Mark's American Cuisine

Well, I just purchased a $200 lesson for two. I'll dispatch with the good first. Dessert excepting, the food ranged from fine to very good (almost great in small parts). The flavors came more from spice and salt than the simpler flavors from the ingredients, which I thought was unusual for a place that seems somewhat chef driven. The foie gras was a little burnt, not seared, and everything I ordered had something sausagey involved. Cuisine, it was not, but it was generally enjoyable and there was a lot of it. Three and a half stars for the food.

With so few choices in Houston, I probably would have gone back were the service not so terrible. The waiter, an old fellow with a southern accent, was inattentive and showed no concern for the quality of the food. It took about 30 minutes to get the check after dessert was over and I'd run out of coffee (no refills offered). And the dessert itself was a BIG miss--four kinds of boring chocolate mousse and creme brulee on the lower side of middling. He had described a souffle, but I got mousse in a souffle cup instead. And three other kinds of strikingly similar mousse. I had about four bites, trying a little of everything. The busser cleared it without any concern that I had eaten almost none of it, and without asking if I was done (which is odd because it looked like it was just delivered). We mentioned to the waiter it was not enjoyed. He shrugged, walked off, and dessert remained on the bill.

Maybe you think the service was just off and you should go anyway. To you, I say that even if the service were 5-stars, the food, though usually good, was on the very low end of what one can get away with at the price charged. So best case scenario, you almost get ripped off but not quite.

Pros: there was usually something tasty on the plate

Cons: service was MISERABLE; misses--some big--with each dish

Posted 11/18/09

My husband and I wanted something special for our 9 yr anniversary. We have been to many restaurants in Houston and this was the best dining experience we have had. All the food was delicious; everything from the appetizer to the soup, salad, main course and dessert. The server was very knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. We were there for almost 3 hours and never felt rushed. We even received a complimentary dessert for our anniversary. If you want a good dining experience where not a single detail is missed, I highly recommend this restaurant!!!

Pros: Everything

Cons: None

Posted 09/28/09

Best restaurant I have been to in Houston. Two of my favorite meals of all time have both been at this restaurant. (and I have only been twice) Soft shell crab and kobe steak (8 oz of deliciousness) Also I had a blueberry tart here which was the best most simple dessert I have ever had. I don't understand how it was so good since it was just blueberrys (with blueberry muffin ice cream) in a tart but it was amazing!

Pros: Best food I have ever had

Cons: Food would cancel out any, but I don't know of any

Posted 08/04/09

My husband and I have been going to Marks for years. Some times we rave about it and sometimes we really enjoy it but we are never dissappointed. It's an impressive place to take foks visiting since its an Old Church building converted to a restaurant and its not a chain plus you can count on great specials. Can't go wrong if you are looking for a special restaurant. The service is great too!

Pros: Fine Dining in a unique building

Cons: None

Posted 07/02/09

My wife and I just returned from our 17th anniversary at Mark's. It was everything I had expected and wanted for a quiet and romantic night with outstanding service and food. A few of the reviews had had poor service or food but Mark's ws at it's best for us. We were seated promptly in the 2nd floor as I had requested and the service was flawless. I appreciated the short delay time between when we were seated and when we received our menus: it made me feel that we were not being rushed. Two waiters seated us and served our water and bread. The specials were made known and gave 3 choices for appetizers and 5 entrees which where unique and intriguing. We chose the seafood trio and the lobster bisque (which had perfectly tender pieces of lobster). My wife had an excellent and spicey tuna and I had Kobe beef ribeye medium rare. The desserts were numerous and interesting; I had the coconut bread pudding and she had the warm chocolate cake. Both were al a mode. I now know why people pay high prices for Kobe beef. It was like no beef I have ever had. The setting on the second floor was quiet and intimate and the renovated church is beautiful. Our Desserts came with a candle and chocolate coins imprinted with"Happy Anniversary" on them. Who cares if they do this for all anniversaries...they did it for mine.
Overall, excellent in all categories. The perfect place for those who can afford it. Don't worry about the few negative reviews. I'm glad I went.

Pros: Ambiance, service, food, style points

Cons: None

Posted 02/27/09

Words can't begin to describe my experience at Mark's American. I took my girlfriend here for our first Valentine's Day. We got there a little early and the hostess politely informed us that we could wait at the bar if we liked. When we got to the bar, we received prompt service. I've been to places where you would have to wait 10 minutes for a bar tender to ask what you need. Not here. We ordered a couple of drinks and enjoying them immensely when the hostess informed us that our table was being set. She politely took our drinks from us and carried them to our table for us. When we sat down we were introduced to our very friendly waiter for the evening. He was very descriptive and informative in explaining the menu. I highly recommend the lobster bisque if they have it as an appetizer. I regret not ordering it (my girlfriend was smart enough to do so). That is not to say my appetizer wasn't good. It was delicious. Our main entree came and it was art on a plate with a colorful display. As we tasted the entree's our mouths watered for more. Dessert was absolutely to die for. The Creme Brulee was delicious as was the chocolate cake. Between our waiter tending to our every need to the Chef coming out and taking time out to talk with us, service was as good as the food. I definitely will be coming back here to see what else Chef Mark Cox has for our tantalizing taste buds. I'm sure he won't disappoint. He truly is an artist. With his plate as his canvas and his imaginative mind, the flavors that he creates are endless.

Pros: Great Service, Great Food

Cons: It is a bit pricey, but it's definitely worth it

Posted 02/18/09

I went on a blind date here last year. I had never heard of it before as I am not a regular downtown gal. I had never been to a nicer place. I had an appetizer, the special of the night (VEAL), and dessert. All of it was exceptional. I would recommend vallet parking. Also, for me it was a little too noisey. But, the fabulous food makes up for this. Although I did not pay, this place is on the higher end. Be prepared to spend some money. It is an ideal place for a special occasion or anniversary.

Pros: fabulous food and desserts

Cons: loud

Posted 02/10/09

I thought this would be a nice place to take my wife. Wrong! The food came after a long time and was luke warm. Our sever looked like a college. Yes Mark has a good reputation but the people he hire are real fruit loops. Take for instant the general manager-David a real card ! We had reservation for 7 yet we were shown the chairs to wait so David seated all his friends. Sorry as a paying customer I refuse to be treat like this. There are many excellent restaurants in this town!

Posted 02/03/09

I took my boyfriend there for his birthday last year and we were extremely disappointed!! We had a reservation and were seated soon after arriving and it all went downhill from there. We had to wait quite awhile for the waiter to greet us and he was so RUDE it almost ruined our whole night. The waiter was very clear that he did not want to wait on us and made odd comments when we placed our orders and almost sneered at me when I declined to order alcohol (my boyfriend ordered a glass of wine but I wasn't in the mood for a drink). We waited a very long time for al of the food that we ordered and at one point another waiter came over and refilled our glasses because our waiter kept walking by and ignoring us. My boyfriend and I are "young" I guess you could say, we are in our early 20's and I think that he assumed because we were young he wouldn't receive the tip like he would at the tables filled with older clients. The food when we did finally receive it was wonderful but the waiter really put a damper on the night. My boyfriend and I are stubborn and weren't going to let a crappy waiter ruin our night- we enjoyed the time spent together and made the night fun in our own way despite the awful rude waiter.

Pros: beautiful restaurant, good food, desserts were great

Cons: TERRIBLE WAITERS!!!!! go to Sullivans for real customer service!!!

Posted 01/23/09

Rude and disinterested staff; actually got ill from their seafood. Called the following day and they could care less that I was ill from their expensive food. I used to take clients here frequently, but would not take an enemy there any more! Overrated, overly expensive and overly likely you might end up in the ER from their dodgy seafood!!!

Pros: None

Cons: Rude staff, exorbinate prices, and poor quality

Posted 01/11/09

Atmosphere is to stiff. Very expensive, to many good resteraunts in Houston to go back. Very small portiones. the dinner was good not great and certainly not worth the money!!

Pros: service was good

Cons: no value here

Posted 12/31/08

I went for a nice 27th Anniversary with my wife. Both of us enjoy the food, the place, the service. It is pricey, but well worth it. My wife ordered the veal in the menu, and I ordered fish from the winter special. Both are very delicious. The presentation, the taste, we felt like we were judges in Iron Chef competition, savoring the different flavors each entree provided. For the desserts, I ordered chocolate cake douzed in hazelnut and coconut mousse and my wife ordered chocolate mousse. They are sinfully rich and delicious.

Pros: good food and excellent service

Cons: pricey especially the desserts

Posted 12/24/08

If you want to be original, don't go here for your anniversary! This place was packed with other couples celebrating their anniversary on the same day as mine and my husband's.

On another note, the food was great, and we had three servers tending to our needs. They were very nice and offered to take pictures in different areas of the restaurant for us. If you want to have a quiet evening, request a table on the second floor. The lower floor is much more crowded and is where the bar is located, thus a louder area. It is pretty expensive... expect slightly small portions, and to pay no less than $100/couple. The food has big flavor though.

Pros: Excellent service, and peaceful scenery

Cons: Prices are a bit high

Posted 11/20/08

This is one of my most favorite restaurants, and I have been to many highly rated restaurants all over the US and other countries. Ambiance is wonderful - old church building as many of you know, soft lighting, not too loud, not too quiet. Menu is always changing, so everytime you go there is something new to try. I always love the halibut (when available), but everything that I have tried is delicious. The service is always excellent and they even did a special dessert for my first wedding anniversary. Chef Mark really knows how to run a restaurant.

Pros: Service, Food, Ambience

Cons: Nothing

Posted 09/25/08

My husband and I had our anniversary dinner at Mark's and really enjoyed the experience. We were promptly seated upstairs in a romantic corner, then had great cocktails (fab Bloody Mary!). We started with the 4 crab appetizer - softshell, dungeness, etc. - quite tasty. My husband had the prime rib and I had the duck, both cooked the way we wanted them, and presented beautifully. We had a very nice (and pricey!!) bottle of Pinot Noir, then ended the meal with the profiteroles, wild cherry tart, and decaf espresso. A memorable meal that certainly wasn't cheap, but great for a special occasion. The service was attentive, but not overly solicitous. We will definitely go back. (It was also the night of the Gay Pride Parade, so we were glad we could just walk over from our place and not worry about parking!)

Pros: Attentive service, great food, excellent wine list, romantic

Cons: None

Posted 06/29/08

I am a very picky eater and have had the opportunity to eat a lot of nice places, and Mark's in consistently one of my favorites. It is expensive, but for a special occasion or a nice dinner out it is worth it. I had the soft shell crab the last time (it was a special) and it was crazy good, everyone at my table thought the food was excellent - which is unusual for the group I dine with (we pick everything apart and talk about how well it was prepared). I've never had food here that I didn't think was excellent and I will go back as often as I can!

Pros: GOOD FOOD

Cons: expensive

Posted 06/10/08

The scallops that were the special for the evening were good, but everything else we ordered wasn't anything extraordinary. Service was only ok. I read other reviews about the beautiful ceilings and architecture of the building, as it was a church previously, but we were seated off to the side of the building near like an emergency exit door. I didn't even get to see the rest of the restaurant. The dessert we ordered was not to our liking at all, split between two people we still couldn't get anywhere near to finishing it.

Posted 05/01/08

What a disappointment. Six of us went there for dinner. Restaurant was not busy around 6 PM but there were plenty of people working there, every-time we needed something, we had to ask for it. Food was ok. would I go back? Most likely no.

Pros: Great atmosphere,

Cons: bad service

Posted 04/27/08

First time at Mark's but have been to great restaurants in Houston and all over. We were seated 30 minutes after the time of our reservation, not too bad except that the hostess was not honest with us. The bar service was extremely poor, my wife ordered a champagne cocktail and the server was too lazy to wait for bubbles to subside and gave her a glass 1/3 full. The table service was far better but could not make up for the over cooked food. I choked down about a third of the meal and couldn't stand to eat any more. Mark's may have the reputation but doesn't deliver. You will have a much better experience elsewhere.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Food, service

Posted 03/07/08

If having a restaurant in an old church doesn't tell you that Mark's is a different dining experience, interior should confirm it. There's always something unusual and beautiful to look at. The menu is just as unique...everything is fresh, so it changes seasonally with availability. Whenever, it's always at the top of our list for any occasion or just when we want good food.

No tired old green salads from the Walmart bag here! Their selection is so different, sometimes I order one for a salad and one for an entree. The Costa Rican stacked salad is my absolute favorite, and even though it wasn't on the menu when we were there last, they made it for me anyway. Oh, and the soups are always fabulous, especially the bisques with some kind of seafood.

It's one place where you know the food is worth the price. I guess one of the drawbacks to having this kind of menu, which isn't geared toward saving money in the kitchen, is that staying profitable depends on volume. The lovely church is a great setting but it's unfortunately rather small, so the tables are quite literally crammed in, cheek to jowl. The waitstaff is always courteous, attentive, and informative without being intrusive. The level of service is even more remarkable when you realize how hard it is to navigate the small spaces between the tables with laden trays and drink.

Even if this bothers you, the food and service make it all worthwhile. Everyone in our family loves this place.

Pros: Incredible food, great service, unique ambience, don't have loud music

Cons: Expensive, not Houston casual, crowded.

Posted 02/21/08

I celebrated my birthday here with my husband. And I can honestly say this was the best restaurant I have ever been. We have reservations and seating was prompt. Service was excellent. Food was excellent. Everything was excellent. Definitely will go again. We had the chef special (pork) and the beef medallions... delicious!

Pros: Food, service, ambience

Posted 02/12/08

Multiple personality dining, could never figure out what the kitchen was going for. Proportions meant for the horse I rode into town on. The entire wall of "accolades" is as offensive as graffiti. All very forgettable. No go backee Tex.

Posted 01/20/08

Everything about my experience at Mark's was perfect. Service, food, ambiance, decor, wine list, entree choices, desserts, food presentation, food preparation, salads, portion size, soups - all of it. You cannot get anything bad at this restaurant no matter how hard you try. Go here and prepare to be amazed at superior restaurant business in action. You can always count on Mark's for a night of elegance and exceptional cuisine. I highly recommend the lamb loin, lobster bisque, and tiramisu.

Pros: Everything

Cons: Nothing

Posted 01/12/08

I first dined at Mark's for a business dinner and was suitably impressed with the design, decor and quality of food and service. So much so that I brought my wife here at the first chance I had. It was an extremely romantic dinner adn one of the best we've had in Houston. Althoguh we weren't seated in the mezzanine area, which I had requested some time in advance, the overall experience was great.

The menu was varied and fresh. We each had seafood and meat entree's, which were cooked to perfection. The wine list was not excessively long but had more than sufficient optiosn to choose from adn our sommelier was very attentive and helful in selecting a Rhone red.

Would highly recommend - just don't have huge expectaitons about special requests being met. The popularity of this place means there's a touch of arrogance and non eed to bend over backwards to please more than the great food and wine already do.

Posted 12/29/07

I took my wife to Mark's for lunch. Beautiful place but that is where it ended. The food was average and the service was way overdone. Two sips out of my water or tea and splash it was back. Waiters were friendly and helpful but the service was swarming. Average food and over service. Not sure why to go back, better food and service elsewhere at these prices. Loved the building.

Pros: Beautiful Building, great wine list

Cons: Average food, not up to par with a good chef

Posted 10/16/07

Just had our Christmas Party for 7 in the upstairs dining room and loved every bit of every course. All attending loved the food, wine and dessert - thank you Mark's!

I have dined in many, many highly-rated, fantastic restaurants in Houston and I still have to say Mark's is my favorite. The food is absolutely amazing, the wine list is very desirable, the waiters sometimes snobby (why, though, they're serving me?) but overall at 10+. Steak and desserts that melt in your mouth! I go as often as my budget allows and always look foward to my next visit.

Pros: food, atmosphere, service

Posted 09/24/07

My husband and I went to Mark's for our anniversary dinner-it was my first time there, his second. When you walk in, you are just amazed at how beautiful it is-it's an old church, very elegant, and dimly lit-very romantic!! We were seated in the choir loft upstairs, which was wonderful because we could overlook the whole restaurant. The service was excellent-attentive, but not overbearing-do plan some time for dinner, because they don't rush you through your meal-the waiters sort of sit back and are non intrusive. The food was wonderful-I had the corn chowder (yum!!), the Scottish smoked salmon (melt in your mouth!!) and the crispy soft-shell crab. It was all delicious!! It is definately my favorite "special occasion" place in Houston. Amazingly romantic, wonderful food, excellent service-I can't wait to go back!!

Pros: The restuarant is gorgoues, they have va;et-so don't worry about the small parking lot!

Cons: It is expensive-but worth it for a special occasion!

Posted 09/13/07

My husband and I went to Mark for his birthday. First, I must say that it is very distinctive and delightful entering this restaurant due to the building architecture. To make the dinning experience over the top, the food is fabulous and the service excellent. If you want a great place to take ?out of town? guests or a way to express to someone how great they are by treating them to a beautiful meal, this is the place to go!

Pros: Food, Service, Location

Cons: Parking - but they have valet

Posted 08/29/07

So after living in NYC for 4 years, I have ventured out to the American hinterland with some trepidation about my future dining experiences. However Mark's ranks as one of the best dining experinces in the States.
My girlfriend had made reservations that day (Friday) for 9.30pm. We arrived at 9.15 and were promptly seated at the table for 2 beneath the staircase. Although it appears that this may be an unacceptable location there was not actually any passing traffic to disturb us.
The wine list is extensive with bottles in the $40 to $150 range and a second reserve list.
Our waiter (Patrick) helped us pick a wine to our description.
The wine and bread was then brought out and we were left alone.My girlfriend, having arrived the night before from NYC was wondering why it was taking so long for the menu to arrive. I personally like this unhurried, languid style.
The menu had a standard list and a separate daily recommendation list for the 3 courses.
Our waiter also described the specials for the day.
We told him that we would be sharing our starter. The tomatoe and mozzarella salad was brought out for us on individual plates. The presentation of the food was impeccable.
My GF had the veal and I had the venison. The veal was succulent and the better of the two.
Dessert was a chocolate cake brought out with a single candle and the plate enscribed with a congratulations. I had been ambushed by my GF! She was asked if this was a special occasion when making reservations and our waiter noted that i had passed an exam.
So in summary the food is beautifully presented and cooked to a very high standard.
However the highest praise goes for out waiter (Patrick). He basically took care of us in an understated,unassuming manner.
Great experience.
This is the first Houston restaurant that we have been to.
If the rest of our Houston experiences are like this then NYC will be but a dim memory........

Posted 08/24/07

mark's is a nice place,t he owner a fab person. however this place is not recomended for the common man/woman. ther service wonderful the food great. however if you are the average houstonian, you will have to save up for a year to be able to dine here one night with spouse and 2 friends. they do have a fantastic wine list.

Pros: great service, wine list food

Cons: too Expensive for first date-go for aniversaries, birthday dinners for turning 30 40 50

Posted 07/20/07

The first time I went to this place it was by accident. My ex guy (he's still a friend just not my boyfriend anymore) and I were driving around trying to find a place to eat. He had just flown into IAH and was starved. I didn't know where to go and as we drove by Marks - I said, "how about here?". I'm so glad we did. The seasonal menu, always fresh and yummy- I love that you'll always find something new. Nothing worse than having a menu that is years old and hasn't changed (boring!). The mashed potatoes were perfect, the asparagus cooked to perfection and the meat dishes I've had- if you order it medium rare, you get it medium rare. Whenever I'm celebrating an occassion/success, my darling hubby brings me there as a treat! I've been here about 3 times so far and each time has been perfection. Great service, great food, great atmosphere.

Pros: So close to my home

Cons: I can't afford it all the time.

Posted 07/09/07

This place is amazing. It's an old church. The hostess held our table for over an hour and helped us find the place. The drinks were amazing. It was romantic and dark and sophisticated. The food was excellent. I loved the lamb and the potatoes. The waiters are very knowledgeable. Also, they have free valet parking- so don?t try to park elsewhere.

Pros: service, food, location, atmosphere

Cons: small tables

Posted 06/19/07

I had not been to Mark's in some time, and was really looking forward to it. We were placed at probably the most undesirable table in the house -- full view of the kitchen, and all waiters passing by our table to pick up orders. I felt that the prices were extremely outrageous, and we were charged for a martini that we never had. Unfortunately, we will not be returning.

Pros: The food was good

Cons: Extremely overpriced

Posted 04/16/07

It's about time to see that we still have great restaurants to dine out in Houston!!!!!
MARK'S Restaurant is ONE of them.
The food was awesome ( Great presentation, very tasty and at the right tempurture) very pricy but worth it!!!!!
The service was Good as well.
Reservation is must though, so make sure to have one before you go there.
We will definitely be back for more great food.

Pros: Ambience, Taste, Service

Cons: Parking " Valet only"

Posted 03/24/07

Very romantic, even with the bit of noise. Excellent food from appetizer all the way to dessert. Attentive and knowledgeable staff. Beautiful atmosphere. Perfect for special occasions.

Pros: everything

Cons: 1 location

Posted 03/11/07

Mark's is one of the best restaurants in Houston! The food is delicious, the service is wonderful, and the wine menu is amazing.

Pros: everything

Cons: none

Posted 02/19/07

Their service is spectacular and the food is awesome! They have the best soft shell crab around. The only thing about this restaurant is there reservation system it's not very good. Oh! the parking is really cramped there, so they make you valet.

Pros: food

Cons: parking is limited; no reservations

Posted 02/08/07

I made reservations two weeks in advance to surprise my boyfriend for his birthday. After reading the reviews online, I knew to make reservations in the cloister section. When I called, the very nice gentleman on the phone suggested that I make reservations for the loft section, which is what I did. He did tell me that my reservation in the loft section was not guaranteed, but I didn't think too much of it. Our reservation was for a Friday night at 8:30, we arrived promptly at 8:30 and were told there were no tables available in the loft section. Instead, they had a table right below the staircase and the entry way of the restaurant. We told them that was not acceptable. We were then taken to a table in a small room to the left of the main dining area. This table was in the center of the room in the middle of the doorway for the waiters. There were so many tables crammed into this room I even bumped a gentleman's elbow as he was eating his meal. I apologized politely and he gave me a dirty look, I was probably not the first person to interrupt his meal that evening. We politely told the hostess that we wanted to sit together in a more quite section of the restaurant and that we were more than happy to wait. So we ventured to the bar to wait. The bartenders were more than friendly, explaining the different types of martinis and vodka. We each had a martini, I strongly recommend the Continental Tini. We then had two house glasses of wine. At this point a hour had gone by and no one had even come to give us a status on a table. There were a few other parties that joined in the bar area to wait for their table and they were seated before us. We were so upset, hungry and tired of waiting we left. We told the hostess on the way out that we were leaving and then she said she had a table for us...go figure. Mark's is not a romantic restaurant and I would not recommend this for a special occasion. I will never go back!

Pros: Great ambience & excellent bartenders!

Cons: Not romantic, too many tables in the dining area and very loud!

Posted 01/01/07

Although I have only been here about three times, this is my most memorable time :I made a reservation a few months in advance for a dinner with my husband's clients.It was during the Christmas holiday season, and I told them please give us a good table that is not near the door and what did they do? They stuck us at a table for six in front of the Christmas tree not far from the door! How is that for great service? Anyway, at least the food was good. I don't think that people listen and actually write down any preferences when you tell them anything. I made them moce us to a table further near the bar area. Anyway, I wish that the restaurants didn't need to feel that they have to pack them in. One less table would create a lot more space. I hope that these restaurants start to listen up!

Pros: great food....beautiful restaurant

Cons: Noisy, crowded and they don't look at your preferences for seating.

Posted 11/20/06

Very romantic, even with the bit of noise. Excellent food from appetizer all the way to dessert. Attentive and knowledgeable staff. Beautiful atmosphere. Perfect for special occasions.

Pros: Ambience, quality of food, service

Cons: A little noisy and cramped

Posted 11/20/06

I read the reviews before going here for my boyfriend's birthday, and was a little nervous about it, when I shouldn't have been. The food and service were wonderful, and you can't beat the ambiance in this town. We had the venison/duck special and the beef tenderloin, both cooked perfectly. I highly suggest the crostada for dessert - delicious "birthday pie"! Only thing that was a little confusing is that we seemed to have 2 different waiters that kept taking turns serving us.

Pros: food, ambience

Cons: dark lighting

Posted 11/13/06

I chose Mark's to propose to my girlfriend and I was NOT disappointed! The staff was awesome in helping me prepare for this special event, getting EVERY detail right and serving up a wonderful meal! The staff is knowledgeable and friendly and nothing is overpriced! I had the best experience and plan on coming to Mark's for years to come!!!

Pros: Great service staff, great food!

Cons: Parking

Posted 11/06/06

I usually go here for each one of my birthdays. The food has NEVER disappointed me, nor has the service. I always get some sort of beef dish, and it's just always perfection.
They have a fantastic wine collection- and you can't beat the atmosphere- it's gorgeous!

Pros: Everything! Food is EXCELLENT, service is attentive and friendly- not snooty at all!

Cons: valet

Posted 11/03/06

The food at Mark's is excellent. The service is superb and the ambiance is like none other. My friends and I love to have "girls lunch" at Mark's. You just can't go wrong with Mark's.

Posted 10/31/06

THIS IS AN INTIMATE ROMANTIC RESTAURANT FOE AN ENJOYABLE EVENING OF DINING WITH FRIENDS. LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE CITY IN AN OLD CHURCH SERVES BEST AMERICAN CUISINE IN HOUSTON

Pros: AMBIENCE

Cons: DIFFICULT TO FIND A PARKING SPOT

Posted 10/27/06

My husband and I went to Mark's this weekend to celebrate our anniversary and we were very disappointed. I made the reservation over a week ago and they were already nearly full, so we had to settle for an 8:45pm time. We ended up not being seated until 9:45pm and the hostess told us that long waits are typical, even with a reservation. We noticed two other couples that got tired of waiting and ended up leaving the restaurant. Once we were finally seated, the service and food were great, despite the fact that we were almost too tired to enjoy it. The church building is very cool and the atmosphere is slightly romantic, despite the noisy crowd. The main disappointment to us was that they didn't even acknowledge our anniversary, even though I told them about it when making the reservation. Most other upscale restaurants will at least give you a complementary dessert and some (such as Bank and Brennan's) that we've been to in the past...do many nice things for couples who are celebrating. I would recommend Mark's only if you don't mind waiting at least an hour, eating really late and don't have any special occasion to celebrate. I would have to disagree with the title they give themselves as "Houston's Most Romantic Restaurant", as they made our anniversary dinner unmemorable.

Pros: Great food, cool building, nice lighting

Cons: Long waits, crowded and noisy, don't expect special treatment for anniversary

Posted 10/21/06

Mark's is so neat b/c it's in an old church. The food is amazing. I'd like to see a little bit more of a selection on the menu. Our waiter was really fun and they made my boyfriend a great desert plate for his birthday.

Posted 10/19/06