George's Bistro & Bar — Restaurant in West University Place

If you’re looking for inattentive service and lackluster food, George’s is the place.

When we arrived, the host stand set the tone. After saying we had a party of two, the host asked, “inside or outside?” I replied that it didn’t matter, and instead of seating us where available, she shot back, “Well it does. Where do you want to sit?” Not exactly a warm welcome.

Once seated, we waited a while before our server appeared. When I asked for still water, he walked off saying, “Yeah, tap water,” without a second thought. The water was unpleasant, and my friend’s tea arrived with visible specks floating in it.

Food service was slow, and when the plates finally arrived, we had to track down the server just to get salt and pepper. He consistently avoided our table—at one point my friend tried to catch his attention and he literally turned his head to stare out the window.

As for the food: the Suppli and the Biscuit were the only real standouts. The breakfast pizza was a miss, and the fried chicken was painfully dry.

Closing out the meal was the final frustration. While a family seated long after us was well-attended and received their check promptly, we were left to chase ours. Twice my friend asked for the bill as the server walked past us; he ignored her until finally giving an eye-roll and a reluctant nod.

Note: I was the only patron of color in this...

[December 2024 Update. This has become one of our favorite places, and we darken their doorstep about once a week. The new menu items are a hit. Their patio is wonderful for outdoor dining on Houston winter days. Lovely service from Yolanda and Kevin on our last few visits. Fantastic spot!] George's is simply superb. The food is phenomenal and lovingly prepared and might be described as New American with an Italian flair. We have paid much more for meals that were not nearly this elite. The grilled trout can be upgraded for a small upcharge to include a very generous topping of crab and side dishes (as you can see in the photo). The charcuterie is huge and inventive with everything from high-quality mortadella to fresh honeycomb. The beet salad was fantastic and actually included a generous portion of beets, not the paper-thin slices some restaurants offer and then overcharge. We didn't even make it to the fantastic pasta menu or the HRW offerings. Buttermilk ice cream...how good does that sound when it's 100 degrees? George's has a full bar and a huge covered patio that sits on the east side of the restaurant, meaning it never sees the worst afternoon heat. Plenty of easy parking. Fantastic service from Nicholas and his ninja-like reflexes when we were clumsy. A...

We recently visited George’s Bistro & Bar for the first time during Restaurant Week. Despite being located in a shopping center, the interior felt cozy and tastefully elegant. I ordered the House Salad and the George Burger. I asked for the burger to be well done because I don’t like raw meat in a burger. For some reason, and given what was happening in that short time we were there, I sensed the burger might be overcooked, and unfortunately, it arrived nearly burnt. My wife had the Flatbread Hummus Trio, the Grilled Chicken Avocado Croissant, and a coffee, which she enjoyed.

What really affected the experience was the service. The manager greeted every table except ours, which happened to be the only Hispanic table in the restaurant, and the repeated glances from the manager felt uncomfortable, as if our presence wasn’t welcome. That detail really diminished the overall experience.

A dining experience shouldn't be only about food, but also about how welcome you feel. Ownership and management must understand that the most valuable service they can provide their customers is outstanding assistance, making guests feel appreciated and comfortable. In this case, they fell far short of that standard.

Until the management addresses this, I can’t recommend...