Café Red Onion

Been there once long ago and it was alright.
Just called to find out about the prime rib special that I saw posted on the website, took awhile for them to answer the phone and when someone picked up the phone, he said «Stop calling if you’re not going to talk.» Seriously?! I barely even had a chance to say hello! How rude! I called back again and took awhile for them to answer, told the guy on the phone what happened and he doesn’t seem to care.
HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! WOULD NEVER BOTHER TO GO AGAIN!!!

I was going to write a review the day I went there but forgot. Like everyone else has said there salsa is good dtuff. And there food is good. I would say if you have never ate here you must go and try it.

Worst food I’ve so far had in Houston. In fact, even the servers knew it was so bad that they recommended that I not leave a tip at the end of the meal. For people who depend on tips to make ends meet, that doesn’t just say a lot, it shouts it at 120 dB. The other reviews are pretty damn positive, so I’m not sure what to say. I usually wait to review until after I’ve had a few experiences, but this was so awful that one trip is enough for me.
I have only two positive things to say: (1) the meat empanada was alright; and (2) the Brazilian drink I had was pretty tasty. Everything else, from the pork loin that was as dry as a three brothers cake, to chicken that seemed more freeze dried than fried, was bad. So bad, in fact, that I will cut this a bit shorter than normal so I don’t have to relive my experience any longer.
The bottom line: avoid, avoid, avoid.

Meh. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t as wonderful as the menu led us to believe. Everything sounded so delicious on paper, but in practice it just wasn’t there — disappointing!

I’ve been here a few times and left disappointed every time. The reviews on Unilocal for this place are generally really good, so I really wanted to like this place. I think the best thing I’ve had here is their pineapple salsa that comes with the free chips…
It was obvious to me that the chefs are more focused on producing pretty plates than tasty food. The food wasn’t bad but I would have liked more flavor. Average at best.

Disappointing. Unilocal doesn’t usually let me know but I don’t understand how this place has 4 stars! On a search for a latin american eatery, I looked it up on Unilocal and Red Onion topped the list. Unfortunately, it should have been on the bottom.
I’ve always seen this place when I used to dine at Miyako’s and I guess I can say I’m glad I tried it because I definitely won’t be returning.
Like everyone else mentioned, the salsa is pretty flavorful. The beef empanadas were decent but my entrée, the Brazilian Chicken was a hot mess. I’m not exactly sure what they were trying to create with this but:
(1) the chicken breasts were extremely dry, probably overcooked. It looked like those frozen chicken breasts that you can purchase in the freezer section of your local grocer;
(2) the eggplant was battered with some unknown breading. The eggplant was unrecognizable, I am assuming it was the eggplant.
(3) the sauce that they dumped on the chicken and plate was off. I’m not exactly sure what they were trying to create but it definitely was some sort of tomato base.
(4) they topped the chicken with some lettuce that was bundled up and attached to the chicken with a toothpick – odd!
For the price and overall food quality of this place, I could of probably done something better.
I’m wondering if they switched out the chef for this place.
Oh yeah and their credit card machines were apparently down or «backed up».

Now THIS is cuisine!!! I haven’t been here in years, but the pineapple salsa is excellent and I love love LOVE the presentation of the food. It’s like a 3D version of what you might get elsewhere except there probably is a plantain banana involved.
This place is great for a small happy hour with close friends. No annoying birthday parties at this place. Not recommended for groups larger than 4. Expect service to be not super fast, but it’s because they make the food look like artwork.
I love it here and hope to come back soon.

This place has delicious, hearty, authentic Latin food from all over Latin America. The portions are generous and the food is tasty, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is fun, young, and modern.
Great place to grab dinner with friends. Highly recommend!

After leaving Miyako’s (see previous review on my profile), we didn’t know where to go. The traffic was horrible on Kirby, so just leaving the parking lot would’ve been quite a task. We found the Red Onion, which is in the same strip center, so we decided to give it a try.
The pineapple salsa is pretty tasty. We mixed some of the pineapple salsa and some of the red salsa on our own, and it was delicious. We also could order happy hour drinks at the same price, even though we weren’t sitting at the bar. They also let us order drinks at happy hour prices after 7PM. Bellinis, listed on the menu, were not available, so I ordered sangria ($ 3.50) and a margarita ($ 3.75). I think the latter was stronger. The happy hour appetizers they have though must be ordered at the bar (don’t know why there’s a difference).
I ordered the Oaxacan steak, which was okay. I tasted a friend’s Goat Chimi Florentine, which was tasty, and someone next to me raved about the goat enchiladas. I just felt the steak was somewhat tasteless and slightly fatty, especially compared to the Tavern (on West Gray). I also am not a fan of putting a lot of sauce or gravy on a steak; the steak was smothered in a bland gravy.
The service could’ve been better. I think I asked for a to-​go box twice, along with other items (i.e. margarita). Sometimes we would ask the waiter a question, and he would do the head-​bob thing like in the show Outsourced (even though he’s Hispanic, not Indian). Maybe his English wasn’t the best. Sometimes he would disappear for 10 – 15 minutes, and we would need something.
I wouldn’t mind going to this place again, but I also wouldn’t think of this as a «must-​go-​to-​eat» restaurant.

Excellent food! Care was obviously taken in preparing these dishes. The cook did a spectacular job pairing fruit such as Mangos with Chicken and Salmon. Both of the free salsas that we were presented with prior to ordering were great. The fruit (mango) salsa was like nothing I have ever had before, but the sweetness was excellent paired with the salty warm tortilla chips.
When driving up to this place it didn’t look like much, and the parking lot was actually pretty empty. Once you try the food you’ll be hooked though. I can’t rave enough about how great I found the food to be.
Price was very reasonable considering what we got. For three of us with a few drinks it only ended up being $ 65. The portions were large and I was plenty full by the end of the meal.

After two of my close coworkers RAVED about this place and how they each oohed, ahhhed, and moaned through their respective meals, I headed over here for lunch.
The salsas that everyone is so ga ga over is apparently beyond me. I didn’t particularly care for either one of them.
I ordered the End of Summer Chilean Sea Bass Salad, and there was so much going on on the plate that it wasn’t all that great either. Perhaps «Latin Fusion» is just lost on my palate, I don’t know but I think that Gordon Ramsay would have a field day with the over the top plating!
I also ordered a Chocolate Empanada, and the waiter was adamant about how all of the desserts are made fresh, in house. Well, might I suggest bringing it in from somewhere else? It was O.K. – nothing spectacular to say the least, and the plating was once again over the top.
I am giving three stars instead of two because my food was not bad by any means, it just wasn’t all that. :-|

I have always enjoyed my meals here and the pineapple salsa is so delicious. The fish tacos are great and they always have new things to try on the separate menu insert.
My only complaint is that when I ordered a salad it came in huge pieces and was all separated. I had to sit there and cut it all up, pour on the dressing and toss it before I could even begin to eat.

It’s been said that some observant Jewish families have 3 sets of dishes… one for meat, one for dairy, and one for Chinese. And as it happened my friend’s wife was off playing Mahjong, as we got together last week at Café Red Onion. It also helps explain why neither of these 2 long-​time friends and MOTs hesitated at the various treif offerings.
Red Onion Lo Mejor is small Houston chain that is Honduran in pedigree and Latin Fusion in its execution. Brett had the Mayan Chicken with a very flavourful mango salsa, while I opted for the Papusas Reveultas (shredded pork stuffed in a corn tortilla with cheese). The food was delicious, well presented, and generous in its portions. The service was also attentive and educational.
Best of all, this was a great opportunity to catch up both personally and professionally. We kvetched about work, kvelled about mishpocheh, offered a hearty mazel tov regarding my recent wedding and his son’s upcoming one, sparred over «hope and change», and all the while schmoozing and noshing away. Brett is a haimisher mentsh, a yiddisher kop, and a good friend. And when this and a good meal come together, that’s a special moment in time.

The first thing I noticed at this place was the menu said they had PERUVIAN CEVICHE (Peruvian ceviche was stuck on the menu on a hand written sticker). I was pretty happy about seeing that because peruvian ceviche is very rare in Houston, so I had to try. Unfortunately, it was NOT PERUVIAN CEVICHE. It was basically exactly the same as the last fake Peruvian ceviche I had. There was no lime flavor, no acidity, it was basically pieces of fish in a sauce that seemed like a semi sweet watery oil based sauce with some onions and potatoes (not sweet potatoes). It wasn’t terrible but it was nothing like Peruvian ceviche. Next time I see Peruvian ceviche on a menu in Texas, I’m not going to believe it.
The chips they served before dinner were okay, but the salsa was a bit bland to me. The waiter (who was very nice) said that was because they were a Honduran restaurant and Hondurans don’t like spicy food.
I also had a house salad which was okay but nothing special.

I know some Latin Americans who scoff at the term «Latin American Fusion» but I ain’t hatin’! Just keep in mind that aside from the Tex-​Mex menu items (which I’ve never tried so I cannot comment on), nothing here is really authentic. That doesn’t mean the food isn’t good. I love their pineapple salsa and the empanadas appetizer. I almost always order the Mayan chicken, which is a huge tortilla-​crusted chicken breast on top of a thin layer of queso, served with plantains and black beans. It’s not the healthiest thing in the world but it’s quite delicious and the portions are so large you’ll surely be getting a to-​go box.
I have to say the last time I came here that service wasn’t so hot. My dad ordered the gazpacho as an appetizer and the waiter argued with him that it was a discontinued item. We had to show him that it was in fact still on the menu and convince him to go check with the kitchen. For me not really being a gazpacho fan, I still tried some and have to say it was quite tasty. Really weird that he insistently denied such a good thing as being available. I know that each location has a varied menu so maybe he usually waits tables at a different Café Red Onion? Also, the order was $ 7 cheaper if you pay in cash — meaning they’re passing the credit card fee onto their customers. Not cool. I like the food, but they get a star knocked off for my last service experience there. I hope this doesn’t continue.

You know… i like the service, i love how the dishes are presented. but all that doesnt mean a thing when the food is OILY. again another one of my pet peeves, i dont remember exactly what i had, i have been there twice, i know the first time i had something i know didnt taste right and i remember it being extremely over cheesy.
the second time i went during a business lunch, i had a cheese enchilada dish or something like that, it tasted sour due to the tamarind type of sauce in it. i was officially hating the food now. i guess since i started eating healthier i have grown to hate greasy, unbalanced meals. i had two bites and let my friend try some without telling her it tasted bad, you could already tell the look on her face, it was horrid. i let another co worker try a bite without saying anything and he was on the phone, so his face went upside down and passed the plate away… i knew i wasnt the only one dying, and i was super hungry so i just skipped the meal and munched on chips and salsa.
i got great service, both times i have been here. i had some of my friends broccoli, which was delicious. but i dont believe i would ever go there again, maybe i just picked the wrong dishes.

Chips and salsa… two cups of salsa. I am a libra, and can be very indecisive at times; especially, when it comes to eating food. Pineapple or tomato… Tomato or pineapple… I just sat there dipping chip after chip in both, and could never decide which one I liked better.
As far as my entrée is concerned, que horible! I ordered the combo loco… I could not even finish it. I took the time to «trade» one of my fajita tacos with my sister’s flautas. I could barely finish the two. I did not even get to eat my tamale… what a travesty! The food was just too GOOD to waste. I blame it on the nerves…
Mi mama y mi novio encontrados por primera vez. Estaba muy nervioso y no podria comer bien. La comida era BUENO y SABROSO, pero estaba ocupado… pensamiento y rogacion…
So, I needed a drink… I ordered a caiprinha, and was pleasantly surprised. I also tasted some of my mother’s mango margarita, which was good.
The service from our waiter was beyond superb. My mother made me feel ashamed as I struggled with my fledgling Spanish, while the words just rolled out of her mouth during small talk. Whatever… We had a great time! I will be back, especially for that tamale that got away…

Well, I’ve been on a Tres Leches tour recently, spurred on by conversations with fellow Unilocaler Alex R. Tonight, we were completely undecided about our dinner plans. We even drove around the village waiting to be inspired. We whipped out our iPhones and perused the Unilocal app! We found ‘Café Red Onion’ and were intrigued.
We’d never been here before and decided to go ahead and give it a try even though we’d had Mexican for lunch. We got there around 9:30pm for a late dinner on a Saturday night. They are open until 11pm on the weekends. The place was less than ½ full and we got a table right in the front. Our waiter was Francisco, and if all the waiters are as attentive, friendly, and just downright personable as this one, I can see why this place does well.
As we looked over our menu, we realized this restaurant has a bunch of different countries represented. We recognized both central and South American influences. As we looked over the menu, we were served chips and salsa. You know how chips and salsa aren’t JUST chips and salsa. This is Texas, remember. So, these chips were smaller and more dense, but very good. They are just chips until you dip them into the ADDICTIVE pineapple salsa. There is also a rather bland red salsa (it reminded us of something that could be poured over spaghetti). Make sure you try out the salsa!
I decided to go for a lighter meal and got the Chicken Tacos al Carbon ($ 11.95) (what does that al Carbon mean anyway?). The husband got the Chicken Belize ($ 13.95). We were both pleased with our choices. The Belize Chicken was lightly coated in a fruit glaze. The black beans were great! The dish also came with baked plantains. My husband cleaned his plate. One of the best things on both our plates were the cooked sweet onions.
Ok, so our wonderful waiter brought us the dessert menu (see photo). We decided we had to try the Tres Leches ($ 6), since we’re on the tour. We also decided to share the Apple Burrito Cobbler ($ 6.50). Francisco, our awesome waiter, said the Tres Leches was excellent, so we trusted him. We got both desserts and they were beautifully presented (see photos). They were just so pretty we didn’t want to eat them! (um, but we did, of course!!). Ok, so I tried my Tres Leches and thought it was just OK, nothing special. After another bite, I was convinced there was some alcohol. Francisco assured us there wasn’t and that’s just the way it tastes with the cream. I’ve had a lot of Tres Leches in my day and they don’t usually taste like alcohol. It also wasn’t as moist and full of liquid as I would normally like. It wasn’t bad, just not my cup o’ tea. Ok, the Apple Burrito Cobbler is another story. It was D*E*L*C*I*O*U*S! It’s like a sweet burrito with apples inside, fried up and served with ice cream. YUM. If you go to this café, I’d highly recommend it.
Ok, why 4 and not 5 stars? Well, first I’m all about comfort. We are of very average height (me = 5’5″, and the husband = 5’10″) and the chairs were just too tall. I couldn’t put my feet flat on the floor comfortably. We looked over at some ladies sitting on the bench seat by the front windows and they were literally hanging on the edge. Was this place made by giants? Do they just want us all to feel short? Second, as Unilocaler Jan G noted, the tables are too close together. It wasn’t a problem for a late night meal, but when the place is packed, you’d be packed in there like sardines! Third, since i was on a Tres Leches prowl and left more than ½ of it uneaten, I just can’t give it 5 stars.
So, If I could get it 4.5 stars I would.
Meals — 4.5÷5 stars
dessert — ⁴⁄₅ stars
service — ⁵⁄₅
Location: It’s in the same parking lot as Miyako on Kirby near the freeway. Go check out this hidden gem.

Walking to and from Miyako, I always wanted to try Café Red Onion (and Madra’s). Well, today was the day.
After a lucky win from the Derby (yup, $ 200 big ones), my friend Sam and I came here to meet some friends of his. Unfortch, I was stuffed from gorging on the buffet at Sam Houston Race Park.
Snacking on hot chips and salsas – one green one with a sweet and pineapple-​ey kick – my appetite was *slightly* reignited. Okay, okay. I’ll get try the empanadas. (Boring me. But the menu had a lot of intriguing dishes I’d never heard of before, so I look forward to trying something I’ve never had before.)
The empanadas are a great app to start with; they come with three, your choice of beef, chicken or guava. Try all three. Wish I could tell you more about the grub, but I will say that my dinning mates oohed and aahed over the tacos al carbon, chicken Brazil and chile relleno.
My only complaint, was that there was an obvious spat going on between the waiter who initially took our order, and another who came and replaced him. An awkward moment, but what’s dinner without a little dramz?

Café Red Onion was excellent! It’s a little pricier than your typical Tex-​Mex joint, but the Latin cuisine definitely made up for it. Their biggest selling point is the pineapple salsa, which I have to admit didn’t disappoint. Their red salsa is solid, not spectacular, and a little on the mild side.
Their menu is extensive to say the least, and the only problem is trying to select what you actually want! We went with the Seafood Enchiladas (the house specialty) and the Chicken Tikal. The enchiladas were great, although definitely heavily smothered with cheese and sauce. The chicken was on the lighter side, but still delicious. The side of onion rings and fried plantains topped that off perfectly.
The location is small but cozy, and still casual. Service was prompt, but not overbearing.