Restaurants near Lafayette Park

First time here and we had a great experience. Delighted by the food and wine. Heather took great care of us. We hope to be back for our next special occasion.

Lovely ambience to dine in with fresh foods which define the experience are only in competition with the genuine air of hospitality in the attentive service. Trust the staff to guide your selections if unfamiliar with the Persian offerings. And while I’m not a man of favorites… two appetizers are a must. Grilled Shrimp: garlic, black pepper, saffron, jalapeno feta cream sauce. Extraordinary. Kibbeh Nayyeh (Lamb Tartare). Unknown to my experience prior to Rumi’s. Stunning dish enjoyed with raw onion and juice of lime… Wauw.

It was my first visit with a friend today at lunch. First, kudos to the owners for the restaurant design!! Loads of beautiful walnut and leather, sophisticated lighting and special features including a skylight which graze-lights the fluted walnut walls!! Service was attentive and helpful. Water glasses were always full. The menu perfectly encompasses a broad range of seafood prepared from raw to fried - even a few beef items to round out the choices. I had the Sushi-Salad - perfect portions, nicely plated and tasty!!! My friend had the Niçoise salad which also got high praise. Balboa is on my “regular” list from now on - I am a fan!!

From the crispy shrimp and beet salad to the flavorful steak, caramel cake, and great coffee, every course was phenomenal. By far one of my favorite dinner experiences of the year and favorite steakhouses in Houston. Ask for MICHELLE A - Stellar waitress who was above and beyond and served with excellence and a great, fun attitude. Only complaint was the volume of the people sitting in the booth that is connected to ours.

Last night, my husband, a steak connoisseur, and I enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Mastro's. It was a pleasure to have the chef Erasmo come out and allow him to select his steak. Our server, Tyler was exceptional - friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. The food was top-notch, and the drinks were excellent. We highly recommend it.