I took my wife and mother in law to Houston's for a Mexican Mothers Day (May 10th) lunch and I doubt if any of us will be returning. The waitstaff were very friendly but very goofed up. They just didn't pay attention. My mother in law ordered the Prime Rib medium (this is supposed to be like a medium rare steak) but it was served well done. She doesn't like french fries (Houstons does not serve baked or mashed potatos, at least not for lunch, and at Houston's the french fries are actually shoestring potatoes) so the waiter offered to substitute cole slaw instead. When here meal was served it came with fries and no slaw. It took me three requests and a few angry words before the slaw was served. By that time she was almost halfway through with her Prime Rib.

My wife ordered a filet rare and a side of corn (extra charge of course). She finally got her corn when my mother in law got her slaw.

I ordered the Prime Rib, medium rare with a regular dinner salad (salads don't come with the meal). The prime rib came medium well. I got my salad before the meal but I would have gotten a better salad at a coffee shop. It wasn't worth eating (I don't mind paying $5.00 for a dinner salad but I like it to taste halfway decent. I mean how hard is it to make a decent dinner salad?).

When I was away from the table my wife asked one of the waiter's assistants why no bread and butter had been served. She was told that they don't serve bread and butter unless it is requested. When the bread was finally served there were three small dry sections of bread not worth eating.

My wife's filet was not bad but both Prime Ribs were over cooked, almost tasteless and very dry.

As to the establishment, the place is not bad looking but the acoustics are so bad that even though there were less than 20 diners, it sounded like like the place was filled with loud screaming people.

All in all, it was a fairly poor experience. I paid over $120.00 not counting tip, for poorly prepared food and poor service in a very noisy restaurant for three lunches and three coffees. We would have had better service, better food and less noise for far less money had we gone to someplace like Conrad's or Marie Callanders.

I don't mind how much I spend at a restaurant if it's worth it but at Houston's I felt as if I had been taken. This used to be a fairly good steakhouse but if my last experience was any indicator, this establishment has gone a long way down hill and they are now just living on their past reputation.

Jim Landsdale
Los Angeles County Legal Resources
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