This page sponsored by Bailey's American Grille Reviews Menus Website Cafe Artiste (CLOSED)   1601 W Main St Houston TX MY REVIEW: Cafe Artiste is currently closed, and has been for the past month. The sign on the door says the building is for lease. :( NAME: Joyce SUBMITTED: 5/5/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: The coffee is good, atmosphere is great, and there's free wireless internet. The food is overpriced though; I stick to the coffee. Staff are never rude, although some are more outgoing than others. Can't ask for much else from a coffee shop. I live across the street, and I think Cafe Artiste is one of the high points of living in this neighborhood. NAME: UMst7d SUBMITTED: 6/10/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: June 2007 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: My wife and I went for a late lunch on a rainy Saturday, and not surprisingly the crowd was pretty thin. The place was far from empty, but we had no problem finding a table. Because we had a "50% off your whole meal" gift certificate (see restaurant.com), we ordered several items: a grilled chicken salad, chicken quesadillas, and a vegetable curry. My wife bought an Italian soda. Since it was a leisurely, rainy afternoon, we weren't in a big hurry. Good thing... After reading some newspaper we had brought with us for about 20 minutes, I decided to inquire about our meal. The staff member helpfully agreed to check on things for us, and our three plates arrived about 5 minutes later. Twenty-five minutes is, I would think, a bit of a long wait even on a busy day--but it was particularly disappointing on what seemed to us to be a fairly quiet day. The food was generally good, but unremarkable. The salad was fresh and tasty--probably the best of the three items. I would simply characterize the quesadillas and curry as "fine." They seemed a bit stingy on the syrup for my wife's Italian soda; after using about half the bottle of mineral water, the drink essentially became just that--mineral water. We have a couple more of the "50% off your whole meal" certificates, which will certainly cause us to give Cafe Artiste a second and third chance sometime soon. If it weren't for that, though, I don't know that we'd be in much of a rush to go back. NAME: Shawn H. SUBMITTED: 5/26/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I had fond memories of Cafe Artiste from college but I guess that was far too long ago. I took a work colleague there so that we could sit on a patio and take advantage of a beautiful fall day. "Casual" would be a compliment to this place - the two tattered paper menus available at the order counter were stained and wet. The woman taking orders actually walked off as we were placing our order with her! She said, "I can hear you from over here", which I might accept from my mother but NOT a restaurant employee. The self-serve drink counter was wet, dirty and repulsive, as were the available tables and chairs on the patio. My baked potato soup was clearly microwaved for too long as it arrived in pureed condition and took almost 20 minutes to cool enough to eat. My colleague's fajita plate barely yielded enough meat for him to make 1 1/2 skimpy tacos. I wish I had heeded the other negative reviews of this restaurant but relied on my memory instead, which I will not do again. NAME: ksg SUBMITTED: 12/6/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/28/05 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: As a long time patron of this joint, I will give the true low down on the place. I have basically lived at artiste since beginning law school. I have eaten everything on the menu at least twice. I was there for the great smoking ban of 2005. Everyone who works here has always been extremely kind and never rushed a brotha out, even when studying for over 13 hours straight (however, don't pull that on a sunday, too busy). The Bottomless coffee has replaced my blood in my veins and I will probably go through withdrawl when I have to ween myself off it. The gumbo is very good, as are most of the soups. Eggs New Orleans is great. Fajitas are also very good. Monster baked potatos, great potato skins. Wi-Fi is great. NAME: Law Daddy SUBMITTED: 11/30/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/05 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: My first and last visit. Food was exceptionally poor - inedible is more like it. Could they possibly have been serving Minute Rice? My friend's meal was even worse, and finally the smell of whatever they were cooking drove us away before we even finished. NAME: Never again SUBMITTED: 11/10/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: A great place to hang out. A eclectic collection of art, books and food. Everything above average. The patio is a great place on a sunny Houston day. Not much traffic on the roads so the ambience is great. Praking is a bit tricky at times but not a major problem. The interior is done well but would prefer more bright lights as most of the patrons are busy with the laptops or books. Non-smoking tables are very few. So smoke is generally a problem. Food is real good and yummy!! I loved their veggie burger.. their pizza's are intresting and good a good place to hang out!! NAME: livetoeat SUBMITTED: 10/3/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: Oct '05 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Some staff are extremely rude and pushy. Today I went in for an iced tea (very good) real quick and the person behind the counter just threw the money in my hand. I said thanks and he just looked away. It was not busy in there. This is not the first time this has happened to me, but I do like the food, and the wi-fi. I will continue to go here, but will tend to stay away from staff. NAME: anonymous SUBMITTED: 9/28/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 9/05 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: Great place to hang out. Bottomless coffee or gourmet by the cup. Ditto iced tea. You can read, talk, or study for hours and there is never a sense that they want you to leave. Nice outside but watch out for the mosquitos - ubiquitous in Houston. NAME: R SUBMITTED: 6/4/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 06/05 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: we have been to Cafe Artiste quite often over the years and enjoy the atmosphere. it is a pleasant and comfortable place to sit and enjoy some time shared with friends. you can sit and talk, read, work, veg, or do what ever for as long as you want, with no feeling of urgency to clear the table. it is not the kind of place i would just HAVE to bring a friend to for the food. some of the dishes are quite good but over all the food is adequate. the food does not compel me to return often, nor does it keep me from returning. the portions are a somewhat small and it seems a bit pricey for what you are getting. HOWEVER, if you understand that by overpaying for your lunch, you are renting your table for as long as you want, well then I still find it worth the price of admission. Unfortunately they do allow smoking both inside and outside. so that can very often ruin the otherwise wonderful atmosphere, and already marginal Houston air for the rest of us. NAME: Jim SUBMITTED: 5/30/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/28/05 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: I have been going to Cafe Artiste for years. It is one of the few coffee shops in Houston that isn't on a busy street. So you don't have deal with the roar of traffic or the scenery being a view of an expansive parking lot and a strip mall with Michael's, Ross, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond stores stacked neatly together like books on a shelf. I agree with the person that said the coffee is weak. I'm sure if I asked them to run it through the strainer again it would be better. I'm just too lazy. I dig the food - especially the Asian salad. The people that work there also hang out there - which is a good sign - except if they are hanging out when you need some help. That doesn't happen often. I'd like for them to change the art exhibits more. They've had the same painting *forever*. I can spend hours there. NAME: andjax SUBMITTED: 5/5/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 4/2005 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: I just love this place! My best friend and I have been there twice, and love the food, the atmosphere, and the service. I love their library also. The only complaint that I have is that they didn't wipe the tables down when they cleared them when I was there last. That kind of grossed me out. Other than that, this is the perfect spot for me to unwind after a hard day at work, or on a Sunday afternoon. I will be going back as often as possible! NAME: Kristin SUBMITTED: 4/26/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: April 2005 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I can easily see the appeal of this place. The place has a lovely, sunny feel, with a cozy book-lined corner and outdoor seating. They have a beer and wine license and serve cane-sugar sodas in glass bottles. The food is pretty good, although the portion sizes are a little small. The gumbo is very tasty, and they'll seemingly let you hang out as long as you like without hassle. That ain't nothing. My only complaint- and it's a fairly serious one- is the actual coffee. The filter cone technique that they use means that the water drips through the coffee grounds very quickly. The result is weak, watery coffee. I'm not a masochistic strong-coffee fan by any means, but this stuff is unpalatable. I'm happy to come and have a beer, but the coffee is a real disappointment. NAME: Clambone SUBMITTED: 3/15/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 3/05 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: Loved it! Breakfast cuisine- the hollandaise sauce is real, not some thickened yellow sauce. It was a real emulsion of butter (try their version of eggs benedict- eggs arnold (you can also get it the traditional way with just the ham). Ingredients were fresh, attentively picked, I thought. Their cooking was done properly (the eggs were poached perfectly, for instance) and I loved the flavors. Now, if you are just looking for quantity and not great quality, then you might be like a previous reviewer and criticize the thinness of the ham on the eggs arnold or the amount of crab in the new new orleans, but the size was just right for the flavors to blended very well together, without having an overpowering imbalance. I thought the portions were just perfect, as well. Definitely NOT skimpy portion, just not the mega-sized chain-restaurant-some-people-are-used to sizes that are like 3 meals in one. Very healthy, well-balanced portions. Plenty to eat. NAME: gustorysnob SUBMITTED: 11/27/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/2004 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Great food. I had the Migas. My dining companions had Blueberry Pancakes and the New Orleans Benedict. Both looked really yummy. The NOLA Benedicts had poached eggs on top of crabcakes, spinich, sliced tomato, and topped with real Hollandiase. The selection of coffee and tea by the cup was outstanding. Wi-Fi access is a big plus. Indoor and outdoor seating was a nice choice. Service was friendly and accommodating. Tables and restaurant were clean. Unfortunatly, smoking is allowed indoors. Great prices. "Bottomless Mimosa" with breakfast was a nice offering. Highly recommend. NAME: AlanY SUBMITTED: 9/26/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 9/2004 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Great food and service…Very disappointed…Only two non-smoking table in whole place. Not sure how Marvin gave them Blue Ribbon.. We had to sit outside to stay away from the smokers during breakfast.. Hope they change.. … NAME: local SUBMITTED: 9/4/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/2004 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: What a charming place! The interior reminded me of an old time coffee house. We had to go to the counter to place our orders which were served promptly and hot. When you order a cup of coffee it is made to order, by the drip method. The selection was fresh and varied. We will definitely be back again. NAME: xsupvr SUBMITTED: 6/28/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: June/2004 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: The background music (or musak) is not very loud. I liked the jazz very much. Not sure if it is on all the time. Another reviewer considered that a detraction but I thought the low volume jazz musak was a good point. The gumbo was incredibly good on my visit though a little non-standard. It wasn't very soupy but more like rice and sausage and chicken and spices with a little gravy but the seasoning was the best. The toasted garlic bread that came with the gumbo was more like biscotti, a little too dry. The mushroom potato soup (soup dejour) was exceptional and my partner's tomato bisque was also exceptional. We both had shrimp po-boys. The seasoning was great but as I feared the portion was rather too small considering the price. Also, the side of potatoes was very very small. I plan to order their garden vegetarian lasagna next time. I suspect that it is going to be off the charts because of their skills at seasoning. Because the ingredients should be relatively cheap, I'm hoping the portion will be large. The huge brownie for dessert was good but not great. I won't order again. I plan to continue going to find those items I want to order again. I like the restaurant so much that I won't mind if they are over-priced for a coffeeshop and have some items which aren't that great. There will be enough that are though you have to do a trial and error, I think. Service is good. I really like the ambience, i.e. low keyed, quiet and uncomplicated. We had thought about going to K*im Son's which I'm sure would have been good and we probably would have spent the same amount of money but it would have been a zoo on a Saturday night at 7:00pm. No thanks. I prefer Cafe Artiste. NAME: texasgeek SUBMITTED: 12/13/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/2003 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: This place is great iam there all the time!!! fresh backed goods daily and really good specials. The employees are nice and the food is really good!!! They serve breakfast all day ( which is a plus for me)and also lunch. It is a great place to either just hang out and have a cup of coffee or eat. The art work on the walls are really good. It just has a nice and friendly atmosphere. Everyone should atleast have one Artiste moment!! NAME: Eliz SUBMITTED: 11/2/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/2 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: Good food, sometimes very creative, perhaps a bit high for a coffeeshop. Ah yes, the coffee - over 30 types to choose from! Each is brewed for you, not sitting in a thermos bottle like Star*bucks, Bra*sil, Died*richs or any of the other coffeeshops in town. Also just got wireless internet access which is FREE to use (they also have spots to plug in your laptop at some of the tables). Nice place to chill, read, study, etc. and not get hassled. Smoker friendly and has a nice patio. Busy in the evenings, great for lunch, but their breakfast on weekends totally r0x(get the migas). Only drawback is the jazz muzack. NAME: k0rtez SUBMITTED: 9/19/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: yesterday FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: Once again I had a great meal at Cafe Artisite. I have eaten here a few times & really enjoy it. Its a nice, calm atmoshere, comfortable seating & good food. This time I had pancakes & they were delicious. Big & fluffy-I couldnt eat all three! In the past I have only had sandwiches & hamburgers. My co-worker got a grilled chicken salad that looked very good-nice size & she said it was great. Our other co-worker had the special of the day which was a grilled chicken pasta dish that she said was divine & that the sauce was incredible! It is very reasonably priced & the employess are great! Very nice, family owned restaurant! I highly recommend it! NAME: tammyf SUBMITTED: 4/24/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: 04/2003 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: One thing I didn't like is they have numerous photos of nude women on their walls. So be forwarned. I hope they've changed since the last time I've gone. (I don't plan on going back!) NAME: kitty SUBMITTED: 9/26/2002   LAST VISIT WAS: 6/98 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Café Artiste is a quiet, off the beaten path location, on the fringes of the Montrose area that seemingly only locals and students in the immediate area seem to know about. On Sunday mornings, it is a great place to come and enjoy breakfast. There is a “low” live music, plenty of free newspapers around to read, a small library of books, and local art for sale on the walls. There are many items to choose from for breakfast. We chose the “Eggs Orleans” which is similar to Eggs Benedict, but instead of everything laying on an English muffin, it was on crab cakes. Don’t expect Maryland crab cakes with lump crabmeat though! These were thin and I cannot attest that I saw any crabmeat in them. They were spicy and tasty though. The “Canadian bacon” on their Eggs Orleans and Eggs Benedict is sliced so thin; you can see light through it. French toast was made with real French bread, but the portion served was very small. We split a side order of potatoes with rosemary and these were very tasty. We saw pancakes that someone else ordered and of course, that looked great. The atmosphere is very comfortable and easy going. It’s a low-key place. Café Artiste has a small menu for lunch and dinner and we will have to try them another time. NAME: markh SUBMITTED: 6/17/2002   LAST VISIT WAS: 6/2002 FREQUENCY: Visited once ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY