Outdoor Dining pages Sponsored by Crapitto's Cucina Italiana Reviews     Profile     Lunch Menu     Dinner Menu     Website     Reservations

Backstreet Cafe

MY REVIEW: This is a great little restaurant with a lot of charm and ambiance. They have a wonderful outdoor patio, and the restaurant itself is built in a charming old home. I had a glass of the red sangria since it was warm outside, and it was delicious. The waiter brought out some yummy sourdough bread that we really enjoyed along with a Caesar salad that was big enough to share. For dinner, I had the trout, and the preparation was very simple but good. At night, they light candles on the patio, and the setting becomes very magical and romantic. If you like simply prepared food with high quality fresh ingredients and wonderful service, you would enjoy Backstreet Cafe.

NAME: newbride
SUBMITTED: 8/21/2012   LAST VISIT WAS: August 2012
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: Went to Backstreet Cafe for brunch to celebrate a friend's birthday last weekend. We had no reservations but had a very short wait for a table upstairs. Started with a pitcher of the berry mimosas which were delightful. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our entrees. I had the Backstreet Benedict, which was probably one of the best eggs benedict dishes I have ever had. Although we tried to keep it on the down-low, our waiter picked up that we were there to celebrate a birthday. He discreetly brought out a yummy bread pudding, big enough for us to share, at no charge. We had a wonderful time and a wonderful meal.

NAME: Baylor Gal
SUBMITTED: 8/9/2012   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/12
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: This was our first visit to Backstreet Cafe and it won't be the last. We went for Brunch on Saturday and got there aroud 11. Valet parking is great - the restaurant is an old house refurbised into a restaurant with great old trees surrounding the front and the courtyard patio area.

We were immediately sat outside and the weather was lovely. We ordered a half pitcher of the regular mimosas and a fruit plate to start. A gratis plate of various pastries was brought out and they were so yummy. One of the daily specials was a ham & cheese crepe with scrambled eggs & spinach, which I quickly ordered. My mom ordered the French toast with a side of bacon. The orders were HUGE! I was able to put away my crepes & eggs but Mom had to take some of hers to go. Everything was delicious and the service was great.

After finishing our regular mimosas we each ordered a wild berry mimosa and they were deelish as well. The bill came and it was $100 but so worth it. The food, the service, the ambiance - all fantastic. We will definitely be going back again - we just might share something next time though :)

NAME: Jack-E
SUBMITTED: 5/16/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: March 2011
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Vegetarians BEWARE. Just because you order off the vegetarian menu, it doesn't mean that you won't get a big piece of meat (prosciutto) under your salad..which is what happened to us. The excuse was something lame about the computer, but worse was the follow up. No sincere apology, no offer to replace the salad, and I had to ask twice to have the offending item removed from the bill.

All in all, it's sad because this is quite a nice restaurant. I don't think we'll be going back though.

NAME: veggies only please
SUBMITTED: 1/11/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/10/2011
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: The very good food was overshadowed by the terrible air conditioning. This is a restaurant that you can't visit from june - october. when we complained to the waiter, he said that this was typical. the owner should spend some money on ventilation.

NAME: Not happy
SUBMITTED: 6/27/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 6/25/10
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: This place is a vintage home, which is converted into quite a unique place. Valet parking was excellent and needed because of the narrow street and popularity of the area. Upon entering you can either sit downstairs or for a more romantic flavor upstairs near the fireplace. They had live music when I was there...good, smooth and perfect with dinner.

The menu was eclectic with enough choices to keep everyone happy. The shrimp rolls and the quail are awesome! My guess had the sea food grill and the shrimp and grits and they both were very pleased. (We did have to ask for a to go bag for the grill (two people could have ordered it alone). My other guess was so boring because she ordered the crab cake starter and the tomatoe soup. (THAT SOUP WAS TO DIE FOR)...her words, not mine. Anyway, fellows... romantic, hidden away, reasonable prices...... desert...seals the deal.....

NAME: Poetman
SUBMITTED: 3/30/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 01/10
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: I took my sister to Backstreet Cafe yesterday for lunch to celebrate her birthday. Everything was absolutely delicious and the service was impeccable. She had the trout with garlic spinach and roasted potatoes and I had the spectacular vegetable plate. We kept wondering why we had not visited this restaurant more often and vowed to return frequently.

*****

NAME: foodie9
SUBMITTED: 5/13/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: The food and the service are great. I go there all the time. The interior could use some updating but, overall, it's fine. The outdoor areas are particularly fun in good weather. I like the fruity drink specials at brunch on weekends. However, for God's sake, the parking situation is atrocious. It took longer to retrieve my car from valet parking than it did to eat. It was total confusion and an awful way to end a nice brunch!

NAME: River Oaks Regular
SUBMITTED: 5/12/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: May 2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: I drive by Backstreet all the time and returned there for a lunch meeting yesterday. I was a little put off by the "mandatory" valet parking but asked where I could park myself and the valet directed me to a spot. Staff was attentive. The outside deck area was perfect and the food was really great. The entrees we ordered (fish and the angus burger) were very good. The gumbo I started with was really outstanding! Piled high with shrimp...really good stuff!

Prices were a little higher than I remembered but not prohibitively so. Worth a visit particularly on days when the weather cooperates so you can sit outside!

NAME: David
SUBMITTED: 2/26/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 2/09
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: This was my first stop in Houston after getting off the plane. Had a wonderful lunch outside on their patio. What a wonderful setting with the trees and flowers blooming in February and the sun shinning. It was filled with people. The food was excellent as well as the service. Valet parking makes it an easy in and out.

I would go back to this restaurant in a heartbeat.

NAME: Mac
SUBMITTED: 2/18/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: February 2009
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I was very disappointed in my meal this Brunch. I ordered what was listed as Eggplant Parmesan. It was not! It was more like a Caponata. There was very little eggplant. It was too vinegary. There was no cheese. The eggplant was not layered but rather a few slices were placed on the top. I like eggplant, so this was very disappointing.

In terms of ambiance, the second floor is much too noisy. They need to put up some sound absorbing ceiling tiles, or drapes, or table clothes, or all of them!

NAME: R W
SUBMITTED: 1/1/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/1/2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: This is one of my friend's favorite lunch places. We sometimes go for our "ladies who lunch" times when we can all afford to be away from the office for a longer time than usual. I generally go along for the ride and for companionship, it is definitely not because I love the place as much as she does. The ambiance is genteel, although their covered “porch” almost feels like Le Peep, can’t say why. It definitely is a place for ladies who lunch, but who do not need to rush back to the office. On this last trip there were several tables of boisterous women who made us have to shout in order to hear each other. Our waiter was attentive this time, although on other occasions we have had to actively flag people down. I assume that the wait staff thinks everyone is having a leisure lunch and are not having to hurry back to work. Each time I’ve been to this place, I’m shocked at the prices. Although the ingredients are top notch, I’m thinking you’re paying a heavy premium to dine near River Oaks in a genteel manner. The food in general is OK. I have had a salad that was really good, but on the whole, I think the food is OK. This last trip, I ordered a lunch special of crispy lobster sandwich with onion rings. It came to the table and I was VERY disappointed. The lobster tails were tiny on that big brioche and the roumelade was a tiny plop on both sides of the bun. The greens were sparse with three tiny tomato slices. Finally, the onion rings proved to be 3 rings and they were tiny. The flavor on the lobsters was rather blah, so I had a blah, strange strange sandwich and a few pretty good O-rings. Lastly, I ordered the cheese plate for dessert despite my waiter not being able to tell me what would be on the plate before hand other than 3 or 4 cheeses, some honey, and jam. The cheese arrived with water crackers and the smallest smattering of nuts, craisins, marmalade (home made, I was told) and about ¼ tsp of honey. The cheese was plentiful, but oh, please, don’t be stingy with the condiments. For the sum of about 31 bucks, I ultimately had a non-satisfying lunch. Honesty, if you want OK food in a genteel, posh people setting, go here. If you want OK or even good food in a non-pretentious place for a lot less money, go somewhere else.

NAME: SwissSushi
SUBMITTED: 12/17/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/08
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Last night was my first time at Backstreet. We went for a friend's birthday and had a wonderful time. The Sangria was delicious and filled with blackberries and cherries. We started with a lump crabmeat appetitizer and were not disappointed. We sat outside and enjoyed a wonderful time in the humid Houston night. Thank god no one smoked around us.

The service was excellent. They came to refill, picked up dirty plates, and checked up on us all at the right time. We all liked our dinner. The seafood risotto was cooked just right and covered with fresh seafood, just like it was described in the menu. A friend ordered the angel hair pasta with shrimp and sun-dried tomato. The jalapeno pasta with chicken and black beans was also delicious. The peach cobbler and bread pudding were both fresh and not too sweet. I like to come back for brunch. One bad thing is the parking around the area. Overall, this is a neighborhood gem in the River Oaks area. Definitely worth trying!

NAME: Lo
SUBMITTED: 8/8/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Always come for brunch! Mimosas are wonderful. I always get the lobster sandwich....it is devine!!! The fish tacos as an appetizer are some of the best fish tacos I have ever had (and I eat fish tacis everywhere.) Everytime we go my husband tries soemthing different, and he has never been disappointed with his selection. Have heard about issues with the valets from friends who frequent here, though I haven't had a problem. Other friends have done many wine classes here and love it everytime! No complaints ever!

NAME: nessen
SUBMITTED: 8/1/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 07/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Have been only for brunch. Three words....chicken andouille hash!!! Fabulous! Migas not so much, but the crawfish on grits was good too!! Wasn't impressed with the dessert trio, but my sister loved the bread pudding.

NAME: JBo
SUBMITTED: 5/30/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: May 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

If you don't agree with these comments, agree with them or have additional comments,
click here to Add Your Review.