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

Artista

MY REVIEW: My sister and I were seeing a show at the Hobby Center and decided to try Artista. Contrary to the reviews listing service as a downside, we found the service to be excellent and very attentive.

Artista is an upscale restaurant really aimed at people wanting the convenience of eating in the same building as a show they will see later. My honest opinion of Artista is that the food is only ordinary - nothing to rave about. I ordered the surf and turf off-menu special - filet mignon medallion and spice rubbed shrimp served with asparagus and blue cheese mashed potatoes with a port wine reduction. The filet was cooked to medium rare (as requested) and the accompaniments were standard fare. My sister had the pounded filet mignon with potatoes and an asian vegetable side, similar to bok choy. Her beef was somewhat tough and her vegetables were overcooked, bordering on soggy.

When the food came out, it was not hot - lukewarm perhaps, which leads me to believe that it had been sitting on the counter ready to be served for a while. All in all the food was fairly standard - we have both had much better steak at other restaurants and the sides were nothing extraordinary (especially at Artista's prices).

For dessert we had the signature Tres Leches which never fails to disappoint but even this can be obtained at one of the other Cordua's family restaurants.

Overall, nice atmosphere, excellent service, added convenience of being housed within the Hobby Center, average food. On a side note, there isn't a restroom in the restaurant. To use the facilities, one must exit the restaurant and make their way down to the first floor (Artista is on the second floor), which adds a bit of inconvenience.

We don't anticipate another trip back but it was nice to try at least once.

NAME: Jake Wong
SUBMITTED: 7/28/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: June 2009
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: My co-worker treated me to a birthday lunch at Artista. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the large window views...not to mention the really cute waiter! The plantian chips that arrived as we were seated were a welcomed change to the typical nachos and salsa. It came with three unique dipping sauces (which I don't know exactly what they were, but they were good).

They offered a unique lunch special in which you were able to build your own dish. I ordered the baked salmon with a sauce recommended by the waiter (I can not remember what exactly) and a side of zucchini. The salmon was cooked to perfection, but the sauce was almost tasteless in my opinion. The zucchini was good, but a tad oily. For dessert, the waiter brought out a tres leches cake which was definitely one of the best tres leches cakes I have tried. I would definitely like to come back again...especially for a romantic dinner!

NAME: ljb1122
SUBMITTED: 7/11/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: May 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: My husband and I went there last night as part of his birthday celebration. It was our first time there so we were excited about it since we have enjoyed many meals at the other Cordua restaurants. I won't say that we will never go back but it will certainly not be a first choice for future celebrations. The service was very slow; in fact, we had to ask for our waiter. This should not have been the case as we were the second of the first three tables filled and there were at least six waiters lounging at the back of the restaurant. We both ordered appetizers - ceviche and crab taquitos - which were excellent. Based on those, our expectations for dinner were high. We were very disappointed. I ordered a seafood combo of swordfish, lobster, scallops and shrimp. The shrimp were good as were the mashed potatoes. The rest was, to put it mildly, awful. The swordfish was overcooked to the point of being flavorless and the lobster was salty to the exclusion of any other flavor. My husband ordered a surf and turf combination and his experience with the lobster was the same as mine. His steak was ordered medium but was deliverd to the table on the verge of being a true rare. We ordered desserts in the hopes of saving the meal; he ordered the bread pudding and I ordered the chocolate hazelnut tart. The bread pudding was ok but unspectacular and the tart was difficult to cut and the chocolate so dense that the hazelnut notes did not come through. Over all, the meal was mediocre. For the money, it should have been better and the service more attentive. There are many other restaurants in Houston that deliver a fine meal for the money spent on that one so we will think a long time before we go back to Artista.

NAME: Houston Foodie
SUBMITTED: 4/6/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 4/5/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: MY REVIEW: This is our firts time going to Artista. The Artista ambience is good with comfy seating and large windows. However,their service was very slow. I had to ask where the waiter/waitres was. food was slow getting out, very expensive, and unappetizing. There's not much to choose from on their menu. The waitress was not very attentive. Needless to say, we will never go back.

NAME: Unhappy Costumer
SUBMITTED: 3/2/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: We have gone to Artista and other affiliated restaurants for years. The Artista ambience is wonderful with comfy seating and large windows. However, last nite when they rolled out their new menu, the food was slow getting out, very expensive, very small portions and unappetizing. There's not much to choose from on their new menu. We were almost late to the performance of TUTS. The hostess was rude and wouldn't give us better seating than in the aisle. Needless to say, we will never go back.

NAME: poptart
SUBMITTED: 2/27/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 02/08
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: I wish I could just add on to my review below.....after that visit, things have gone downhill...I took in another wine dinner and a special peruvian chef event...both had a common theme....the food is getting way "too cool for school"...portions are small and more creativity and foo foo than a good dish. They have two chefs and I think the one that did the Spanish dinner that I described below did not do the other two, at least I hope not. There was a restaurant downtown that lasted about 2 months called "F*ront Porch" or something like that, same exact problem....hhhmmm....same chef?

And another thing, both times the place has been empty when we arrived and less than half full when we left, but the surly, unmotivated seating hostess refuses to seat me where I want or to give me options or to even discuss it...ridiculous and very irritating....I think I will give this place a rest for awhile.

NAME: Face of Downtown
SUBMITTED: 1/23/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/08
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: I have to clue you in to this. We went to a wine pairing dinner, the feature country being Spain. I am not a big wine drinker, but all 5 wines seemed perfectly fine. But the food was fabulous. The paella was without a doubt as good as any I have ever had and I have had it all over the world over the past 30 years. I only did this "event" for the paella and I was not disappointed. Now for the other dishes, wife went on and on about the chocolate & peanut butter bread pudding dessert. How about a stuffed scallop...yep, stuffed with smoked salmon, you dont see that everyday and it was great. Now how about minced lamb, seasoned with raisins, capers and cumin...again, imaginative and delicious. Mix all of that with a serrano ham salad, add in great service, a nice visit with the chef, that great view, heavy pours on the wine....just a fabulous dining experience.....aaahhh....paella

NAME: Face of Downtown
SUBMITTED: 11/20/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 11/07
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: I am amazed everytime I visit! The view and decor are outstanding! I love all the windows. The food is very tasty. I had the crab caprese salad which was a great way to start the meal. Then I followed with the shrimp and ravioli. Yum-o! I do not even want to know how much cream they use. You have to save room for the Tres Leches. It is the best in the city!

If you go there before a play then the restaurant is usually full and festive. We made reservations and then were unfortunately running a little late. I called ahead and they were very accomodating. You must try this place.!

NAME: Trust me
SUBMITTED: 6/30/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 06/07
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: This was my first visit to Artista and what a wonerful experience. Seeing as though it was 8:00 pm on a Tuesday night, we were one of only 3 tables in the house; but that made for a very intimate dinner. Food was amazing! The crawfish taquitos were great, wonderful steaks and sides! A+ We'll be back!

NAME: flawson
SUBMITTED: 4/25/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: April 2007
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I love the food at this restaurant and if anyone asks me where I'd like to go for a treat, it's Artista. The business lunch specials are the best options, I believe, as you get a better price for soup/salad, entree and dessert. Their low fat (?) cilantro dressing is the best, and the entree options I've tried as a part of the special have all been excellent. I'm not a tres leches fan for dessert but the creme brulee option is wonderful.

NAME: Houstonian
SUBMITTED: 9/4/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 2/2006
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Great View, good decor, good service, good food, terrible management. They lost a reservation made 2 days before, and confirmed. They did not apologize, the hostess even told me "This never happens".

After the show starts at the Hobby, the place is deserted, cold.

It is pricey, you can eat better for less money in Houston, in restarurants where the management appreciates your business.

NAME: CV
SUBMITTED: 3/16/2006   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/06
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: It is a beautiful setting for pre-theater and with a 5:30 seating we were at the show on time. I asked for no shrimp in my empanadas, but 2 of the 4 were shrimp. The one they brought as a correction was also shrimp! Sauces are amazing that go with the meats. Tres Leches was perfect - and they comped it because of the earlier mistake. Starbuck's coffee with dessert - it was a good ending. Presentation and atmosphere are the big points here.

NAME: Catabino
SUBMITTED: 10/24/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/2005
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: The service at this resturant is excellent. I have always been impressed with the service because the servers are always personable and attentive. My husband and I went there for our 1 year anniversary to have dinner. We ordered off the menu, and I must say with the food, the ambience and the view, it made for a rather romantic evening. I had my wedding reception there the year before and the server actually remembered us. We had less than 100 guests and I must say the service that we received that day was exceptional. They food was great as well as they way the staff took care of our large party. The events coordinator worked with me one on one to turn Artista into everything that I wanted for my reception. From the menu, to the arragements of the tables, to the flowers, the cake set up, the entertainment..everything was transformed into exactly what I wanted. Of all the things I remember about my wedding day, my reception was definatley one of the most memorable.

NAME: Happily Married In Houston
SUBMITTED: 7/27/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/24/2005
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: The ambiance at Artista is warm and inviting, but the service, food, and value fall very short considering Houston's other tremendous restaurants. The portions were small, three items were unavailable, and the service was just a step above a C*hilis or B*ennigans. Our food was brought to us less than five minutes after we ordered, which made us a bit uncomfortable and rushed. (We even told our waiter that we had just come from the production.) With such fine restaurants in Houston as M*arks and T*ony's I doubt that I will be returning to Artista any time soon.

NAME: Jeff
SUBMITTED: 7/25/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: July 2005
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Strong points: Excellent food, rich ambiance.

Weak points: Very poor service. I visited for lunch and ordered the design-your-own salad. They give you a card listing the different salad ingredients, and you can pick what you'd like on your salad - 8 for $8. My selections included grilled potatoes. The salad I was served didn't have the potatoes, so I asked one of our waiters (we had multiple waiters) about the potatoes. He evidently didn't speak much English. He gave me a puzzled look, repeated something that sounded a bit like "potatoes," and came back with a dish of mashed potatoes. I didn't bother after that. The service is slow, but the plantains and dipping sauces they give you to start are so delicious you'll hardly notice.

I would probably visit again, but not if I had a show to catch!

NAME: Nick
SUBMITTED: 7/5/2005   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/2005
FREQUENCY: Visited once

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