Balboa Surf Club — Restaurant in Houston

We arrived by chance after having a bad experience waiting on the Honey Hole just up the street to seat us as a walk in located up the street. They made us wait and after a while we left and took a shot in the dark and made a rez at Balboa Surf Club. We showed up 5 min early. We were sat quickly after being greeted by the hostess; the space is perfectly decorated & has an upscale coastal vibe. As a starter we had the doughnut holes and oysters (odd mix but that is what my wife and I like). The doughnut holes were perfectly done. Piping hot covered in cinnamon sugar & served with a crazy good brown butter caramel sauce. The tact & skill which everything was made was a sign of even better things to come. The oysters w/ mignonette were flawless and filled with the essence of the sea, very, very fresh and briny. We couldn’t decide between the huevos rancheros and the French omelette and the waiter suggested the French omelette. As we were waiting on the omelette and a burger the waiter brought us the huevos rancheros anyway (he said it was on the house, that he didn’t want us to miss anything). They were very fancy, eggs mounted on a small fried tortilla with a white bean spread and avocado with picked onions and a side of a toasted pepper and tomatillo red sauce. Very, very elevated and delicious. For drinks we had a Bloody Mary, a Paloma and a Mimosa. Also flawless and extraordinarily perfect in execution. . As we wait for the main dishes the head chef came out to apologize for the wait and offered us a sample of their Fish Fry dish (ONLY ON SUNDAYS), on the house as an additional offering. We, of course accepted. The omelette and burger were off the chart awesome. The omelette was flan like inside with a delicious and soft white cheese filling and a side salad with a Champaign vinaigrette; the burger was exactly medium rare +, it was served with garlic aioli, a bbq sauce and thousand island like sauce. Everything looked a tasted as it should; these people care about every detail and it shows. Finally, regarding the sample Sunday ONLY fish fry. The shrimp were the largest jumbo shrimp I have ever had, lightly battered, not oily at all. The homemade tartar sauce and cocktail sauce unbelievably perfect in flavor and consistency; also elevated and crunchy. This is the kind of restaurant experience I hope for every time we go out but seldom achieve; everything was home made with the best ingredients at master execution. Hats off the Balboa Surf Club and staff, you made our weekend trip to Houston an exceptional experience. Thank you! And of course, we highly recommend. Sorry we didn’t take more pictures, we got distracted with...

First to start, the food here is phenomenal. I’ve been here several times (sitting at the bar), the burger is one of the best in town, and the sushi is always fresh. The bartenders are genuinely very friendly, but it’s been apparent that they’ve been having to hire more and more people to circumvent people leaving the bar, hence what is sparking this review. I’m not sure what balboa’s hiring process is, but they are bringing in some of the most unfriendly $ & lazy bartenders that I’ve seen. The original group was great but lately the recent hires to the group are awful. Case in point, Saturday night my experience was less than great. It was very obvious the bar was busy and packed, and 2 out of the 3 bartenders were great, but the third bartender had no interest in her job. If you see a tall blonde middle aged woman, please be warned, she will make eye contact with you asking for something, than go yell at the other bartenders for whatever reason while she gets to go leave the bar while full. Several times I saw this happen, and it’s absurd that every time she was asked for something by myself and others, it always ended up being someone else who brought it. It’s ridiculous that this is the standard a once rising restaurant encourages in its people, and if I wanted to pay money to get ignored, I’ll find somewhere that doesn’t charge $18 a drink. The food and aesthetics are what keeps people coming, but man, I’d prefer that they keep her off the bar. At least 2/3 of my tip money went to bartenders that try (the red head and tall girl with braids were wonderful albeit busy). As someone who has been involved with HR, I’d be glad to give managers advice on how to promote...

An Unforgettable Experience Thanks to Mariam at Balboa Surf Club!

From the moment we walked in, we felt the vibrant, welcoming energy of the restaurant — but what truly made our evening extraordinary was our server, Mariam. I’ve dined at countless restaurants over the years, and I can honestly say Mariam is, without a doubt, the best server I have ever encountered. She has that rare balance of professionalism, warmth, and genuine attentiveness that makes you feel like the most important guest in the room. Mariam anticipated our needs before we even had to ask, always appearing at the perfect time with a smile that made us feel right at home. She guided us through the menu with incredible knowledge and enthusiasm, making spot-on recommendations that turned out to be absolutely delicious. What set her apart even more was the way she connected with us on a personal level — not just serving food, but curating a full dining experience. She remembered small details from our conversation and tailored everything to us, which made it feel like we were being hosted by a close friend rather than simply dining out. Balboa Surf Club is already an amazing restaurant with fantastic food and atmosphere, but Mariam elevated our visit into something truly unforgettable. She embodies everything hospitality should be — attentive, kind, charismatic, and effortlessly excellent at her job. If you’re lucky enough to be seated in Mariam’s section, prepare yourself for the best dining experience of your life. She is an absolute gem, and Balboa Surf Club is beyond fortunate to have...