Rioja

(713) 249-1727

11920 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX | Directions   77077

29.736565 -95.589568 View Website
  • Hours

    Tue-Fri 11am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-11pm Sat 5:30pm-11pm Sun 11am-9pm
  • Menu
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Neighborhoods:
Briarforest, Westside

Categories:
Restaurants

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At a Glance ?
97% ambiance
“Rioja's is an all around great place to dine with a prime location, wonderful menu, friendly staff, great wine list, wonderful sangria,and who can forget the paella and tapas.”
98% drinks
“Best wine pears I've had.”
94% food quality
“Excellent food, great service and relaxing amotsphere.”
100% menu variety
“Great selection of seafood dishes, homemade chorizo, Best paella IN TOWN!”
100% overall
“great tapas place!”
66% return potential
“however the food is good enough for me to come back.”
78% service
“The service was good, sometimes a bit quick to remove a plate or ask us for another glass of wine, but we had plenty of time to chat among ourselves without being hounded by the waitress.”
84% value
“Order a bunch if tapas, drink great inexpensive wine and enjoy a piece of Spain!”
50% wait time
“The service was so slow and no knowledge about there food.”

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Rioja

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From The Owner of Rioja

Experience the award-winning cuisine and rich ambiance that has made Rioja Spanish Tapas one of Houston's Premiere destination restaurants.


 
5.0
November 28, 2010

Best Tapas in Houston by far!. I have been to Mi Luna, Tintos, and Andalucia in Houston and all have disappointed. Riojas is the best place for tapas in Houston. After spending a summer in Spain, this is the only place in Houston that I have tried that serves genuine Spanish cuisine. Great sangria too – not the water downed sangria they serve at the other places. Great place to celebrate with a large party, I had a table of 12 and the staff was very attentive and helpful

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4.0
April 09, 2010

WOW tapas!. The lunch tapas selection is great! the wine selection incredible, and I have yet to experience brunch here. Check out pictures of the patio on Facebook-"Around the World in 80 Restaurants".

Great for families. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

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5.0
January 24, 2010

Welcome to Spain. The Best Dining in Houston. I received celebrity treatment from the moment I stepped into the door all the way until I left. Bravo! I had the brunch which was superb! I have never had such an elegant brunch as such a reasonable price. A bonus was the FREE bottomless mimosas and sangria. I was in heaven. I have never received such great service. The waitresses were a great team, and you could tell that they genuinely liked working there. They had a great family vibe, but still maintained prestige and elegance. This restaraunt deserves its 5 stars. I was blown away at the delicious food and its beautiful presentation. The owner of this establishment should be very proud. I can not say enough good things. I will be back, this time for dinner. Do not pass up this place! You will regret it. Everyone needs a getaway to Spain at reasonable prices (and without motion sickness!) This is it! It is my understanding that they do caterings as well. If there catering is anything like the dining experience, then count me in! This food would awe any critic and please any crowd. Rioja, wow.

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4.0
November 14, 2009

Nice night out in the West of Houston. Went on a Saturday night with my father. We shared 3 tapas and an entree, the paella. The food was really good, though the paella was a bit heavy on the chorizo. The house wine was only $15 per bottle and only $5 for takeout! I had both the white and the red and they were both great. My dad bought a mixed case!

It was a beautiful evening so we sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful patio. Check it out...

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5.0
March 01, 2009

Great Girls Night Out. I called same day for a party of 15, after some confusion with another restauarant.

The owner was attentive and helpful, and my wife and her friends had a great time.

The Tapas were delicious and they loved the atmosphere and attentive service.

I'm the wife and had a whale of a time!!! Myself and my friends.

We were in a lovely room off to ourselves which was probably just as well for everyone else as we were not quiet!! Although we did have a few other diners popping their heads in to say hello and try to join the party.

The tapas were yummy, varied and plentiful and the wine was excellent. Great place for a group but I noticed lots of smaller tables too so next time when we return it may be with a few less appetities.

Thank You very much for a wonderful 40th celebration. You all gave us a glorious meal in great atmosphere and made me feel quite quite fabulous!!

We'll be back soon!

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5.0
January 16, 2009

Excellent food, the best wine menu, great service and relaxing amotsphere. I have eaten at some of the most renowned Spanish tapas restaurants throughout the United States and Spain. Rioja truly stands as one of the best tapas I have ever eaten at. Anyone who says otherwise does not know what good tapas food is. I stumbled upon Rioja while on a business trip in Houston. The food was so good I went back four times in one week! They serve an excellent breakfast on the weekend also! The pork tenderloin and grilled lamb off of their low carb menu is to die for. I can not forget to mention the INCREDIBLE Spanish wine list which is one of the best I've ever seen. I tried a vertical tasting with Zumaya Crianza and Reserva---Excellent! Even my ten year old son now craves Riojas' steak and Asparagus! Excellent food, great service and relaxing amotsphere. I wish I had a Rioja in my home town!

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1.0
December 15, 2008

San Francisco Treat. Crab Empanadas = Flavorless Grease

Custard/Creme Brulee = sugarwater with blowtorch

Paella = Rice -A -Roni with a bucket of seawater on top

Sangria =welch's grape juice with water and a splash of box wine

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1.0
December 15, 2008

I've had better.. :(:(

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1.0
November 22, 2008

Mediocre Food ... Services as Average. After watching Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow travel through Spain, we had major cravings for tapas. So of to Rioja we went on a Friday night. We were greeted with a "Do you have a reservation?" Little mifffed, but I let it go. We were offered a drink and chose a sangria. After we were seated, it took a few minutes for the staff to bring a menu. We ordered a bottle of wine, an asparagus appetizer, the chorizo and something else I can't remember. The asparagus was CANNED (ie soft) asparagus topped with MAYONAISE. The chorizo was lukewarm, and definitly not homemade. In order words ... we were totally disappointed ! Don't plan on going back at all. Mi Luna certainly has better tapas, and I'm willing to put up with their non-existent parking.

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5.0
October 05, 2008

Great Customer Service. Excellent Service, casual dress, great atmosphere. The gazpacho was really amazing; it was a great mixture of several fantastic flavors. The mushrooms cooked in garlic and red peppers were another really wonderful treat. The grilled Angus beef was a culinary delight, the knife went through the beef like butter and the taste was just astounding. This is a place I would definitely return to over and over again.

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Won for:
Brunch (2005)
Date Spot (2005)
Latin Food (2005)
Lunch Spot (2005)
Small Plates (2005)
Special Occasion Dining (2005)