Yale Street Grill & Gifts Reviews

This is an authentic old soda fountain with bar seats and tables. For lunch, a burger with fries or onion rings is less than $6.00. Very reasonable. For breakfast, their migas are some of the best in town. Ask for the homemade Ranchero sauce. It makes them special, but there is a $2. Up charge.

I really, really love this place, after living in the Heights for a decade. It's unpretentious, but the decor is awesome (lots of photos of old-Hollywood movie stars and singers), and the food is great and inexpensive.

It looked like a great place for an old fashioned grill experience. There is a sign saying seat yourself. After sitting there for 10+ minutes without acknowledgement, a server finally came and brought water and menus. They were “out” of many things we wanted. She didn’t know if they had some things on the menu and had to go check (like a baked potato—which I get in a place that serves dinner, but they close at 4:30 pm). We had a two year old with us and we ordered Mac & cheese for him. We waited for over 30 minutes for our food to come. Has to ask TWICE for our water to be refilled. When the adult food finally came, she said the mac & cheese would be right up. We were almost done eating and asked about the mac & cheese. We watched her go make it from a box at that point and when she brought it out it was soupy and unmixed. We asked if there was a manager we could speak with and she said “he left.” We told her to take the order of the check, it was too late. The food was okay, but not worth the wait and the trouble. I definitely wouldn’t go if you have kids or are on a timeline.

My entire family enjoyed our greasy breakfast here while visiting my son in the Heights. The eggs were prepared in an expert fashion and the grits hit the spot. I'm not sure if my cardiologist would approve this meal, but we all would return to this cozy neighborhood spot.

While out getting my car serviced and inspected. My wife Bonnie and I decided to grab some breakfast and read about this place Yale Street Grill and Gifts. From what we read, this place has been around a long time. It use to be a Drug Store with a lunch counter. It still has the lunch counter but the Pharmacy is long gone. Time for breakfast and we were hungry. Coffee was first on the agenda. After looking over the menu we order our food, Bonnie got two eggs over medium with Rye toast and bacon. I got the two over medium with sausage patties and Rye toast. The eggs were cooked perfectly, a little runny to put your toast in and the bacon and sausage were yum, yum. Best breakfast we both have had it a while. So if you in the Yale Street, Heights area of Houston look this place up. The gift shop wasn’t open so we will be back to check it and another meal out. We liked it and hope you will too!

A Good ol’ American diner with delicious varieties for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I frequent this hidden gem with the hopes it will stay as good as it has always been with the changes going on around it.

This is our second time here with the family. We sat at a table by the door. Very attentive staff, came right away and took the order for the kids and then came back to take the adult orders. Great omelette’s, grits and sandwiches. The hash browns were a bit dry this time with no flavor. The kids also loved their Mac and cheese. Also fun that they are connected to an antique store. Got to take the kids in there while the others finished their dinner. Well worth the stop. Not much to look at on the outside, but inside it is a typical diner.

Yale Street Grill is 95 years old with few if any changes in all of that time. The malt machine is a newer purchase from 1953 and still used daily making up to three milk shakes at a time very well. If you want to experience an authentic step back in time for breakfast or lunch, this is THE place to go. The food is good, the wait staff fast and friendly and the choices almost unlimited. The price is right, too; very inexpensive. Whether you sit at a table, in a booth or on one of the red stools at the bar, you will certainly feel you have stepped back in time.

Me and my wife and kids came in for breakfast. We enjoyed our food. Seems like i did more than my wife. The food was average. It wasn't the best but it also wasn't bad. Family friendly place and ambient was calm. Service wise, I'd give it an average also. You have to sit yourslefs in the desired table, then wait for the waiter to attend you. Only bad thing about that is, sometimes people that walk in after you get served first because no one saw you walk in. As it happened to us. Took them a little long to give us our menu, then throughout our order, items were being forgotten. We would have to ask for them. I would visit again, but not anxious to come back. I would recommend, but not as the best. Only as a good place to go for breakfast.

Everything you could want out of a diner. Fast, affordable and a great selection of cakes and pies for dessert. The attached antique store is very overpriced.

it might be good, it might be okay. i ate here three times during a vacation in the Heights. Breakfast good, except the eggs were underdone from over easy. Had pimento cheese sandwich served on toast with lettuce and tomato. Not the way I learned pimento cheese in SC. Last trip was chicken fried steak, real mashed potatoes, and heavily buttered and spiced corn.

The food is really good and inexpensive. The wait staff is friendly. Had one of the best strawberry shakes I ever had with real strawberries. You step in and its like stepping back in time.

We were a large family group with different tastes for brunch. It was a great place to go to please our crowd. The younger kids love the pancakes with whipped cream and the grown ups had burgers and breakfast. The shop is a step back in time with lots to explore.

Walking into the Yale Street Grill in the Houston Heights was like stepping back in time. The bright red upholstery on the dozen booths, 2 dozen spinning stools at the counter, and chairs at over a dozen tables were clean and well maintained. The 1923 building used to be a pharmacy with a soda fountain counter. An original milkshake machine that makes 5 drinks at a time sat behind the counter. The mocha coffee milkshake made with Blue Bell ice cream was very tempting. Above the counter was a huge chalkboard with the current menu. A nearby wipe-off board listed the specials for the week. The impressive menus have kept up with the times. I found lots of other things I wanted to order like a hazelnut waffle, a spinach/mushroom omelet, or a pork chop with hash browns and eggs; but, I had already eaten breakfast. I spied an exquisite looking coconut cream pie in the glass case behind the counter. The rich taste was equal to the beauty of the pie topped with toasted coconut. The crust was cookie-like, but not too sweet. The pie was taller than my index finger. I’d give the pie an A+. I ordered Community House Coffee which I always love. It was brewed dark, served in a thick coffee mug, and tasted fresh in the middle of the afternoon. My husband ordered a bacon cheese hamburger that had the largest bun I’ve seen in a long time. The bun and meat were cooked on a grill and tasted as good as any diner. The pharmacy has been turned into an antique store filled with glassware, jewelry, and all kinds of decorative items that filled me with nostalgia from my parents’ and grandparents’ day. I can’t wait to return to this authentic grill/diner on the corner of 21st and Yale in the Houston Heights area! They are open 7 days a week 7 am to 4:30 pm for breakfast and lunch

We went around 8:30 on Saturday morning and the place was busy, but there was no wait. The clientele seemed to include a lot of regulars including seniors and a few young families. The Gourmet Omelette was very good; the vegetables were fresh and tasty. The breakfast tacos were ok. The tortillas were a bit large, so I ended up with a pile of tortilla scraps; I guess that would be great if you love tortillas. We also tried a pancake, which was fluffy, but nothing special. Perhaps with one of their several toppings it would have been. The salsa served with breakfast seemed to be made in the restaurant and was really good. My wife also had a biscuit and said it was good. Coffee was just ok, but the waitstaff kept the cups full. We took a quick glance at the antique shop. It looked like it would be fun to poke around in, but we didn't have time. Everyone who worked there was very friendly, and overall it was a good breakfast experience.

Went there for brunch this morning and arrived around 1130am and it was busy. Got a table and all of us sat down and there was a cute background/gift area with vintage-like antiques. We waited over an hour for our breakfast and several other tables got seated and served after us. One of our guests special ordered her breakfast and got hers 30 minutes before the rest of us. Had to get up twice and request our coffees to be refilled. Just horrible service. The food was mediocre and tasted ok but definitely not worth the time we dedicated. We will never come back. There are just too many better options in Houston.

Brought back memories of going with my grandma to the five and dime when I was a kid and spinning on the seats at the bar waiting for my meal. People in the consignment area were awesome - friendly, talkative and helpful. Nostalgia all around! Went to the diner area and had hamburgers and malts. Not as impressed. Waitress made an extra large malt and took an extraordinary amount of time portioning off her own serving, putting into styrofoam, wiping the machine and then walking to other end to visit with the other waitstaff. Had to go to her and ask her to take our order after about 20 minutes of trying to make any headway with eye contact. She then went on break and we were helped by a waiter - malt was good, so I can see why. Food was good for an old diner. The onion rings were great! The place is not for people with high levels of cleanliness. The waitress, had she made any effort toward minimum service, would've made this a four-star visit because of the ambiance.

I went back to this restaurant yesterday and I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it was just average, mediocre at best. Nothing like what I remember it to be from just 5 years ago. They had fewer "homemade" items and instead went for mass production items from the warehouse clubs like Sam's and Costco. Come on folks...you have a historic location with a great story behind it. Step out of your comfort zone and go the extra mile and give the customer something to be excited about. I realize that it comes down to the "almighty dollar" and cost-cutting measures, but I won't be going back unless it changes. There are too many other GREAT places to eat in the Heights. However, on the plus side, the staff was very friendly, which helps a lot.

The coffee is lousy. Prices are great though. Never been there for anything but breakfast, so Can't review non-breakfast foods. Service is great weekdays!

Perfect for a slightly hung over, hole in the wall, diner, sort of brunch - the food is hearty and good - counter service is excellent, and the antique shop next door is fun for browsing.

This place is like a 50's soda fountain shop. You will feel like you stepped back in time with the bar stools and tables. There is a wide variety of food and fountain delights. While waiting for our food it was nice to see the antiques in the other half of the diner. Great place to take the grand kids.

I was in Houston in early August and got lucky when a local directed me to the Yale Street Grill in the Houston Heights. This place was like stepping back in time! It has an old fashion soda fountain that has been there since the early 50's. The place is not a new place made to look old. My wife ate a late breakfast which she loved and I enjoyed the old fashioned cheesburger with onion rings, washed down with a delicious chocolate milk shake. They have the oldies music in the background which lends to the good feeling atmosphere. We were happy to learn that they even have a small smoking section in the rear where many old timers from the neighborhood seemed to be enjoying idle chit chat, coffee and a few smokes along with the great food. That's where we sat. They have an all you can eat breakfast buffet on the weekend for $7.50 along with the cooked orders. When we were finished my wife went shopping on the other side of the booths at Discount Diva and spent about $120 on some neat wierd stuff. Hard to figure out how she did this because everything seems to be priced around .99 cents, but she did walk out a huge bag of goodies and gifts for the family. Go to this place and spend a while. The Heights part of Houston seems like a throwback to early times in America.

The food took forever to get to the table. We were sitting there for a total of 3 hours. The food didn't arrive until 2 hours 15 minutes into the visit. Our server, an older Hispanic man, never refilled our drinks. By far the worst "diner" experience I've ever had. The place is filthy too. That should not be confused with charm. Yuck! I'll never be back.

One of the last true original soda fountain type restaurants in the city. The breakfast is always good...and love the huge pile of bacon stacked up under the heat lamp waiting consumption! Afterwards walk around and check out the gifts and other trinkets.

I loved this place.... It was packed. Only a seat at the counter (my favorite place anyway!). For my usual. Eggs grits biscuits and coffee. It was right on. And the service was GREAT. I never saw the bottom of my cup!!!!

We loved our brunch here with our 3 year old. This is a real authentic diner and steeped in history. Fully recommend the waffles and pancakes as well as the rest of the great breakfast/brunch. This gem is clearly a keystone of the heights community. Don’t go to barnaby’s; come here! Very reasonable prices and welcoming attentive staff!

Good greasy breakfast in the Heights. We've been here several times over the past decade and have a good breakfast each time. Don't come here if you want to diet. Eggs, Omelets and Grits are always good here. This place is usually packed on the weekends so be prepared to wait. It's worth it. Right next door is a charming little antique store.

Always a busy place on the weekends, but worth the short wait. Typical diner breakfasts with a southwestern flair. Don't miss the fresh squeezed orange juice. Good place to take kids.

I got nostalgic for the Rexall drug store days when I walked in, but the food was only average. Still, it is a cute place and good for a Saturday morning breakfast throwback.

My niece brought us here for breakfast. We arrived and chose a booth and the waiter brought us menus and took our drink orders. He returned with our drinks and we ordered and the food arrived quickly. It was hot and the eggs, bacon and pancakes were good. The place is like a diner but it is large and spacious with booths, tables and a counter with stools. It was not too busy so we received fast service. Prices were reasonable. Parking is limited. Antiques were available for purchase.

We do eat here often but I wish they would clean it up and offer some healthy foods. It could be a gold mine. We used to eat here every Saturday morning but after it changed hands, it's not as good. Too bad there isn't any reminder of the wonderful family that owned it originally or any of the history of the area that this place was once a part of. The soda fountain is really just a counter now, no real good sweet treats. It is affordable though. The antique shop is nice when it's open.

Another Heights standard. A great breakfast spot. We've been going here since 1991, at least and even though it's no longer in the original family, the breakfast hasn't changed much.

This is my 4th time here and my experience is always great than before. I walked in with my mom and sisters and were seated right away. Our server was extremely nice and pleasurable. Our food came fresh, hot and ready to eat. I love all their breakfast items and the coffee is just perfect! No complaints and when I visit Houston again, I'll definitely be returning again.

This is my go-to place when I want migas for breakfast. They freshly cook the tortillas and the migas comes out fresh. Ask for the ranchero sauce, it is scratch-made daily. If I eat here for lunch, I get a simple burger. For slightly above $5., it comes with French fries or onion rings at no extra charge. Plus, the ambiance...it’s an old fashioned diner!

You could spend hours in Yale Street Grill and Gifts. The food is "home cooked" and is really good. After you enjoy your breakfast, you'll want to spend an hour (or more) shopping in the gifts section. Where the service lacks, they more than make up for with the food and atmosphere.