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Cafe Rabelais, Houston, TX

Cafe Rabelais

4.6 (1045)
$31 to $50
French
2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Houston’s Café Rabelais serves sumptuous French cuisine in its classic, European-inspired eatery. Fantastic starter options include the mouth-watering smoked salmon plate, the white bean and vegetable soup, as well as a variety of decadent cheese plates. Café Rabelais’s specialty dinner entrées include the seared duck breast with Szechuan demi-glace, the seared snapper in rich beurre blanc, the vegetarian orzo pasta with purple cauliflower and feta cheese and the red wine marinated ribeye with eggplant.

Top off your Café Rabelais French feast with an unforgettable dessert, like the mixed nut and chocolate silk pie “fondant au chocolate sur croute de noix” or the fruity “sorbet du jour” and wash it down with a fresh, hot espresso.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, Bistro, Dessert
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue, Wed 6:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sat 6:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Soriano Frank
  • Neighborhood
    Rice Village
  • Cross street
    5499 kelvin Dr
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,045 people are saying

Cafe Rabelais 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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Houston

    French

  • Houston

    French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Cafe Rabelais offers "excellent food" and a "phenomenal wine list" in a cozy, authentic French bistro setting. Known for "friendly service," it consistently delivers "outstanding" dishes like beef bourguignon and mussels. A "favorite" in Rice Village, it captures the essence of France with exceptional cuisine and ambiance.

1,045 Reviews
  1. DENNIS VIP

    Houston52 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    A wonderful Mothers Day prix fixe dinner. A neighborhood gem

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  2. Austin VIP

    Houston23 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My steak was overcooked and dry. I am a little sad that I didn't just make one at home. The red fish special was a bit better but still a little over. The chicken was superb! Service was amazing, everyone was so so nice.

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  3. William C VIP

    Philadelphia21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent in every aspect. The only place in Houston where you can get sweetbreads. Probably ditto for the quail – which is excellent. Friendly, attentive service.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Lu Ann

    Houston22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was delicious and the service professional and helpful. I would highly recommend Cafe Rabelais.

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  5. Alfredo J VIP

    Houston5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good food and service. Quality of ingredients and presentation.

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  6. Marty

    Houston6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I've eaten at Cafe Rabelais many times and it's always uniformly excellent.

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  7. Deborah VIP

    Houston34 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Café Rabelais is a regular stop for me and my friends. All the items on their menu are superbly prepared. An excellent choice for anyone!

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  8. John VIP

    Houston107 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The restaurant has stepped up and offers more specials to add to the standard dishes. The Sea Bass was very good, and the Mussels never disappoint. Expansive wine list and the Puligny Montrachet we ordered was excellent. Service as always was efficient and friendly.

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  9. joel VIP

    Houston171 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This is such a good classic French restaurant. Not fancy but pleasant. Tables are small but it’s not loud. One of our favorites.

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  10. Eileen

    Houston14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Such a peaceful and delicious lunch. As always. Thank you.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Cafe Rabelais is rated 4.6 stars by 1045 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Houston
  4. Houston
  5. Rice Village

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
Google Map for Cafe Rabelais

2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

Additional information

  • Cross street
    5499 kelvin Dr
  • Neighborhood
    Rice Village
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue, Wed 6:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sat 6:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, Bistro, Dessert
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Soriano Frank
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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