The Refuge Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar

Review summary

1. J

   Jantzen

   Houston

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent experience!
   

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2. J

   Jose

   VIP

   Houston

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on December 10, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We celebrated my husband’s birthday and since we got there the reception and attention was wonderful. The food is really tasty and fresh, good quality and presentation. The service was outstanding. We definitely will visit again. We had their special banana bread pudding for the birthday celebration, Super delicious and moist. A really a unique experience.
   

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3. A

   Alan

   VIP

   Houston

   64 reviews

   1.0

   64 reviews

   Dined on December 7, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Unfortunately, this might've been one of the most underwhelming experience experiences since living here in Texas. Arriving 15 minutes early before our 7:15 PM reservation. The restaurant was busting at the seams. I saw at least a 20 top and a 10 top party going on. An hour later we are finally set. They did offer my daughter a drink while we were waiting. A seating option was offered at the bar, which I didn't think was appropriate for my daughter only being 13 years old.. I do wonder if we would've received our table any quicker if the young lady working the host stand would've spent less time checking her phone every five seconds and spent more time focused on her job at hand. Upon arriving to our table. The ambience is absolutely beautiful in this restaurant! Our server Kevin was the absolute highlight for the evening. He was personable and attentive. We ordered two appetizers and two entrées. My daughter ordered the tuna poke appetizer. I ordered the lobster stack appetizer. Bland at best. Lemon zest, any type of citrus or finishing salt would've absolutely put these dishes over the top. The dice on the tuna poke was fantastic. The texture of the lobster was very similar to the same texture of the frozen lobster knuckle product You can get from Sysco foods. Now the entrées arrive, and this was the lowest point of the entire experience. My steaks were literally cold to the touch. My daughter's salmon was room temperature at best and the risotto that was her side dish was identical to the risotto offered on my "steak flight" entree. A restaurant at this price point should be embarrassed to offer the same side for two different entrées. Being a chef for over 30 years from Michelin star restaurants, amazing restaurants, and country clubs in Las Vegas
   

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4. B

   Bob

   Houston

   83 reviews

   5.0

   83 reviews

   Dined on December 1, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great service with Katelyn in the little room by the butcher kitchen.
   

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5. M

   Mary

   Houston

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on December 1, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Lovely restaurant with great ambience, wonderful service and delicious food.
   

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6. M

   Mary

   VIP

   Dallas

   17 reviews

   5.0

   17 reviews

   Dined on December 1, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Delicious! Ask server what they consider medium when ordering as our steaks were still pretty rare - but flavor was spot on! Lobster tail was on the smaller side but still great value for the price. Loved rhe fried green tomato appetizer.
   

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7. D

   Derrick

   Houston

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 28, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Great Thanksgiving night !! Food was awesome!! Service was good.
   

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8. C

   Chad

   Houston

   5 reviews

   3.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on November 28, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We went for Thanksgiving so maybe that played into the quality. Loved the warm bread and herb butter. Wife had the seafood orecchiette and sad to say but the lobster tasted fishy giving the overall dish an overly fishy taste, it had 3 large scallops in which were cooked perfectly and the shrimp were nicely cooked. I had the steak flight which had two cuts of steak cooked perfectly to med rare but the filet was overcooked, they did prepare another filet that was unfortunately a smaller portion that came out rare instead of med rare but I can deal with that. I did enjoy the flavor of the steaks however the sides of asparagus and three cheese grits were under seasoned. Overall we had to add salt and pepper to everything. The pumpkin cheesecake was pretty good but the overall experience we will more than likely try a different steakhouse next time. Haley our server was amazing, tentative and friendly.
   

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9. B

   Becky

   Houston

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on November 25, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The service and food was amazing! Highly recommend the pork chop!!!!
   

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10. V

    Virlene

    VIP

    Houston

    30 reviews

    4.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3

    We have been to Refuge many times and this was not our favorite experience. We had reservations, but were seated in the seemingly "extra" area tucked away to the far left of the entrance. As a couple, the spot was not particualarly intinmate as we were seated around other couples, but there was also a large family group in front of us that just took over the whole space. It was odd, not really bad, but not great either. Our server Nick looked like he was the only one assigned to this area of 4 smaller and 1 fairly large group, so service was not up to our prior experiences, though I do not think that this was totally his fault. Our food was ok. As this was a staturday night, I would expect their "A" game, but from our cocktails through to starter then entree, all were just mediocre which was disappointing. I ordered my favorite cocktail, the "Majestic Blue" and my hubs had a classic "Mojito", nothing crazy, but both were just not good. Unsure if there's a new bartender or what. The MB was unbalanced and the Mojito was just not good at all and served in the wrong glass. Little things maybe, but at almost $15 a cocktail, it's not accecptable. We had the "warm lobster stack" as an appetizer and it was not so much a stack as a peck. The potato cod cake that was the base, while yummy, had no cod as far as we found; the lobster was maybe 6 small pieces tossed in the dressing with some micro-greens. It was tasty, but again, more potato cake with smidge of lobster than a "stack". Finally the entree's we chose: hubs had the "steak flight" and I had the "chicago chopped salad". The salad was over-dressed for my taste, so my fault for not asking for dressing on the side, otherwise good, but I would not order again. My husband's flight was very disappointing. One would think that they would serve the tastiest morsel of each selection, instead what came on the plate, while plated nicely, was more like trimmed pieces from better steaks. Sadly, wil think twice before going again.
    

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