Peli Peli

OK this place is expensive. I came on a Groupon. I had something called "pap" a South African "specialty". I'm still trying to figure out what I ate. more

Read all the wonderful reviews and really wanted to try out their food. I wanted to take all of my staff out here for Thanksgiving. Called to reserve a week in advance for a party of 7 and they told us they would close early on our preferred date. We chose to reserve for a late lunch before they closed. Usually an upscale eatery should call to confirm reservations. This place did not. We called the day before just to make sure though and said reservation was confirmed. We show up the next day at the reserved time and were told the restaurant was closed even though their open sign was still on. They never bothered to call us to tell us this. The manager told us the kitchen has already closed. I was extremely upset at this BS and poor management. I would never expect this at fine establishments like Mark's or Chez Roux. Ended up going to Perry's nearby who were very accomodating for our group of 7. more

The only reason I gave this restaurant 1 star is because I had to. I honestly cannot write a reveiw based on the food or the dining experience because I never made it to the restaurant. I made reservations for a party of 14 and was told that the manager would call me back in 30 minutes to confirm those reservations. Two hours later I still had not heard back from anyone, so I called again and left a message. Still nothing five hours after that. So then I emailed the manager. He called me within five minutes of my email only to inform me that he could not take reservations for a party larger than 12 between the hours of 7 and 9. He said we could come at 5 but that we would have to be finished and leave by 7. So thanks but no thanks Peli Peli. I will take my business to a restaurant that actually wants to serve customers. more

Been here twice! Like the the interior except tables to high for seat height - about 2 inches. Piano player on Saturday was boring and too loud. Don't need it! Good low level light hearted background music would be much better. Very low class flatware - cheap China stuff not in keeping with the ambiance of this nice place. Food quite good and innovative. Gumbo great but way too salty. Sausages great as well as the stuffed Peppadew peppers. Good service when delightful wait person Stacy is there. A few refinements will make this a killer place. Will go back but if the piano is too loud again -- will not return. more

My husband and I just tried this restaurant for the first time last night. It was wonderful and I would recommend going during the week if its your first time there. Chef Paul Friedman came to our table twice and we had the pleasure of hearing the history, symbolism and explanation of the decor straight from him! more

First , the decor is unexpected in this area.. It's the place I like to bring out of towners who don't want the BBQ places. . Wonderful steak, chicken and seafood with things like burgers and ribs as well. The sea bass is my fav at dinner. more

We celebrated our anniversary last night at Peli Peli ? it was AMAZING! Our steaks (rib eye and the garlic butter fillet special) melted in our mouth - some of the best steak I have tasted in Houston. We also had the chicken wrapped in bacon app which was also fantastic. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food. Our server, Hannah, was great ? very helpful at explaining the menu and offering suggestions. TOP NOTCH Service! The atmosphere and decor is very nice and unique from any other restaurant in the town; the band was a great addition to our romantic dinner. We are definitely going back. more

Had read about this restaurant and was looking forward to visiting it. My husband and I like to try different foods. Went on a weeknight. Biltong Bowl tasted like not quite dried jerky. Sampler Plate was unremarkable tastewise and looked as though the food was dumped on the plate. Chilean sea bass was good--nothing unusual. Other reviewers have spoken about presentation--we saw nothing to be impressed about. Only thing that bears mentioning in a good way was the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Overall was disappointed and will not be back. Pros: pretty surrounds Cons: unremarkable food more

Everything I have ordered from Peli-Peli has been delicious and flavorfull. I would recommend ordering the sea bass or prawns if you like seafood. If you prefer meat then the filet migon or salsa mango chicken is also great. They have one of the best prices for lunch, under $10 and enough to share with someone else. Portions are just right and I always leave full and happy. Desserts are the best there if you have room. Try the sticky toffee pudding or african mud hut for chocolate lover. Pros: desserts and romantic atmosphere more

I had a salad. The salad was so delicious. For the main course I had the huge prawns and serve with rice on the side with their special sauce. My favorite part of the night was the dessert. I can't remember the name but it looked like a huge chocolate volcano dripping with chocolate sauce. The BEST dessert I've had so far anywhere. I really enjoyed the music and the atmoshpere. Best part of the night was when the chef came out and started talking with us and telling us about the restaurant and how it came about. It was packed when we went and we were lucky enough to get the last open table by the bar. I wanted to be on the other side but we ended up on the side of the bar so we didn't get to see much of the main room. That is my only regret but will be back there in the future. Pros: Best Chocolate Dessert! more

I attended a birthday party at Peli Peli this past weekend and was blown away by the decor. Looks like a restaurant you would see in Vegas and I was surprised it was located in the suburbs of NW Houston. My friend told me it was a South African restaurant, but the menu is pretty much steak, chicken and seafood with things like burgers and ribs as well. I tried the sea bass since i love seafood and absolutely loved it. It had a lot of flavor to it and was cooked a bit different than I am used to. Pros: great ambience and service, food is unique Cons: far from inner loop area more

I MOVED HERE FROM WASHINGTON D.C. TO WORK AND I LIVE AT A SUBDIVISION ACROSS THE STREET FROM PELI'S AND HAVE HAD TO EAT HERE SEVERAL BECAUSE OUR JOB IS NEARBY. WELL LET ME TELL YOU I WOULD NEVER TAKE MY D.C. FRIENDS OR PARTNER HERE TO DINE. FOOD WAS WAY TO SWEET AND ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE LIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS NOTHING ON THE MENUE THAT IS AUTHENTIC S.AFRICAN. SERVICE HAS BEEN BAD EVERY TIME AND EVEN ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER BEFORE AND SHE PRETTY MUCH LET ME KNOW NOTHING WOULD CHANGE BECAUSE THE S.AFRICAN OWNER WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING ABOUT THE MENUE OR TRAINING ITS STAFF. WELL IM NOT SURE HOW LONG THIS PLACE WILL LAST BUT IM HOPING NOT LONG! MAKE ROOM FOR A DECENT PLACE TO EAT ACROSS FROM HOME PLEASE!!! Cons: BAD SERVICE more

This restaurant seems to have a brand identity crisis. When I walked in I was amazed at the beautiful decor - rivals most top restaurants throughout the US (I travel every week for business and dine is some wonderful restaurants) then..... I was walked past the server station with fountain drinks to get to my table - felt like I was in Denny's... the server told me she really didn't drink red wine so she couldn't recommend any to me, and the amount of SA wine was miniscule (have your distributor train your servers on the wine you sell, they will do that for you)....... silverware was not cleared between courses - I was told I could give them my fork and knife if I wanted to (so, it sat on the table)... the dining rooms TVs were ridiculous - it took a beautiful restaurant down to a ""cheap"" atmosphere... the beer list is awful as well - I assume either only Russian beer is sold in South Africa or the clientele is only ""Russian""? Overall, a comical disappointment even with good food - even though we enjoyed the dishes I just had to laugh it all off - it could be so much more. But, I guess with the other folks reviews and the fact the restaurant was packed, it is working fine for their diners. Could've been for us but, won't be back unless some things are brought up to the level they should be. Pros: Food was good Cons: Atmosphere suffers, weak wine list more

The food was cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was really nice. But I was a little dissapointed in the amount of space. At times I felt crowded.Other than those few details it was a great experience and will be coming back. more

Peli Peli's food is spectacular in both taste and in presentation. It is simply art on a plate. The ambiance is soothing, yet illuminating. I assure you once you dine under the Acacia Tree your heart, mind, and stomach will desire that experience time and time again. Pros: The Food & Atmosphere more

The South African spices and flare were really tasty and interesting. I had the Prawns and my wife had the Sea Bass, both were great and had a nice zing to them without being overbearing. We really liked everything we ate and would probably go back for the food. The decor and centerpiece of the restaurant and the lighting rotation was really cool. Something to see! On the down side we ate off of plastic plates for the appetizer, and the Blue Cheese dip can in one of those plastic condiment cups with the lid and a big ""B"" written on the lid ...very tacky! The entree's were pretty expensive for the level of the restaurant, and the Wine list is weak. If you like your food with a little zest, and an interesting decor, you'll like this place. But don't expect something fancy, more like South African Chilli's. Feel free to follow our dining escapades on Twitter! thediningduo! Pros: Decor, Food, Great Suburbs locale. Cons: Plastic Plates? Not upscale as advertised... more

I have been to Peli Peli for brunch and dinner to try both their menus and I've got to say that it is amazing!!! I went to brunch first for a workers meeting and had a soup and chicken sandwich and it was the best sandwich I have had in a restaurant! The bread was amazing and the chicken with the sauce tasted great. And it was well priced too! After having this sandwich I had to come back to dinner and I will have to say I was equally impressed. The appetizers and sides were good enough that I would come back and just order a huge portion of them (steak appetizer! and the rice/cole slaw is really really good!) The entree was equally delicious (order the Sea Bass its to die for!) After a great meal a perfect dessert topped everything off (loved the passionfruit). The best thing about this restaurant is that even though I loved everything I ordered, the menu was so intriguing that I wanted to try everything. Hoping that I can go back and try new things, but what I had was SO AMAZING that I might have to stick to it. The service/ambiance of the restaurant matched the food perfectly. Everyone should try Peli Peli and explore their menu like I will be doing for the next few months! I guarantee you will not be disappointed Pros: Delicious Food! Cons: None so far! more

During a recent visit to Houston, a friend brought me to this new Restaurant. Turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip! Situated in a new plaza, this South African Fusion restaurant offered fantastic food and service in a uniquely decorated and comfortable space. From the huge ""Acacia"" tree in the middle, to the cool color-changing lighting on the walls, the decor becomes part of the dining experience. The advertising screens were also interesting, showing short videos of the chef, and the specials throughout the week. There was a live two-person band playing which created a nice background ambiance, but wasn't overpowering as we were still able to carry on a normal conversation. The serving staff was knowledgeable and took good care of us. We were even lucky enough to meet Chef Paul, who came out a couple times and greeted customers, asking us how we were enjoying our meals. He obviously takes great pride in his restaurant and his food and it shows. So what about the food? One word - Amazing! From the bacon-wrapped chicken appetizer to the surf and turf (head-on Peli Peli prawns were excellent!) and finished with the Sticky Toffee Pudding, it was a fantastic dining experience. The sides (I tried the couscous and seasonal vegetables) were delicious and the coleslaw was fantastic. They also have a good wine list, and the South African offerings in particular were a nice addition to the meal. It's a shame I was only visiting Houston, because if I lived there I would definitely be eating at Peli Peli frequently! If you are lucky enough to be in Houston, Peli Peli should be on your list of restaurants that you must experience! Pros: Food, decor, staff more

My family and I went to Peli Peli for brunch and I must say the whole experience was one of a kind. As we opened the door, the alluring sound of the Jazz band waived us in. My eyes were amazed at the vibrant colors that were canvased within the dark boldness of the wooded architecture. I sat down and ordered the drink of the hour ""The Mimosa"", garnished with a simple slice of strawberry. Once my Omelet with Mango Salsa was placed in front of me, my eyes lit up like a kid because it was simple art at first glance. Once the fork is to my mouth it was an explosion of flavors. The food was so good we had to try desert and we could not decide which one to get so we decided to try two: African Mud Hut and Crepes Calypso..Both To Die For!!! Pros: The Food more

We came here with the family on a Friday night and were all very surprised at how delicious everything was! There is a South African twist to the menu and everything we had was extremely tasty and unique. For appetizers, I would recommend the bacon & chicken appetizers and the liver (its really good!) For entrees, we had the sea bass, prawns and filet mignon - all of which were amazing, esp the sea bass! For dessert, we had some passion fruit thing, I dont remember what it was called but it was delicious! Highly recommend this restaurant - it seems to work well for bigger groups as well as couples. Pros: Great food with a twist and good value for price Cons: n/a more