The Tasting Room

04/20/09

Excellent Lunch

by znewman at Citysearch

Service was good. Spinach salad is excellent! Just right portion sizes - not too big. Thought parking would be bad - Uptown at noon - but easily found a spot just outside the restaurant. Will definitely return for lunch.

• Pros: Delicious and nice size portions

03/16/09

Always meet characters here

by WoweeHouston at Citysearch

My friends and I almost always have fun here.

The $5 tastings on Saturdays are a treat and a better than shopping.

Trying everything on the brunch menu is so tempting.

There are a few good customer service people there--the chef and this brunette guy in his 40s. Most of the female waitstaff in not very attentive...kind of clueless to finer service.

• Pros: Windows and surroundings are serene
• Cons: Easy to spend $$$$ here

02/13/09

Not a place to eat, not a place to get good service, too casual, deli low budget FEEL, needs improvement.

by gueneverejj at Citysearch

I really cannot find any thing good to say about this place. I have been three times now as I live in the neighborhood, and the service is HORRIBLE, food is average. This has been from around 12:00 to 6:00. I have not been in the evening just for lunch or early dinner. Even though it is not crowed at this time of day -THEY ARE REALLY UNDERSTAFFED. You wander in with no help, no one seating you, no one talks to you. I sat outside- of course you could sit there till your body rots and no one would come out to see why you are there and what you want. So you go back in and there is only ONE PERSON in the entire place to take orders and deliver your food and she is busy getting wine to people who are standing at the bar. She really does not offer any wine knowledge but instead you get the feel you should hurry up and order something as she has to get to everyone else standing around. Finally she takes your order. So you go and sit back down and a while later they drop it off. That is the last time you see anyone...forget it if you want your tea refilled or wine refilled. This place reminds me of some fast food deli place where you have to get up and down all the time and chase down people to get orders, food, drinks. NOT GOOD...this gives it a real LOW CLASS FEEL! This is a shame. Its such a great location and idea but the owners are CHEAP and under staff the place and they dont care about the quality of their wait staff or bartenders. As far as the wine goes, well its okay, you can choose from a ' selected group' of wines that they have decided to show case. The food is 'fair' to average and certainly nothing to give this place a reason to go back. I was thinking of walking over one evening for dinner or glass of wine but after reading the reviews about bar stalkers being a single lady I am now wondering if I should go. I would enjoy sitting outside on a nice summer evening with a glass of wine, but I dont want to go to a meat market- trolling bar.

• Pros: Outside patio in quiet area for lunch or late afternoon
• Cons: Horrible Service, Average Food, Wines are limited to what they are pushing or decide to show case

01/18/09

Mixed impression

by wanderer70 at Citysearch

When you arrive in the place, you get the impression that this is an "expensive" place. Nice cars outside (Ferrari, Porsche etc). I was there on a Saturday night. People was overall well dressed and age ranged from 20 to 50.

So I sit on a table outside (you just sit wherever there's a free space, no-one accompanies you).

I wait for some time and then I realize that the waiter don't come and take the orders but you have to go by the bar or by a little area outside in the corner. I speak to the "sommelier" outside and I ask for a wine list. He says "We don't have it". Wow. The gentleman show me the "daily specials" (some shiraz, one "primitivo"). He proposed me 3 quarter of a bottle already opened. I refused and asked a bottle of Amarone. He is not sure it's in the stock and warns me that it's expensive. I get worried, I ask "How much" (90 USD). Ok, seems like the place is not used to people drinking serious wine. I smile thinking that choosing the "wrong" bottle of wine in places like Pappas Brothers can cost you 50.000 USD (a bottle of chateau lafite hundred years old). Anyway, I order the bottle and the "sommelier" brings me the Amarone few minutes later telling me it was the last bottle. For some reason I could get another later on talking with the bargirl inside. I like Uptown and the Tasting Room has plenty of nice space outside and once you get over the inexistent service, presentation and choice you can have some good time there.

Just don't expect too much. This is a cheap place, with cheap furniture in a nice setting.

• Pros: Setting, Crowd, Atmosphere, Cheap
• Cons: Service, Presentation

01/03/09

So many options!

by outingnthecity at Citysearch

This was a great place to "just hang" out. Very casual and hidden in the city without all the noises. The ambiance was wonderful and well balanced. Friendly faces with great suggestions was great!

• Pros: Selections
• Cons: Parking

12/19/08

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!!!!!!!!!

by missjtoo at Citysearch

I have never had such a bad experience with staff - did not know or understand thier product and had a very arrogant and uncaring attitude.

11/09/08

got a porshe?

by Technoviking at Citysearch

So this place is full of beautiful metrosexuals artist, homosexuals and the rich. The ages seem to be 27-50, 26 if your with your girl friends, 50 if your there to pick up chicks. I found that most of the people seemed to know each other. This place was packed inside by 10:30 on Sat, but the outdoor tables were fine. But, the service was very good. The atmosphere, rrr wine bar. The Uptown area is incredible. I saw a Ferrarri and a couple of Porshes for people that like cars. Ironically, also saw some of the hottest MILFS in Houston swarming these players. The cheese boards(20$) are in fact incredible, along with the wine(2 glasses 30$). I didn't find it full of cold people, hell, they're drinking. However, I did find this place full of very high society people. If your a slam a beer, meet random down to earth people, and watch a football game person like myself, ignore this place.

• Pros: cheese boards, winesssss, service
• Cons: the type of crowd, no movement inside

09/05/08

Great wine and service!

by hmkrenek at Citysearch

The Tasting Room is the place to be in Houston. Wine juveniles to connoisseurs flock to this place and it's clear why... Great music, Great people, Great service, Great wine! The "wine"tenders are knowledgeable and can choose a great selection for your taste that evening. The cheese boards are great and the atmosphere is that of an elegant wine bar.... of which it is, with a soft, supple experience that pleases all of ones senses. Try it out and you'll find your favorite place to be!

• Pros: Great wine list and knowledgeable employees

09/03/08

no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded

by roadguy at Citysearch

Old Yogi Berra line describes it. Two years ago it was small personal, quiet a ton of fun. Now it's big and loud. It was always pretty crowded and always an interesting Gen X to Boomer crowd. Outside is a still a good cigar spot in the spring and fall.

08/26/08

For Cougars and Old Single Guys

by Alaina21 at Citysearch

This place is definitely packed and a great place to meet people, if you're over 50 and single. Their customer service is about as bad as it gets. Unless you're eyeing the area where they keep their expensive wine, you're on your own. I've been there a few times and the last time I went, the lady / bartender (I hesitate to call her a bartender since all she did was open the bottle, hand us a couple of wine glasses, and charged us) opened the bottle of wine, put the cork in her bar (under her bra strap) while she got us some glasses, then proceeded to put the cork back in the bottle. It was so disgusting!!!! The only plus is that they have good outdoor seating (if you can stand the summer heat and humidity),

• Pros: Outdoor Seating
• Cons: Service, Atmosphere