Barnaby's Cafe

This was an unpleasant experience. At the time, we brought our dog and had to sit on the patio, which isn’t bad but not great on a hot day. The food was very average for the high price. We ordered “bacon jam sliders”, “bowl of fries”, and “sliced chicken breast over brown rice” for the dog. For drinks, we ordered coke and a strawberry lemonade but it was watered down with underripe strawberry chunks. The sliders were fine but there was inconsistency with how cooked it was. The fries were beautifully cooked but ONLY the top center fries got the seasoning. The dog’s food was room temperature, but he didn’t really eat it even though he ate his normal food after we left. The service was nice, when they got to us. From sitting down, to getting the menu and our drinks, to ordering food, to finally getting the food, it all took a good 6-10 minutes between each action. With the heat, it all felt even longer. Overall, it felt that even if it was “pet friendly” it didn’t really feel like that. The only pet friendly thing was the fact they did have a dog centered menu.

Had an excellent lunch here with a friend. I love Barnaby’s; the quality is consistent and the service is always great. Today I got the Asian Chicken Salad with a side of sweet potato fries. The smaller size salad is the perfect size for one person and the sweet potato fries were fried very well. This Montrose location is one of my favorites, the staff is so welcoming and the atmosphere is very casual. Can’t wait for my next visit :)

EVERYTHING AMAZING. Staff, incredible. Food, delicious. On the way out, we were told by staff “welcome to the family” as it was our first time. 10/10 (also pet friendly) 😁

I came to Barnaby's Cafe with a friend in the summer. We ordered something quick. Service was excellent and food was delicious. We had a good time eating there. We parked kind of far because we knew the parking is always a problem here.

Barnaby's is always good. I usually get the Lebanese salad but tried the egg salad sandwich and it was perfect.

I got a pretty hefty plate for $20! I left full and think it was worth it. They server breakfast all day, and have $3 wine glasses on Tuesdays. Overall a good experience for those looking for a good sit-down establishment with a decent price tag.

Love the original Barnaby's! Good selection of menu items, lots of variety. The employees are great. Perfect fit for the neighborhood. Looks like they have a few decoration updates pending, but still a good atmosphere.

We came here on a Thursday evening and were greeted in a friendly manner by the staff. We are both vegetarians and saw there were some good options on the menu; we set about ordering some garlic hummus with pita chips to start followed by the falafel burger with fries and the impossible burger with fries (our favourite!). Lastly, we shared the apple pie with ice cream. All the food was really tasty and made promptly. The server was was very friendly and we could hear he was making all the customers feel right at home. We would definitely come back.

We LOVE this Barnaby's! Not only is the food always delicious, the people who work here are awesome!! Always a fun meal and the food is delicious! Love their salads, burgers and do NOT forget to order extra fries!! Oh and apple pie with Amy's ice cream. And they just remodeled the restrooms! Well done guys! Always a go to! Kudos

Definitely NOT baby Barnaby's and don't fall for the snake oil! Super friendly waiter, he was great! Just as cute here as it is next door. The adult meals (steak and hot dog) were delicious. The kids' corn dogs had a funny taste and were rubbery. Our main complaint is our kids walked into the wrong door and I realized our mistake before sitting. I intended for us to go to Baby Barnaby's next door for breakfast but the hostess promised us they had breakfast too. We'd had drinks ordered and once we looked at the menu realized the breakfast is not the same. Her promise of breakfast we a couple of breakfast items but it's nothing like the deliciousness next door. We could overhear her upset everyone was going next door but it doesn't help to mislead.

This appears to be the OG Barnaby's location in Houston. Located in Montrose, this is definitely the least modern interior location that I've been to. It feels a bit old school and dive bar esque but the menu seems fairly similar. There is parking, which is decent because parking in this area is fairly tough. The interior is a bit older and if you like clean and modern, then this ain't it. Got their white queso and chips and Asian wings for appetizers. The wings were cooked well and were tender but the Asian sauce was a bit bland and not very Asian. The white queso was slightly watery and not my favorite to be honest. The chips were definitely pre-made and tasted like it. I got their free range buffalo burger for my main with a side of sweet potato fries. The burger was requested as medium but was definitely a well done by the time it got to the table. The buns were pre-made / not made in house; there was also some seasoned oil or spread on the buns that I wasn't a fan of. The burger itself was alright; if not a bit bland. I could not tell it was buffalo. The fries were crispy and cooked well; these are also confidently not freshly cut. Overall, this is an alright meal for a fairly popular Houston chain. The burger wasn't impressive and at its price point, it's fair to say it is fairly average in terms of quality and taste. Their menu is pretty expansive so I might've accidentally skipped their heavy hitters.

Great food, good service, busy place with casual ambiance. Homey looking old school business. Started with spinach dip and chips, very good. Huge portions served, enough for 2 meals or to share. I tried the lasagna today. It was very meaty and not dry at all. Lots of gooey cheese. Ordered a chicken salad and that was huge and looked delicious. I recommend coming here. Matthew was our server today.

First dinner in Houston. Had a drink at a nearby bar and Barnaby's was recommended. Had a french dip and a wedge salad. The wedge salad was enough for two actually, half an iceberg lettuce. It was good. Being a french dip connoisseur, it was also good, 8 out of 10. Appropriate bread roll and Lots of thinly sliced beef. The au jus was just about the right beefy flavor, not too salty. A few little stringy pieces of beef but not bad. Service was friendly and efficient

Let me start by saying I meant to write this review a while back.... I used to love going there for lunch and dinner. 4 stars definitely before....The pesto chicken salad sandwich and chicken mill valley were my favorites. Service and iced tea were usually pretty decent...Then I noticed the roaches on the kitchen floor at night around 5ish and told the night manager (a short Hispanic man, he may have been the kitchen manager) and he didn't care a bit. Then during the day I noticed a good amount of rat dropping on the ledge between the kitchen and bathrooms. I told the lady (that I was told was the gm) and she didn't seem to care about that either. Ultimately separate disgusting instances and neither manager cares. I won't be back.

Great place to eat. I love the artwork on the ceilings. Staff is very friendly. The texas chili burger was very good. The meat was cooked exactly how I like it (medium well). My friend, who is vegetarian, loved the impossible meat burger. Prices are reasonable. Food portions are huge. I preferred the chips instead of fries with my burger.

Cute little restaurant right across from George Country Bar. I remember going to other Barnaby's Cafes but could never find parking to this one on Fairview. As I was looking at the black awnings across the street, they looked like doggy's eyelashes winking at me. So, here I was. This restaurant seems to be an old house converted to a functional restaurant. As I walked in, waitress greeted me and say "it's open seating. You can sit anywhere." Lovely, I found a table for solo diner looking at the kitchen and the front of house. The menu is a placemat on the table. I quickly glanced at the categories and I picked lowest priced item - Chicken Salad Sandwich at $14.00. My waiter took the order and brought my food so quickly, I didn't get a chance to read the reviews. I think Barnaby and dogs are related. Dog motifs are everywhere, including the ceiling. Part of my meal was french fries, which dressed it like a shaggy dog without ears. Because the fries were so fresh I couldn't believe I actually finished them before getting into my sandwich. I was already full eating half of my sandwich and all the fries. I enjoyed my leftover next day. It was as delicious as the day before. The restaurant was filled with happy customers during the New Year's Day dinner hours. Waitress was very energetic as she waited more tables than my waiter. I don't go out to gayborhood much. It's always nice to see many young people enjoyed eating at Barnaby's Cafe.

Great place with friendly staff and awesome food. The dining area is very kitschy and that style fits nicely as the restaurant is in an old house. Mathew, our server, was very helpful telling us about the menu, as some items were interesting like the Coronado Beef or Newport Chicken. But I opted for the blue cheese hamburger and it was so juicy and tasty on a sweet ciabatta roll. Now, I can put away most burgers but this one was super filling and well worth it. We also ordered the Newport Chicken, which is a grilled chicken breast with slices of ham under melted cheese, and an epic hotdog that was grilled and split down the middle. Both of these were super good. This is the only location of Barnaby's I've been to, but I am confident that the food and service at the other locations is just as good.

Enjoyable meal with family. Friendly service. Delicious and large wedge with blue cheese. Salmon cooked to a tender grilled tastiness. Noodles and macaroni were enjoyed by the younger children. Reasonable prices. Solid meal in a simply furnished, comfortable setting.

Always friendly service at the locations I have visited. I love their falafel burger! Had it for lunch and it delicious with the warm bun they serve it on! Every thing I have tried has been yummy!

Have not been here in a long time. Decided to pop in for lunch and it was a great reunion to be back at the original Barnaby's. The atmosphere is bustling and lively just as I remember. Noah was our waiter and he was attentive, fun and made sitting in his section a delight. If he is there, sit in his section. I ordered the Spicy Asian Wings and it was more than enough. Spicy and tangy with nice pickled cucumbers to graze on. So good. My friend ordered the huge egg salad sandwich with homemade potato chips. It was so good I could not keep my hands off his chips and egg salad. Stop into Barnaby's if you are in the area. It's a local's hotspot.

Been a fan of Barnaby's for more than 20 years but a visit to original Fairview location ruined it for me and my family today and we will never go back. We went for dinner this evening and took our 3 year old who is an extremely picky eater and only eats McDonalds and were told she could not eat it in the restaurant "company policy." Do not call yourself family friendly. This is MISLEADING to the customer. Whoever came up with this brilliant policy either never had children or doesn't care about families. It was embarrassing. We had to leave. And the resturant was completely empty except for one other customer. Great way to keep the few customers you have. DO BETTER BARNABYS! If I could give zero stars, I would.

Great food consistently (love their burgers!, salads, and sandwiches!). The service today was just as great as always! Love the Montrose location!

Ok wow so good. I'm honestly so stuffed after eating here. I ordered the sweet potato fries and wedge salad. They do not wimp out here!! Sooo much yummy food. I will say I think the sweet potato fries could have been a bit crispier, they are pretty floppy, so just depends what you like. Service was amazing! Staff is super friendly and so does a good job of checking up on you. I would definitely come back.

I got the chilli cheeseburger with fries. Service was stellar! This place can NEVER disappoint!

Stopped by here for breakfast because I saw the great reviews and large portion sizes and had to see for myself. It was so good! Everything! And service was also great. It was a chill vibe inside and super casual, which I love. 10/10 recommend.

Atmosphere was so cute and the service was very good. We tried the burgers and everyone loved them! Definitely a dish to share.

Love this place. Food and Service are always the best. The salads and sandwiches are my number one choice.

Love this place so much and was so sad to find out that the beloved Black Labrador I frequented during college had closed, after 33 years ;( Driving down aimlessly on Montrose Blvd, I was heading toward Allen Parkway and remembered, BARNABYS Cafe on Fairview. The Original. Was super happy and surprised with all the locations now opened: The Heights, River Oaks, Museum, Midtown, Woodway - jeez, they keep on going! Was pretty hangry for a salad, as my body was craving roughage. And the super nice waiter gave me the rundown on the ingredients on the 8 delicious salads on the menu where I picked the Chinese Chicken Salad $16, there is a smaller salad size available for $2 less, however, you want to order the large one. When it arrived at the table, people gawked as it was so ginormous...and delicious filled with thin sliced chicken, carrots, cilantro, crunchy cabbage, wonton crisps, and topped with a super thick peanut sauce. I tried my best to eat my way through it, however, I was beat by this salad! Taking it home, I enjoyed TWO more meals as the nice waiter was kind enough to provide me with extra peanut dressing. Great food, great service, great location with small private parking lot. Inside tables have plastic see through partitions for extra safety. Thank you! I look forward to coming back and eating my way through this menu, too!

I have been coming here for years. Omg. Like more than 20! I remember giving blood and then having the best meat loaf of my life here. I'm vegetarian now (although, I still think about that meat loaf) and I love their falafel burgers. Sweet potato fries are also hot and delicious. Service today was quick and friendly. I enjoyed a glass of $5 Pinot Grigio too. Eating here always makes me happy. Reminds me of the old Montrose.

The food portions are large. I ordered the smaller salad and it was more than I could eat. The sweet potato fries were delicious and I was pleasantly surprised by the BBQ sauce pairing. I wasn't sure if it worked but it definitely does! The Texas Chili hamburger was cooked to perfection as well. Dean and the other employees were fantastic!

Atmosphere is pleasant enough and service was pretty good. It was easy enough to find some parking nearby. Really just expected better food from what I had heard about this place - I ate after a fast so it was a bit of a let down. I had the green eggs which come with cheese - which would have been nice to exclude but it comes pre packaged. Portion size was pretty decent the food was just pretty bland.

Rica comida y muy buen ambiente para toda la familia , almuerzo y cena deliciosa me encanta este restaurante vuelvo una y otra vez , bien atendida muy amables todos los empleados el café delicioso , la limonada de fresa me encanta es mi bebida preferida aparte del café .

A pleasant place with serviceable food. I ordered the chicken salad and it's a bunch of chicken on a bed of lettuce that was Nothing special. Service made up for it and the quantities are abundant.

Wow......I mean Wow not in a good way what a complete disappointment. Ordered takeout a Cesar Salad with chicken and a Turkey Burger and they were both dreadful. How do you mess up a simple CS, these people did it. It had a funny taste like the lettuce wasn't fresh. The cheese was not fresh and the chicken was tough, trash. The TB was undercooked and it was tasteless. The fries tasted like they were cooked last week. I live in Sugarland so didn't want to make the 19 mile one way drive to return this garbage....

Love the atmosphere. Nice place to meet and greet. Family and adult dining. Large portions. Meatloaf is my favorite.

Last Sunday night I stopped by to have my favorite quesadillas, which are normally superb. Unfortunately this time they were served with spoiled sour cream. After a couple of bites I knew something was wrong, and when I smelled the remaining sour cream, I almost vomited. I flagged down the waiter who took a sniff and agreed it smelled bad, but claimed the kitchen folks were always diligent. A few hours later and for several days, I have had nausea, cramps and diarrhea. Thanks Barnaby's!

Decor/service: service was friendly and the food came out quick. Could use a decent cleaning and updating. Food: the breakfast tacos were fine but I have had better. Could use more toppings or something to really make them pop. The omelette side were fine but lacked some flavor.

I have gone to this restaurant before, but not this location. Came on Sunday with a group of 4, it was busy! The wait was crazy long. They have a sign up sheet where people can walk up and sign in for a table for in or outside dinning. The wait area has seating but it's open to the elements including the hot sun, yikes. This business would do well to create some type of shade for the waiting customers, especially when the wait is 30+ min sitting under the sun. Food- I split the beligion waffle. It was good, tasty! Once seated, service was good. Someone in my group had the fresh squeezed OJ, I tried that it was tasty. Tip be ready to pack your patience with this place, but on the plus side, staff seemed kind. I overheard one server greeting a return customer which is always nice to hear. Place is tight and cozy.

Running into a restaurant for a quick lunch isn't always the best way to gauge the quality of a place, but Barnaby's knocked it out of the park from the moment we walked through the door. We were warmly greeted by Justine and seated outside where a big ol' fan gave us our own little breeze which was a nice touch in the midst of 90+ degree weather. Before we could even ask, Justine came out with two giant glasses of ice water and a pitcher. I could've cried. It was exactly what we needed. We told her we only had a few minutes for lunch, so she quickly pointed out the items on the menu that came out the fastest. I ordered the Smoked Chicken Tostadas and my partner got the Tuna Sandwich. They both were at our table before we could even get halfway through our waters. It was ridiculously fast which was even more impressive because the restaurant was packed inside. Now I'm just passing through Texas and I totally forgot about the portion sizes here. The chicken tostada was MASSIVE. More than I could've powered through even if I had a couple of hours. Same went for the honking huge tuna sammich. Seriously, we had enough leftovers for another lunch when we were done. Everything was delicious. I kept stealing sweet potato fries from my partner's plate and there was enough guacamole on my dish to have topped three plates of nachos. Since our time was limited we shoved the leftovers into to-go containers and booked it to our next thing. Justine was amazing the entire time and *super* fast with everything. She understood our time constraints. We are most definitely coming back for a more leisurely visit. I'll also remember that the portions are ridiculous and wear my stretchy pants.

Service: You are greeted immediately upon entering and the staff is attentive throughout. Food: The food is delicious, warm, consistent and delivered promptly. Location: If you are expecting a large dining area & unlimited parking, this is not the Barnaby's for you to visit. This is the original location and it was converted from a home to a business.

Great food in a funky little place. Parking is tough, but I will make it a point to go there. The staff was amazing and had great suggestions.

Yummy food and big portions! I came here on a Sunday afternoon for some lunch. I have been to their fountain view location before but I believe I had breakfast when I was there. This time around I decided to try their lunch options and ordered the meatloaf bruschetta and the housemade lasagna to share. The portions were HUGE and there was definitely enough to go around and to pack to go. I liked the lasagna the best because of how saucy and cheesy it was. I personally enjoy protein more than I do carbs so this meaty lasagna was just the perfect ratio. This was my first time trying meatloaf in general so I thought it was a little on the drier side but I believe that is normal for meatloaf. I really enjoyed the bruschetta part as it brought acidity to the dish and a little more complexity to just the bread and meat. Service was good! The staff is very friendly when you come in through the doors and make sure that you are in the right place for either breakfast or lunch before seating you.

Food is good. Cute ambience or scenery. Staff is friendly. But you don't need it all.

My friends and I came here for Brunch. The food was decent but we had unpleasant interactions with the hosting staff while we inquired about signing up for the waitlist and the process for outdoor seating. I'm Black and never play the race card, however, I had the most uncomfortable experience dining here. Our entire party noticed that our server who was Caucasian woman, was outgoing and welcoming to the Caucasian guests, yet was extremely curt and rude to us we greeted them friendly pleasantries, navigated through the menu, asked questions, etc. Due to this being the 4th option for Brunch, we decided to stay and really pray they didn't spit in our food. I hope people understand that is a reality with disgruntled restaurant employees. Our order consisted of the Breakfast Plate, French Toast, and a Breakfast Burrito. The food hit, but we'll never return. Even with bad service, I like to tip the standard 20%, but our server was not getting any additional money from us.

Tried Barnaby's Cafe and it did not disappoint! Delicious food and great service! Highly recommend!

evrything is delicous customer service is great enviroment is nice. we order hummus , chiken wings, salads 2 fifferents one and excellent overall my rating is 5 stars

Came here after running a 10k and it was such a rewarding and filling meal!!! The breakfast potatoes are so fluffy yet crisp! Definitely worth the wait

Nonpretentious neighborhood joint with solid food and great service. Our group of 3 came to Barnaby's cafe on a weekday night so promptly got seated. My friend who drove did not have trouble finding parking during this time. I shared Asian spicy wings and Club sandwich with my boyfriend. The portions were huge and I had leftovers for my next meal. The chicken wings were delicious and I loved the cucumbers and onions that came with it. The Club sandwich was solid but you can't really go wrong with that. The service here was amazing though (super attentive but not overly) and I can't rave about it enough.

This is the original location I believe. It may not look totally the same as it did 20 years ago, but the vibe it entirely the same. The menu hasn't changed much either-- a little slice of Americana. Burgers, sandwiches, pork chops, meatloaf, ribs, and salads as big as your head! Moreover, you can't go wrong with any of them. But, my personal favorite is the Chinese chicken salad-- rarely I have salads served completely tossed where the chicken is uniformly distributed, but here, there's chicken in almost every bite. It's got a light vinegrette with peanut sauce drizzled on top. But, like I said, you can't go wrong at this place. Enjoy!

The food wasn't good. The waffle was like the ones you make at the hotels with complimentary breakfast. The only reason I gave it two starts is because the customer service was good.

Longtime Montrose diner is a victim of their success. Wayyyy too busy post-pandemic for comfort food, my meal got lost in the shuffle and forgotten by staff.

NO PARKING IN THEIR OWN LOT. The club across the street uses Barnaby's lot for their own client. I won't be returning until this changes. Jeff if you want business then act like it and have parking for your own clients.

I've had some burgers in my life but THIS didn't make any sense!!! My Uber driver said "the salad is good but the burgers aren't" I'm about to tell UBER she tried to harass me or something because she couldn't have been WRONGER!!! The food came out before I was even ready to eat ... fresh veggies on the burger, medium with crumbled blue cheese and real bacon!!! I'm a fan and I'll be back PLUS I heard they have like 9 of them ... come here if you get a chance!!!

The service is great here! Loved the environment! The food was bland in my opinion, but I really loved the environment. The sweet potato fries are pretty good however!

Hands down, this location... the original, is my favorite Barnaby's! The food is great and the staff is super friendly. We enjoyed chatting with different servers there and even the customers kept it interesting. I had the buffalo burger and it was great! Cooked perfectly and finished off with fries, it was a great day to blow up cheat day. Parking was super easy, as they have their own lot.

Always friendly service and plenty on your plate for your money!!! The location on Fairview is not the closest lication to my house, but it is the original and it is my favorite of all of the Barnaby's restaurants. When relatives visit from out of town they never understand why I insist on driving past so many other restaurants up and down Shepherd/Durham. But once they eat at Barnaby's on Fairview they are always satisfied and shut up. Excellent service! Always!

I have been a customer of Barnaby's from when it originally opened. I have gone there regularly almost weekly for many, many years. It was always extremely reliably good food at a fair price. I was there last night and decided it no longer is reliably good food or at fair price. In fact, the last several meals I have had there were just not enjoyable at all. Last night the loaded mash potatoes had been put under the heat lamp or in oven so long that the cheese was extremely hard, parts of it melted onto the plate with a hard surface to the point of being very close to burned to the point of being inedible. The bacon was such large tough chunks they tasted only of fake smoke and salt and were very difficult to eat. They were not at all crisp. I asked for my hot dog to be covered in lots of sauteed onions, as I have had it many times, with no bun, and for brown mustard and sweet relish. The onions were not caramelized as they used to always be yet they were very greasy and the little cups of mustard and relish were not full enough to actually cover the hot dog. Two visits ago I ordered the Monday special of chicken fried steak. It was also inedible because it was so tough it was difficult to chew. The gravy had no flavor and the batter also had no flavor. Last night the waiter reminded me that they had cfs and I told him the last time I had it I found it the worst meal that I had ever had there. He said he knows it is not good and he does not eat it. Why would a waiter recommend or even mention a dish that is not on menu when he does not eat it himself. Apparently not many people are eating it anymore as it used to be something that regularly sold out pretty early. I was there after 8 pm and they had some available. The prices have also shot up pretty dramatically. It seems like in the last seven or eight months the prices have been regularly creeping up. A hot dog and ice tea with a scoop of mash potatoes was $21 plus a tip. While the waiter is a very nice guy, I cannot say service was particularly good to justify leaving him the five dollar tip I did but I did. Probably the last time I go there.