Riel Restaurant Reviews

First time at Riel and it was perfect for our party of six. Service was outstanding and most of the items we ordered went over very well. Favorite dishes were the corn gnochi and the hanger steak. We will be back!

We had high expectations when we dined at Riel last Wednesday evening, but we came away disappointed. The red snapper crudo was bland. Homemade crackers & mustard accompanied a sizable block of head cheese, though we had to ask for more of both. The hanger steak entree, served with two plump pierogi, was the only real stand-out. Acoustics are so poor that conversation was impossible. Service was pleasant & attentive, except for one major flaw: we were charged for an extra $14 glass of wine. Unfortunately we didn't discover this until after we'd left the restaurant.

We had a wonderful dinner at Riel and will eagerly return on a future visit to Houston. We had wonderfully attentive service by the entire team!! Nothing went unnoticed! As for the unique food, what can we say - a testimony to the blending of chef’s Canadian roots and fare from Texas and the Gulf Coast. My wife’s steak tartare was the best she’s had, and my appetizer of bone marrow was large, consisting of two large pieces with appropriate accompaniments. Entrees of hangar steak with pierogi and vegetables as well as my wife’s halibut were magnificently prepared. Very good craft cocktails and wine offerings topped it all off!! Not sure we understand the mentions of “small portions.” We thought the serving sizes were appropriate for fine dining (and please don’t let the casual digs lead you to believe Riel is anything less than that). Thanks for a great evening, Riel!!

Great neighborhood restaurant. Very good menu with good selection of vegetarian options. Fantastic cocktail and mocktail selections. Good service and good food.

Amazing! I can’t express how impressed I am with Riel. From service to food execution- suburb! I let the staff pick our meal and I can’t complain on any dishes served. I can only praise their style and menu selection. Oysters- amazing! Corn gnocchi - deliciously unique! Tomato burrata- flavor packed! Signature hanger steak w/ pirogies - classic favorite with a welcomed twist! The staff was on point and so attentive! You don’t really find that kind of service AND food execution at an establishment in houston without paying the price - literally. Nick Nguyen - the GM was absolutely friendly and helpful in our course selection! Can’t wait to see their fall/autumn menu!

I am a barbell reviewer. Only review when things are really good and really not so good. Unfortunately, Reil falls in the later. I say unfortunately, because I live in the neighborhood and want it to succeed. And it may, but not with my patronage any longer. Food is fine (not remarkable for its price point). However, it’s service is dreadful. Seated more than 30 minutes after our reservation without a simple “sorry for the delay”, we were glared at as we finished our desserts past their closing time. Maybe an off night for the waitress or staff, but when my friend wrote a note directly to the restaurant expressing his displeasure, they did not respond. Perhaps a little social media shaming may help.

Great place with a vibrant atmosphere. However, the space is relatively small and when there are big groups, the noise becomes intense. Regarding the food, we opted to get several mini plates. There are several to choose. The four we did were great. We will go back to try more of their culinary!

We had been hearing about this place for a while, so we tried it this past week. Smallish dining room, though nicely appointed. (Did this used to be a laundry?) At our server's suggestion, we split our order family-style: mushroom empanadas and Gem wedge to start, then hanger steak and gulf coast shrimp pasta. All were excellent, though the chili butter in the pasta was a bit overpowering. Service was cordial and informative. we will be back.

Happy hour is well stocked with bar bites. Crawfish stuffed bread and sauted Aligator were tasty. On the main menu, they have realy good 44 farms meat which is grass fed and antibiotic free.

If you're looking for an exceptional dining experience in Houston, look no further than Riel! Ryan, the owner, is one of the best chefs in Houston. This place deserves a solid 5-star rating for its innovative menu, impeccable service, and warm ambiance. The pierogies are an absolute must-try—handmade, perfectly crispy on the outside, and filled with a deliciously flavorful mix that will leave you craving more. Every dish is thoughtfully crafted, showcasing both bold and refined flavors. The attention to detail and dedication to quality is evident in every bite. Whether you're a foodie or just someone looking for a memorable meal, Riel is hands down one of the best restaurants you'll ever experience. Highly recommend.

I had been waiting for Riel to open for quite a while & finally got in this past weekend. Since this was our 1st visit, our table decided to try quite a few things on the menu (especially since everything is a table share dish). We ordered the Borscht to start. My friend from Moscow indicated it was a little different from Russian Borscht since Riel's soupy. Although a little different, she really loved it. We then moved on to our 2nd dish, the Texas Blue Crab (fantastic but small for 4 people to split -- basically a bite each). Our 3rd dish was the Pork Tonkatsu (absolutely amazing -- I could have ordered like 3 plates.) Our 4th dish was the Hangar Steak & Pierogis (fantastic Pierogis that reminded me of trips to the Ukraine & Poland). Our 5th dish was the Duck Breast (some of the bets duck I have ever had). We then finished up having both desserts. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was heavenly. I will go back and have this dessert again! The Strawberry Tart was also great and the strawberries were so fresh. We gave both desserts a double thumbs up. The atmosphere and staff are great; our waiter was very prompt and attentive; the only thing I can say could use some improvement is better noise proofing. The more people that got there, the louder and more difficult to hear each other it became.

Food is sublime. We had wedge, cauliflower, rice and snapper - all spectacular. Service was perfect. Space is cute. This place Rocks!!!! Run there now!

My son and daughter in law treated us to dinner for my birthday! The service was absolutely delightful and friendly. More importantly the food was delicious! We had a wide array of dishes between the 4 of us. Shrimp, catch of the day (red snapper), pork belly and grilled eggplant. We also had cold appetizer of Moscow oysters (YUM), fried rice (literally), wedge salad, perfect cocktails and great wine selection. All prepared to perfection and presentation was very eye appealing! It will be a must go to when we return to Houston!

This place is a must visit for dinner or just drinks. The menu has a variety of options and all are delicious. Loved the oysters and the cavier dishes. Ask about the cavier with vodka shooter - amazing experience. Every dish we had was better then the one before. The team of staff from the valet to the waitress to the chefs - an amazing group and love what they do! Location is great and ambience is perfect. A must to experience for a night out.

This was our first visit to Riel. It had been recommended by friends. We knew what to expect and how to order. We were greeted promptly and taken immediately to our table. Our waitress , Heather, was excellent. She was patient, she was prompt, and she provided excellent service. We appreciated the freshly pressed linen napkins, our glasses were always full, and we received new plates and utensils, between entrees. We ordered fried oysters, shishito pepers, cauliflower, fish and fried rice. My favorite two were the fried oysters and shishito peppers. The fried rice was not what I expected...must be an acquired taste, and something I wouldn't order again. The venue was lively, noisy and not intimate. It was hard to carry on a conversation, without raising your voice.

This was a great adventure for us! We loved tasting all the dishes we ordered, which was, by the way, almost every item on the menu. There were six of us, and we each were able to sample each item we ordered. With several items including the bone-in ribeye, we had several yummy bites. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu, and she was able to bring a wonderful parade of food out to us. We did not have any dishes that we did not enjoy, but we did enjoy a few more than the others. We especially liked the steak and the truffle & caviar pierogies. Each week the menu changes based on what fresh ingredients are available, so be sure to check the website for what will be your choices should you choose to dine here. Yes, this restaurant is on the pricey side, but we expected that. And, with this type of menu, you do not get an abundance of food. This is not a place we would visit frequently, but it was a great location for our celebration. Like another reviewer has said, this place is very noisy, and this is my biggest criticism. We felt like we were constantly raising our voices to be heard around the table. If you are up for that part, then I say give it a try.

We like neighborhood restaurant like Riel. Ample parking in the back. The restaurant is bright and casual. The menu is very limited that day. It could be a Sunday brunch menu with limited choices. We had no idea what to expect. My order was a spring green salad and I added an extra order of lumps of crab meats and fried oysters. It came as a wedge salad with blue cheese dressings with lumps of crab meats and fried oysters. If I didn't order the extras I am not sure what would be on it other than wedges of lettuce. I suggested to add something sweet to balance the strong blue cheese dressing with either candied figs or lemon rinds or cranberries. Beautifully served, but not enough substance for the price. It feels like they are still experimenting with the menus. My impression is that they are still experimenting with their menus.

This was a disappointing dinner experience. Our party of four had a reservation for Saturday night and had to wait 40 minutes for our table. Granted the restaurant was crowded but this set off a poor impression. The noise level was extreme, and one could not carry on a pleasant table conversation, in particular without the feeling that one had to almost yell to be heard. It took some time for our appetizers to arrive, and one never arrived, even after I brought this to the waiters attention. One dish, the steak, had to be sent back because it was extremely raw. The food that we did receive was average to good. The oysters were excellent but then they required no preparation. The waiter was probably doing his best, but I suspect that with the full crowd , the restaurant was probably understaffed. My wife had a glass of an Italian red which was terrible. The wine list was not too extensive, but the prices seemed to be very expensive. We did not order a bottle. The hostess was pleasant and did her best to be hospitable. Unfortunately, all members of our party felt that this was an unpleasant dining experience. The consensus was that we would not return.

We wanted to visit this restaurant since we knew the landlord who had raved about it, and we saw it was on the Chronicle's top 100 list. We ordered two appetizers (Corn Gnocchi and Tempura Cauliflower which was a bit overly spicey) which were both very good, and wine/drinks. My wife wanted bread and we had to order the Bannock: strange that they do NOT offer any other bread, but the Bannock was magnificent with the butter and bacon jam. Being from a Ukrainian background I wanted to try the perogies, and they were most excellent: next time I will order more! With all that we ate, we did not need a main course. The wine list is very good (The Fableist Cab) and the Old-Fashioned drink was also very, very good....I had two! Service started out slow, but our waiter was taking care of a large table at the start: after our first service he was very attentive and made the evening very pleasant. We will definitely go back and perhaps sit at the bar, or the counter overlooking the kitchen. The noise level was quite high, almost too loud to carry out a conversation across the big tables....that was the only drawback. The crowd was very well dressed. Overall a very good evening and we will be back.

The food is delicious here: inventive, flavorful and fun. What surprised me on this, our second visit, was the level of attentive service and warm hospitality. To borrow the Louisiana term "lagniappe," there was just "a little bit extra" all the way around. We were greeted enthusiastically when we arrived, the bartender had us try a few of her favorite gins when expressed interest, our drinks were comped when our table wasn't ready, the manager slipped me a little container of their fabulous cultured butter when I swooned over it.... All of these little extras elevated our experience beyond a nice meal out. Highly recommend.

Came in because someone recommended this place.... they have a small Seasonal menu.... I tried the salad and the calaflower... It's was good but the salad had no flavor... the problem was not the food but the bartenders. There was 2 women and one guy working the bar ... was trying to have a conversation with them... the one women was nice at first and then the conversation turned into her challenging everything I said and she was very demeaning I was so put off by here and here actions... I then just asked for the check and left. Maybe she was just having a bad day but this really tell you about the place and who they hire to represent the restaurant..... I will never go back to this place again.

Our family visited Riel last Friday night and honestly had one of the best restaurant experiences ever! Although only open less than a week, the food and service were second to none. A combination of Ukrainian, French Canadian and Gulf influenced cuisine set it apart from all others. Small plates are mixed with large plates for sharing or not. The beet borscht, brick chicken, gulf fish, and hanger steak with pierogies were simply perfection. The food quality and type of dishes created by its chef, Ryan Lachaine, and the way they are artfully and tastefully presented, certainly leaves it to compete with the best restaurants in Houston. The cocktail selection is highlighted by a number of Canadian influenced concoctions mixed with some good old Texas libations. If you can get a table it's well worth the experience !

Party of 4. First visit after seeing even national press kudos. Nice space. Tables not on top of each other. You can talk! Great service. Veg focused; think Theodore Rex without a long wait of reservations.Similar very limited menus. Now to the food: We started with 3 different cocktails. Nothing special ($11, $13). We then shared squash, burrata salad, barrock, fried rice (came out cold), eggplant, and perogies, and dessert ("Bee's Knees"). Dessert was the best dish of the night. Some dishes were loved by some. As in the title - "mixed" reviews. Some of us would not gp back' two would. Wine list adequate but on the pricey side (few offerings under $60). Damages with tip was $295.

Fantastic food, cocktails, and service. Duck entree was amazing! Easy parking, great atmosphere. Will definitely add the one to the rotation!

We, 5 of us, went and totally enjoyed everything we had here. Service was great, friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. I read lots of reviews and they were spot on - grouper was great, duck was great, meat plate was good, trout was excellent, watermelon salad was very good and interesting, oysters were also great! Desserts, bread pudding was excellent, the one with the ice cream we didn't love so much, little too much ginger. We will go again, cute, quaint, cozy, reasonable prices too! Hopefully it will be cooler inside, we were warm through most of our visit.

I would rather write raving review but sadly It was utterly disappointing and disgusting food. (ordered for take away) The hamburgers were inedible - soggy, greasy and with burned bread. The fish filet sandwich - the patty has maybe 20% minced fish there and all you taste is fillers and deep fried breading plus cheese everywhere. I do not fast food chain food but honestly fillet-o-fish from McD tastes better and has more fish plus its cheaper. The poutine fries - where should I start: soggy, triple salted and so overpriced. You pay 7$ more than for regular fries and it is for some miserable gravy and literally 6(six) cheese curds that have been nuked to oblivion and no longer even taste as curds.. Everything is overpriced. I won't be returning ever based on selection of foods we tried. Maybe indoor dining offers better quality and taste but I m not planning on spending any more money there.

The food was fantastic. It was an inventive intersection of flavors that resulted in a celebration of tastes! Go for this innovative menu. Our waitress was perfect. Attentive, friendly, efficient and accommodating! But, the inebriated hostess was intrusive. She seemed to think she was part of our party and not the restaurant staff. So sorry - her behavior ruined our experience. Otherwise a 5. Had to knock off a star for her behavior. Go for the food!

We went to the restaurant the first Friday after their opening. I was excited to try this new place since I have been to Underbelly and Reef before and I love the food there. This restaurant did not disappoint. The menu has been carefully curated and while the portions are very small overall, the quality of the ingredients was superb. There was nothing we tried that we didn't like. The carrot starter was fantastic and had a very original touch to it, all the ingredients mix really great and I would definitely recommend it. The crudo portion is small, although we dont know if thats the original portion since in our case it was more of an amouse bouche kinda since our mains were taking too long. The fish was fresh and tasty and the citrus made for a great taste with the fish. For mains we ordered the meat pie (tourtiere) and the hanger steak. The steak was cooked to perfection, juicy and tender. The meat pie was the main surprise though, since we were not sure what to expect. The presentation is original and the flavours were great. I actually enjoyed it more than I did the steak.. and the stake was really good! I am not giving them a perfect score because the food took a bit long, although this is to be expected as they have been only open for a couple of days. I must say that the service was on par with the food. Everyone was extremely nice and they even offered us courtesy hot drinks because it was freezing outside. This can be one of the best restaurants in town for sure.

Great spot for a business gathering in the Riel bar area. Happy hour drink and apps menu is substantial and very tasty. Bar and hostess service is excellent. Riel is embedded in the busy Montrose area, but they have managed to carve out good parking.

This is a really cool little spot. Their menu is all farm to table fresh ingredients so it rotates. The options were not overwhelming and everything we tried was very good. I especially liked the Down South cocktail and the Old Fashioned.

Pork jowl plate was amazing! Staff very attentive and aiming to please. Ham beignets amazing for brunch.

Service is good and presentation of dishes is very good. Some of the dishes fell slightly short of my expectations and some portions should have been larger.

Really a tapas or shareable style on first half of menu. We arrived close opening time. Music started a little loud but toned it down as placed filled. The smaller plate Crab salad and tempura cauliflower were excellent. The duck was perfect. Crusted spice on wahoo was nicely done. Fish filet was cooked to doneness of thick portion which was perfect while thin was a little over done. On a second visit, we ordered the fried rice which was very good. Place rates a wow.

The restaurant begins with a traditional American menu with something for everyone, containing interesting twists often inspired by the Eastern Europe. The menu has an interesting cocktail menu. We had a four course meal dor Houston Restaurant Weeks with pairings for $80 each ($55 meal and $35 each course). Friendly service. The only negative is was that the AC was not working in the restrooms.

Review with HRW week: My husband and our friends made a reservation for Riel because we had heard that the food and the ambiance was really nice. The hostess greeted us with a smile and escorted us to our table when it was ready. Our server was decent. We just wish he was more attentive. Food: -Tempura Cauliflower (3.5/5): It came out sizzling hot and it was tasted decent. [HRW item] -Bone Marrow (4/5): The bone marrow was delicious! It was probably one of the most appetizing and tastiest bone marrow I’ve tried. It just melted in my mouth. -Truffle and caviar pierogies (4/5): Yummy! These were delicious! -Hanger Steak (2/5): We all asked for our steak to be cooked medium and it came out medium well. Our waiter took a long time to come back so we didn’t bother telling him about it. [HRW dessert] We ordered all of the HRW desserts: Sticky Toffee Pudding, Bee’s Knees, and the Jerk. In my opinion they all tasted mediocre. We had a good time. The menu items have a variety of different things to choose from.

The food and the service here are great. It’s in our Montrose neighborhood where the restaurants are generally very good. I would go by yourself, however. We came early hoping we would be able to hear each other. That was not the case. Granted I have a little bit of hearing loss. But I tried two different hearing aids and still only got about half of the conversation even though My ear was only a foot away from the other speakers’ mouths. However, if you have boring friends with good appetites, have at it!

My wife and I went for date night and had a pretty good experience but it is really hard for me to recommend it. I'll try and explain. First, the restaurant is lively and we expected it to be so; however, because of all the hard surfaces, and we had a super loud party near us, it was pretty difficult to talk. Not a deal breaker by any means but something of which to be aware. Our server was great;very attentive but not over bearing. When we told him what we wanted (heavy apps, splitting a main) he recommended how to bring that out and it was perfect. And he also provided us with a complimentary dessert when the one we ordered originally was delayed in coming out. The food was good to very good, bordering on extremely good. The duck was great, the mushroom risotto was good but could have used some salt (I like salt though, so well take that with a grain of salt- excuse the pun). The crudite was flavorful and we had the meat board that was a cross between bacon and proscuitto and was very nice. And we ended up getting all three dessert options (don't judge) once we received the comp dessert. I recommend the sticky toffee pudding but all three were good (Nanaimo cake was heavy on coconut- I love but not all do) The biggest reason why I have a hard time recommending this place is the value equation. The prices were not cheap, verging on pricey, and the portions were TINY. Overall, while I really enjoyed the meal, I do not think I will return simply because I can get a much bigger bang for my buck at many restaurants in Houston. That is obviously an opinion which is why I wanted to give the restaurant kudos where deserved for good food/great service but have to downgrade it for the value. Cheers.

Went to Riel for the first time with friends. The appetizers were AMAZING... then the 4 of us shares the 44oz bone in Ribeye and Perogi. Soooo good.

This relatively small restaurant, located in a Montrose-area strip mall offers an eclectic selection of well-prepared and nicely presented dishes. Small plates abound, and the few main dishes are lovely. The dining area is concrete and cement, resulting in a very noisy environment, with echoes hitting your form all sides. On a small table for two, we had a very hard time maintaining a conversation. The selection of dishes was quite attractive and different from most other Houston restaurants. The Mushroom empanadas were outstanding, and with two or three orders of them, it would be a full meal! The stuffed cabbage was very good, with the filling well prepared and seasoned. I was less enthused about the tomato-based sweet sauce that covered it. It detracted from the cabbage roll. The Tempura cauliflower received mixed reviews. The actual florets were tender, juicy and slightly battered and deep fried. The kimchi hot sauce was tasty and delightful, but pouring it over the fried cauliflower made the florets mushy and destroyed the point of deep frying them. The sauce should be served on the side or omitted completely. The red snapper was perfectly prepared and delicious, as was the bone-in short rib. There was little room for dessert, and the three selections offered were easy to skip. The wines by the glass were excellent and well-priced. Bar service was a bit slow, while our table service was excellent, attentive and helpful.

We have this a try recently after recommendations from friends and it did not disappoint. Very intimate & cozy, food was outstanding, service was great!

Mixture of tapas style and mains that worked really well in a group meal. The food was delicious and fab service too. Apparently a new restaurant but absolutely fantastic!

Yesterday we went to Riel with good friends for dinner, FANTASTIC. We had a semi early reservation and it was not too crowded when we were seated. The cocktails were expertly crafted. We had a Chef’s tasting of many special menu items. The chef surprised us with every course and everything was delicious! The service was absolutely amazing. Our servers Ella and Dante were so good. They made sure we were very well taken of and we never had to ask for anything.

We had the amost amazing time at Riel. It's a gem of a restaurant featuring eastern european and modern american food, with a cool ambiance. We started our valentine's off with a nebbiolo and a mixed drink called the "borcht sour," a drink inspired by the dish. Because our table took longer to become available than expected the manager comped our drinks! Amazing service. The dishes are fairly small, so we started with a order of the oysters, which were sourced from alabama and immaculately garnished with some type of pickled vegetable. We followed that with the Borcht [a must] and an order of the roasted carrots with a cardamom-like butter. Both were stunning. For our mains, we had a order of the duck confit agnolottti [check spelling] and the tourtiere. The duck was a felicate, dumpling like pasta stuffed with duck confit and topped with fried sage and finished with a beautiful broth. The tourtiete was more hearty [think of canadian pot pie] and felt like a warm hug. Our dessert, after all this, was likely the highlight of the night. It was a sticky toffee pudding topped with foie gras torchon marinated in wine, frozen, and grated on to, with blood toffee sauce which had an amazing finish. Service was stellar, and the food exceeded all expectations.

It’s a nice and cute little restaurant. The people very friendly, but the have between 15-20 tables and only 2 waitresses and one boss boy. These poor waitresses tried to do their best but it just imposible. Drinks take forever, food came out wrong, all súper slow. But the food was pretty good!! I know it’s fairly new and maybe they are just getting to know their flow of clientele so I’m willing to give it another try. You can try it too!! The food is pretty good and very original.

Riel Lame - I was really looking forward to trying this place after finally getting a reservation. Arriving promptly at 8p for my reservation, was told it would be just a few minutes. We waited at the bar. 15 min later I went to ask the hostess the status, because none of the tables had food on them. She said just another few minutes. At 8:35, decided that it was too long to wait, I let her know we were leaving. She seemed surprised, and asked if anyone (or. The Manager) came over to offer a drink or appetizer. Nothing. Before we left, the Manager came over to simply give me his card and said hope you'll try us another time. Boy, I really felt his empathy- Not. Some hints - if you know something isn't going smoothly or as planned, own it and don't hide. Find something to make it better so customers feel valued and appreciated.

Is there a 4 1/2 rating? There ought to be. I really struggled with this review because this is the kind of dining that I love and I want the Chef and owners to succeed. We’ll stick with them as they adapt because we loved the place. Everything is done so well that it really hurts me not to give the full 5 star rating. But I have to be honest with my reviews and Riel was a fabulous experience, falling just short of my highest ratings - and I HATE to do it. Regardless, I loved the place! Please stick with me - I’ll explain what makes Riel so wonderful in a minute but what held me back from the full rating was the mainly the Hanger Steak. It was cooked perfectly and came with delicious potato and cheese pirogues, a swipe of horseradish cream sauce, grilled onions and green beans. It was slightly over salted and it was a bit tough. For the price, it should have been perfect. It almost was but fell slightly short of a fabulous dish. Now for the good news! This restaurant is EVERYTHING that I want a new restaurant to be. Upscale casual, roomy, chic, excellent service, exciting culinary creations and savory discoveries. Riel was all of that. Matt, our server was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and how each item was prepared. You have to be a true foodie to describe each dish as well as he did. Kudo’s to training the staff!! It is appreciated! Service: 5 Stars! I stared with one of their crafted cocktails - the Yoda-Lei made up of Rum, Manzanilla Sherry, Pistachio, Lemon, Tiki Bitters $11. Uh-maz-ing! We shared additional dishes. each time getting new plates and tableware: Burrata (blended cheeses) with heirloom and specialty Tomato, Pea Shoots, Grilled Peach, Lemon Olive Oil - to die for ! ; White Fish Crudo ( not the right name but sushi style white fish, creams, sweet vinegar, radish, razor thin pickle, blood orange, etc) - beautifully presented but this dish fell short of wowing us, too. We shared all three plates and overall were quite satisfied. We were handed a gourmet popsicle on our way out which was the perfect dessert - light and equally full flavored. I’d like to see that main entré improved and I’ll be happy to update this review. We sincerely loved Riel. We were most impressed with our waiter and his superb knowledge and attention to service. The presentation and creativity of each dish was over the top wonderful. The atmosphere and ambient music/noise level was perfect. The drinks, plates and menu choices were superb. We will definitely return and look forward to a changing seasonal food choices and exciting new discoveries. Keep it up. We love what you’re doing!

Riel is a new concept for Houston, combining Canadian and Ukrainian food ancestry and a modern, clean dining area. We arrived having made a reservation in error, but the restaurant was able to accommodate us. The menu of the day (apparently it changes with great frequency) included a number of unusual dishes. We started with the Tempura Cauliflower and Kimchi sauce. Each individually was excellent. However, I thought the sauce fought the cauliflower, so I wasn't a fan. The Snapper crudo was outstanding: delicate, fresh, with just a touch of fennel and taste of citrus, highlighting the flavor of the fish. The Grouper with Ham Brodo and Crowder peas was excellent. The fish flaked perfectly and was as delicate as one could hope for. The Tourtiere was a very good meat pie, packed with meat and flavors of mustard and a touch of pickled cauliflower. The desserts were weak, or at least not to our taste. The Nanaimo cake was pasty, dull and forgettable, The Sticky Toffee Pudding was similarly uninteresting and as far from delicate as thick, heavy desserts can be. The wine list deserves a comment and praise. It brings together a very attractive list of unusual but good quality (and nicely priced) wines from all four corners. Riel is a great addition to our culinary choices. We hope it prospers.

The food is amazing, the drinks are even more amazing, the staff is very friendly and attentive, and to have all of this in a small neighborhood restaurant, it feels like Houston is finally doing things the right way.

Having just moved to Houston, and unfamiliar with its lack of zoning laws, I was surprised to stumble upon Riel (Ree-ELL) while walking around my neighborhood: a squat, posh-looking rectangle, polite and unpretentious among the neighboring houses, but unable to hide an incredible aroma emanating from inside. Charmed, I vowed to visit despite a menu heavily skewed toward meat and fish. If nothing else, it promised pierogies. Inside, Riel is far less staid and minimalistic than it appears. With its low ceilings and hodgepodge of edgy art—countless bumper stickers frame the kitchen and graffitied posters of historical figures dot the walls—it feels like a secret hideout in a metro station. The interesting but disjointed aesthetic mirrors the history of its creator, Chef Ryan Lachaine, whose meandering trajectory led him from Montreal to Los Angeles to New Orleans to Houston, from the ice of the professional hockey rink to the fires of the fine-dining kitchen. The same unbounded spirit is also apparent in the melting pot of a menu. Gulf specialties like oysters ($16) and crawfish ($18) ride alongside spicy corn gnocchi ($19), kimchi carbonara ($30), and a “caviar service” (market price). Online, some patrons found the lack of theme disorienting. Others—including my Eastern European parents—called the food not merely eclectic, but inauthentic, and I think they’re right. Compared to traditional versions, Chef Lachaine’s pierogi dough (the recipe is published online) contains far more fat in the form of sour cream, resulting in a soft, melty skin with a faint lactic sweetness. These dumplings are decidedly more delicate than the chewier and hardier wild-type I grew up with. But its website stubbornly defends Riel’s “room for interpretation,” and, at risk of heresy, I rather prefer the variation to the theme. I only tried a bite of Pierogi 2.0 and its accompanying horseradish cream—thin, buttery, with just enough of a nip to be moreish—but I found it wonderful. I want to go back and order my own. Besides the potato-and-cheddar pierogis ($12; truffle with caviar are $26), we ordered the tempura cauliflower ($16), which is in some ways impressive (a whole head’s worth of florets!, coated lightly and carefully instead of being engulfed into formless breaded blobs) but otherwise unspectacular (the “kimchi” hot sauce is indistinguishable from Tabasco). I was pleased to find the Old Cuban ($14), a fancier and more finicky cousin of the Mojito, among the restaurant’s small but relatively unusual classic cocktails list. It’s well-balanced and presented prettily with a sprinkling of micro-minced mint. My fiancé reports that the pan-seared duck breast ($21) with its accompaniment of crispy rice is “exquisite,” though it might be better served with the commoner plum sauce rather than Dijon. Unfortunately, the portion is almost comically undersized for an entree. My favorite two dishes by far were dark horses. First, the wedge salad ($17). The success or failure of a simple dish like this hinges on ingredient quality and balance. Riel’s is the platonic ideal: pert tufts of gem lettuce, ruffly as Viennetta, cradle a drinkable buttermilk dressing and crumbles of best blue cheese I’ve ever had—bold but not domineering, crumbled to the optimum size. Framed with a bouquet of juicy two-toned tomatoes, lined with a trail of festive breadcrumbs, and finished delicately with overlapping onion rings, it’s a rainbow on a plate, assembled and presented with care. Even without the bacon, this feels like a celebratory main course. Second—and you must take this with a grain of salt, because my tolerance for heavy sweets is unbounded—the chocolate peanut butter “mousse” ($12), which is not at all the light and airy thing you’d expect. Once, I made a half-recipe of cake, but realized too late that I’d halved everything except the butter (oops). The result was thick and fudgy and dense as a brick, but absolutely delicious. I hadn’t thought of it in years, but this mousse reminded me of that cake. With a subtle nuttiness and a crumbly texture somewhere between ganache and ice cream, it’s more rich than sweet. The whole thing is set on a silty chocolate cookie base, drizzled with chocolate and rockpiled with pralined peanuts and a boozy whipped cream that I’d order a bowlful of, were it on the menu. You could certainly share this mousse-cake. Or you could visit Riel solo on a weekday when it’s not too busy, order the mousse, scrape little slivers of it like butter from a brick, and savor it dreamily over the course of an hour. (Bonus if you bring along an indulgent novel.) …If, however, this doesn’t sound like your thing, I’m told you should try the sticky toffee pudding ($12). As our mindful waitress clarified for us, it’s not vegetarian-friendly; pig blood (!?!) adds richness and viscosity to the toffee sauce, and the cake is topped with foie gras (?!?). Evidently, it’s delicious, and you should not be afraid. So despite its unapologetic unconventionality, Riel offers serious fine food that ranges from pretty good to outstanding. It definitely gravitates toward richness rather than highlighting raw flavors, but not to hide poor ingredients or technique. Given Houston’s huge restaurant scene, I seldom want to revisit a place, let alone reorder the same dishes, but I’d love another round of pierogis, salad, and/or chocolate mousse. The service is also professional; our waitress was present without being intrusive, and also exceptionally poised and observant, immediately informing us of the vegetarian food they’d run out of and even offering an off-menu alternative. You should NOT visit if you prefer a more traditionally polished fine dining experience in either ambiance or menu, or have conservative tastes. Also steer clear to avoid the mandatory “food-arrives-when-it’s-ready” blight that makes it so hard to dine in a group with mixed preferences—more so because dishes vary wildly in size. Otherwise, loosen your expectations (and your belt buckle) and give it a visit. Just be sure to leave some mousse for me.

Ate here after getting notice about new restaurants in Houston. It is located in an old tea house in Montrose area. The insides is modern with concrete floors, functional tables and view of the kitchen. Very noisy because of this. The place was very busy but we were seated right away. The food was very good. We had a variety of appetizers and the hangar steak. All were very tasty. They had a good wine list with lots of variety. The service was outstanding. Our wait staff was on top of things and offered good suggestions. However, given the ambience of the restaurant, we think it is over priced for the overall experience. I would return, but my wife said not mas.

This was a small unassuming place on Fairview, that I had passed by without noticing! A friend suggested we meet here, and what a great find it was, we'll definitely be back! The menu has sharing plates, small and large. At the bottom end is a tomahawk rib-eye, which looks superb, but we guessed it would be too much for a summer's night! We'll be back in December as it looked superb. We had 5 plates for sharing - salad, soft shell crab, cauliflower with kimchi, meat pie, and crudo fish - marinated. All was wonderful. Very tasty, well presented and great service. The wine was a Bordeaux at a very reasonable price, so much so we had 2 bottles! Great atmosphere, great style, great cuisine and good value. We'll be back!

Has a lovely atmosphere and welcoming staff. Staff and sommelier are knowledgeable, attentive and helpful, and the restaurant has a good range of gluten free options. Hanger steak, cauliflower (tempura style... battered with rice flour) and borscht were favorites. Have already gone back a second time.

Service and atmosphere were excellent and the food while really good and creative just did not seem to overwhelm. Houston is at that point where so many restaurants have set the bar for food really high. The bar is small and the few seats were taken by diners - if you planning to have a drink cocktail before dinner be prepared to stand. The menu is limited and the portions for the price were too small. We ordered the Texas Blue Crab (ok, kind of like a crab salad), Montreal Smoked Meat (ok, 3 thin pieces of brisket on a plate with mustard), Tourtiere (good, it's a meat pie), and the Hanger Steak (really good).

Not only was the service on point - attentive and knowledgeable but the recommendations made we fantastic! We had the beef tartare, bannock, cauliflower and gnocchi along with each of the desserts. If I had to pick a favourite it would be the tartare but it was all very flavour packed and presented beautifully. I’d certainly recommend Riel without hesitation ... I only wish it was also up in Canada (where I am from). Thank you to the Riel team for a great dinner!

Creativity and Quality are king! Riel is creative and innovative, offering a unique menu full of dishes you just can't get anywhere else in Houston. Be sure to make reservations as the restaurant itself is quite small, especially on the weekend. For starters, get the carrots - they were tender, flavorful and unlike any other carrot dish I've ever had. I know that ordering carrots as an appetizer sounds like it may be boring, but these carrots were so delicious, they definitely deserve their spot on the menu. The flash fried kimchi cauliflower was also a special treat. One order of each was more than enough to satisfy four hungry adults. For entrees we had the fish special and the duck, and our table agreed that the duck was outstanding, but the peas served as a side with the fish were amazing! I don't know how they were prepared, but we could not get enough. The fish was of course, perfectly prepared, but like the appetizers, we were impressed with how good the sides were - Riel really knows how to make every ingredient of a great dish shine! Service was great, and I'm sure will only get better as this restaurant continues to flourish. I would love to give this restaurant five stars, and it's almost there...would just like to see more seasonal ingredients on the dessert menu, and a bigger variety of main dishes to choose from. Cheers!

Went with a friend and had a late dinner. The space is intimate and muted with an open kitchen. The food and service are both spot on. The cocktails were at the high end, but well wothit. The dessert was amazing: a chocolate toffee pudding with shaved foie gras.... Can't wait to go back

I live close to this internationally famous restaurant. With a Canadian Chef Owner, and excellent bartenders. Food is trendy, American and Canadian fare. Excellent quality. Happy Hour from 5-7 pm. Only open for dinner and special events Closed on Sundays. I love having an upscale drink in a nice environment. Not much vegetarian food, but they make an effort for those who don't eat meat. Good fish, good steaks (according to friends) and unique sauces. They take good care of their customers.

Tempura Cauliflower, supposedly a signature dish, was a revolting deep fried mystery substance no one at the table could eat. The blue crab was probably made for people that hate crab. It was drowned in a bad sweet and salty sauce and covered in a pile of bacon, so no discernible taste of crab was left. The oysters could have been unremarkable, but the sauce they were covered with ensured all dishes we ordered were well below mediocre. The cocktails were decent, so maybe we should have sticked to that. The service was prompt, but the style felt more truck stop diner than nice restaurant. Even the restaurant layout was below par. The inside space is narrow, and one of the long walls is all glass, pressing right against the valet parking. That ensured that all tables are guaranteed to have an unobstructed closeup view to cars getting parked. Which might not be a bad idea, if if this can distract you from the terrible food being served.

The menu is fairly limited, particularly in terms of entrees, and it seems like a disproportionate number of dishes contain pig products (one even had a bacon/tomato sauce. But the dishes we ordered were good. The mushroom empanada, although the filling was a bit watery, had a nice taste. My snapper was fresh and light and my partner's eggplant dish was also nice. We'd return, but probably not in a hurry.

The Borscht is good but not normal. Not normal in the sense of The Russian Tea Room. No sour cream for example. Different I thought but still quite tasty. I had the Hanger Steak or butcher's cut as it is sometimes known. It was excellent, though not as hot as you might want it, but very good. My friend ordered the short ribs and we shared a bit of each. She seemed to think she "out ordered" me. It was close but she may be correct only because of the serving temperature. Drinks are ample, service was super and overall a very good evening. Nice atmosphere, though I suggest you get a table at the opposite side of the restaurant from the bar area. When the restaurant is full it is quite loud and being in the middle would not lend to good conversation.

Great dinner in Montrose. Met some friends for dinner. The portions are on the small side but delicious. I had the pirogies and wedge salad to start. Enter was crawfish pasta dish that was fantastic. It was quiet and spread out. Off the beaten path but worth searching it out.

I've been numerous times to Riel by now, and I'd like to share my experience. The restaurant claims modern American cuisine influenced by the Texas Gulf Coast. What is really amazing is also the Asian and Canadian influences in some of the dishes. I love the sticky toffee pudding with shave foie gras, just make sure you keep room for it. The cauliflower and carrot dishes are so unique and different from anything I have had before, I think Riel is defining a new kind of cuisine and flavor profile. I can't help but want to come back.

Staying in montrose neighborhood and went here for husbands birthday. Hip vibe, small but diverse and interesting menu. We got three small plates to share—pierogis, corn gnocchi and the tomato salad. All outstanding but the gnocchi is a knockout! We split the entree which was a kimchi carbonara. It was delicious but I’m glad it wasn’t a solo entrée as I would not have wanted to just eat that without the sides beforehand. Dessert was bees knees which I highly recommend. Wait staff was delightful as well.

Our server was slow to come to the table, slow to replace sharing plates and silverware, slow to offer drinks. The busser was way more attentive! And not for nothin' the female waitress behind us approached her table VERY differently than we were greeted - she was warm and friendly, asked if there were any allergies she should be aware of. We pretty much got "Hi, welcome can I get you something to drink?" We tried many different dishes: Fried Cauliflower (excellent!), Blue Crab (meh), Oysters (good, the Granita was nothing special), Smoke Meats (very good but was not smoked), Grouper (very good, loved the sauce). Overall I would say the food is very good. We will visit again!

Portions were small for price point. Some items, (pierogi, mushroom empanadas, and shrimp pasta) were on point. Others, shishito peppers, pork tenderloin and oysters not so much. Too many ingredients that masked the primary ingredients. Very popular place so reservations were running late and space is small, so got overrun pretty quickly. They were very cool to give us a credit due to our inconvenience. The service was fabulous. Drink menu was awesome, but were small and way overpriced. Lovely atmosphere. Will give it another try.

Interesting drink menu, but the drinks we had were very good. Desserts were delicious as well. What’s the deal with the ‘valet parking’? They block the parking lot and you have to pay someone to drive your car another 10’ to park in a public lot. Houston’s odd passion for creating these ‘valet parking’ lots doesn’t add class or value to the establishment, but it does turn away a number of customers who object to this unnecessary and unwanted service.

We tried this spot for the first time. It has mandatory (complimentary) valet although they have a generous parking lot. Hopefully, once the buzz dies down, they'll rethink that. I'm not a fan of unnecessary valet parking. Also, minor issue, but the valet parking stand is near the side door rather than the main entrance which is a little awkward. We walked through to the host stand. We were greeted promptly and shown to our table. I noticed the bar behind the host stand was full and lively—and quite noisy. With all the hard surfaces, I was concerned the noise level might be deafening, however, we found that the tables are placed far enough apart that it was not an issue. They have a nice cocktail menu with specialty offerings. I tried the Riel martini which was very good and not too sweet. For me, it could have been a bit colder but it was chilled. My partner tried the Mountain Madness which he enjoyed. We ordered a starter: the tempura cauliflower which was outstanding. This is a must try. The portion size is generous enough to share. It's lightly battered in a very delicate coating and deep fried then dressed with Kimchi so a tangy spicy flavor. This one's a winner! We each ordered a glass of wine from the nicely curated wine list. We saw some favorites on the list, but each tried something new. I was very happy with my Syrah from Cohors and my partner enjoyed his Nebbiolo. I ordered the Snapper Crudo. It was beautifully presented. I've had many crudos before but I wasn't jazzed about the flavor of the snapper. Might just be a personal preference. The vegetables were nice and it was very delicately dressed. The portion is small and not really shareable. My partner order the Pork Tonkatsu which he really enjoyed. Generous portion size. I didn't try it so I can't describe it very well. We tried the desserts. He ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding. An unexpected presentation, but he liked it. I tasted it and it was good, but I'm not a big sweet dessert fan. I tried the Strawberry Tart which was excellent—light, delicious, very fresh strawberries and a perfect portion for after dinner. The decor was dark greys, concrete floor, and dark ceiling, with a wall of windows at the front to open up the space. It has a nice feeling inside. Service was good. We will definitely return.

We arrived at 4:50 for a 5pm reservation and were seated early graciously. The waiter was very good. The menu was limited and could have used translation or description. The white wine list was different. I don't like oak barrel fermented wines, malolactic fermentation or Chardonnay so my choices were limited. We ordered the Bannock which was a skillet bread made with bacon grease and green garlic. It came with whipped butter and jam. The skillet was very hot and there was no potholder or towel so I burned my fingers trying to cut a slice. It tasted like liquid smoke and salt. It didn't taste good with the jam but was okay with the butter. I might have liked it if it was made with bacon taste instead of smoke taste. My husband had the redfish kaarage. We have eaten chicken or fish kaarage in Japanese restaurants a lot. The fish was fresh, lightly breaded and fried. It was served with ranch dressing poured on it. I would have expected a dipping sauce of Ponzu or sriracha mayo but not ranch. I wouldn't call it kaarage but it was good. I ordered the tortiere, which is a pork meat pie. It took a long time and arrived in a very hot ceramic bowl. I had difficulty trying to eat this because there was no towel or pot holder.This was much smaller than a Banquet pot pie and contained very tough meat with a lot of gristle and connective tissue. There was no sauce and it tasted like allspice. I only had one bite and could not finish it. Other items on the menu looked interesting. My husband likes chicken but there was no chicken on the menu. I didn't like the loud music with the rap and the Bass.

I camr here for a bday celebration. Former location of a teahouse. The setting is small. The drinks at happy hour are great. The bartender was excellent. Overall, the food was excellent. The menu is a bit eclectic but was wonderful to be shared. Our waitress was just above average. We would have appreciated more attentiveness. One major flaw. Our waitress failed to mention that gratuity was included. The majority of us did not note this since we were having great conversation. Usually at a good restaurant when they see this error they notify you. The waitress did not do so. Highly disappointing and a major flaw for a new customer to the establishment. I have not yet returned. Reservations are recommended.

First, this is another loud restaurant. Second, the service is excellent. The Bannock (bread) is $12, but very good. The Gen Wedge Salad is 3 small wedge lettuce, but needed more dressing, bacon & blue cheese. The Gulf Coast Shrimp looked like alot at first, but once you take the heads off the shrimp you only get 4 aveage size Shrimp for $24. My recommendation would be the Hanger Steak.

This was a great meal with great craft cocktails and a great bottle of wine. Medium sized place, good vibe, next to a neighborhood outside of the downtown area. The appetizers and food were great. They didn't have a gluten free menu, but the waiter ran though each item on the menu to discuss if the item was gluten free or how to make it so. Very knowledgeable and helpful. Had a great grasp of the kitchen and the recipes. This was a great evening. The menus change frequently, so what is on the web site might not be the one presented to you. Don't let that hold you back: great variety, good range of prices, great service.

Last night was our first visit to the new Riel Restaurant. Small restaurant but designed well with windows from floor to ceiling on two walls. Great atmosphere with extremely friendly, happy staff. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the girls making cocktails and ordered a few dishes from the menu. I was glad to see the portion sizes were not typical Texan size, but just enough to fill the spot. Tempura Cauliflower, Barrelfish and Hanger steak are just a few of the eye-catching dishes which are really popular. When you live in Houston with thousands of good restaurants it is not easy to be impressed but Riel is different from the pack and visitors will not be disappointed.

Great new restaurant in Montrose area of Houston. Hand crafted cocktails were spot on! We had the blue crab BLT which was a complete surprise how good and light it was! For our meal, we had the hanger steak with an extra side of pierogies which were to die for. I'm Polish and I've had my share of pierogies handmade from my grandmother and mother and these were fantastic. Great job Riel! We'll be back!

Decided to give Riel another try since our first unpleasant encounter (due to attitude) when they opened in our neighborhood. This visit was more accommodating with the hostess offering a table even though "counter seating" was the only option offered in online reservations. The service was swift with our entire meal - two full entrees, plus drinks - being complete in just over 30 minutes. It seemed a bit rushed, but the portion sizes are so small, that may have been the issue. No bread is served; you may go home hungry. The food was ok, but definitely not worth the price of admission. The valet blocks entry to the large parking lot so you have no choice but use or park in front of neighboring homes.

EXCELLENT dinner! Started with the borscht and tempura cauliflower, followed by the soft shell crab and hanger steak, and polished it off with the sticky toffee pudding. All the dishes were flavorful, crafted with quality ingredients and expert skills. I'd say they know what they're doing with this particular style of cuisine. The only thing I'd say isn't absolutely perfect are the pierogi. They're good, but a little tough for what I'm used to--but it's unfair of me to say that since I'm Polish and my aunt is the head cook at the Polish restaurant in Houston and makes the meanest pierogi!!! We enjoyed several drinks from the bar which were amazing in both presentation and in tasty smoothness. The atmosphere is romantic and cozy with a modern touch. I can't wait to go back and try the entire menu!

Very elegant place and friendly wait staff but that's where the positives end. Will not go back. Nothing was special food-wise.

A great spot. It is expensive, and portions are on the small side, but it is a cool place to go with friends and share different and unusual dishes. The bone marrow was a bit of a letdown, but everything else was very good. The cocktails are very good and fun.

We searched out this new restaurant and stopped in one night. It was very, very good! Sat at the chefs' bar and watched the kitchen action. Hanger steak was delicious and so were the sides. Nice cocktails also.