Reviews Cafe Rabelais

Wonderful place for brunch on the weekend! Their sandwiches and salads are always delicious. I liked the salad dressing a lot and my server was nice enough to sell me a bottle to take home. The hand-written menu and walls covered in either wine bottles or original artwork make this Rice Village cafe an appealing destination.

Service: We arrived 10 minutes before opening and were seated outside waiting. When they opened our service began. It wasn't until a table next to us received service that we realized our service was less than. We had slower service, we were not told about any of the specials, and we had fewer table checks from our server. The busser was on top of our water, though. We ended up ordering specials after we placed our order upon hearing about and may have ordered entirely differently. Food: escargot 3 star, beef bourguinon 4 star, mussels 5 star, carrot soup 5 star, salad de chevre chaud 4 star. Overall, it's good but not great. We love escargot, for it to get 3 stars is really saying something. Carrot soup is a special our server did not inform us about. Atmosphere: We sat outside, and it was pleasant, for houston. View of rice village parking is nothing to write home about. Overall, it's good but not great. 3.66 stars in actuality. I've had better versions of all but the carrot soup dish at other places. The service was disappointing.

I had never even heard of this place but what a great find! Very comfortable atmosphere inside and out, the staff was so friendly and helpful, and the food was great! The wine selection was also excellent! Definitely will be coming back.

My wife and I celebrated my birthday at Cafe Rabelais on the recommendation of a friend. Everything we ate was outstanding, and everything we saw going to the other tables had us taking notes on what to try next. Wine connoisseurs will be thrilled with the options: the wine list looks like the phone book from a small town. But not to worry, the staff made suggestions based on preference. The menu is full of classical French dishes--I had the cassoulet, and the duck fell off the bone with no need for a knife. We're already planning our return, no need for a special occasion.

Came here for the restaurant weeks menu. There were lots of options, but one surprising one. First though the wine selection is awesome. My wife had a white blend that was awesome. It was one of the less expensive ones (Chateaux La Rose du Pin). I had a red wine that was very good too, but that white blend was great. Made me wish I had chosen it. Like I said we had the Restaurant Weeks menu. But we perused the regular menu and the prices are not outrageous here. I saw several entrees that I have paid more for at other places. I definitely recommend a reservation as the restaurant is small.

Always a great experience. Just a great favorite I keep on coming back to. A must try is the Porcini appetizer and the stuffed quail with foie gras. Wine list is extremely impressive.

Salmon baked in parchment w veggies and roasted quail! Extensive wine selection. Second visit was to try the mussels in garlic butter, plus a wine flight! YUM - y'all get 5 stars!

If you're looking for the best fries in Houston, come to Café Rabelais, a little French café in the heart of Rice Village. When you enter, you'll notice a completely different atmosphere than you'll see anywhere else. They don't take reservations, so you will need to see with the hostess if they have any seating available. If you're lucky, they'll seat you right away. When seated, you will be given a wine menu, but no food menu. This is because the main food items change twice daily and it's written on a chalkboard to the side of the restaurant. They encourage you to get up and walk to the board, as it's part of the atmosphere. The lighting on the board does have too much glare, and it's hard to see. The café is also quite small, so you will need to break out of your comfort zone and stand very close to dining patrons to get a good look at the menu. Luckily, they have two other menus for sandwiches and salads which do not change, so you can look this up online if you're trying to eat light and not get up to look at the menu! If you order a sandwich, all of them are served with fries. I ordered the Rémoulade de Thon which was a tuna salad sandwich with lettuce and tomato on a country French bread) for $8.95. It was pretty good, especially for the price, and wow, the fries were the best I ever had in Houston. They are thinly cut, slightly crispy, and served with ketchup and aioli. I noticed there were onions and pepper in the mix which added a lot of flavor to the fries. Overall, this place genuinely deserves a 5-star. They have a unique atmosphere; they keep it authentically French. They have an amazing wine menu if you're into that, and although it's cramped, the food is quite good. Never change, Café Rabelais!