Pampa Grill and Market — Restaurant in Houston

From the moment I walked through the door of Pampa Grill, I knew it was going to be something different. Pampa Grill isn't just a restaurant, it's a family. When you step through the door, you feel at home. I've always thought of food as the most physical way of showing love—through nourishing the body and, most importantly, the soul. That’s what you're going to find here. People will go above and beyond to make you feel at home, like you're part of their beautiful family.

But it’s not only about that feeling. During my stay in Houston, I only went to a couple of places to eat—because I kept coming back to Pampa. I had to taste all of their food.

First things first: if you want to have breakfast, empanadas argentinas are the BEST possible way to start your day. My favorite? Shrooms, and then chorizo. But trust me, you won’t go wrong with anything you choose.

Why did I keep coming back to Pampa, you may ask? For me, Pampa is a temple of the product. I’m originally from Spain—we have so many good products there, and we value food quality a lot. Pampa is all about their product. Their meat is the star of the show, and they know it. They prepare your meat of choice with just the right amount of salt, the perfect level of doneness (I've never had to explain how I like my meat), and all their heart.

My favorite was asado de tira—the flavor is out of this world, and any side of your choice will be the perfect fit. Not only that, they even offered to cook my favorite side dish to go with my meat. That’s what I meant when I said I felt at home—they offer that special kind of attention.

I kept coming back and tried almost all of their Argentinian meats. You'll find that the hardest thing to do is settling for just one. But the surprises didn’t end there—they offered to cook a bit of everything in a typical asado argentino. Their bread is homemade by their fantastic chef Javier, who not only prepares the best asado de tira but also comes to your table with a hearty smile to check if everything is good.

If you're more of a salad person, you're also in luck. Javier makes the best combination: salad with avocado, black olives, Argentinian cheese—the flavor and texture will blow you away, if the meat hasn't already.

As I kept coming back, they kept surprising me with more and more. If you come to Pampa on a Friday, you'll not only find tables full of families enjoying their food, talking and laughing with their loved ones—you’ll also find live music, with everyone joining in at times to sing along with the musician who performs at night.

Pampa is a gem with its own light. If you enjoy good food, a family atmosphere, and the best possible treatment, you just have to go to Pampa Grill in Houston. I’m completely sure that if I come back to Houston, Pampa will remember my favorite table and have it ready for me. I may have left Houston to come back home, but a little piece of my heart will always...

I think our first visit to Pampa Grill was about 3+ years ago. Since that time, and without exaggeration, we've been there at least 50 times. It is for sure, our "go to" destination, even tho' we live at least 20 minutes away. Why is this?

1. Character. We love the owners and staff...and we're not the only ones. It is common to see Vickie (owner), Elvira or John giving a big welcome hug to diners who frequent the restaurant. We usually catch Oswaldo at evening's end, and Javier (owner) when he's handed over the reins of cooking so he can help serve. When you see the chef/owner serving and clearing, and his wife doing the same, you know this no "foo foo" restaurant. This place is built on hard work, super service and customer satisfaction. If you're looking for the latest in angular, minimalist decor, this ain't your place. The ambiance is in the character and sense one has on entering. It is common to see families and friends gather here, but also couples in intimate conversation...save Friday nites, where a much loved singer has the crowd in many a boisterous sing along....you'll need reservations on Friday nites, tho' they're a good idea all nights.

2. The Food. The menu is very extensive, but we usually focus on the outstanding empanadas, and the fugazetta (sweet onion and cheese pizza) which is actually better than the best we've had in Buenos Aires) for our starters. The home made rolls they bring to the table are also seriously delicious. My wife loves their many variations of a grilled chicken sandwich, especially the one with spinach. But for me, it's always steak, and usually the entraña or the asada de tira. These steaks are thin cut, highly seasoned and "chewy". Don't be thinkin' a big thick porterhouse. With a couple of fried eggs on top and French fries, you're in heaven. We also love their plantanos. I'm not sure if there's fish on the menu, but plenty of chicken, beef and pork dishes. If you're a vegetarian, it's gonna be a long night.

3. BYOB. This is another strong selling point with us. The corkage fee is $8, but the glasses are decent (not Riedel, but serviceable). Nearly every table has a bottle or more being enjoyed. Any red will work here though we're quite partial to Malbecs, Bordeaux and Zins, but you'll see plenty of whites on other tables.

It's the "family" feeling everyone shares + the BYOB service + the Argentinean menu that keeps us coming...

I think our first visit to Pampa Grill was about 3+ years ago. Since that time, and without exaggeration, we've been there at least 50 times. It is for sure, our "go to" destination, even tho' we live at least 20 minutes away. Why is this?

1. Character. We love the owners and staff...and we're not the only ones. It is common to see Vickie (owner), Elvira or John giving a big welcome hug to diners who frequent the restaurant. We usually catch Oswaldo at evening's end, and Javier (owner) when he's handed over the reins of cooking so he can help serve. When you see the chef/owner serving and clearing, and his wife doing the same, you know this no "foo foo" restaurant. This place is built on hard work, super service and customer satisfaction. If you're looking for the latest in angular, minimalist decor, this ain't your place. The ambiance is in the character and sense one has on entering. It is common to see families and friends gather here, but also couples in intimate conversation...save Friday nites, where a much loved singer has the crowd in many a boisterous sing along....you'll need reservations on Friday nites, tho' they're a good idea all nights.

2. The Food. The menu is very extensive, but we usually focus on the outstanding empanadas, and the fugazetta (sweet onion and cheese pizza) which is actually better than the best we've had in Buenos Aires) for our starters. The home made rolls they bring to the table are also seriously delicious. My wife loves their many variations of a grilled chicken sandwich, especially the one with spinach. But for me, it's always steak, and usually the entraña or the asada de tira. These steaks are thin cut, highly seasoned and "chewy". Don't be thinkin' a big thick porterhouse. With a couple of fried eggs on top and French fries, you're in heaven. We also love their plantanos. I’m not sure if there’s fish on the menu, but plenty of chicken, beef and pork dishes. If you're a vegetarian, it's gonna be a long night.

3. BYOB. This is another strong selling point with us. The corkage fee is $8, but the glasses are decent (not Riedel, but serviceable). Nearly every table has a bottle or more being enjoyed. Any red will work here though we're quite partial to Malbecs, Bordeaux and Zins, but you'll see plenty of whites on other tables.

It’s the "family” feeling everyone shares + the BYOB service + the Argentinean menu that keeps us coming...