Laurier Cafe & Wine

Whether you want to impress, or just have a new place to dine, this is a great spot. Great atmosphere, wonderful ambiance, outstanding service, excellent culinary masterpieces - all the elements of a wonderful experience. The atmosphere is chic, the service is exceptional without being over-bearing and the food is always great with a beautiful presentation. Luxury at affordable prices!

Posted 06/30/09

I went to lunch at Laurier Caf? one afternoon this month with my co-workers and it was absolutely delicious. I ordered the three cheese grilled cheese sandwich. This was not your mother?s grilled cheese sandwich! It was to die for. The combination of the cheese, along with a side of pommes frites made my afternoon. My colleagues both had entr?e size salads, which they said were great. One had some really great quality, seared tuna and the other had a warm chicken salad with endive, pears, walnuts and blue cheese. The crowd seemed to be a combination of River Oaks ladies who lunch and business people from the Greenway Plaza area, plus the three of us from Midtown. It was good food, in a comfortable and friendly setting, and I plan to go back.

Posted 06/29/09

We all heard this was a good spot to take clients with supposedly great food. Our waiter, bless his heart, was rude. He was shaking and sweating and interupted our client as she was talking. He made it clear to the couple of people who talked while he went over the menu that he was having to repeat himself. It was just very odd and uncomfortable. Then it took a very long time to get our food. We had a sampling of many dishes. The carrot soup looked great but didn't taste like carrots. The Gumbo looked great but there was no feedback to that effect. I ordered the salad with chicken, pears, endive and goat cheese. The chicken tasted off, I couldn't place the taste, the endive was bitter which is too be expected but the pears, vinegrette, walnuts, it just didn't work. Those are all my very favorite tastes so it was odd. Long story short, no one at the table was impressed and unfortunately we will not be returning for another client lunch. The room is loud but looks very nice and we saw many people who seemed to be enjoying there meal. Maybe this was just a fluke or bad timing............or maybe not.

Pros: The manager was great!

Cons: The food was average, no sparkle and the waiter was rude.

Posted 02/05/09

Obviously you have never worked in a fine dining restaurant before otherwise you would have been competent to know what was going on.

Posted 02/12/08

After reviewing the online menu, I was very anxious to try out this restaurant...several dishes had my mouth watering and the fact that it's so tiny is always intriguing to see "what's inside". Upon entering, we were greeted by a very incompenent hostess who looked frazzeled and nervous to be helping us...not the best face to front your business. Shortly after being seated we looked around and noticed we were the only people in the 25-45 age group in the place - so it must typically attract an older crowd. We reviewed the menu - again loving what we saw. For starters, my friend ordered the onion soup and I had the goat cheese salad. The soup was not at all what we were expecting - it was like chicken broth with carmelized onions in it - not bad, but just strange. My salad was delicious - definitely recommend it. We both indulged in the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (I'm a huge fan of braised short ribs - so make a habit of getting them anytime they are on a menu!) We waited an awful long time between our first and second course (our waiter was MIA for most of the time). But when the short-ribs arrived they were cooked to perfection and served with some sort of turnip/spinach concoction. The flavor of the meat was LACKING - albiet very moist and cooked wonderfully, I had to salt it to death to enjoy it. There was no starch served with the meal, which left us still hungry after the meal (which I really dislike). We shared the chocolate cake for dessert which was divine - really loved it. We waited again, an absurd amount of time for our check to come which is never a good way to end the night. We actually saw one couple get up to go ask for their waiter (who was also ours as well) so they could pay and leave (never good). For what we paid for this meal (about $50 a person with tip and tax and one glass of wine each) we were definitely overall disappointed. Bad service, leaving hungry, and underseasoned meat always leave a bad taste in my mouth...

Pros: Food Preparation

Cons: Service, Underseasoning

Posted 01/12/08

A friend and I went for dinner and ordered the same thing - steak medium to medium rare. When the food came out hers was medium and mine was extra-well to shoe leather - black all the way to the center. I mentioned it to the very attentive waiter and he said he'd wondered about that when he was bringing it out. He took it back without further question. The replacement steak was medium well at best and the pommes frites were totally over cooked and cold - as if the chef had pulled them out of the bottom of the fryer from last night. I was not willing to be a repeat complainer, and no one asked how it was, so I ate the middle portion of the steak and the 4-5 fries that were closer to tan than brown.

After we'd paid our bill I thought I should say something, so I told the waiter how dissapointed I had been and that truely the food was sub-par. He walked away and I could see that he was discussing, if not arguing, with the bartender. We waited about 5 minutes and then gave up. On the way out I saw a man in chefs clothes behind the bar. I asked if there were a manager I could talk to and he said I should just talk to him. As I described my evening he just said "yeah, yeah, yeah." At the end he said, "so the problem is that your waiter did not bother to tell us you were unhappy with your food?" I tried to re-explain that the service was actually good (perhaps the highlight of the evening) it was the food that was the problem and furthermore, sending back the first plate should have been warning enough. His next statement was "so what do you want from me?" I simply replied that I thought he would want to know that the food being served was frankly unacceptable and that we would not be returning. At no point was anyone at all apologetic.

Pass on this one - there are better places to eat in Houston.

Pros: attentive wait-staff

Cons: burned/over cooked food, rude management

Posted 11/23/07

Wonderful food. Great service. A wine list to die for.

This is one of those restaurants conducive to intimate conversation. Whether it be with your grown daughter, your BFF, or your love. The ambience and attitude is positive without being intrusive. The menu choices are imaginative and for the most part, they work!

Posted 10/07/07

don't let the small, modest exterior full you. inside is a quite spacious, dimly-lit room that is quaintly decorated and caters to any romantic occasion. although the food is pricey, the quality is quite good and our waiter was friendly and accomodating. go here if you want a romantic, trendy ambience for a dinner for 2.*

Posted 11/20/06

Fabulous food, great location, perfect service!! The food has the taste of "Mark's" (a pricey houston restaurant) without the attitude. Small restaurant with great atmoshere. Unusual look on the outside but wonderful and modern on the inside. The best quality food and very well priced. I great find you must try!!

Pros: Great food, service and atmosphere.

Cons: Do not be put off by the outside look of the building.

Posted 11/09/06

I have been to Laurier three times and the appetizers were very good. However I have found the entrees to be inconsistent. Nice atmosphere and priced very well.

Pros: Great starters

Cons: Inconsistent main courses

Posted 09/04/06

Went for lunch with a good friend who hates goat cheese, and to our dismay, found a disproportionate number of items on the menu containing it. The croque monsieur was overcooked but still tasty; the salad was bland. The butternut squash soup was delicious, except we suspected goat cheese was in the sour cream or creme fraiche topping, and it was not mentioned on the menu. Lemon mousse very prettily presented, but not lemony enough. Parking and noise in restaurant unacceptable; pricey. Not a family place, not French, ambivalent service. Disappointing...hoped for more!

Pros: good location, nice ambiance, nice menu

Cons: terrible parking, noisy, pricey

Posted 10/25/05

Myself and 3 friends ate at Laurier for lunch, and it was the best restaurant I have been to in quite a long time. Not only were we seated right away, btu the food came out quickly, and the wine was fantastic. The service was outstanding. For the freshness of the food and the selection, the prices are extremely moderate. The wine list is reasonably priced for the wide selection. For dessert, the chocolate cake is to die for! Sunday brunch is most popular at the restaurant, and the beautiful patio accomodates all the people who come. The atmosphere is very chic. I would not recommend taking your children to this restaurant, but I would highly recommend it to anyone else!

Pros: Great Food, Great Wine, Great Dessert

Posted 07/19/05

I recently had dinner at Laurier with 3 companions. We each had a different salad, entre and dessert. Each of us had the same impression--the food needed more seasoning or some sort of sauce. The atmosphere was suitably urban, the food presentation was beautiful and the service was perfect. The food, however, was plain, plain, and certainly not worth the price. The parking situation is ridiculous.

Pros: atmosphere, service

Cons: , parking, price

Posted 08/04/04

The brunch was wonderful! The filet w/ the truffled egg was killer!! The staff was friendly and the price was very reasonable.

Pros: Location

Posted 04/28/04

After reading the review on CitySearch, which touts the wine list, I decided to give to give Laurier a try. The food is pretty good, but most of the meat is "cheap" cuts--dark meat chicken served on the bone, strip steak, duck, lamb, and quail. The wine list was long and not terribly impressive to me. Only one Merlot was available by the glass. We ordered a half bottle of a decent wine, but overall, I was underwhelmed.

Posted 04/01/04

The food was wonderful, the noise level was crushing. The restaurant was not even filled but I ended up hoarse after having to talk loud enough to even being heard. It is a shame when a nice restaurant is designed to maximize the noise level. Come if you have loud noisy friends and skip if you want a quiet dinner for 2 or 4.

Pros: food

Cons: noise leve

Posted 09/11/03

Laurier and its bright and contemporary setting are perfect for lunch or dinner. We've enjoyed terrific seasonal soups like spring pea, gazpacho and squash. The goat cheese salad with pecans and the arugula salad with fresh Parmesan and a special imported olive oil are great. The risotto is the best I've had anywhere, and the unique vegetable plate includes wonderfully seasoned spinach, leeks, fennel, mushrooms, carrots and a risotto cake with pesto versus the starch and sugar laden vegetables many restaurants serve. My husband prefers the Neiman Rach steak--always cooked to perfection. Desserts like the Rainier cherry and goat cheese beggar's packet are a real treat. The wine list is extensive yet moderately priced. In fact, the prices and portions served at Laurier allow us to always enjoy three courses and a bottle of wine without worrying about our diet or wallet. I can't wait to return.

Pros: Great Food & Wine, great prices, great atmosphere

Posted 07/14/03

Oh dear, where to begin. From bland gumbo to utterly flavorless tuna and thoughtless interior design (this place is LOUD--forget civilized conversation) Laurier disappoints all around. The seemingly inventive menu falls short on taste. Skimpy portions given the price and quality of ingredients. Amateurish service can be entertaining but mostly just frustrating. We watched in amazement as our waiter tried to pour wine from an empty bottle--twice. One valet parking attendent to service the entire restaurant on Friday night = long waits. Pass on this one.

Pros: None come to mind

Cons: Food, Service, Value

Posted 07/10/03

The quality of the food is great. Service was pleasant. For once a chef that uses simple recipes and ingredients instead of mixing flavors. The wine list is interesting and prices are very reasonable (as well as for the food) I recommend the duck entree, the flavor and aroma of that dish were spectacular.

Posted 05/18/03

We were disappointed with the gas station - come - wine bar setting. What a let down. Thought the prices were way too high for what you got - good, but not blow-your-socks-off meal. Service was just fine - no complaints. Overall, not in any way a disaster, but not worth a second trip back...

Pros: Service

Cons: Pricing, Atmosphere, Lack of parking lot

Posted 03/18/03

Although the restaurant was not what we expected for our romantic Valentines night out, the food was good and the service excellent. In our opinion, the restaurant is not at all romantic as touted in other reviews; the sparse atmosphere and nouveau interior is kind of cold and distant, not cozy and romantic.
Just our opinion though. I doubt we will go back since it's not our type of atmosphere, but I can't speak badly of the restaurant.

Posted 02/15/03

Outstanding service, excellent wine prices and selection, beautiful food. Highly recommend--especially wonderful value for lunch.

Pros: Wine selection, Innovative menu, Atmosphere

Cons: Pricey desserts

Posted 10/03/02

Moments inside this unassuming building on Richmond, you will realize that Houston has a new gem on the scene. French Culinary Institute graduate Gary Fuller and wife Kelly Kimberly have emerged from Enron ashes to create a stylish French cafe unlike any other on this side of the pond. Critics argue Laurier is only French in name. Granted tartare and cassoulet are no where to be found, but the bright and colorful decor, chic atmosphere, fresh flavors and attention to detail will make you swear the Pompidou is right outside. With a few Texas twangs such as a chipotle-rubbed steak and attentive service that is thankfully not so French, Houstonians will feel close to home. Truly dedicated Francophiles should opt for Cafe Rabelais in the village.

Pros: Great food, Impeccable service, Nice ambience

Cons: Limited wine list

Posted 09/15/02

The restaurant itself is in the New American category, so I don't think it makes any pretenses toward being a French restaurant. The food is great, but it is not French. Why is it in the French category?

Pros: modern, bustling, urban

Cons: parking

Posted 08/15/02

Granted, I have only been here once but I cannot wait to go back. This was the freshest food I have ever had in any restaurant and I go to many. I wish the owners the very best. The waiter, Byron, was fun and had a great sense of humor which added to our pleasurable gastronomic experience.

Pros: fresh/delicious food, valet parking

Posted 06/23/02

For lunch or dinner, Laurier Cafe is an awesome restaurant that you MUST experience! I recently had lunch there and sat outside on the lovely patio - check it out while the weather is still tolerable! Where do I begin on the food? Everything I have tried there was unique, flavorful and delicious, but my favorites by far are the incredible mushroom and asparagus risotto and ALL of the desserts. For wine lovers, the wine list is extensive, varied and most are moderately priced. The atmosphere, decor and size of the restaurant combine all the right elements that make an eatery super-hip, yet cozy and totally unpretentious. I liked Laurier so much that I recommend it to all of my friends, and you should try it too!

Posted 05/21/02