Very fun little shop inside Hermann park and a great stop before or after the zoo. I stopped by with a few people on a rather cold day and the hot grilled cheese was the perfect cure. The whole staff was very friendly and understanding that it can be a little difficult to choose just how to make your grilled cheese perfect. After each dish that they brought out I was asked about the item and you could tell they were actually interested in making sure you enjoyed the meal and wanted to see if there were things that needed changing. I really liked the pita and spiced hummus to start, then went with a simple grilled cheese for my sandwich. While I was eating the staff was laughing about something in the back, and then offered me a taste of a monte cristo style bacon sandwich they were experimenting with. It was quite a fun meal.
(5)
Patrick M.
Convenient to the Med Center, great scenery, can't ask for much better than that.
(4)
Paige C.
awesome customer service and amazing food! we will go back and will tell everyone we know about this place.
(5)
Jessica D.
Great french fries! Beautiful setting, great for watching ducks, people, and the pond. I'll certainly be going here more often.
(4)
Sandy S.
I have a new favorite place for lunch. Pinewood Cafe overlooks McGovern Lake in Hermann Park. They specialize in sandwiches and wraps w/ a ton of vegetarian and gluten free options. This food is actually FRESH! They make it while you wait. M-m-m. My kind of place.
(5)
Ashley L.
This place is such a gret casual place! a perfect addition to the park! Delicious and relaxing (if you don't mind babies and kids)
(5)
John S.
Good wrap.but .too much dressing. Hard to locate the first time. I will go back for the wrap.
(4)
Shane P.
Great location, great food, and even though it was busy great service. If your ever in the area or at the zoo it is worth a try.
(4)
Andrew D.
fresh food and nice view of the park
(5)
Hope M.
Quick, affordable, and tasty healthy options. A fan would be pretty cool cause it can get a bit hot sometimes but overall it's a nice place to stop at for a quick snack stop.
(5)
Niccole B.
Tasty club sandwich! Not too bad for park food. Not much indoor seating but a nice place to cool off and watch people paddle boat on the lake. Lots of outdoor seating. They do sell beer and wine so it would be nice to sit out and enjoy a beer and people watch.
(5)
Marcos A.
It wasn't bad, about as good as any average meal. I had the Kami cheese which was the type of sandwich you can make at home. Kiddo had the chicken tenders which were decent. It did take a long time to get the food. It's a good spot for after the zoo and also a great spot to sit outside and have a couple beers ($4 only) with a great view of the pond and The Med Center.
(3)
Helen C.
Pro: grilled sandwich is delicious, great atmosphere, perfect location Con: small portion, long waiting for simple food. I would go back again since I love them being there, the price is reasonable and food is really fresh. However, they really need to speed up the preparation for food and order, may consider give out slips for customer waiting to fill out and just pay at the counter since the price is uniform for same kind of food.
(3)
Liz M.
Build your own grilled cheese seems to be the main thing here, and those are pretty solid options for a reasonable price if you don't order a side. I often order the vegetarian wrap here though because it's more filling. That will set you back at $8 without sides though. Give the smoothies a try, they are great and cool me down on a hot day. I love eating by the lake at Hermann Park with the medical center in the background. It's a nice experience. They also offer sweet potato fries, craft beers, wine, and salads. I have never had to wait around early lunch time (weekdays though) and seating has always been available for me.
(3)
Elizabeth C.
These sandwiches are amazing, I had chicken on sourdough with provolone, feta, tomatoes, and avocados, yum!! Plus, the sweet potatoes fries are the best I've ever had. The area is perfect, right by the zoo, the Herman lake, the theater, and it has a nice shaded area to sit in. The inside is clean and air conditioned, so I'd suggest indoor if the very bold birds outside are annoying you. I've been here a few times and loved it! It's a great place to get a delicious and casual meal. Yum yum :)
(5)
Jay T.
Really creative lunch... Build your own grilled cheese. Pets allowed but no WiFi that was advertised!! So disappointed since I'm from out of town with my cat, Slate, and wanted to get some work done on my laptop. Otherwise I would have really loved this place!!
(4)
Sheldon H.
Okay, finally had the build your own grilled cheese. Mine: 9 grain, pepper jack and feta, ham, jalapeños and grilled mushrooms. Girlfriend (I picked): 9 grain, cheddar & feta, pickles and grilled mushrooms. They take a long time to get your order out, but it's worth it. If you're in Hermann Park on a nice day, there's no need to rush.
(4)
Chelsea L.
I give Pinewood Cafe 2 stars for the following reasons: 1) the gelato ice cream bars at amazing 2) the indoor seating is usually clean and the outdoor seating has decent shade. I've been here 3 times so I think I can make a fair assessment now. The food made-to-order is awful. Have you ever had a grilled cheese sandwich made on a bun? You can have that here if you order a grilled cheese on "sourdough bread." The service is s l o w and inefficient. The person who takes your order is also ringing people up. So if you purchase food that needs to be prepared, when it's done, you likely have to interrupt someone else ordering or wait around until they're done ordering. Your best options are 1) pack a picnic 2) purchase something that requires no preparation.
(2)
Raffi M.
So look - this is a fast food cafe in a park. You can't expect too much. And it delivered on those mild expectations, except that the staff forgot one part of our order. There is good beer. Having said that, I really, really wish this was a Shake Shack.
(3)
Roger F.
No. Nice Spring day (Saturday). Not too many people. So ordered two grilled cheese sandwiches and some fries. They gave us an electronic thing that would buzz us when the food was ready. So we drank some beers out on the nice patio. After 20 minutes, still no buzz and no food. I went up to the counter to inquire about the food. Young woman said she would check. She spoke with the manager. Manager came over to me and said it would be another 20 minutes for your food. What? I said, why is taking so long for two grilled cheese sandwiches? Nothing but excuses. I said, refund my money back, this is ridiculous. He did and we were on our way out of this stupid nonsense.
(1)
Teneil M.
I love cheese, creative food and long walks, runs or bike rides through the park; so this place became an instant favorite for me once I learned of its existence. After a hike through Hermann Park on a lovely day, what could be better than a grilled cheese sandwich and an ice cold beer?! Nothing. Duh. And yes, they have beer - mostly Karbach and a few other craft beer selections in addition to wine, smoothies and your typical non-alcoholic beverages! It's just the perfect casual dining spot for a day at the park. Apparently the best thing about this place is building your own grilled cheese sandwich, but I've found it to be quite amazing without even doing so. There's a wall full of specials that I will eventually get around to trying one day, but so far the Loaded Potato Grilled Cheese is my fave! Cheddar, bacon, sour cream, chives and french fries on Texas Toast! Ughh! I wish I was eating one right now... And even cooler: This place is right next to McGovern Lake where you can rent a pedal boat for 30 minutes, do a couple of rounds on the lake, wave to the duckies and burn off those calories from the utterly delicious grilled cheese sandwich you just devoured.
(5)
Doris D.
I would rate Pinewood for 3.5 stars and not 4 but too bad Yelp doesn't have the option of 1/2 star rating. Anyway, I am glad that Pinewood Cafe is closed by to the zoo and they served pretty awesome sandwiches. However, the line move slowly even on weekday so you can expected a long wait during weekends. We sat outside since the weather is so gorgeous. We ordered Joe's vegetarian sandwich which is good with a hint of curry spice but I can't really taste the falafel as I expected it to be a falafel patty and not mash up but all in all a great sandwich and my gf ordered Turkey Reuben and she liked it too! We will be back when are back to visit the zoo and go for a train ride. Pinewood's sandwiches are so much better than the cafe in the zoo. I hope they keep the consistency of their food.
(4)
Michelle A.
Grilled cheese? I'm there. Beautiful scenery? Heck yes. I might be biased just because I adore cheese, but Pinewood was a delight. They have great build-your-own grilled cheese sandwiches. You have a choice of bread (I chose sweet sourdough), up to 2 choices of cheese (I chose Cheddar & Havarti), a meat (I chose chicken), and finally up to 5 veggies (I chose Apple, Tomato, Spinach, and Sprouts). I also ordered a side of sweet potato fries to share with my friend. The food tasted fresh and clean. I felt satisfied with just one half of the sandwich! The outdoor scenery is also beautiful. We came just before noon, and the weather had to be in the mid- to high-60s. It was perfect. We ate outside on the outdoor table in the shade, and then moved onto the small grassy hill in front of the lake. I highly recommend this cute cafe!
(5)
Cameron Y.
What a wonderful place to eat on a beautiful day!! Once I heard about the build your own grilled cheese bar I was sold. It just took me a while to get out there and try it out. Being my first time I had quite a hard time deciding on what kind of grilled cheese I wanted. Did I want spicy? Traditional? Italian? I thought about it for quite a bit and finally decided to go spicy for my first try. My choices were : jalapeno cheese bread, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and cilantro. I also got some hummus and pita as a side for an additional $2. It was truly a divine sandwich! The bread was thicker than most and grilled to perfection, smothered in butter to create the perfect golden toast. All of the spicy flavors were delicious but never too spicy. I was pleasantly surprised to see the jalapenos were de-seeded and fresh, not the expected pickled variety. I cannot wait to go back and try another grilled cheese! I'm thinking a caprese style will be my next choice.
(4)
Ray W.
Worst customer service I've experienced in a while. Will not be coming back to this over priced venue again. Take my advice and steer clear.
(1)
Mai-Trang T.
Me and my boyfriend were just on a stroll through Hermann park and encountered this cute cafe near the zoo. We were starving and ordered a burger, fries, tater tots, and a corn dog. All of which were delicious. It was really nice sitting outside, enjoying the weather with good company, and eating great food. I leave out one star because the line was a tad long and inside the cafe was a bit untidy.
(4)
Reny J.
Decent food considering its inside hermann park
(3)
Sam M.
Not what I was expecting, disappointed. Grilled cheese probably would've been great if it hadn't tasted like it was cooked on a dirty grill. Some of the options for build your own grilled cheese listed on their website are no longer offered there (basil, apple, sourdough bread, others..). Whole place just seemed kind of dirty in appearance, and smell. Grossed me out, not going back. Giving it 2 stars instead of 1 just because the guy at the counter and the cook that brought out the food were friendly and helpful. Was also told new management took over a few days ago and that that was why the menu options were cut down. Website says open till dusk, which is wrong, sign on building said I believe closes at 5PM on weekdays, 6 PM on weekends, don't remember opening hour. I went on a Tuesday afternoon and there was no line and waited about 10 minutes or so for 2 hot sandwiches.
(2)
Hector D.
I spent the day in Houston yesterday and purchased the yelp deal for this place because it looked good. Unfortunately, when I walked in at about 2pm, I was told that their grill and fryer had been turned off and I therefore could not get any food. It seems to me that if your website says you are open until "dusk" and yelp says you are open until 6pm, you should not be shutting off your equipment at 2pm, no matter how few people were coming by. I guess that is just a wasted 6 dollars on the yelp deal.
(1)
Valerie M.
below average. expensive. it smelled like a chlorinated pool inside. payed $7 for a piece of bread and cheese
(1)
Lorinna H.
We recently bought a zoo membership and I wished I discovered this gem sooner! We would have dined at this place at our every visit to the zoo. I read reviews about Pinewood, but wasn't exactly sure where it was located. We purchased our train tickets and had a wait so we decided to take the kids for a little walk and yea that building right next to the gift shop and the train stop...that's Pinewood. My husband ordered a grilled chicken breast burger and it was melt in your mouth, bursting with insane flavors, seriously best burger I ever had! The grilled cheese was pretty awesome too! That buttered sourdough bun does wonders. The mixed berry smoothie was a big delicious refreshing plus with our meal! Looking forward to coming back!
(5)
Mark D.
I have been here twice, both times the same issues came up, but I will focus on yesterday. Beautiful fall Saturday, took the kids to the Zoo. I would expect Pinewood would know its gonna be a busy day. Apparently not. Three employees working. Stood in line for 40 minutes just to order, only to find out they were out of most side dishes. Then waited for another 30 minutes for food to come out. One guy was taking orders, while two were in the back cooking. While the line wasw 20-something deep, someone ahead of us in line ordered 4 smoothies in 3 different flavors. The guy stops taking orders to go make the smoothies. Took him at least 15 minutes, during which the line was growing and no orders were being taken. The lady in front went up to every person in front of us to make sure no one else was ordering smoothies. While I waited in line, it seemed most everyone who picked up their food, came back up because something hadn't been done right. It was ridiculous to the point of comical. If that place didn't have a monopoly of food in the immediate area, it would have gone out of business long ago.
(1)
Becky E.
I'm so glad we have a non-zoo food option in Hermann Park now. This place is really good! I shared a rye grilled cheese with gouda, ham and apples = delish! Fries are okay but I heard they usually have sweet potato fries so we will try those next time. They also have healthier alternatives such as wraps, hummus, veggies with ranch and fresh fruit. It's located just to the left of the train, in between train and paddle boat rentals. A little hard to find but worth it! Great place! Let's keep them in business Yelpers!
(4)
Samuel K.
This place has an awesome view. hint: park in the zoo parking lot and walk to the right of the zoo entrance and you'll get to this little gem. lots of grilled cheese options and we wanted to use our yelp deal. clean area and the smoothies were delicious. i'd give 5 stars but the service was kinda slow.
(4)
Lily N.
I wanted to love this place. I expected to love it. Grilled cheese, nice view, what's not to like? And I did like it, but based on other reviews, I expected to love it. First, the good. The prices are cheaper than you'd expect for its location and the food is better. It's right next to the paddle boats and train. The grilled cheese (mine was cheddar, ham, basil and tomatoes on sweet sourdough) was definitely tasty. The chips and hummus tasted homemade. The view is nice. We got there early on a Sunday, and there was no one else there and the food came quickly. Now, the annoyances. The person behind the counter wasn't helpful in explaining options when asked, and the kids meal drink doesn't make sense. You can get a bottle of water or a normal adult-sized soda with the meal, but milk or juice are extra. Even McDonald's allows those substitutions, and the kid-sized soda is smaller. Not a big deal, but something to consider for a place bound to get a bunch of kids. Besides the grilled cheeses being good, (and really, those are hard to mess up), the fries and tator tots were no better than what you get frozen at the store and make yourself. Don't get me wrong, these are small things, and had I gone in with no expectations, I would have been pleasantly surprised, but I went in expecting a place good enough to go to on its own merits, rather than being good enough for a quick lunch while you're in the park anyway.
(3)
David N.
You know what Hermann park was missing? Some GOOD FOOD! The zoo has some downright bad food inside. And don't get me wrong I'm all for packing a small picnic before coming to this area, but sometimes you just wanna grab something HOT or COLD from the store. This place serves that need just right. As I was checking in like normal I noticed they had a yelp deal, it was $10 for $5, this was my first time using yelp deals and I must admit I like it! So it's like groupon or living social except this way you can already be at the place and IF they are having a deal you can buy it on the spot then turn around and use it. Because sometimes with these other deal sites you have to be on their clock, buy it when they offer it and then you have to find a time to go and use it, sometimes it ends up expiring before you use it. With the yelp deals you can already be at the place and buy it to save some money. I really like it. We opted to go healthy and got to wraps. A club and california, I liked the club better because of the bacon my gf enjoyed the california better because of the sprouts. Both were made pretty fast, granted there was a small school group of about 20 orders ahead of us. I think they squeezed us in because ours came out before their whole order was finished. If I'm in Hermann park and wanting a quick bite I'll be back for sure.
(4)
Emme P.
I was here back in late April, not sure when this management change occurred, but regardless it was pretty good. I added bacon, apples, greens, and carrots to my grilled cheese on sourdough bread. Wasn't a big fan of the mango smoothie... it was very sweet and artificial tasting. Overall I was satisfied
(4)
Dena G.
so happy that i got to visit the pinewood cafe finally! i actually read about this place on yelp's with a view, i wish i had known about this place while i was going to school in the med center! the weather today was perfect, we sat outside and got to fully enjoy and experience the pinewood cafe. i got the philly cheesteak which was SO GOODD, i mean freakin yum!! my bf got the build your own grilled cheese and he liked it, only complaint was that he asked (and paid) for extra meat but there didn't seem to be much meat at all. kinda sad. we also got the hummus which was yummy and it came with stacy's pita chips. BY THE WAY: bring your own water, you WILL be charged .50 for a cup of it. (: i thought this place was pretty good, the reviews kinda scared me but i will surely return!
(4)
Stephanie M.
Use to be a 4 star but since Hermann Park took over as management it has gone downhill. Yeah, they were slow before but can you even fathom them being slower? Well now they are! Five people in line equates to 30 min before being rung up. Also they took away all the good options. This use to be a place that had unique combinations for grilled cheese. Now you're stuck with the cheese options of American (is this even considered a cheese?), cheddar, provolone, and pepper jack. The salads have feta and blue cheese available as toppings but you can't get either on your grilled cheese. Everyone at my work use to go here weekly. Now we don't even go at all. They should have stayed closed.
(1)
Wesley C.
Pinewood Cafe is appropriately named because this place was like finding wonderfully amazing cabin in the woods. It is tucked away directly across from the Houston Zoo and overlooks McGovern Lake in Herman Park Observatory. It is a small cafe but whether you sit inside or outside, you are treated to a great view smack dab in the middle of Houston. I was searching for a cheap place to get lunch near the med-center and saw the Yelp deal $5 for $10 worth here at Pinewood. When I looked at there menu I was very intrigued, offering everything from $6 grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, and sandwiches. When I finally found this place, I noticed most people eating the grilled cheeses and they looked delicious. The waitress explained that you can choose between a bread (i.e White, Jalapeno Cheddar, French Loaf), two different types of cheeses (i.e Cheddar, Gouda, Brie, Fontina), one protein (i.e. turkey, ham, bacon) and 3 veggies (i.e. tomato, carrots, pickles, cilantro, basil). I decided to go with the grilled cheese and a side of french fries because I truly am a sucker for a great grilled cheese sandwich! Once I ordered the sandwich did not take to long to be made, the sandwich was the perfect size, and they give you plenty of fries for $2, enough for two people. The sandwich was great! The cheese is very savory and perfectly melted. The sandwich is filled with ingredients and they create a great cheese to meat to veggies ratio. As you eat the sandwich all of the flavors blend together and no one flavor is too overwhelming. For example, I put jalapenos on my sandwich which is always a risk because it can easily overpower the other flavors. But they made sure to dice up the jalapenos finely and you get just a hint of heat in combination with the other flavors. And did I mention that it was only $6. A great sandwich for a very reasonable price. Great lunch spot and I will definately be a frequent vistor.
(4)
Courtney S.
When my out of town guests visit Houston and want to go to the zoo (they always want to go to the zoo!), I bring them to Pinewood after for a grilled cheese! I am a huge fan of places where you can "build you own" - maybe because I'm a picky eater - and you can do just that here from the bread to the cheese and other ingredients. It is located right in Hermann Park, with a great view overlooking the park and pond. I went there a couple weeks ago with a friend and the staff was incredibly friendly, their customer service was great!
(4)
susan s.
We went to the zoo and decided to try this cute cafe by the train. So glad that we did! Kids loved the chicken tenders and grilled cheese. Kids meal comes with fries, tater tots or a healthy apple! I had a greek salad with chicken- huge portion and really delicious for only $8. Greens and veggies were fresh and dressing tasted homemade. Manager said that all food is cooked to order. As other reviewers have said- it can take a while to get your order but relax! You're in a park- Enjoy the day and sit outside by the lake. It's definitely one of the best patio's and views in Houston! And it's dog friendly too.
The location is perfect. The stuff sucks. Came here several times and they are either slow or do the ice cream in a way that it's less than half filled. Plus the smell is terrible at times.
(1)
Frank V.
Avoid this place, you have been warned. They are slow, disorganized and unable to handle even the smallest of crowds. If they closed down and went out of business, they would do the park and public a favor.
(1)
Melissa M.
I love the location of this cafe. It is on the lake next to the Zoo. It is right between the train rides and paddle boat rental. You can park almost anywhere around here and easily walk to this cafe and it is so convenient if you are in Hermann Park. We were hungry after a day of hanging out by Miller Outdoor theatre. There aren't many signs letting you know where this cafe is, so head toward the paddle boat rental and you will find it. It's counter service, but it isn't quick. If you read the reviews, many of them mention the long wait for food. We waited 35 minutes for our two chicken sandwiches. That seems long to me. We enjoyed the beautiful weather on the dog friendly patio while we waited for our food. When our food did arrive, the owner brought us some complimentary chips and hummus. The chicken sandwiches were fantastic! The bread is sweet, the sandwich was superb! The french fries are good but the portion sizes are kind of small. My husband and I were still a little hungry, but we weren't willing to wait another 35+ minutes. Yes, they are busy and they were short staffed that day. I would definitely eat here again, hopefully when they aren't so busy. If you do eat here, make sure to get some of the sweet bread/bun... amazing! We'll be back again and hopefully we'll be able to boost the rating to a 4* if the food comes out more quickly.
(3)
Heidi G.
The place gets 3 stars for location. There is really nothing else close by if you want to eat lunch at the park. It also has a nice view of the water. But don't go here if you are in a hurry. It will take 20-30 minutes to get that slightly above average sandwich.
(3)
Alicia F.
Dakota L. and I had a very delightful lady-date in the park and stopped in here for a late lunch. I had a voucher for ten bucks, which actually put quite a dent in our bill considering most things here are so reasonably priced. Six bucks for custom grilled cheese and baskets (falafel balls are on my list for next time), eight for wraps and salads. Our food was good: She had the croque (the daily special) with ham, brie, green onions, and topped with a fried egg. I custom-made my own with provolone, chicken, and a bunch of veggies. I can totally see how the custom grilled cheeses would be perfect for a family with picky kids who was visiting the park or zoo for the day, so kudos to Pinewood for putting that on the menu. Dakota L. rated her pina-colada smoothie "good, but more like a $3.50 smoothie than a $5 one." Take that as you will. The main issue we had was parking: going to Hermann Park on any given weekend during spring means you will be there with the rest of the city of Houston. Seriously, we spent just as much time trying to find parking as we did eating! But, it comes with the territory.. for our efforts, we were rewarded with a tasty lunch in a beautiful setting beside the lake, watching people and pedal boats go by. Next time I'm in the park, I'll probably stop in again. Hopefully, it'll be on a weekday.
(4)
Leena C.
WOWZA!!!!!! Had a teambuilder with my coworkers at HMNS and this was the chosen place for lunch. PHENOMENAL FOOD AND SERVICE! I'm not big on grilled cheese but this was their staple so I went with it. The owner was working the register and took all 8 orders. You can customize the grilled cheese so i chose white with american and she instantly stopped me. Told me to experiment and do something different so I let her help me chose -- WIN! French loaf, 3 cheeses- I think she said cheddar, fontina and something else, turkey, tomatos and sprouts - DELISH! Also ordered tator tots which were good -- not greasy at all. For dessert, my coworker Jesse and I split an order of fried bananas and ice cream - can we say OMG? The fried bananas come with a hazelnut dipping sauce and all I have to say is sweet perfection. And for the location - so close to the zoo, museums, etc, the prices were beyond reasonable, almost on the verge of cheap. I am truly a fan and since it is close to work (and home), I will def hit it up again. Even told my guy that next time he visits, we are going to hit this place up. Two gigantic thumbs up!
(5)
Wil F.
Nothing fancy, but great location and fabulous "build your own" grilled cheese that you can eat next to the pond in the middle of the park. If it's a nice day, this is a great little gem. Park near the zoo entrance; it's very close by.
(4)
Emily E.
They screwed up about 7 orders in front of us including ours. They said that they "never received them".
(1)
Nhi N.
I should have learned my lesson the first time I went here. I really wanted to like the food here. However, their food is just average. Ice cream is definitely not their strongest suit here. It melts faster than normal ice cream! Overpriced food. They charge about $10 for a burger. Alright, so considering my tip I will also add in here. My friend ordered a sandwich and didn't realize that they added "gratuity" until much later. She paid in cash, so why the gratuity? She was not being served in a restaurant. To top it off they neglected calling her order. For a good 15 minutes of waiting or longer. She had to get up and asked, where was her meal? The vibrating coaster never ranged. It turned out her meal was sitting on their food table for awhile. Thankfully, she still had her receipt to claim it. Ridiculous. For my partner and I, we were not given a receipt. If that was to happen to us. I can imagine them trying to hold back our meal. The cafe has a nice interior and during the heat. The A/C is a relief for us. They also have a patio outside overlooking the lake view. Bottled Water is about $2. There's a water fountain near the restrooms, but I strongly recommend to bring your own water.
(3)
Martha D.
Yummy. I love having a great place in Hermann Park, although it's counterproductive when we go to the park for a light walk and follow it with a greasy-buttery sandwich. The prices seem great, only $5 for the grilled cheese and $2 for a side of fries, but then we add the sodas too and over $20 for two people. They have changed the grill cheese options slightly, so it's a little disappointing because they dropped a couple things I used to get. A big draw back for this place is it takes freaking forever to get your food. We went here a couple times right after they opened and we thought that the timing was just growing pains, but it has not gotten any better. We have been the only people in the place and still waiting 30 minutes for two sandwiches and fries. geez. It's just absurd. Just don't come here if you have anywhere to be right after or try to pick up a quick lunch.
(4)
Janine B.
This place is difficult to find if you are not familiar with the area. It is basically next to the main entrance to the Houston Zoo, sitting on a lake that you cannot see until you enter the main parking area of the zoo. I had a salad that was very fresh and a nice sized portion for the price. My Fiance's Strawberry Smoothie was full of flavor. The are right in front of the Paddle Boat area. This is a nice spot to bring a date for something interesting to do & a place to grab a quick healthy bite to eat.
(4)
Larry P.
Discovering this establishment is a wonderful surprise. The offerings are few and far between at the Herman Park so this place is a cash cow for ownership and should be a nice stop for patrons. For the prices you expect the service to match the food! The stop, however, is NOT NICE for patrons it is TORTURE! The employees are ostensibly undertrained, inexperienced and under-educated to deal with the complexity of a diverse demographic; least of all the continuous ebb and flow of customer traffic. There is a serious LACK OF MANAGEMENT AT PINEWOOD CAFE (PC). The staff is consistently incompetent and struggles with the menu, flubbing the taking of orders, not expediting those orders and generally unfriendly service because there is NO LEADERSHIP! The manager (if this is his title; I HOPE TO GOD IT IS NOT) is blatantly talking on his cellular phone while standing in front of a register not taking orders, even though the line is exorbitantly long. When asked could he take orders he stated, in a snide and unprofessional manner, "wait for the guy on the register!" Next, the PC phone rang and he took a call-in order right before the customers waiting in line and did not even blink an eye! These people seem to think they are doing the public a favor for being at work. The customers are supplying the business with enough revenue for them to have a job. They can be replaced, NOT THE CUSTOMERS! My family (spouse and 21/2 yr. old) and I waited 30 minutes for 2 sandwiches, 2 fries, hummus, 1 smoothie and 1 chocolate milk. Nevertheless, the food was not made to order and I demanded a refund. The flippant young man got smart with me and repeatedly asked me what the problem was after I expressed this information to him once. He callously acted as if he was not going to return my money for the slipshod service. He was a complete embarrassment for the organization! There were 8 people behind the counter watching me experience a hard time recovering my hard earned $26.52 refund, as if it were some type of circus act, it was ridiculous. There are NO UNIFORMS OR NAME TAGS so CUSTOMERS DO NOT KNOW WHO IS WORKING AND WHO IS NOT! The patrons entering the place are hungry, many with small children! The team/staff currently installed at the business seemingly DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS and do not want to be there!!!!! I would suggest BRINGING YOUR OWN FOOD AND HAVING A NICE PICNIC WITH THE FAMILY, EAT BEFORE YOU LEAVE OR GRAB A SNACK FROM ONE OF THE HUMBLE STAND OWNERS THROUGHOUT HERMAN PARK. The staff at PC will attempt to try and ruin your weekend family outing because they are at work and you are not. If you do not want to work on the weekend I SUGGEST YOU. . . . STAFF . . . . QUIT!
(1)
Vanesa V.
Awesome place to get a bite if your at the zoo! You would think that a restaurant so close to a hot commodity like the zoo would serve over-priced food but NOT this place. What a great place to get a bite to eat and enjoy the scenery by the lake. For $5 you get to create your very own grilled cheese by choosing a type of bread, cheese, protein and up to 4 vegetables. I also recommend the Hummus as a side, for only $2 you get a pretty big serving size and its loaded with some awesome spices that gives it a nice little kick. I was afraid that we would have to wait a long time for our food since some of the reviews mentioned their food taking too long but luckily even with all the spring breakers at the Zoo we probably only waited less than 10 minutes for our food. The staff there are also very friendly. They currently have a deal on yelp, all I had to do was purchase the deal on my phone through yelp and showed it to them and got $10 worth of food by only paying $5 on yelp. SWEET! They also have other options like a wrap, banh mi, and lots of kids meal options.
(5)
Dexter H.
OMG...Is it bad that I wake up most mornings wanting a grilled cheese sandwich from Pinewood Cafe? How can you resist when its $5 and that gives you the option of bread, one cheese, one protein, and all the veggies you want! Want a better deal? By the coupon ($5 for $10) that they occasionally offer and you and a friend can eat for a steal! I was surprise by all the options. They even have brie and grouda ,steak is well marinated, bacon is nice and crisy, and chicken is not dry. The only bad part is that its next to the zoo so you the have to be patience with the parking and there are children EVERYWHERE! We went around 3pm on Saturday and the crowd was already dying down by then. I would definitely avoid lunch time.
(4)
Fredrick G.
Isn't it wonderful when places actually live up to the hype? This cafe in the middle of Hermann Park certainly fits the bill on several counts. The location is phenominal - near the edge of the reflecting pool and the Pioneer Monument, and on the shore of McGovern Lake across from the Zoo. My girlfriend and I visited this place during the middle of July, so anywhere with AC looks good after a while out. She initially was more eager; I tend to be cynical toward places who boast the praise they've recieved on their grilled cheese sandwiches. Let me tell you, I was wrong on that count! You have a number of bread, cheese, vegetable and meat selections to work from for starters. Decent smoothie options as well. My sandwich was a wheat/cheddar/steak/lettuce product, and the gooieness and greasiness were at just the right levels. Very flavorful and filling. The smoothie I ordered was a Pina Colada with extra yogurt and I swear it was like drinking a cold, fruity cloud. The counter staff was very friendly and personable. Didn't rush us along with ordering, and actually gave me extra an extra cup full of the smoothie at no charge since they said there was some overflow. In all, a great recommendation for anyone who visits the park regardless of the time of year.
(5)
Peter H.
This little cafe in Hermann Park is SOLID. They make a mean grilled cheese. You build your own grilled cheese sandwich from a variety of bread, cheese, meat and veggies. I've tried their daily specials (the Tejas and the Croque) and both were on point. Very clean interior and plenty of outdoor seating. As an added bonus, dogs are welcome outside. This makes for a nice pit stop if you're visiting the zoo, museum, or wanting to counter that workout. Roughly $6-$7 for a sandwich. Get on it.
(4)
Jen W.
The three stars is mostly for wasted potential. This place has everything going for it if they only tried, a good location near the zoo, a great view of Hermann park and a nice modern building. However all there food feels like it has the least possible amount of effort put in to it. For example, hot chocolate or cider made from powder in a packet is not really acceptable (or drinkable as it ends up) all the other food has the pre-packaged, previously frozen feeling as well (chicken tenders for example) or just minimum effort, such as packaged bread with a few slices of pre-cut cheese on a grill. This place could be so much better if they just went for some fresh food (and maybe got an espresso machine- who wouldn't want a cappuccino by the pond in the park?)
(3)
Grant L.
Liked the sandwich.
(5)
Esmeralda B.
I ADORED THIS PLACE!! After a long and exhausting day at the zoo..this small cafe seemed like just the right place to fill our tummies. The service was quite awful and they only had four people working and had a line out the door, but to my surprise this didn't bother me one bit because the food made up for the agonizing fifteen minute wait in line and twenty minute wait for food. My boyfriend ordered the buffalo chicken tenders which where yummy..kind of average if you know what i mean. I ordered the customizable grilled cheese. I had mine on white bread with cheddar cheese, bacon and tomato. The grilled cheese was pretty spectacular (on grilled cheese standards)! I do have to admit i was being a fatty and ordered a banana split..which was DELICIOUS! I would absolutely recommend ordering the banana split here..also their smoothies seemed quite popular so you may want to try that out on your visit here! :)
(4)
Terry L.
Manager said kitchen closed. Couldn't order food as kitchen closed yet chicken cooked on grill. She probably took chicken home as Super Bowl today. Also no shakes or ice cream also. Totally sketchy. You should all staff!
(1)
Mike W.
On a beautiful sunny fall day in Houston, where's the single best place to grab a lunch outside with a view? I think the even the most ardent Houston hater would be hard pressed to denounce the quality and diversity of al fresco dining options, but the last part of that question is a bit of a kicker. A view? In Houston? The options begin to dwindle, no? So on that picture perfect day, blessed with cloudless skies, a flawless 68 degrees, and the gentlest kiss of a breeze, where's the view? Better yet, I want access to mass transit, museums, theater, boats, trains, etc. Am I too demanding? Certainly so if I expect all this in the loop, and not in some Fertitta designed fantasy land....right? I'm here to tell you, NO! You're allowed to expect more! You can have the cake of a good meal outside, and you can eat it too! With all the amenities above AND a view! Now that I'm out of exclamation points, and have teased thoroughly enough, here's the scoop: Pinewood Cafe has taken over the cafe space in Hermann Park, and I am stoked. This is the missing jewel in the amazing makeover of Hermann that has turned it into our best urban green space. They offer custom wraps, salads, smoothies, grilled cheeses, and a great burger. The custom grilled cheeses can be turned into awesome sandwiches with 8 meats available, or leave them as intended and have your choice of 8 different cheeses, 6 breads, and 6 veggies. I know the kids will love it, because I was way too excited to not take 10 minutes ordering just thinking about all the different combos. I've had two so far, and there are many combos I can't wait to try. The food is good, the ingredients are fresh, and the service was friendly and quick, but there's no two ways about it, the draw here is the view. I sat at a table in the ample shade of some trees while overlooking the lake and enjoying the day. Gone are the city sounds, distant are the buildings, it was one of the more bucolic scenes that I could imagine just steps from the Med Center and minutes from Downtown. On one side of the cafe you'll find paddle boat rentals, on the other is the train station with stops all over the park. If you add in the fact that Miller Outdoor, the zoo, and most of the museums are a brief walk away, I'm not sure there's a better place to grab a long lunch or casual dinner in the city. So good food, good service, and amazing location only equal 4*'s, what's up with that? Because this is a brand new place and is a work in progress. This space has seen its comings and goings in its brief life, but there are many reasons to come why Pinewood will stand the test of time. Number one is that beer and wine are coming which will add to the attractiveness of those lakeside lunches and dinners. Also a real deal dog permit will be in the works. One of the best things will be the picnic basket options that will allow you to have your own picnic complete with wine, food, basket, blanket and the works for events at Miller, where ever you decide to sequester yourself in this great big park, or set up close by to hear the music that will be scheduled in the evenings this spring. So big things are in the works, and any combo of these are plenty enough to capture that elusive 5th star. I'm looking forward to updating it.
(4)
Lindsay C.
I was all excited to build my own grilled cheese, but several things took that excitement to a new low. First ordering seemed to be an ordeal because the young lady at the register didn't know what was going on - I was outlining my grilled cheese sandwich ingredients and she confused that with a tuna salad and told me I wasn't building a sandwich, but she really wasn't listening. Next it took like 15 minutes for our food to be ready - 2 grilled cheeses, which after getting it I realized I could make it at home. Lastly, after a few bites I noticed a black curly hair sticking out of the end of my sandwich...ugh! The silver lining is that at least it wasn't the bite I had taken. I went in to inform them and the other counter staff, a young man, asked if I wanted a new sandwich and at that point I'm disgusted with it all so I said no I'd rather not. So he have me full refund for my sandwich. Not coming here again.
(2)
Cindy C.
Consistent great sandwiches, the service is a bit slow, but I keep on returning for the food :)
(4)
Karmann G.
AWESOME! Best adult gourmet grilled cheese EVER! We stumbled upon this restaurant because it started raining after our train ride and we ran for shelter. So glad we did. I will go out of my way to eat here again. You get choice of several kinds of bread (I opted for sweet sour dough - soft and yummy), choice of 2 out of about 10 different cheese, a protein, several veggies and AVOCADO! The tator tots were scrumptious too. Oh, we also tried the smoothies...YUM! We had 3 people in our party and all of us were completely satisfied with smiles on our faces. Just sad I didn't know about the coupon (50%) off on yelp for this restaurant ... Check it out!
(5)
Teresa M.
I liked this place! They charge a flat $5 for grilled cheese with any add ons- I particularly like that they have apples as an option because they complement cheese so well! You can get 3 different types of bread. Additionally there is more for you meat lovers out there, I just don't remember what the options were (being mostly veggie) besides one sandwich that had an alarming POUND of bacon on it. They brought our food out to us and it was ready in 15 minutes. I would go back! They have indoor and outdoor seating and let nice dogs into the restaurant. The outdoor seating area is nice, with trees and little lights.
(4)
Abby L.
Love this place! Great place to get a fantastic sandwich at a great price in a beautiful setting. Dinner time is a good time to go, as they aren't as busy as lunchtime. But get there early enough, as they close at "dusk".
(5)
J. R.
I love grilled cheese and I love smores so this place is pretty much the greatest place ever! I love how you can customize your sandwich however you want and I love the view. When it's a pretty day outside and not so hot you want to die it's an awesome place to sit outside and share a smore with your loved ones. Great place and definitely recommend it.
(4)
Desiree W.
Good service, great location! The build-your-own grilled cheese is an awesome idea and they will pack your meal up picnic style. Great for the whole family! Can get busy on good weather days
(4)
Kyle P.
Great location and good food. They have a build your own grilled cheese menu!!! In all honesty it's really a build your own panini but i'm not gonna complain. I had a chicken and havarti on sweet sourdough, great combination. My girlfriend had a wrap that was fairly heavy on the lettuce and light on everything else. All in all a great start, or finish, to a day at the zoo.
(4)
Lauren B.
Great little cafe that serves wonderful grilled cheese. The prices are great, selection of breads, cheeses, and add-ons is suburb. The hummus is some of the best around. On a nice day the outside seating and view can't be beat!
(5)
Mickey T.
Such a lovely setting. Lunch was delightful. Joe s Vegetarian Sandwich was an especially tasty composition - especially the falafel. The Sandwich was one of the winners of a recent contest in which customers were invited to submit menu items. I understand it was submitted by a young man who decided, all on his own, to become a vegetarian. A+! My friend had a Texas Wrap with chicken and finished every bite. Really reasonable, well prepared food, friendly and efficient service - at an excellent bargain. And I noticed a sign in the window, saying they d applied for a permit to serve alcohol. It will be a nice place to sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine when that happens (and it cools down around here!).
(4)
Amiley L.
I actually went out of my way to drive up here from sugar land. My friend saw the deal and we decided to try it out since we're college kids on a budget always looking for a good deal. From the reviews i read it seemed like a good place to try out. I saw on maps that it was near the zoo but who knew it was right outside and almost a part of the zoo. I went to the zoo not too long ago and was starving afterwards and had no idea that there was a place to grab some grub. My friend ordered the club salad which was amazing. They serve it to you in these cute takeout boxes and the salad came with many greens, turkey, and bacon. It was fresh, crisp and a pleasure to eat. I got to order a build your own grill cheese with all fresh vegetables and some extra add ons were mushrooms and onions which made the sandwich that much better. To top off the hot summer day we went there we both got a fruit smoothie and it was a great way to cool off. There's a great view of the lake there and if it was a little bit cooler that day I think we would have had a nice time sitting outside enjoying a little girl time and fresh food/smoothies. TRY IT IF YOU HAVENT BEEN!
(5)
Russell A.
Very busy and understaffed today with the line out the door. People were leaving left and right before even ordering. Employees' attitudes were not very customer friendly. It was the perfect mix for a dissapointing experience. Don't think I will go there again, which is unfortunate because I live so close by the park.
(2)
Cam S.
Good food for cheap! Yummy hummus and grilled cheese.
(4)
Cindy T.
This is the third time I've been Pinewood Cafe and unfortunately the food quality has gone downhill. From reading the other reviews and witnessing it in person, the change in management has affected the food selection and quality. They use to have unique sandwiches (brie, apples, honey, variety of breads, etc). The menu has been shaved down considerably and the atmosphere of the place has changed. I feel like there's no creativity or passion in the food. I do have to say the service is a tad faster but overall I really came back for the food. Too bad- I'll probably not return again.
(2)
Gabriel R.
Picked it today because i got off work early and it was great outside. Amazing for a nice afternoon with great weather. I got the Wycloff (not sure something like that) sand which. It had apples bacon and Brie in it. It was amazing! Also got their fries which was great and a drink. All for $10 plus tax. I def recommend it and plan on going there again SOON!
(5)
Kev M.
Ride the train or paddle boat or go to the Houston zoo and you are close to a very decent kid friendly lunch spot. Hummus had a kick to it and is a great value. The kids grilled cheese came on some decent bread with good cheese. We had a Caesar and Buffalo wrap. Mine was sauced too heavy but I am forgiving because it was so pleasant to find good reasonable food near a major attraction.
(4)
Pamela J.
I've been twice now. The first time I waited 1 hour for my food. I really wish I were exaggerating. The second time took 40 minutes. I know they said that it's all made fresh and takes a while, but 40 minutes for grilled cheese at a counter service place?!? Not worth it. If they can get their guest service better, I'll return. But until then it's just not worth the time investment for a simple meal.
(1)
marly a.
I tried this place out today b/c it's dog friendly. I have a Yorkie mix and love taking him to places with us. So today we decided to try Pinewood Cafe as it's make your own grilled cheese bar seemed enticing as well. I enjoyed my french bread, american cheese, bacon, avocado, mushroom grilled cheese. Not your typical combo but tasty none the less. I also had there fries which are seasoned and taste great. The only weird thing is that they are short fries :/ I kind of would have liked them to be regular long size fries, oh well. Their mango smoothie was very good as well. My boyfriend, pup, & I had a really nice afternoon with a great view of the lake and the med center skyline. Next time I am at Herman park & hungry I will try them again as I am curious to try their other menu items.
(4)
D H.
Great for people watching. Remember to get your sandwich made with the sweet sourdough bread. Mmm...
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : No Drive-Thru : No Caters : Yes
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Alan S.
Very fun little shop inside Hermann park and a great stop before or after the zoo. I stopped by with a few people on a rather cold day and the hot grilled cheese was the perfect cure. The whole staff was very friendly and understanding that it can be a little difficult to choose just how to make your grilled cheese perfect. After each dish that they brought out I was asked about the item and you could tell they were actually interested in making sure you enjoyed the meal and wanted to see if there were things that needed changing. I really liked the pita and spiced hummus to start, then went with a simple grilled cheese for my sandwich. While I was eating the staff was laughing about something in the back, and then offered me a taste of a monte cristo style bacon sandwich they were experimenting with. It was quite a fun meal.
(5)Patrick M.
Convenient to the Med Center, great scenery, can't ask for much better than that.
(4)Paige C.
awesome customer service and amazing food! we will go back and will tell everyone we know about this place.
(5)Jessica D.
Great french fries! Beautiful setting, great for watching ducks, people, and the pond. I'll certainly be going here more often.
(4)Sandy S.
I have a new favorite place for lunch. Pinewood Cafe overlooks McGovern Lake in Hermann Park. They specialize in sandwiches and wraps w/ a ton of vegetarian and gluten free options. This food is actually FRESH! They make it while you wait. M-m-m. My kind of place.
(5)Ashley L.
This place is such a gret casual place! a perfect addition to the park! Delicious and relaxing (if you don't mind babies and kids)
(5)John S.
Good wrap.but .too much dressing. Hard to locate the first time. I will go back for the wrap.
(4)Shane P.
Great location, great food, and even though it was busy great service. If your ever in the area or at the zoo it is worth a try.
(4)Andrew D.
fresh food and nice view of the park
(5)Hope M.
Quick, affordable, and tasty healthy options. A fan would be pretty cool cause it can get a bit hot sometimes but overall it's a nice place to stop at for a quick snack stop.
(5)Niccole B.
Tasty club sandwich! Not too bad for park food. Not much indoor seating but a nice place to cool off and watch people paddle boat on the lake. Lots of outdoor seating. They do sell beer and wine so it would be nice to sit out and enjoy a beer and people watch.
(5)Marcos A.
It wasn't bad, about as good as any average meal. I had the Kami cheese which was the type of sandwich you can make at home. Kiddo had the chicken tenders which were decent. It did take a long time to get the food. It's a good spot for after the zoo and also a great spot to sit outside and have a couple beers ($4 only) with a great view of the pond and The Med Center.
(3)Helen C.
Pro: grilled sandwich is delicious, great atmosphere, perfect location Con: small portion, long waiting for simple food. I would go back again since I love them being there, the price is reasonable and food is really fresh. However, they really need to speed up the preparation for food and order, may consider give out slips for customer waiting to fill out and just pay at the counter since the price is uniform for same kind of food.
(3)Liz M.
Build your own grilled cheese seems to be the main thing here, and those are pretty solid options for a reasonable price if you don't order a side. I often order the vegetarian wrap here though because it's more filling. That will set you back at $8 without sides though. Give the smoothies a try, they are great and cool me down on a hot day. I love eating by the lake at Hermann Park with the medical center in the background. It's a nice experience. They also offer sweet potato fries, craft beers, wine, and salads. I have never had to wait around early lunch time (weekdays though) and seating has always been available for me.
(3)Elizabeth C.
These sandwiches are amazing, I had chicken on sourdough with provolone, feta, tomatoes, and avocados, yum!! Plus, the sweet potatoes fries are the best I've ever had. The area is perfect, right by the zoo, the Herman lake, the theater, and it has a nice shaded area to sit in. The inside is clean and air conditioned, so I'd suggest indoor if the very bold birds outside are annoying you. I've been here a few times and loved it! It's a great place to get a delicious and casual meal. Yum yum :)
(5)Jay T.
Really creative lunch... Build your own grilled cheese. Pets allowed but no WiFi that was advertised!! So disappointed since I'm from out of town with my cat, Slate, and wanted to get some work done on my laptop. Otherwise I would have really loved this place!!
(4)Sheldon H.
Okay, finally had the build your own grilled cheese. Mine: 9 grain, pepper jack and feta, ham, jalapeños and grilled mushrooms. Girlfriend (I picked): 9 grain, cheddar & feta, pickles and grilled mushrooms. They take a long time to get your order out, but it's worth it. If you're in Hermann Park on a nice day, there's no need to rush.
(4)Chelsea L.
I give Pinewood Cafe 2 stars for the following reasons: 1) the gelato ice cream bars at amazing 2) the indoor seating is usually clean and the outdoor seating has decent shade. I've been here 3 times so I think I can make a fair assessment now. The food made-to-order is awful. Have you ever had a grilled cheese sandwich made on a bun? You can have that here if you order a grilled cheese on "sourdough bread." The service is s l o w and inefficient. The person who takes your order is also ringing people up. So if you purchase food that needs to be prepared, when it's done, you likely have to interrupt someone else ordering or wait around until they're done ordering. Your best options are 1) pack a picnic 2) purchase something that requires no preparation.
(2)Raffi M.
So look - this is a fast food cafe in a park. You can't expect too much. And it delivered on those mild expectations, except that the staff forgot one part of our order. There is good beer. Having said that, I really, really wish this was a Shake Shack.
(3)Roger F.
No. Nice Spring day (Saturday). Not too many people. So ordered two grilled cheese sandwiches and some fries. They gave us an electronic thing that would buzz us when the food was ready. So we drank some beers out on the nice patio. After 20 minutes, still no buzz and no food. I went up to the counter to inquire about the food. Young woman said she would check. She spoke with the manager. Manager came over to me and said it would be another 20 minutes for your food. What? I said, why is taking so long for two grilled cheese sandwiches? Nothing but excuses. I said, refund my money back, this is ridiculous. He did and we were on our way out of this stupid nonsense.
(1)Teneil M.
I love cheese, creative food and long walks, runs or bike rides through the park; so this place became an instant favorite for me once I learned of its existence. After a hike through Hermann Park on a lovely day, what could be better than a grilled cheese sandwich and an ice cold beer?! Nothing. Duh. And yes, they have beer - mostly Karbach and a few other craft beer selections in addition to wine, smoothies and your typical non-alcoholic beverages! It's just the perfect casual dining spot for a day at the park. Apparently the best thing about this place is building your own grilled cheese sandwich, but I've found it to be quite amazing without even doing so. There's a wall full of specials that I will eventually get around to trying one day, but so far the Loaded Potato Grilled Cheese is my fave! Cheddar, bacon, sour cream, chives and french fries on Texas Toast! Ughh! I wish I was eating one right now... And even cooler: This place is right next to McGovern Lake where you can rent a pedal boat for 30 minutes, do a couple of rounds on the lake, wave to the duckies and burn off those calories from the utterly delicious grilled cheese sandwich you just devoured.
(5)Doris D.
I would rate Pinewood for 3.5 stars and not 4 but too bad Yelp doesn't have the option of 1/2 star rating. Anyway, I am glad that Pinewood Cafe is closed by to the zoo and they served pretty awesome sandwiches. However, the line move slowly even on weekday so you can expected a long wait during weekends. We sat outside since the weather is so gorgeous. We ordered Joe's vegetarian sandwich which is good with a hint of curry spice but I can't really taste the falafel as I expected it to be a falafel patty and not mash up but all in all a great sandwich and my gf ordered Turkey Reuben and she liked it too! We will be back when are back to visit the zoo and go for a train ride. Pinewood's sandwiches are so much better than the cafe in the zoo. I hope they keep the consistency of their food.
(4)Michelle A.
Grilled cheese? I'm there. Beautiful scenery? Heck yes. I might be biased just because I adore cheese, but Pinewood was a delight. They have great build-your-own grilled cheese sandwiches. You have a choice of bread (I chose sweet sourdough), up to 2 choices of cheese (I chose Cheddar & Havarti), a meat (I chose chicken), and finally up to 5 veggies (I chose Apple, Tomato, Spinach, and Sprouts). I also ordered a side of sweet potato fries to share with my friend. The food tasted fresh and clean. I felt satisfied with just one half of the sandwich! The outdoor scenery is also beautiful. We came just before noon, and the weather had to be in the mid- to high-60s. It was perfect. We ate outside on the outdoor table in the shade, and then moved onto the small grassy hill in front of the lake. I highly recommend this cute cafe!
(5)Cameron Y.
What a wonderful place to eat on a beautiful day!! Once I heard about the build your own grilled cheese bar I was sold. It just took me a while to get out there and try it out. Being my first time I had quite a hard time deciding on what kind of grilled cheese I wanted. Did I want spicy? Traditional? Italian? I thought about it for quite a bit and finally decided to go spicy for my first try. My choices were : jalapeno cheese bread, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and cilantro. I also got some hummus and pita as a side for an additional $2. It was truly a divine sandwich! The bread was thicker than most and grilled to perfection, smothered in butter to create the perfect golden toast. All of the spicy flavors were delicious but never too spicy. I was pleasantly surprised to see the jalapenos were de-seeded and fresh, not the expected pickled variety. I cannot wait to go back and try another grilled cheese! I'm thinking a caprese style will be my next choice.
(4)Ray W.
Worst customer service I've experienced in a while. Will not be coming back to this over priced venue again. Take my advice and steer clear.
(1)Mai-Trang T.
Me and my boyfriend were just on a stroll through Hermann park and encountered this cute cafe near the zoo. We were starving and ordered a burger, fries, tater tots, and a corn dog. All of which were delicious. It was really nice sitting outside, enjoying the weather with good company, and eating great food. I leave out one star because the line was a tad long and inside the cafe was a bit untidy.
(4)Reny J.
Decent food considering its inside hermann park
(3)Sam M.
Not what I was expecting, disappointed. Grilled cheese probably would've been great if it hadn't tasted like it was cooked on a dirty grill. Some of the options for build your own grilled cheese listed on their website are no longer offered there (basil, apple, sourdough bread, others..). Whole place just seemed kind of dirty in appearance, and smell. Grossed me out, not going back. Giving it 2 stars instead of 1 just because the guy at the counter and the cook that brought out the food were friendly and helpful. Was also told new management took over a few days ago and that that was why the menu options were cut down. Website says open till dusk, which is wrong, sign on building said I believe closes at 5PM on weekdays, 6 PM on weekends, don't remember opening hour. I went on a Tuesday afternoon and there was no line and waited about 10 minutes or so for 2 hot sandwiches.
(2)Hector D.
I spent the day in Houston yesterday and purchased the yelp deal for this place because it looked good. Unfortunately, when I walked in at about 2pm, I was told that their grill and fryer had been turned off and I therefore could not get any food. It seems to me that if your website says you are open until "dusk" and yelp says you are open until 6pm, you should not be shutting off your equipment at 2pm, no matter how few people were coming by. I guess that is just a wasted 6 dollars on the yelp deal.
(1)Valerie M.
below average. expensive. it smelled like a chlorinated pool inside. payed $7 for a piece of bread and cheese
(1)Lorinna H.
We recently bought a zoo membership and I wished I discovered this gem sooner! We would have dined at this place at our every visit to the zoo. I read reviews about Pinewood, but wasn't exactly sure where it was located. We purchased our train tickets and had a wait so we decided to take the kids for a little walk and yea that building right next to the gift shop and the train stop...that's Pinewood. My husband ordered a grilled chicken breast burger and it was melt in your mouth, bursting with insane flavors, seriously best burger I ever had! The grilled cheese was pretty awesome too! That buttered sourdough bun does wonders. The mixed berry smoothie was a big delicious refreshing plus with our meal! Looking forward to coming back!
(5)Mark D.
I have been here twice, both times the same issues came up, but I will focus on yesterday. Beautiful fall Saturday, took the kids to the Zoo. I would expect Pinewood would know its gonna be a busy day. Apparently not. Three employees working. Stood in line for 40 minutes just to order, only to find out they were out of most side dishes. Then waited for another 30 minutes for food to come out. One guy was taking orders, while two were in the back cooking. While the line wasw 20-something deep, someone ahead of us in line ordered 4 smoothies in 3 different flavors. The guy stops taking orders to go make the smoothies. Took him at least 15 minutes, during which the line was growing and no orders were being taken. The lady in front went up to every person in front of us to make sure no one else was ordering smoothies. While I waited in line, it seemed most everyone who picked up their food, came back up because something hadn't been done right. It was ridiculous to the point of comical. If that place didn't have a monopoly of food in the immediate area, it would have gone out of business long ago.
(1)Becky E.
I'm so glad we have a non-zoo food option in Hermann Park now. This place is really good! I shared a rye grilled cheese with gouda, ham and apples = delish! Fries are okay but I heard they usually have sweet potato fries so we will try those next time. They also have healthier alternatives such as wraps, hummus, veggies with ranch and fresh fruit. It's located just to the left of the train, in between train and paddle boat rentals. A little hard to find but worth it! Great place! Let's keep them in business Yelpers!
(4)Samuel K.
This place has an awesome view. hint: park in the zoo parking lot and walk to the right of the zoo entrance and you'll get to this little gem. lots of grilled cheese options and we wanted to use our yelp deal. clean area and the smoothies were delicious. i'd give 5 stars but the service was kinda slow.
(4)Lily N.
I wanted to love this place. I expected to love it. Grilled cheese, nice view, what's not to like? And I did like it, but based on other reviews, I expected to love it. First, the good. The prices are cheaper than you'd expect for its location and the food is better. It's right next to the paddle boats and train. The grilled cheese (mine was cheddar, ham, basil and tomatoes on sweet sourdough) was definitely tasty. The chips and hummus tasted homemade. The view is nice. We got there early on a Sunday, and there was no one else there and the food came quickly. Now, the annoyances. The person behind the counter wasn't helpful in explaining options when asked, and the kids meal drink doesn't make sense. You can get a bottle of water or a normal adult-sized soda with the meal, but milk or juice are extra. Even McDonald's allows those substitutions, and the kid-sized soda is smaller. Not a big deal, but something to consider for a place bound to get a bunch of kids. Besides the grilled cheeses being good, (and really, those are hard to mess up), the fries and tator tots were no better than what you get frozen at the store and make yourself. Don't get me wrong, these are small things, and had I gone in with no expectations, I would have been pleasantly surprised, but I went in expecting a place good enough to go to on its own merits, rather than being good enough for a quick lunch while you're in the park anyway.
(3)David N.
You know what Hermann park was missing? Some GOOD FOOD! The zoo has some downright bad food inside. And don't get me wrong I'm all for packing a small picnic before coming to this area, but sometimes you just wanna grab something HOT or COLD from the store. This place serves that need just right. As I was checking in like normal I noticed they had a yelp deal, it was $10 for $5, this was my first time using yelp deals and I must admit I like it! So it's like groupon or living social except this way you can already be at the place and IF they are having a deal you can buy it on the spot then turn around and use it. Because sometimes with these other deal sites you have to be on their clock, buy it when they offer it and then you have to find a time to go and use it, sometimes it ends up expiring before you use it. With the yelp deals you can already be at the place and buy it to save some money. I really like it. We opted to go healthy and got to wraps. A club and california, I liked the club better because of the bacon my gf enjoyed the california better because of the sprouts. Both were made pretty fast, granted there was a small school group of about 20 orders ahead of us. I think they squeezed us in because ours came out before their whole order was finished. If I'm in Hermann park and wanting a quick bite I'll be back for sure.
(4)Emme P.
I was here back in late April, not sure when this management change occurred, but regardless it was pretty good. I added bacon, apples, greens, and carrots to my grilled cheese on sourdough bread. Wasn't a big fan of the mango smoothie... it was very sweet and artificial tasting. Overall I was satisfied
(4)Dena G.
so happy that i got to visit the pinewood cafe finally! i actually read about this place on yelp's with a view, i wish i had known about this place while i was going to school in the med center! the weather today was perfect, we sat outside and got to fully enjoy and experience the pinewood cafe. i got the philly cheesteak which was SO GOODD, i mean freakin yum!! my bf got the build your own grilled cheese and he liked it, only complaint was that he asked (and paid) for extra meat but there didn't seem to be much meat at all. kinda sad. we also got the hummus which was yummy and it came with stacy's pita chips. BY THE WAY: bring your own water, you WILL be charged .50 for a cup of it. (: i thought this place was pretty good, the reviews kinda scared me but i will surely return!
(4)Stephanie M.
Use to be a 4 star but since Hermann Park took over as management it has gone downhill. Yeah, they were slow before but can you even fathom them being slower? Well now they are! Five people in line equates to 30 min before being rung up. Also they took away all the good options. This use to be a place that had unique combinations for grilled cheese. Now you're stuck with the cheese options of American (is this even considered a cheese?), cheddar, provolone, and pepper jack. The salads have feta and blue cheese available as toppings but you can't get either on your grilled cheese. Everyone at my work use to go here weekly. Now we don't even go at all. They should have stayed closed.
(1)Wesley C.
Pinewood Cafe is appropriately named because this place was like finding wonderfully amazing cabin in the woods. It is tucked away directly across from the Houston Zoo and overlooks McGovern Lake in Herman Park Observatory. It is a small cafe but whether you sit inside or outside, you are treated to a great view smack dab in the middle of Houston. I was searching for a cheap place to get lunch near the med-center and saw the Yelp deal $5 for $10 worth here at Pinewood. When I looked at there menu I was very intrigued, offering everything from $6 grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, and sandwiches. When I finally found this place, I noticed most people eating the grilled cheeses and they looked delicious. The waitress explained that you can choose between a bread (i.e White, Jalapeno Cheddar, French Loaf), two different types of cheeses (i.e Cheddar, Gouda, Brie, Fontina), one protein (i.e. turkey, ham, bacon) and 3 veggies (i.e. tomato, carrots, pickles, cilantro, basil). I decided to go with the grilled cheese and a side of french fries because I truly am a sucker for a great grilled cheese sandwich! Once I ordered the sandwich did not take to long to be made, the sandwich was the perfect size, and they give you plenty of fries for $2, enough for two people. The sandwich was great! The cheese is very savory and perfectly melted. The sandwich is filled with ingredients and they create a great cheese to meat to veggies ratio. As you eat the sandwich all of the flavors blend together and no one flavor is too overwhelming. For example, I put jalapenos on my sandwich which is always a risk because it can easily overpower the other flavors. But they made sure to dice up the jalapenos finely and you get just a hint of heat in combination with the other flavors. And did I mention that it was only $6. A great sandwich for a very reasonable price. Great lunch spot and I will definately be a frequent vistor.
(4)Courtney S.
When my out of town guests visit Houston and want to go to the zoo (they always want to go to the zoo!), I bring them to Pinewood after for a grilled cheese! I am a huge fan of places where you can "build you own" - maybe because I'm a picky eater - and you can do just that here from the bread to the cheese and other ingredients. It is located right in Hermann Park, with a great view overlooking the park and pond. I went there a couple weeks ago with a friend and the staff was incredibly friendly, their customer service was great!
(4)susan s.
We went to the zoo and decided to try this cute cafe by the train. So glad that we did! Kids loved the chicken tenders and grilled cheese. Kids meal comes with fries, tater tots or a healthy apple! I had a greek salad with chicken- huge portion and really delicious for only $8. Greens and veggies were fresh and dressing tasted homemade. Manager said that all food is cooked to order. As other reviewers have said- it can take a while to get your order but relax! You're in a park- Enjoy the day and sit outside by the lake. It's definitely one of the best patio's and views in Houston! And it's dog friendly too.
(5)Ee K.
I rate this nice little café for what it is: a limited menu, light refreshment/eating place wonderfully located in Hermann Park. It's right between the train depot and the paddle boat rental place. You order inside, take one of those buzzers, and wait. There isn't much seating inside, but outdoors under the trees, there are tables & chairs that look over the lake, and it's quite lovely. Now, the service here isn't that quick, so adjust your expectations. For less than $7, you can get sandwiches on your choice of bread, salads, wraps, and select sweets. If you want a cup of water with ice, you do pay, I believe, 50 cents. I don't have a problem with that. If you want just plain water, you can go to the bathrooms next door and get free water at the water fountains. Great addition to Hermann Park.
(4)Martin Z.
The location is perfect. The stuff sucks. Came here several times and they are either slow or do the ice cream in a way that it's less than half filled. Plus the smell is terrible at times.
(1)Frank V.
Avoid this place, you have been warned. They are slow, disorganized and unable to handle even the smallest of crowds. If they closed down and went out of business, they would do the park and public a favor.
(1)Melissa M.
I love the location of this cafe. It is on the lake next to the Zoo. It is right between the train rides and paddle boat rental. You can park almost anywhere around here and easily walk to this cafe and it is so convenient if you are in Hermann Park. We were hungry after a day of hanging out by Miller Outdoor theatre. There aren't many signs letting you know where this cafe is, so head toward the paddle boat rental and you will find it. It's counter service, but it isn't quick. If you read the reviews, many of them mention the long wait for food. We waited 35 minutes for our two chicken sandwiches. That seems long to me. We enjoyed the beautiful weather on the dog friendly patio while we waited for our food. When our food did arrive, the owner brought us some complimentary chips and hummus. The chicken sandwiches were fantastic! The bread is sweet, the sandwich was superb! The french fries are good but the portion sizes are kind of small. My husband and I were still a little hungry, but we weren't willing to wait another 35+ minutes. Yes, they are busy and they were short staffed that day. I would definitely eat here again, hopefully when they aren't so busy. If you do eat here, make sure to get some of the sweet bread/bun... amazing! We'll be back again and hopefully we'll be able to boost the rating to a 4* if the food comes out more quickly.
(3)Heidi G.
The place gets 3 stars for location. There is really nothing else close by if you want to eat lunch at the park. It also has a nice view of the water. But don't go here if you are in a hurry. It will take 20-30 minutes to get that slightly above average sandwich.
(3)Alicia F.
Dakota L. and I had a very delightful lady-date in the park and stopped in here for a late lunch. I had a voucher for ten bucks, which actually put quite a dent in our bill considering most things here are so reasonably priced. Six bucks for custom grilled cheese and baskets (falafel balls are on my list for next time), eight for wraps and salads. Our food was good: She had the croque (the daily special) with ham, brie, green onions, and topped with a fried egg. I custom-made my own with provolone, chicken, and a bunch of veggies. I can totally see how the custom grilled cheeses would be perfect for a family with picky kids who was visiting the park or zoo for the day, so kudos to Pinewood for putting that on the menu. Dakota L. rated her pina-colada smoothie "good, but more like a $3.50 smoothie than a $5 one." Take that as you will. The main issue we had was parking: going to Hermann Park on any given weekend during spring means you will be there with the rest of the city of Houston. Seriously, we spent just as much time trying to find parking as we did eating! But, it comes with the territory.. for our efforts, we were rewarded with a tasty lunch in a beautiful setting beside the lake, watching people and pedal boats go by. Next time I'm in the park, I'll probably stop in again. Hopefully, it'll be on a weekday.
(4)Leena C.
WOWZA!!!!!! Had a teambuilder with my coworkers at HMNS and this was the chosen place for lunch. PHENOMENAL FOOD AND SERVICE! I'm not big on grilled cheese but this was their staple so I went with it. The owner was working the register and took all 8 orders. You can customize the grilled cheese so i chose white with american and she instantly stopped me. Told me to experiment and do something different so I let her help me chose -- WIN! French loaf, 3 cheeses- I think she said cheddar, fontina and something else, turkey, tomatos and sprouts - DELISH! Also ordered tator tots which were good -- not greasy at all. For dessert, my coworker Jesse and I split an order of fried bananas and ice cream - can we say OMG? The fried bananas come with a hazelnut dipping sauce and all I have to say is sweet perfection. And for the location - so close to the zoo, museums, etc, the prices were beyond reasonable, almost on the verge of cheap. I am truly a fan and since it is close to work (and home), I will def hit it up again. Even told my guy that next time he visits, we are going to hit this place up. Two gigantic thumbs up!
(5)Wil F.
Nothing fancy, but great location and fabulous "build your own" grilled cheese that you can eat next to the pond in the middle of the park. If it's a nice day, this is a great little gem. Park near the zoo entrance; it's very close by.
(4)Emily E.
They screwed up about 7 orders in front of us including ours. They said that they "never received them".
(1)Nhi N.
I should have learned my lesson the first time I went here. I really wanted to like the food here. However, their food is just average. Ice cream is definitely not their strongest suit here. It melts faster than normal ice cream! Overpriced food. They charge about $10 for a burger. Alright, so considering my tip I will also add in here. My friend ordered a sandwich and didn't realize that they added "gratuity" until much later. She paid in cash, so why the gratuity? She was not being served in a restaurant. To top it off they neglected calling her order. For a good 15 minutes of waiting or longer. She had to get up and asked, where was her meal? The vibrating coaster never ranged. It turned out her meal was sitting on their food table for awhile. Thankfully, she still had her receipt to claim it. Ridiculous. For my partner and I, we were not given a receipt. If that was to happen to us. I can imagine them trying to hold back our meal. The cafe has a nice interior and during the heat. The A/C is a relief for us. They also have a patio outside overlooking the lake view. Bottled Water is about $2. There's a water fountain near the restrooms, but I strongly recommend to bring your own water.
(3)Martha D.
Yummy. I love having a great place in Hermann Park, although it's counterproductive when we go to the park for a light walk and follow it with a greasy-buttery sandwich. The prices seem great, only $5 for the grilled cheese and $2 for a side of fries, but then we add the sodas too and over $20 for two people. They have changed the grill cheese options slightly, so it's a little disappointing because they dropped a couple things I used to get. A big draw back for this place is it takes freaking forever to get your food. We went here a couple times right after they opened and we thought that the timing was just growing pains, but it has not gotten any better. We have been the only people in the place and still waiting 30 minutes for two sandwiches and fries. geez. It's just absurd. Just don't come here if you have anywhere to be right after or try to pick up a quick lunch.
(4)Janine B.
This place is difficult to find if you are not familiar with the area. It is basically next to the main entrance to the Houston Zoo, sitting on a lake that you cannot see until you enter the main parking area of the zoo. I had a salad that was very fresh and a nice sized portion for the price. My Fiance's Strawberry Smoothie was full of flavor. The are right in front of the Paddle Boat area. This is a nice spot to bring a date for something interesting to do & a place to grab a quick healthy bite to eat.
(4)Larry P.
Discovering this establishment is a wonderful surprise. The offerings are few and far between at the Herman Park so this place is a cash cow for ownership and should be a nice stop for patrons. For the prices you expect the service to match the food! The stop, however, is NOT NICE for patrons it is TORTURE! The employees are ostensibly undertrained, inexperienced and under-educated to deal with the complexity of a diverse demographic; least of all the continuous ebb and flow of customer traffic. There is a serious LACK OF MANAGEMENT AT PINEWOOD CAFE (PC). The staff is consistently incompetent and struggles with the menu, flubbing the taking of orders, not expediting those orders and generally unfriendly service because there is NO LEADERSHIP! The manager (if this is his title; I HOPE TO GOD IT IS NOT) is blatantly talking on his cellular phone while standing in front of a register not taking orders, even though the line is exorbitantly long. When asked could he take orders he stated, in a snide and unprofessional manner, "wait for the guy on the register!" Next, the PC phone rang and he took a call-in order right before the customers waiting in line and did not even blink an eye! These people seem to think they are doing the public a favor for being at work. The customers are supplying the business with enough revenue for them to have a job. They can be replaced, NOT THE CUSTOMERS! My family (spouse and 21/2 yr. old) and I waited 30 minutes for 2 sandwiches, 2 fries, hummus, 1 smoothie and 1 chocolate milk. Nevertheless, the food was not made to order and I demanded a refund. The flippant young man got smart with me and repeatedly asked me what the problem was after I expressed this information to him once. He callously acted as if he was not going to return my money for the slipshod service. He was a complete embarrassment for the organization! There were 8 people behind the counter watching me experience a hard time recovering my hard earned $26.52 refund, as if it were some type of circus act, it was ridiculous. There are NO UNIFORMS OR NAME TAGS so CUSTOMERS DO NOT KNOW WHO IS WORKING AND WHO IS NOT! The patrons entering the place are hungry, many with small children! The team/staff currently installed at the business seemingly DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS and do not want to be there!!!!! I would suggest BRINGING YOUR OWN FOOD AND HAVING A NICE PICNIC WITH THE FAMILY, EAT BEFORE YOU LEAVE OR GRAB A SNACK FROM ONE OF THE HUMBLE STAND OWNERS THROUGHOUT HERMAN PARK. The staff at PC will attempt to try and ruin your weekend family outing because they are at work and you are not. If you do not want to work on the weekend I SUGGEST YOU. . . . STAFF . . . . QUIT!
(1)Vanesa V.
Awesome place to get a bite if your at the zoo! You would think that a restaurant so close to a hot commodity like the zoo would serve over-priced food but NOT this place. What a great place to get a bite to eat and enjoy the scenery by the lake. For $5 you get to create your very own grilled cheese by choosing a type of bread, cheese, protein and up to 4 vegetables. I also recommend the Hummus as a side, for only $2 you get a pretty big serving size and its loaded with some awesome spices that gives it a nice little kick. I was afraid that we would have to wait a long time for our food since some of the reviews mentioned their food taking too long but luckily even with all the spring breakers at the Zoo we probably only waited less than 10 minutes for our food. The staff there are also very friendly. They currently have a deal on yelp, all I had to do was purchase the deal on my phone through yelp and showed it to them and got $10 worth of food by only paying $5 on yelp. SWEET! They also have other options like a wrap, banh mi, and lots of kids meal options.
(5)Dexter H.
OMG...Is it bad that I wake up most mornings wanting a grilled cheese sandwich from Pinewood Cafe? How can you resist when its $5 and that gives you the option of bread, one cheese, one protein, and all the veggies you want! Want a better deal? By the coupon ($5 for $10) that they occasionally offer and you and a friend can eat for a steal! I was surprise by all the options. They even have brie and grouda ,steak is well marinated, bacon is nice and crisy, and chicken is not dry. The only bad part is that its next to the zoo so you the have to be patience with the parking and there are children EVERYWHERE! We went around 3pm on Saturday and the crowd was already dying down by then. I would definitely avoid lunch time.
(4)Fredrick G.
Isn't it wonderful when places actually live up to the hype? This cafe in the middle of Hermann Park certainly fits the bill on several counts. The location is phenominal - near the edge of the reflecting pool and the Pioneer Monument, and on the shore of McGovern Lake across from the Zoo. My girlfriend and I visited this place during the middle of July, so anywhere with AC looks good after a while out. She initially was more eager; I tend to be cynical toward places who boast the praise they've recieved on their grilled cheese sandwiches. Let me tell you, I was wrong on that count! You have a number of bread, cheese, vegetable and meat selections to work from for starters. Decent smoothie options as well. My sandwich was a wheat/cheddar/steak/lettuce product, and the gooieness and greasiness were at just the right levels. Very flavorful and filling. The smoothie I ordered was a Pina Colada with extra yogurt and I swear it was like drinking a cold, fruity cloud. The counter staff was very friendly and personable. Didn't rush us along with ordering, and actually gave me extra an extra cup full of the smoothie at no charge since they said there was some overflow. In all, a great recommendation for anyone who visits the park regardless of the time of year.
(5)Peter H.
This little cafe in Hermann Park is SOLID. They make a mean grilled cheese. You build your own grilled cheese sandwich from a variety of bread, cheese, meat and veggies. I've tried their daily specials (the Tejas and the Croque) and both were on point. Very clean interior and plenty of outdoor seating. As an added bonus, dogs are welcome outside. This makes for a nice pit stop if you're visiting the zoo, museum, or wanting to counter that workout. Roughly $6-$7 for a sandwich. Get on it.
(4)Jen W.
The three stars is mostly for wasted potential. This place has everything going for it if they only tried, a good location near the zoo, a great view of Hermann park and a nice modern building. However all there food feels like it has the least possible amount of effort put in to it. For example, hot chocolate or cider made from powder in a packet is not really acceptable (or drinkable as it ends up) all the other food has the pre-packaged, previously frozen feeling as well (chicken tenders for example) or just minimum effort, such as packaged bread with a few slices of pre-cut cheese on a grill. This place could be so much better if they just went for some fresh food (and maybe got an espresso machine- who wouldn't want a cappuccino by the pond in the park?)
(3)Grant L.
Liked the sandwich.
(5)Esmeralda B.
I ADORED THIS PLACE!! After a long and exhausting day at the zoo..this small cafe seemed like just the right place to fill our tummies. The service was quite awful and they only had four people working and had a line out the door, but to my surprise this didn't bother me one bit because the food made up for the agonizing fifteen minute wait in line and twenty minute wait for food. My boyfriend ordered the buffalo chicken tenders which where yummy..kind of average if you know what i mean. I ordered the customizable grilled cheese. I had mine on white bread with cheddar cheese, bacon and tomato. The grilled cheese was pretty spectacular (on grilled cheese standards)! I do have to admit i was being a fatty and ordered a banana split..which was DELICIOUS! I would absolutely recommend ordering the banana split here..also their smoothies seemed quite popular so you may want to try that out on your visit here! :)
(4)Terry L.
Manager said kitchen closed. Couldn't order food as kitchen closed yet chicken cooked on grill. She probably took chicken home as Super Bowl today. Also no shakes or ice cream also. Totally sketchy. You should all staff!
(1)Mike W.
On a beautiful sunny fall day in Houston, where's the single best place to grab a lunch outside with a view? I think the even the most ardent Houston hater would be hard pressed to denounce the quality and diversity of al fresco dining options, but the last part of that question is a bit of a kicker. A view? In Houston? The options begin to dwindle, no? So on that picture perfect day, blessed with cloudless skies, a flawless 68 degrees, and the gentlest kiss of a breeze, where's the view? Better yet, I want access to mass transit, museums, theater, boats, trains, etc. Am I too demanding? Certainly so if I expect all this in the loop, and not in some Fertitta designed fantasy land....right? I'm here to tell you, NO! You're allowed to expect more! You can have the cake of a good meal outside, and you can eat it too! With all the amenities above AND a view! Now that I'm out of exclamation points, and have teased thoroughly enough, here's the scoop: Pinewood Cafe has taken over the cafe space in Hermann Park, and I am stoked. This is the missing jewel in the amazing makeover of Hermann that has turned it into our best urban green space. They offer custom wraps, salads, smoothies, grilled cheeses, and a great burger. The custom grilled cheeses can be turned into awesome sandwiches with 8 meats available, or leave them as intended and have your choice of 8 different cheeses, 6 breads, and 6 veggies. I know the kids will love it, because I was way too excited to not take 10 minutes ordering just thinking about all the different combos. I've had two so far, and there are many combos I can't wait to try. The food is good, the ingredients are fresh, and the service was friendly and quick, but there's no two ways about it, the draw here is the view. I sat at a table in the ample shade of some trees while overlooking the lake and enjoying the day. Gone are the city sounds, distant are the buildings, it was one of the more bucolic scenes that I could imagine just steps from the Med Center and minutes from Downtown. On one side of the cafe you'll find paddle boat rentals, on the other is the train station with stops all over the park. If you add in the fact that Miller Outdoor, the zoo, and most of the museums are a brief walk away, I'm not sure there's a better place to grab a long lunch or casual dinner in the city. So good food, good service, and amazing location only equal 4*'s, what's up with that? Because this is a brand new place and is a work in progress. This space has seen its comings and goings in its brief life, but there are many reasons to come why Pinewood will stand the test of time. Number one is that beer and wine are coming which will add to the attractiveness of those lakeside lunches and dinners. Also a real deal dog permit will be in the works. One of the best things will be the picnic basket options that will allow you to have your own picnic complete with wine, food, basket, blanket and the works for events at Miller, where ever you decide to sequester yourself in this great big park, or set up close by to hear the music that will be scheduled in the evenings this spring. So big things are in the works, and any combo of these are plenty enough to capture that elusive 5th star. I'm looking forward to updating it.
(4)Lindsay C.
I was all excited to build my own grilled cheese, but several things took that excitement to a new low. First ordering seemed to be an ordeal because the young lady at the register didn't know what was going on - I was outlining my grilled cheese sandwich ingredients and she confused that with a tuna salad and told me I wasn't building a sandwich, but she really wasn't listening. Next it took like 15 minutes for our food to be ready - 2 grilled cheeses, which after getting it I realized I could make it at home. Lastly, after a few bites I noticed a black curly hair sticking out of the end of my sandwich...ugh! The silver lining is that at least it wasn't the bite I had taken. I went in to inform them and the other counter staff, a young man, asked if I wanted a new sandwich and at that point I'm disgusted with it all so I said no I'd rather not. So he have me full refund for my sandwich. Not coming here again.
(2)Cindy C.
Consistent great sandwiches, the service is a bit slow, but I keep on returning for the food :)
(4)Karmann G.
AWESOME! Best adult gourmet grilled cheese EVER! We stumbled upon this restaurant because it started raining after our train ride and we ran for shelter. So glad we did. I will go out of my way to eat here again. You get choice of several kinds of bread (I opted for sweet sour dough - soft and yummy), choice of 2 out of about 10 different cheese, a protein, several veggies and AVOCADO! The tator tots were scrumptious too. Oh, we also tried the smoothies...YUM! We had 3 people in our party and all of us were completely satisfied with smiles on our faces. Just sad I didn't know about the coupon (50%) off on yelp for this restaurant ... Check it out!
(5)Teresa M.
I liked this place! They charge a flat $5 for grilled cheese with any add ons- I particularly like that they have apples as an option because they complement cheese so well! You can get 3 different types of bread. Additionally there is more for you meat lovers out there, I just don't remember what the options were (being mostly veggie) besides one sandwich that had an alarming POUND of bacon on it. They brought our food out to us and it was ready in 15 minutes. I would go back! They have indoor and outdoor seating and let nice dogs into the restaurant. The outdoor seating area is nice, with trees and little lights.
(4)Abby L.
Love this place! Great place to get a fantastic sandwich at a great price in a beautiful setting. Dinner time is a good time to go, as they aren't as busy as lunchtime. But get there early enough, as they close at "dusk".
(5)J. R.
I love grilled cheese and I love smores so this place is pretty much the greatest place ever! I love how you can customize your sandwich however you want and I love the view. When it's a pretty day outside and not so hot you want to die it's an awesome place to sit outside and share a smore with your loved ones. Great place and definitely recommend it.
(4)Desiree W.
Good service, great location! The build-your-own grilled cheese is an awesome idea and they will pack your meal up picnic style. Great for the whole family! Can get busy on good weather days
(4)Kyle P.
Great location and good food. They have a build your own grilled cheese menu!!! In all honesty it's really a build your own panini but i'm not gonna complain. I had a chicken and havarti on sweet sourdough, great combination. My girlfriend had a wrap that was fairly heavy on the lettuce and light on everything else. All in all a great start, or finish, to a day at the zoo.
(4)Lauren B.
Great little cafe that serves wonderful grilled cheese. The prices are great, selection of breads, cheeses, and add-ons is suburb. The hummus is some of the best around. On a nice day the outside seating and view can't be beat!
(5)Mickey T.
Such a lovely setting. Lunch was delightful. Joe s Vegetarian Sandwich was an especially tasty composition - especially the falafel. The Sandwich was one of the winners of a recent contest in which customers were invited to submit menu items. I understand it was submitted by a young man who decided, all on his own, to become a vegetarian. A+! My friend had a Texas Wrap with chicken and finished every bite. Really reasonable, well prepared food, friendly and efficient service - at an excellent bargain. And I noticed a sign in the window, saying they d applied for a permit to serve alcohol. It will be a nice place to sit outside and enjoy a glass of wine when that happens (and it cools down around here!).
(4)Amiley L.
I actually went out of my way to drive up here from sugar land. My friend saw the deal and we decided to try it out since we're college kids on a budget always looking for a good deal. From the reviews i read it seemed like a good place to try out. I saw on maps that it was near the zoo but who knew it was right outside and almost a part of the zoo. I went to the zoo not too long ago and was starving afterwards and had no idea that there was a place to grab some grub. My friend ordered the club salad which was amazing. They serve it to you in these cute takeout boxes and the salad came with many greens, turkey, and bacon. It was fresh, crisp and a pleasure to eat. I got to order a build your own grill cheese with all fresh vegetables and some extra add ons were mushrooms and onions which made the sandwich that much better. To top off the hot summer day we went there we both got a fruit smoothie and it was a great way to cool off. There's a great view of the lake there and if it was a little bit cooler that day I think we would have had a nice time sitting outside enjoying a little girl time and fresh food/smoothies. TRY IT IF YOU HAVENT BEEN!
(5)Russell A.
Very busy and understaffed today with the line out the door. People were leaving left and right before even ordering. Employees' attitudes were not very customer friendly. It was the perfect mix for a dissapointing experience. Don't think I will go there again, which is unfortunate because I live so close by the park.
(2)Cam S.
Good food for cheap! Yummy hummus and grilled cheese.
(4)Cindy T.
This is the third time I've been Pinewood Cafe and unfortunately the food quality has gone downhill. From reading the other reviews and witnessing it in person, the change in management has affected the food selection and quality. They use to have unique sandwiches (brie, apples, honey, variety of breads, etc). The menu has been shaved down considerably and the atmosphere of the place has changed. I feel like there's no creativity or passion in the food. I do have to say the service is a tad faster but overall I really came back for the food. Too bad- I'll probably not return again.
(2)Gabriel R.
Picked it today because i got off work early and it was great outside. Amazing for a nice afternoon with great weather. I got the Wycloff (not sure something like that) sand which. It had apples bacon and Brie in it. It was amazing! Also got their fries which was great and a drink. All for $10 plus tax. I def recommend it and plan on going there again SOON!
(5)Kev M.
Ride the train or paddle boat or go to the Houston zoo and you are close to a very decent kid friendly lunch spot. Hummus had a kick to it and is a great value. The kids grilled cheese came on some decent bread with good cheese. We had a Caesar and Buffalo wrap. Mine was sauced too heavy but I am forgiving because it was so pleasant to find good reasonable food near a major attraction.
(4)Pamela J.
I've been twice now. The first time I waited 1 hour for my food. I really wish I were exaggerating. The second time took 40 minutes. I know they said that it's all made fresh and takes a while, but 40 minutes for grilled cheese at a counter service place?!? Not worth it. If they can get their guest service better, I'll return. But until then it's just not worth the time investment for a simple meal.
(1)marly a.
I tried this place out today b/c it's dog friendly. I have a Yorkie mix and love taking him to places with us. So today we decided to try Pinewood Cafe as it's make your own grilled cheese bar seemed enticing as well. I enjoyed my french bread, american cheese, bacon, avocado, mushroom grilled cheese. Not your typical combo but tasty none the less. I also had there fries which are seasoned and taste great. The only weird thing is that they are short fries :/ I kind of would have liked them to be regular long size fries, oh well. Their mango smoothie was very good as well. My boyfriend, pup, & I had a really nice afternoon with a great view of the lake and the med center skyline. Next time I am at Herman park & hungry I will try them again as I am curious to try their other menu items.
(4)D H.
Great for people watching. Remember to get your sandwich made with the sweet sourdough bread. Mmm...
(4)