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Barbacana Restaurant, Houston, TX

Barbacana Restaurant

4.5
4.5
21 Reviews
$50 and over
Bistro

Make a booking

2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
19:00
Booked 2 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Innovative
  • Great for creative cocktails
An upscale casual restaurant serving "Houston-Inspired" tasting menu. Located in Downtown Houston and helmed by Chef Christian Hernandez, whose career has taken him through some of the best restaurants from Houston, New York, and Mexico City. The gorgeous historic building boasts huge fifteen-foot ceilings with custom artwork from Austin-based artist Xander Rudd and local graffiti legend Daniel Anguilu.

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Bistro, American
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00–15:00 Happy Hour Tue–Fri 16:00–18:00 Dinner Tue–Sat 17:00–22:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Christian Hernandez
  • Catering
    Whether you want a private gathering for 15, or want a beautiful space to celebrate events for your entire team. Barbacana Restaurant is always available and accessible to you! <br /><br />For Catering Events contact our Maître D' Nicholas Madison Email: nicholas@barbacanatx.com<br />
  • Private party facilities
    Our private dining room is available for guests that would love a more intimate space for their dining experience. The space can accommodate 15-25 seated guests and 45 standing with a direct view of the kitchen.For Private events contact our Maître D' Nicholas Madison Email: nicholas@barbacanatx.com
  • Area
    Downtown
  • Cross Street
    Franklin St
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Chef's Tasting

    US$150.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoy a curated experience at Barbacana, At the tasting you'll have the opportunity to try a blend of different cuisines and cooking techniques learned through decades of experience. Also offered is a 6-glass wine pairing that covers a full spectrum, from light to heavy, red to white from elegant to bold.
    Chef's Tasting photo
  • Kristine Qassom and Alex Sarovich

    US$165.00 per person

    Prepaid

    27 Apr 2025 only
    17:30
    For one night only, Barbacana will be hosting Chef Kristine Qassom and Alex Sarovich for a special collaborative dinner. Chef Qassom, formerly of Oxheart and owner of Epicurean Adventure, as well as Alex Sarovich, formerly of three Michelin-Starred Restaurant Single Thread Farm in California and winner of Vinepair Sommelier of the Year. The dinner will feature six courses along with six distinctive wine pairing, with a focus on Californian wines from Sonoma.
    Kristine Qassom and Alex Sarovich photo

What 21 people are saying

Barbacana Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Houston

    Innovative

  • Houston

    Good for groups

  • Houston

    Innovative

  • Houston

    Good for groups

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Barbacana Restaurant in Houston promises a "fantastic dining experience" with a vibrant atmosphere and top-notch service. Guests praise the "incredible" food, especially the tasting menu and expertly crafted barbacoa. Despite mixed reviews on specific dishes and pricing, the restaurant's "outstanding service" and impressive wine pairings make it a "highly recommended" destination.
21 Reviews
  1. Meghan

    Houston7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our second time dining at Barbacana, and we had an excellent time. We tried the tasting menu despite some allergies in the party and the kitchen graciously accommodated them. Service was excellent, food was delicious, would recommend it!

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  2. BraxtonK VIP

    Las Vegas3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    If you’re looking for a fantastic dining experience in Houston, Barbacana is an absolute must-visit! From the moment you step inside, you’re greeted by a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere that sets the tone for an unforgettable meal. The service is top-notch—attentive, friendly, and genuinely eager to ensure your dining experience is perfect. The staff goes above and beyond, offering insightful recommendations and making you feel right at home. The food is incredible—everything from their expertly crafted barbacoa to the flavorful sides and refreshing cocktails is a true standout. Each dish is packed with rich, authentic flavors that showcase the passion and expertise of the kitchen. And if you’re looking for a fun little surprise, don’t forget to check out the bathroom—there’s a quirky, fun wallpaper that adds a playful touch to the experience. It’s just one of those little details that make Barbacana such a memorable place to visit. Overall, Barbacana is a delightful gem in Houston that combines excellent food, amazing service, and an inviting, fun atmosphere. Highly recommended!!

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  3. Rachel

    Houston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 9 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great experience !!!!! The food was excellent. The service impeccable and the wine list is really good ! So happy to have a good restaurant in our neighborhood.

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  4. Brandon VIP

    Houston12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 8 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was delicious. We liked the vibe. Will return.

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  5. Mike

    Houston13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The food and service at Barbacana were outstanding. We enjoyed the tasting menu and every dish was excellent and flavorful. Enjoyed watching the chef’s in the kitchen and the chef owner serving and discussing the dishes. There were only us and one other couple at the Tasting menu counter for the first 1.5 hours of our Saturday 5:45 reservation time. The overall restaurant is huge and to me seems like too big a footprint for a tasting menu restaurant which explains their pivot to offer a la carte options. We thought the concept would be perfect in a smaller space sort of like Baso. In any event the meal was fantastic and I hope the Barbacana concept makes it in this very difficult restaurant business.

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  6. Arthur

    New Orleans6 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We had the Valentines Day tasting menu at Barbacana and were left a little underwhelmed. We were initially tempted by their normal tasting menu but this was unavailable for the Valentines Day weekend, instead offering an alternative, and seemingly shorter, menu for a higher price. Although the food was objectively good with some real highlights (scallops and beets) there were also some less impressive dishes - tuna overwhelmed by the olive and olive oil and a Paris Brest with under flavoured cream and underwhelming pastry. The main issue I had was the cost - for $175 pp excl tips just for the food I expect to be consistent blown away and I wasn’t. Maybe their regular tasting for $125 seemingly for more dishes is a better offering.

    1 person found this helpful

  7. Vikram VIP

    Houston37 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was not fresh and the taste was ok. For 175$ it has to be 5X better. From the tasting counter we couldn’t see año. The wine list was barely adequate. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant unless they improve significantly. I have dined at Michelin star restaurants and the value there was much better.

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  8. Damon

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What an amazing Valentines, everything from the moment we arrived was fantastic. The staff were exceptional and the food should have a Michelin star. The wine pairings were excellent. We are looking forward to coming back!

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  9. Charles

    Houston124 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great dining experience with the special tasting menu on VD, exquisitely prepared, fresh and creative dishes.

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  10. Meghan

    Houston7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great time at Barbacana with their tasting menu. Food and wine pairings were excellent, service was friendly and sitting at the tasting counter watching them cook and plate was super cool! Favorites were definitely the crab and buttered onion and TX Waygu dishes. We’ll be back, for sure!

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FAQs

Barbacana Restaurant is rated 4.5 stars by 21 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking


Booked 2 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Barbacana Restaurant

907 Franklin St, Houston, TX 77002

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Franklin St
  • Area
    Downtown
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00–15:00 Happy Hour Tue–Fri 16:00–18:00 Dinner Tue–Sat 17:00–22:00
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Bistro, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Christian Hernandez
  • Additional
    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Whether you want a private gathering for 15, or want a beautiful space to celebrate events for your entire team. Barbacana Restaurant is always available and accessible to you! <br /><br />For Catering Events contact our Maître D' Nicholas Madison Email: nicholas@barbacanatx.com<br />
  • Private party facilities
    Our private dining room is available for guests that would love a more intimate space for their dining experience. The space can accommodate 15-25 seated guests and 45 standing with a direct view of the kitchen.For Private events contact our Maître D' Nicholas Madison Email: nicholas@barbacanatx.com
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