Cafe Rabelais

Name: Cafe Rabelais
Address: 2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX, United States, 77005
Telephone: (713) 520-8841
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7 (1041)

$31 to $50

French

2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005

Make a reservation

2 people

May 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Great for fine wines

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
(713) 520-8841
Website
http://www.caferabelais.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Soriano Frank

Location
2442 Times Blvd, Houston, TX 77005
Neighborhood
Rice Village
Cross street
5499 kelvin Dr
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cafe, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Albert Bichot Wine Dinner
$135.00 per person
May 7, 2025 only
Albert Bichot Wine Dinner at Café Rabelais Join us for an exclusive evening with the esteemed Maison Albert Bichot, one of Burgundy’s most celebrated wine houses. This special 5-course dinner will feature carefully selected wine pairings, showcasing the elegance and depth of Albert Bichot’s portfolio. A representative from the winery will guide guests through the tasting, offering insights into each pour. 📅 Tuesday, May 7 | 🕖 7:00 PM | 💵 $135 per person Menu to be announced soon. Space is limited—reserve today!
Mother's Day Prix Fixe
$85.00 per person
Apr 14, 2025 - May 11, 2025
Make This Mother's Day Unforgettable at Café Rabelais 💐 This May 11, join us for a beautifully curated 5-course prix fixe menu designed to delight the most important women in our lives. From a Stuffed Mushroom with Foie Gras amuse bouche to your choice of Salmon Carpaccio or Salt Crust Beet Salad to start. Enjoy a Tomato Gazpacho with Avocado Toast, then choose between a delicious Apple Crusted Snapper Filet, Chicken Cordon Bleu, or classic Beef Wellington. Every bite is a celebration. And for dessert? We’re torn between the Red Berry Verine with Chantilly and the Baked Apple with a Chocolate Mousse Core… you’ll just have to come and decide for yourself. 🌷 $85 per person | 11am–8pm ✨ Reserve your table now on OpenTable—seats fill quickly!

Heirloom Tomato Salad$9.50
w/ Cheese of The Day, Red Onion & Balsamic Vinaigrette
Caesar Salad$9.50
- W/ Salmon$3.50
- W/ Chicken$4.00
- W/ Beef or Shrimp$5.00
Nicoise Salad$15.50
Tuna, Mixed Greens, Hard Boiled Egg, Green Beans, Olives & Anchovies
Frisee Salad$9.50
Avocado & Citrus w/ Citrus Vinaigrette
Salade de Bleu d'Auvergne$11.00
Bibb Lettuce, Bacon, Walnuts, Apple
Salade de Chevre de Pané$10.50
w/ Mixed Greens, Hazelnuts, Country Ham & Panko Crusted Goat Cheese
Salade Maison$7.00
w/ Mixed Greens, Tomato & Carrots

Sandwiches

All Sandwiches Served w/ Pomme Frites

Chicken Salad Sandwich$10.95
on Croissant w/ Bibb Lettuce & Tomato
Bavette Frites$12.50
w/ Onion, Lettuce, Tomato, Mustard, Melted Swiss
Herb Crusted Pork Loin Sandwich$13.00
w/ Tomato, Spring Mix & Cabbage Slaw
Merguez Sandwich$13.50
w/ Lettuce, Tomato & Mustard
Smoked Salmon Sandwich$12.50
w/ Lettuce, Tomato, Hard Boiled Egg & Gribiche
Provencal Sandwich$11.50
w/ Roasted Bell Pepper, Lettuce, Tomato, Caramelized Onion, Garlic Aioli & Goat Cheese
Sandwich Bayonnais$12.50
w/ Ham, Tomme De Savoie, Lettuce, Tomato & Butter

What 1,041 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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Houston
French
Houston
Great for fine wines
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.

1,041 Reviews

A
Alfredo J VIP
Houston5 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food and service. Quality of ingredients and presentation.
Is this helpful?
M
Marty
Houston6 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
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.
Is this helpful?
D
Deborah VIP
Houston34 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
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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J
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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j
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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E
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.
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T
Tina VIP
Houston11 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Allways delicious. We had the Terrine and onion soup as well as the beef bourgognone. Highly recommend!
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P
Peter VIP
Houston52 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Authentic French bistro in the heart of Rice Village. Excellent food, great service and ambianc. Excellent wide ranging French wine list
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I
Irene VIP
Houston17 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is such a gem within Rice Village. Giving off cozy French bistro vibes. The service and ambiance is superb, and the food is amazing.
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D
Deborah VIP
Houston34 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Café Rabelais is a favorite and always great! I come here often.
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FAQs

Cafe Rabelais is rated 4.7 stars by 1041 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

May 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Experiences are available.

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

Website
http://www.caferabelais.com/
Phone number
(713) 520-8841

Cafe Rabelais

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Experiences

Albert Bichot Wine Dinner

Mother's Day Prix Fixe

Menu

Salads

Heirloom Tomato Salad$9.50

Caesar Salad$9.50

Nicoise Salad$15.50

Frisee Salad$9.50

Salade de Bleu d'Auvergne$11.00

Salade de Chevre de Pané$10.50

Salade Maison$7.00

Sandwiches

Chicken Salad Sandwich$10.95

Bavette Frites$12.50

Herb Crusted Pork Loin Sandwich$13.00

Merguez Sandwich$13.50

Smoked Salmon Sandwich$12.50

Provencal Sandwich$11.50

Sandwich Bayonnais$12.50

What 1,041 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Cafe Rabelais restaurant rated?

Is Cafe Rabelais currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information