Michelangelo's Restaurant

IN MY 56 YEARS, THIS WAS THE WORST VALENTINES DAY EXPERIENCE EVER! WE HAD AN 8 PM RESERVATION AND YOU GUYS WERE RUNNING 2 HOURS BEHIND! THIS WAS DELIBERATE OVERBOOKING.I NEVER SAW SO MANY DISAPPOINTED PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE IN MY LIFE. TOTAL CHAOS. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ! WILL NEVER EVER BE BACK. WILL POST MY COMPALINT ANYWHERE I CAN. YOU PEOPLE ARE SORRY! more

At the suggestion of a friend we went to brunch at Michelangelo's after Sunday Mass. I had never been there before, so I pulled into the parking lot past the unmanned valet parking stand and drove to the nearest parking place in an almost empty parking lot. As I was about to drive into the space I was stopped by a man telling me that this was valet parking only and demanding my keys. From the decor of the restaurant I was expecting something special in the way of food. I was disappointed. When we first sat down I ordered a cup of coffee, which I drank before the appetizer arrived and which was not refilled until the end of the meal when I asked that it be refilled. The appetizer was excellent (a mixed seafood dish) but the omlette I ordered, advertized as 'Funghi' and described as wild mushrooms and spinach, arrived filled with spinach, but no discernable mushrooms. Our waterglasses, instead of being refilled as it was obvious they should be, were never refilled without first being asked whether or not we wanted them refilled, which meant interrupting our conversation to give consent to a basic service. When the check arrived the 15% tip had already been charged to my credit card. Normally I would have expected excellent service at a place that presented an upscale image as Michelangelo's does, and would have expected to leave a 20% tip. After seeing how poor the service was I can understand that they needed to include the tip, even though I never saw a notice that the tip would be automatically added to the bill. Upon leaving the restaurant the valet walked the five steps to my car to drive it to where I was standing. There was no charge posted for valet service, and since it was a service that I neither wanted nor asked for, but was imposed upon me, I felt no need to tip the man. As I got into my car he informed me that there was a $3 parking charge. I normally tip freely for good service, but I hate to have it coerced for poor service or service I don't want. more

My wife and I have been eating at Michaelangelos for over twenty years. Numerous special occasions from anniversaries, birthdays, or just meeting good friends for a meal. Used to have great food for a good value. We went on a special occasion my Daughter's birthday in December during the week. Even though it was not crowded at all the service was terrible and we noticed that we did not recognize any of the waiter staff that we had seen for many years. The food was decent but not worth the price. I used to think they had the best steak in town but not even close on this visit and extremely expensive, $27 for the steak and a dinner salad is another $7. The rest of my family ordered traditional italian and they were not impressed. Since we had been going to Michalangelos for years we gave it another chance last night (night before Vaslentine's Day). We had a 6:30 reservation trying to beat the crowd. We were seated right away but they had crammed the tables so close together we could barely sit down. We might as well been seating at a table for 10 with the other guest , NOT VERY ROMANTIC! I can't believe the management crammed so many tables together in order to serve several other guests. The service was decent and my pasta was good but the tab was nearly a hundred dollars for two pasta meals, one salad, and a budget bottle of wine. My guess is that Michaelangelos has either been sold or has new management. I will take my money elswhere. Pros: Usually a good atmosphere Cons: mediocre food for the price more

Very quiet, romantic, with jazz piano. Quaint old house with tree growing through the roof. Food was very fresh - I swear they were out back milking the cow for the cream and cheese. Pros: Fresh food - great ambience Cons: none I saw more

This is a must for any Jack trying to romance his Jill. Food is to die for. I have been eating here 20 years and have nothing but praise for the chef's who have been cooking here longer than I have been coming. My favorite is Jefe de Jefe and Pollo alla Mustarda. Ask for some pesto dip. Some of the best in the world! Rocky and Michael will take good care of you. Pros: Excellent food quality Cons: parking more

Try the "Rippiene Funghi" (Stuffed Mushrooms) and the Crab Cakes for appetizers. They are both absolutely delicious and signature appetizers here. I love the Scampi Michelanglo for a main course. The Veal Marsala, Pasta Mista, and Canneloni are also beyond compare. We love the romantic atmoshpere of the candle-lit interior within this beautifully decorated house in Monstrose, as well as the two-piece piano and bass live music. This, combined with the personal service, attention to detail, and wonderful food make Michelangelo's one of our all-time favorite restaurants in Houston. Also give their Sunday brunch a try. They have a cozy outdoor patio, which is wonderfully complimented by the wide variety of Sunday Brunch samplings. You can also order bottomless Mimosas for around $7 per person on Sundays. Don't miss the 80 yr-old Oak tree trunk still growing thru the roof of the restaurant. Pros: Delicious Italian Dishes; Excellent Service more

This is the most romantic little Italian restaurant in all of Houston. The food is most decidedly Italian, with traditional fare like Lasagna; but they also venture into the more sublime and courageious dishes, which include a wide sampling of fresh fish and lobster. These specialties are featured on their nightly "specials" menu. I've been coming here for over 30 years, and love this place. Pros: Food taste and presentation Cons: Valet Parking only; small parking lot more

My associate and I visited this restaurant yesterday for lunch. Upon arrival, we had to do valet parking for $3, which was not a big issue. Afterwards we were greeted by the hostess and guided to our seats. The waiter arrived and asked us what we would like to drink and we both decided on water since we were still working. Afterwards the waiter returned promptly with our water and a basket of bread and said that he will be back in a minute to take our order. After my associate and I watched several waiters walk around and make other deliveries and take orders at other tables, as well as stand idlely by talking with the hostess and host for about 15 minutes, we realized that we were not going to be serviced and decided to leave. The hostess asked us if anything was wrong and we informed her that we had not recieved any service at all and felt that we were being ostracized based upon the color of our skin (we are both Black-Americans). Her response was "Oh, okay have a good day". Not one single apology or attempt to resolve the matter was mentioned by her. While outside the restaurant, the manager asked us if everything was fine. We informed him of the same thing we said to the hostess and her response. He seemed concerned about it and reqested we allow them to make up for it, however after having said what was said and seeing what was seen, how could we be sure that our food would be safe, so we declined the offer and left the restaurant. So if you want a good place to eat, ensure that you are of a fair complexion and drive an expensive vehicle before you attempt to dine at the restaurant. By the way, we were not dressed inappropiately or using valgur or ethnic language or terms. Pros: Parking Cons: See review more

We were looking for a small Authentic Italian Ristorante, and ended up here spontanaeously without researching it. At first I was a liitle hesitant when we were seated. Looking at the menu I wasn't overly impressed, I guess I was looking for the more unusual. I ended up ordering the Spinach Shrimp Ravioli's and my spouse ordered a Carbonara ( which wasn't even on the menu), it was worth the wait to get our entree's. Both were very fresh and pasta definitely homemade. Just what we were looking for. My only suggestion would be do away with the dessert tray, it never looks appetizing. Offer a dessert menu instead. more

I took a date here on a Friday evening. There was live piano/jazz music, which was very nice and was the highlight of the night. However, the service was not so spectacular, with only about half the waitstaff speaking english, and the food taking 45min-1 hour to be served. The wine list was comprehensive, but only if you were looking to buy a bottle, and the wine prices were marked up significantly. The food tasted good, but was nothing out of the ordinary for an Italian place. Word of advice: The valet looks free (theres no cost sign outside), but it is not, so bring cash. Pros: Hearty portions, homestyle Italian food Cons: Poor A/C (hot in there), lacking service, food took an hour more

Dined at Michelangelo's last Saturday evening. The atmosphere is nice with the bass and piano music but the decor could be alot nicer. One complaint I have is with the tables closer to the street. Several times throughout the meal I was blinded by the oncoming car headlights on the busy Westheimer street. The owners seriously need to consider installing blinds on these windows so that the headlights don't negatively effect the dining experience of their patrons. It took about 10 minutes for a waitress to sit us and the host passed by us without a word twice. She was obviously busy but a simple "I'll be right with you" would have sufficed. The service was average at best. I really dislike having waiters that don't know how to consolidate their table requests instead of taking care of one request at a time. As for the food, it was average as well. My wife had a spinach stuff chicken dish and I had the Lobster Raviolli. Both were extremely underwhelming and were of the same quality you could get at dozens of other Italian restaurants in the Houston area. The desert was just plain bad. If it were not for the piano\bass music, which was a nice touch, I would not recommend this restaurant at all. Pros: Live piano music Cons: Service, food, don't sit close to the street more

So, yes this isn't THE BEST food in Houston. But sometimes going out is more than just having perfectly cooked pasta. They are so accommodating and the waiters give great service. There is a little 2 piece band that plays in the main dining room, and you feel like they're playing just for you. It's just a perfect setting for any kind of romantic date. I ordered spinach ravioli (very rich, which made it very romantic) and my fiance ordered porkchops. They were good. If you're eating here, you're not going as a food critic... you're going b/c you're in love with the person you're with, or you're bringing your family to have a great conversation. But don't get me wrong about the food... I did crave the ravioli the next day I'm going for brunch today for the first time... I'll let you know how it is! I highly recommend this place for people in love! Pros: Makes a perfect dae... no matter what day it is. Cons: okay, okay it's not the BEST Italian food, but it's really good. more

Again, MichelAngelo's presents the absolute best in casual, fine dining. We arrived on time for our reservation on a busy, holiday season, Saturday evening and were seated immediately in the main dining room. The service was impeccable - there when you needed it, unobtrusive when not. The lobster ravioli was absolutely decadent, as always. The stuffed veal chop was beautifully presented with rosemary potatoes. It was aromatic and succulent. The desserts were fabulous as always. Yes, the 15% gratuity is automatically included. For those of us who traditionally tip MORE, you can feel compelled to just leave it at that. However, the whole evening was so perfect, we added a little extra. My only complaint? The ambience is slightly degraded by the lack of enforcement of a better dress code. Pros: The whole package Cons: If you are offended by the automatic inclusion of a tip, go elsewhere more

I brought my wife here on a Friday evening. We were seated quickly with no waiting, which was good. It all went down hill from there. They ran out artichoke hearts so we could not have the appetizer we wanted (this was at 5:30pm - and they already "ran out"????) This is the second time I received the "run out" excuse there. After that it took about 30 minutes to get our trout dishes. I didn't want fast food service but 30 minutes is a bit excessive. We received the food and it was bland. We had to send back our potatoes because they were undercooked. After dinner we got our suprise check with gratuity included (only 2 dined). We were not happy with the food and our experience but we felt compelled to pay for a gruity we didn't believe belonged to the restaurant - that is an aweful way to make a customer feel. We spoke to the manager there and he simply says "that is the way it has always been" - but it wasn't like that when I went there for desert a few months ago. All in all, I will never go back. There are too many other better restaurants in town that know what they are doing to put up Michelangelo's. Pros: None Cons: Bad food and bad value more

Wow! I can't say enough about Michelangelo's. I've been dining there for 25 years and it's my very favorite restaurant of all time, especially if I want romance and great Italian food. They have the best eggplant parmesan on the planet, although for some reason it hasn't been on the menu in a number of years. BUT you can still order it off the menu. I've tried the eggplant in numerous Italian restaurants and nothing compares. They make it just like lasagna, but with the eggplant substituting for the noodles---awesome! Why they took it off the menu, I'll never know. And the atmosphere is wonderful---small, cozy, quaint, aromatic, candle lit, delightful---as is the service. I've had to wait awhile on a few occasions, but when you have a restaurant this deservedly popular, what do you expect? All those people are there for a reason. The food and the atmosphere are well worth the wait and if you're with someone really special, who cares---you listen to the piano, have a glass of wine and lose all track of time!! I moved from the area several years ago and really miss Michelangelo's, as I haven't been there in awhile. But I NEVER make a trip to Houston without eating there---to do so would be a sacrilege! Pros: Food, Service, Ambiance---what else is there! Cons: they automatically add 15% gratuity, which people may or may not be aware of more

First went here 18 yrs ago. Took my wife to brunch for the start of a week of birthday treats. Great bloody marys, bottomless mimosas, wonderful romantic atmosphere with live pianist. Very friendly staff, place was not busy. I had the tenderloin steak caruso, wife had stuffed quail, and we made a mistake. They both tasted microwaved, not fresh off grill/oven. Fruit was not fresh-cut and all same color as a result. I believe we were too ambitious, as other tables' eggs benedict looked great. Desserts were just OK. My coffee cup had huge, visible cr*ck in it and creamer jug had a chip on the rim. I did not complain because my wife was happy enjoying the atmosphere. To add insult to injury, they auto-grat 15% on table of two. We usually tip 20-30%, but not when demanded. This policy shows that service is spotty or the clientele is generally cheap. By the poor preparation of our expensive food, I would go with the latter. Pros: Romantic atmosphere, friendly staff Cons: 15% Auto-gratuity for two at brunch! more

We attended dinner here with my fiancee and her two kids this past Friday evening. The service, ambiance, attention to detail, and delectable Italian dishes were happily unchanged and unequivacably excellent. As appetizers, we tried the stuffed mushrooms with crabmeat, and the calamari. Both were excellent! My fiancee and I both opted for the Pasta Mista dish for dinner, which comes with a robust tour of Italian specialties, including homemade canneloni, chicken parmesan, homemade lasagna, and homemade fettucine alfredo. The kids split an entree of the pasta de Pisto di Mare, with homemade pasta, marinara sauce, fresh scallops, shrimp, and parmesan cheese. They both loved it, and oohhed at the fettucine alfredo. Dinner was impeccable, casual, and uniquely "Michelangelo's" as I remembered it. Although we had been gone awhile, we will be back again soon. We all love the food, ambiance, service, and attention to detail here. Pros: Romantic, Homemade Pasta, Excellent Service Cons: Small Parking Lot, Tad Slow w\ Check more

best italian food i ever ate.take time seating though, even when one has a reservation it took about 20 mins one time. otherwise excellent in EVERY other department Pros: excellent food, very nice service Cons: delayed seating more

I took my girlfriend there the weekend before Valentine's Day, and it was the best meal we've ever had. We had a reservation, but they were backlogged, so we had to wait about fifteen minutes. We sat and listened to the piano player, and the time flew by. He later came by our table and asked if we had any songs we wished to request. The waitstaff was very nice and attentive. I had the snapper siciliano, and it was some of the best fish I've had. My girlfriend was very happy with the stuffed chicken. I cannot comment on the desserts, as we were quite full by the time we finished. The ambience was perfect for a romantic evening, with soft lighting and a lit candle at the table. Pros: Live Music, Excellent Food, Romantic Ambience Cons: Small dining area more

I would not recommend this place. I made reservations for my wifes birthday and they sat us outside on the patio. Her seat was soaken wet. I told the manager they might want to check the chairs before seating other guests because my wife's pants got wet. He replied "thats awesome." We asked to be moved so they put us upstairs in a room that looked like Luby's. Then a party of 15 teenyboppers came and sat next to us. At this point we left and went to Ruggles. Michelangelos sucks!!!!!!! Pros: nice scenery Cons: service, incompetent managers more