La Strada - Montrose

This place has gone downhill big time. I used to go pretty regularly, but went a couple Fridays ago they were closed. I went back and my food sucked so I asked the manager who seemed to want to remedy the situation when some 50-something has been 'cool guy' trying to act 20 interrupted the manager to talk about something. I guess he's a friend of the owner or something (I've seen him there other times) thinking he runs the joint and can twitch around the place like a junkie. Needless to say I was pissed at 'cool guy' and told the manager to forget it as I'd never come back to their random-houred crack house. Don't get me wrong, this place USED to be a decent hangout with a good vibe, but it looks to be on the way out if they can't even keep regular hours, and have a strange guy bothering everybody... oh yeah, and for whatever reason I couldn't get a drink!! FROM A PLACE KNOWN FOR THEIR DRINKS!! Pros: Used to be bellinis but they can't sell them anymore Cons: Food and Service, Random hours, no booze more

This was my first trip to La Strada and it was great. The service was good, we sat upstairs and enjoyed great music and a little breeze. The waiter was great and allowed us to lounge as long as we wanted (this was a plus after being asked to leave some restaurants for sitting too long). The food was amazing, some of the best pasta I have ever had. The only negative is that the manager would not allow us to use our coupon. La Strada has a company selling coupon books for them. After paying $30-$35 to get to purchase this coupon book, we arrive and the manager basically says "not today". We don't accept coupons on Sundays. What the F@!#! Why is that not on the coupon? That does not make any sense at all. If you have a coupon, you may want to check WITH THE MANAGER to see if you can use it before you dine there; otherwise, beware. We gave the coupon to our waiter when we arrived so he was fully aware. It was only after we ate and drank and ran up the bill that the manager decided not to use the coupon which would have saved us about $15 bucks (big deal!) Since the food was good, we didn't have a problem paying full price. However, they do need better management. This place could be a lot more profitable if the had honest people running the place. Pros: Great Food and Atmosphere! Cons: Don't like coupons even though they market them! more

My friend and I bought the "GROUPON" for La Strada last week and we went on a double date with our husbands. The groupon said "one per two people" so we thought we could each use one. However, when we paid, they said they would only accept one coupon. The manager came to our table and explained that since it said it was not valid with any other offer and they don't split checks, we would only be able to use one coupon. He was very rude and condescending about the whole ordeal when we tried to explain that we thought since it said "one per two people" and not "one per table" we should be able to use both. He also said that if we had come separately and been at different tables, we would have been able to use both coupons, which we just thought was absurd. We ended up not saving any money and spent part of our evening annoyed by this manager and his rudeness. We could have gone to any other restaurant in Houston that night and frankly there are so many others with better food and nicer staff. We will not be going back there. Pros: location, ambience Cons: rude manager, parking more

Vist twice. Both times services was SLOW, DISORGANIZED, RUDE, UNAPOLIGETIC, HIDDEN FEES, and SLOPPY. MY first visit was on a Sunday brunch. A party of 12 we waited for 45 minutes which was expected for the Sunday brunch service. The place gets PACKED. It’s like a Sunday morning club atmosphere. Thankfully the clientele were mostly hip fun loving people. Food was good though took another 30-40 minutes to arrive. Pitcher service was good. Servers seem to be unconcerned with us once orders were placed. Friends ordered at the bar several drinks faster than the waiter could even come over to take drink orders. Paying arrangements must have been rocket science to servers as it took 20 minutes to sort out. Second daring visit was 15 guest reserved in advance. We sat outside which was nice. Two other large groups were finishing up and we were the last large group and only two other tables of couples were up stairs, the bottom floor was being cleared for dancing. Our waiter FORGOT ALL our ORDERS. He FORGOT ALL DRINK ORDERS, forgot to bring a drink menu that was requested three times from numerous members of the party, FORGOT ONE ORDER, DID NOT APOLOGIZE FOR MISTAKE, FORGOT WINE GLASSES after he “ was running around looking for the wine” as he stated. In all fairness he was the only waiter beside one other waitress helped sparingly. But there were only 22 guest up stairs. 18 of which was our party. We arrived at 8:35 and left at 11:56pm. Dinner took nearly 2 hours to arrange. Waiter constantly externalized blame and never apologized for his lack of quality in his service. Manager however did apologize after having to be talked to by a couple party members and offered free cake cutting and a $10 bottle of champagne. Regardless of the food I will never be going back to La Strada. Pros: gingerbread pancakes, brunch Cons: Bad service/crowded Sun./valet parking WAS NOT complimentry more

I had eaten there a couple of years ago and besides the Sunday brunch I have not eaten there in a while. I ordered the Bistec (Steak) medium rare and was served medium well. The steak was dry and tough and I needed the sauce to give it the flavor. My wife's pasta was ok but nothing to talk about. At $32 the steak was such a waste of money. I would not recomend this place for dinner. Pros: Quite on weekdays, nice decor Cons: Food is equivilant to a chain restruant at higher prices more

Most people agree it's not what it used to be. Some good menu items remain, but are poorly executed. Pros: Dessert Cons: Valet charge more

i ate at la strada last tuesday with my cousin and we were just driving by and saw this big yellow bilding with this ivy all over and at first thought it was a mexican restaurant, but were surprised that it was italian in a good way. i ordered the michal’s best or something (forgot the name) but it tasted good, came out fast. my cousin was real hungry and ordered crab cakes which tasted alright and he had some fettichini with this really really good chocolate cake afterward. next time i’m going to come back here more hungry, becuase the food was really good and the prices seemed kinda expensive, but the amount of food i got was a lot! would definitly come back! Pros: good bread, big portions Cons: quiet for a tuesday afternoon maybe too quiet? more

I go to La Strada probably about once a month with my girlfriends - usually Thursday nights. Sometimes the waiter takes awhile to get our food in, but we're usually there for a couple hours or so and aren't in any kind of hurry, so I can understand where some of these reviewers are coming from - but seriously, when I go out to eat, I like to make an event of it and not be in a hurry (or else we'd get fast food!) In any case, this place is pretty good overall, and is good to sit for awhile with friends and not be ushered out like at some other places. Pros: Great place to have drinks with friends Cons: Sometimes the food is great, sometimes mediocre more

Group of ten dinning out for a birthday event. the service was very slow, the entire time we waited not one person asked if we wanted to order drinks 39 min. later two people took our orders. the food was brought out in a timely fashion but three guest order the same dinner plate all portions where completely different. after eating the waiter dropped all bills at the end of the table not returning each credit card to the right owner. the waiter also over charged a credit card to make her tip larger the money was return in a cash advance from the waiter.. Cons: waiter charged extra on bills and etc more

I was so disappointed, it has inspired me to write my first review ever! I haven't been to La Strada in years. It used to be one of my favorite restaurants, the kind of place to go for special occassions. Not anymore. It was absolutely awful. We arrived for a Sunday brunch, the valets charged $8 in advance per car. Normally I would have driven off but I had a car with family behind me. Not to shock them, I paid the valet for their car too. Food came quickly but dirty dishes were never removed and water glasses were not refilled. Food was tasteless. Mom said "Food is better at Luby's" Waiter charged 20% tip automatically charged to bill because of a group of 6 or more dispite the fact it was only 4 adults and 2 very small children. Only 4 entrees were ordered, the kids are not big enough to get their own so we share our food with them. Not even the kids would eat the flat pancake. Way too expensive too. Even at half the cost I would have felt cheated. I will never go back there. We left 6 hours ago and I'm still pissed-off. Not worth the one star rating but program insists on at least one or it thinks it was forgotten. Pros: Good Iced tea Cons: everything else more

I have been hearing about La Strada since I moved here nine years ago. Friends continually "oohed and aahed" about how great the brunch was. I ate here about a month ago for dinner and had a mostly pleasant experience with the exception of spotty service. I chalked it up to a bad night. I then decided to take my mother for brunch since she was visiting from out of town. We arrived at 10:50 am for our 11 am reservation on May 17, 2009. We were among about twenty people waiting outside the restaurant. At 11:10am the manager arrived and banged on the front door until one of his staff opened the door and let us all in. Why he was arriving to his own restaurant late I can't say. My mother and I had reservations and were the first to be seated in one of the booths in the middle of the first floor. After being seated, all the other tables around us started filling up and waiters started taking orders and getting drinks. We watched as the table next to us (a table of four) got mimosas, coffee, etc. The waiter ignored us so I assumed he wasn't ours. Then after twenty minutes a blonde waitress came by and asked us if we'd been waited on and we said no. She took our drink order and then after fifteen minutes brought them out. I jokingly asked her if our waiter hadn't shown up for his shift and she pointed to the waiter at the very next table, the one who had ignored us, and said he was supposed to be our waiter but was overwhelmed and asked her to take our table. I only saw him wait on that one table the entire time we were there. She claimed that it was confusing for the staff because they were constantly changed the stations they were assigned to. If that's the case then the manager should show up before the restaurant opens to go over the table layout. Or, even better, keep the stations the same all the time so not to confuse the staff. She finally came back to take our food order. The waiter we were supposed to have brought our food to us. We didn't see the blonde waitress again during our meal---well we saw her waiting on her other tables, bringing them more mimosas, etc. but she never glanced at our table, checked on the food, or asked us how we were doing at all. My mother ordered a mimosa---she never once came by our table to offer my mom more. After finishing our food, we flagged her down and asked for the check--still she didn't ask how our food was if we needed anything, etc. After about fifteen minutes of watching her pass our table by to wait on other tables we got the manager over to our table. He chased down our server and had her bring us the bill. No apology from our server or the manager for the horrible service. Then we proceeded outside to pay the ridiculously expensive valet cost which has apparently gone up since last month and is now $8.00. I normally don't mind paying this if there isn't any parking but to take up the entire parking lot and force your patrons to pay $8.00 to park their car 30 feet away is ridiculous. Having said all this, and I know it's alot I still don't like giving a bad review to a restaurant that serves good food. I did call and speak to the manager after returning home. He said his name was Adam and told me to let him know the next time I come in and he will make sure I have a better experience. The reason I called him and am writing this review is to say that good customer service isn't rocket science as so many others have said here already in one way or another. It doesn't take much to make dining a good experience and an apology goes a long way. If you go to La Strada please be prepared to wait and if this happens speak up. I would have done so if I hadn't been on crutches today. I still say the food is good if not a bit overpriced but the poor service ruins the experience. I hope this review helps someone. Pros: Great food Cons: Service, Accountability, Valet Parking Cost more

Okay I think Christapinky and I had the same waiter. Some rastafarian guy that somehow got a job there. I thought it was hilarious when he took our order because I seriously thought he was still stoned from the night before. La Strada used to be the most perfect italian restaurant. Not this night of April 4th, 2009. I will never forget it. The parking is a joke. They only have one valet but they demand $6 for parking and a tip. We sat down and the rastaf greeted us stoned, took our drink order, came back with one coke for a table of 7 and then left for 10 minutes until finally coming out with 7 small glasses of luke warm water that he made me hand out to everyone. Then I ordered wine and he brought three glasses and filled the three glasses and handed all three to me to pass out. WTF is wrong with this guy. He then brought out the appetizers/entrees, soups and salads all mixed up out at once. He has no idea that some people like to order appetizers as entrees and salads as entres. Some people ordered a salad and an appetizer for an entree; some ordered an appetizer and a salads as their entree. A little confusing but this happens all the time. The appetizers and salad that were entrees were brought out first and when we complained he responded, "I will go back and hurry all of the rest of the entrees up." I though, this guys is either braindead or stoned at this point. He then comes out with the rest of the entrees extremely early, doesnt' clear the salads and appetizers, we have an entire table full of appetizer, salad and entree food plates, 3 glasses of wine (for 8) 7 small water glasses and a coke. We never got our drinks that we ordered at the beginning. Every time this guy came out we couldn't stop laughing to tell the guy how awful the service was, literally. Then one person didn't get their fish and I am not joking when he said this, he said, "I am sorry that the fish is taking so long, but you are going to love this fish. It is so fresh. We just took it out of the freezer and it is thawing right now." AHHAHAH I don't think that has ever been said in any restaurant ever. Have fun if you go there and enjoy a good laugh. Pros: Door was easily accesible on my way out Cons: Waiter, food, manager more

I have been to La Strada many times and seems like this place is going down hill. There were 3 managers running around but no one was on the same page. First of all we parked our own car but still had to pay for valet service that was really expensive for valet. Food was sub par, I remember when this place had great food. We drank the brunch special "bottomless mimosas"- watered down, and wait staff took forever to provide refills. We had a large group and mgt needed our table so instead of asking politely the coment was "yall need to move, and the quicker the better". This is my first time to write a review but had the worst experience and feel like everyone one needs to know how this place has changed. I will never return! Pros: Nice veiw off terace Cons: SERVICE, pricey, food more

Well I wish I'd read these reviews before I went to dine. Its very sweet cultural setting. The meal was extrodinary too bad I had to wait an eternity for service. Where are they hiding? Price above average the fact I had to pay for parking well ok. I did enjoy myself. more

The food looks way better than it tastes. It's bland, uninspired, and pedestrian. In addition, they charge $5 for parking. Even high end restaurants do not charge this. In this economy, this is one of the places that will not succeed with such business tactics. No wonder the restaurant was DEAD on a Friday night. I may want to check out the Sunday brunch at some point - I bet that keeps the place in business. Pros: Looks cool inside Cons: Food not that good, charge for parking. more

Went to Las Strada with group of friends to celebrate a birthday. I have been to the La Strada restaurant in the galleria area several time before it closed. I guess my mistake was to expect the same "Great Service". Well, where do I begin...We had a large group of ten people, it was a rather chilly night for Houston (lower 40's). The dinning area was the terrace on the second floor. The terrace only had three patio heaters that did nothing to relieve the chilly night air (also too many hole in the plastic that cover the terrace). We were seated at a 6 foot plastic banquet table (black cloth table cloth cover to hide the cheap detail). Did I mention we had a party of TEN PEOPLE!!! Very cramped!!! We finally had a server after approx 10 minutes. He said he would get us water and the waitress would be over to take a drink order. She never came, the "water boy" finally took drink orders as each guest requested one. Water and many of the drinks were served in plastic cups...guesss the dishwasher had the night off. Never saw the waitress until the desert tray came around and only half of the table was even shown the desert tray. The only thing good I have to say about the restaurant is that the food was excellant. However, the service was sooooooooooo poor...I'll NEVER return. Pros: food was good Cons: service was poor, pricey restaurant , shouldn't have to beg for drinks... more

Last Thursday- My Birthday- I made the mistake of going to La Strada and expected to get prompt service and a great meal. I went with my friend, my mother, adn her friend. We arrived- were seated, and then a minute later approached by the waiter. The waiter greeted us, served our bread, and then took our drink order. Five minutes passed, then ten, fifteen, still no waiter. The waiter kept walking passed our table and telling us he would be right back. At this point, I still had no drink, no water, and no food order taken. This was going on twenty five minutes. Then, the manager walked up to my table. At this point, I was fuming - the manager said that he had been watching our table and said he would serve us. Five more minutes passed and the manager never came back. THEN- out waiter preceded to take the drink order of the a table that was sat ten minutes after us. I then got up to leave. The waiter and the manager were at the door and were aplogizing. I told the waiter that I could not believe he would take the drink order of a table before me. He looked like a Rastafarian dude who was stoned out of his mind- and perhaps the manager joined him. I will NEVER eat at La Strada ever again. Please- if anything- if I can help one more person from another terrible experience- I will feel good about myself. This was the most riduculous and bizarre incidents in a long, long, time. HORRIBLE!!!!! Pros: NONE Cons: POOR SERVICE!!!!!!! more

So this was my second time to La Strada in the last few months...I have to admit, on a sunday afternoon, it's a pretty happening spot. Unfortunately, when we decided to go out for dinner in the middle of the week, it was quite the opposite. My first clue should have been the fact that the place was empty, but the wait staff told us we were just early, and the place starts filling up in another half hour or so. There were only two people at the bar for "happy hour", but still we decided to stay and have dinner. If we had stopped at the appetizers, at least I wouldn't have left with a bad taste in my mouth, and I do mean that literally. We ordered the crab cakes and calamari -- pretty standard dishes, and they came out fine, not the best, not the worst. For our entrees, we ordered the snapper and shrimp & scallops, both were very poorly prepared. The snapper came out tasting nothing but fishy, and the shrimp & scallops were over cooked and had zero taste. I mentioned to our waitress that the fish was overly fishy, and her response was a simple, "yeah, that's how snapper is". What a way to respond to your customer! Despite the ambiance, the food was lacking in taste and quality, I wouldn't go back but to hang out and have drinks. So long La Strada... more

I am so not an outdoor person, but for those of you who might have a friend that smokes you find that you are always out there. La Strada made my exile to fresh air a pretty amazing experience. The Lounge has so much soft warm light to go with the furniture that you never want to leave. Mix in a cocktail or two and I thought I might just move into La Strada and make the Lounge my new playroom. I have heard tell of the bellini's and they lived up to the hype! I was most thankful for the amazing array of appitiezers that were there to keep me cozy and have a great time! They make there pasta fresh too and it is to DIE for! more

Ditto all the unhappy, disappointed customers writing reviews here. A group of my friends took me out for dinner at La Strada for my birthday ["which" birthday doesn't matter; just suffice it to say that I "am" an adult]. I had eaten there many times before the fire shut them down and had always enjoyed it - no complaints whatsoever. However, at my birthday dinner we quickly became the only table as the whole restaurant was transformed for a private party. No one came over to alert us ahead of time OR apologize for the noise and commotion, you know - chairs and tables being moved, employees rushing around, "someone barking orders, etc. We complained to no avail. Oh, the management did comp my birthday dessert [don't you always receive that at no charge anyway?] and one Bellini; which made the compensation worth probably a little over 1% of our total bill. There a lot of other restaurants in town, and while I cannot speak in toto for the other eight diners with me, suffice to say that I would take bets from anyone who doubts that any of us will ever darken the doorway of La Strada again. Pros: The Bellinis? Cons: See above more