The Oceanaire Seafood Room   5061 Westheimer Rd Houston TX 77056 832.487.8862 Reservations You might also be interested in these:     Fine Dining - Upscale Restaurants    Online Reservations    Seafood Restaurants    ZIP 77056   Add Review       MY REVIEW: This is an update to my previous review. In addition to posting here and on a similar site I sent an email expressing my displeasure to their corporate office. A couple of days later I had an email from the local manager wanting to make it right. Long story short, they did in a big way. We went last Thursday and they thoroughly demonstrated that they were capable of much better food and service. Our waiter (Peter) did a superior job and Chef White's twist on 'Sliders', they slice a sauteed scallop in half and fill with a peach wafer and high end prosciutto, was memorable. While this doesn't mean that you, or I for that matter, will get to see the "Good Oceanaire," I can say definitively that it exists. So, I guess I was wrong to say that I would never go there again under any circumstance since I've already been back and will probably go again in the future. Nice save by the Oceanaire management. NAME: Sushibandit SUBMITTED: 9/7/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 9/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: This was my third time here. I liked it the first two times. However yesterday was a bit disappointing. For appetizer I ordered escargot, which was good but nothing extraordinary. For entree I ordered scallops with duck confit and mustard type sauce. Sounded good on the menu, but the duck was very dry. It just seemed like they shredded pieces from a duck from several days ago. The mustard sauce had no flavor, I couldn't even taste the mustard part. The dessert was good, I got a chocolate mousse. Something minor but it bothered me... I ordered hot tea and usually they give you a choice of flavors (especially at a nice restaurant) but he brought me some weird sweet spice flavor that I didn't like, and when I asked if they had other flavors, he said no. I just find that very hard to believe. Again, this is minor to some people but as a big tea drinker, I was disappointed. I will give it another chance, but there are definitely better seafood restaurants around on the same price level. NAME: bakugirl SUBMITTED: 8/18/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/17/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Used Open Table to schedule a reservation for Restaurant Week two weeks in advance. Got the worst table in the house, back corner by the kitchen door. Great reward for an advance booking. Food was slightly above average but certainly not worth the price, even the discounted RW price. Hostess kind of laughed when she seated us and the floor manager might have been more disingenuous but it would have been difficult. I suppose that I might have felt more ripped off by a place in the past but I sure can't remember it. BTW, we frequently spend $100-150 on dinner so it wasn't the price that offended us. The 20 minute wait for our vehicle when we left just made it even more fun. Aside from our personal experience, the ambiance is a bit quirky too. Architecture and design of a 1920's or so ocean liner with period jazz if you like that sort of thing. Think Titanic. We're in our early 50's and felt a little like granpa and granma in there surrounded by the kids so we're not their target market. All things considered if I was looking for upper end seafood for business dinners I'd hit McCorm*ck and Schm*ck's. And for somewhere trendy I'd be at Re*f. You won't see me at Oceanaire again for anything. NAME: sushibandit SUBMITTED: 8/16/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 8/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Nice restaurant, location, atmosphere. A little pricey, almost felt we should have gone to Del F*risco's for the same $$$. My entree was very good, the halibut, but that is all you get, sides are extra. The fried platter was okay, although the vinegar fries make up for the loss. But I had one complaint, the service...very, very slow. It seemed to take forever, after dinner coffee took the longest time. After asking for coffee from one of the "suited" men running around, I never got it, had to wait for the waiter again to return to order. Then a refill was like pulling teeth. And yes we tried the famous dessert, it was good, very filling, save room for it. Easily $100 dinner for 2 without any drinks...probably will not return. NAME: MJ SUBMITTED: 7/28/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: July 2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Tried for the first time this weekend with my wife and two girls (8 and 10) and we a had a great experience. We had an early dinner after shopping and started with escargot which comes out of the oven with little puff pastry tops baked over the snails. We also had a tray of three of the dozen or so different oysters they serve raw and they were great. The best thing was a three pound cluster of king crab they claim comes straight from the Time Bandit (Deadliest Catch). Three pounds of king crab legs is a ton of crab and we loved it. It really was the best king crab I have had. Service was great. Our server was in training so we had a tag team but it was great service. A very pretty and elegant dining room. Some have complained about the bread but we loved it. A glass-like crunchy outer crust that shatters to reveal a great warm yeasty center. The only draw back was the mark up on the wines. Some are nearly four times retail which is stout. I will be back. NAME: MarkD SUBMITTED: 7/14/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Good food and service, thanks Les. This is one of my favorite seafood restaurants since they serve the fish grilled or broiled, and do not oversauce it. The baked Alaska is a fantastic dessert if you have room for it. NAME: ex-chef SUBMITTED: 2/1/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: My husband brought me here for my birthday last Saturday night. We had 7:00 reservations. The Galleria parking lot was a mess. We made it to the Galleria at 6:40 p.m. and made the mistake of turning into the parking lot and driving in front of The Westin. It took 20 mins. to get through the lot. Traffic was at a standstill. James drove in front of the restaurant which had only valet parking and he hates valet so he let me off and I walked inside the restaurant to let them know we were on time for our reservation. The hostesses were very kind from the time I walked in. They greeted me with smiles, checked my coat, allowed me to wait for James in the bar area and asked if I wanted anything for now. It took James another 30 mins. to find a parking spot and he finally walked into the restaurant at 7:30. Our table was still held for us by the window. When we got to the table I noticed an envelope addressed to me. It was a birthday card signed by the staff. Then I looked down at our menus and there on the menu in bold font was "Happy Birthday Audrey". Wow, I am impressed!! Our waiter was very nice and was not the hovering kind. I like that a lot. I was starved and they had baked oyster crackers already on the table. My word, it's been ages since I had those and they were good. Then came the bread and veggie plate. The bread was hard as a rock. We ordered cocktails, appetizers & entrees. The portions were huge. Everything was good but we couldn't eat all that food and took a lot of it home with us. After our main course, the waiter brought out a comp baked alaska and flamed it at the table with grand marnier. How beautiful. The baked alaska seemed to be the favorite of most of the patrons and I could certainly understand why. It was fantabulous and big enough for 3 to 4 people; however, we managed to eat the whole thing between the two of us. The only negative was the "kiss A" manager who only cheesed and grinned in the faces of the obvious big spenders, of whom I saw were 2 couples that he greeted. He looked me right in the face a couple of times and didn't utter one salutation. Otherwise the evening was romantic, unhurried and special indeed. I will be going back real soon. The total bill came to just over $100 which wasn't bad at all. NAME: arsmith SUBMITTED: 1/22/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: Jan/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Five of us enjoyed a wonderful dinner with extremely attentive service by our waiter Les and his fellow workers. The Rare Tuna stack with mango's was very good for a starter and the entrees of scallops, and trout got rave review. The sides were explained to be very large and they were. We tried the risotto, mash potatoes, and brussel sprouts and everyone seemed very happy with there selection. The mussel starter had very small mussels and I would not order again. We had the baked alaska for dessert which was good. The noise level was low and the tables are spaced far enough to not hear your neighbor. NAME: sal SUBMITTED: 1/22/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/2008 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: I recently visited this place on New Years Eve...one of the few days in the year I hate to dine out...These guys sure know how to make you feel at ease, and relieve the pressure of "Occasion Dining." One of the first things I noticed at the Bar is that I was greeted as soon as I walked in the door. The attentiveness at dinner was even better, allowing us to enjoy our meal, rather than hurrying through our courses to feed the masses. The wine list was a pretty good value letting me enjoy both a bottle of Vueve and Silver Oak. For dessert there were great ports, scothch, cognacs, etc...can you guess what my favorite part of dining out is? Before we left the staff encouraged us to enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne in the bar and ring in the new year. Thanks so much guys. I have already made my reservations for Valentine's-one of the other days I hate to eat out...see ya'll soon. NAME: TEXASLO SUBMITTED: 1/16/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: Dec 31-Jan 1 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Had a great meal. Good service, excelent oysters. I had the Pacific Grouper and it was very good (best grouper I've had), my wife had the striped bass which was also very good. Both fish were quite fresh. Had the risotto side and it was great, a little too rich maybe but very tasty. Key lime pie for desert was also very good I would prefer a better crust. The only negative thing I could mention was our waiter was a little lacking in knowing how to desribe the menu items. I'd go back. NAME: 1st time visitor SUBMITTED: 1/14/2008   LAST VISIT WAS: 01/08 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Well lit confortable and large dining room with ample lighting. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. As soon as we sat down the manager brought over two complementary "shooter" glasses of chilled shrimp bites in a light dressing. Water and menus were brought very soon after. Bread (and this is my only negative-it was cold bread) plus a relish tray with picked herring were put on the table. The menu is extensive and expensive. We started with fresh oysters and a tuna tartare tower. Dinner was broiled scallops and grilled salmon with sides of spinach and sweet potato topped with maple butter. The sides are big enough to share and the entrees portions are pretty large. We stuck with the simple grilled fresh seafood selections but if you've passed your last heart scan there's lots of items with cream, bacon and cheese blended with the seafood. The dessert menu is bland but again the portions were huge. After a huge dinner, if you have room for the warm milk and cookies dessert, the baked alaska or the bread pudding---go for it. Positives: light and bright, good service, huge portions Could be better: Everything is a la carte so your entree will start at $26 and up, sides go for $7-15. Please join my crusade against cold bread in upper end restaurants! Dinner for 2 with wine, appeizers, entrees, sides, dessert and coffee came to $175 NAME: sugarmama SUBMITTED: 10/21/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/20/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: We decided to check out the Restaurant Week promotion (which I heard from the hostess was not well-promoted in Houston for some odd reason). It was packed on a Saturday night we had to wait a few minutes even though we had reservations. The $35.00 3-course fixed price meal set had some very good choices and was a great deal! We also ordered some items from the regular menu. Overall, everything was wonderful. Special kudos to our server Candice, she was very professional and friendly! The Oceanaire is pricey, but the seafood is prepared well and the atmosphere was nice and intimate. NAME: tofugrl SUBMITTED: 10/17/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Wonderful experience, we made reservations, and told the hostess that it was my husband's birthday. When we got there we seated at a table by the window, our menus had my husband's name on the top wishing him a happy birthday and he received a card signed by Oceanaire employees. The lobster thermador was excellent as was the three-course meal selection. The baked alaska brought in after dinner - compliments of the restaurant was delicious and the service was professional. All in all, we enjoyed the evening and plan on visiting again. Great addition to the Houston sea food places. NAME: happyeaters SUBMITTED: 10/14/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This was my second visit with a fairly large group of physicians. I didn't think that the stale bread or appetizers composed of vegetables were anything to write about. The highlight is the crabcakes which are big chunks and very light. The service was terrible in that we had four tables and the entrees were served at random. Half the people ate before their colleagues did, and one physician didn't get an entree. We asked the servers 5 different times and each time we were told it was coming. After most people's entrees were cleared and dessert was served, he finally got his filet. When he asked the manager why he didn't get his entree, he was told that he could be escorted out of the restaurant. After this last experience, I will not be returning. This may be a better place for dates and crabcakes, but please do not come with a big group of your friends or the service is bound to disappoint. NAME: drfoodie SUBMITTED: 10/11/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 10/07 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: What can i say but i LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! They have the BEST oysters, drinks, food, and most importantly - staff that has a great attitude! Everyone seems to like their job and want to be there to help you. Yeah, its a little pricey but you're getting the freshest seafood in town. You cant go here and not try the oysters. After having these you will never go back to the dirty ones that come from the Gulf. If you're in doubt then just ask the nice gentleman that shucks the oyster to put together a sample platter. You wont be disappointed. Some of my favorites are the tuna tower-delicious, very fresh and not fishy at all. Stuffed flounder is fantastic and dont forget the dessert! As for the atmosphere - elegant. If you're looking for a place to get all drunk and rowdy , go next door to K*Grill (yuck!). The Oceanaire is quiet and meant for people who want to enjoy their company with good food and conversation. Overall, I have recommended this place to many people and noone has ever been disappointed. Keep up the good work! NAME: PickyEater SUBMITTED: 9/13/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 9/2007 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: My boyfriend & I celebrated our anniversary here & they made it a wonderful experience. Our dishes were delicious & our waiter was so attentive and knowledgeable. I had the black & blue Halibut & he had the scallops. (both plates so good!) They even handed us a congradulations card & printed a msg for us on our menu. Nice touch because you can take your menu's home. The dessert "show" was really nice. I wont spoil the surprise..... The restuarant is so attractive- does give you a cozy feeling. Definitely a place worth trying. Can't wait to go again! NAME: R&B SUBMITTED: 7/31/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 7/27/07 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Wonderful experience, from the greeting at the door to the attentive servers who never left you glass of water half full. Servers knew the menu and were more than helpful in explaining the preparation of each dish; and assisted in making other selections based on the quantity of food ordered. Exceptional restuarant, old fashioned service, including the relish tray. NAME: first timer SUBMITTED: 6/18/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: June/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: utterly disappointed!! My first visit was spectacular and just plain perfect. So of course i had to rave about it how wonderful this place was. I finally took my friend out to dinner here for her b-day along with my bf. The crabcakes were kind of dry and the stuffed flounder was rubber like. Just plain awful. I had been raving about this place since february....but boy were they disappointed. The clams casino tasted like bacon. and one of the clams only had the stuffing and no clam...i would not recommend it. Maybe there was a different chef that night or something because it was a totally different experience. the first time i went on a friday night and the second time was a thursday...maybe i'll give it one last try before i cross it off my list.... NAME: love to eat SUBMITTED: 5/25/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/17/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: Being a regular diner at the Oceanaire in San Diego I was excited to learn that on my business trip to Houston I could take my clients to the new Oceanaire in the Galleria. Well, let me tell you, it was amazing! Don't tell San Diego this but Houston really knows how to do it. :-) From the delicious food to the friendly bar staff the trip was out of this world. My business guests that night are still sending me e-mails on how they too are now regulars at the Oceanaire. I'm off to CA and I already have made a reservation for Wednesday night in San Diego. Thanks again Oceanaire for making another evening memorable and we will be dining with you soon. NAME: 4thewin SUBMITTED: 3/23/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 3/07 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: So, even though this wonderful spectacle of a seafood restaurant has only been in our Galleria area for a few months, the bartenders already know my husband and me by name. We love going into the bar and seeing Charlie and Kelly, who make the best martinis in town! The diver scallops are absolutely mouthwatering and the swordfish is the best I've tasted. You can taste how fresh the seafood is. The portion sizes are a bit on the large side which can be dangerous since everything is so good you don't want to stop eating! If you do manage to save room for dessert, you've got to try the key lime pie. We generally don't sit in the dining room so we can't speak about the service out there, but everything has always been on par for us in the bar/lounge. They really know the menu which is saying a lot since it changes everyday. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who can appreciate good food and good drinks. NAME: highlanderchick SUBMITTED: 3/23/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 03/07 FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name... MY REVIEW: WONDERFUL!!! We had one of our girlfriend's birthday dinner here, and it was spectacular. The best service ever. Our waiter, Dominic, was very knowledgeable gave the best suggestions. We all tried each others' entrees and i loved the stuffed flounder and mahi mahi. Oh and the crab cakes are to die for. Everything was great. the things we tried were oysters on the half shell,crabcakes,stuffed flounder,ahi tuna,mahi mahi,swordfish,lobster timadori??,equadorian lobster,hash browns,loaded mashed potatoes,mac$cheese with truffles,cream corn,brownie w/ice cream, and another that lit on fire. If you're going with a date then i would make sure you order the crab cakes and stuffed flounder or mahi mahi. the stuffed flounder is really creamy and rich-cheesy.everything was wonderful...if i had to do it all over again, the only thing i wouldn't miss would be the plain jane equadorian lobster tail. other than it's massive 15oz, nothing special. go and ask for dominic. you won't regret it = ) NAME: love to eat SUBMITTED: 2/21/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 2/9/2007 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This is a wonderful addition to the Galleria. We had dinner after a day of training most recently and felt very relaxed. The staff was attentive and the food portions were large but a very good value for the experience. The Crab Cakes are to die for. Their Smoked Salmon is prepared in the restaurant and hands down is the best I have tasted in a while. I especially appreciated the attractive manage coming to my table to inquire about my experience. She just came over and did not have to be summoned. I look forward to enjoying their food often in the future NAME: Etype Lover SUBMITTED: 2/4/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 1/31 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times MY REVIEW: I visited The Oceanaire with several friends and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was one of the best, if not THE BEST, seafood restaurant I have been to. I enjoyed the feel and ambience of the restaurant the moment I walked in. Our meal started with the Seafood Tower. It had a lovely presentation, and the flavor and size of the seafood were perfect. It was my first time to try raw oysters. They were so good I had two! We had crabcakes next...by far the best and largest crabcake I've ever eaten. The lump crab meat and light breading with Oceanaire's homemade sauce was out of this world! I ordered Ahi Tuna for my meal. It was superb! The side dishes were also incredible. My mouth waters when I think of the shells and cheese with truffles. I also had the pleasure of sampling my friends' dishes (fish and scallops) which were also savory. I don't normally eat dessert, but after it was on the table I couldn't resist. I'm glad I gave in! The waiter was very friendly and helpful, and the Executive Chef introduced himself. I will definitely be back to The Oceanaire, and highly recommend it to everyone! NAME: lovestoeat SUBMITTED: 1/26/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/06 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: Went to Oceaniare with several friends and we opted to order a medley of food and all share it--so I had the opportunity to sample: shrimp, oysters, lobster, scallops, grouper, red snapper, two side dishes and a huge dessert. And let me tell you, they hit everything 'out of the ballpark.' I have never had raw oysters before and was blown away. I woke up craving them the next day! This seafood could not have been any fresher. I am from Louisiana and I've never had crabcakes like this before! The side dishes were unique and delicious. Our flaming dessert was a delight. Other seafood restaurants that I'd once enjoyed now only pale in comparison! The service was wonderful, the ambiance was perfect and the executive chef asked his tables how they enjoyed the food--and we couldn't speak his praises enough. I RAVED about this restaurant to my friends and business colleagues the next day and encouraged them to head directly to Oceanaire. The Oceanaire Seafood Room is now officially my new FAVORITE RESTAURANT. I can't wait to return! Well worth the price of the meal and for a babysitter! NAME: Hellcat SUBMITTED: 1/22/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/06 FREQUENCY: Visited once MY REVIEW: This is one of the most elegant but comfortable restaurants in Houston. The food was extremely fresh and tasteful and the presentation was fabulous. To have a restaraunt that changes the selection every day and always hasassomething appetizing to offer is such a pleasure. The service was prompt and curtious and the atmosphere was beautiful. My husband and I will be visiting this new restaurant quite often and will be happy to bring our friends. NAME: Mary SUBMITTED: 1/19/2007   LAST VISIT WAS: 12/10/06 FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times ©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved. Design and database by B4-U-BUY