Cafe Rabelais

4.8

995 Reviews

$31 to $50

French

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 25, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 38 times today

Experiences are available.

Charming
Great for fine wines
Neighborhood gem

Houston’s Café Rabelais serves sumptuous French cuisine in its classic, European-inspired eatery. Fantastic starter options include the mouth-watering smoked salmon plate, the white bean and vegetable soup, as well as a variety of decadent cheese plates. Café Rabelais’s specialty dinner entrées include the seared duck breast with Szechuan demi-glace, the seared snapper in rich beurre blanc, the vegetarian orzo pasta with purple cauliflower and feta cheese and the red wine marinated ribeye with eggplant.

Top off your Café Rabelais French feast with an unforgettable dessert, like the mixed nut and chocolate silk pie “fondant au chocolate sur croute de noix” or the fruity “sorbet du jour” and wash it down with a fresh, hot espresso.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
French, Bistro, Dessert
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue, Wed 6:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sat 6:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(713) 520-8841
Website
http://www.caferabelais.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Soriano Frank

Location
2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005
Neighborhood
Rice Village
Cross street
5499 kelvin Dr
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Wine & Cheese Dinner
$30.00 per person
Prepaid
Jan 28, 2025 only
Join us for a spectacular evening at our exclusive 5-course wine and cheese dinner on January 28th at 7 PM! 🎉 Each course has been carefully curated to take you on a delightful journey through the rich gastronomic traditions of France, perfectly paired with exquisite wines. Start your night with the creamy delight of Brie paired with luscious apricot chutney, complemented by the refreshing notes of Domaine Davanture's Bourgogne Chardonnay, and end with the grand finale of our Gâteau Basque au Fromage, a sweet tribute to the Basque region, perfectly complemented by the elegant notes of Château Raymond-Lafon Sauternes. Tickets are $135/person. Spaces are limited, so gather your friends and secure your spot for this unforgettable evening!
Valentine's Day Prix Fixe Dinner
$20.00 per person
Feb 14, 2025 only
This Valentine's Day, take your love to Paris without ever leaving Houston! For just $105 per person, enjoy a carefully curated menu that promises to elevate your Valentine’s Day to a level of romance you’ve only dreamed of. As you step into our enchanting café, let the ambiance sweep you off your feet. Begin your evening with our delightful Amuse Bouche, featuring delectable Salmon Rillettes and Zucchini Millefeuille, followed by your choice of velvety Crawfish Bisque or a savory Duck Confit Crèpe, each dish crafted with the utmost care. Savor the scrumptuous Châteaubriand, perfectly complemented by Foie Gras Bordelaise Sauce. Indulge in our Chocolate Ganache Tart adorned with fresh strawberries. Don't miss out! Reserve your table today!

Heirloom Tomato Salad$9.50
w/ Cheese of The Day, Red Onion & Balsamic Vinaigrette
Caesar Salad$9.50
- W/ Salmon$3.50
- W/ Chicken$4.00
- W/ Beef or Shrimp$5.00
Nicoise Salad$15.50
Tuna, Mixed Greens, Hard Boiled Egg, Green Beans, Olives & Anchovies
Frisee Salad$9.50
Avocado & Citrus w/ Citrus Vinaigrette
Salade de Bleu d'Auvergne$11.00
Bibb Lettuce, Bacon, Walnuts, Apple
Salade de Chevre de Pané$10.50
w/ Mixed Greens, Hazelnuts, Country Ham & Panko Crusted Goat Cheese
Salade Maison$7.00
w/ Mixed Greens, Tomato & Carrots

Sandwiches

All Sandwiches Served w/ Pomme Frites

Chicken Salad Sandwich$10.95
on Croissant w/ Bibb Lettuce & Tomato
Bavette Frites$12.50
w/ Onion, Lettuce, Tomato, Mustard, Melted Swiss
Herb Crusted Pork Loin Sandwich$13.00
w/ Tomato, Spring Mix & Cabbage Slaw
Merguez Sandwich$13.50
w/ Lettuce, Tomato & Mustard
Smoked Salmon Sandwich$12.50
w/ Lettuce, Tomato, Hard Boiled Egg & Gribiche
Provencal Sandwich$11.50
w/ Roasted Bell Pepper, Lettuce, Tomato, Caramelized Onion, Garlic Aioli & Goat Cheese
Sandwich Bayonnais$12.50
w/ Ham, Tomme De Savoie, Lettuce, Tomato & Butter

What 995 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Houston
French
Houston
Great for fine wines
Houston
French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cafe Rabelais is a beloved French bistro in Rice Village, offering a cozy ambiance reminiscent of Paris. Guests praise its "amazing food" and "exceptional wine list," with highlights like mussels, escargot, and profiteroles. The service is "friendly and attentive," making it a "favorite" for both regulars and newcomers.

995 Reviews

T
Tina
VIP
Houston
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a lovely time at Cafe Rabelais. The food was excellent
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K
KJ
Houston
25 reviews
5.0
25 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I took my buddy there for his birthday, the food was delicious, the service was attentive without being pushy. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and will bring my wife there soon.
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D
Don
Houston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
wonderful dinner, delicious food. our reservation was about 30 minutes late, but we were ok, it was a very busy night, service was a little slow, but we were enjoying ourselves.
Is this helpful?
A
Alicia
VIP
New York City
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We had the most horrible experience here. This restaurant used to be a neighborhood gem but today they were outright rude to us. The escargot was burning hot with no warning, they broke the cork on our wine and shoved it back at us, refused to serve it despite having previously told us that they allow outside wine for a corkage fee, and never apologized. I am somewhat sad to say I will never be returning to what used to be one of my favorite places because the service has gotten so bad. But if I want French food in Houston there are better places than this.
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R
Robert
VIP
New Mexico
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
First time, great meal and dessert. Have a reservation already for our next visit
Is this helpful?
A
Andy
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
It’s been several years since we last visited Cafe Rabelais and it was fantastic to see they are still firing on all cylinders after all these years. Our lamb chops were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The beef stew was very tender and flavorful. Highly recommended.
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S
Sue
VIP
Houston
31 reviews
5.0
31 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great services! Highly recommended for both lunch and dinner.
Is this helpful?
A
Anthony
West Palm Beach
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best of the best. Food atmosphere and service are unmatched.
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C
Cade
Dallas
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great spot for some soups and sandwiches for lunch
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N
Nancy
Houston
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have loved Cafe Rabelais for years. We returned Friday night for bone marrow, torchon and stuffed quail. Delicious! We also enjoy their collection of half bottles of wine. You won't be disappointed!
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FAQs

Cafe Rabelais is rated 4.8 stars by 995 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 25, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 38 times today

Experiences are available.

2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

Additional information

Cross street
5499 kelvin Dr
Neighborhood
Rice Village
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue, Wed 6:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sat 6:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
French, Bistro, Dessert
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Soriano Frank
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.caferabelais.com/
Phone number
(713) 520-8841

Cafe Rabelais

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Wine & Cheese Dinner

Valentine's Day Prix Fixe Dinner

Menu

Salads

Heirloom Tomato Salad$9.50

Caesar Salad$9.50

Nicoise Salad$15.50

Frisee Salad$9.50

Salade de Bleu d'Auvergne$11.00

Salade de Chevre de Pané$10.50

Salade Maison$7.00

Sandwiches

Chicken Salad Sandwich$10.95

Bavette Frites$12.50

Herb Crusted Pork Loin Sandwich$13.00

Merguez Sandwich$13.50

Smoked Salmon Sandwich$12.50

Provencal Sandwich$11.50

Sandwich Bayonnais$12.50

What 995 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Cafe Rabelais restaurant rated?

Is Cafe Rabelais currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information