Grotto - Downtown Houston

Grotto - Downtown Houston reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. R

   Ray

   Dallas25 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We have been there several times and always enjoyed ourselves. The food is some of the best I've had in Houston. Service is great.
   

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2. P

   Patricia VIP

   Washington DC3 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   The hostess was not very pleasant. We had a reservation and were told that we had to wait for the table to be cleaned. We had to wait about 30 minutes to finally be seated. There was an empty table for four poodle empty and ready the entire time we waited.
   

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3. T

   Tracy

   Louisville4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent food at a reasonable price. Gluten free options and a wide selection of items to choose from.
   

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4. SA

   SAW92 VIP

   Houston6 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on 11 April 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 2

   Service was really good. Food overall was good. However, shrimp were way over cooked. Also, very noisy. It was almost impossible to hear the other members of our party.
   

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5. W

   Wynonah

   Dallas1 review

   5.0

   Dined on 4 April 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Shared the charcuterie board, focaccia bread, capra pasta (nice spice level) and straw and hay! The food was good but the ambience and staff really made the whole experience lovely. We had a delicious dinner and hope to dine there again!!
   

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6. V

   Vickie

   New Orleans2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 3 April 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Great food. We all ordered different items. Very loud though. All hard surfaces in the restaurant. Good service and great prices
   

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7. AB

   AlbertB VIP

   Houston4 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on 2 April 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   We frequent the Grotto Downtown before Astros games. The service is typically fine, nothing to write home about... But the service yesterday was an absolute nightmare. Our server was nowhere to be found for most of the experience. We had to ask several other servers to help us with a variety of things. The manager was also no help at all, as he walked by multiple times without offering any assistance. When we asked bartender to get our server to bring us our check, our server came out from the back chewing food, and could not have been ruder to us. I was dining with my mother, sister and brother which should have been a great experience, however, your server made it all about her. I will return because I am a fan of the restaurant and have been eating at the Grotto since the Vallone's days, but the service needs to be addressed.
   

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8. E

   Emily VIP

   Philadelphia31 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 2 April 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great spot close to the convention center. Was able to accommodate a large party very easily.
   

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9. N

   Norma VIP

   New York City11 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on 1 April 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   We recently dined at Grotto in Houston and had a mostly enjoyable experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a nice balance of classic Italian charm and modern touches. The service was attentive, and the staff made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. As for the food, it was a bit of a mixed experience. We tried the gnocchi but found it underwhelming—it lacked the light, pillowy texture we were hoping for and didn’t stand out in terms of flavor. On the other hand, the chicken Francese was quite good. The chicken was tender, well-seasoned, and complemented by a flavorful lemon butter sauce that we really enjoyed. Overall, while not everything wowed us, Grotto still offered a pleasant dining experience. We’d consider returning, but we’d likely explore other menu options next time.
   

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10. E

    Ellen VIP

    Houston45 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 22 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Ingrid provided outstanding service. Went above and beyond to accommodate all our requests. Cheers to Ingrid!
    

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