Thomas Kim

A little dated interior. Had some parking out front which was nice. Good drinks. Got a good assortment of tapas. All pretty good. Didn’t take picture because it was a work dinner. Got one of the seafood paella which I liked. Wish the rice was crispy though. The staff was attentive and friendly. If you’re craving Spanish tapas I’d give this a try.

Lauri B

What an unexpected nugget we found today! We originally left the hospital heading to Shake Shack, but waiting in traffic turned our attention to this elegant little place, so we pulled in to try it. The parking is super convenient, directly located outside the door. This is a must mention as places in this area are not always easy to park in/find parking. It was mid day after the lunch rush, so that possibly helped us. Tapas, TexMex, Cuban, Latin flare, they have it all! I was super impressed with the decor of this restaurant. Just walking to the doors, you step into a small little Latin world on their pretty patio. Upon entering the doors, there is a wall of crawling ivy that is simply stunning. I love my ivy plants, so this was immediately impressive. We were warmly greeted and seated in a lovely large booth. A Giara (flip-top swing stopper) bottle with water was brought to our table. I thought that was a nice touch. So much more elegant than a regular glass of water. The music playing set the tone for a little Havana scene. You really feel the atmosphere! Our server was excellent. He provided several suggestions on popular items. I ordered the cheese enchilada dinner and my aunt ordered the Tacos al Carbone. We contemplated getting tapas, but decided to keep it with TexMex. Our meal was delicious! Presentation was nice, everything was cooked well, the seasoning was on point, and the portions are a nice size. I was very impressed with our entire experience. I still can’t say enough about the restaurant decor. Everything was top-notch and detailed. Even the table settings were detailed and elegant. I love the ambiance. Though we stopped in for a late lunch wearing our capri pants and flip flops, I can see this place also being a great date night spot. It’s on the finer side of Spanish restaurants, but still cozy and comfortable to be dressed down. Very impressed! Our total for 2 meals and one glass of wine before tip was $68.00. Highly recommend.

+13

Damon Hewlin

My business colleagues and I had a great dinner outing at El Meson Restaurant in Houston. This has been a long time favorite of one of my colleagues from his time in college. For over two decades he has been dining here and he provided us the great privilege to enjoy an authentic and absolutely delicious Cuban / Tex Mex cuisine. From the start with the best lemonade I have ever had, chips and house made salsa dip, to the starter salad which came with a beef taco, and I finished my meal with the main entree being the beef enchiladas. Everything was delicious and satisfying. The portions were filling but not too much. The staff were friendly and courteous. Our beverages stayed full and they made sure everything was just right for us throughout the evening. El Meson is a must to dine at if you are in Houston. Muchas gracias El Meson.

+12

DMCCreativeSolutions

Found El Meson while driving around with family on a Sunday. Boy am I glad we stopped here, this place has some fantastic Spanish / Cuban food. Also, being from a family of bread-o-holics this incredible bread, which is there restaurant secret. We ordered three different types of tapes and I ended up enjoying the lamb and sausage tapas the best! So it's great to experience so many different flavors and be apart of some great Houston history too!

+5

Ms Benz

This was my second time coming to El Meson and it certainly won’t be my last. The tapas are all exceptional and pack a lot of flavor with each bite. This restaurant serves Spanish food and has an amazing wine list. The quality of the food is outstanding and you can tell they take the time to make it right. We had the paella El meson and it was delicious. I like the rice to be a little more dry it was served a little on the wet side but the flavor and shellfish were on point. The bacons wrapped dates are a healthier option as a dessert and were delicious. Can’t wait to come back and try more of this menu! The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is very clean.

+2

Shairma Diaz

El meson rest was on my list to visit and I’m glad my friend agreed. Valet personnel was very attentive and generous. Quickly welcomed and seated. Promptly greeted by Olivia our server. Food was very very good. Even when server set the expectations about the wait time for paella it came on decent amount of time. Portion was generous, definitely serve more than 2. Everything was delicious.

+1

Eric Bliss

Great paella, and of course I forgot a pic--you do have to order for 2 though, so if you want paella, plan accordingly. Ours was great! We did have some sublime ceviche, and nice croquettes too, as tapas, and the wine list is serviceable. The flan was worth the order for dessert. Next time, I'm going to try one of the Cuban entrees and my wife is going to hit a fish entree with a few tapas more too. Can't wait to return to Houston, as we live in Austin.

Geronimo Skywolf Guerrero

I was pleased with my visit here. The staff was very kind and welcoming. The Cuban food and tapas were especially good. I really like the ropa vieja, lechón asado, the lamb, and of course the cortadito Cuban coffee. All are plates we ordered came with a small salad, needless to say we left very full. I'm looking forward to returning.

+5

Carissa Cassiel

Five stars all around. The environment, experience, service, and food were all really great. They served us bread AND chips+salsa. The salsa was remarkably delicious! We had a tapas with brown mushrooms - - fantastic. The salads were crisp and the dressing was perfect. The filet was really fantastic. Tender, juicy, great flavor on the sauce. Mashed potatoes and spinach were all great as well. The paella was impressive but a little bland. All in all, a great experience!

Blanka M

The interior of the place needs a bit of refreshment, but we enjoyed the gazpacho, the sea bass and the peppers with vegetables. Oh! And do not miss the super rich flourless chocolate cake. It is delicious. Beautiful selection of wines. Good price-quality ration and we had a great server.

Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. The waitress didn’t explain the menu and only responded to the specific questions we asked. She didn’t clarify the portion sizes or the size of the dishes. She seemed inattentive and never asked us what we wanted to drink. We ordered two paellas, but only one was brought to the table, so we had to wait longer for the second one. We also asked for more bread, but it never arrived. I think we won’t come back!

BygoneTundra

Came with a group of 5 and the total bill was $348. At that price point, the food should be excellent — unfortunately, it wasn’t. Two of us ordered the beef tenderloin, and it was disappointing. The texture was chewy and rubbery, not what you expect from a premium cut, even though it was ordered medium-rare. Sides were average and nothing stood out. To be fair, the service was not bad — staff was polite and attentive. Another downside is parking, which is very limited. Depending on the day, you’re basically stuck parking on the street, which is inconvenient. Overall, the food quality didn’t match the price, and combined with the parking situation, it wasn’t a great experience. Wouldn’t rush back.

Sal H

Party of 4, 6pm, a chilly Saturday. We were greeted by an extremely rude, unwelcoming hostess who turned out to be the owners daughter. Against our better judgment we asked for a table anyway. We asked for a booth and was scolded. There were three other tables dining in the restaurant. But its fine because she’s the owners daughter. She can do what she wants. The server was nice enough but his recommendation on the squid ink paella was DISGUSTING. It was salty and the scallops were full of AMMONIA. Would NOT recommend. Seafood not fresh. Manager’s daughter uninviting. Give your money to a place that appreciates you.