked ass, the menu was inventive and tasty looking, and the dishes we ordered were all excellent. Definitely try the Chilean Sea Bass, and strongly consider getting any of the nightly specials. We tried the heirloom tomato appetizer and were very pleased. And last but not least, the dessert we ordered (a chocolate torte w/blueberry muffin ice cream) was the best dessert I've had since I began eating dessert with my restaurant meals. Oh... and the service is excellent as well. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, and recommended an excellent wine that was very moderately priced.
(5)
B C.
OK, they would have got a 5, but we ordered 4 $100 bottles of wine and 2 of them were mediocre. So, maybe I shouldn't penalize them b/c I can't order wine. The food was fabulous. Shrimp/tuna appetizer was spectacular with real wasabi (a little different than the horseradish most places serve). My veal entree was also awesome --- the rib just fell apart when I tried to pick it up (yummy). And, when you are almost full it is refreshing that a Houston restaurnant serves a sensible portion for dessert. Warm chocolate cake for me, creme brulee for my date. We both licked the plate. :)
(4)
Debbie B.
I have rarely been to a restaurant so overrated. I expected the high prices, but I certainly wasn't prepared for the poor service. Our waiter had no more interest in our table than the man in the moon. He was dour and non communicative and pretty much non-existent. When someone at the table wanted to order an extra bowl of soup, we had to ask another waiter for help. Never once were we asked if our meals were OK or if we needed anything else (like, perhaps, another glass of wine). I have eaten at many expensive and even not so expensive restaurants in Houston and other cities (Paris, Washington, DC, Melbourne, Sydney, San francisco) and never have I had worse value. The food wasn't bad but it was hardly anything worth returning for. I'm a pretty dedicated foodie, and this place just does not measure up. I had the feeling that you needed to be part of the "in crowd" to receive good service at Mark's. Almost nothing can make me refuse to tip 20% or higher but at mark's I was sorry I had to leave anything.
(2)
Jennifer B.
Best meal I have had yet and I have eaten at some of the most celebrated restaurants in the nation. We had a spaghetti squash appetizer that left me crying tears of joy in my plate. I was in sort of a tame mood when I dined there and just ordered a chicken dish. Again, I was floored at how the flavors just popped in my mouth...this was not an ordinary dining experience. Service was on task and polite! I most definitely will be putting this into my special occasion file. You will need to sell your children to pay for it though.
(5)
Kendra C.
I don't know what took me so long to check this place out - I've heard such great things about it. It surpassed my expectations. We walked in without reservations on the first Monday of Restaurant Week, and were seated without delay. Everyone, from the valet to the hostess, waiter, and bussers, was polite and friendly. The seared foie gras & quail appetizer made me say "Wow". The grilled salmon entree was moist, tender, flavorful, and unexpectedly (and deliciously) paired with a coconut risotto, yuzu citrus carrots and other vegetables. My dining companion ordered the warm chocolate cake with German coconut pecan icing and pecan brittle, and it was unspeakably good. She literally could. not. speak. Except to say "mmmm..." after almost every bite. For restaurant week, this is an amazing deal. This place is birthday good, or pop-the-question good, and can definitely transform your Monday into something special.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : No Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Katie S.
I love Mark's. I had one of the three best meals of my life here, the other two being from Auberge du Soleil in Napa and the Glass Wall right here in Houston. The bartender makes a perfect martini and the wine list is awesome; do not be afraid to ask for help, that is what they are there for. I have, however, had a bad meal here recently which makes me tend to agree with other reviewers who say it has gone down-hill in recent years. Though everyone else's dishes were perfect, my tuna was over done and dry.
(4)Jenn C.
HRW! A small little church building off of Westheimer... wow! This place was amazing... the creativity in the dishes, the presentation, the service, all were top notch! Started out with the seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Fatty, buttery, crispy all at the same time. The after taste was so comforting that it kept you going back for more, oh what melt in your mouth goodness! Then to the roasted salmon with coconut risotto and yuzo citrus carrots. The salmon was fresh and cooked just right. The coconut risotto was different, smooth and rich with hints of the tropics. Also tried the Trio of seafood... wow. That was even better than the salmon. The variety of the trio, from crab meat to scallop to shrimp, the dish definitely engages your creative side. I got a special shout out to the spinach flan, amazing! I wish I had a whole bowl of that alone. Lastly, the dessert... so sad dinner had to come to a conclusion... while waiting for a table before dinner I saw plates of dessert go by. At first I wanted to pick the chocolate cake, but then after seeing the presentation of the raspberry shortbread tart, I changed my mind. So glad I did! The raspberry tart was like eating a giant warm shortbread cookie by a whole lot better. The crust was a cross between cookie and pie flake, sweet and so delicious, coupled with the warm raspberry filling... its a piece of the country. On the side, a beautiful scoop of pistachio ice cream sat eagarly waing my approval. Yes child, you did 'good'. Teehee... so well that I ate the sugar cone that held the ice cream too.
(5)Tracey L.
During my week of gastro-gluttony, I decided to spend a serious chunk of change at Mark's. I started with the Lobster Bisque and it was full of lobster pieces and extremely rich and flavorful. For my entree I went with the Chef's special: Half of a roasted Spiny Lobster tail, 2 large rock shrimp, a scallop and then popcorn shrimp strewn throughout. It was delightful! For dessert I ordered the in-house made truffles, and they too were decadent. Even though I enjoyed my food, I seriously doubt that I will be returning. Why? Because although the food was very tasty, I really don't know that it was worth the price considering there are seafood restaurants that only serve seafood at nowhere near the price that Mark's is charging!
(4)Ken M.
A fine dining experience like no other. Forget everything you know about eating. Mark's makes the taste and experience to the next level. A bit pricey BUT worth every dime.
(5)Steven B.
One of the best meals I have ever had !!!!!! The presentation, taste and wine were all a perfect combination. This is a must if you love fine food.
(5)Mary L.
My friends and I recently celebrated one of my best friend's birthday at Mark's and I have to say I was disappointed. My entree, grilled cod, was good but nothing to brag about. The best part I could think of was the onion bread. I could have eaten that all night. What I was really not happy with was the cake cutting fee. When I made the reservation two days earlier I asked the hostess if it was okay for me to bring in my own cake for dessert and she said yes. When my friend and I arrived and asked the hostess if she can put the cake in the cooler, the manager walked up to me and asked if I knew about the fee we would have to incur for them to cut the cake. I was taken aback because I have never heard of such a thing! The girl who took the reservation did not once mention a cost to cut the cake. He then goes on to tell me it is $5.00 PER PERSON for them to slice up the cake!!! I told them we could cut it up ourselves but he said they would still charge!!! I HAVE NEVER EVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING! Except for at weddings but never at a restaurant. I think that is such a ridiculous rule. Needless to say I will not be returning to Mark's. Not because of the cake but overall my experience. I have to agree with the other reviews in that the food was not memorable.
(2)Andrew B.
This was officially the first restaurant we got to experience when we visited in mid Feb of 2012. Having a complimentary valet was the first impression although you would not think this restaurant would be located where it is although I am not one to judge.... The ambiance was just amazing and the building I guess was and old church which really added to the charm. This would be a great place to have a first date or anniversary. It just so happened to be the birthday of our host's so we got to enjoy the dessert they offered. Although I know that all of the items we had were fantastic, I wish I could add more detail to what was actually really good....The menu changes daily so I can imagine there are items that are always there but other items that come and go. The service was great, the food was fantastic, and we will be back. Tough way to start our dining experience in Houston since it is going to be VERY hard to beat Mark's. If you have not been, do yourself a favor.....GO!!
(4)Izzy Q.
Wonderful establishment. Marks still holds the top spot on my restuarant list. Wish there was a little bit more lighting but it seems this has not dampered the success. I cannot wait to visit again.
(5)Grace K.
Truly mediocre-tasting food. The cathedral interior is not as "romantic" as everyone claims. It's pretty un-memorable. The food was disappointing for the price, but the dessert was my favorite course! The creme brulee was good, and a pretty generous portion. The chocolate plate (one of the special desserts of the day) was also yummy... it came with a chilled choc. souffle, choc. mousse, choc. ice cream, and something else chocolatey. My creme brulee reminded me of the movie Amelie, and then my friend's chocolate plate made me think of Chocolat...
(3)Jeff S.
A few friends and I went for restaurant week. We ended up getting the wine pairing with our meal. I had the oysters, duck and crème brulee. All in all between the 6 of us we tried the RW menu except the chicken entree. Everything was just OK and the portions were very small. So much so everyone at the table went out for a snack after. The most disappointing was the duck it was almost jerky. One of us sent the duck back when the new piece arrived it was uber rare. So we think that one of the cooks was screwing with us for sending it back. The best was my Crème Brulee, It was the best i have ever had!! All in all i would say to the chef, if you don't want to participate in restaurant week, don't. Mark's is always full, but for the 4 people in our group who hadn't been there before they won't be back. I have had the regular menu and it is good so I would come back. So stay away from restaurant week at Mark's
(2)Bryan H.
Best Restaurant in Houston. Great food and phenominal service.
(5)Lam N.
Great service. Waiter desribed dishes very well and made choosing my entree a delite. Not the best seating situation. Seems a bit cramped. Overall good experience.
(4)TJ W.
Had dinner at Mark's last evening with 8 friends. The restaurant is beautiful as always, however, the food was nothing to write home about. We shared two of the appetizers, tuna tartar and a pasta with shaved black truffles. Both were fare, but nothing exceptional, and certainly not worth the asking price. The bison steaks were supposed to be medium rare, however, came out quite over cooked. The duck was mostly fat and skin, soft and chewy. The medium rare steak was medium well..... There is a theme here. On an up-note, the coconut cream banana pie was outstanding. Service was also very good, however, I was very irritated to find almost a full bottle of white wine in the bucket when we left. The waiter(s) never came around and re-filled the white wine glasses. All in all, a $1000 dinner. I have had a much better dinner at Shade. We probably won't be back. .
(2)Nikol K.
I went here for lunch and everything was excellent. The food was very good, service was extra efficient and friendly.
(4)Phil L.
This is one of the best restaurant's I've eaten at. From the appetizers, to the soup, to the salad, to the main entree, and finally to dessert, everything tasted perfect! The roasted corn chowder was awesome, creamy and just the right amount of spiciness! I had the lamb chops which were a special the time I was there. Very flavorful and grilled to perfection. Something I did find peculiar was th decor. As some of the other reviewers have mentioned, the restaurant is supposedly a converted church. From the outside, the restaurant looks like two spiffed up double wides fused together. The overall decor is nice but if you take a closer look at the walls and the ceiling, it's faux paint! The bricks aren't really brick, they're painted! Kind of cheesy for a restaurant of this caliber if you ask me.
(5)Grace P.
My fiancé and I visited Mark's for the first time last night, in celebration of my 23rd birthday. I was thrilled to finally be trying a new restaurant, and we had high expectations for Mark's. I have heard wonderful things over the years, and Mark's was highly recommended by my fiance's colleagues. The restaurant is in Midtown, so we expected parking to be a bit of a challenge. If you do not want to valet park, you will be parking along the streets and probably walking a bit. We were promptly seated upstairs when we arrived. Mark's is beautifully decorated, and it is obvious that it was once a small church...it is so resonant inside, hardly ambient and romantic. I could hear conversations coming from tables all around us. The tables are placed very close together, so that certainly doesn't help either. There was a trio of obnoxious people at the next table, and they were yelling profanities during our entire meal. They had obviously had too much to drink, and the staff did nothing to quiet them. I initially decided to just clench my teeth and deal with it, but I could no longer take it when I was halfway through my main course. I asked for a different table, our server said he wasn't able to move us since we were already almost finished with our meal (understandable), but he'd relocate us downstairs if we decided to stay for dessert. We took him up on this, and the rest of our experience was more pleasant. It was much later by then and the restaurant was mostly empty, so we were finally able to get the peaceful evening we had desired. Now, onto our meal. Neither of us care too much for wine, so we ordered iced teas, which were frequently refilled. The bread basket offered is better than average, with a generous assortment tasty, freshly baked bread. The focaccia is especially noteworthy. We ordered the salmon appetizer, which was basically about 9 pieces of assorted smoked salmon, very thinly sliced. At this point, we had figured out that portions at Mark's are painfully small. Our entrees arrived shortly after we finished our appetizer. I had the halibut,and my fiancé had the lamb. The halibut was tender and flaky. It rested on a bed of vegetable risotto, which I thought tasted a little chalky and undercooked. The lamb lollipops were perfectly cooked and well-seasoned. I give Mark's props for really knowing how to prepare their meat and seafood, though they really charge a pretty penny for your meal. We finished our meal with the warm chocolate cake, which had a superb melt-in-your-mouth texture. They threw in complimentary a mini blueberry cake since it was my birthday. It complimented the chocolate cake very well. We had to flag down our server for the bill. Will we be back? Probably not...this restaurant is anything but romantic, considering the level of noise inside. I felt like I was in a school cafeteria. The food is delicious, but very overpriced. The service was good, but not exceptional.
(3)Kristina F.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Marks failed to impress. This was my second time to the restaurant and I really wanted to love it
(3)Esther A.
***Note: this review is based on Mark's service during Houston Restaurant Weeks*** Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Food: 3.5/5 Service: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: 2/5 See, I've been secretly stalking Mark's on Yelp for a while...... so when my team director suggested going there for dinner during HRW, I was super excited. Perhaps I was way too excited or my expectations were too high, at the end of the night, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. First of all, FOOD: For the first course, I picked the Hearth Roasted Flying Point Oysters (3/5) - the sauce was rich and creamy, the truffle aioli vinaigrette was a nice touch, but the oyster itself is a little weak, and I'm not a huge fan of the little deep-fried pieces of oyster on top, mine was a little burnt. Main course, I picked the duck (3/5) - this little duckie nearly broke my heart, because this dish had the potential to be so good, yet the flavor is little imbalanced, my mouth was screaming for more tart berry sauce, and the duck breast is pretty dry. (If I could pick again, I'll definitely go for the Trio, my teammates got it, and they all like it) Dessert, Ginger Pavlova with Vanilla gelato & Peaches (4/5) - this is pretty much the star of my night. The dish has a very good balanced of texture and flavor, not too sweet. SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant looks cozy, since it used to be a church, however, it is LOUD. Mark's definitely busy, they probably get a lot of new customers due to HRW, so to their defense, the people that I saw tonight was probably not the usual crowd -- but still, for a nice restaurant like this, I was just surprised by how noisy it was. Service was okay (which is a horrible thing to say for a top restaurant like Mark's). Did the dishes come in a timely manner? Yes. Was the service tentative? Muh~ Did our waiter introduce himself? Nope. Was a helpful and give good suggestions? Yes. Did he entertain us with amazingly funny personal stories/words of the day/random comments? No, but that would be nice. So anyway, here's the moral of the story: Overall experience at Mark's = pleasant. Is it worth $35, w/$10 per glass of wine? YESSS! Did the whole experience blow my mind? Nope. Is it worth paying over $60 per person for a normal dinner? Hmmmm, I'm not sure. I'd rather go to Da Marco. But here's the deal, IF like me, you've been secretly stalking Mark's on Yelp for some time, while the HRW is going on, JUST GO! In fact, GO (reserve your table) RIGHT NOW! Cos whether you'll fall deeply in love with Mark's or not, it'll still be worth it!
(3)Cody M.
As you may or may not know the month of august is restaurant weeks in Houston and when I saw that marks was on the list of restaurants I jumped at the chance to eat here. Our experience was not bad, but it was not good either. First our waiter brought us the wine list but we had to ask for our menus and he acted super rude about it. I'm sorry I like to know what I'm going eat before I order wine. OK, I would be willing overlook that and continue with our meal but as soon as we expressed interest in the set courses for restaurant weeks his attitude completely changed. He start being short with us and it just felt like he was just trying to turn the table over. THEN, we had our appetizers which were great. I don't really have any complaints. I had foie gra and bacon wrapped quail stuffed with serrano and cheese. it was awesome! my girlfriend had the oysters with spinach flan which was good as well. For my entree I had the duck, which was fine but my girlfriend got the trio entree which is diver scallops, shrimp and softshell crab. The scallop was way over cooked! Should never have been on the plate! For desert we got the raspberry shortbread tart and the creme brulee. The tart was awesome but the creme brulee was disappointing. The reason I score this place so low is this: inconsistency in the food and service. I feel like if you are going to participate in a charity event like restaurant weeks you should not just half ass your way through it.
(2)Sergio M.
I used to love this location, beautiful decor meals were excellent until... Something went sour! Food is dry, lamb is a 2 out of 5, and jumbo shrimp was rubbery and could pass as "long johns silvers" combo number 5. On the upper hand service is still excellent. But when one is "fine dinning" all around excellence is expected. My recommendations. " lamb. medium rare"
(2)Vanessa M.
Here is what we got: - Oyster Appetizer - My husband and I both had to pick oyster shell debris out of mouths. They were tasty and well cooked but nothing creative like I was hoping for. - Walnut Crusted Rack and Loin of Lamb - The lamb was cooked medium as requested. The meat was very tender. The seasoning was perfect. Maybe not the best lamb I have ever had but I did thoroughly enjoy it. The three color potatoes were flay-vor-lus. The thyme roasted summer squash and zucchini screamed precooked. Also, one bite would be full of salty seasoning while the next would have no flavor at all. - Beef Tenderloin - The beef was of the highest quality no doubt. It was cooked medium as requested. The flavor of the natural steak was wonderful but that was all you could taste. It was very under seasoned. The spiced cabernet sauvignon sauce was also underwhelming. So sad. The mashed potatoes were a garlicky buttery dream that I can make at home very easily. So I was not impressed. The mashed potatoes were topped with what they referred to as "tater tots" but were just old, dry, obviously pre, pre, precooked sweet potato balls rolled in Parmesan cheese. BORING.The roasted squash was not edible. It was diced up, very small with onions and tasted horrible. And like all the other side vegetable seemed very precooked. - Vanilla Creme Brulee - Ah yes, one of my favorite desserts, though I think I say that about every dessert. The sugar on top was burnt, essentially ruining the entire dessert. The custard itself was very tasty, nothing out of this world and not as smooth as most creme brulees I've had in the past. Service was over bearing as it sometimes is in upscale restaurants. They sat us next to the kitchen door so we had the pleasure of people rushing back and forth our entire dinner. And apparently it is where the staff likes to stand while they wait to make their next move. So it was like we were dining with a group of people. I sound grumpy I know but I didn't have the best experience here.
(3)Billie P.
Very classy. Superb service, fantastic quality on the preparation of the meals, professional presentation. I had the beef plate with prime rib. this was absolutely he best prime rib I have ever had. Great for that special occasion or date night with the spouse. Well worth the price. Setting is an old church from the 1920's that has been kept in meticulous condition. Dinner, wine, dessert all rank a 10. Parking is tight, valet only. Will visit again.
(5)Kathy Z.
So Mark's already has a gazillion reviews. My little review is just a drop in the big big ocean. I feel like Mark's is a rite of passage for all wanna-be food critics in Houston though, no? It's the holy grail of Houston fine dining. (Holy grail or money drain, same thing) Love the decor and ambiance. Classy but not stuffy. It's so unassuming from the outside, like so many other places in the Montrose area. I came for HRW because this starving student can't normally afford $40+ entrees plus wine. The food was on par with what I expected from. Meticulously prepared and obviously well thought-out. Everything was nice, but I wasn't blown away. I think the menu can stand to be a little more creative, maybe using more exotic ingredients or techniques. All in all, It's a solid choice for a date night or small special gathering.
(4)Elizabethe A.
Mark's is everything a restaurant should be. The food is always perfectly executed with the perfect ingredients, the atmosphere is beautiful and warm, the service is perfectly orchestrated and very professional, I just don't know what more you need. Oh yes, a fat wallet. But putting that aside, I have been to Mark's again and again and have always been completely blown away by the food. This time I ordered a seafood trio which had several things including a perfectly seared giant scallop, a tasty clam mixture, the most tender shrimp I have ever had in my life, and some other delicious stuff that I can't remember. It was very complicated. Anyway, you can tell that I every aspect of every dish has been thought out and then cooked and plated to perfection. That night, there was also an angel hair pasta dish with a light cream sauce topped with FRESH TRUFFLE, shaved right at the table. I mean holy crap, you can't top that, you just can't. And it tasted as good as it sounds. It was just mind blowing. I also tried the venison which was cooked perfectly rare, so it was a deep purple color in the middle and it was fork tender. How do you make venison not gamey, I DON'T KNOW, but Mark's does. I also tried the tuna tartare appetizer which was also good, but I mean that wasn't as unique and Mark-like as the other dishes. We also indulged in dessert with the bread pudding which was had the perfect smooth and custardy texture and some kind of toffee mousse cake which had all kinds of different layers of awesomeness. Just the toffee crumble garnishes alone would have pushed me over the edge of ecstasy. Anyway, as in all great things, people wonder if they're overrated. No. No.
(5)Jenn M.
This is the first restaurant I am visiting during Houston Restaurant Week(s). As I mentioned before my list is short. I have had several business lunches at Mark's but never a dinner. Looking at the sample menu made me jump at the chance to dine here. My mind is made up on what selections I will have from each course, I sit down poised and ready to order. However, Mark tosses a curve ball when the actual menu comes out. Scrambling, as there was no beef option to select, I quickly zero in on what would be my main dish. Fire roasted breast of Muscovy, duck confit, wild rice & golden jewel rice, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. For starters I went with the prosciutto, melon and vinaigrette salad. I wanted to ensure I would not be full, as the duck sounds amazing. My choices were paired nicely with a Pinot Noir from Chile named Cono Sur. I really have been exploring my love affair with Pinot Noir's and loving it! This was light and fresh, flavorful but not too robust to overpower the food. With all our selections made, wine and conversation flowing a cheer to Houston Restaurant week at Mark's is made. Nothing is better than sharing a meal with great company. The first course arrives and the plates look great. Our portions are fantastic as we all made comments about how perfectly sized the plate's look. My dish is a joy, everything paired up very nicely and I wasn't afraid of being too full for my entrée. Great classic combination but with Mark's touch. The timing of the second dish is perfect. We have a little break to discuss our food and to sip some wine. I don't usually select this bird; I am a beef kind of lady but I was left speechless. My first bite is succulent and perfectly mixed with the berry sauce. Not going to lie, I cleaned my plate and that is rare. I was beyond satisfied but not full to where it becomes uncomfortable. Plenty of room for desserts as we order one of each on the menu. The rest of the evening is a tad fuzzy, I became star stuck when Chef Mark Cox himself came over to our table. He hung out and told us how he selects the menu and rotates between several different main dishes. Mark has lots of tastes to satisfy from coast to coast. Not sure how long he spent chatting with us, but for me it was spectacular and a huge honor as I am such a fan. With that said, it was a phenomenal birthday dinner for Jenn UnCorked. FIND PICTURES ON jenn-uncorked.com
(5)pooja t.
we celebrated our 8-year anniversary here and it was for a short while my favorite restaurant in the city... Visited again (this time with my sister) for Houston restaurant week... Our waiter tried really hard to sell the lobster meal for $44 to us. Even after I politely turned him down, he insisted.. this was just the beginning of our experience which was quickly headed downhill. The meal sizes were a joke. My appetizer was two tomatoes with other stuff in there and the beef entree maybe had 3 or 4 Oz's of meat. I even asked my sister if we were being punked. To top it all the menu that was in the rest week website was different from what they had that evening. On asking the waiter he said the menu online was a sample menu. I hate when businesses pull the "read the fine print". Also be prepared for one of the loudest restaurants you will ever visit, so if you are thinking romantic atmosphere... keep looking!
(2)Nga N.
The hubby and I went to Marks for their Houston Restaurant Weeks lunch menu. Overall the experience was really pleasant! We skipped the valet and parked in the street. The hostess was very friendly and we were seated immediately. I had the Pyramid of Corn Soufflé and the hubby had the Mascarpone Flan. The Soufflé was so good! It was light, yet packed with sweet, spicy flavor. The Mascarpone Flan was pretty good too, but I liked mine better. The presentation looked like something out of Iron Chef :-) For the entrées, I had the Salmon and the hubby had the Seafood Pasta. I think we liked the 1st courses better. My salmon piece was huge, yet lacked flavor. It seemed overcooked and I had to really utilize the surrounding sauces to get some flavor. The risotto seemed a little undercooked as well, but the veggies were very good. My husband seemed to enjoy his Seafood Pasta (I didn't taste it) though he commented that the pasta surrounding the cannelloni was a little chewy. We ordered the 7 layer chocolate cake separately and it was rich and dense, but not overly so. The scoop of ice cream and berries complimented it perfectly. I highly recommend it. I was initially concerned over being rushed through my meal because this was a HRW visit, but that wasn't the case at all. Service was pleasant and attentive and we'll probably pay another visit when the HRW rush dies down.
(4)David S.
My recent visit to Mark's was sobering. And it has compelled me to give Mark's one star. Allow me to explain. The Houston restaurant scene is awesome. From food trucks to Tony's, the perfect meal can be had for any occasion and at any price point. As more and more contenders arrive on the scene, the perennial favorites must stay on their game. Mark's has not. And this can be seen in the dining room, the menu, and the pricing. The dining room at Mark's is dated. You can see it the minute you walk in. It is not charmingly antiquated, but dull. This could be forgiven were it not for the myriad of issues that lie beyond the decor. The menu is problematic. From the appetizers to the entrees, Mark's has decided that more is more. I don't mean quantity, I mean the number of items on the plate. For instance, the"poke" appetizer was not poke. Great poke is some iteration of raw tuna, sesame oil, soy, scallions and maybe avocado. It's beauty lies in its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients. But Mark's decided to make it about noodles. In fact, the dish was predominantly noodles with bits of raw tuna. This was made all the more problematic given the price, which I will address in a moment. Then there was the Scottish salmon entree. If you have a beautiful piece of fish, don't detract from it by putting a bunch of unrelated, average things on the plate. One baby carrot, one piece of broccoli, a clump of ratatouille (maybe), and an unidentifiable fried disc do not belong on a plate when they have noting to do with the main item. If you have ever had the "fish" at a large, business-hotel-banquet function, you have an idea of what I am describing. I could live with all of this bizarre mediocrity were it not for the borderline offensive pricing. Appetizers (for one) at $20 a pop? Entrees starting at $40 dollars? At a world class restaurant (or in NYC, Tokyo, or London) I can live with that. But not in Houston. Name one other restaurant in this town that charges those prices and I will promise you one of the better meals of your life. Not at Marks. Now, this is one man's opinion. Perhaps I had a bad experience. Perhaps everyone at my table had a bad experience. So take this review for what it is worth. But I believe that something has to change at Mark's. There are just too many wonderful restaurants in Houston for me to patronize this establishment.
(1)Paulina T.
I surprised my boyfriend with a dinner here for his birthday with some of his close friends and mine. It was more than I imagined. I always heard such great things about this place, and I finally made the leap to try it out myself. The atmosphere and lighting were beautiful. It's small, but not awkward or clustered. The service is great and available. My boyfriend and I had the quail for appetizer, and it was perfect. The fruit preserves with the quail was delicious. I had "the salad" it was light and fresh. My boyfriend tried the lobster bisque and loved it. For my main course I had the duck. Everyone had told me how heavenly it was, so I had to try it. IT WAS. We also tried every single one of the desserts Mark's offered, and let me tell you... You will die and go to heaven. AMAZING is the only thing I can say. Absolutely beautiful and delicious place. The manager, Miguel was so friendly and welcoming as well. I will of course come back.
(5)Peter T.
Food: 4/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Services: 3.5/5 Prices: $$$$ (avg 80/person) I have always wanted to check this place out since I moved here 5 years ago but never get the chance nor occasion. Finally, with the help of Yelp and Yelpers, I have arranged a romantic dinner with my partner last Friday for a little celebration... I booked & requested the best table in the house via OpenTable about 1.5 months ahead! In my humble opinion, Mark's (& the staff) earned good review from me based on 2 very basic but ethically important things which they did it RIGHT (by my book): 1) the staff did not clear my partner's plate when i am still finishing my food 2) they prepared medium-rare meat as it supposed to be, still bloody/red inside Now lets briefly go thru our evening... I heeded the advise from the Yelpers and called the day before to re-request for their best table. Indeed, we got the table on the loft overlooking all the diners in the main dining room below. The waiters were very attentive & knowledgeable in terms of the Today's Specials and wine pairing. We started with a glass of Brut Rose $20/glass, a bit steep. We both had starters, entree and shared a dessert, here's what we had: Trio of Seafood (Day's Special) Scallops, shrimp & stone crab claws. I only tried out the tiny scallop and they were delicious, very well seasoned and seared. It really quite a lot for a starter especially for a non-American diner like ourself Duo of Foie Gras $22 AMAZING. Comes with 2 versions, one the regular (just like butter) & the other seared. I have never try a seared foie gras, its heaven! Its lightly charred on the outside & soft in the inside oozing with juices as you cut it. The accompaniments are pear & squash compote, pumpkin ginger butter & cherry preserve just didnt do much, so, i skip those & just devoured the foie gras as is... YUMMY! I prefer using the fresh sliced bread instead of the crackers. This is a highly recommended starter and its enough to share but if you are going to have it your own, i suggest to go for a lighter entree which i did not, read on... Lamb Shank $43 (Day's Special) The partner decided to go for this. Was told that i would be cooked similar to Osso Bucco, but WRONG! It was deep fried but still very tasty. It was marinated well and rubbed with lots of spices. Another very huge serving and if you already have starter, this is way too much... Duck $33 I was torn between the salmon and this but decided to just check this out since duck is never easy to cook, so, i just want to try out how Mark's prepare this meat... the result, WELL DONE! I ordered med-rare & for the first time after living in the USA, I had mine correctly prepared. The duck is not too gamey but still has it taste, well marinated, tender and i could simply eat it without any accompaniment. Its a huge portion and with the addition of a lumb of duck confit, this is really worth the price & heavy dish. The wild & farro rice side also very tasty & well seasoned, and as for the roasted forelle pear, its just add to your taste buds, slightly sweet with a tang... I wish they could give me more of that instead of just a tiny half piece of the pear coz it does go well with the duck! Chocolate Combo (Day's Special) We decided to share a dessert & glad we did coz this is no ordinary 1-man dessert. It came with 4 type of chocolate heaven. The mousse, ice-cream, peanut butter choco, and one other which i cant remember what. We both agree that the choco ice is the BEST! Overall, Mark's deserve the 4 stars and accolades/awards that were hanging at the entrance. If you have the money & a special occasion to celebrate, then I highly recommend this place and make sure you get the table on the loft... That being said, this is NOT a Michelin star restaurant BUT with a Michelin star prices. The food still need a tad of refinement in taste & better accompaniment, this is just my 2cents!
(4)Larae M.
And so the wait is over! Literally & figuratively. After fielding questions from our dinner group ("so what would you give this place," "how many stars," "but what about the ambience, the service"), I've finally come to the conclusion to give Mark's 4-stars. Let me enchant you with a little story on why there was so much confusion in our group of 11 regarding the rating for this restaurant. On a Friday night, we were celebrating two gal pal's bdays and had reserved ahead of time for the 8:30pm time slot. The birthday celebrant herself (upon making the reservation) asked the reservation hostess at the time if this was a good time slot, as the restaurant apparently also had another large party at 5:30pm. The hostess assured her that it would be plenty of time for the party before us to be seated, served, & cleared by our 8:30pm reservation. And so on a slightly chilly Friday evening, after valeting our cars, we piled ourselves into the tiny waiting area at Mark's. It was 8:15pm, and half of our group was there. We were told by the maitre' d at that point that the dinner party before us was paying their tab, and that as soon as it cleared, they would seat us. We didn't mind, at first, since some of our party weren't there yet. At 8:45pm, our group was complete, and we ask if the table is ready. The maitre' d nervously explained to us that the party, although paid, was still loitering around the table, but that he would go over to *politely* tell them that our party was waiting for that table. For the time being, that was a sufficient answer for us. It was, after all, only 15 minutes past our reservation. At 9pm, a complimentary round of champagne rolls on by us, served by the maitre d himself. He profusely apologized, and stated that the table STILL had not left. We asked if we could be seated elsewhere, if table arrangements could be made, and frankly, if we were actually going to be eating dinner or BREAKFAST. Finally, at 9:30pm, we were seated with the promise of comped dessert for all! Other than the 1 hour wait for our table, the rest of the night went smoothly. Our main server and his two accomplices were great at answering all our questions, from wine pairings to preparation questions, etc. He also rattled off a few off-the-menu specials that I ended up ordering. This, of course, is when I get into trouble. There are a few food items that , if available, I always want to order. One of these are truffles. That night, they had WHITE TRUFFLES shaved over some buttered bowtie pasta.. And yes, that needed to be in caps, and if possible, in bold letters as well. As soon as I heard WHITE TRUFFLES (for appetizer) coming out of the server's mouth, I was $old. When the "diamond of the kitchen" came out, it came with a full on presentation...and I was even offered to do the last shavings of the truffle for a photo-op (I declined, because as much as a picture-whore I am, I don't play with my food). Did the taste hold up to it's presentation & reputation? You bet your mother's knickers! I savored every tiny, buttery, shaving, and was even able to share a few bites to my seat mates. For the main entree, I again went with a special. It had the giant spiny lobster. And by giant, I mean gargantuan. Split right down the middle, and served alongside some sauteed spinach & angel hair pasta, the "meat" inside was plump, juicy, and tender. Though served with two dipping sauces (melted butter, and a lemon-butter sauce), the lobster flavor really did not need any aid as it was prepared perfectly. I've NEVER been full on lobster before and for the first time in my life, I conceded defeat. The low-point of the evening was my chocolate cake, but to be fair, it was possibly just hugely over-shadowed by my app and entree. Our group ordered mostly bread pudding, chocolate cake, and even the $20 milkshake. All were decent, but didn't induce fireworks. And now came the exciting part of the evening...splitting the bill! For a group of 11, our tab came up to roughly $750 (with grat included). At first, we thought, NOT BAD! Between 11 people, that's roughly 60-70/pp, which is what we alotted for. However, when we truly separated the checks, $300 out of the $750 was all MINE. =) How did I do that much damage, you say? Well, for starters, the white truffle app was (gulp) $60...spiny lobster: $80. And it just snow-balled from there! Now, was the truffle worth $60??? I'd say $40 (since most apps cost between $15-30), but it shouldn't cost more than most entrees on the menu! I do understand, however, the price of white truffles and supposedly, it contained a sufficient amount in my dish. The spiny lobster to me was worth every penny, if not more. Do I regret spending so much on one night of gustatory indulgence to celebrate two birthdays with 11 friends? Not one iota! Life is short! Carpe Diem! Insert whatever old adage here, and then head over to Mark's and enjoy.
(4)David C.
I've always raved about this place and considered it super safe for very special occasions. Even though I have wanted to try out some of the other high end restaurants in Houston, the few times I've come to Mark's before convinced me that it was very consistent and reliable. To celebrate Valentine's Day and some other things, I took Esther L. here on the Thursday before, hoping to beat the rush. We didn't beat the rush. We were seated at a small table against the wall and there was an office party on the other side of the wall. We were also surrounded by 3 other tables (remember, the wall is taking care of a side as well). Our service was pretty bad. Our waiter, who was an elderly man, gave us the specials, took our order, placed our food down, gave us the dessert menu, brought dessert, and picked up the check. That sounds like a lot but it was done very briskly--not rudely--just because of how busy it was, how packed it was, and how many tables he was waiting on. It was ridiculous. Our food (tomato salad, corn soup, duck entree, butterfish entree, some coffee dessert) was good but I think that should be expected at any high caliber restaurant. Truth is, this is the first time I ever wanted to just get out of a restaurant as soon as possible. My suggestion to anybody who wants to celebrate an intimate and special occassion-- don't risk it here. I don't think Mark's can handle crowds. There was one waiter who was literally sprinting up and down the stairs for some reason. Unless there is a fire, there is no reason why that should happen (we were near the staircase). I definitely won't be coming back here again.
(2)John I.
Mark's American restaurant is housed in an amazing two story venue that was once a church. The cathedral style ceilings and the unique staircase makes this a very unique venue. The ambiance could be considered "romantic", but there was more noise than I would like perhaps in part due to the construction of the church and lack of sound baffling. Here was my evening: Appetizer: Hearth Roasted Chef Creek Oyster Topped with a Ragout of Jumbo Crab meat, Shrimp and Roasted Leeks in a Truffle Aioli Vinaigrette. This was a very disappointing dish. It basically tasted like a baked oyster. The jumbo crab meat was not flavorful, the shrimps were over cooked and the vinaigrette didn't seem to work with the dish. Main: Grilled Medallions of Veal served over Vidalia Onion Risotto, with Asparagus in a Marsala Field Mushroom Sauce. A very pathetic attempt at grilled medallions of veal. I ordered the veal medium rare and they came out medium. I should have sent it back, but I moved on as the service made me feel quite rushed. The sauce wasn't plentiful and it was almost like they forgot it. The risotta was OK, but it lacked seasoning. Very poor dish. The overall evening didn't live up to expectations. The service was reasonable, but very rushed as my plates came out within 15 minutes of each other. This can't be typical of a restaurant who caters to the "romantic" crowd. I appreciated the number of specials on the list, but it made the evening very chaotic. Not relaxed at all. The price points are just too high for this type of quality. I can't recommend Mark's American Cuisine
(1)Sydney L.
My husband and I love Mark's. We went for lunch in november and had the seafood trio (I don't love seafood but figured at a place like this you couldn't go wrong with what is recommended-I was right) and it was to die for. I still dream about the scallops and delicious pumpkin sauce that was paired with something on the plate. I had the salmon for my main course and it was delicious. I can't remember what the hubs got but I remember he liked it. The best part may have been the dessert though. I had the house chocolates and they are almost too beautiful to eat but so delicious that it's worth it. My husband had the "snickers bar" and it was delicious as well. We will go back over and over again.
(5)Destiny T.
From the vegetable soup to the trio of ice creams, everything is absolutely delicious. There has never been a time where I've regretted choosing a meal. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, as well.
(5)Sasa L.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!Best waiter, and great atmosphere. The food couldn't be better!!! Remember to save some rooms for the desserts. I tried all of them and I must say they are heavenly!!! And it is expensive...so maybe good for some special occasion
(5)Sherwin S.
If you try one restaurant in Houston, then it needs to be Mark's. Sure there are plenty of options in the city that dines out 4.5 nights a week...but there is only one Mark's! Converted from an old church, Mark's provide a beautiful backdrop to a wonderful meal. Sure the tables are a bit close together, but once the food hits the table almost everything else is drowned out by the culinary masterpiece demanding your attention. Make sure to visit during soft shell crab season...there isn't a chef in America that makes a better soft shell crab than Mark's!
(5)Eric H.
A beautiful setting in a old church. Everyone else was here on a date or celebrate. We just came here for a team dinner (not during Houston restaurant week). The food was decent. Appetizers are not for sharing and not very vegetarian/pescatarian friendly except the tuna. I had the salmon for dinner. Nothing out of the ordinary, and exactly what you think when you order salmon at a high-end restaurant. I had the Blueberry Mascarpone Tart - this is the most popular dessert on the menu; It was good, but lacked the ginger "kick" the waiter raved about. Overall, nothing really "wow-ed" me or planted a seed for me to return. If this is on your list of Houston places to check out, do it during HRW. Other than that, there's nothing overly exciting about Mark's. Also, I was easily able to fine parking on the street outside, since I dislike valet parking where there's a parking lot. And, an overly chatty waiter was a bit annoying.. You would find this even more annoying if you're on an intimate date.
(3)Frank A.
Came here for Houston Restaurant Week with my girlfriend and I must say the food here was divine. Reservation was at 8:30 pm on a Sunday and we arrived at around 8:15. At that hour, it was still incredibly packed so we waited at the bar for a table to open up. Service was relatively prompt (got a table at around 8:40) but the drinks at the bar definitely burned a bit of a hole in my pocket. I had a pear vodka cocktail and my girlfriend got a Riesling. Altogether including tip ended up being around $30 (though thinking back on it, the prices were pretty normal for an upscale place so I shouldn't have been surprised.) But enough of my ranting. Let's get to the good stuff. For the appetizers, I ordered the foie gras which came out seared with a sweet tangy dressing and some additional pieces of duck on the side. The foie gras was buttery though a little too blackened but the duck pieces were tender. My girlfriend had the oysters which were cooked and on a half shell. They were tasty and quite well seasoned and cooked to a nice consistency. The entree we got the duck and the salmon. The duck was nothing terribly special but the salmon is the reason why I would rate the food 5-stars. This one dish was perhaps the best fish I have ever tasted. The salmon was so tender to the point that I actually felt like it would melt in my mouth. It tasted almost like butter but not in the fattening way. It's terribly difficult to describe... you just really need to try it yourself! For dessert, my girlfriend got the creme brulee and I had the seven-layer chocolate cake. Both were delicious albeit a bit sweet. However, after such rich food, the dessert just feels a bit like a burden at the end. I'll tell you this. I don't think I've ever been full off of a Restaurant Week dinner but this one was both fulfilling in the physical and metaphysical way. This place is a high recommend but the only reason I'm not giving it a 5-star rating is because of the regular prices. For $40? I'd better be having endless steak rather than just an entree.
(4)Verna U.
My boyfriend and I came here for our third anniversary. We had both agreed to this restaurant because of the reviews on Yelp. We were both pretty excited. We made a reservation. Wait time was 10 minutes. We were seated in such a crappy area by the restroom and against the wall which had a giant curtain that I kept bumping into! The place is very loud and the seating isn't that far apart, so I could hear people talking about golf and I heard this lady slurping on her wine. Definitely not the setting for an anniversary. Our waiter was this really nice older man. Never overbearing but he had no personality whatsoever. My boyfriend was upset because nobody ever said happy anniversary to us. He thought it was unprofessional and rude. My food was pretty good. I had trio of salmon and escolar. It left me wanting me more. My boyfriend ordered potato soup and steak. We loved the soup, but he was disappointed with the steak. He had a glass of wine which he was quite amazed with but not for the portion or price. For dessert, we had a little chocolate cake with brittle. Meh, I've had better. I didn't think the $200+ we dropped was really worth it because I left hungry and we've had way better experiences elsewhere. It was okay overall.
(3)Ian H.
We have been waiting to try this restaurant. Food was absolutely out of this world. I had Ahi tuna appetizer and my wife had singleness crab salad. We split the Miso Salmon and for an extra $7 charge it was well worth jr. It was served on top of some steamed veggies and with some garlic mashed potatoes. On top of the mashed potatoes was nova lox salmon. Attention to detail was very key. The only problem I had was that when we ordered the caramel white chocolate bread pudding I specifically told the waiter that I wanted a cappuccino. It never came. I didn't feel like I should ask twice for something at a 5 star restaurant. It never showed up on the bill. Oh well. Very good experience. Awesome food.
(4)Angel C.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 7th year anniversary, our server, Ray, was phenomenal! The food was delicious, the setting was beautiful, and the service was wonderful. If you ever happen to read this review, Mr. Ray, you made my first time here and fine dining overall, a beautiful memorable experience. Thank you so much!
(5)DH N.
Had a private lunch in the Alcove room at Mark's during the holiday season. Great ambience and service from the whole staff. We were taken care of from the e-mailing of the room confirmation to when the bill was paid at the end of the meal. A few extra touches I appreciated: fresh flowers and printed prix fix menus. The food was fabulous. I had the sea bass and it was perfectly cooked. Others enjoyed their pork entree. Salads were good, crab cakes were above average, and the desserts (chocolate cake, bread pudding) were perfectly portioned and equally delicious. Excellent Pinot Noir, Emeritus, with our meal that day. No complaints here. There's a reason I frequently book firm lunches/dinners at Mark's. There is something for everyone on the menu, it's a beautiful and unique ambience, and lastly the staff takes care of you.
(4)Lisa B.
The food was great, environment was rather splendid, but I have chosen to give three stars because our waiter was a jerk. We had a small table of 4. He only shared the appetizers with two of us (Who arrived first), and halfway through explaining the specials for lunch he stopped and rudely said "Looks like yall are ready." He never finished the specials and he didn't even ask what we wanted to eat. One of us just ordered, followed by another, then he took our menus. He never asked if we wanted anything else and forgot to ask one of us what we'd like to drink. I'm not sure if it was because we were younger than most of the people in the restaurant or if he was just a rude person. I don't know if I'd go back here. The food was great but the service was not a pleasing dining experience.
(3)ben h.
if you have a romantic evening planned, mark's will not let you down. the ambiance in this remodeled church is so warm and inviting that i had to stop myself from making eyes at my business partner across the table. i really wished he was someone else the evening that i went to this restaurant. our service was impeccable and the food did not shy away from the impressive facade of the establishment. the food is a bit on the expensive side, but for a romantic/celebratory evening it is well worth the money.
(5)Aimee L.
HRW menu left me wanting more and I will have more! Made reservations for 8 and was seated promptly and service was immediately given. Menu, water, bread, before I even blinked an eye. Now that's some fast service. I wasn't sure if it was because we were HRW diners and they wanted us in and out or if it was the norm. Either way it was nice. We didn't even look at the the wine list because they were offering a wine flight with dinner. I was loving the wine flight especially since it was only $24 for 3 different wines which is a better price splitting a bottle between two people. All the wine were wonderful and it gave us the chance to match our wine to our dishes. Highlight of the meal was definitely the appetizer. We both had the oysters. Each appetizer came with two oyster shells with a a steamed shucked oyster and with crab creamy spinach. It is then garnished with a light tomato salad and corn meal fried oyster. Honestly I could have had like ten more it was that GOOD. For the second course I had the fire roasted duck breast over wild rice. Like others have said, the portion was small but I was ok with it. It was a wonderful rich smokey flavor. Dessert choice was the chocolate sponge and ganache cake with the coffee ice cream. I have to say this was perfection. Coffee and chocolate...yeah some of the best flavors in the world. I don't care what your culture or background is. Coffee and Chocolate just goes hand in hand and when done like this...yes perfection. Seriously like the first course, I could have had few more slices. Yes I wasn't stuffed when I left, but I left with a great impression of Mark's and we definitely make this a place as a must go.
(5)Keisha B.
One of the best foodie experiences of my life! From the excellent service (thank you Marco & Keith) to food that speaks for itself. The Nantucket scallops melted on my tongue and I had a near orgasmic experience when I had my first bite into my medium rare (perfection) Kobe steak. This was my hubby Mark's birthday... So happy I took him to Mark's!!
(5)Josh O.
Went there for our anniversary. Great atmosphere as always. We sat in the loft and it was very nice. I had the Alaskan crab appetizer and my wife had the soup. Both were amazing. My meal was great. I had the fish. She had the beef. Hers was missing flavor. Nothing really to rave about. The dessert was chocolate 4 ways. It was very good as well. All in it was a $300 meal with wine. Great time and we will be back.
(4)Chris R.
This is another one of my favorite restaurants. They had a terrific lunch here too that I would take advantage of frequently (but I think they stopped doing it). Oh, and the best assortment of breads they bring to your table. YUM! The service is top notch and the food is always executed perfectly.
(5)Christy D.
Like a lot other reviewers, I was also here for Houston Restaurant Week. Contrary to rumors that I heard, they are not booked solid for the month of August...at least, not at "off" times (Sunday evening at 6:45). Our group of four was seated upstairs, overlooking the awesome looking wine cellar. Atmosphere is definitely unmatched. It was a bit chilly--why do restaurants HAVE to turn the A/C temp down when it's so hot outside? People are already dressed in less for the hot weather, we don't need it 50 deg--but what can you do. Anyway, it was dimly lit, with a cute winding staircase and just an overall quirky layout that was lovely. So, for the food, I picked the oyster app, beef tenderloin entree and choc cake dessert. My favorite parts were definitely the oyster and cake. That was one delicious appetizer! It was so complex, and it was hard to tell the ingredients apart, but it all tasted good. I used the bread from the basket to sop up a bit of the sauces (side note - I think there's some sort of soft oniony bread in that basket that was wonderful!). The beef was good, cooked medium as I requested, and went well with the shrooms, green beans and mashed potatoes. The single tater tot wasn't as exciting as I'd anticipated though. :P ...the cake was delicious and light! Best coffee ice cream I've ever had. A mini scoop of it with a bite of cake was the perfect end to the meal. I thought portions were great. I was still stuffed when I left. Maybe that's because I probably gobbled up 40% of the bread, had a Pinot Noir and cleaned all my plates. I did have a bite of my dining companions' lobster bisque, duck, creme brulee and peach dessert. Thumbs up to all. If I have the opportunity to come back here, I will definitely get excited!
(4)Whitney S.
Mark's is located on the north side of Westheimer just east of Dunlavy. It is situated in a 1920's renovated church which simply adds to the restaurant's charm. I loved the atmosphere. Each separated section had unique distinctions where you could dine in a different reserve room and feel like you were in an entirely new restaurant. My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and how romantic! We started our evening with a cocktail at the bar. It was pretty crowded as it is right between the in and out doors of the kitchen. We just took it as an excuse to sit extra close. We were escorted to a snug corner table for two and were approached quickly by the sommelier. After discussing our personal preferences, he recommended the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Martin Estate. This killer bottle of wine (featured in my profile picture) was worth every penny. We decided to plan our meal around the wine instead of vice versa. With the recommended pairings, we selected the duo of quail and foie gras as an appetizer. I remember there being this fabulous citrus compute that truly contrasted well with the earthy, gamey tones of the dish. We had a bit of a role reversal with the beau ordering the lamb and I chose the beef tenderloin. As always, we shared the scrumptious meal. And the Martin Estate bottle enhanced the flavors appropriately without completely stealing the show and overwhelming the plates. We were impressed by the large servings compared to other high-end restaurants that leave you longing for more. We were perfectly satisfied and ready to share our rave reviews with our foodie friends.
(5)Eva D.
Romantic? Sure, why not. What got me was that the only way I'd step foot into a church again was if I was dining at Mark's, then I'd go to this church everyday and every week and worship the chef if it didn't put a dent in my wallet.
(5)VictoR G.
A great friend and I decided to celebrate HRWs and chose Mark's as our restaurant of choice. Since I am a seasoned HRW veteran I know that to get the best out of a meal at an establishment like Mark's it is best go early and go mid week. Well, I couldn't do early since I am taking kickboxing so we decided to go on a Wednesday to avoid a crazy popular night like a Friday or Saturday. Reservations were for 7:45p and we got there a little before 7:45, more like 7:42 or so. When we entered we quickly realized that Mark's is the kinda place that is probably always packed. Not to worry we were only a party of 2 so we just sat in what was once the church vestibule and waited. Our wait was short and pleasant. But we did notice a lot of other HRW clientele ... so here is a tip I know we do not all get to enjoy places like Marks very often, and they are gracious enough to participate in HRWs but please do not take their discounted menu offerings as a reason for you not to dress appropriately to such establishments. Yes I am talking about you lady that brought a backpack and wore rainbow flip-flops, you looked like trash, who's your mother? They were kind to seat you albeit in a hidden corner! Back to the meal .... Our waiter Mario was awesome, he assessed our need for an alcoholic beverage quickly and brought pack two great drinks. I ordered the orange crush which had a great carbonated vodka taste, not too sweat and not to strong, just right. I forgot what my friend ordered but it was too sweat for me but perfect for her. From the HRW menu my friend ordered the lobster bisque which she loved, and I ordered the oysters which were freaking delicious. We both ordered the salmon which was good but if I could reorder I would have gone with the trio option. For the desert I went with the cake which I loved and my friend went with the tart which was very good but we were stuffed and didn't finish it. Some other reviewers had mentioned that the portions previously had been too small. However I found that the portions were perfect. After kickboxing for an hour and a half I was starving, so I had anticipated to still be hungry after this meal but that was not the case and I am not a small guy. So def check this place out, but only if you dress appropriately!
(4)Devin M.
I have waited a long time to go to Mark's and told myself this year ( at least during HRW ) I would finally go.... I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED!!!! If you are an avid HRW'er such as myself, you look at the menus before deciding on the restaurants you want to go to during the month....Even if the restaurants are top notch but do not offer a variety on their menus, I am not wasting my time....Mark's offers an incredible menu... Appetizer- Hearth Roasted Flying Point Oysters ....I am a "raw" kind of gal, so I stay away from the fried and stacked high with junk kinds, but these oysters were pleasantly topped with crab meat, spinach, a creamy sauce and an interesting viniagarette...delicious and waiter also agreed they were the best choice in app (though from other reviews I would want to try the foi gras) Main- I went with the Halibut...soft, light and buttery...The main dish had 3 separate additions .....Perfect Portions (cannot repeat that enough) starting with a shrimp and crab risotto..Wow...spiced cauliflower which were tangy and almost like onion rings....and a field pea salad...delectable! Dessert- Why do all the REALLY Nice restaurants have the Best desserts?? Rasberry tart w/ pistachio ice cream- this was out of this world....especially when paired witht the ice cream Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crem Brulee- not ordinary, not ho-hum, absoultely the best hands down creme brulee I have ever had...light, fluffy, like silk Mark's 7 layer choc cake- paired with Turkish coffee ice cream...not as heavy as you would think and it was moist and light as well...ice cream just like the pistachio was awesome I had a friend with me who just started her own foodie blog and we mentioned to our waiter and next thing we know here comes Mark Cox himself to our table ( What an Honor!) He talked to us for awhile, we got to pick his brain on how he picks his food, so interesting!! Then he sent out his warm chocolate cake to us (think molten lava, with a thin praline cookie and vanilla bean ice cream...we still devoured even afte the trio we just had) You know when you anticipate something for so long and the event definitely lives up to the hype??...This is what I experienced at Mark's, worth every penny one small side note-The only blemish was a rude Hostess who got very defensive when we asked for the first time when our table would be ready (we had resos at 8:15, we were not seated till almost 9pm) and she was sarcastic with us and had a bad attitude the rest of the time....
(5)Rodolfo M.
Very good food, complex flavors if a bit on the salty side, excellent presentation. My big issue was paying $33 for two sticks of white asparagus (it was off the menu offered as a daily special as an appetizer). The waiter (unfriendly but porofessional) should warn the customer if a nonprotein appetizer is the price if an entree! I could not believe the $33 non-listed tag for an appetizer. The rest of the appetizers topped at the $25 range and they were things like oysters, duck, quail, NOT asparagus! In general, not a welcoming type of restaurant, a pity. On second thought, the valet was in fact friendly.
(2)Cynthia L.
Just remembered to write about my experiences at Mark's...still kind of peeved! The food here is wonderful but I would never return to Mark's because of their valet and service. To me a great meal is about the whole experience, from the moment you arrive at the restaurant to the food to the service to the last step out the door. The server rushed our table. We had drinks, ordered a few appetizers and the HRW dinner prefix. The check was on the table no later than 45 minutes after we sat down. It is one thing to be efficient but this is nuts! I know, I know, Mark's doesn't employ the valets but they are an extension of the establishment and they need to know. When I got my car back from the valet, the car smelled like sweat and BO. I thought, odd...I did shower today and that couldn't have been me. It is hot outside. I didn't think anything and just turned my air cabin filter on and made my way home. The next morning as I drove, I noticed a huge foot print on my dash board. Then I connected the dots and came to the realization the the valet guys probably used my car as a cooling/resting station. if they just drove it from the point where I dropped off my car to 10 steps away from where they parked the other valeted cars, it shouldn't smell like that! TOTALLY NOT APPROPRIATE!
(1)Jaime Q.
I cannot say enough about Mark's. Everything about Mark's, from beginning to end, is delightful and deliberate. The staff go above and beyond to make it a perfect dining experience. When more people showed up to my dinner than I had reserved on a Saturday evening with no tables free, the staff just magically made a table with enough chairs and space to fit us all appear. I go often enough that it'd be impossible to list all I've eaten here. Some highlights from my last visit are the seared foie gras and quail appetizer and the Canadian hard shell lobster when its available. I will say this as a rule to eat here by: You can get steak in any one of a dozen high end steakhouses so when you're here skip it. Not because its bad but because you're here to eat the specialty of the house. Whatever it is that day.
(5)Mac A.
Wife took me here for my birthday based on some google search. the lower westheimer location was less than ideal but the building itself was pretty unique and interesting. The food is over priced and very fu fu. I like to eat, good food and big portions but this did not hit the spot, Maybe if I had a hankering for foie gras this place might fit the bill. In the end, we spent $300 and I'll likely never return- because money aside, its just not my type of food and I'm not drawn in by the hype.
(3)Seb G.
Marks could be a great restaurant but it isn't. The food was fine but not exceptional and the noise level was very high. Most of this can be forgiven if it wasn't for the rude, pompous wait staff. We won't be back. Our new favorite is De Marcos. At least they appreciate their patrons
(2)Gary Y.
I was here for a group dinner. Cozy experience in the private dining room. I had the pork chops with maple sugar which was surprisingly good. Some people ordered the sirloin which looked decent as well. Warm chocolate cake was very rich and decadent. The service was also fairly good - attentive but not intrusive. Would be up for coming again on a regular night with a small group.
(4)Bobby W.
With so much already said about Mark's, what more is there to say? My wife and I were married in 2010, and our first anniversary was quickly approaching. I wanted to go somewhere special for our anniversary and I quickly remembered someone recommending Mark's as a great place to go for a special occasion. Mark's did not disappoint. We decided to dine a bit early on a Sunday evening (which was the night of our anniversary), so I made reservations at 6:00pm through OpenTable. The process was very easy, and I even received a call a few days beforehand from Mark's to confirm the reservations. When we arrived, we were quickly met by the valet service out front, and we were inside in no time. Since it was 6:00pm on a Sunday, there were maybe only a few tables occupied at the time. We were quickly seated and met by our waiter. The service was simply outstanding. My wife ordered a cocktail and I ordered a St. Arnold's Amber Ale (I'm not really into cocktails). My wife said the cocktail was outstanding. We each ordered an appetizer and an entree. For my wife, it was the corn chowder and one of their fish specials (unfortunately, I can't remember now what it was - I was too focused on my food). I ordered the lobster bisque and the veal medallions. I know this phrase gets tossed around a bit too much, but it truly was the best meal I've ever had. Everything was seasoned and cooked to perfection. The plating of the food was artful and unique. I absolutely loved every single bite. My wife decided to order the creme brule (I was simply too stuffed to eat anything more). I had a few bites of it, and it was one of the most decadent desserts I had ever tried. The waiter did ask at the beginning of the evening whether we were there for a special occasion, and we told him it was our first anniversary. When the creme brule came out, the manager brought it out with a candle and a small chocolate decoration which said "Happy Anniversary!" He said he wanted to come and wish us a happy anniversary and thank us for choosing to come celebrate the occasion at Mark's. I'm sure a large portion of people eating dinner there come for a special occasion, but they certainly made it feel a bit more special with that little bit of hospitality and attention. Shockingly, for all of our self-indulgence on a very special night, we got out of there, tip and everything, for just under $200. Given the fact that we each had two drinks, an appetizer, an entree, one dessert, and my wife ordered coffee at the end of the evening, it was an outstanding value. We will absolutely be back!
(5)Courtney C.
One of my all time favorites in the entire United States. Service is always impeccable, as is the food. If you go when soft shell crabs are in season, even better! Inventive menu, but not too inventive that you have tiny portions of unrecognizable food. The bison ribeye is amazing for meat lovers, and their wine selection is great and not too terribly expensive. If you're curious and browsing the dessert menu, the $25 milkshake is worth every booze-filled sip. Just go and enjoy is all I can say!
(5)Brooke B.
One of my most favorite restaurants in all of Houston!!
(5)Vanessa G.
So far I've been once, but it really sets a nice tone. The soft shell crab appetizer I had was to die for, seriously memorable. I can not wait to go back.
(5)Fernando C.
Good food but not great. Marks is far from ever earning 1 Michelin Star.
(3)DL S.
We had a great experience. Wonderful service, and great food which you can't duplicate at home. It is a great restaurant for special occasion. That is not much room between the tables, and the table for 2 ppl is rather small. But with great service and excellent food, you can't complain too much. Would definitely go back there and highly recommend it.
(5)Sonia T.
I LOVE Mark's. We went there when katrina was going on. Sept 21-which is my birthday which totally sucked because everyone evauated.... Anyway, mark's was still open, and I can still taste the bernaise that went with my perfectly cooked steak..... The desserts were to die for, and the service impeccable! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Ebert C.
Great international cuisine but a bit pretentious... They get slow and confused with big groups ... Food quality is outstanding ... They have a lunch set for a decent price, otherwise I found it a bit overpriced
(4)Erin B.
Amazing atmosphere, great service and superb food! The restaurant is in an old church, which makes for amazing décor and an old world aura to the restaurant. The service lived up to the price point of the food -- they even gave us a to-go bag for the breads (which were delicious -- especially the carmelized onion one!). Lastly, every item we ate -- from the seafood sampler for appetizer with a mini-lobster roll, scallop ceviche, sautéed shrimp and raw crab meat w/ pineapple, to the flash fried softshell crab + shrimp risotto main course (yes, we were craving seafood!) to the sticky bun bread pudding was spot on. Definitely worth the $30-40 price tag on the entrees and a Houston classic that hasn't lost its good food over the years!
(5)Gretchen P.
Mark's is fabulous. It's a happyish marriage of blue bloods in training (younger than 80 year old River Oaks folk) and young professionals, with some Nouveau Riche thrown in for Tanglewood representation. I was at Mark's recently with a bevy of young professionals, and of course we recalled the days of shopping there (Dream Merchant) for our next outfits to show off at Numbers. We, none of us, knew each other back then, but we were most likely shopping at the same time during the day and dancing to Nine Inch Nails and Ministry in the evenings. This time around, we were there to take advantage of Houston Restaurant week. Did I mention the fabulously perfect meal? If I didn't, you can be certain your waiter will tell you it's wonderful. A steal. That was a bit obnoxious, because I feel that a restaurant should never sing their own praise. It makes them sound cheap, like adding an "e" to grill or throwing "Upscale" into their name. [end of fugue] I ordered the three fried oyster appetizer. A bit bland, I would have rather had baked oysters (think Rockefeller and that sort), but these were some of the best fried oysters I've had in a while. The seafood platter came next. Crawfish on cheese grits, spinach flan, shrimp, soft shell crabs, and a scallop. It was a nice little cornucopia of the sea. Just the right portions of each, perfectly arranged, and overall, the perfect-sized meal. I'd go back alone for that Spinach Flan. Think souffle, but a bit more gelatinous, and well formed. I went with the waiter's suggestion of the raspberry torte. Not ideal after the seafood, but it was nicely comforting. Almost enough berries with a fair amount of pudding/breading. The meal was the perfect portion. I was not full and stuffed when I left. Who wants to be Muffin-topping when you leave a restaurant? It's uncomfortable, the seat belt is uncomfortable, and all you care about is finding your most comfortable stretchy pants. Here, I felt like high-rolling Goldilocks after having found Little Bear's porridge, chair, and bed. The one caveat/downer to this whole meal was that while we were sitting at my favorite table shape (round), and that always makes me very happy, our courses were rushed. I spent $50 on a meal and glass of wine, and only got to enjoy the experience for about 45 minutes.
(4)Kevin B.
Wow -- I want to like Mark's I really do. Seems to be quite trendy to do so. But latest experience confirms my thoughts that there are just so many better places in our fine town, why waste $$$$$ (mucho dinero!) here. Made reservation and were promptly seated. Mark's is a great interior and feels cozy. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Here's the chronology: -- minutes 1-10, asked about drinks, request wine list -- minutes 11-20, wine ordered and delivered -- minutes 21-30, menu provided, no mention of specials -- minutes 31-40, specials described, we ordered -- minutes 41-50, appetizers served And so on. Not interested in eating anywhere that can't take my order within 30 minutes of seating, or it's more than an hour before I'm eating. And prices are crazy -- if a steak is going to be $60 in H-town, better be over the top. Ours was mediocre at best -- not surprisingly not cooked to order but after an hour of sitting there you'd be surprised what you'd accept and eat! Nice wine list but all wines marked up minimum of 350%. But, that's getting to be the Houston way. Made the mistake of using debit card, and of course multiple random charges (unrelated to actual cost of our meal)) show up next day. When final transaction posted, our server had added an extra $25 tip to the 20% I (shouldn't have) left him. Mark's cleared it up promptly to their credit -- but this shouldn't happen at Houston's current trendy darling. Lots of great restaurants in Houston. Sorry, but Mark's ain't one of 'em.
(1)Amiko A.
Excellent as always
(5)Holly S.
I'll admit, I'm not a fine dining type of person. Sure I love to get dressed up sometimes and go have a nice dinner, but then I have to keep my table manners in check and sometimes that can be difficult for a girl with "hood" roots. I came to Mark's during HRW with some fellow Yelp friends and was pleasantly pleased with my experience. The ambiance is one of a kind and the food was pretty darn good too! The service was prompt, but sometimes too prompt. I don't really enjoy someone watching over my shoulder to see when I will be finished with my plate, just so they can whisk it away to rush on to the next course. Outside of feeling rushed, the HRW menu had slightly changed but still had some very pleasing options. I ended up settling on the oyster appetizer, the cod entree and the chocolate cake dessert. The first two dishes were excellent. The size of the oysters were a bit saddening, but the trio of flavors were a great way to start the meal. My cod entree was paired with a risotto that was so creamy and comforting, and the cod was light and flaky. Many of my table mates were not satisfied with the portion sizes, and although mine seemed small it was just enough for me. My main disappointment was the cake for dessert. The chocolate cake slice was uber tiny and thin, and in all honesty it tasted like Pepperidge farm cake, right out of the grocers freezer. Now, don't get me wrong - they are tasty cakes, but for $5 I can get the whole cake to myself! I expected a little more from such an upscale dining establishment. In review I was very pleased with Mark's and would love to visit again in the future, but it probably won't be this quarter. I prefer to spread my fine dining out evenly throughout the year so I don't always have to be on my best behavior!
(4)Sandy H.
Beautiful! This place is very pretty! If anything, I recommend bringing your future-fiancee here and proposing (it just have that romantic feel to it!). And trust me... it's not a hint at all! (The fact that we saw a dude propose here the night we came, na-uh... not happening!). So we came out here with my group of girlfriends (and their significant others) to do our annual HRW dinner. Luckily, I made reservations the week HRW posted its 2011 list because it was packed and reservations were gone! (So if you're trying to not spend much, remember to make reservations in July 2012 to get a decent dinner slot). I did take a peek at their regular menu and really wanted the veal (yummmm, I love me so baby cow!), but decided to stick with the HRW menu because I was being cheap. First off, their bread basket was fabulous! It had an assortment of bread and my favorite was their onion bread. It was fresh with onion strips on top... mmmm-mmmm. But, be careful of asking for a refill because they will charge (it was stated on the bottom of the menu); however, it might be because of HRW and might not be on the regular menu. As my appetizer, I had their heirloom tomato salad. It was light and very tasty. The balsamic glaze on top of the salad was perfectly drizzled and I enjoyed it thoroughly. For my entree, I had their beef tenderloin, which came with potatoes and mushrooms. The steak was cooked to my liking (medium rare- and I wouldn't have it any other way). It was plump and juicy. Unfortunately, I gave half of it to my boyfriend because his halibut was half the size of my steak and I figured he would be hungry if I didn't share. However, his halibut was very good too! I kinda wished I had ordered that. For dessert, I tried Mark's Seven Layer Chocolate Cake. I was between the chocolate cake and the Ginger Peach Pavlova, but the waiter highly recommended the cake. Thank goodness for the recommendation too! The cake was decadent and very good!! I did try the pavlova and it was decent. Not something I would order again. The ginger was over powering for my taste. Mark's was delicious and very pretty! Service was also good. I recommend coming here, especially on a nice, romantic (but pricy) date.
(4)Kate F.
This was my second time at Marks. I decided to try it for HRW this time. I was a little worried that the portions would be too small because of the great price. But for me it was just enough food. We started out with the tuna and the oysters. Im not a big fan of tuna, but the appetizer was delicious. My favorite was definitley the oysters though. You get two oysters each prepared a different way. The first was similar to an oysters rockafeller, but better. I also got one with crab meat in a butter sauce that was just delicious. Of course the sauces on the plate were very tasty too. First course was a hit! We had a really hard time picking our second course, finally we decided on the beef tenderloin and the seafood trio. The sauce on the beef was heavy in flavor, but delicious. I love Marks Risotto, not sure what they put in it, but its the best I have ever had. The trio was just delicious! I dont know how to even explain what was on the plate. The scallop was cooked to perfection, and I wish I could have had more than one. The crab salad was delicious and fresh. The flan and shrimp were very interesting, I enjoyed all three parts of my meal. A lot of people complain about the desserts, and I will have to agree with them, after such a great meal you only hope the desserts are just as great. They werent bad, but just not spectacular. I am not really a dessert person any way so it didnt affect my rating of the restaurant. Also another thing worth mentioning is the onion bread they bring out before the meal. It looked like carmelized onion on top of some delicious fresh bread. I really enjoyed that as well. Overall Marks continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in Houston. HRW is a great deal at this place!
(5)Ashley S.
I came here for lunch one friday and it was amazing! The wine was good the food was good the people were great. What more could you want? Great place! P.S. get the Creme Brule!!!!! -TO DIE FOR!
(5)Ti C.
We had the seafood platter (lobster, scallops, shrimp and I think clams) and for appetizer the truffle alfredo (shaved truffles over pasta). The food was outstanding and cooked perfectly. The seafood was fresh and everything came in good portions. The truffle pasta was amazing. Service was fantastic, the place is romantic, and price is on the high side. We went a 2nd time for restaurant week. The food was amazing once again, however the portions were a bit small. We left unsatisfied, but food was outstanding nonetheless. This restaurant overall was a great experience and so far, tops our list of favorites.
(5)Melissa T.
The bf and I only came here because my brother gave us a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate. We made last minute reservations on a Friday night and were able to snag a table on the first floor. Nothing on the menu stood out. We got the duo of foie gras to be adventurous, but I wished I had gotten a caesar salad instead. Yuck! Bf got the duck, and I got the beef tenderloin. I don't eat a lot of meat on a regular basis, so it was just too much meat for me. Give me some rice! The desserts looked really good, but we didn't get any.
(3)David N.
The food tastes heavenly. Maybe because this once used to be a church and the chefs must be blessed. I came here on a week day night for an anniversary dinner. Booked reservations on Monday and had a spot that Wednesday night. Their website suggests if you can make it during the week come then instead of on the weekends when it's crazy crowded. We came in and we were seated in their main dining area. It looked like there was a decent amount of space upstairs and a possible side room? The first thing I notice was their wine cellar. OMG just beautiful. The lighting inside is dimly lit for a very romantic feel, but not so dark that you can't see each others faces or the food you're eating. We started out dinner with a sample of their cocktail menu. I had Mark's version of a mojito, smooth, but packed a good punch. My gf had the berry sangria, sweet but not overwhelming. Our waiter was very informative and went through the night's specials in about 5 minutes. They had a seafood sampler that just sounded amazing. So we started our meal off with that. The scallop on top of a crab cake flan? was like the best thing I had ever tasted. The scallop and that flan just melted in my mouth. Also another one of the specials of the night was the bison, really? buffalo? I've had buffalo burgers but never as a steak. I was imagining a very tough piece of meat but the waiter assured me it was the exact opposite. So that was my choice. He also suggested medium rare, which is a lil more rare than I normally get of just medium but he was right on with everything else so I followed. My gf had the salmon. My bison was great. It was served sliced into about 8 pieces, with a side of potatoes and cheese. The meat was so moist and cooked exactly as described. Usually when things are on the rare side it's bloody, not the case here. The salmon was cooked through and had a good seasoning on the outside. It was served with a rice that was very similar to a coconut sticky rice. As for dessert, we were stuffed, but the waiter surprised us with a small creme brulee in celebration of our anniversary. Top things off, I was able to use a gift certificate from restaurant.com . If you're looking for a nice dinner atmosphere with food to match, Mark's lives up to the hype.
(5)Sohel K.
Food was very pricy, but worth every penny. We started with the soup of the day which was this lobster/seafood bisque with green vegetables. It was very hearty and delicious. Probably one of the best bisques I've ever had. My woman got the seafood special and I got the meat special. I don't even like seafood normally, but I thought her fish was made very well and tasty. I got the bison meat fillet along with the Kobe beef short ribs with double baked loaded mashed potatoes. I really can express how good it was, I just remember savoring every single bite. Oh yeah, don't forget to get the Nutella filled donuts.
(5)Dan G.
The A1 Kobe Steak was the best of my life and worth all $22/oz. This is a great place to visit for special romantic occassions and if you can get the groupon it is an awesome tasting deal. The loaded oysters come with everything and make me think Asian fusion. I wish that the drinks menu had some better gin options. This is my favorite steak in Houston, for now and ever more. The deserts and pasta are not very memorable here.
(4)Megan D.
When you have the most expensive meal of your life, you expect the experience to be the best, too, or at least close to it. Hubs and I have had the year from hell (not in our marriage, but all the other crap life throws one's way) and we NEEDED a night out without kids to celebrate our 5th anniversary. We read that Mark's was voted the "Most Romantic Restaurant in Houston" and figured it would suit our needs perfectly. When we called to make our reservation, we explained the occasion and asked for a nice table. When we arrived, we were seated at the worst table in the whole joint: right next to the hostess stand and stairway, so that everyone coming in, going out, headed to the bathroom, or walking to the kitchen would pass our table. It was extremely noisy and full of high-power men in overpriced suits who spent most of their meals yelling into their phones over some douchy business deal or another. Not exactly the romantic experience I was hoping for. We knew the price of the food before arriving, as we had perused the menu online and decided we could splurge for such a special occasion. But when it came down to it, we dropped well over $200 on our meal for two and left feeling unsatisfied and even a little sick. My duck, at $37, was terribly undercooked and lacking flavor (and left me with a two-day stomach fiasco, the details of which no one should be forced to endure, except maybe the chef). My husband's lamb, on the other hand, was charred, chewy, and tough. When they asked about dessert, we were already pretty disillusioned with the meal, but came up with a polite excuse that we were far too full. Our waiter insisted that since it was our anniversary, we should indulge in their famous creme brulee. We relented and it was brought to our table...I'll admit, this was the highlight of the meal, but they charged us $12 for it! Even Chili's offers free dessert for birthdays and anniversaries, and given the high-pressure sales pitch, I assumed the waiter wasn't planning to charge us. I know it seems silly to complain about paying for something we ordered, but given the circumstances, I figured it was the least they could do. If our meal was half the price, I wouldn't even bother writing a review. It's not that the food was terrible, but it wasn't great. And at over $200, it should have been coated in 14K gold and delivered to our table by half-naked cherubs in flight. There's just too many good restaurants in Houston to waste your time on this level of pretension.
(2)Mark J.
This was my first time for lunch at Mark's and I actually enjoyed it more than for dinner. It wasn't as packed as for dinner and it was considerably lighter inside which made me notice what a nice building it is. I went with a friend, and we both chose the same "prix fixe" lunch special: Corn Souffle for the appetizer, Chateaubriand for the main course and the Creme Brulee for dessert. Everything was excellent, but the portions were rather small in particular the appetizer which was miniscule. Creme Brulee was good but not exceptional - I have yelp.com/writeareview/bi… much better elsewhere. The price was decent for lunch and had it not been for the filling dessert I would have left hungry.
(4)Ashley W.
Everything was great! We ordered the Duck and Quail appetizer. It was awesome. The ravioli was so moist and delicious especially with the ox tail. I wish that there were two raviolis instead of just one. But the quail was also amazing. Then I had lobster bisque, and oh my gosh the lobster in the bisque was phenomenal!! They were huge pieces of lobster and so succulent. The bisque was good but slightly tangier than what I like in a bisque but the lobster was so good it didn't even matter. For dinner I had the Rib Eye which was cooked perfectly and the outside was nice and crispy and the inside soft and perfectly cooked to medium. The fingerling potatoes Witt it were also great. My husband had the seafood trio which was also superb! I wish I would have ordered the lobster entree special that night because the lobster in the bisque and the lobster my husband had with his seafood trio were so fantastic!! My husband swears its the best meal he's ever had! ( except for when I cook, of course! ) I have frequented many restaurants in my time and this is on top other than maybe two restaurants. We also were too full to have dessert but our server brought us out a mini cremé brûlée with a piece of white chocolate with chocolate writing that said Happy Anniversary! So amazing!
(5)Al T.
I've gotta say, Mark's definitely has the reputation, but after giving it 3 separate tries, i can say with a high degree of confidence that I'll never go back. Decided to take my wife (new mommy with our beautiful 9 month-old) and my parents to Mark's for Mother's Day's brunch. Mark's offered a 3-course selection for Mother's Day. When we got there, we were quickly seated, however for Mother's Day, I was surprised the restaurant was not jam-packed. It was pretty full, but I thought it would have been busier. For the appetizer, my wife ordered the smoked salmon. My mom and I ordered the crab 3-ways and my pops ordered the quail with fois gras. My wife's salmon was not bad. When they brought the crab dish out for my mom and me, they "forgot" the soft-shelled crab on my plate. How do you forget to put the soft-shell crab on a dish, especially when my mom ordered the same thing and they didn't forget hers ??? After letting our waiter know, it took another 10 min for them to bring out missing crab. By that time, everyone else had finished with their appetizers. For the main course, i ordered the lobster (an additional $8.95 on top of the $60). I can say I've had better lobster at a casino buffet. It was lukewarm and VERY chewy. My dad ordered the ribeye (again, an additional $8.95 on top of the $60). When they brought it out, I SWEAR I thought the waiter mistakenly delivered an appetizer to the wrong table! The "ribeye" was sliced into six 1/8 inch slices, six thin slices. This was the MAIN COURSE?!?!?! My dad didn't say anything, but I know he was disappointed with his selection. My mom ordered the sea bass; that was okay. All in all, the bill including tax and tip was $375 (no alcohol). I don't mind paying $$$ for great food, but this was a very disappointing meal for such a wonderful occasion. Mark's, three strikes, you're out!!!
(2)Juvie C.
BIG fan of the baked oysters here and everything else I have ordered, myself, has been outstanding. Lacking a star because one time I went, my guest's soup was cold....for these prices, the soup should be piping hot and spoon fed to you. Another reason for a star deduction is the wait staff. Although very knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients...the ones I have had are usually very snotty. When I went during Restaurant Weeks, the waiter was snotty. Then when I went on a regular evening, the waiter asked if we were celebrating something special which I found offensive. We had come after a night at the symphony, so we were dressed appropriately. *SHAKING MY HEAD*. The restaurant is an old church, so you can imagine what it looks like. Many people like this look, using adjectives such as "charming" and "romantic." From my humble point of view, I feel it is dark and cramped. This review is based solely on my personal experience and reflect my personal opinions. Your experience may be completely different.
(3)Eugenia L.
I was there on 09/25/2013 with a friend, not celebrating any occasion but rather just to have a casual dinner. I think the ambience is great there - a little dark, pretty intimate setting. Services are excellent as well, our wait staff was very attentive. However, I think that for how much we paid for the meal, it could be better. I ordered their mushroom soup as a started and think it was just average. The soup is fairly salty and I didn't think it was special enough to be a $12/$13 soup. For entree, my friend and I both ordered their rib eye. I know Mark's is not particularly a steak house, but the rib eye had really good description and sounded delicious. Well I think it is a little better than average at best, meat was tender but not very flavorful and I wasn't a big fan of the sides or the sauce that came with the entree. Definitely have had better steaks. We also ordered dessert, my friend tried their creme brulee and I ordered nutella donuts. I've had a bite of the creme brulee and immediately know that the eggs were cooked ( as in scrambled eggs taste) during the prep process and that the custard itself was not smooth or creamy. The torched surface wasn't crunchy, but a little sticky, meaning they didn't just torch it when we ordered but this plate had been sitting in the fridge. I've actually made better creme brulee myself. The nutella donut was ok, really just filled mini donuts and nothing crazy/ special in particular. Overall, I think it's ok to try but I am not crazy about it. Maybe I just had high expectations because of all the good reviews I've read before.
(3)Sandy N.
I decided to check this place out on my last night in Houston. I'm so glad I did. I started with a sweet Riesling, my favorite. Then went for the special of the night, the soft shell crab with shrimp risotto and lump crab meat. Wow, that was the most perfectly fried soft shell crab I ever had. It was so tasty and lump. I also enjoyed all the little compliments to the dish (spinach topped with the lump crab meat, roasted veggies, risotto. I ended the meal off with the Espresso Toffee and french press coffee. The dessert was very addicting I could've eaten the whole thing but stopped myself halfway and took the rest to go. The coffee was delicious as well. Service was great, the waiter resembled Liam Neilson. haahaa. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. It's quite pricey so it had better been awesome!
(4)Son H.
I've been to Mark's a few times and it's always been great service and great food. The interior is very quaint and you won't find many places like it. The location is ideal and the valet parking is very helpful.
(4)Miranda L.
The most romantic restaurant in Houston...... I'm not too sure about that. Let me begin. A friend and I pulled up to Mark's for Houston Restaurant Week on a Sunday evening. Mark's has always been known to be the most romantic restaurant in Houston, and we were told that the food is pretty good so we had to give it a try. Yes, the restaurant used to be a church and we were seated in the left section of the place. I didn't like that so much since it was small and a little crowded. It didn't feel very romantic. I ended up ordering the soup of the day which was corn chowder, the salmon, and the Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee . My friend ordered the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the duck, and creme brulee. The corn chowder was good. Nothing special but wasn't bad either. My friend was extremely excited to try the foie gras and ended up extremely disappointed. My salmon was pretty bland. It tasted as if they just cooked the fish without any seasoning and threw it on top of the Sherry prawn sauce, which wasn't a lot. I was trying to save every drop of the sauce for every piece of my salmon just so I could have some flavor in every bite. My friend's duck was OK. She didn't say much about it. Last but not least came dessert. Now that was great! It was burnt enough on the top to be warm and crispy, my favorite part. It had the right amount of sweetness. The funny thing is that our server told us their lunch portions are bigger than their dinner AND cheaper than HRW prices for three courses. So if you'll like to give it a try, I suggest lunch time. Overall, I was disappointed. I guess my expectations were set too high or maybe I ordered the wrong dishes. Either way, I don't think I'll be coming back to give it a second chance.
(2)Am'e C.
My GF and I decided to give this place a try since it was HRW.............. Great restaurant for a romantic date, but not THE most romantic place. Lets get to the food!! she had some kind of fish and I had some pork. Both were totally yummy in my tummy.. no complaints. Huge portions. I was licking the mash off my plate. Such creamy goodness. the meat was so tender and juicy... gosh.. my mouth is watering just thinking about it. totally coming back. Kinda $$$$$ for me, but a special occasion would suit. This place has a huge wine selection, so if your a wine snob, ur def. in for a treat. Don't Forget** Valet ONLY***
(4)Stephanie T.
Romantic ambience and great setting, if a little stuffy. Prices may be a tad steep but the food is inventive and indulgent. I say 'indulgent' because there is often a lot going on on your plate. For my main, I had the Hawaiian opa fish which came with fried enoki mushrooms, vegetables, risotto and shellfish. My partner had the turbot which was served with the same accompaniments. Both our fish were perfectly cooked but you could taste the smoky grill they came from, and while that's fine for BBQ, I think it's a disservice to the fish. Everything on my plate tasted amazing, especially the risotto, but they kind of overwhelmed the fish. But that's just my opinion so if you're someone who loves to have a variety of flavors and textures, then you will love the food here. We really enjoyed the starter though - Crawfish and Salmon. It was delicious and well-presented. And for dessert, we had the Creme Brulee which was a rich, satisfying end to the meal. Save this one for special occasions.
(3)Michelle D.
Mark's is a very nice restaurant. Service is top notch, the setting is beautiful, and the food was pretty delicious. However, prepare to be incredibly shocked at how far your money gets you here, especially if you are used to ordering a bottle of wine with dinner. I was really looking forward to a couple of game meat options that I saw on the "daily" menu, and I guess they got those in on Friday and they were out of those by Saturday night. We started by sharing the crab trio appetizer, then I ordered the snapper entree, my fiance got the half size seafood entree (regular was $88, eep!), and we shared the chocolate cake for dessert. It was pretty good, but for $300 I expected to be WOWed! Also, like others have said, nothing on the menu is really meant to be shared.
(3)Alice T.
Mark's, you're killing me. You were so good, but so overpriced for what you were. I'm glad I got to experience Houston's best, but I just didn't think that Mark's offered the quality or value that I wanted. I understand how many just come for the quality- screw the value, but the options weren't even anything too fantastic. Case in point, I ordered the turbot ($40), which came with two small lumps of crab meat, a pesto risotto, and asparagus. My bf got the salmon ($40) that came with one deep fried piece of shrimp, risotto crusted with coconut, and veggies. Both pieces of fish were really well cooked. I'll even go as far as to say that the salmon was perfectly cooked- tender enough to be almost raw, but not raw like what happened at Raven Grill. But at the end of the day, it's salmon and turbot. Not very expensive pieces of fish and not very expensive sides to warrant a $40 plate. I should have gotten the duck or lamb. So where do I think all the overhead on meals go? One, to maintain the beautiful restaurant. Too bad we got put on the side room, which was slightly claustrophobic and very dark. This room was a cave compared to the expansive and lighted main dining area. Avoid cave at all costs. Two, the bathrooms are awesome. Besides having the standard nice restaurant paper towels that are more like towels than paper, the women's room had all-you-can-use feminine hygiene products. The branded good stuff, too. I had to refrain from stuffing the whole basket into my purse. You can't have that kind of behavior at Mark's. Anyways, we decided to skip dessert, and our waiter said that we were missing out on "the most palate-moving experience in town." Haha, maybe that's true, but I'll come back during Restaurant Week to find out what I missed at a more affordable price.
(3)Lesa T.
My boyfriend and I decided to dine at Mark's after receiving a $50 gift card and purchasing a $25 restaurant.com certificate to use for dinner. The place is gorgeous, with beautiful vaulted ceilings and the intimate ambiance. Service was a little below average, being it was a busy Friday night. The food was good - we started with the seafood trio (highly recommended) and the ceasar salad (refreshingly yummy). (The sweet onion bread they bring out to the table is amazing too, by the way.) For entrees, we decided to order the 8 oz kobe beef ribeye and the lobster specials off the menu. Both were pretty good and had so much food that we didn't have any room for dessert. I think I would've given Mark's 3.5 stars for their food alone. But then the bill came. We were expecting that our gift card and certificate would at least knock off 30% of our total expense, but we were floored to see that the cost of just the two entrees was $200! Without the vouchers, our total bill including tip was close to $300, without having ordered alcohol. Don't get me wrong - I'm fine with spending good money for amazing food, but I didn't think the steak and lobster were worth $200. I mean, I've dined at Michelin-rated restaurants in NYC and Napa Valley that served amazing food, and they don't even charge that much! So unless you have the money to waste for a really fancy dinner or are dining on the company's tab, I wouldn't recommend coming here. There are plenty of other fine dining restaurants you can go to that serve the same quality of food that cost only a fraction of what Mark's charges.
(2)Alan J.
Not as good as it used to be. A few careless errors in our last meal. My scallop was nicely caramelized, but the interior was cold. It had apparently not been warmed up before cooking. My wife's fish was nicely done, but had been salted carelessly so that there were spots that were almost too salty to eat. For a place that I used to rank in the top ten in Houston, this was disappointing.
(3)Cameron Y.
I agree with the other non- 5 star reviews. The place is beautiful and has great ambiance, and the food was delicious, however for the price I was expecting a more inventive menu and much better service. I am a 28 year old who doesn't eat at places like this often, however when I make reservations for myself and 5 other co-workers (most of them much older than me) I expect the same top notch customer service that an older patron would get. I have been to many nice places that were much less expensive in which the staff treated everyone like royalty. I was a little annoyed when I was treated as second class. Now on to the food... We ordered a few of the oyster appetizers to share. They were roasted in the shell than topped with crab meat and a crispy fried oyster. I had some shell in my first bite... but all other bites were pretty good. For my entree I ordered the salmon which was served with coconut risotto, carrots, and other seasonal vegetables. The salmon was cooked to perfection. It was lightly seared and the flavors of the salmon with the sweet risotto was delicious. For dessert I ordered a blueberry cheesecake tart. It looked amazing, however I was a little turned off by the blueberry topping, as it reminded me of the canned blueberry's that come in a blueberry muffin mix. I guess I was expecting more of a simple syrup with some fresh blueberries. Overall I wouldn't go back here if it were my own money but I'd be happy to give it another try on the company's dime.
(3)Katherine H.
My boyfriend and I had our one year anniversary dinner here and the servers were very attentive. We were asked if there was a special occasion and if we had a camera for pictures. This was great for me because for some reason I have trouble asking the waitstaff to take pics.. I get shy. Anyway I agree with Jess I was wearing my stilettos and almost slipped on the way in! I had to hold my boyfriend's arm for support on the way out and dreaded making a trip to the bathroom and back alone. OK, but on to the food.. The Kobe steak special was AMAZING. I don't even like steak! My boyfriend ordered it and after he let me have a piece I had seriously wished we could trade plates. My food was good too.. I ordered the Pork encrusted with coffee. There was also a single rib on the plate which I actually preferred over the sliced pork. Our appetizer was great too. I really liked the scallops not sure how they were cooked since it was a special our waiter recited to us and I didn't catch everything he was saying. Overall though Mark's made our anniversary very special and when we ordered crème brulée for dessert it came out with a candle and a strip of hardened white chocolate with dark chocolate writing saying Happy Anniversary.
(5)Melissa M.
The best restaurant in town? Really? I don't see it. Yes, the interior is very pretty and elegant. I can't help but remember buying my doc martins in the early 90s from where the kitchen is (yes, Mark's used to be a clothing and shoe store called Dream Merchant). I've been to Mark's before, but it'd been a long time. This week I went back for Houston Restaurant Week. I made my reservation weeks in advance and arrived on time. My group of 5 was promptly seated in the main dining room. Then the race began. I felt like we were in some type of speed eating contest. Our waiter was pleasant, but we all felt the urgency for us to order, eat, and leave. We ordered some drinks, wine, and then our food. The menu was a little different from what was on the HRW, but still looked great. Our food came out at a blistering pace. Obviously everything was prepared and ready to be served. I had the lobster bisque soup which was very good but not very warm. The oyster trio appetizer looked good. As soon as we finished our appetizers they were whisked away and replaced by our entrees. I had the seafood trio which consisted of a scallop, shrimp, and soft shelled crab. The portion size was ridiculously small. When I mentioned that to the waiter later when he asked how everything was he just shrugged it off and said "look at what you are paying". I wish expensive restaurants either embrace HRW or don't do it at all, but don't call an plate barely the size of an appetizer an entree. The seafood trip was fine except for the spinach flan. It just wasn't very good, but the rest of the food was fine. My husband had the chicken which was a larger portion size. Nothing was amazing or worthy of anything more than 3 stars. I feel like people get swept up in the hype of certain restaurants. The dessert was the best part of the meal. The raspberry torte was very good and a definite above average dessert. The chocolate dessert was good, but once again nothing special. I don't like being treated like a second class citizen just because I'm there for HRW. That aside, the food was nothing special and the speed at which our food was served was so quick that it was uncomfortable. Mark's: Don't do Houston Restaurant Week unless you plan to keep your supposed high standards otherwise, it's just not worth it. You'll lose potential diners.
(3)Rebecca N.
The food is good, but I don't think it justifies the price.
(3)Danielle S.
Sexy dining. BF and I decided to have dinner here together during Houston Restaurant Week, so after contemplating the menu we made our rez. One advantage to living in this area of Montrose: no need to deal with valet nonsense. We walked in and after some waffling about my reservation from the front desk we were shown to our table, located in the beautiful room called the Cloisters. With sweeping, vaulted ceilings and painted motifs around the walls, it's a gorgeous space. Our server was completely on point, experienced and courteous. We decided on our apps, entrees and desserts and our culinary adventure began. For my app I had three oysters, served in the shell, and each with a different theme. The first one had a creamed spinach base, the second was more cheesy, and the third tasted like a salsa fresca. Each was totally delicious. I tried BF's salad, which had fruit such as nectarines, grapes and strawberries with spinach tossed in a vinaigrette. I love mixing my sweets and savories and this was a delicious twisting of the two. My entree was veal, which was cooked to utter perfection, and served with a few different sauces. A few spears of asparagus and a Vidalia onion risotto topped off my plate. BF's cod was dee-lish, served with a tangy shrimp risotto that was totally intriguing. The real star, though, was dessert. I chose a chocolate cake that was so decadent it melted in my mouth, and BF's lemon tart, with its graham cracker crust and fresh mint, was so tasty I bounced up and down in my seat. Portions are small, but I kinda liked that considering I didn't leave feeling immediately regretful and sloshy. The ONLY thing that knocked off a star--and I do mean the ONLY thing--is the fact that my hot dishes came out scalding hot. And I don't mean the food; I mean the actual dishes themselves, and they all came out way too fast for a restaurant of this caliber. I'm pretty disappointed that a restaurant like Mark's would have premade portions just sitting around, even for HRW. I feel like I was kind of being put through an assembly line, and after hearing the raves from others, I think I might have a better experience if I come back on a non-HRW night. Boyfriend is already begging for us to come back as his graduation present, so I may update with another visit in the next few months. Stay tuned.
(4)Jessy P.
OK we are officially done with Mark's. We took some friends a total of 4 people and spent $800 dollars. This was mainly because exclusive wines and drinks but still the food which is the main reason we took them there was not excellent. We experience terrible service and we were seated upstairs in the last corner were we could barely fit, For all the money spent I was expecting more of the 10 times we have been there this has been the worse :( My husband asked for the lobster and he had to send it back and even after it was brought back it was not good. very dry over cooked we were Very surprise abut this.
(3)Gloria S.
Mark's has a very intimate decor. The high ceilings were a plus, but because it was so dim it felt kind of gothic to me. It was unfortunate but we got seated in the room next to the main room so I didn't really get to take in all the decor. They also have complimentary valet so that is a plus since there parking lot didn't look very big. Once we got seated it took awhile for us to get our menus and for the rest of the night it felt like the server was a step behind. It must have been busy because I was watching managers deliever food. At a place like this I feel I shouldn't have to rise my hand to claim my dish but that's what I was doing all night. Plus I watched them drop off our dish to the table next to us. I also ordered the Wine Flight that they were offering and it kept coming late, my dessert wine didn't arrive until we had finished our dessert and our plates were all cleared. Then at one point I still had food on my plate and I had put my fork down for a second and the manger comes by not to check on us but asked if he could clear our table! lol Look I don't what to wait forever on my food to arrive or to get my table cleared, but I also don't want to have my food taken before I'm ready. Anyway a restuarant of this calibre I accept a much smoother transation between dishes even when they are busy. Ok now to the important stuff. . . Food! Our first course was the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras and the soup of the day which was Lobster Bisque. The Lobster Bisque was creamy but tart. The Foie Gras was confusing. There was a lot of little things on the plate and I didn't know what to pair with what. In addtion my Foie Gras was dry. :-( Our next course was Seared tenderloin of beef with field mushrooms, roasted squash, crispy sweet "tater tots", served with a spiced Cabernet Sauvignon sauce and V-10 diver scallop, Texas crab, asian shrimp, crab filled zucchini blossom, spinach flan, asian salad and two vinaigrettes. The seared tenderloin tasted like a dry sirlon which was disappointing. The mash potatoes was beauitfully season (they piped it out, too bad it reminded me of dog poop) and the veggies were good too. The Trio was intresting, but nothing really screamed delicious except for the spinach flan. It was basically a concenrated creamed spinach and I love cream spinach. By now I am stuffed to the max so I to-goed my dessert and we just had Markss Seven Layer Chocolate Cake. The cake was very moist and the coffee ice cream was addicting. The serving size may look small but it is very filling. The food was magnificently presented. I would try this place again.
(4)Monica K.
HOUSTON RESTAURANT WEEK ONLY! Hands down, Mark's has one of the most amazing-sounding menus for HRW. Foie Gras app? Oysters topped with lump crab? I'm so there!! Portions are smaller than usual but it's a tradeoff I am happy to make. Their HRW menu is subject to change daily, so be prepared for something different than what's listed on the official HRW website. We had entree options of roasted chicken, seared halibut, duck duo, pork, and seafood trio (U-10 scallop, soft shell crab, shrimp) - They all sounded amazing! Service was excellent and our reservation was ready on time, even though the place was completely booked. What we had: * Complimentary Bread - Normally not worth mentioning, but their bread basket was great. There were 4 different kinds, and one of them had like a caramelized onion glaze on it. YUM. * Foie Gras Appetizer - This plate had like 8 tiny components to it. There was a small piece of seared foie gras about the size of a silver dollar, a pear compote, some kind of sweet paste (quince maybe?), a cherry sauce, and - the best part - a quarter-sized slice of foie gras torchon!! The torchon was excellent, but the seared foie was chewy and spongy. I would probably avoid this one. * Lobster Bisque - A good, classic lobster bisque, served in a cup-sized portion and garnished with some nice chunks of lobster meat. * Summer Garden Salad - Large portion of a beautiful-looking salad. The base of the salad was a wedge of bibb lettuce, with all kinds of colorful vegetables on top and a light vinaigrette. * Oysters topped w/ Crabmeat - Another beautiful dish. I had food envy when this dish came out, because I didn't order it and there wasn't enough to share. * Pan-seared Halibut w/ Risotto, Sesame-Crusted Shrimp, Spiced Cauliflower, & Fried Mushrooms - Everything on this place was delicious, with one major flaw - seriously overcooked seafood, to the point of chewy and dried out. That goes for the fish AND the shrimp. If it weren't for that, this dish would have been the clear winner of the night. * Roasted Duck Breast w/ Duck Confit, Wild Rice, & Berries - Plate was cleaned without offering any tastes * Pork Dish (can't remember the details) - Plate was cleaned without offering any tastes * Creme Brulee - A solid, classic creme brulee. It came in a shallow dish for maximum sugar crunch! * 7-layer Chocolate Cake - A thin slice of heaven. Moist, rich, chocolaty, and not too sweet. The coffee ice cream was perfectly creamy. Definitely the winner of the desserts. * Raspberry Shortbread Tart - I imagined this being like a strawberry shortcake, but the raspberries were actually mixed into the shortbread batter and baked. It was a very large portion - tasty but dry. The pistachio ice cream was excellent. Go ahead and make your HRW reservation. Maybe the food won't be perfect, maybe it will. Either way, I think you'll enjoy the experience! Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: 5/5
(4)Kelly L.
Foods are really not much impress, not suitable with its price. But they did look like they were well prepared. I suggest the server gives more detail on the price. We had truffle as appetizer listed as 21.95, but they redeemably charged us double price on 2 gram of truffle without asking. That day was one of my important day, we called in advance to ask if they do anything for birthday. The lady answered the phone said they usually give out free dessert as their complimentary, so we did. But at the end they charge us the dessert. When we asking about it the server said,"if they give out free dessert to everyone, they would out of business." No wonder you are out of business, as least I thought good business should keep its own words, especially on such little thing. We left 20% tip guess we won't go back for their foods, but maybe their bobble wines.
(2)Camille P.
Sorry, no five stars for Mark's. It was a table for two. We were seated immediately, but were seated in the middle of the area and getting tapped and bumped by not just the other clients but also the servers and runners. Our waiter seemed to be in a hurry most of the time. Other than that, food was delicious. i had a first course of spring greens with fingerling potatoes and haricot vert---wow--so fresh and clean. My entree was the braised duck with a tasty rice pilaf. Not bad at all. Dessert was good. We ordered the trio of ice cream puffs. It's ice creamed stuff in a cream puff. I need to go here again..just been too lazy to commit to a reservation.
(4)Katie F.
Great place. The food is phenomenal, but not just for the taste: the presentation is what puts it over the top. I will say the stone fruit salad (a seasonal special) was probably the best forkful of food I have put in my mouth in a long time. Yes, it was a salad. I think they must have laced it with something :) Needless to say, I was impressed. So I had the stone fruit salad, the duck confit, and shared the warm chocolate cake. My dining companion had a tomato & mozzarella salad and the "study of pork." All food was good, but the duck leg was the best in my opinion. The duck breast was good, but not as unbelievable as the leg. Wild rice pilaf was also great. The study of pork was really interesting, and it came with some really good yams. As for the tomato & mozzarella salad, it was good and the mozzarella was prepared three different ways, but I have to say I liked my salad better :) For anyone who likes chocolate, I beg of you...get the warm chocolate cake! It comes with a small scoop of peanut brittle ice cream, a thin piece of peanut brittle on top of the cake, german chocolate goodness to paste the brittle on top of the cake, and finally a moist, flavorful, intensely chocolate treat on the bottom that is a perfectly-cooked work of art. Eat it, love it, share it. Or else you'll need a gurney to roll you out of the restaurant.
(5)Abasi T.
I was initially excited to give Mark's a try because of the great reviews that I read, and initially it made a great first impression. I found out that the place was a converted old church which I found to be interesting. The place seemed a bit pretentious as I pulled up. (Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, and Porsche's all lined up outside) I was a little disappointed that I had to wait about 20 minutes after my reservation was scheduled. The bread was was great, and the wine was delicious, but the food left a little to be desired. I ordered the pork and I found my meat to be a bit dry. For the amount of money that I was spending, I didn't find the service to be that attentive after the food was served. My date ordered the bison and venison and her meat was cooked perfectly, although hers lacked a bit of flavor and she was tempted to have to add salt, something I confirmed as I shared her meal.
(2)Vincent T.
I went here with a couple of friends for the restaurant week event in Houston. The lobster bisque was very rich and creamy. The flavor was strong, but the serving size was rather small. The seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras was a little burnt, but aside from that, very delicious. My veal was cooked medium rare....it was okay........but I think I would much rather have the duck instead. My favorite dessert would have to be the warm chocolate cake. It sounds very simple, but the presentation came as a surprise. I felt the pecan brittle was what made this desert unique and flavorful. The lemon meringue tart was pretty good too....but the warm chocolate is the way to go. OH! The service was awesome by the way. The waiter made sure everything was ready and available and stayed on top of things even after closing time. Great experience!
(5)katherine k.
I read the other reviews (on yelp and other sites) that the staff tries to upsell by pushing their specials - I was prepared for that. What I wasn't prepared for, however, was receiving my check with a 20% tip ALREADY handwritten in and totaled for me by our waiter. No, we weren't a big party of say 6 or more (and even if we were, it wasn't stated on their menu). HOW TACKY IS THAT??? The GM got the situation fixed right away. The waiter came back and told us, "We do that for parties of 6 or more." We were a party of 4. Hmmmm... With that said, Food = good. Service = good. Ambience = faux gothic church interior. I don't write reviews on yelp, but I'm hoping that people don't fall for the BS the waiter tried to pull, or at least, Mark's makes sure that their caliber of service stays up to par.
(1)Doug S.
We had a reservation for 10:30 PM on a Saturday night. We were coming from the theater and the performance went a bit longer than expected. As a result, we arrived at the restaurant at 10:45 PM. When we arrived, there was no host to be found. A waiter came over and said the kitchen was closed. I told him we had reservations at 10:30, but he said it did not matter -- the kitchen was closed. This despite the fact the restaurant takes reservations until 11 PM. It was clear the waiter was more interested in getting off than in honoring our reservation. So, we left and went to Eddie V's on Kirby. We arrived there just as the kitchen was closing. But the host made a special effort and sat us, only asking that try to order quickly -- which we did. Dinner was great. In short, arriving 15 minutes late to a reservation is not unusual. Mark's, or at least one of their waiters, simply did not want our business.
(1)Beth R.
I have to start this review off with a moment of silence as I go back and savor the moment of my experience...Aaaaahhhhh. This is hands down the best restaurant in Houston. This was a fine dining experience like no other. The setting was in an old renovated Gothic style church, with pointed arches, mid-evil tapestries, table clothes, and dim lighting which set a romantic and intimate tone. There was a wine cellar above where the alter was (now the bar) embedded in one of the pointed arches. It was quite remarkable. In the front of the restaurant (which was the back of the church in another time) was a spiral staircase where more seating was overlooking the ground floor. We were seated below, but any seat would have been adequate from the beautiful architecture. The service was at top form and we were definitely guided as new comers to the appropriate selections. We were even offered a complimentary dish because of our first visit. The first course for me was the soup du jour (lobster bisque) and my husband had the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Serrano wrapped Quail. They offered us a seafood trio which included a shrimp and spinach mousse, a soft shell crab, and a scallop with cucumber salad. My pairing for the first course was a Chadonney and Pinot Nior for my husband. It was exquisite. That was the best lobster bisque I had ever had and I tasted the quail which was tender and succulent. They also had a bread assortment, which was even tasty. I got pleasure out of the onion bread and butter. Second course for me was the Chicken (Hearth Roasted Bryan Farms Chicken, House Made Cilantro Chicken Sausage, Mississippi Style Grits, Ratatouille with a Petite Salad of Grilled Portabella and Baby Arugula with Chicken Glace). My husband had the Grouper, but I think he wished he had ordered duck. He enjoyed his dish, but when he saw the duck at another table he made a comment of envy. My second course was paired with a Pinot Noir. My dish was a simple work of art. The presentation was finely detailed. I savored every ounce of flavor, which is indescribable. Third Course for me was the warm chocolate cake and my husband had the raspberry tart. We both were paired with a dessert wine. Mine was a port and his was a muscat that almost tasted like champagne. I am not a dessert person, but was left satisfied with my dessert. It was divine. The highlight of the evening was Chef/Owner Mark Cox stopped by our table for about a half hour. He spoke about his arrival to Houston in the 80's. The places he had worked (partnering with Tony Vallone for many years) and the beginnings of opening his own restaurant. Chef Mark spoke about where some of his ingredients came from and how special each of them were to his culinary creations. For example, the beans from our seafood trio dish were exclusive to his restaurant. He puts the finishes on the dishes, which validates the artistry I described above. We asked him about selecting the church as the venue for his restaurant. You could tell we hit a key note of passion as he described the metamorphosis that is Mark's today. He envisions more renovations and changes, the next being his kitchen. He even shared with us they were using one oven and turning about 300 covers on average a night. We also got to pick his brain on places he enjoyed outside of work. Some of which were mostly Asian Cuisine. He said this cuisine was simple, fresh, and a certain level excellence goes along with it. He mentioned one that was in proximity to our house, Kaneyama, which will be next on our restaurant list. The evening was romantic, pleasurable, and an experience that was memorable almost magical. We will be back because we believe in the concept.
(5)Hungry L.
Absolut Perfection! My favorite restaurant in Houston so far. I have only been twice, as it is out of my regular price range, but the experience is so worth it. Both times I have been was for a special occasion and Mark's did not disappoint. I was worried about getting one of those "undesirable seats" but it seems like every seat in Mark's provides nice atmosphere. My first time, my wife and I sat upstairs which provided a great view and the second time, we got a very romantic corner. Funny thing is, we got the same waiter twice, AND he remembered us! It all starts with service, folks, and Mark's emphasizes it. From friendliness, to timing, to being attentive but unobtrusive. I've been a waiter before and you can tell these servers go through some great training, as well as the other service people, like the busboys. Ok, ok, on to the food. The stuffed Oysters were impeccable, like nothing I've had before. I ordered them both times I went and will order them each and every single time I go again. The menu is so unique and incomparable to anything I've ever had. The flavors, textures, aromas of each individual dish is expertly created. Nothing placed in front of you could make you think "I COULDA MADE THIS AT HOME!" like other places. You know what's placed in front of you is made by PROS. A little caveat though - I ordered the Kobe steak the second time I was there, which was very good, but if you want meat, just order their steak instead, it's a better value. My wife and I plan on returning as much as our wallets will let us. A meal for two adds up, but at least this place makes you feel like it was worth every penny.
(5)Brandon C.
OK. Only four stars might seem harsh for a place that most people I know think is "the best fine dining in Houston." And Mark's is very good. But it doesn't live up to all the hype in my opinion. The dining space (renovated church) is gorgeous--I've never seen better in Houston. But the food I've gotten the few times I've been there, while perfectly good, hasn't been the kind of good I expect from a place aspiring to be the best restaurant in a major city.
(4)Monique N.
This is one of the few restaurants that I think is actually worth it's high price tag. My hubby and I ordered the Seafood Trio appetizer, the shrimp entree, the steak entree, and finished off with the Coffee Toffee dessert (coffee mousse with pecan brittle *drool). Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection. Amazing food, great atmosphere, wonderful service. This place is perfect if you're looking for a romantic date location and are willing to splurge a little. Loved it.
(5)Adam O.
This place is truly brilliant. It starts with the decor. They remodeled the old church with a modern twist. They have the vaulted ceiling, but it is made with painted steel. Towards the top of the far wall, they have a beautiful wine cellar (can you call it that if it is basically on the ceiling?). They have little alcove dining rooms off of the main hall, definitely looking very romantic. The food itself is what I was really interested in. And that is what definitely sets this place apart. For my meal I had the shrimp three ways (tempura, grilled, and sesame). The shrimp were cooked perfectly in all three variations. The light sauce for the sesame and grilled shrimp was a great compliment, and the tempura shrimp was a nice mix texture next to the other two varieties. I was full after my meal, but the people I dined with decided to go for desert... and boy did they make me jealous. The desert I was really interested in was the one that got the most rave reviews. As an addition to the menu, the chef had a perfect seasonal addition to his desert menu: butter-pecan bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream (you don't get more Fall than that). All in all it was a spectacular meal with attentive yet not overly intrusive service (by far my biggest complaint about most higher-end restaurants). It is definitely a wee bit pricey for lunch, but it really was worth every penny.
(5)Cheri D.
Special occasion dining and they know how to make you feel very special. I like that.
(5)Jason B.
Mark's is by far my favorite fine dining restaurant in Houston, every time I have visited there the experience has been fantastic. The service has always been great with multiple servers taking care of us and one time we even consulted with the sommelier! The atmosphere is fantastic with it being housed in a converted church (note: there are some bad tables there so make reservations well in advance) and I have always found the food to be the best of fine dining in Houston. If I have a date for a special occassion then Mark's is always my first choice, however I go there prepared to spend a LOT of money and they probably know that from their records so that probably helps me obtain the great service.
(5)Linda P.
I expected much more from the food. The ahi tuna appetizer was prepared with a lo-mein type pasta and Asian-style sauces that overwhelmed the tuna. My lobster entree was paired with a fettuccine pasta and Asian-spiced vegetables that didn't combine well. My partner had the on-the-bone tenderloin topped with a barbecue sauce; we tend to believe that a good cut of beef wouldn't need the sauce (I'm thinking of Bohanan's in San Antonio for example, or for a good Tex fine-dining experience, we'd prefer the tasty and better-priced Stella Sola). The waiter was no help with the wine list, which was surprising, since we read reviews about the good wine list. Nice ambiance, but overall, a "fair" experience; expected much more and were disappointed.
(2)Jess M.
I started going to Mark's from the first week it opened. It deserved 5 stars back then. I am giving it 3 stars, because I feel that for their prices they need to step up the food and menu. My food on my most recent visit wasn't up to par. I ordered duck and when asked how I would like it cooked I said however the chef recommends (which is usually quite pink). The waiter talked me out of my choice and told me to get it medium. He was very amendment that I would be happier with it cooked medium. Well guess what, it was over cooked and too dry for me. Not the chef's fault but I told the waiter from the start that I preferred cooked according to the chef's standards. From what I have been told since then is that women have a tendency to think that they want their meat pink and end up sending it back to be cooked more. So the waiter made the assumption that I fell into this category I presume. Everyone in our group had dined at Mark's numerous times and we all ordered different starters and entrees. Everyone thought their food was okay but not spectacular.
(3)AARON A.
The food and service are top notch. What would you expect for $100 per person. My wife and I ordered the specials of the day. First, an appetizer of 5 crab cakes 5 different ways... phenomenal!!!. Next my wife had a unique and wonderful ceasar salad and I had an amazing crab and lobster bisque. I probably could have died at that moment and been happy...it was that good. For our entrées, my wife had veal medallions that would rival the best veals Houston has to offer. I had the special of the day; venison chops and fillets with a herb and garlic risotto and squash spaghetti. All I can say is that the food at Mark's is nothing but an epicurean adventure. Prepare your senses for an onslaught of ambiance and your pallet for a roller coaster of flavors. Mark's definitely hits the "MARK"...
(5)Jenn B.
Definately a special occasion place but worth every penny!! First of all-the restaurant is gorgeous!! Go to the bar early and have a drink before your reservation time-soak up the atmosphere, and get ready for the food. I've only been about 3 times in a 2 year span, but every time we went, we had a great experience. The food, the service-love it all!!!
(4)Tameka S.
Great wine, Outstanding Service, Memorable dishes...definitely a must try...
(5)Michael H.
Building 5* Servers 3* Food 3-4* Value 2* Wine$$$ A few tweaks could make amazing!
(3)Shazia C.
Its alright. Nothing amazing. The waiters are pretty anal about changing what's on the menu for example if you want steamed vegetable instead of grilled. The place is romantic alright but that's pretty much it. I would recommend staying away from the duck, their beef isn't that bad. Also, I hate its location.
(2)Raquel V.
I had the pre fixe meal during lunch. it was amazing, and for the price, not bad. they serve you just enough so that you don't feel stuffed, or still hungry as you walk away. i plan on going back for sure, but dinner this time.
(4)A A.
A delightful evening! I haven't been in Houston for years.....glad I don't live here, or I'd be back often!! I love the atmosphere and decor inside the main dining room. I kept gazing up at the wine display...the feeling is very comfortable....the service staff extremely attentive...you can feel from the moment you arrive, that this dining experience will be special. From the looks of the other parties, you can tell that people use this restaurant as a special occassion place, and deservedly so. Waiter had several suggestions...the trio of salmon appetizer must be a specialty, I saw it on the website, so I had to try it. Wonderful is all I can say, I'd definetly order it again. the angel hair with truffle was also very good. Wow! Perfectly cooked lobster was the main fare this evening. I was glad I listened to the server and only ordered 1/2....I would have never made it through a whole lobster. Very flavorful...and perfectly cooked and presented!! My dining partner had a steak....again perfectly cooked and seasoned. A fabulous overall experience....I'm coming back when I get back to town. Thanks for a memorable evening "W".
(5)Jennifer T.
The food and environment was excellent! A different menu every time you go. Save it for a special occasion!
(5)Peter D.
I hate reviewing the overreviewed, but here we go: Mark's is pretty much as good as it gets in Houston, even during tourist season (ie restaurant week). The lobster bisque is incredible and one day I'll have a birthday where I call up and order half a gallon of it. Go with someone worthwhile and ask for advice. Don't expect oversized portions, but you shouldn't leave hungry.
(5)JA M.
We have a Thanksgiving tradition with my aunt that has been going on for years. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, when it's relatively quiet and most of the relatives have left, we go to Mark's for a wonderful dinner. It has never disappointed. We also tend to visit Mark's on our anniversary as well. I highly recommend. We enjoy sitting on the second level next to the rail so we have a view of the restaurant below. It's beautifully decorated for Christmas. Just a note: my least favorite part of the meal was the white truffle pasta appetizer, which tells you how much I enjoyed the rest as I love truffles This is the second year in a row I ordered it, and it doesn't "wow" me the way Da Marco's does with its black truffle pasta. But everything else was so amazing, it more than made up for my disappointment.
(5)K M.
Amazing!! Had the oyster app, very suprised at how creative the dish was. We all ordered the tomato salad, as we do every time were there. The smoked mozzarella in the dish is unreal! Third course was the Texas Kobe ribeye with braised Kobe shortribs. Ribeye was a bit tough for Kobe, and a bit charred, but the shortribs definitely came through. My favorite part was the desserts. We all got something different, but none dissapointed. The #1 pick was the creme brûlée with a blueberry gelee. Service is top notch every time we go. Definitely a restaurant that makes you proud to be a houstonian!
(5)Paul H.
Cuisine, culture, and... church? Yes, dear friends, never has the Inquisition seemed like a good idea until you've bathed in the delicious radiance of Mark's. Meals here come at a premium, but the presentation, the ambiance, the quality of ingredients and craftsmanship of the artists in the kitchen cannot be denied. The idea of a restaurant in a church at first may seem cliche, but do not be fooled, Mark's is not defined by such stereotypes. When I went, I tried the veal, which was tender, moist, and utterly delectable. The veggies that were served with (aspagus and potato) were delightful, but the dessert was when I was taken aback. The name sadly escapes my memory, but it was a toffee coffee bean filled confection that my tastebuds have not yet forgotten. The wine list is unreal, the food is fantastic, and the service is excellent. Will be back (when I save enough money to return)...
(5)Claudia R.
I was really excited about going to this place, especially as I heard somebody quote it as "most romantic place" in Houston. Service was a little slow for me, and the food was good, but I have definitely had better in Houston. I loved the building as it was once a church but didn't really like the decor. It was too loud to be romantic. Maybe I have high expectations, I have been told that before.
(3)Corwin S.
Absolutely First Class! Every restaurant and service experience I have is benchmarked against Marks. Most fall short. Marks delivers flavor, service, courtesy and consistency.
(5)Texas Transplant L.
I LOVE Mark's. It is Amazing. I am from NYC and consider myself a food snob and Mark's food is fantastic. Just be prepared to spend a lot of money. Pricey but worth it for a special occasion.
(5)emeril l.
The food here was amazing. Went here for Christmas/Birthday celebration. Just the two of us. Full courses and wine for $250. Service was good, atmosphere amazing. We had a table along the wall in the main dining room. It was perfect for a couple. We had trios of shrimp and crab, respectively. Then we moved on to main courses. Samplings of pork and beef. The food was so memorable, it's hard to remember exactly what it was, other than delicious and well presented.
(5)Avril D.
The worst $600 for two I've ever spent. We were in town and decided on Mark's for a Sunday Dinner. Got seated promptly but we waited around for about 25 minutes before a waiter ever got to our table. Actually, we had to flag someone down who wasnt our waiter but that was fine. We waited waited for the sommelier to make it to our table but she never did. So we ordered on the whim a bottle of Fleur to start off. It was a little overwhelming when two different waiters give you 8 different specials. We went wit the Seafood App trio and the Beef Tartarte. Seafood App was good but Tartare was ok. Had soups which were average. We were ready to switch to a nice red but the waiter and sommelier never made it back. My wife had the chicken (dont ask me why but she was feeling it) and i had the lamb shank special. Both entrees were subpar. I guess our palate has changed but we thought the entrees were too heavy and hearty for what we were looking for. Waiter never checked on how our entrees were going. We did have dessert and after dinner drinks but my mind was made up on that. I guess if service was better our experience would have been ok but it wasnt and we were regretful we didnt spend our sunday somewhere else. Last time we'll ever be here.
(1)Loc N.
Went to Mark's for Restaraunt Week and the menu looked appealing. I chose the Proscuitto for appetizer, Veal for the entree, and 7 layer chocolate cake for dessert. Food was good. Only gripe on the food was that it was small portions. I'm totally a quality over quantity kind of person, but even of rme it was bit "underweight". My take on the service. Our waiter was (to summarize) "preoccupied"....when i got seated, no one came over to ask for drinks or greet me until about 10 minutes later. But i noticed 2 blondes enter and got seated at table next to ours...IMMEDIATELY they were greeted and given water. Surprisingly their waiter turned out to be our waiter as well. FUNNY how that was. (hmmmm?!) Throughout the night ppl at my table would comment on how they noticed that our waiter and another waiter were taking turns flirting with the 2 blondes. (To quote one of the waiters to the blondes:"We usually tag team on tables with hot ladies, haha..." Yea ...totally not what i want to see at a restaraunt...let alone a supposed "Upscale" one. To summarize, FOOD=GOOD, SERVICE=DISAPPOINTING.
(2)Betsey M.
Marks is where we take friends who know and appreciate great food.We are never disappointed even though the bill is high the dinner is definitely worth it.Our choice for best in Houston.
(5)Leigh M.
Well before I could order from the extensive wine list, I fell in love with this place. It's expensive but worth every penny. If you are in Houston and love food, make a point to dine here. The food is amazing--try the grilled Chilean sea bass with cumin-dusted pumpkin seeds, sauteed spinach, crispy plantains and tequila-lime sauce. Incredible. Housed in a 1920's church (anyone remember when it was Dream Merchant?), the vibe is decidedly hip and elegant without being stuffy. I love sitting in the choir loft! Mark's is at the top of my list for places to revisit when I'm in Houston this fall. I'll update accordingly.
(5)Stephen P.
Our favorite restaurant in Houston. Great for special occasions. Expensive, but worth it.
(5)Corey D.
My wife and I were in Houston for the holidays and I wanted to take her out for our first romantic dinner since our daughter was born. I consulted Yelp, and the reviews sounded great (Boooooo Houston Yelpers). I'm not a total snob, but when I'm going to drop $200+ for a nice dinner for 2, everything better be impeccable. So many things were good, but so many things were bad. First we showed up an hour early so we could have a drink at the bar before dinner. They informed us that our table was ready and proceeded to sit us in the side room away from the main dining area even though the restaurant was almost completely empty. Our table was right next to the door and the cold draft made enjoying anything a challenge. So about the food. Our appetizers were fantastic, and that's where the good times ended. I had a foe gois and quail dish, and my wife had a poblano/corn soup. For our main dishes we opted for two specials, one seafood and one steak. My wife got the seafood special that included crab meat (excellent), a very bland and dry fish and some average scallops (claimed by the waiter to be super rare, and the best around). I had a Kobe beef dish that was flat out not good. (On a side note, I hate when waiters try to feed you information to make the restaurant seem so special and they're really just full of shit). Both of our main courses were $55 each and I wouldn't have paid $20 for them both. The dessert was ho-hum. I was very impressed with the wines, but was astounded by the absurd prices. Being from San Francisco I know wine and relative prices and their wine list is so so so so so so over priced it's a joke. All in all, I would probably never go back. Being from Houston I tout our amazing restaurants all the time so this is a major disappointment. I'm even more disappointed that Yelpers have made this one of the top restaurants in Houston.
(3)Julie S.
Oh my goodness. Hadn't been here in a while and feared my memories of this place were better than reality. Not so, this is still one of the best in town. Get the shrimp dish if it's still on the menu.
(5)Leila S.
This is probably one of the best restaurants in Houston. We had an 8:30 reservation, but had to wait at the bar until our table was ready (another 30 minutes), but otherwise than that, the experience was great. I had soft shell crab and my husband had kobe beef. Definitely one of the best fine dining restaurants in town.
(5)Harold F.
A nice, reasonable New American place in Houston. I was pleased with the food and service and will come back when I'm in the area. The servers are professional but also genuinely amicable than what you typically experience on both coasts. That made up for the dishes that were not exactly awe-inspiring, at least for me. I'd give it a solid 3.5.
(3)Joseph N.
The temple for great food, and great service. Mark's is the best in the city of Houston hands down. Everything is well prepared, sauces savory, flavors blended perfectly and very easy to understand. It's not cod roe with monk fish livers and chocolate foam. It's good down to earth flavors presented in a way your taste buds can understand.
(5)Casie C.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary last year. The location isn't that hard to find and the place is small but very cute since it was an old church that they turned into a restaurant. From what I remember, they usually just takes reservations (depends if they changed that already). When we first arrived, the valet drivers were very sweet and professional.The hostess was kind and seated us immediately to our table. Our server was funny and had such a great humor which also made our dinner date experience something that we would never forget. They are very limited on food choices, I guess it depends on what days you go and dine in with them also. My boyfriend doesn't eat anything seafood and all the appetizers that was on the menu consisted of seafood which was a little down side for him. He played it safe and ordered a steak and I went ahead and tried their trio salmon for appetizers. It was decent and good and something I don't mind getting again. My entree was Shrimp, and that I liked. Overall, it was a great experience and I will be returning to this place again.
(4)Peter Y.
We went to Mark's over Labor Day weekend. Beautiful interior, well decorated. We had a table on the second floor overlooking the main dining area. Food was great and portions were quite sufficient - my date and I were satisfied in that regard. But, this restaurant was definitely not among the best experiences I've had and did not live up to the hype. Food presentation was a little ostentatious and actually made some things harder to eat - the tomato salad and shrimp were overdone experiences example. Service was merely adequate; our waiter was polite but we sensed he didn't really want us as customers. The main issue was that I had actually planned to propose to my date there at the restaurant. The restaurant knew this, so I was surprised when I was attempting to talk to my date and we were both weirded out by the multiple waiters hovering around the floor, talking to each other, etc. We had to leave and go somewhere else. The proposal worked out well in the end, but Mark's wasn't a high point of the weekend.
(3)P P.
For the price, the whole experience left much to be desired. We made a reservation on line but apparently it never made it into their system, so we ended up waiting half an hour on a very busy Saturday night. When finally seated, the service was pretty prompt and our food came quickly, unfortunately, that's the best I could say about the food. The lobster bisque was so salty I had to complement it with water with each sip. The oyster appetizer had way too much going on (also too salty) and everything sort of became blah. My date and I got the pork and duck respectively. The meat was tender (especially the duck) but not spectacular. They just did not live up to their price tag. Overall, I'm disappointed.
(3)Christine H.
I am going to give this place 5 stars even though my last 2 experiences here have been a bit disappointing. The first few times I'd been to Mark's, I was blown away by the ambience--it's located inside what used to be a church so there are still wooded ceilings, windows, and an enchanting curved stairway that give it a majestic yet quaint feel. It is the perfect atmosphere for an intimate dinner. I know a few people who have gotten engaged here--it's that sort of place. The food is also fantastic; the chef pays special attention to his food, creating careful continental dishes that are almost always off the hook. I say "almost always" because one of the times we came here, the waiter told us about a special off-the-menu fish (I can't remember for the life of me which fish it was--all I remember was it was a deep sea fish). The waiter told us that it is similar to sea bass, and being lovers of sea bass, we said okay. The fish turned out not at all like sea bass--it was not buttery but instead dry. Because we were seated in a dark corner upstairs, I attributed the situation to the waiter being a newbie; he probably didn't know how to describe the fish properly. And then the last time we were here, we had a 9 PM reservation on a Wednesday night and still waited 30 min. before being seated. Then we had to wait about 20 min. from the time we were seated before our orders were taken, and it was 9 PM on a Wednesday. The waiter was also impolite. He kept interrupting us to say he "didn't catch a thing we're saying." I don't mind being told to speak up, but I would hope a waiter would preface it with "pardon me" or "excuse me." Instead, he acted annoyed and rushed. The food, however, was still very good--something I didn't expect considering it was a Houston Restaurant Weeks menu. (I think it's hard to judge a restaurant's food based on HRW menus because it is often not indicative of their true menu which may have better ingredients or larger portions.) Despite it being HRW, I enjoyed my meal for the most part. The oysters topped with lump crabmeat, shrimp, leeks, and a truffle ailoi vinaigrette were phenomenal as always and one of my favorite appetizers at Mark's, so I was elated to see them on the HRW menu. I also tried the seared foie gras with was good, but the tender pork bites that came with it were even better than the foie gras itself. For the second course, I had the duck confit with berries and wild rice--the duck was, for the most part, juicy and cooked well (with a few dry bites), and the fruit played great complement to the duck. The rice was a little too hard in texture for my preference although I suspect it's due to the wild rice grains. I also had a bite of the trio entree which featured an array of seafood; all the seafood was good but not the best I've had. Surprisingly, the spinach flan was the most enjoyable thing on that dish. For dessert, I had the raspberry shortbread tart which was HUGE (actually, TOO huge--imagine me complaining about a too-large portion). It made for too much sweetness, and I felt sick halfway through. My advice would be to add more of the pistachio ice cream and cut the raspberry tart portion down by almost half. I had a bite of the chocolate cake which made me jealous I hadn't ordered that instead, or even my usual creme brulee. Along with my dinner, I ordered a 3-wine flight and asked the sommelier to send out the proper wines according to what I was eating. The chardonnay with my oysters and pinot noir with my duck were good, but the dessert sparkling wine for my dessert (albeit good on its own), when combined with the overly sweet tart, was just way too much. I felt myself growing more and more diabetic by the second. I ended up giving away my dessert wine. All in all, aside from the too sweet and disproportionate tart, the long waits for a table and service, and most of all, the initially rude server, I enjoyed my meals at Mark's over the years enough that I'm willing to overlook these things and still give it 5 stars on the average.
(5)Nala L.
This is my all time favorite restaurant in Houston and I have only been twice. Great setting, great service, amazing atmosphere, and amazing food!
(5)Ty D.
Even though I weigh something like 400 lbs, it isn't every day that I see a menu and think to myself, "man, I would be happy ordering literally anything." The variety and creativity inherent in Mark's seasonal menus always makes settling on something difficult, but the other night, my wife and I had a near-perfect meal, with everything done right on the food end. I had a shrimp prepared three ways dish followed by the rack of lamb (one of the top 5 lamb dishes I've ever had), while my wife had an heirloom tomato salad and steak. Since I weigh 400 lbs, I also had a bit of her plates, and could easily have gone with her choices as well. Service was friendly and professional, and the wine list was well thought out, though perhaps not as expansive as one would expect of a "special occasion" place like Mark's. Whatever--quality not quantity, right? The ambiance is always wonderful at the converted church, although I echo some of the previous reviewers who noted that the food is a bit slow to arrive. Again, though, this is a minor complaint, as a meal like this should be savored slowly. Mark's was just as good as I remembered it, and I cannot wait to go back.
(5)Jimmy W.
still amazing, don't believe all the negative reviews. two years later after my first review, still one of the best restaurants in houston. foie gras, crab, fish, soft shell crab, you name it, they do it absolutely right. you have not experienced fine dining in houston until you have been to mark's.
(5)Cory O.
Um, yeah, best restaurant in town. That I've been to. But I've seen my share of delicious restaurants and I will say that the food here is near perfection. Some great things that they did right (and are to be expected at a restaurant of this caliber) were in details. The butter was in the shape of a cute M. The linens were of a quality that I haven't seen in a restaurant in a long time. The service was polite and informative. The food was phenomenal. Things that really need to be improved and almost cost them a whole star: 1) ridiculously long waits in between courses 2) having dirty, empty plates in front of us for the entirety of these ridiculously long waits 3) waiting for quite some time for them to fix the check after they accidentally double the ounces of steak that was ordered! And yet, these three things (annoying as they were) could not ruin the amazing flavors that were dancing in my mouth. Let me take you step by step through my meal so you can fully understand why I'm willing to make the bold statement of loving the food better than my first paramour, Mockingbird. My little Orange Crush was good, but then I had a taste of the sangria--oh, wow. This is on par with the sangria at Open City and if you've had theirs, then you know what a statement that is. I loved all the fresh fruit just bobbing around and it did a great job of not being overly sweet or tangy. Delicious. We decided to get the crab tasting as an appetizer that was unbelievable. I love crab, but have yet to find a place that impresses me since I have pretty high standards from home (I was spoiled in Alaska). Mark's completely exceeded my expectations with this dish. They had four different types of crabs all prepared in different ways. There is no way I could pick a favorite. I loved each one immensely and kept eating more than my share. Oooh, I'll have dreams about the crab plate for days now. Yum! Speaking of shellfish, I also got the white lobster bisque. I'm such a soup girl that I couldn't resist and I'm so glad that I got it. This was, hands down, the best soup I've ever had in my life. They were very generous with the chunks of lobster throughout and even though it was a little runny for a bisque (I like mine nice and thick), the flavors were incredible. It was so complex while not being overwhelming AND they didn't use anything fish related so the hubby could also enjoy the heaven I was in. I just cannot describe how smooth and flavorful this soup was. I'd go back just for that and be quite content. For my entree, I decided to actually get an appetizer. I like to get things that my hubby isn't allergic to so that I can eat off his plate without feeling guilty about it. Plus, I like to share. My mommy taught me well. :) So, I ended up with the foie gras and quail. Oh, jeez. No really--oh, jeez. My foie gras was phenomenal. It just melted in my mouth and I literally did not want to swallow the food. The quail was prepared in a few ways and my favorite just the plain old pan fried. I love a nice, crispy skin and they did it to perfection. The only problem is that with quail it is a little hard to get the meat off the bones without using your hands. And I think it would be frowned upon if I just went to town with my quail. Since I like to sample, I was excited to see what the hubby would get. The specials all sounded wonderful but the hubby went for the rack of lamb and duck. The lamb was perfectly pink and well seasoned, but the outer layer of cheese actually distracted from the taste. After tasting an inner portion, I immediately began to melt in my chair from the foodgasm going on in my mouth. I composed myself and went for a bite of his duck. Oh. Wow. When they say that the skin is perfectly crisped, they aren't kidding. Oh, wow. It completely locks in all the flavor and juices. Wonderful. The purple mashed potatoes on the plate where out of this world. You'll never taste mashed potatoes like that! There were an assortment of sauces on the plate and I tasted each one. While they were all phenomenal (and I may have just stuck some bread in it to sop it up--yep, I'm a classy gal), I just didn't want to distract from the dance party in my mouth from the meat so I kept them separate. The desserts looked phenomenal but we ended up just doing a muscato and it was perfect. Light, airy, and a perfect balance of sweetness that made it so refreshing at the end of the meal. The sorbets looked particularly good that night and I have a feeling that next time, we won't skip that part. They still need to up the service a bit, this would be a perfect dining experience. And though the service wasn't actually bad by any means, at these prices, I expect a little more.
(5)Miguel G.
On my first visit here, I was slightly disappointed in the food. I had the pork and Lopez had the duck. She was less impressed than I was. Not that the food wasn't good, it just wasn't memorable. It tasted good and was presented exceptionally. The service and atmosphere was excellent and we had a couple of excellent drinks at the bar before dinner. I forgot to mention dessert: the warm chocolate cake is incredible. If I visit again, I'll try a different entree.
(3)Dakota L.
I was pretty excited to try Mark's after hearing about it being one of the most romantic restaurants in Houston-- and I have to admit the ambience and decor were very nice. However, that was really the only thing I was impressed with. We went for my boyfriend's birthday and were looking forward to some good food. Our waiter largely ignored us and was pretty rude most of the time, despite the fact that we were there shortly after opening and there were maybe only three other couples in the restaurant. For an appetizer, I had the soup of the day, which was completely unremarkable; I could have gotten that soup anywhere. For the entree, I had a lamb dish that was a bit underseasoned and again, unimpressive. I was still holding out hope for dessert -- again, disappointment. It was dry and bland. Typically, when I spend $150 for a meal, I'm hoping for great food. There was not a single thing there that I would be interested in having again and it was completely forgettable. Both of us did order from the fixed price menu, so perhaps that is where they put all their disappointing dishes (and maybe that was why the waiter treated us like we were annoyances), but I'd say avoid Mark's unless you want to overpay for food that tastes like it came from Olive Garden.
(2)Brandy Z.
Marks is the place if you want a unique atmosphere and fancyness to go with it. It is a old church now converted to a fine dining restaurant you can tell by the windows that it use to be a church it is pretty dark inside but a intimate setting. no pews though. It had a good amount of people when I came for dinner. There was wait staff everywhere. Fortunatly we got a really good seat in the center of the dining area. I started with a martini it had cucmber vodka in it and tasted like a Mojito. Then ordered a bottle of red wine for the rest of the time there. It was called Ken Wright Pino Noir. They sold it for 172 the next day just for curiosity I checked the price and you could get a bottle of Ken wright pino for as low as 25 to 52 dollars online wow. I didnt see a marked up price online for it. I was surprised and kind of erie now about what wine to order. Dont get me wrong it had a great smooh flavor with a hint of blackberries but I now know what my friend says now when he says wine is wine and it soesnt matter what the brand is.. The dishes are very artsy and very petit. I got a soft shell crab sampler had all the little fishes like crab, fish, soft shell crab, shrimp tasted pretty good but not enough to fill you up to share with anyone else. also tried the Folie gras appetizer to be adventurous finding out it was like a duck liver served as pate' on a cracker I didnt really care for it knowing what it was but it did have a good flavor for someone who was into that. For Dinner I had a 8 oz kobe ribye. I never had kobe ribye I ordered it medium rare which it came out as but was surprised how charred black it was on the outside. Every bit was juicy and could taste all the fat and cholestrol after. Had a desert wine after and ordered a rasberry tart desert with some icecream honestly not tasting anything like what Id imagined it to be. But it was a artsy very interesting meal and the high prices must be for all the design and folie gras which is extremly popular there. Was a good time. and Im glad I got a chance to try what everyone raved about in Houston.
(3)Rahul R.
The service is great, the specials are always creative, and the atmosphere is very intimate. My wife thinks the steaks are dry but I think they are done well. I suggest the house tenderloin, the mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, and the creme brulee. (I know nothing groundbreaking but everything is done well) Best date spot in Houston!
(5)Lea M.
Totally a Houston staple. Food is phenomenal! I would always recommend getting the tasting menu. Chef Mark is an artist and you can tell that he loves his work through it's quality and originality.
(4)Kathryn S.
After reading some of the reviews that don't involve eating here during restaurant week, it seems we had much the same experience as a lot of other people. We had a table of four for a birthday dinner that started out well. The wine selection was good and my bf's lobster bisque was excellent. My autumn salad, however, was nothing special and had peaches on it that tasted like they came out of a can. Disappointing for a place with Mark's reputation. Then the entrees came. The other two people we were with seemed to like their entrees (lamb and a fish special), but my salmon came out raw. And I don't mean tender raw, I mean cold and mushy raw, to the point where I had to send it back for them to cook it longer. The funny thing was, when I waved the waiter over, he anticipated what I was going to say, so If that many people send the salmon back because it's raw, why doesn't the chef just cook it properly the first time? My boyfriend ordered the off menu soft shell crab special and was majorly disappointed. It was completely over-salted, way too crispy, and tasted like they had been fried in old oil. The taste of the crab was completely lost in the salt and the bad fry job. The highlight of the night was the dessert we ordered: a vanilla shake with aged rum and some other deliciousness in it. But again, $20 for a snifter full of vanilla ice cream with a couple of shots of booze is completely outrageous. For four of us to eat a mediocre meal with two bottles of wine, including tip, came to over $500. I don't mind spending that kind of money if it's an unbelievable dining experience, but Mark's ain't it. There are so many other good restaurants in this town, I will never go back.
(2)Ross W.
One of our all time faves. In a city known for great dining, this restaurant is one of the tops. Chef Mark Cox brings the culinary magic. Innovative menu, beautiful environment, flawless service. I really like the clever seasonal dishes and variety that make each visit unique.
(5)Annie B.
Has Mark changed chefs? We had been to Mark several times, over the years, the food wasnt this bad. We went on Sunday, May 24, 2009. We were 3 people. One had shrimp, the other steak, and I had the chicken. Appetizer- Soup. All the food was really bad. Overcooked, and even burned. We decided to skip desert. The service as always was great. But never had I had such bad cooking at Marks
(2)Usman A.
Appetizer was good. Entree is alright. Nothing special. Service was great though. The food may have too hyped up because of Zagat's. Don't believe the hype. Not worth going back.
(3)James W.
Simply delectable, exquisite, wonderful food presentation, ambiance and service. One of the best restaurants in all of Houston. All around a 4 1/2 stars in my book but I'll round up. If you've ever been to a AAA-rated restaurant such as Victoria and Albert's then you know what 5 star dining experience is all about. Anyhow, take out your special someone for a nice fine dining experience. Besides your pocket book, you't won't regret it!! Cheers!
(5)Donut D.
mark's was one of the best restaurants, and i have fond memories of the food and the experience..... but i'll be honest, i find it hard to think of it as the same place it once was. it used to be a "special" place, and i guess it's not in that category for me anymore.... what i still love: 1) the bar!!!!!! i love to go and have a drink at that bar, in that setting. it's perfect for some cocktails... but that's it 2) the memories.... what i found "unsavory" 1) my server on my last visit..... i usually give servers a lot of patience and respect since i've done that job, but i knew the place had gone down a level when the server was unsure of basically everything on the menu, and actually brought me the wrong food on each of my 3 courses. wow, now that's impressive!!! just not in a good way. i didn't want to make a scene since there were four of us, but gee, it was really annoying. 2) sorry, the food was just ok, not the same to me as it once was. maybe it was the poor service that time, or just lack of detail, but overall the food just didn't manage to make up for the service the last time i was there. im not saying i wouldn't go back or think it's a bad place, i just think there are so many good restaurants here that i'd probably go somewhere else. i'd still suggest it to people if i thought they would enjoy it, but to me it's just simply "lost its luster" ....
(3)Vadim K.
My wife and I had dinner at Mark's. The food was good and some things were very good like my steak. I would give Mark's a 4 on the food. However, the service was very disappointing. 1. We were asked what we wanted to drink before getting the wine list. 2. The first waiter had a hard time understanding that we were fine with "regular water" and try to offer us bottled water. After screwing up a few times he offered us another table. He realized he had spoiled the our dinning experience so it made sense to give to another waiter. 3. Most entrées on the menu were around $39, I think. We were told about four specials but the waiter failed to mention the price. I asked thanks to a comment made by one unfortunate reviewer who did not. Seafood specials were $89! More than twice the regular price items! One of the specials was a sole. What kind of sole cost $89? But even if there is one, it is a poor taste for a restaurant this class to try to stick their patrons with such "specials" without giving a polite warning about the cost. 4. Mark's has sommelier on staff but she never came to our table to offer assistance. Neither did our waiter offer her services to us. Again, something I definitely expected from the restaurant of this class.
(3)Larina C.
I had high expectations from the rave reviews that I've heard from every one. To this day I'm still the only person I know who doesn't like the food there, so they must be doing something to please people. It was an easy $200 for the two of us and we didn't even have dessert. I thought the food was bland and overrated. The restaurant itself is unique because it was an old church, but other than that it is stuffy and the crowd is fuddy duddy. The service was sub par because we didn't get menus, bread, or water for like 15 minutes. I was truly dissatisfied.
(2)abby r.
My husband brought me here for our 2 year anniversary. I have to say the place is very nice, romantic, and the hostess was was very polite. However, the place is really old and could use just a little updating. The food was very good but I have had better. It was almost like expensive hotel food at its best. The service however, was horrendous. Our waiter some soo rude. He acted like he could care less. He had a get in get out attitude. Never once did he return to the table to see how things were, how is the food, can I get you anything.. All he cared about was shoving more drinks on the table. He did not even bother to ask if we were celebrating an occasion. Other tables got a little something for a birthday, etc..but we got nothing but bad service. Even when we left, the waiter looked eye to eye with me and did not even say thank you for coming or have a nice evening or anything..and yes, we did leave him a good tip, however he didnt even deserve a penny. I expect more from this place and I dont think I will return or suggest this place to anyone ever. Too many great restatuant in Houston to have to take that kind of attitude.
(2)Daniel H.
i have to use a made-up word to describe how good my veal chop was; my veal chop was splendiferous. it came with porcini and morel mushrooms, which i love, and various other deliciousness. the interior is really cool, and its interesting that the restaurant used to be a church, but really, the food was just impressive.
(5)Keith D.
I cannot begin to express the affection I have for this place. There is a specific ambiance here that will not be repeated elsewhere. This church was, at one time, a gay club, and then an alternative clothing store (Dream Merchant). This was the only place one could acquire Doc Martin's for some time. It now houses one of the best chefs in the USA. The food and service are superb. I took my parents here for an anniversary one year. A waiter overheard us discussing menu items we were curious about. In minutes, a sample plate arrived. Impeccable, divine, special. REALLY GOOD TIMES. Seldom in my forty years do I have, what I call, a "food-gasm". One of my first "food-gasms" occurred at Marks. Tell them if it is a special occasion. If there is a chef's special..........ORDER IT!!!!!! Never order what you are used to in a place like this. Take their word for it. They will know what you like more than you do. Go forth unto Mark's American Cuisine and INDULGE. You will not regret it.
(5)Trang T.
I've heard about the restaurant here and there and I must say, Mark's matches up to its hype. The restaurant is beautiful in the inside. Very romantic. Our appetizer was the fried oysters topped with crabmeat. I have to say it was divine. The sauces around the pearl oysters was unique and made me want to savor each bite and figure out what I was tasting. My taste buds were probably in awe over the wonderful new flavors. The lamb was cooked to perfection. I enjoyed the presentation of each dish and the mixture of different flavors. I saw a fruit salad on the appetizer plate and was a bit iffy, but the mixture of spice and sweetness was wonderful. I highly recommend Mark's. A great dining experience from beginning to end.
(5)Rebecca v.
So, I drive past this place almost everyday and have been dying to try it... so after completing the MS 150, My friend and I decided to celebrate and try it out... I made reservations 1 week in advance to guarantee a decent table. We were seated promptly, the inside is very different, I think its a renovated old church.. the bread basket was sooo good, especially the caramelized onion bread, we actually had 2 baskets! Great wine list, we had a Syrah- red Jacob's creek I think. Both of our starters were about 25.00 each, and boy was I glad I wasnt paying!! The portions were perfect, I was actually expecting less than what I got! I ordered the duo of Fois Gras, which were served with homemade brioche! Fantastic, my friend ordered some seafood creation, cant really remember, I was so focused on my food... Then I ordered the Sirloin with an aged balsamic vinegar glaze, whch was served with potatos, and chicken fried bacon on top.. Boy this was superb, possibly one of the best flavoured and seasoned steaks I've ever had, and it looked about 16 oz. not sure the exact weight. and again I cant tell you what my date ordered because I was too enamoured with my food. by the end of our meal and after a good bottle of wine, we had no room for dessert.. unfortunately. but there is always next time. too bad it wont be any time soon, I think dinner came out to about 400.00 + tip.. ouch best restaurant in Houston, but also prob one of the top 5 most expensive!
(5)Margie L.
This place is amazing! I went there on a special occasion and I loved it! A week later I was looking for another special occasion...my friend came to Houston...good enough, so we went back to Mark's. The atmosphere is great (an old church), the food is superb, service is exceptional! It feels like a sanctuary of food! Kobe Beef, seafood, lamb and even chicken all taste amazing and unique and the meals are presented beautifully. The waiters are there but not there, there's no loud music, you can concentrate on appreciating your food. Tip: Always ask for dessert specials, they're not on the menu....it was the highlight of my meal. Mark's is one of my favorites in Houston!
(5)nic f.
this is hulaboy's parents favorite restaurant in houston so we spend at least one night eating here whenever we're in town visiting his fam. i'm not a giant fan of anything houston has to offer but mark's is great for the following reasons: 1. the bartenders always know how to make an excellent brown liquor cocktail 2. the food is reliably good 3. the space is gorgeous and, even though it's an old church, i've never been struck by lightening my only complaint is that we've been eating there for years and there are some menu items that have never changed. i understand that there are fan favorites but feel like some variety (other than specials) would be nice now and then.
(4)Blair B.
Definitely in the top echelon of Houston dining. The atmosphere in the old church is amazing, and service is great too. Word of warning.. Houston restaurants are usually pretty easy to get into, this one you might want to make reservations in advance as they are frequently booked up!
(5)Andrew R.
After a previously disappointing trip to Marks, I have to give them very high grades on my most recent trip. It was our anniversary, and my wife and I were looking for someplace "different". We had gone previously and found it loud and crowded, with wait staff bumping into my chair, etc. This trip was very different. We were seated quickly and on time, up in the balcony and out of the traffic flow. The theme ingredient of the day seemed to be truffles.. and oh they were good. My wife had "Crab three ways" as her appetizer, while I had the angel-hair in a cream sauce with Parmesan. Then, the shaving of truffle directly on to the pasta at the table. Smelled heavenly, and if you wait a minute to the let the truffle warm and release its essence, mixing it in the pasta, it was divine. Entrees were similarly wonderful, my wife had a Hawaiian red-fish with a sauce she described as superb. Desserts were great, and the decaf coffee, often a disappointment even in great restaurants, was excellent. I will be interested in a return trip soon to see if this is consistent behavior, but this evening was fantastic.
(4)Karen S.
I have loved Mark's American Cuisine since I first went there in 2001. The atmosphere is beautiful, I love the old church its in. The wine list is extensive and meets the needs of a beginner wine connossieur :). I've tried things I would never TOUCH anywhere else, Foie Gras, Soft Shell Crab - etc. and even things that don't appetize me taste phenomenal at Mark's. The service is also top notch. I can't remember the name of the waiter, but he's older and has been there for years. What a remarkable man, he knows his wine and the menu like the back of his hand and makes great recommendations for both. I can't wait to visit Mark's again soon.
(5)Julie L.
By far, my favorite restaurant in town. We love the ambiance, the food, the wine & dessert. Great waitstaff--- they anticipate our needs before we even realize what's coming!
(5)Jess L.
My boyfriend and I went in the weekend of Valentine's day. We had a late reservation so the restaurant wasn't too packed. They had hardwood floors, and I was wearing heels...you can guess what happened..I almost slipped. Close call. We were seated at a very small round table which I wasn't too happy about. We barely had any room for our plates! I guess they can't put many "square" tables since the restaurant has limited space. We ordered the oysters for the appetizer, which was a very good choice. My boyfriend ordered some type of meat, which was very tasty and tender. I decided to get something different and was deciding on the shrimp or the salmon. I asked the waiter which one he recommended. He said the shrimp. He brought our food out, and boy, was I disappointed. Shrimp had no great taste, and the grit cake and cilantro coulis was not good at all. I expected better. But the creme brulee was great. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here.
(3)Gary H.
Well....I've heard that the food is good. I tried going in for lunch wearing a polo shirt and shorts (mind you they were mad nice shorts) and they wouldn't let me in, and this was LUNCH on a TUESDAY. Who do they think they are...we're in houston, c'mon, cut me some slack here.
(1)Michael F.
Ina city with many great choices this is my favorite. I recently dined here again and despite coming in fairly late on a Sunday night, the place was half full and our service was never wanting. After a quick libation at the bar we sat and began with the heirloom tomatoes which had a nice selection some basil oil, fresh herbs, Fleur del sel and a touch of balsamic reduction (less is more here). The quail foie gras appetizer was thankfully still on the menu and of course we ordered that too. Prices have definitely risen here, but we felt that we got our money's worth. As good as the Kobe is, they were serving A-5 grade for $30.00 an oz., so we passed (you can find it cheaper at a few places). Our table negotiated and we all ordered different entrees so as best to try as much of the menu as possible. The veal was incredibly tender. My lamb trio was good. The lamb sausage on it was distinctive, crisp on the outside and just the right amount of salt. I liked the pork tenderloin and the duck was the usual hit ( parts were a bit too rare for me, but my dining companion loved it). A TX tempranillo had a bold aroma, if a bit of a weird snap on the finish(reasonably priced). The recent addition of a new pastry chef has made old favorites stronger (raspberry tart) and showcased some new presentations and ingredients that are excellent. The study of chocolate swept all cliches away and was filled with wonderful textures (frozen souffle) and reasonably sized portions (just enough to enjoy and share). Part of what I like most here is that when Mark obtains a rare or high quality item he lets it shine by not smothering it in spice and showmanship. Still my number one in Houston and they serve late (till 11:00 weekdays & 12:00 Fri-Sat.).
(5)Lily L.
This is actually "Mark's American Cuisine" not Mark's restaurant. Being that this is the top Zagat rated restaurant ("28" for food) in Houston, I couldn't resist. In any case, I walked in solo to dine for one. There was, happily, no wait for the bar area. This was perfect, since the bar staff gave me an excellent recommendation for a wine (pinot noir) to pair with my entree (duck confit). Coming from California, the dishes here are definitely bigger than average. But, what did I expect? it IS Texas - they DO do everything bigger here. I've been to very nice restaurants in San Francisco, but nothing compares to the duck I had here - skin was perfectly crisp with a slight hint of the wood used to cook the duck, and the sauce, MY GOD THE SAUCE, made from mango/blueberries or some other out-of-this-world combination... it was truly PERFECT. Pair all this with the risotto on the side, and you can't help but stuff your face. I was so full from the huge portions, I didn't have room for dessert. Too bad because the sorbets looked yum.
(5)Morgan G.
Celebrated our wedding anniversary here and it was wonderful!
(4)Chris B.
In town on business and need to blow a few bucks on the expense account? Or celebrate a special occasion in an intimate atmosphere? Then head to Mark's. It is a truly out of the world dining experience, and this is coming from a San Francisco food snob. The wine list kicked ass, the menu was inventive and tasty looking, and the dishes we ordered were all excellent. Definitely try the Chilean Sea Bass, and strongly consider getting any of the nightly specials. We tried the heirloom tomato appetizer and were very pleased. And last but not least, the dessert we ordered (a chocolate torte w/blueberry muffin ice cream) was the best dessert I've had since I began eating dessert with my restaurant meals. Oh... and the service is excellent as well. Our waiter was friendly and attentive, and recommended an excellent wine that was very moderately priced.
(5)B C.
OK, they would have got a 5, but we ordered 4 $100 bottles of wine and 2 of them were mediocre. So, maybe I shouldn't penalize them b/c I can't order wine. The food was fabulous. Shrimp/tuna appetizer was spectacular with real wasabi (a little different than the horseradish most places serve). My veal entree was also awesome --- the rib just fell apart when I tried to pick it up (yummy). And, when you are almost full it is refreshing that a Houston restaurnant serves a sensible portion for dessert. Warm chocolate cake for me, creme brulee for my date. We both licked the plate. :)
(4)Debbie B.
I have rarely been to a restaurant so overrated. I expected the high prices, but I certainly wasn't prepared for the poor service. Our waiter had no more interest in our table than the man in the moon. He was dour and non communicative and pretty much non-existent. When someone at the table wanted to order an extra bowl of soup, we had to ask another waiter for help. Never once were we asked if our meals were OK or if we needed anything else (like, perhaps, another glass of wine). I have eaten at many expensive and even not so expensive restaurants in Houston and other cities (Paris, Washington, DC, Melbourne, Sydney, San francisco) and never have I had worse value. The food wasn't bad but it was hardly anything worth returning for. I'm a pretty dedicated foodie, and this place just does not measure up. I had the feeling that you needed to be part of the "in crowd" to receive good service at Mark's. Almost nothing can make me refuse to tip 20% or higher but at mark's I was sorry I had to leave anything.
(2)Jennifer B.
Best meal I have had yet and I have eaten at some of the most celebrated restaurants in the nation. We had a spaghetti squash appetizer that left me crying tears of joy in my plate. I was in sort of a tame mood when I dined there and just ordered a chicken dish. Again, I was floored at how the flavors just popped in my mouth...this was not an ordinary dining experience. Service was on task and polite! I most definitely will be putting this into my special occasion file. You will need to sell your children to pay for it though.
(5)Kendra C.
I don't know what took me so long to check this place out - I've heard such great things about it. It surpassed my expectations. We walked in without reservations on the first Monday of Restaurant Week, and were seated without delay. Everyone, from the valet to the hostess, waiter, and bussers, was polite and friendly. The seared foie gras & quail appetizer made me say "Wow". The grilled salmon entree was moist, tender, flavorful, and unexpectedly (and deliciously) paired with a coconut risotto, yuzu citrus carrots and other vegetables. My dining companion ordered the warm chocolate cake with German coconut pecan icing and pecan brittle, and it was unspeakably good. She literally could. not. speak. Except to say "mmmm..." after almost every bite. For restaurant week, this is an amazing deal. This place is birthday good, or pop-the-question good, and can definitely transform your Monday into something special.
(5)