Federal American Grill — Restaurant in Houston

I’ve gone here for years, and even went four times just around Christmas- and this part I locations quality has dipped dramatically since expansion.

If you notice they no longer serve a few dishes and their burger has been downgraded from a wagyu beef to just a regular beef burger. The salmon was not seasoned well, and they got my drink order incorrect not once, but twice, and when I mentioned it the second time they didn’t even offer to remedy it. Maybe I was too polite about it? Idk but it was awkward.

Super long gone are their amazing steak and 20$ bottomless mimosas.

On top of that I had a horrible personal experience : I left a birthday present, filled with gift cards and a four piece candle set on the table. I was only five minutes down the road when I called to let them know. When we got there , they let us know that they had already (in a 10-15 minute span of time) threw it away…..even though they admittedly remembered it in the table. Jason the manager finally said he’d replace it all and have it by Monday.

On Monday I received a text- not a professional phone call- but a text saying my gift cards were ready. By the time I texted “okay cool, thank you!” Back, he had blocked me.

When we got in, he just handed us gift cards without any explanation. Mind you he said he was going to replace the candles, too. As my boyfriend said “that’s really not cool, you should have at least told us” Jason the manager literally snatched the gift cards from his hand and immediately told us to leave.

I can not explain to how shocking and insulting that was. It seriously was like the weird defensive guy in high school was acting out. And I figured he would be weird, because he was defensive with us from the beginning. My boyfriend got REALLY vocally upset, and we left. But what would you do if someone snatched something from your hand when you were trying to talk to them?

I mean they took my friends hard earned gift money and threw it away.

I’ve tried to contact the GM and I’ve messaged corporate- all to no response. I mean this guy was so weird I was nervous because I don’t know what his deal is. I’ve never seen anyone act that way. But it really wasn’t okay or normal behavior so I’m posting about it.

If you’re here for a work situation - stick to apps and drinks. Those are solid. The stuffed chicken is decent too. If you’re a long time patron - you know it’s not what they used to be, and I do NOT feel comfortable with their staff (there was one cool and nice waiter that we interacted with - so it’s not all bad). And I mean that was my boyfriend’s faaaaavorite restaurant. Oh well, it issss...

Everybody deserves a second chance. Definitely glad that we did exactly that.

We were celebrating our wedding anniversary a little early due to our work schedules conflicting closer to the actual date. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to spend time away from home and we were hoping to make it special. We chose to sit at the bar since the main dining was full. The bartender (Chuck) was entertaining and helpful, knowledgeable of the menu selections and favorites, and a skilled mixologist as well. Unfortunately a kitchen error that was not fixed after the initial attempt to correct put us in the mood to just pay for the drinks and go back to our hotel. The manager, David, tried very sincerely to correct the problem for us but at that point we were just ready to go. He asked us to give them a chance to correct the situation, inviting us back for brunch the next morning. Later that night we decided to give them a second chance.

We returned the next day around noon for brunch. David greeted us immediately upon arrival and showed us to the bar (where we asked to sit - mainly because Chuck was such a good bartender and was working the brunch shift). He let us know that we would be in good hands and appreciated that we would return after such an unfortunate evening. We started off with mimosas - made custom based on a few good options they offer (and they didn’t disappoint). I also had a bourbon peach smash that was excellent. I do regret not having the flaming oldie, but I also had to drive home... After a little bit, we ordered food. My wife ordered short rib Benedict and I had chicken and waffles. Both dishes were very good, perfectly prepared and beautiful.

After we ate we made sure to tell David and Chuck that the experience was excellent. They presented us with the check - not surprised that they comped the entire visit but still pleased to know that they were sincere about making sure we had a chance to see them at their best. Once the check had come they even brought out a wonderful butter cake dessert accompanied by a couple glasses of champagne that we had absolutely no room for but we tasted it only to find out that it was phenomenal!

I feel like, in the restaurant industry, a bad experience may be very upsetting but most people will not go back to that restaurant. In this case, because David genuinely wanted us to be pleased with our visit, we gave them a second chance and I’m so glad we did. Please take the time to visit this place. You...

Though I barely got to know it as its former Branch Water Tavern, I surely won't miss it. Sometimes change is good... very, very good.

It's magical when food, staff, and ambiance all come together to form a nearly perfect union. Why nearly? Well, your pocket might be hurting a little afterwards, but good things hurt sometimes too, right?

I was able to sample a hodgepodge of menu items. My highlights of the night included...

The Beef Carpaccio is pounded until it's melt-in-your-mouth thin and topped with arugala, fresh parmesan, and truffle vinaigrette. The whole thing was very refreshing, but still meaty and filled with umami because of the truffle.

We also ordered the BBQ Bone Marrow. What goes better with cold, raw beef carpaccio than a sinful, fatty, beefy bone marrow? Nothing. Beef on beef action is the only way a dinner should start. Oh, and let's not forget the accoutrements of roasted garlic, pickled red onion, and fleur de sel. The dish just wouldn't be the same without its supporting team.

Normally I don't order fish in restaurants, but I couldn't resist the Pan Roasted Gulf Fish as it found its way to our table, laid atop a corn crab maque choux, and beautiful as could be. I enjoyed it even more than the ribeye. The lump crap studded corn accompaniment really made the fish shine.

We had the pleasure of sampling all the sides, but the Truffle Mac & Cheese was my favorite. My easily swayed palette is a sucker for truffle oil. And for dessert, my favorites were the Creme Fraiche Cheesecake and the Molten Chocolate Cake... the cheesecake is so light it disappears on your tongue and the molten chocolate cake was so good I wanted to bathe in it.

Where they made their impression was in the service. From the valet to the waitstaff to the managers, I felt thoroughly welcomed. The staff was very knowledgeable and DEFINITELY not lacking in the personality department. The management stopped by each table as well, and it really makes the guest experience top notch. I do remember that Branch Water Tavern was lacking in this department, but Federal Grill has shined most here. Out with the old and in with the new. Unlike it's predecessor, I'm sure that Federal Grill will be...