Best Casual Restaurants in River Oaks

Relish is our FAVORITE spot in Houston for Bistro cuisine. We appreciate the friendliest, most-attentive service, excellent cocktails and an exceptional warm welcome each and every time. WE also love to sit at the bar! We never have to worry about sacrificing attentiveness and we enjoy the friendly, accomplished bartenders. Food is dependably good and something for everyone. Relish is our go-to most any night of the week, better than home because we don't have to do the dishes - but equally comfortable and exceptionally welcoming.

Very retro Hollywood vibe, we loved it. Food was excellent, we shared a roll, the lobster pasta, and a steak.

We had a great dining experience on Christmas Eve! The hostess, waitress and valet staff were top notch and very attentive! Our drinks were tasty, cold & strong! The food was fantastic- we had avocado dip and deviled eggs for appetizers and the Ahi Tuna Salad and Blackened Redfish entrees. Loved the ambiance and decor too!

I recently visited State of Grace for a Christmas date with my husband, and while I had high hopes for the evening, the experience was a bit underwhelming. We ordered 1/2 dozen raw oysters and Oyster Bienville to start, followed by two spritz cocktails and the Bistecca alla Fiorentina as our main course. While the service was attentive and the ambiance was inviting, the food itself left much to be desired. The oysters were fresh, and the Bistecca alla Fiorentina didn’t live up to expectations, especially considering the hefty $370 bill. Having traveled to Florence, we’ve enjoyed authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Trattoria ZaZa and Buca Mario. The portions there were much larger, unbelievably flavorful, and cost around 70 euros—an experience we still miss to this day. Hoping to relive that memory, we decided to give State of Grace’s version a try, even at $225. Unfortunately, it fell far short of the real thing. Overall, while the service and atmosphere were enjoyable, the food fell short, making it hard to justify the cost. I wouldn’t recommend it for the price point, but it might be worth a try if ambiance and service are your priorities.

Celeste was absolutely amazing. We had a show to get to and she timed our courses very well. Inside is beautiful. The wine list is extensive and they have a great selection of Super Tuscans. We will be back!