Raffa's Waterfront Grill Reviews

Pleasant atmosphere, we relied on the chef's recommendation, the lamb chops were amazing, adequate wine list.

My wife and I have been here numerous times and have never been disappointed. The service is wonderful and everyone is very attentive. The food is excellent whether you are going for a formal dinner or just a quick bite. You can't beat the $5.00 cheeseburger special on Saturdays for lunch. Best burger around hands down! If you haven't tried the Prime Rib you are missing out!

Excellent food and service! Only thing lacking could have been some grated cheese for my sister's pasta. My wife, my sister, and I were celebrating her birthday, and the experience was top notch. Fabulous wine list and wonderful menu. Many unique choices for both food and wine. The room is gorgeous with soaring ceilings and a beautiful view of the waterfront. My only concern and I don't want to be too critical given the great service, food and wine would be that although stated in my reservation confirmation that a casual business dress code was recommended, it wasn't enforced. I know times are tough for fine dining restaurants, but I really expected a more casually dressed crowd rather than people in baseball caps, golf shorts and ripped jeans (I know there all the rage). I guess in this economy you have to cater to all types coming into your establishment, but don't recommend a dress code when you're not going to enforce it. Just saying!

Raffa's is our favorite Kingwood waterfront restaurant. The food is good and service exceptional. The lunch specials on Saturdays are a great deal too. Definitely a nice place for outdoor dining.

My family decided to give Raffas another shot after a very long period.3 yrs! We arrived on Thursday evening last ..The Restaurant was really empty, there were a few loud customers at the bar! We ordered two Pasta dishes, both were really heavy on the butter and cream, not a lot of flavor.We had one Filet Mignon the plate was not hot,It was not great.The Service was good, but this place lacks real Atmosphere.No background music, nothing has changed on the menu, it's pathetic that the menu is so boring..wish Gordon Ramsey could step in and give them some suggestions! I drive downtown a lot to eat, Kingwood is really limited for good restaurants.We need a lively up beat restaurant. The menu is so out of date! Not going back!

My brother and I met up with some friends at Raffa's for lunch, and it was an absolutely PERFECT experience! We arrived around 11:30, and although we were early for our reservation, the staff graciously seated us. Because we were traveling with our dog and the weather was nice, they were able to seat us on the patio overlooking Lake Houston. Our server was Arden, who deserves a review all her own. "Exemplary" does not even begin to describe her. She was genuinely friendly, very approachable, open and engaging--and she liked our dog! She was determined to provide us with a memorable experience and went out of her way to ensure our meal was truly wonderful. Our friends have food sensitivities, and Arden was diligent in thoroughly vetting their meals with the chef, modifying as needed. She was very attentive and checked back with us frequently to ensure we were having a good time. We had wonderful conversation with her, which added to the dining experience. All of our menu choices were extremely fresh and flavorful, with locally-sourced foods artfully prepared. We had the salmon on spinach and mandarin oranges with almonds; the beet salad with field greens and watermelon radishes; the cheeseburger with fries; and the Greek salad. We finished up with the seven-layer chocolate cake, which was incredibly sumptuous and enough for four of us to share. The setting was idyllic; the weather was lovely and we were able to look out over the lake and watch the water birds taking off and landing on the water. Afterwards, we walked out to the dock to further soak in the beauty of the scenery. We had such a good time, we stayed for three hours!! We definitely recommend Raffa's for meeting up with friends and family; between the ambience, delicious food and fabulous service, you will definitely have a MARVELOUS time!

Our Saturday evening visit was the second time for us since reopening after flood renovations. This time the experience was spot on! Very comfortable booth table for two started everything off perfectly. Food and beverages were excellent served by a personable and caring server! It’s great to have a special place in Kingwood for a quality dining experience. Small bit of criticism, wine list limited and over priced. Not a deal breaker.

Not sure what was up as the restaurant was not crowded but it took 25 minutes for starters and then a half hour of nothing until the entrees came out. Server and manager apologized. It can happen in any place, maybe someone did not show up so the kitchen struggled. But the food was all good in the end.

We have eaten at Raffas on many occasions. The Sunday brunch is exceptional in quality and class. Completive in price. Lunch has been a delight and regular dinners are upscale quality. The prices are higher than we usually pay, but sego there 2 or 3 times a month!

We recently enjoyed dinner at Raffas Waterfront Grill. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was vert nice. The food was a little pricey but I would definitely return here for another bite to eat! Great place for date night.

This restaurant is just lovely overlooking the water through glass walls and with high ceilings. From the appetisers to the desserts, every dish is creatively prepared and served. I especially loved the grilled brie with an herbal infused berry sauce. The scallops were soft as butter! So many restaurants can't cook them right and they end up chewy and rubbery. We ordered a couple of desserts, the chocolate cake covered with ganache and filled with mouse, but the BEST was the panna cotta that had a touch of goat cheese served with baked grapes. A really wonderful evening, even in the rain, with the beautiful view to complement the exceptional food.

Great place to eat with a view and the service was good. The quality of the food you get is very good for the price you pay.

Really good. The place to go for Sunday Brunch in the Kingwood area. Good variety and excellent taste. Comfortable surroundings and nice view. A little noisy due to high open cielings and little sound absorbing materials would be the only demerit.

A Favorite of the friends we were traveling to meet, so we thought we would give it a try Resturant was about half full at about 7pm when we visited Shared 2 starters between 3 of us, choice was good and very flaversome We all had steaks for main course, to be honest size was small while in Texas assumed larger, but meals were all good. Service was very attentive throughout Would return

I attended a wedding dinner with 25 people. Service was more than excellent. Prompt and attentive. Fair prices. Beautiful facility and location. Surprisingly was not noisy. My salmon dinner was perfect and hot. I cannot fault them for anything. They even cut the wedding cake. Five star service.

I had not been to this restaurant in a little while so I asked my husband to bring me here for my birthday. He had asked for a table with a view of the water and we were given a perfect table with a perfect view of the sunset over the water. I really appreciated that. Our service was impeccable but not intrusive. My meal was excellent and I thought my 8 oz Filet mignon was on the generous side. My husband's prime rib was a big slab of meat that he could not finish. He said it was very tasty. I had the appetizer special which was mussels with a marinara broth and they were fresh, delicious and perfectly cooked. We finished off the meal with creme brulee and it was buttery and rich. I loved all of it. Wonderful place for a date night.

We have Houstonians who invited us to brunch this last Sunday. The large windows overlooking the gray river allowed the cool outside air to chill the restaurant. The buffet was well stocked and the french toast and brisket were delicious. The cold table had shrimp, smoked salmon, salads and a meager fruit palate. We've been to more sumptuous feasts but we all left satisfied. The waitress was very attentive and pleasant ya'll.

everything is great on the menu, however had my husband and daughter's birthday party there in January and the Chef specially made a New England Clam Boil for us! Had a Boston Red Sox Cake with the World Series Champ Logo on it, and had special baked Brie for each table!

We had reservations for Mothers Day to celebrate my mother, mother-in-law, wife, and sister because they are all mothers. It was a buffet and the ladies enjoyed the selections presented. The Cajun Salmon was the best. They had a carving station for the prime rib but the cuts offered was too rare for my group but the carver could have cut from the other end to satisfy everyone. Everything else was great and will return again.

This place is amazing. Great, fresh food, specials, and nice prices. Elegant atmosphere, but not stuffy, plenty of menu and wine choices, fabulous dessert!

We went on a Saturday during lunch hours. Our food was wonderful. Prices are extremely reasonable as well. We tried the meals but they were also running a $5 burger special that someone next to us ordered. It looked really yummy! Will have to go back just to try it. I've also heard they do theme nights as well.

Had a very enjoyable lunch at Raffa's Waterfront Grill. The latest visit was our second meal there and both visits were very pleasant. Food is good and the menu is fairly broad. This is a nice dining option in Kingwood.

If you are looking for a comfortable and friendly place for dinner, lunch or Sunday brunch then Raffa's American Bistro is the perfect place. The bar area has a generous area to relax for cocktails and appetizers. the wine list is adequate of selecting a wine choice with your meal. Costs vary with vintner. There is an outside seating area that faces the river...a great place for romantic dinners. The menu is excellent and provides a wide choice of entrees all prepared on order. Raffa's also has specials on certain nights of the week...a good reason to go there for dinner. Menu prices are very reasonable.

I ate here with a large group of ladies that I met at a training we were all attending in Houston. We all ordered different meals and wines and no one was disappointed. I had the best chicken fried steak of my life! Judging from the appearance of this restaurant, I expected the prices to be high. On the contrary, the prices are mid-range and very reasonable for the caliber of food and ambience. There is lovely patio seating on the lake with whimsical lighting too. I am so glad that we gave this local gem a try!

We went there for a family birthday get together for my sis-in-law. The atmosphere and customer service was really great and I find no fault there. The food was anothery story, I was not impressed. We tried quite a varity of dishes between our group and no one was really "blown away". I would rate average at best and an probablt being pretty generous. We even had ne dish, the scallops, returned twice and finally removed from our bill because they were undercooked and cold. I am willing to give a second chance sometime in the future however because their wait staff and management were all very responsive and did their best to make our evening satisfactory.

Once again,we were amazed at the service and how wonderful our food was And not to mention desert. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive she was always stopping by to check on our table. Raffas is one of our favorite dining places, it has class and elegance. As the crowd starting coming in you could tell that most were return customers. We look forward to coming back in the near future.

The view was great, the shaved ribeye cheddar cheese burger was perfect but Aussie rack of lamb i didn't like it at all but my husband liked it, the service was ok

the service here has always been excellent the food is consistently good to great. Never had any issues at all. Recommended

Very good Sunday Brunch! Nice atmosphere, efficient wait staff! Quiet enough to hear each other, good food always and a beautiful view overlooking Lake Houston!

While visiting the Houston area we had dinner at Raffa's in Kingwood. We were treating my husband's cousin and his family to dinner as a thank you for hosting us during our stay. It was Good Friday so the availability of either seafood or pasta was important to us. They could not have chosen a better place to have dinner. The ambiance was very nice with a sophisticated feel. The seafood was wonderful and the service was very good.

Raffas is beautifully situated on the lakeside between Kingwood and Atascocita. The whole place is tastefully decorated and suitable for casual dining, intimate dinners and group parties. The menu is not huge but there is a good choice ranging from appetisers to entrees. However, there is a difference in the pricing of very similar dishes , which i suppose is to be expected. Lunches are their better deals. for $15 approx they serve an excellent lunch but for evening dinner the price doubles for the same/similar dishes and the portions are smaller. Having said that Raffas is consistent, the food is good, (a bit on the pricey side) the location is good, the ambiance is good. All in all a good place to dine. Yeah go for it..... You will go back again and again...

Recently visited Raffa's for a get together. Great looking restaurant on the water. The service and the food was excellent. I started with the house salad with a brown sugar vinaigrette and for dinner, the Capretto Chicken, which was all absolutely delicious! Raffa's also has a great wine menu! I will definitely return to Raffa's! Highly recommend!

A superb American - French cuisine restaurant with a broad variety of interesting choices. Unique appetizers, unusual salads, petite portion plates, pastas, and grilled items. Daily specials entice you to order off the menu. Very reasonable prices for the quality of food. The young chef is Texan, but Condon Bleu trained! Very personable, wanders the dining room to meet his clients. Worth a trip from the City.

We went to Raffa's for the first time recently. The food and service were very good and we would go back. They have a nice view of the water too!

Visited with family on Christmas Eve and everything was just great. Great food, great service, all in a beautiful setting. Highly recommended.

One of the best meals I have ever had in any restaurant. Crabcakes are superb as an appetizer and one is included with the flounder...excellent, outstanding, and typical of Tony Raffa preparations.

We sat right by the window and had a great view of lake houston. It was fun to watch the boats go by while eating dinner. The food is super good. It you go to moneymailer you can get a coupon for non weekends which makes it great value for the money.

We were in riding gear & they graciously seated us. Great service, wonderful food (scallops were perfectly prepared) and wine list. We will be revisiting to try the rest of the menu!

We dined there for dinner. The food is very good value for the money. There was good variety on the menu. Much to our surprise the fillet was about as good as you find in greater Houston. The vegetables were well prepared and not overcooked. Dessert which we shared was the chocolate mousse cake and very good. The restaurant is good quality dining and we will go again, blue jeans would be acceptable attire. The location is very nice on the river. If we had a suggestion about how the restaurant could be improved it would be improve the wine list, it is a bit underwhelming.

This was my first time coming to Raffa's & it was such a great experience. We came here for a birthday brunch with a party of 11 (which is best to reserve like we did) and our entire party had a great time. The service was great, and staff was very nice, the only thing is that I wish they came around a bit more often. We had the Sunday Brunch Buffet, and trust me, after your first plate or two, you'll be full. My favorite thing there was the Blueberry French Toast. The baked Brie was pretty good. It has such an urban feel, I love it. Overall a great experience, and we will all return again.

Atmosphere is wonderful, service was good, but food was so-so…. Shame on us for not sending both our plates back. I ordered medium prime rib dinner - hubby had short ribs dinner. Our food was barely warm - prime rib was well done throughout, ribs were dry. Rolls and salad was good. It’s such a nice place but for the money we will go into Houston or our fav is Taste of Texas for excellent food every time.

Very disappointing first visit to Raffa's. Food was just okay and service was average. We had to ask for bread, no napkins with any of our beverages leaving the table wet, dirty dishes were not removed promptly, a cappuccino was served lukewarm and the full cup was left on the table when the waitress brought one that was hot. Our waitress was nice and polite ... just did not deliver the type of service and top notch attention to detail you would expect. We had heard good things about this restaurant but unfortunately, our experience was very mediocre. We might give it another try but it certainly won't be very high on our list of priorities.

Tony does a fantastic job with his second restaurant. The food is very good and the views are awesome. One of the best margarita's in town and a perfect place to end up after a day on the lake. It can be dress up or dress down. The outside seating is comfortable and the service is excellent. They pour a good drink and treat you right. Make a reservation.

My wife and I dined last night at Raffa's Waterfront Grill and had an exceptionally great experience. In the past, we have had some dining experiences that were not great- as with slow, inaccurate and unresponsive service. Also, the quality of food has sometimes been inferior. This was not the case last night, when the service and the food was tremendous. My ribeye steak was tender and perfectly cooked. My wife's flounder was perfectly prepared. Our waitress was totally responsive to our every need. Way to go, Raffa's!

a great upscale dining time at half price on Mondays and Tuesday's . Cheap drinks and fabulous appetizers at half price. Add a fine dining room on the water and it simply can't be beat. Possibly the best overall deal in town.

I love the atmosphere at Raffa's waterfront restaurant! The blackened redfish is my all time favorite! Every time I go that is my choice, unless I am doing the wonderful brunch on Sunday's!

This evening was my first weekday dinner at Raffa's Waterfront Grill. The shrimp scampi was excellent and the wine selection was generous. I must commend our waiter and chef on duty. We prematurely ordered dinner for a friend who was stuck in traffic. They replaced her meal when she arrived so that it would be fresh. Job well done!

When getting married on a shoestring budget one doesn’t think about a gourmet restaurant as being an economical and smart choice; however, I would like to say that Raffa’s Waterfront Grill is just the place to take care of your needs and your budget. While it does depend on what you want to serve your guests, I can vouch that the team at Raffa’s will work with you to make your event spectacular. Let me start with the view, Raffa’s Waterfront Grill over looks a very scenic section of Lake Houston. They have lovely landscaping around the building and a great open area near it that is perfect for small outdoor weddings. Tony also volunteered his restaurant as the wedding space in case of inclement weather (which we didn’t need). But the on the spur of the moment, the staff provided a few chairs for a couple of handicapped people to sit in. Next is the food… I’m sad that this restaurant hasn’t been recognized by Michelin or Zagat. People are truly missing out! I have dined there on several occasions and my expectations have always been blown away by how good everything is. Everything from the chicken fried steak to duck breast (not on the menu right now) is scrumptious! Even their hamburgers are fantastic! Oh and the desserts are good enough to make you forget all of your worries. Finally, I want to talk about the staff. When we booked our wedding reception, we met with the owner (Tony Raffa), the chef, and the catering coordinator. All of them were eager to help us plan the perfect menu. The chef went so far as to create a dish just for my groom! The wait staff is all very attentive, polite, professional, and quick. I would like to gush more about them, but readers will think I’m embellishing when I say that Raffa’s took a nearly catastrophic day and turned it into a spectacular event. I am so grateful to all of the staff and Tony Raffa for their hard work and brilliant food.

Was here with family to celebrate my brothers reitement from the Navy. All was amazing from the mimosas, to the calamari and artichoke dip to all the various food entrees we each had! If I lived in Texas I would frequent this spot! The waterfront views are simply breathtaking. Staff were amazing!!!

I am in love with this restaurant. What more could you want from a restaurant? You have outdoor seating, scenic view if you would prefer air conditioning, great staff, great food, great atmosphere and out of this world MACAROONS! Sit outside if the weather is nice and not too hot. Make reservations in advance, which you don't have to do but nice if you want a specific table. The bar atmosphere is also lovely if you just want to walk in for a quick bite. I would say this is a contemporary restaurant with very creative dishes. They change their menus seasonally as well to bring their clients great food during the season. I recommend the small plate shrimp and grits. It is the most outstanding thing on the menu beside their steak! They offer nightly specials too, for example, Wednesdays are 1/2 price bottle of wine nights while Sundays are the brunch special.

We want to try to support local businesses and love Raffa's. So we tried their Mediterranean Chicken Pack which one of the choices on their To Go menu. It's a great deal, we didn't feel like cooking that night. You get grilled chicken, sundried tomato, capers, mushrooms, olives, red onion and house vegetables. Also comes with a house salad with brown sugar sherry vinaigrette and dinner rolls. They suggest it will serve 4 but this was just for me and my wife so we will have some leftovers for another meal. Please support your favorite restaurants that are doing food to deliver or be picked up.

like eating in an abandoned bank lobby....looks out over a dried up river that smells...service is the worst..typical community college dropouts...finally located the middle aged manager who we found as we were walking out. took 15 minutes to get a menu...we said forget this...oh yeah the mgr was in the parking lot having a smoke with high school age hostess...effin loser.

Had a very nice meal with very good wait staff. Pleasant evening We started with the Chicken and Andouille Gumbo that was good. Next were the Main Dishes. I had the Stuffed Flounder with crab stuffed shrimp and lemon beurre - very good. My wife had Blackened Red Fish with sauteed shrimp and crab meat - Very Good

My family had dinner recently. Excellent service and wonderful food. We will definitely return again soon.

I made reservations for 15 for my grandfathers birthday we arived everything was set up just how I wanted it no to mention I brought kids along also I requested a smaller table for them it was set up immeadiately with no hesitation, no questions, and no problems. The waitress did an awesome job on accomodating us for each segmant of the meal. I brought in my own cake, but they are so awesome that they cut the cake board to size and placed it on a an elegant tray for it to be served without me having to ask. Whatever I needed they gotit done no questions at all. Everyone lovedthe atmosphere and the environment. I heard many say they will be back again. I love Raffas and I thank them for making my grandfathers birthday a total success!

Raffa's has a relaxing environment to have a dinner with friends or with your family!! Their food is excellent!! We love eating there! They have wine tastings that we enjoy attending there as well!

Overall the food is always about an 8 out of 10 and am ok with that. Drinks/wine is 9. Sat at end of bar facing kitchen with two friends. Seating good, bartender a 10 on promptness and overall attentiveness. Temperature was perfect. My only RECURRING complaint is the loud chatter by waitstaff at kitchen end of the bar. Actually had to talk louder to be heard by my friends AND we were at the other end of the bar. Would have said something to management except he was involved in the loud and unnecessary chatter. Same thing as on previous visit. Too bad. Seems easy to fix. Stop the gaggle of waitstaff at the end of the bar. Find someplace else to gossip and watch the tv.

Went here for the first time for lunch. Had the salmon on bed spinach. Oh my!!! Very tasty and portion was just right. May I add very reasonable too. We will be going back!

Poor service. Over priced food. won't be going back.

It's hard to find places that are not chain restaurants. This is one of them, and it is pretty good.

My family has been eating at Raffa's since it's opening. In the beginning, the food and service was always excellent. Lately, they seem to be having some menu/kitchen problems. My party of three had dinner one evening that was so terrible on so many levels that I felt compelled to express my opinion to the owner about it by e-mail later that week. He was receptive, investigated all of my concerns, and basically agreed with every point. He stated they had been making changes to the menu, but let me tell you, they are not good ones. I can't help but think they are now trying to cut corners, by short changing quality menu items and quanity and it shows. He invited us back and that dinner was excellent, but of course, they were trying to impress. So I can only give an average rating based on our two most recent visits: 1 Horrible dinner and 1 Wonderful dinner = overall Average score. In other words, they are inconsistent. Hopefully they work out their growing pains/menu changes issues and get back to the good quality and excellent service patrons have grown accustomed to.

Tony Raffa and Chef David are fantastic! If ever the best Prime Rib is what you need then they have it...but you better get there early as it does not last. They also boast a fine selection of the best wines. Creative menu is an under statement. We recently attanded a wine tasting featuring wines from the Hugo Family. Wonderful, wonderful!

Went to Raffas's for the first time to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. Based on the reviews I hoped that it would be good. Everything from the receptionist to the dessert was exceptional!! The ambiance, the view, the food and the service ... all 5 stars Small plates of crab cakes and shrimp &gritd were delicious. Main courses of stuffed flounder and Asian salmon were both wonderful. Our compliments to the chef. Our waiter, Cameron was great!! I highly recommend Raffas. I have been to restaurants all over the country from NY to San Francisco and Raffas was as good or better than most. Will definitely come back. !

This place has it all. Found this lakefront restaurant in a lovely neighborhood in the Kingwood section of Houston. Our meals were delicious and the service was excellent. Very professional yet very friendly too. Glasses of wine were generous and the view overlooking the lake was gorgeous. We ate on their lovely heated patio. I would highly recommended Raffa’s. What an enjoyable experience!

This is a very nice restaurant with a menu of outstanding choices. The prime rib was perfect. Filet of sole was another delightful choice. The menu is reasonably priced as entrees include sides. We don't live anywhere near Kingwood but would go out of our way to dine here again. One note: reservations were made for a window table (I believe the corner window table was requested). The host was told it could not be guaranteed. When we arrived, the table was available however we were told it was reserved for a customer that has a wine locker. So, unless you are a 3x week guest, they will not honor special requests. I think the owners are overlooking an opportunity to increase their regular customer base - just my opinion.

Wow, we had 9 of us there for dinner and we enjoyed it so much. We had a really great server, Demonica who made the who evening special. We had some interesting appetizer's to share, Shrimp and Grits, Salt and Pepper Calamari, Fried Oysters and the fried pork skins which were really fantastic. The adults had a variety of main dishes, Veal Chop, Redfish. Stuffed Flounder, Carbonara. Kids also had good dishes. We enjoyed several bottles of wine, I ended up getting ones from South Africa, we had visited the wineries when we were there so were familiar with them, ended up consuming 3 bottles! They did a nice complimentary dessert for my DiL and we had a slice of the 7 Layer Chocolate Cake. Our 16 year old granddaughter thought the young man pouring water and busing tables was cute. Her younger sister kept drinking the water so he would come back and pour more. It was pretty funny to see the sisters in action! Great evening, Would have also been a nice night to have been on the patio but we enjoyed the dining room once the bar happy hour traffic thinned out. It can get a bit loud near the bar.

Raffa's has outside seating and vies of the lake. The entire ambiance of this restaurant is very elegant yet casual and comfortable. My husband and I were greeted and escorted to the bar for our food we wanted to take out. The girl assisting us was very courteous and knowledgable of the menu. I had the baked penne pasta ($9)this is a great dish for vegetarians like me.My husband had the ceasar salad with blackened chicken and our daughter got the shrimp scampi for lunch. There prices for lunch are not bad. What I always look for in a place is the service. We first visited for a birthday celebration in August and the server we had during tha visit remembered us(impressive). We will return for the brunch they have on Sundays from 11am-2pm.

The management was very rude to our group. The food was poor and the staff had a "take it or leave it" attitude".

This is now our go to place! The wine selection is wonderful. The atmosphere is just what you want on a date or couples date! I would recommend this for a girls night out as well! Great service, bartender was on her game!

My family dines at Raffa’s for important events because we count on the dinner being memorable. My wife and I dine together more frequently because we like good food, good wine and great service.

I've hosted colleagues, clients, friends, and quick, late-night family dinners at Raffa's, and never have been disappointed. Sunday Brunch, while not the contemporary fare of Canopy in midtown Houston, for example, has many options/stations so there's something for everyone. The specials frequently are the best choices, including the bread pudding (of the day) which shouldn't be missed. I have eaten at some of the country's top restaurants including twice at Chef Bryan Caswell's #1 rated Reef, but enjoyed Chef Dave Welch's seafood specials at Raffa's much more. Frankly, I no longer feel compelled to venture into Houston for a fine dining experience. While the vaulted ceiling at Raffa's and at-capacity seating most evenings combine to make the acoustics less than optimum, and one of the waitstaff is a bit too conversant and free with personal information for my taste, I enjoy this restaurant a lot, and find myself returning often.

We celebrated my 40th bday last night with 3 families, kids included. There were not many guests. The food and drinks were good, but service was very slow. 6:30-8:30 p for dinner for 6. Nice variety and tasty options.

This is the best place in Kingwood for brunch! The food is amazing, the service is perfect and the atmosphere is nice. Have been here a few times now and it is consistently great!

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Raffa's, and I must say it was a fantastic experience. The setting is lovely, the service is outstanding, and the food... oh, the food... creative and delicious! There was a minor glitch in our reservation (for 12), and Tony Raffa himself came to us to apologize and offer us an even better table. The staff has a great touch, and Tony not only proved himself to be a wonderful chef, but also a gentleman with attention to detail and love for what he does. I would recommend Raffa's Waterfron Grill for any occasion, and I am sure any guest would have as great a time as we did.

Love the Chef, Love the Location, Love the Staff, and of course, Love the Food! Must try the brunch!!! We eat out, all the time...and this is the place to bring your local and out of town guest! A Must Try!!!!!

This is one of the best restaurants in all of Houston. Can't go wrong with anything you order. We go often, because the food is so good.

We came here for a birthday dinner. It is a nice atmosphere. I ordered the blackened red fish. I asked for the shrimp and crab on the side, because I do not care for it but wanted to share it with the people I was with. I asked for tartar sauce. They said they did not have any. How hard is it to make a little? After all it’s only mayonnaise and relish. Another person in our party ordered the stuffed flounder. She loved it and said it was delicious. Two other people in our party ordered the salmon which they said was absolutely delicious. The service is a little slow. We had to wait a long time to get a second drink order. Plus had to ask for the drinks again. This is a nice place and the staff is very friendly. Just be prepared to wait.

Raffas is located on the water in Kingwood. It is a family owned resaurant and is their second restaurant in this area. Raffas' food is delicious with specials nightly. For a nice evening out during the week, you can't beat Wednesdays half priced wine bottles. Meet friends at the bar or for an amazing dinner. If you don't finish the wine, they will cork it for you to take home. The bar can get a little loud due to the high ceilings. Try to grab a table near the windows where the view is lovely and it is quieter. If you go alone, sit at the bar; the bartenders are great, there is a TV and you can eat dinner or appetizers. Thursday night happy hour includes martinis and Sunday they serve an amazing brunch.

I have eaten at Raffa's in the past but had only had appetizers, soup and salads. All had been really good, so decided to give an entree a shot for a change. In my past dining experiences, I have found choosing a special is usually a good idea. One of the specials was filet mignon with a butter poached lobster tail, Bearnaise sauce, mashed potatoes and vegetable medley. The lobster tail was so over cooked it was like biting into a piece of rubber. The steak was actually cold, not room temp cold, but cold like it had been cooked 20 minutes prior to plating and had been setting out. I was very disappointed. The upside/highlight of the meal was our server. She was sweet, attentive and very professional. I will go back to Raffa's as I have had good experiences in the past. I will simply remember to stick with small plates, soup and salad in the future.

I was here twice in the same month with friends and each time was outstanding. The filet mignon is to die for, but I asked for it over mashed potatoes instead of the brocoli. That just seems to go better with the wonderful mushoom sauce. I have tried their Brie appetizer, their calamari and the crab cakes with my dinner companions and all were delicious. Martinies were perfect. Our waitperson Jeribeth was spot on both times. The chef frequently visits tables and visited ours on both occasions. Chef Welch is very friendly and welcoming. The owner was also on premises and I guess that is why everything runs so efficiently. The overall atmoshphere is very lovely on the lake and would make a great date night spot. I can't wait to go back. FYI - most entrees are $22 - $30 with appetizers and salads extra, however I think the value is there in the care of preparation. If your kids only like chicken fingers, get a sitter and take yourself.

Never more grateful to have TripAdvisor at hand, during a "last minute" trip to Houston hosted in a neighborhood I never had been before.This place came out as one of the best options close to me, I trusted on the advise and didnt regret at all. The place is great, the view of Houston Lake accompanied by great food and the proper atmospher gave me and my colleagues the perfect environment to chat and relax.

My husband and I stopped by Raffa’s Waterfront Grill during a quiet afternoon, drawn in by the scenic lakeside setting. We must've visited during downtime, as the place was nearly empty so we pretty much had the entire place to ourselves—giving us our pick of seats with a great view. We started with the Salt & Pepper Calamari, Crab Cakes, a Lemon Drop Martini, and a pour of bourbon. Unfortunately, the cocktail experience was underwhelming. While the bartender/server was friendly, she didn’t seem very familiar with the drink menu, and when we asked if they could make a bourbon-based cocktail, the response was hesitant. We settled on the Lemon Drop, which wasn’t terrible, but lacked balance and didn’t stand out. She also wasn’t very detail-oriented as she accidentally spilled some of my drink on me and either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it. As for the food, the calamari was disappointing. It arrived without lemon (which we had to request), and the flavor was lacking. I ended up relying heavily on the jalapeño ranch just to enjoy it, which isn’t something I usually need to do at a seafood restaurant. On the brighter side, the crab cakes were a pleasant surprise—crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful inside. Easily the best item we tried. Because the appetizer experience didn’t leave us confident in the kitchen, we chose to skip entrées altogether. When something as simple as calamari misses the mark at a waterfront seafood restaurant—especially at this price point—it’s hard to justify going further. The location is lovely and would make a great setting for drinks with friends, but overall, the experience didn’t meet expectations for a seafood-forward restaurant. If you do stop by, I’d say skip the calamari and go for the crab cakes.

Raffas recently had a wine dinner featuring Prunotto wines and a five course meal that was simply outstanding! The wines were paired correctly with the food and the osso bucco and the lamb chops were incredible. And Gabriel the wine rep knew his wines, the wine regions and added a lot to the event. Tony, the owner assisted us in obtaining a case of one of the wines served at the dinner and was an affable host. The service was excellent but the food and the wines and the chef were the stars of the show! The fee was all inclusive of tax and gratuity and I can highly recommend a wine dinner at Raffas! Lord willing, we will be there for the next one.

Raffas is a great place to have a nice evening out. It's right on Lake Houston and has great views. The food is really good, and not overpriced. I definitely recommend it.

Friends helped me celebrate birthday with a Bellini Brunch. Food tasted great with something for everyone (even those of us on low-carb diets)! Dessert table looked invited but I resisted the temptation!! Server was a bit preoccupied flirty with another server. Once we brought it to his attention he became more attentive to the needs of our large party. Overall good experience with nice ambiance.

Friendly staff serving amazing food in a wonderful atmosphere. We sat at the bar counter and received very prompt and courteous service. The menu has so many tasty choices it makes it very hard to decide what to order. Prices are reasonable.

We live in a community close to Kingwood Tx. and this is one of our favorite restaurants for bistro food. They have seating either indoors or outside overlooking the lake. The staff is always very friendly and efficient. My favorite appetizer is the lemon pepper fried oysters. The horseradish dijon dipping sauce is very good. I usually get the rack of lamb in a port wine glaze (around $24). If you are in the mood for soup they have a white bean with ham soup that is really tasty. I think Wednesday nights is half off wine night. Most of the time you don't need reservations. Their Sunday brunch buffet is very popular.

We went here for my hubby's birthday dinner, his choice. We brought our kids, ages 15, 10 & 8. Our food was really good & our service was equally good. We have a good allergy & our server was very knowledgeable. I don't think there is a kids menu, our kids don't usually eat off there anyhow, so this might not be the best place for toddlers. Great place for date night.

Met a friend for a drink and bar snacks. Drinks were acceptable and bar service was intermittent. Calamari was small (had been frozen), lts of batter and bit on the spicy side.

Reasonable choices on the lunch menu and the food was excellent. The shrimp salad was great value and very well presented. Location is good with views over the water.

Raffas never disappoints! Went there to celebrate a birthday/graduation with family. The six of us were seated promptly. The entire dinner we were waited on hand and foot. We ordered a variety of dishes from chicken fried steak to prime rib. All were cooked to perfection, and portions were filling. Desserts were yummy. Also, this restaurant will not break the bank. You would expect to have to pay more as this place has a relaxing waterview and elegant ambience. We will return soon!!

Food is first rate. The menu specials are always interesting and delicious. A bit pricey but always delicious. Restaurant is located overlooking the water and the atmosphere is nice. Wonderful place for those special celebrations!

We've been coming here since they opened. Sunday brunch, quiet dinner on the river front, elegant dining with a view on the water. Always excellent, never disappointing.

Came to enjoy Father’s Fay Brunch. Food was delicious, they had a very nice buffet. Service was excellent! Jeremy was on top of everything though they were full house. The patio was very nice and lake view was beautiful. Very clean, friendly staff. Definitely coming back and will shoot for a sunset dinner. It’s a really nice spot. Give it a try!

We have eaten here many times. Raffas has been consistently good. We particularly like the Sunday brunch. Raffas isn't particularly inexpensive but I don't think it's overpriced either. It's one of the top 2 or 3 places in Kingwood.

View of the water with a walkway and dock, complete with a blue heron make this a complete dining experience. The food and service was also good enough to bring me back for more.

Delicious filets. And you can find a coupon in the entertaintainment book for buy a meal, get a meal free, up to a 20 value. Plus, they are located on the lake which brings a romantic atmosphere.

Visited again to celebrate this time our 43rd anniversary. Our waitress, Amber, was very warm and friendly always attentive with our meals progress. My wife loved the glazed salmon with mandarin oranges and almonds and I had the tasty boneless chicken, both truly appetizing dishes. The whole experience made our celebration very special and we definitely recommend this restaurant. We plan to visit Raffa's Waterfront Grill more often in 2016.