El Meson — Restaurant in Houston

What an unexpected nugget we found today! We originally left the hospital heading to Shake Shack, but waiting in traffic turned our attention to this elegant little place, so we pulled in to try it. The parking is super convenient, directly located outside the door. This is a must mention as places in this area are not always easy to park in/find parking. It was mid day after the lunch rush, so that possibly helped us. Tapas, TexMex, Cuban, Latin flare, they have it all! I was super impressed with the decor of this restaurant. Just walking to the doors, you step into a small little Latin world on their pretty patio. Upon entering the doors, there is a wall of crawling ivy that is simply stunning. I love my ivy plants, so this was immediately impressive. We were warmly greeted and seated in a lovely large booth. A Giara (flip-top swing stopper) bottle with water was brought to our table. I thought that was a nice touch. So much more elegant than a regular glass of water. The music playing set the tone for a little Havana scene. You really feel the atmosphere! Our server was excellent. He provided several suggestions on popular items. I ordered the cheese enchilada dinner and my aunt ordered the Tacos al Carbone. We contemplated getting tapas, but decided to keep it with TexMex. Our meal was delicious! Presentation was nice, everything was cooked well, the seasoning was on point, and the portions are a nice size. I was very impressed with our entire experience. I still can’t say enough about the restaurant decor. Everything was top-notch and detailed. Even the table settings were detailed and elegant. I love the ambiance. Though we stopped in for a late lunch wearing our capri pants and flip flops, I can see this place also being a great date night spot. It’s on the finer side of Spanish restaurants, but still cozy and comfortable to be dressed down. Very impressed! Our total for 2 meals and one glass of wine before tip was $68.00....

Very dissappointed with the service! We drove 1 hr to have paella and for our surprise we had to choose the same type of paella for a minimum of two people (mandatory). My wife wanted one kind and I wanted another so we couldn't. Otherwise we had to pay for 4 entrées for two people. That was not an issue, we rapidly adapted to the situation and decided for something else. Unfortunately, the waiter was not too polite with his time and professionalism, he was rushing us to decide what to choose. When asked him for details about the preparation of certain dishes he was not descriptive at all but very impatient. The food quality was not bad, but too expensive for the complexity, presentation and taste. The snapper was too salty. The meat was very tender and delicious. The atmosphere very welcoming but the professionalism of the server darkened the charm and bright of the moment. We had the appetizer for each and 5 minutes later we had the entrees in the very middle of our appetizer. We had to put the entrees on a side of the table and therefore they got cold. The waiter realized about my frustration and started asking if everything was ok but too late. In such an expensive place, the cups shouldn't be brought in a hand but on a tray. Brief, the service should take some professional lessons on how to approach and serve a client. They have to know that what really counts in a restaurant of this kind is the experience and the feeling of being assisted as unique client and not as a...

This tapas/spanish restaurant is located in Rice Village. Metered parking is available, and 2 hour free parking in one of the two garages within a block or two of the restaurant. There are a few spots that are free after 6pm but they're usually all filled up especially on the weekends.

El Meson is in an old building; when you walk inside it smells old. The carpet is a strange dark color and there is just a musty feel to the restaurant. There is a rather large private room to the side that can be requested for any reservations free of cost. It's got its own dedicated built-in bar, but again sports that same sad carpet and smell. The room also has its own doors with large windows that open up onto the patio. The patio is directly adjacent to parking and the street, though, so I'm not sure in hot Houston how often it would actually be nice to sit out there.

The food is, in short, mediocre. The highlights are 1) the drinks and 2) the dessert. But it's quite difficult to make bad dessert in my opinion.

Patatas Bravas - sour; not very flavorful. bland.

Nachos del Mar - soggy nachos. overcooked low quality shrimp.

goat cheese mashed potatoes - surprisingly very little hint of goat cheese taste.

flan - a bit too much on the sweet side.

flourless chocolate cake - can't tell that it's flourless at all; definitely...