Cafe Rabelais   2442 Times Blvd Houston TX 77005 713.520.8841 You might also be interested in these:     French Restaurants    Outdoor Dining    ZIP 77005   Add Review       MY REVIEW: Went for a nice Birthday dinner expecting wonderful food, quiet conversation and a nice glass of wine! Got all the above except for the quiet conversation as we were squished into a table...no make that wedged into a table for two beside a large table with a bunch of loud obnoxious British bafoons! It is too bad that it really spoiled my whole evening listening to the loudest tell jokes about rabbis and racist comments about people! He even dissed some of his work collegues using first and last names! We should have asked to be moved to the patio as it was a nice evening but it was full up! We sped through our beef tenderloin which was great with a green peppercorn sauce but i passed up my most favorite dessert of Creme Brulee...just to get the heck out of there! I will not be going back again, too bad because the food really is excellent. I suggest perhaps the manager or the owner move the tables of two to an area completely separate from the tables of six or more because there were other couples who also got their evening ruined by this crass bunch. So much for ambiance and a romantic birhtday dinner. Let me know if the chef leaves and goes somewhere else because I would love to taste his creations again. NAME: Colleflwr SUBMITTED: 9/24/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: September/08 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: The restaurant opened at 6 p.m. and we arrived at 6:03 and found it 2/3rds full already! They don't take reservations so arrive early if you want to avoid a wait. Very attentive waitstaff and excellent service. Blackboard menu. Cozy, quiet ambiance. The lamb with fig sauce was a little too pungent with the flavor of an alcholic addition that had not quite cooked out enough. The mussels here are apparently award winning and were very good. Overall well priced for what you get. We will be back and would recommend. NAME: Alisa SUBMITTED: 8/29/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: August 2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Strong points: nearly everything. This was our second time here for lunch and the salads and sandwiches were perfect. We always swoon over the fabulous bread brought to each table. THIS is the way bread is supposed to taste. The smoked duck and mango salad was superb. Although there are a lot of tables in a small space the restaurant just has such a great vibe and the food is so good we never mind. The only weak point is parking at peak hours. NAME: adwoman SUBMITTED: 5/10/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: May 2008 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: We live in the neighborhood and this is one of our favorites. They've created a near-perfect atmosphere, seeming to always stimulate a night of good conversation. The preparation and quality of the dishes are top-notch, and it is very rare that we are disppointed. I have a hard time resisting ordering the mussles every time, but make sure that you listen to the specials because they are often really outstanding. While some of the dishes are French classics, the menu isn't scary for newbies at all, and I doubt that even French-averse diners will have a hard time finding something. However, the wine list CAN be challenging if you don't have any familiarity with French wines, but the waiters are there to help. On times when we go there and don't want or have time for a complicated meal, we have stuck with their beer list, which is short but excellent. Most of the wait staff has been there for a long time, which is always a good sign for me. This is the type of place where you sit and enjoy a good meal for a good price. Don't rush yourself. Don't get worked up because you have to wait for a table (no reservations are taken). Take a seat at the bar and relax. NAME: Dave7 SUBMITTED: 1/16/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: December 2007 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: I adore this place! We decided to try it for lunch on a sunny Saturday afternoon after perusing the incredible wine list online. The sandwiches looked like a perfect weekend lunch treat, so that's just what we ordered: a fantastic bottle of St Emilion and a couple of sandwiches and sat outside. The wine list is just amazing. If you're a French wine lover, it's reason enough to go. But the food will not disappoint! My chicken and swiss sandwich was amazing, as was my fiance's seared tuna sandwich. The bread is just incredible! We wanted to give one of the cheese plates a try, but after the huge sandwiches, served with fantastic fries, and wonderful wine, we just didn't have room. The prices are fantastic for the amount and quality of food. Our service was great, as was the atmosphere. We will definitely be returning for another lazy Saturday lunch! NAME: Monkey101979 SUBMITTED: 12/11/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: November 2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Was recommended from my step-daughter who lives nearby. Since it was our 20th anniversary, I wanted an authentic French restaurant with atmosphere and good food. Except for the fact parking was terrible on Times Blvd, I enjoyed the ambiance and the great food. There was a wait for most patrons that didn't get there promptly at 6pm. We were lucky to get a table, they were packed at 6:20pm. The Pinot Nior we were served was absolutely perfect with the Duck and cherry sauce meal. Not the average Pinot Nior, very smooth. I wish I would have bought the bottle to bring home. We later bought one at a liquor store, different brand and it was horrible. They definitely know their wines. I would love to go there again and sit outside perhaps at lunchtime. I have already recommended this place to other family members. NAME: The Fullers SUBMITTED: 11/29/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Menu is full of good options, however it stays pretty true to the French classics. The execution of the menu is pretty good, have only been disappointed once or twice. I don't understand why they serve the cheese chilled...is it dead? Its difficult to enjoy a triple cream when it is cold and as hard as parmesan. The arrogant guy other reviewers refer to is JJ the bartender. He is knowledgeable, but he assumes that everyone else is not, and often he just takes the fun out of a bottle of wine no matter who you are. The selection is large, but there are a lot of cheap French table wines padding that list being sold at disgusting markups so your best value is to just go for one of the nice bottles. NAME: Gene SUBMITTED: 11/25/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: Visited Cafe Rabelais based on a friends recommendation. I met up with a friend of mine for wine and some appetizers. Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted and sat at the bar. I was surprised to see that the Cafe Rabelais menu was on a chalk board on the wall. This made things awkward as we had to venture over to read the menu as people were eating right under us. The wine was great and appetizers perfect. My biggest complaint would be the gentleman who appeared to be the manager. He came across as very arrogant and I noticed he treated fellow staff members with little respect. On the flip side he did know his wines and did help us select a good choice. I give Rabelais a 8 out of 10. NAME: B10 SUBMITTED: 9/26/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 9/19/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Everytime we've gone here it has been great. Popped in for lunch and had a delicious nicois salad. Friends had yummy duck confit salad with mango salsa and another had the lamb special. We shared the pear and lavander tart. We were all very satisfied. Reasonably priced. NAME: matty fatty SUBMITTED: 9/22/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 09/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: Finally made it over here on a saturday afternoon...wife raved about the tomato soup...my seafood soup was ok...wine selection is huge....the smoked duck breast salad was very good, I wish I knew their supplier...the halibut was also excellent, as was the cherry / pistachio tart....the cheese selection was tasty, although exclusively french...really have no complaints about the food and service....only downside is that the tables are too close and certain regulars bring young kids and let them run between the tables...I can do without that. NAME: faceofdowntown SUBMITTED: 5/29/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Loved it. Lived in Germany for 10 years and the escargots really made me miss "home". The wine selection is dizzy-ing...so feel free to ask a suggestion from the waitstaff. The prociutto quiche was weightless. My wife had a cheese selection and the carrot soup which she said was heavenly. I'm a professional chef new to Houston. I've eaten all over the world. This place is great and we'll be back. For Americans, please make sure you have time to sit and enjoy a meal before stopping here. If you want fast food or on a busy schedule go to S*onic. If you want a slice of Europe sit, relax, and enjoy. Merci, toute le monde. Nous visiterons encore bientot.... NAME: Chefscharbor SUBMITTED: 3/15/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 3/15/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: DELICIOUS FOOD!! EXCELLENT wine list, and servers are extremely helpful. All of the wines are french, so if you describe the type of wine you want, they will make an excellent suggestion. The lamb with pistachios is my absoulute favorite, and the chocolate mousse is to die for! A small restaurant so it gets crowded quickly--an excellent dining experience!!! NAME: Stacie SUBMITTED: 2/23/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: Jan/07 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: My friends and I would make a special trip to Cafe Rabelais for their delicious mussels, cooked in a savory cream sauce. For us, this dish is excellent and worth the parking hassles and crowded atmosphere. However, the service during our last weekend visit was horrible. We waited at least 50 minutes for the one entre to arrive at our table. The wait staff was very snooty and negligent to our requests for wine and service. Furthermore, at the end of our meal we found that we were the last patrons inside. The staff then turned the background music up so loud that we could not hear our conversation. No doubt they wanted us to leave. Perhaps if we got our meal timely we would have been on our way earlier! NAME: MM SUBMITTED: 10/24/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/21/06 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Very good French food at a reasonable price (as French bistros go, very reasonable.) I loved the escargots. My one complaint is that the menu, written only on the chalkboard is quite difficult and somewhat frustrating to read. NAME: Eugenie SUBMITTED: 5/19/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/05 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: The food is fabulous. Never a complaint. But the service and attitudes need a check and improvement and it doesn't matter how long a waitress/waitor has been with the establishment. You can't get to comfortable. NAME: whitsend SUBMITTED: 5/9/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 05/06 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: I highly recommend Cafe Rabelais. I read several reviews about how great the mussles are-- and they live up to it. My wife had the duck and thought it was fabulous. The salads and desserts also were great. Presentation on all dishes was impressive. Prices are fair for the food. We were drinking slightly expensive wine, but without the wine the bill for two (salad, entree & dessert) would have been only $50-60. The wine selection is extensive. Prices seemed to be typical restaurant markup. They also feature numerous half-bottles -- ideal for a party of two, or if you don't want to drink much or want to try a few different wines. I don't think they offered any wine by the glass (but I could be wrong on that), but the half-bottle list covers that issue. We found the service to be very good. The seating is a little tight, and with the absence of individual menus you may have someone standing almost on top of you to read the blackboard menu. That said, we found the overall atmosphere to be fairly romantic. We arrived at 7:45 on a Saturday evening. The Matre'D (very polite and helpful) told us there would be a 45 minute wait, but I don't think we waited longer than 15-20. That said, don't go if you hate waits. They don't take reservations. Trust me, the food is worth the wait. My only complaint is the absence of lighting. After dark, the only light is candlelight. Although you don't have to read a menu, I could hardly read the wine menu or the wine bottle (and I'm 35 with very good eyesight -- I felt like I needed one of those lighted magnifying glasses advertised on TV for seniors). Dim is romantic, but they could do with just a little more light. Again, the mussles were the best I've ever had, and the bowl was huge. I actually couldn't finish it. We'll dine here again. NAME: Homer Simpson (mmm...foood) SUBMITTED: 5/7/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/2006 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: GREAT gem of a restaurant. Every time I go here, I except better and get it. Hands down, my favorite dish is the Mussels Rabelais. They are served in the most exquisite white wine cream sauce that I absolutely polish off with their steaming, fresh bread. Yum! That is all I need to put a smile on my face. At nights around the 7:00 dinner rush they get EXTREMELY busy and they don't take reservations - be prepared to wait. You have to be patient, enjoy a glass of wine at the bar, then anticipate one of the greatest meals in all of Houston. I've tried the duck breast (superb!), the beef filet medallions (they were w/ goat cheese and pinenuts - oh my god! My tastebuds were in heaven), and the mussels. Hands down, the mussels are my favorite. Even better than Cafe M*ontrose. The desserts are amazing as well. I love the profiteroles and the only disappointment is the creme brulee - nothing too exciting and not a great finish to a meal. Their wine list, as noted by other reviewers, is extremely extensive and mind-boggling because of its enormity. Have one of the waitstaff help you - they have great recommendations! I don't know much about the wines, but the waitstaff are always happy to help navigate thru the wine list. I have ordered wines by the glass only, and been perfectly satisfied with my selections. Their wine by the bottles list tops anyone's - and it's always a pleasure to look around while you're dining and see rows upon rows of French wine bottles. And near the front door they have HUMONGOUS wine bottles that look like they could last an alcoholic a year! The service is awesome. Not intrusive, and the waitstaff clear away plates so as not to leave any clutter...and always fresh bread at the tables! The last time I went, a Chinese waitress served my table and me - she was so nice and friendly and I think she is new, as I have never seen her there before. She had great recommendations - told me to get the Mussels, which I already had planted in my head as my main course of the night - but she was so amiable that I will surely request her again (not to mention that she was hot!). She also was very apologetic when my friend complained that her beef filet medallions were cold - and returned promptly within 5 minutes to place a perfect (temperature and presentation wise) entree in front of my complaining companion. She apologized again, and returned to ensure that my friend approved of the temperature of the second dish (which she did - she said it was the perfect temperature and the perfect dish, and she's very picky). Now that's great service! Plus, in other restaurants, my mussel bowl has become overflown w/ shells - but this waitress replaced it twice throughout the night so I wouldn't have to worry about mussel shells falling out of the bowl. What a great gem of a restaurant - I almost don't want to spread the secret or else I might not get a table next time for dinner! For lunch, they have delicious light fare sandwiches, salads, and if you're lucky, they have delicious specials of the day like roasted leg of lamb and they almost always have a quiche on the lunch menu. Thank you Cafe Rabelais for many wonderful dining experiences and many more to come, too! Houstonians - if you haven't tried Cafe Rabelais yet and want the best French cuisine paired with perfectly palatable wines, RUN to this restaurant! NAME: FrenchFoodie SUBMITTED: 1/22/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/05 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: C.R. is a hit or miss restaurant. It started well, but then went downhill. We were seated at the bar waiting for our table. I expected that someone would come over and offer us drinks. That was not the case. We were abandonded for quite some time. I actually had to ask if someone could serve us wine (and I thought that they specialized in the stuff). When the wine list came it was dropped in front of me and the waitress disappeared. I would expect that type of service from a burger diner, but not here. I asked about different types of wines and was not given any choices. Instead, I was served a white wine. Again, I thought it was rude not to at least talk to the customer before serving that person. The food was pretty good, but the service is horrible. I would strongly recommend that people think twice about this restuarent. Then again, if you truly want the rude French service, this might be appropriate.... NAME: Rice Village Rest Reviewer SUBMITTED: 12/10/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/2005 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: After stopping at several french bakeries around Houston and asking the kind people inside what the best French Bistro in the city was, Cafe Rabelais was their choice, hands down. I had been wanting some good, classic french food, especially the dish, Steak & Frites. As is stated in many other reviews about this place, the atmosphere is charming. My girlfriend and I started out with the Foi Gras. As is standard in France, it was served chilled with caramelized onions and toasted brioche. It was truly amazing, and quite affordable. $10.50 for the appetizer. My dissapointment in Foi Gras at many restaurants is that they are so stingy with it that once I'm done I'm still thinking, "There was so little there, that I'm not really sure what the fois gras tasted like." Not at Cafe Rabelais...for the person that is new to Fois Gras and all of its "glory", this is the place to really wrap you palatte around it. We both followed that up with a glass of cote du rhone (granache from the southeastern side of the river) and of course, Steak & Frites. The presentation was great. The steak was served on a wooden cutting board, finished with shallots and green onions. The waiter promptly told us that the frites were on their way. When he brought them out we saw him carrying another classic presentation. The frites were in a glass with tissue paper and what appeared to be golden fried potatos. When he sat them down, you could have pushed me over with a feather. They were the same type of french fries (I won't even refer to them as frites from here on out) as one would find at M*cDonalds (I'm not exagerating). When the waiter passed by I asked him if they were pre-fried french fries. Admittingly, he said yes and then proceeded to rave about them. To serve a chunk of Fois Gras and prepare it to perfection, to put out an incredible rib-eye steak at medium rare, to serve great wine with a very knowledgeable wine staff, but not go the extra mile and serve the perfect frite (THE classic Bistro side dish in france), is embarassing. No doubt, the rest of the food, including the pear/lavendar tarte for dessert, was amazing. They just need to fix this one, tiny little problem. Go there, its worth the experience and the money...just stay away from the well, you know...or if enough people call it to their attention, maybe they will HAND CUT AND HAND FRY THE FRITES! NAME: Morgan Weber SUBMITTED: 11/28/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/25/05 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Having read the reviews on these pages we had high expectations of our first visit to Cafe Rabelais. We were not disappointed! From the moment we entered the service was friendly and attentive. The wine selection was extensive- with the help of the very knowlegable staff we selected a delightful bordeaux. The chalkboard menus are charming, and they are filled with...well, put it this way, I would have liked to try everything! We had the tomato appetizer (pricey, but very good) and the rabbit and chanterelle mushroom tart (amazing flavors)to start. Our entrees were duck breast and salmon, both prepared perfectly, with beautiful presentation. Unfortunately there was no room for dessert, but the cappucinos were great! We can't wait to go back! This was the best French dining experience I've had outside of France, no doubt! NAME: garcon SUBMITTED: 9/17/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 09/05 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: The last two times I have eaten at C.R., I ordered whatever they were doing in duck. Tonight's was "duck with a fig and rosemary sauce." What everyone else was ecstatically ooohing and aaahing about on their plates (a "tilefish", an incredible white Gulf of Mexico-Florida fish; a tender pork loin in apples and calvados) failed to move the moan-meter as much as my duck. This is the second time I have been accorded the peer acknowledgement of having picked the "entre of the evening" from the chalk board menus on the wall. (Alas, they were not serving sea scallops tonight...) Each entre choice has recommended wines to go with them and their cellar is walls of wine bottles and wooden cases on the floor. There is no "house wine"; there are only several choice wines by the glass from an extensive list. (Or you can order it by the bottle from an even more extensive list.) The "American coffee" after dinner, while fresh, was not hot. It was between warm and hot, served in generous white coffee CUPS that take about 15 minutes to empty. (You are not rushed to turn the table, even in the dessert course.) The table service is carried out by those who see serving food as service to the community: they love what they are doing and they do it well. There is no obnoxious, invisible "hovering" water or tea service persons; there are eyes that look for empty drinking glasses and challenge themselves to intuit your every need, whether it is to clear your table for the next course or to provide more liquid...water, wine or otherwise! I don't know where they came from, but they arrived to serve, did so discretely and then moved on, allowing continued and uninterrupted confidental discourse. Which leads me to my ONE and ONLY "NEGATIVE COMMENT" about C.R.: it is almost an echo chamber. Conversations are as many as there are tables and there is a progressive wave of sound, a dance of decibles, a cacaphony of conversations that make fully intimate dining difficult. The trendy, minimalist interior design of concrete floors, masonary walls and the typical second floor ceilings of cement poured in the early 50's make it difficult to pursue a private moment or to propose a marriage. (Their previous location had lots of wood to buffer the boistrous banter; here, there is none...) The "loft" style is ok for fast food and noisy, non-consequential conversation, but C.R. is a place for dining, not eating, and dining should be a sensual event. My sense of hearing was assaulted and I lost some words in the general conversation around my table.(A WOODEN FLOOR laid after-hours some night would be welcomed by those who choose C.R for intimate conversation with their wine and viands.) The sauce-chef (if not the sous-chef) deserves a gold medal! I think C.R. has consistently some of the most balanced sauces in Houston, sauces that seem to layer flavors and delight the different points of the palate. This is a fine art in producing good food and it is very well presented at C.R. The menu, large chalk boards on the wall, give such variety that you will find something for everyone wanting to dine. Pick your favorite victual from the sea, land or air and trust the kitchen to bring you something that will please you time and again. Reservations are not taken; groups are not seated until all parties are present; the number of tables is few; and the "turn-over" of tables is at a casual pace: you are never hurried. Discovering friends are dining at other tables seems to be the norm. The enjoyment of fine dining is their goal...and it has been reached each time I've visited. NAME: Michele Bettlerini SUBMITTED: 7/16/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: July 2005 FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times MY REVIEW: Love this restaurant (been to France, but love it more because it the owners are so fabulously *good* at what they do- read friendly, hospitable, prefect hosts, than because I associate cafe rab. with "France") Anyhoo, just wanted to drop a quick note mentioning that I passed by today and noticed that they've moved to Times Blvd. (a few streets deeper into The Village.) It was still too early in the day and they weren't open, which is too bad because I was feeling self-indulgent & could have used some understated elegance.... NAME: Montrose Mickey SUBMITTED: 1/25/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: Way Too Long Ago FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: OK, it's like everybody else says: authentic, unpretentious, beautiful food, wine and service. One of the most civilized little places in the city. NAME: clarke SUBMITTED: 12/11/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/04 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: After reading many reviews here and on other sights, we thought to ourselves "there is NO WAY a restaurant can have no bad reviews at all." It's true, though. Everyone loves this place and with good reason. Everything I read about it was true: great prices, good service, AMAZING food, varied and well priced wine list, fabulous atmosphere. Not that they needed another glowing review, but it's been a while since anyone posted here and I felt you should know nothing has changed since the previous posts. What a gem! NAME: vst SUBMITTED: 9/1/2004   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/2004 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: After traveling extensively in France, I can tell you that this is the kind of place that you encounter everywhere. Menu on a chalkboard, always a duck dish, a wine list that is affordable, unusual and very French. Christophe Paul has done a great job of re-creating the typical bistro from back home. From the food to the ambience, it is truly French along with the attention to detail that you usually find only in French restaurants in France. The food does not dissappoint, and you are usually best off trying the things like Cassoulet, Sweetbreads, duck, and lamb. Match your taste to the atmosphere for the best experience. And for those francophobes in your group, they make a pretty good steak. NAME: Chef Buster SUBMITTED: 12/16/2003   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/03 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY