Bar Bludorn
Restaurant · Spring Valley ·
Upscale tavern with Texas-inspired comfort food & cocktails
Upscale tavern with Texas-inspired comfort food & cocktails
"A 2024 Eater Award winner and, as we coined it last year, the “place we’d most want to be a regular,” we would start with the chilled corn soup with poblano, lime creme fraiche, and chilli oil, follow with branzino with succotash, romesco, and radish, and end with the chocolate mousse with miso caramel and a flourless biscuit." - Courtney E. Smith
"Sometimes you just want to be taken care of at a capital-R Restaurant, a place with pristine service and food. And that’s why you go to Bar Bludorn in Memorial. The attention to detail here is refined, down to fresh pea tendrils lacing the pasta carbonara, and the dark dining room that's set up like some classy mid-century jazz club with a kitchen for a stage. While no one’s wandering around selling cigarettes, someone is circling with a bread basket full of butter-golden Parker House rolls. And a fleet of servers dropping off caviar and fried chicken in fluid succession at your table. Everything at Bar Bludorn is built for a night when you need to relax, enjoy incredible food, and let someone else take care of you—even if that’s just for dinner." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene
"Sometimes you just want to be taken care of at a capital-R Restaurant, a place with pristine service and food that's truly worth the $100 you’re about to spend per person. That’s why you go to Bar Bludorn in Memorial. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel Pause Unmute After one visit to this American, tavern-style restaurant, all five of the managers will know your name. The attention to detail is obvious, down to the little silver garnish picks and the dark room set up like some classy mid-century jazz club with a kitchen for a stage. And while no one’s wandering around selling cigarettes, there will be someone circling with a bread basket full of butter-golden Parker House rolls and fleets of servers dropping off caviar and fried chicken with collard greens in fluid succession. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel Pause Unmute So save Bar Bludorn when you want all things Americana comfort: stellar martinis, miniature ham beignets, and service that makes you wonder if you accidentally slipped someone $100. Maybe as your last meal in Houston, maybe for an anniversary, or just a particularly crappy Thursday. It’s not cheap to be this well-fed and cared for. But if you’re doing it big, you might as well go all the way. Food Rundown Cocktails The first time we tried the house cocktail Delusions of Grandeur, with its combination of chai, ginger beer, and mezcal, we were stunned. What seemed like a grab bag of ingredients came together as a dreamy version of a michelada, served in a cocktail glass. And every house cocktail is similar in that its unexpected flavor combinations result in some of the most refreshing and interesting drinks we’ve ever had. photo credit: Richard Casteel Parker House Rolls Served with a fluffy, piped dollop of butter, the yeasty little buns are a classic version of the iconic Parker House roll: fluffy, slightly sweet, with a thin gold crust. You can also order more on the side if you have food pyramid-level bread requirements. photo credit: Richard Casteel Steak Tartare The texture of this tartare runs straight past minced and right into pulverized. That softness, with the addition of a raw egg and only slightly crispy miniature potato hash browns on the side, makes the entire dish a little too mushy. photo credit: Richard Casteel Gem Lettuce Salad Usually, parmesan serves as a supporting flavor for crunchy lettuce, but not at Bar Bludorn. Here, nutty cheese is the star, and the lettuce is simply the best vehicle to eat it. photo credit: Richard Casteel Spaghetti Carbonara If feasible, we would show up at Bar Bludorn every day, hands out Oliver-orphan-style, and beg for, “more pea pasta, please.” This bowl is creamy, cheesy, and has a punch of green crispness from the pea tendrils. photo credit: Richard Casteel Fried Chicken Every bite of this fried chicken, which includes sides of buttery-soft mashed potatoes and stewed collard greens, reminds us of being a kid and ordering a Luann Platter at Luby’s, in the best way. This is pure Southern cafeteria nostalgia that we want to order every time. photo credit: Richard Casteel Matcha Sesame Tiramisu For a restaurant that serves a lot of heavy, rich food, the inclusion of a light tiramisu with matcha and black sesame could seem like a total leftfield move. But, it’s the best (and lightest) way to tie off a meal here. photo credit: Richard Casteel" - Chelsea Thomas
"Bar Bludorn’s Tavern burger goes against the grain, with dry-aged beef topped with a gooey cheddar cheese (rather than American), with a topping of tomato and pickles. Up the ante with a fancy French fry service for $4 more, which comes with a cone full of crispy fries and a lineup of sauces, including a green peppercorn sauce. Tip: Pair your burger with one of Bar Bludorn’s expertly made martinis, including a Mexican martini, espresso martinis, and dry gin and a Dirty Vodka version." - Brittany Britto Garley
"Bar Bludorn is like a mid-century lounge with food that feels fitting for bone-dry martinis and special occasions. Spooning up the last bits of the spaghetti carbonara and finding ourselves wondering why peas aren’t included in more pasta dishes. A round of Delusion Of Grandeur cocktails, a plate of fried chicken, and a slice of chocolate cake that could inspire a (mostly) playful spoon war over the last bite. Eating steak tartare with hash browns, Bludorn, and Parker House rolls." - julie takahashi, chelsea thomas, gianni greene, chelsea thomas, gianni greene, chelsea thomas, chelsea thomas, gianni greene, chelsea thomas, chelsea thomas, gianni greene, chelsea thomas, gianni greene
