Upper Kirby Bistro

Decided to dine here for brunch around 12 PM. Let’s start with the service… nobody came to greet us after being sat for about 15 minutes. It was maybe 6 other people in the restaurant. Our waiter also kept forgetting things we ordered and never received them. He was nice but for automatic gratuity, wish we were better taken care of. Let’s move on to the food. Everyone food came out cold. While they had no problem remaking it, we did wait a while to receive the food so for it to come out cold was kinda annoying. Also, I ordered the vegan fried rice and it’s just way too much going on for it be lacking character. Definitely missing some traditional spices. My boyfriend ordered the catfish and grits. He loved the catfish but the grits needed some character as well and a little too runny. Other friend order chicken and waffles and stated the peach butter was the best thing on the plate. Wanted to order drinks but $14 for one mimosa is too pricey for me.

We had a great brunch experience at Upper Kirby Bistro! I ordered the soul food plate and it really hit the spot—everything was well-seasoned and comforting. My husband had the steak and eggs and was just as happy with his choice. We also went with the mimosa carafe, which was a solid option and perfect for sharing. One thing to note: gratuity is included, which is helpful to know upfront. Elijah was a great waitperson. The vibe was lively, the service was attentive, and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Because of the time of day, there was ample street parking available. Overall, a really enjoyable meal—we’ll definitely be back!

This was the most AWESOME dining experience. Rene was so attentive and professional. She made sure that all of our needs were met and that we would leave with the ultimate experience. The Chef was above and beyond. The food taste as good as it looked. His presentation was 💯. I can't wait to share my experience.

Awesome food! I ordered the lamb chops! Super tasty! Rene hosted our table and she was absolutely great! We couldn’t decide on which wine to order so she offered us samples to try until we found our favorite! ❤️ atmosphere was nice and quiet. Perfect spot !

We celebrated her with my lil sis for brunch. The food was good and the door greeter was very welcoming. Sadly the server did not seem at all interested to serve us. Be prepared big parties they will not split the tickets. Other than that I wouldn’t mind visiting again. A must try the peach butter

Rene was THE ABSOLUTE BEST! Very attentive and professional yet very PERSONABLE. She ensured that I was always taken care of and never needed anything. This was my first visit here but I will be back! Oh! By the way….the fish sliders are AWESOME!

Omg! The Owner took the time to stop and say hello to us! This place is top tier to me,from the time we entered the staff was smiling,super pleasant,and very attentive! I ordered the oxtail enchiladas, oxtail empanadas,Mac n cheese,etc. I'm coming back real soon! 😊

The food was delicious...I recommend everything I ate.. peach cobbler is absolute must try... will definitely be back hopefully we get a friendlier greeting upon entering..

We were looking for soul food spots around the area and decided to trust social media . We landed on Upper Kirby Bistro. It was in the middle of a rainy Saturday afternoon. The place wasn't packed and we were seated right away. Waitress was pleasant not pushy and professional. The food came out at a normal time, they had a live DJ entertaining guests and he played good old R&B from the 2000s. The food was great. I had the soul food dish all was great, but would have preferred more than 1 lonely piece of a bit rubbery oxtail. He had catfish and grits. I shun grits. I tasted his, my goodness the explosion of flavor in my mouth was unbelievable. This place nailed it! Compliments to the chef! Drink of choice? A carafe of elevated mimosa. Ran to the ladies room came back to a surprise. DJ giving me a shootout for my birthday and the whole restaurant clapping for me. Honey bunny made me . Was offered a great strong shot on the house and a shot glass as birthday gift. The place seems smalls but it's not. It has a bunch of different rooms to accommodate big groups as well as intimate events. I would love to go back there in the evening it must be simply beautiful. Upper Kirby Bistro is such a vibe, subtle class, my type of spot. Will 100% return. Reason I didn't give 5 stars? Parking is a bit tricky. They have valet but...that's a whole other story.

Second time at upper Kirby was for restaurant weeks lunch special. They offered a four course dining experience. To start I had the gumbo and my friend opted for coconut curry wings. Second were the crispy Asian shrimp; so large crispy but still juicy. For our entree we went with the chicken with mashed potatoes. I had broccolini as my side and she chose spinach. Final round was dessert, molten chocolate cake & peach cobbler. The kitchen brought our dessert out like 2 mins after our entrees arrived. That was odd considering they were both warm desserts served with ice cream. After our server came by to check on us he gladly replaced them with no issue. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD!! AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE Side note the server made me a custom mock-tail that was both delicious and beautiful.

Food,service and atmosphere was great! I had the fried chicken and was so good will return, also it's part of 5 Central which has a cigar bar, lounge and hookah

I came to visit 2/8/2025 and was serviced by a waitress named Saja She was absolutely great not only was she very familiar with the food menu and cocktails her service was amazing she was very attentive. the music was a great vibe as well she suggested for us to visit for brunch and i definitely will be back! Saja was amazing

Wow, wow, wow! We were all truly impressed with this restaurant, the food and the amazing service by Victoria is top shelf! It is a Black-owned restaurant. The R&B music was great. I love how the restaurant looks. We were looking for a good restaurant to dine at after a long day of airline delays and long lines at the car rental company. We decided to stop by and try out this place. We were happy with our choice to dine here. Everything that came out of the kitchen was delicious and piping hot. My sisters and friends decided to order all of the appetizers from the happy hour menu to try them all. I opted to order a meal from the dinner menu. I ordered the Fannie Mae chicken dinner which came with 4 pieces of buttermilk fried chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens, Texas toast and a pickled pepper. Oh my goodness, I didn't want my dining experience to end at Upper Kirby Bistro. This was the perfect way to jumpstart our weekend! Shoutout to the chef/chefs that are definitely on point in the kitchen! Thank you to the owners for amazing food and service. I will definitely be back when I visit Houston again.

Saw on social media that they were having a $6 special on frozen drinks during the month of July with a provided code so I inquired about it with our server. The sever was confused but said she would ask about it and she came back with the drink that I asked for. When she brought the check, the drink was showing regular price so I brought it to her attention and it was corrected. The crispy Asian shrimp was very good but too expensive, only 4 shrimp for $26. It was a nice place to try but I don't think I will go back again.

All food items from the lunch menu were delectable! No complaints! I was hoping to enjoy their brunch I heard so many raves about but that's only offered on the weekend! Not hard to assume, I will be back for that too! The atmosphere is moody and the instrumental jazz and r&b was a nice vibe!

It's unfortunate the review is so low. We hosted a HNOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects - Houston) event here a few years ago. It was my first time and really enjoyed the fellowship. Since then, I've come for a couple of work lunches and it's always been a pleasant dining experience. Our office frequently orders here for lunch-n-learns and it's always a big hit! Today we wanted to support a black-owned business for Juneteenth and ordered food to-go. Alicia was sweet, attentive (greeted us right when we came in), and made an expresso martini while we waited for our order. Yummy! Thank youuu!

We came on a Sunday afternoon around 2pm for brunch and enjoyed our experience! The service was great. We were greeted immediately when we walked in and because there were not many people, we were sat immediately without a reservation. Once we sat down, our waiter came and checked in on us shortly afterwards and was quick to take our orders. She continued to check on us throughout our meal and helped us with any requests we had. The food was pretty good. We had the chicken and waffles and the breakfast sandwich. The chicken and waffles was good, my only critique is that the chicken could have been fried a little harder. My friend had the breakfast sandwich and said it was probably the best meal he had in a while. The restaurant is cute with a lot of seating insides and some outdoor seating as well. They have dark colors which could make the place a little moody, but because we were there during the day and there is plenty of lighting, it did not seem dark at all.

Service was fast, waitress (BALSAM M) was not friendly didn't smile or anything. Looked as though she didn't even want to be there. Ambiance was nice. Food was okay. Wings were good, but very small. The ONE oxtail I did have was delicious if I come back I'd probably get the oxtails and grits instead. The jalepeno cornbread was very dry I almost wanted to dip it in my drink.

I visited this establishment for Restaurant Week Lunch and although they give you a bang for your buck, they could do better. I ordered the Louisiana gumbo, Sin City rolls, chicken and waffle and peach cobbler. The better of the options were the rolls, my chicken wasn't done and they had no ice cream to complete the dessert so I changed it to the Caribbean Cream. Also, there was only 1 port waiter working all by herself at opening.

First time at Upper Kirby Bistro place is nice it had a jazz vibe to it. It was not busy I heard it gets busy. The staff was really nice very attentive to the guest. The mimosa was ok I dont like dry champagne. The oxtail and grits were good I would rate it 7/10 the oxtails were very fatty and the grits didnt have the type of loving I needed. I had to doctor them up. All and all the place is cool I shall return.

While in Houston visiting, I looked for several restaurants that I thought would be good to try that wouldn't disappoint. Upper Kirby Bistro was one that didn't come close to disappointing. They scored high marks. I met with a friend in the mid morning before the brunch crowd proper showed up. I started with a watermelon mimosa that was not only refreshing, but was also just a plus for something different. For starters, we shared the biscuits with gravy. Although they were delicious, there was a faint smoky flavor to them that I detected. There wasn't enough sausage in the gravy to add any kind of smoke, so I was curious as to what it was that made the gravy smoky. My friend ordered the fried catfish and grits, and she ate it all in silence and without complaint. That was all I needed to know that the catfish and grits were delicious. I had oxtails with grits and greens. My inner Jamaican loved the oxtails and my inner Southern totally approved of the grits and flavorful greens. Service is top. I can't say enough about how pleasant our server was. One thing to note is that parking in the area may be come a bit much. Having arrived for a 10:15 AM seating, I could easily get a spot across the street. However, by the time we were leaving around noon, the crowd was coming in and parking along the street was lessening. They have valet, though, but warning just in case you decide to go late in the day when the restaurant packs out. I know I will go back when I'm in town again. It will still be for the earliest seating.

This used to be a great restaurant with great vibe. Today's experience was extremely disappointing. The food, service and atmosphere was SUBPAR, to say the least. Even after speaking to management, the level of service never improved.

If you're looking for authentic soul food this is not it! It is not your grandma or great grandma cooking. Had the soul food platter with oxtail. My friend had the chicken waffles the wings was greasy. Drinks ++ The service staff were good. The interior was very nice liked some of the art on the walls.

Barely found somewhere to park Alcoholic beverages were mid Steak was over cooked Eggs were over cooked no seasoning Service was 7/10

This is my first time here and they really set the bar high! I was so impressed by the service I received from Colby & Aisha ! So sweet & really went out of their way to make a special request drink for me that was even better than I anticipated! Plus the all day happy hour on Tuesday & Wednesday was the most pleasant surprise! I tried several items and not one disappointed in even the slightest. I'm so disappointed my friends couldn't make it so we will be returning later tonight for the steak dinner special! I am beyond impressed with the venue, menu, and the phenomenal pricing. Not to mention the ambiance was perfect & the music set the tone for a great time. If I could give 10 starts I would. 10/10.

I've been here several times for brunch and I always enjoy everything. The service was great at the bar. I will definitely be back!

Recently tried this restaurant and I was not impressed. The pictures of the food online looked really good which is what brought me in. I will say the drinks were good otherwise the food was very bland and not plated well. The butter was on top of my chicken instead of my waffles and the syrup was cold. The wings were extremely bland and huge, in a concerning way. The greens were tough and again not seasoned. The ambiance is ok but not upscale. The service was also ok. Overall, this place wasn't a good fit for me.

Went here for Sunday brunch 8/11. Food was good! I only have pics of my order but the table had the following. Fried catfish & grits, this guest commented they didn't like the oxtail gravy on the grits. I tasted her grits and didn't care for the cheese used. I ordered the side of chicken wings & the biscuits & gravy. Chicken was a nice size, very crispy & piping hot. Biscuits are good and the sausage in the gravy is like link sausage chopped up, not ground sausage. Another order was chicken & waffles but she subbed the pancakes instead of waffles. She commented the pancakes were "thin" the table next to us pancakes looked different ‍ and lastly was the taste of soul food I think it's called? With the oxtail, fish, pancakes, she subbed the potatoes for the dirty rice. The oxtail & potatoes I tasted were gooood! When we were leaving out they asked if this was our first time there and since it was we were given the tour of the place and everything they offer outside of just the restaurant. Most definitely will return!

The ambiance was great, and the service was great. Dined for the first time for Brunch on a Saturday. The food however was not delightful. The soul food plate comes with grits, a cornbread muffin, fried chicken, collard greens, and oxtail. The cornbread was dry like Popeyes biscuits, the collard greens tasted like vinegar and the chicken was SALTY and overcooked. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant or return back.

Great service, great drinks, and great food-- what more could a girl ask for?! Well done, UKB! Our server was so sweet and helpful. Her recommendations were spot on. We enjoyed the Upper Kirby Smash and the Hand Over Fist. I ordered the Jerk Salmon Caesar, and loved it however the hubs' Fannie Mae's chicken entree was fried beautifully & taking names. The sides were great as well, and I don't play about mac and cheese and greens. All in all, we enjoyed our early dinner here, and will return!

i came in to try the food not knowing Restaurant week was going on. i just wanted to get an experience when it wasn't too busy and do some work . Victoria greeted me immediately and guided me to my seat . She informed me of the special and regular menu. Answered my questions and gave recommendations. i ordered the gumbo and cauliflower tacos 10/10 soooo good and a sangria mocktail . Victoria consistently checked in on me every chance she could , with me being the only customer on the patio she made it her job to make sure i received great service ! Thank you for being so nice and for the great service ! I'll be back !

Now upped Kirby bistro is definitely one of those restaurants that the food quality depends on which chef is clocked in for the day lol. The first time I went there I loved it! I got the chicken and waffles which were good, but not my favorite. And my friend got the oxtails and grits which were delicious !!!! The 'spiked' mimosa carafe was also really good. Now the 2nd time I went there was a for A birthday brunch and no one really seemed to enjoy their food. Everything was either too salty or not salted enough (except for the oxtails and grits, that was still perfect lol). They also hmm w sus a limited menu since it was a small group, which was a little wild considering how small the original menu is lol. But our server was able to let us have the regular menu so Shoutout to her! On you birthday they do give you a feee bottle of champagne with the purchase of any drink!! So keep that in mind for any celebrants!!! In terms of the vibe. If is your classic black-owned restaurant. Great music and a safe space! I highly recommend sitting on the patio! There's more decor, and hookah is available if you're into that! But the way this summer head is looking ?!? Do it at your own risk lol. Biggest pro: oxtails & grits Biggest con: limited menu

I want to start off saying the drinks are amazing and the food is 10000000/10. They have the best Mac & cheese & chicken in Houston. Only got a pic of the chicken & waffles tho. The PARKING situation is HORRIBLE. Very little parking on side of street & they will tow you. Pay $20 for parking, i don't know if they actually have a garage bc I've seen them park some people's cars on the street as well. Also the 18% gratuity is insane. I understand if it's a party of 6 but they be lying fr. First I was told you only get charged 18% if your individual check is over $100, we had 2 separate checks, they changed it and said if the total TABLE is over $100. Like okay. Overall the food is great other than the parking & gratuity situation.

Recently visited this cute little gem and the fact it is a black owned business was definitely a plus. I loved the vibe. We were a party of 8 and the food was really good. Everyone seemed to love their choices. I can speak for the fish tacos that were very flavorful, my favorite part was the coleslow on top. Very fresh with a burst of flavor. I was also pleasantly surprised by the well seasoned asian crispy shrimp. Very crunchy with a spicy kick. I definitely recommend. The owner was very hospitable. He actually gave the table a bottle of champagne for no reason but to thank us for patronizing his business. I look forward to visiting again

Omar is great ! 5 venues one location ! You can go to different venues , cigar , lounge , live music room ! There is not room to describe how amazing this place is

Great experience! Incredibly crispy chicken wings and very good waffles. I also highly recommend the fired shrimp!

Came here from out of town baded on a locals recommendation as a nice vibe spot for a Sunday. Had the razzy rum limeade and some truffle fries I enjoyed both.

Love the ambiance! I definitely will be back! Professional service. Shrimp & Grits were pretty good 8/10, but the collard greens tho!!!!! 11/10 I will be back to try the oxtails per recommendation.

Walked in on a Wednesday night around 8 PM and it was only about a handful of people there. A couple and two guys at the bar and a couple sitting at a corner table and myself and the person I was with. Will start by saying that it nestled around a corner and it does look nice inside. My complaint was when we arrived we were o my greeted by the host and sat at the bar. Only one server was working the floor. There was a bartender or just a person behind the bar and they walked away as we sat. After a a minute of waiting myself and the person I was with left. Parking lot that is onsite is plenty, but could be congested early on weekends. Needless to say, won't be back.

Food was either good or meh. De little over priced for what it was. Cocktails were great. Dessert was solidly good. We had a burger, pizza, fried chicken, crispy shrimp, Brussels sprouts, Mac & cheese. The burger & fried chicken were very good. The Asian shrimp were good, but 4 shrimp for $28, not worth it. I'd pass on the Brussels sprouts. They were missing the sweetness that makes them delicious. Automatic 18% gratuity was added for a party of 4. Service was good, but I'm tired of places that add in the gratuity We also had to park a block away, or pay $20 for parking. Ambiance is ok. It is very loud. There's one restaurant with four lounges attached. Clearly it's a place to hang out all night for some. Not my scene.

Upper Kirby Bistro is a nice restaurant. The Parmesan bites were really good!! I really want to go back for those. My aunt said her burger was just okay. Overall, the food was good! Tiktok: JeTara_Je Instagram: JeTaraJe

Came here on a Saturday morning around1pm. Amazing food as service! Our waiter was named Mahi and he was very friendly and informative with food and drinks selection. I got the chicken and waffles which was delicious, the shrimp and grits were flavorful and delicious. My husband got the the eggs Benedict which was also really good. We ordered two pitchers of the mimosa and they bought out small cups with different flavored juices. My brother in law got the ox tail and said it was really good. The jalapeños muffins were not spicy as we were expecting but I thought it was still good. Overall great experience!

This restaurant is one of my favorite places to go to for brunch or dinner because all the food here tastes amazing! The service is great and everyone was very friendly here. The only thing that sucks is the parking. You might have to park down the street (if you find a place to park), or you can pay for valet parking.

A great pre birthday turn-up to the real turn up!! Celebrating with the bff Almeria Leveston and the crew!! Side note...I've had this restaurant on my list for a while...but I never have to go back :) The food looks way better than it taste!!!

Upper Kirby did not disappoint--next time it's going to be a QUIET place! As soon as we sat--within 5min food landed on the table! Chicken was bomb, greens too spicy--tasty but HOT! Them biscuits were delicious & the oxtails & grits mmmmmmm! Overall I'd do pickup--I don't think I'll mire through the noise & inconvenience of parking, etc! (Went last weekend) Very loud and not ideal for catching up but if you're just wanting good food--yes!

1:30pm Sunday, June 25, 2023 Parking- street and valet Ambiance- Classy & Entertaining They are not efficient with large parties. Missing orders, untimely food delivery, and unrealistic expectations for payment. They say they are not capable of splitting checks on parties of 10+. The food is GREAT and the DJ is talented in terms of creating and maintaining moods. The fact that there are 5+ sections is interesting. I had a good time despite them dropping the ball with delivery food.

Joshua was nothing short of amazing. He was very knowledgeable about the food and drink menu. He provided his recommendations on food when asked. we were sitting at a cocktail table that didn't accommodate our party, he quickly moved us to regular tables. My girls and I had an amazing time last night, we will definitely be back.

The service was absolutely terrible. Dined here for restaurant week. The server was slow and was not accommodating. Waited way too long for drinks and food. Our desserts didn't include icecream as stated on the menu. Spoke to the manager and she wasnt familiar with house items! Was also over charged for our dirty rice. I wont ever ever dine here again! A waste of money and time!

I made reservations for 8. We were seated right away. It was a 2pm Saturday brunch. The Inside is nice. The service can be better. We waited hours for our food. Even the appetizers which was just bread, took forever to come out. And it came out after the mai..dish hours later. The first 3 of us got our food 47 mins after ordering. The next 2 ppl got there food about an hour later. The next 2 got it about an hour and 15 After all of us. Our last dear friend got her food when we were all out the door. I wouldn't recommend this place and wont be back. There are too many places with good food options are great service out there. I won't go through this again. Parking is trash too.

Had a reservation and was sat 30 minutes after reservation time. That set the tone for the experience. Service - kind waitress, but not attentive. It was not busy at all, and we were checked on maybe twice. Food - Okay. Steak was overcooked, and definitely not quality. But, that's what I get for ordering a steak from a nonsteakhouse. Sides were good. Enjoyed the Brussel Sprout appetizer. Ambiance - interior is beautiful and the live band is a nice touch.

Dined in for brunch on a Sunday at 12:15 pm with party of 4. I picked brunch for the oxtails! They only take reservations Parking is limited Valet is $20 This area was the old red room bar The bistro is located behind the five central building The restroom connects to the hookah lounge, bar, and cigar room We were seated immediately on a private room area Jasmine was our waitress and very tentative We ordered: Soul food plate: comes with 3 chicken wings, 2 oxtails, yams, collard greens, cornbread, and cheesy grits. Every thing was very good! Oxtail and grits: we substituted the grits with yams, yams made the plate a little too sweet, it should be placed separately Shrimp and grits: good Crab cake Benedict: good Peach and watermelon mimosa: super good and dangerous!

Went here for happy hour with a friend and I'd def go back. I opted for the fish tacos and herb truffle fries. The tacos were crunchier than I expected but still good and the fries were delicious. The Upper Kirby Smash and Daiquiri (not pictured) was tasty and had slight tart taste which was perfect since I don't like super sweet drinks.

All day happy hour on Tuesday?! Yes please! Food was great, service (Onyx) so friendly. The Asian shrimp was sooo good, I could've had many more. A little sweet, great texture and crunch. The hot chicken was very hot. It was really good and I handled it, but probably too hot for many The fries were fine, but not I think I just expected more truffle. ‍

Angelica was awesome i would definitely recommend!! My friends and i visited for brunch and she did and awesome job! The vibe was good and the food was good. We ordered the spulfood plate and the oxtails were skimpy and they brought us more. I would definitely recommend because the customer service was live!

I visited when it first open and enjoyed my food and experience. The manager was great and the owner was on site introducing himself and making sure all was well. It got extremely packed real quick. A reservation is a must. I've went back a few nights ago on a Wednesday for happy hour. It's was a small crowd. There is a happy hour menu but I still ordered from regular menu. It's a cool spot to go chill and eat with drinks.

There was nothing extra amazing that set their brunch apart from any other brunch food wise, BUT, the chef was dope AF and my server was AMAZING. We were seated on the over flow side and the music was off so it wasn't a brunchy brunchy like we wanted (It was Girls Sunday Funday.... dressed up, makeup, ready to do the fool kinda Sunday) but we ate food, drank dranks, had shots, then moved around. I think if we sat on the main side it would have been more of an experience but it was a good way to start our day.

So where to start...There was an advertisement for crawfish on Sun and when we got there they said it's only Sat's. Then we opted for the mimosa tower to cope with the disappointment. The mango flavor is way too sweet but the serving size is good for the price. The brunch: they upcharge to fry the catfish with the catfish and grits. The "creole cream" sauce on the crab benny is very thick, bright orange and did not have any spice to it. The jerk salmon had no jerk flavor. My friend had a hair in his oxtails. The bacon was cooked perfectly. My other friend also said her food was cold. Parking: street parking limited (be careful of tow zones-we saw several tickets and someone getting towed). Valet is $20...for a restaurant that's a bit much. Music on the patio was spotty and hard to hear at times. Also they add an 18% gratuity for checks over $100 fyi.