26 replies to this topic

[MBK]

I'm being taken to dinner tonight at Houston's in Bethesda... I looked online and all I could find was that they are a chain, which doesn't endear them to me to begin with. Has anyone been? Are there any redeeming qualities? Anything I should avoid?

[DanielK]

I'm being taken to dinner tonight at Houston's in Bethesda...  I looked online and all I could find was that they are a chain, which doesn't endear them to me to begin with.  Has anyone been?  Are there any redeeming qualities?  Anything I should avoid?

Get a cheeseburger. Everything else is overpriced. It's TGIFriday's at twice the price without the kitsch.

[MBK]

Get a cheeseburger. Everything else is overpriced. It's TGIFriday's at twice the price without the kitsch.

Ugh.

Guess this blind date is already getting off to a bad start, with his choice of restaurants.

[goldenticket]

I've never been to the Houston's in Bethesda, but given the fact that they are a chain, I feel qualifed to comment based on multiple visits, many years ago, to the (now-defunct) Georgetown location.

I loved the grilled chicken salad - the chicken was always very tender, the dressing was a peanuty thing, and there were tortilla strips mixed in there, too. It was always consistent - very basic, nothing fancy, but it tasted good. (My memories may be colored by the fact that I went with a very close friend who now lives far away)

I think they're known for the ribs and I remember them being decent, in a chain restaurant sort of way. The service was good - servers worked as a team, so you never wanted for a refill, and were usually well cared for.

[Barbara]

Get a cheeseburger. Everything else is overpriced. It's TGIFriday's at twice the price without the kitsch.

Oh, man. Is that painful or what?

[bookluvingbabe]

The House salad used to be good but has gone down hill, as has the buttermilk garlic dressing.

They had an Island steak-like item that was very good the last time I was there (probably two years ago.)

Similar to Slade's before the last set of renovations.

Jennifer

[mame11]

I hate chains. There is a lot to like about Houston's. I don't consider it a chain as there are very few of them spread across the country. The menu is set though in one place.

My favorite things:

The chicken club salad---
The chicken tenders appetizer- not on the menu, you are in the know if you order it. They are the best chicken fingers in the world. great fries.
The veggie burger--- not your average veggie burger
The chicken tenders meal when I am super hungry

THE SPINACH CHEESE DIP is a must order. Did I say anything about the chicken fingers.

This is literally the only chain restaurant at which I will willingly eat. The service is always above average, in fact they are known for the management training.

[mame11]

The House salad used to be good but has gone down hill

They were having supply problems. The salads are back on track now...

[Joe H]

I totally agree with the above post: this, for a chain, is really exemplery. It's generally in league with Sweetwater, Artie's, Coastal Flats, etc. Their Asian chicken salad and ahi tuna salads are excellent. The one point that I would make is that Houston's-here, Atlanta, Denver and elsewhere-consistently have long lines to get in. They are popular. And good for what they are.

I would also note that Seasons 52 is now approaching "chain" status from Darden. This is the benchmark for what a restaurant with multiple locations should aspire to. In Florida and Atlanta.

[mame11]

Ugh.

Guess this blind date is already getting off to a bad start, with his choice of restaurants.

No it is not fair to put houstons in the same category as TGIF. It is so much more superior than TGIF and is more superior than many independent restaurants. I think you will have a nice date.

[Heather]

Their hickory burger with cheddar, onions and a very good barbecue sauce is delicious but probably not a good choice on a first date. Also, their cole slaw is very good, and I love the super skinny shoestring fries.

[DanielK]

Get a cheeseburger. Everything else is overpriced. It's TGIFriday's at twice the price without the kitsch.

I cursed myself. I got home from work to find that my 6-year-old daughter, fresh from her 4-star eye doctor appointment, had picked TGIF for her celebration dinner.

D'OH!

But Joe, I have to call you on the carpet for your comment about lines and popularity. I think we can all name some god-awful places that people will wait on lines for hours for. Popularity is not necessarily an indicator of quality.

[Joe H]

You're right-there are some really terrible places (i.e. Logan's Roadhouse, Joe's Crab Shack, Olive Garden, etc. that have long lines at peak times. But Houston's is legitimately good for what it is just as the Great American Restaurant Group is good for what they are. None of these take the place of a chef owned/managed restaurant but for "vanilla" commercial appeal they are the best of their kind. Occasionally, like Seasons 52 which I mentioned, they rise above this.

If you know what to order at Houston's it can be very good. But I wouldn't venture out of that range.

[MBK]

Thanks to all for your comments... I ordered the chicken tenders salad (not on the menu, like you said!), and it wasn't bad. I wasn't overwhelmed, and wouldn't hurry back, but it wasn't a bad meal, and our service was excellent. And he ordered the chicken tenders meal, so clearly he too was in the know. Next date, though, I'll suggest something a bit more interesting...

[Marks]

Went to Houston in Bethesda Sat night top meet a few friends. They were surprised I've never been to Houstons after living in this area over 20 years. I was sad to glance over at Black's while waiting to be seated and having a few drink.

The food was passable, plain and uninspired. I have ribs(pork) which were OK but overpriced. In fact all the entrees seemed overpriced for the quality and quantity.

Bottom line, it'll be 20 more years before I return

[TinDC]

In case anyone is interested, the Bethesda Houston's now takes reservations. I don't know about Rockville. We usually go once or twice a year and with toddler in tow, we decided last night (on a holiday weekend) would be a fine time. The hostess informed us that they started taking reservations about 4 or 5 months ago.

It's a chain, but the service is always very good and I get my "junk food" fix there. Spinach dip and chicken tenders platter is the way to go.

[ruslev]

Did this restaurant in Bethesda change ownership? What is Houston's Woodmont Grill?

[wysguymd]

I like Houstons when in the mood for a sandwich. They have great fries, a good burger and an excellent prime rib sandwich. The Tortilla Soup is one of the better ones around too. But their brownie sundae is the real reason to go there!

Unfortunately, the prices have gone up significantly over the years - most noticably after Montgomery Co went non-smoking. Now it's definitely overpriced for what it is, so it's been replaced in my regular rotation by RedRockCanyon.

They may have locations through the U.S., but I wouldn't put Houstons in the same category as Fridays and Olive Garden. I thought that Slades was opened by a former owner of Houstons after they got into a business disagreement. Slades supposedly uses the same recipes.

[JAC13]

Yes, the prices have def. gone up but the food and service (esp. at the Bethesda location) are always on point and consistent. I love their buger and their trout (which you must ask for since it is oddly not listed on the menu and often not listed by servers as a special). My new favorite, however, is their roast chicken, which I think is some of the best and juiciest roast chicken anywhere (and I live in Arlington right near the many of the great Peruvian chicken restaurants). The brownie sundae is wonderful but my favorite dessert that Houston's does is the good old fashioned, yet decadent, ice cream sundae that they have only at the Rockville location, which it features a side of warm ghirardelli chocolate sauce and candied pecans-mmmm.

[stockwatch]

I went there last night. Note that at least for the location in Bethesda, the restaurant is now called The Woodmont Grill. Menu has changed slightly. The tables in the booths have also been replaced and tableware now has The Woodmont Grill embossed on it. Bar waiting area has also changed slightly.

Food, however, seems to be the same -- reliable, good (but not creative) food.

When I asked about the name change, the hostess said that the Hillstone Group (parent) decided to change the name but the ownership is the same. She also said that there are similar "Grills" across the country.

Still puzzling to me. Why start with a new brand, when you already have an established one. The only thing that I can think of is that litigation/litigation threat prompted the name change, although this would be surprising given how long the Houston's brand has been around (at least 25 years based on my dining at Houston's in here and other locations in the South.

[wysguymd]

If you check out the Hillstone website, they do have quite a few "Grill" restaurants. The site says each restaurant is "unique with a personality of it's own". (although a quick look at the menus show they are all very similar.) Maybe they are trying to expand/differentiate their concept since the two locations are so close to each other.

[mbucher]

A sad day.....

[DonRocks]

A sad day.....

A sad day for whom? Last time I went to Houston's (a couple years ago), I felt like I was eating at Hamburger Hamlet - even the once-proud ribs were mediocre at best. They're still in twelve other states (click), and I haven't heard anything about them shutting down the entire chain.

Lest I just stuck my foot in my mouth, look at the GM's name at Woodmont Grill

[mbucher]

A sad day for whom? Last time I went to Houston's (a couple years ago), I felt like I was eating at Hamburger Hamlet - even the once-proud ribs were mediocre at best. They're still in twelve other states (click), and I haven't heard anything about them shutting down the entire chain.

Lest I just stuck my foot in my mouth, look at the GM's name at Woodmont Grill

no relation, but excellent attention to detail, very impressive

[TinDC]

We were up in Rockville a couple of weekends ago for a child's birthday party and decided to stop by Houston's in Rockville on the way home with our two young kids. The primary thing that bugged me was that at 5:30 pm, the restaurant was practically pitch dark. I could not believe how low the lights were! I could not see a damned thing. Other than that, their chicken sandwich, which used to have a grilled chicken breast, is now made up of rotisserie chicken with skin on it. I am glad that I peeked inside my sandwich before I ate it because I would have been turned off had I bitten into a big hunk of flabby chicken skin. All in all, not the Houston's I remember going to as a kid in Georgetown.

[hm212]

I have been to Woodmont Grill twice in the last month and both times were really good meals.

The seafood has been fresh and flavorful. Last night daughter had the ribs and they were falling off the bone tender with a light bbq sauce that had a nice kick. Noy cheap eats by any standards but definitely a nice consistant meal with quality service.

[mnnchas]

Had the french dip here a few days ago. $20 for a sandwich gets me everytime (granted it comes with fries, but still). Sandwich was good, tender, juicy, but very salty. Fries were oversalted as well.

I'd love to see some new stuff on the menu here. I haven't been around that long, but I don't think the menu has changed in a very long time.