El Meson

4.2(1,100)

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Location & Hours

Address

2425 University Blvd
Houston, Texas 77005
United States

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Hours

Closed • Opens Today at 11:30 AM

Monday11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Tuesday11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Wednesday11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Thursday11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Friday11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Saturday11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Sunday12:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Contact & Links

Contact Information

(713) 522-9306

Restaurant Link

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About El Meson

Homey Spanish eatery with Cuban flair presenting tapas, paella & an extensive wine list since 1981.

Price range: moderately priced

Google-sourced data last fetched on June 23, 2026.

4.2/5

Based on 1,100 reviews

Recent Reviews

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BygoneTundra

5 months ago

Came with a group of 5 and the total bill was $348. At that price point, the food should be excellent — unfortunately, it wasn’t. Two of us ordered the beef tenderloin, and it was disappointing. The ...

WC Rodriguez

8 months ago

El Meson – Tapas & Cocktails Done Right 🍽️🍷 Had a fantastic dinner at El Meson near Rice University. We ordered a variety of tapas—octopus, shrimp, calamari, and plantains—all full of flavor and bea...

Sal H

5 months ago

Party of 4, 6pm, a chilly Saturday. We were greeted by an extremely rude, unwelcoming hostess who turned out to be the owners daughter. Against our better judgment we asked for a table anyway. We ask...

Roberto Diaz

4 months ago

Customer service was great, team was very friendly! Had pulpo al ajillo, Brussels Sprouts and chuletas de cordero… all I can say about the food is that it was exquisite! This restaurant has become my ...

Eleanor Grace

8 months ago

My husband and I stopped by El Meson on a whim for a spontaneous date night, and it ended up being one of MANY of best decisions we’ve made . The atmosphere was enchanting — perfect for sharing tapa...

What People Are Saying

Overall Experience

The overall dining experience is mixed, with some customers reporting exquisite food and fantastic service, while others encountered significant issues with staff rudeness, poor food quality, and perceived low value for money.

Customer Favorites

Highly praised dishes include pulpo al ajillo, Brussels Sprouts, chuletas de cordero, and various tapas such as octopus, shrimp, calamari, plantains, and patatas bravas. Many customers appreciated the thoughtfully portioned sharing plates.

Atmosphere & Service

The atmosphere is frequently described as great, enchanting, and having a lively energy, perfect for conversation. Service generally receives positive comments for politeness and attentiveness, though one specific incident highlighted an extremely rude and unwelcoming hostess.

Value & Quality

Food quality is described as exquisite and full of flavor in positive reviews, with drinks being excellent and well-balanced. However, negative feedback cited chewy, rubbery beef tenderloin, average sides, and "disgusting" squid ink paella with unfresh seafood, leading to a perception that food quality did not match the price point.

Areas for Improvement

Key areas for improvement include addressing a specific incident involving a rude hostess (owner's daughter), improving the consistency of seafood freshness and beef tenderloin quality, and resolving limited and inconvenient street parking.

Recent Trends

Reviews show inconsistency, with highly positive experiences and food quality reported, contrasting with significant negative feedback on specific dishes and service incidents around similar periods.