Backstreet Cafe   1103 S Shepherd Dr Houston TX 77019 713.521.2239 You might also be interested in these:     Bistros    Outdoor Dining    Sunday Brunch    ZIP 77019   Add Review       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 MY REVIEW: We had a reserervation for four out in the patio. It was a beautiful day and the ambiance was perfect. Definitely an impressive date place. We ordered the bacon wrapped quail which was on a bed of savory grits. I would order the dish for the grits alone! The service was a little slow but i imagine it was because everyone wanted to sit out on the patio and the waiter had his hands full. The two guys ordered the short ribs which were fall off the bone tender in what looked like a stewy broth. I of course ordered the duck, which i do at any respectable restaurant not only because its my favorite dish but also because its a measuring stick to which i judge all others. The duck itself was good but M*arks is better--- only because the skin at M*arks is baked to a crisp to where the fat between the skin and meat melts away. It was still good here but the dish was definietly saved by the butternut squash that it came with. It was sweet and very complimentary to the duck. My friend ordered the seafood risotto and it was DELICIOUS. Each bite was infused with the essence of the seafood that it was cooked in. Large chunks of lobster, shrimp, etc----- SO very tasty A+++. The mac and cheese was very creamy and rich and also very good. Maybe not as delicate and as good as 17's famous truffle mac and cheese but still very good. Overall, i would definitely return and it is fastly a part of my rotation of restaurants. NAME: foodie31 SUBMITTED: 4/16/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Made resrvations about 3 hours in advance we arrived about 40 min early sat at the bar order drinks within 10 min. we had a table. I order tortilla soup and my wife order the pear salad. The soup was good but the pear salad was great actully tasted like a dessert. For dinner i had the pecan crusted chicken and my wife had the grouper. This was a great meal. The place is romantic my service was perfect. Next time we are going to set outside on the patio. If i had 1 complant the fish was a little pricing for the portion u get but we didn't leave hungry. Try this place great date restraunt. NAME: 117golfer SUBMITTED: 3/5/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: March 2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I kept on meaning to return and this time with my fiancee for a late dinner. The service was attentive and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Conversations tended to be loud, but the patio seemed very romantic. The bread -- freshly baked -- delicious! They automatically brought out some more when we ran out. The bacon wrapped quail was juicy -- really the best quail I've had in Houston. He liked the meatloaf -- a fabulous presentation and the sauce was good -- came with mashed potato and spinach. I had the lobster pot pie for my meal -- oh, amazing! Big chunks of juicy lobster in a creamy broth! People should come just for the pot pie!!! Sadly, no room for dessert, but from what I recall from prior visits, really nice coffee and sweets. Definitely I'll return in the future!!! NAME: drfoodie SUBMITTED: 2/7/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/7/08 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: A group from the office came here for a birthday lunch - sat in the patio area. The food was very, very good and the service was great - our server was poised, well-informed and best of all, witty. A few of our group ordered the vegetable plate, which was gorgeous. I had the fish special, a gulf snapper over some cheese grits with asparagus and zucchini and it was delicious. The portions are manageable so I don't think anyone was stuffed. The desserts were not very tasty in my opinion (and I tasted all of them). A definite return trip! NAME: NZ SUBMITTED: 11/19/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Strong points: lunch and brunch. Good selections and good prices Weak points: Dinner. We had a party of 5 on a Sunday. Not very busy, but our service was terrible. When our first waitress did not return to our table, they assigned another waiter. After awhile, a third one showed up, however it was difficult to get the attention of either. The entrees were good, but not great. Many took the seasnoning a little too far. The Mache salad would have been much better with some conventional lettuce rather than having parsley and limp baby lettuce. Coq au vin would have been better if the rosemary had not been overpowering. Pork chop tasted like any other old pork chop, not special. $240 for five is OK if your meal and dining experience is top notch, but this was overpriced for what we got. To top it off, the valet passed gas before he gave us the car back. We were gagging after we got in the car! There are way too many excellent restaurants in Houston to put up with poor service and average meals whatever the price is. That is what is great about living here. NAME: eric SUBMITTED: 8/13/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: August 2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: We ate at Backstreet for the first time to celebrate my birthday. We went for the brunch menu around lunchtime. We made reservations ahead of time. Note that parking is very limited. They do have valet service but we parked about a block or two away. We were seated upstairs with a nice view of the patio. The patio is also a nice place to eat in on a good weather day of course. Food and beverages were wonderful. My brother ordered the Mojito and I the Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade. Both delicious. Every one of my family members enjoyed the entrees. We had ordered: My bro- Lobster Sandwich, Father- Angus Burger, Mother-Brioce French Toast (Delicious..not too sweet), Me-Crab Cakes and Eggs (loved the crab cakes...lot of times there's more cake than crab but this had more crab meat!), and husband-Chicken and Andouille Hash. Our total bill was about $80 for the 5 of us. We had a wonderful time and will definitely go back again. NAME: pinaybabae SUBMITTED: 2/4/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: Feb/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Good lunch with an old friend and we sat, ate and talked for close to 2 hours. They did not rush us or run us off. Good spot to visit and talk business. We enjoyed the special which was grouper over cous cous with asparagus. They filled our tea everytime it got to the half way mark. Excellent experience. NAME: Jasper Puckett SUBMITTED: 2/1/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: Feburary, 2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: The service was appropriate and quite friendly. The food was overpriced for what was provided. I had a disappointing salad that consisted of a few pieces of chicken, greasy "toast" and chunks of potato, and a few artichoke bottoms. I do not plan to go back. NAME: Jim G SUBMITTED: 10/21/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/06 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I really love the patio here. I went for lunch yesterday (Friday) afternoon. There were plenty of outdoor tables. It was a nice business casual crowd. Service was attentive and unrushed. I can see how if I wanted to be in and out in an hour, this might have been a bit annoying, but as I was taking a leisurely 2-hour lunch, I enjoyed it immensely. Yum! The mile high veggie torta was delicious and quite ample-sized. So good - grilled assorted veggies w/ a bread crumb layer and a small side of mixed greens. Delicious. But I also had to order the day's special: soft shell crab. These were over the top! The butter sauce they came with were so delicious! And their sides are delicious as well. I recommend the butternut squash, pumpkin flan, and sauteed spinach sides. You can substitute for the sides if the dish you order comes with specific sides that you don't want. Delicious! I hope to return soon for brunch - their brunch menu looked extremely delicious! Thank you, Backstreet, for a very enjoyable lunch outside. Also, their desserts are very good. I got the apple tart - so yummy! My friend got the lemon meringue tart - delicious as well, but very sweet. Go for the apple tart - it was warm and served a la mode with caramel sauce drizzled on top. Sit outside of the weather is nice, the whole patio is shaded as well and you can spot all types of chirping birds - I saw a beautiful red robin! And these are not the annoying pigeons like at La M*adeleine, but charming little song birds. Enjoy! NAME: foodiefanatic SUBMITTED: 4/8/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/06 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: The downturn in the service at this restaurant is so steep that I wonder if it has changed hands. We took visitors from the UK for a special 'holiday' dinner and were hugely disappointed. The bar service was non-existent, wait staff slow and patronising and the entire experience a total letdown. Should have followed my initial instincts and left when it took so long to even order pre-dinner cocktails (which whoever was dragged into the bar to serve us couldn't make anyway). NAME: JAM SUBMITTED: 1/2/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/05 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: I took my wife here last week, and we both just love it. It was our second time to eat here, but the first since we found out about our child-to-be. Soft shell crab, Archery Summit Oregon Pinot Noir by the half-bottle! (half bottle because my wife can't drink now) Waitstaff was courteous, attentive, and surprisingly wine-savvy. The atmosphere is above average, with an unconvincing facade of elegance inside, but a fantastic outdoor eating area! It's no B*rownstone, but definitely worth it. Prices are reasonable, and the wine list is adequate. NAME: Jeff Holmes SUBMITTED: 10/30/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/28/2005 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Man what a cool restaurant nestled away in River Oaks. I stumbled upon it a month back while shopping at the River Oaks Center. It is a block down from McDuffie and W Gray. Had a great lunch for my first visit with a wonderful Blue Cornmeal Catfish and my girlfriend had this fantastic Lobster sandwich. We were so impressed we took her parents there for dinner a week later. They loved it and I scored some great points. My future Father In Law thought the wine list was great and he knows a lot more about this stuff than i do. We had a great dinner with friendly service, very good food, and a tasty couple of bottles of wine. I am hooked on their home made cobbler, it comes to the table in its own little casserole dish with this great fresh made ice cream. I am quickly becoming a regular here and can't wait to sit on the patio in the fall. Only trick is finding this place the first time, but once you discover it you will be back. NAME: Avid Diner SUBMITTED: 7/25/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 07/05 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: This Restaurant is wonderful. The food is 5 star!!! close attention and unbelievable skill to create these culinary masterpieces. The coffee encrusted tenderloin, very very juicy steak, the softshell crab with lobster in champagne sauce will make you feel like a millionaire. It is my new favorite place, perfect for a romantic lunch or dinner. The Valet was free at lunch time. You have got to try it. NAME: Shay SUBMITTED: 6/10/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: June 2005 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I LOVE this restaurant! I had heard great things about it so finally decided to go. What brought me there was hearing about this lobster sandwich that was supposed to be to-die for. When I got there (Saturday around noon) I was told there weren't serving the sandwich and were only serving off the brunch menu. While I was dissapointed, I quickly scanned the brunch menu and ordered crab cakes and eggs. It was a strange combination to me, but I was feeling adventurous....and I'm glad I did! It was probably the best breakfast I have ever had. Two luscious crab cakes served with two poached eggs over a bed of spinach and asparagus. Sounds very odd, but is out of this world! Backstreet is now on my list of favorite breakfast restaurants and I try to visit at least once a month. Highly recommended!! NAME: Liz SUBMITTED: 5/27/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/05 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I love this place, discovered it about a month ago and have been back 3 times. First visit I had brunch with my girlfriends family. The Gingerbread Waffle was great and they did this cool Mimosa made with fresh wild berries. My other two visits were at night, the service was polished, food excellent, but best of all was the wine list which was pretty big, but friendly enough that a novice like me found lots of great things to try. Expect to Valet when you come here as there isn't a ton of parking, but other than that, its great! NAME: David Morgan SUBMITTED: 5/5/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: May/2005 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: The location is kind of hard to find, as doesn't really seem to be on Shepherd. I was there for an "Eight Friends Out" event. The wine list was wonderful, and the meal was great. The server did a good job of handling a group of our size. I'll definitely be back again. NAME: Jessica SUBMITTED: 2/25/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: February 2005 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Nice setting. Lovely patio. The food is outstanding. They have an awesome wine list. I highly recommend this place. The coffee encrusted filet is exquisite. A must have appetizer is the crab cakes. Enjoy it. NAME: J SUBMITTED: 7/22/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/04 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: It was one of the worst dining experiences of my life. I have been in the restaurant business, and therefore I do know what to expect. Service was horrible and slow. Out server was rude and unattentive. The atmosphere was decent, it's quaint and has its own elegance. The food was mediocre, I've had better, but it wasn't bad. The bartender and manager were very amicable, but I will no be returning at all. NAME: Unimpressed SUBMITTED: 5/29/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/04 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Reserved and simple elegance without pretense. Weather permitting, the patio dining experience is very pleasant. The coffee encrusted Filet Mignon is a favorite. Prices are very reasonable @ $12-$25 per entree. Atmosphere conducive to conversation. NAME: S SUBMITTED: 8/27/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: May/2003 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: Excellent food. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Request to sit outside on the patio on a crisp evening. NAME: L SUBMITTED: 2/6/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/02 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: This place is really a great spot. The crowd tends to be a little older but it doesn't bother me. It's fun to sit outside-- big patios. Service has always been excellent and food is pretty innovative. It's romantic and fairly quiet and private. We went here for new year's eve and really had a great time. Prices are really reasonable too. My boyfriend left his Donna Karan leather jacket outside at our table and we came back over an hour later -- they waited for us to come get it before they closed! Definitely a try at least once place. NAME: TSmith SUBMITTED: 3/6/2002   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/01 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY