Pampa Grill and Market Reviews

I was fortunate to meet two of the owners of this Argentinian restaurant at a local musical event. I learned about their restaurant and decided to give it a try. Well, for the few items that I ordered, I was super impressed. Everything was homemade and delicious. I ordered the homemade bread, 2 empanadas (beef and 4 cheese), and the all natural strawberry smoothie. I was surprised with dessert that literally melted in my mouth. I think the dessert was called alfajores but will confirm this on my next visit. As for the staff, everyone was super friendly and attentive to your needs. The restaurant was super casual and their menu was very extensive -- from the grill, chef specialties, international specials, soups, salads, etc. Definitely looking forward to going back soon.

Perfect evening with old friends at Pampa Grill. Large menu and reasonable prices. We had grilled meat for three and tried most of empanadas. Empnanadas were especially good. Friendly service and fantastic live music on Fridays.

You know you’re in an authentic Argentinian restaurant when all the customers are speaking Spanish. The menu is extensive and on multiple visits everything has been super yummy. Lots of families and what appears to be lots of regulars. It’s a bit pricey but I will return for the excellent food and service.

I don't know how my husband found this place, but I'm glad he did. The empanadas were amazing, excellent chimichurri. Husband got a smothered-steak - very tender and delicious. I got the pork chops - a little dry. The boy got a pizza - phenomenal. The broccoli and salads were fresh and yummy. We got an order of three churros for dessert and they were nicely done. All in all, the food was good to great. The staff were amazing - friendly and quick and helpful. We will go back for sure!

I love the food in this place. It is a small restaurant on the west side of Houston. I personally like the Entrana. One of the best Entrañas I have ever tried, and the service is great. The flavor waters also, great; one of my favorites is the maracuya. If you live in Houston, or if you are visiting, this is a must go.

Meat!Meat!Meat! Great BYOB Argentinean restaurant with even better service! Bring your own Malbec and get the all meat parrillada. Portions are big, so definitely recommend to share a plate for kids. Call before you go to make sure they are not on vaycay. If they don't answer they are probably out.

On a recommendation, we came to Pampa for lunch. It's a small place on the southeast corner of Hammerly and Gessner. We started with empanadas which were light and flakey pies filled with (1) beef (2) spinach and cheese and (3) four cheeses. They were delicious and a great start. We ordered Sopa Pampa, a traditional soup filled with all different types of beans as well as carrots, potatoes and onion. It was really good. Next my son had Milanese Napolitana with tostones and salsa rosado. Wonderful. The chicken was pounded thin and fried golden brown. The cheese and light sauce were hot and perfect. The three tostones were big. The meal was huge! I had Chicken Capresse sandwich with my absolute favorite, Yucca Frita. The fresh garlic and pesto on the freshly baked bread was amazing. The decor of the restaurant is wonderful. The wait-staff was very attentive as well and the food served timely and hot. We will be back!

Decided to try this restaurant, based on yelp reviews. We were not disappointed. We started with chorizos and morcillas. This was our first time trying the morcillas. I really enjoyed it, husband, not so much. Next a crisp green salad. We split the entraa skirt steak. All was very good. Dessert was Copa Pampa. (Brownie, oreo cookies, caramel, ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce!) Delicious, and enough for 4 people. Fresh lemonade and Mango lucuado. Clean restaurant, and very friendly employees. We will be back.

I had a lunch here with my colleague who is Argentinian and recommended this restaurant. Food and service was very good. I had a skirt steak. It was delicious. I would recommend this restaurant to any one who likes meat and looking for a good experience eating it.

This is a strip center restaurant with great food and great people. The cuisine is South American (Argentinean, I'm almost sure) , but the dishes are comfortable for Texas pallets. The "empanadas" are a special treat, but the skirt steak and flank steaks are our favorite. If you are taking a group, bring your own wine and beer and get a big combination meat grill. Some courage is required for blood sausage and sweet bread, but don't be afraid to try. Really a fun and relaxing place.

My husband is from Uruguay and we are constantly searching for delicious food from South America. We absolutely love La Pampa! We always bring our own wine they have a small corking fee. They give complimentary freshly baked rolls. My husband always gets a milanesa and I like to switch it up. Either one of their steak sandwiches are amazing! I love the beef, and ham y queso empanadas! This place is small and in a shopping center but don't let that fool you, great customer service and great food!! Check it out!

I had read a lot about Pampa and when I finally ventured out to the far north west to visit I fell in love with the setup, the atmosphere, the food and the owners. Those who know me, know that I do not give a dime over decoration and lights and such things in a restaurant, as i go to eat to enjoy food primarily. No top architect can fool me into eating terrible food. The same goes for service. Servers that try to impress me with their friendliness, fake or real, instead of their skills in the industry, will get their mandatory 15%, even though I often feel tempted to give less than that due to the lack of skills. And finally the food. If you charge me 50 USD for a meal for one, i want to get 50 USD worth of food prepared in house and not crap you buy prepared from Sysco and reheat. After this introduction I can say Pampa is none of the above negativities. The bread basket is prepared by the owner himself, who is, what a surprise, a baker. I learned that only after the first visit, but I could tell when eating the bread that it was homemade and that there was someone at work that knew what he was doing. They did dupe me though, as the owners are Venezuelan and I was in an Argentinean restaurant. The rolls served I did not recognize necessarily as Argentinean. They are a little dense to precede a platter of several meats and dangerous to get full on before the real food arrives, because they are addictively good. The Empanadas were good the first visit, but in the second visit I was able to discover the baker's art. First visit was almost at closing time, second visit at dinner service starting time. So the first time I found the innards, be it beef or chicken, to be a tad dry. The second time everything tasted so much fresher. The meat platter is something else. The blood sausage and chorizo are great. It is the style of preparation at Pampa that shows why blood sausage is so beloved worldwide. If it can taste like here, all people would eat it. The different cuts are not the most expensive cuts you may have come to expect on a meat platter in the US, but then this one is only 32 USD and at that price you may only get a NY Strip if you are lucky. I however prefer an array of meats as it gives me different flavors opposed to one single cut. And since I like to drink and bring red wine blends to Pampa (its BYOB with a 5USd corkage), the array of flavors that a red blend provides go excellent with the flavors present on the meat platter. Should you have space for dessert, try the flan. Another of those things that taste much better made in house than store bought. And dont forget to order an Espresso to help you digest and settle your stomach. They preparee it as Italian as possible in an area of town that is mostly latino. And if you read on Espresso as a digestive, you would be surprised to learn that properly made Espresso actually will not keep you awake as normal coffee would due to the prep form, that does not allow too much caffeine into your cup. On the service I have only a few things to say. I enjoy the most places were I feel welcome from the beginning till the end. And the end is when I choose to end the dinner within reason. I absolutely hate the American custom of bringing checks to tables that are not done yet with consuming. (If the restaurant is past closing I do understand though). So Pampa has a policy to never bring checks to tables unless customers ask for it. So if you are in a hurry by all means ask for it. The friendliness of Vicky the other owner is sincere, authentic and you can tell that they enjoy being restaurateurs. Javier and Vicky are people that found their calling and their attitude towards getting the job done tells I have been twice to Pampa. Once with my significant other and once with a group of friends. Next time I will go alone (S.O. lives abroad) and save half or more of the platter to make me a salad with the chicken and some steak sandwiches with the beef strips.

I think our first visit to Pampa Grill was about 3+ years ago. Since that time, and without exaggeration, we've been there at least 50 times. It is for sure, our "go to" destination, even tho' we live at least 20 minutes away. Why is this? 1) Character. We love the owners and staff...and we're not the only ones. It is common to see Vickie (owner), Elvira or John giving a big welcome hug to diners who frequent the restaurant. We usually catch Oswaldo at evening's end, and Javier (owner) when he's handed over the reins of cooking so he can help serve. When you see the chef/owner serving and clearing, and his wife doing the same, you know this no "foo foo" restaurant. This place is built on hard work, super service and customer satisfaction. If you're looking for the latest in angular, minimalist decor, this ain't your place. The ambiance is in the character and sense one has on entering. It is common to see families and friends gather here, but also couples in intimate conversation...save Friday nites, where a much loved singer has the crowd in many a boisterous sing along....you'll need reservations on Friday nites, tho' they're a good idea all nights. 2) The Food. The menu is very extensive, but we usually focus on the outstanding empanadas, and the fugazetta (sweet onion and cheese pizza) which is actually better than the best we've had in Buenos Aires) for our starters. The home made rolls they bring to the table are also seriously delicious. My wife loves their many variations of a grilled chicken sandwich, especially the one with spinach. But for me, it's always steak, and usually the entraña or the asada de tira. These steaks are thin cut, highly seasoned and "chewy". Don't be thinkin' a big thick porterhouse. With a couple of fried eggs on top and French fries, you're in heaven. We also love their plantanos. I’m not sure if there’s fish on the menu, but plenty of chicken, beef and pork dishes. If you're a vegetarian, it's gonna be a long night. 3) BYOB. This is another strong selling point with us. The corkage fee is $8, but the glasses are decent (not Riedel, but serviceable). Nearly every table has a bottle or more being enjoyed. Any red will work here though we're quite partial to Malbecs, Bordeaux and Zins, but you'll see plenty of whites on other tables. It’s the "family” feeling everyone shares + the BYOB service + the Argentinean menu that keeps us coming back. Cobra427sc

A hidden gem! The food was fantastic! I had a corn pancake that was bursting with corn flavor. I also had two empanadas that were rustic and delicious. They even had the Pampa named stamped on them! Several friends had the skirt steak and said it was cooked perfectly. Our server Vickie was friendly and knowledgeable especially when we asked about Argentine cuisine. I’d go back tomorrow!

Just discovered this little gem while visiting family here. It is easily overlooked as it is in a nondescript strip center with minimal signage. But once inside, it is charming and welcoming. The menu is impressive in its scope from Argentinean to Italian choices. The service was very friendly, helpful and attentive, and the food was delicious and entrees very generous. It seems a very popular place with locals as everyone we saw there seemed to be regulars as would we be if we lived in Houston. Definitely recommend this place even though it is a BYOB establishment as you will see posted on the door. There is a corkage fee but not sure how much as we did not know they did not serve alcoholic drinks and consequently did not bring wine. Still, we enjoyed a great dinner in a nice little friendly place. Pleasant live music on Friday to boot.

Can't say enough good things about Pampa Grill. The food is consistently excellent and the service is always top notch and friendly. We love going on Friday evening when there's live entertainment and the place is very lively. BYOB makes it even better. One of our favorite places and we always take out of towners here.

The empanadas here are delicious! I tried almost all of them. Their sandwiches and pastas are also good. I have not tried the parrilladas, yet (too much meat for my taste). Their natural juices are also very refreshing and taste great. I have been there mostly for lunch, but now that I read that they have live music on Friday, I can't wait to go. The strip mall itself is nothing to boast about, but once you get over it, you will be rewarded with fresh, perfectly seasoned food. Service can be slow. Parking can be an issue at peak hours.

Excellent place to eat, everyone have a favorite dish that they like. On Friday nights they have live latin music. Besides Argentinian food there are some delicious Venezuelan dishes too. The owners make you feel at home

To start we had some delicious beef empanadas, and others with chorizo and cheese. The first ones, I repeat, were delicious but in my opinion the ones with cheese and chorizo had too much cheese, which dulled the flavor of the chorizo. Afterwards we shared a barbecue of steaks, with different cuts of meat: chorizo, blood sausage, chorizo steak, entraña, vacuum, loin, It was incredible, each cut was tastier than the last. Good quality of the meat, excellent I would say, all accompanied by an unpretentious lettuce and tomato salad and some fries that were frozen, it's a shame that these accompaniments were not up to par with the main ones. For those who do not want an overdose of meat with barbecues, the menu is very extensive, from pizzas to soups to the typical Argentine cuts of meat. The dessert menu is sublime. As for the price, medium-high. Very good service but the tables are very small. Good option

We just loved everything about this small, quaint, family oriented parilla situated in a small strip center in Spring Branch....a bit of a drive from our place in Meyerland, but well worth it. The empanadas were outstanding and the provoletta was also excellent. Good steak, seriously great bread. More than fairly priced. BYO and warm friendly service that gives the place the one thing you can’t buy...character! Def’n do over, even if we have to Uber over!

We visit here every time we want to celebrate with GREAT food, GREAT atmosphere and "treated like family" service. These folks are the best. Getting popular - may want to make reservations and BYOB. Great prices - great evenings.

My wife and I have now been there three times and really have found it to be a great find. It's quite small, and given the food, should be very crowded, but it is not - that's good for us, but not the owners - who actually come from Venezuela - the couple that own it are very cute and fun too. Bring your own wine.

Nice little Argentinian restaurant by the house! Best empanadas I've ever had...very flaky crust instead of dense crust like other places! The chimichurri and pepper sauce on the table to put on your meat and empanadas are fabulous too. Definite repeat!

Excelent Argentine Food and very well prepared, the best Argentine Restaurant in Houston by far.much better than Argentina Cafe and cheaper

Great authentic food, decent prices and the best service! Found this place via Google and to our surprise the food and service were great. Thank you Vicky!

We've been guests at the Inn At Thorn Hill yearly for about 8 years now, and have seen the Inn through several different management teams, The latest, its third, was also a seamless transition. Unless you were told, you'd never have known. Part of this success is due to the longevity of superstars, Sharonette and Nancy. It was reassuring and great to see them both again. But the newbies, Paul, Warren, Keith, Erin and Sherry also contributed to another excellent vacation. Breakfast is just excellent...with a breathtaking view of the countryside and Mount Washington. The morning specials as were the workhorses of the menu...superior waffles and blueberry pancakes. We didn't eat dinner there, but would expect it to be just as good as their delicious breakfast. Def'n a do-over for us. steve

We were truly impressed by our experience at Pampa this last weekend. I wish we would have dined here sooner! Let me start by saying this is one of the most inviting restaurants we have dined in lately. Everyone is very friendly and makes you feel right at home. Pampa is located in an indiscreet shopping center in Spring Branch but once you step foot inside you get the feeling you are about to get some serious authentic food. The food is delicious. The cuts of meat are all simply prepared and cooked to perfection. The house made chimichurri accompanies all the cuts of meat perfectly. It is that delicate balance of acid, garlic and salt that pairs and boost the flavors of the meat. In addition to the steak we also tried the empanadas. It is some of the flakiest and most tender crust I have had. I recommend the corn and cheese and the beef and cheese empanadas to start. They also make a perfect cortado that I drank after dessert. All in all it is a wonderful meal that is reasonably priced and very tasty. I almost forgot to mention that you can bring your own wine which also adds to the authentic atmosphere of this family restaurant. This is a great date night, or everyday meal. I want to go back for lunch and try the sandwiches as they looked very tasty. If you plan on going on the weekend I would call ahead and see if you can get a table as it fills up quickly as one would expect with such good food. I think you should give Pampa a try soon and you will not be disappointed!

We went with family late on Sunday, and had all varieties of milanesas. They were all good!!! Price are adequate too, typical family owned place. Will sure go back. Recomendable.

I have lived in the neighborhood for over twenty years and never knew about this place. What a pity. A real gem.

We just came back from Argentina and wanted some real Argentinean food, the pampa grill fits the bill. They are just north of I-10 off Gessner. They are located in a little strip mall, but everything they do is on point. we had empanadas, the ham stuffed with eggs, chimichuri, and cheese, and Parillada Simple. Everything was great, we finished off the meal with cake (which we brought), ice cream, & Dulce de Leche. One thing to remember is to bring you own wine/spirits, they will provide the glasses. Don't forget to pick up some Alfajores!!!!

You know a place is good when you are planning your next meal before you finish eating. Service is wonderful. The menu was explained very clearly to us. Lovely jewel on Hammerly.

Our Intown monthly dinner crew met at Pampa Grill & Market. Wife and husband owners Vicky Suarez and Javier Mendez, staff and musician, Jorge Ahualli wonderful. Service for our crew of 38 was fabulous.

Amazing hidden jewel. The owners are very hospitable and hard working. Great value and vast menu. Their empanadas are so good that they are "stamped" that way people won't pretend they made them. You can find items that we had only seen in Argentina like the "matambre a la pizza" which is a pizza on top meat instead of bread. Great blood sausages. Last weekend they had Argentinian musician that performed for 5 tables with so much passion that we were all singing as if we all knew each other. The best part (not for business) is their bring your own wine policy $5 dollars, really? The problem is that we were enjoying the "fiesta" so much that we wanted more wine and they can't sell it. We will go back every time we visit Houston but with backup bottles of wine just in case

Small, but busy location in the intersection of Gessner&Hollister. Fresh beef, excellent blood sausage, portions of the parrillada are good for 3 peoples. No alcoholics drink but you can bring your own. Fair prices and excellent services.

Amazing place, the food here is amazing, I love coming here either with friends or family, bring your own wine and enjoy amazing food. Love love love this place

We paid 100 dls for a parrillada, 3 empanadas, one coffee and one dessert. They charged us 16 dls to open a bottle of wine, it was even more expensive than the bottle itself! It is such a shame, we’ve been customers for years but with these prices it is no even worth to return. The food has decreased its flavor and quality over the years. My mom wanted to celebrate her birthday there but not anymore.

Casual atmosphere with a small selection of things to also purchase. Probably one of our favorites in Houston when it comes to beef when you want the South American taste that is not the usual Brazilian style. You'll get different parts of the animal. No alcohol for sale so bring your own favorite bottle of a robust red wine to go along.