Federal American Grill

Reviews 3

KE

Kenneth Snyder

Loved it! Where do I start? Federal Grill is a comfy place to dine: The ambiance of the dining room as well as the bar is definitely a cut above other places. While it is beautiful, it is not stuffy. We were sat in a booth that hugged our bodies; very comfortable! Our server, Cameron, was amazing: He was genuinely friendly, competent, and a pleasure to speak with. He understood how to engage us without smothering us. We enjoyed his efforts and will request him the next time we dine here. I cannot say enough good things about the food: Everything we ordered was the absolute best wed ever had. We started with the crab cake (tower). I lack the vocabulary to properly describe how delicious this was. We order crab cakes at most places we visit and we have our favorites; this is our new favorite and we have already agreed that we will order it the next time we visit. For entrees, my fiance ordered the 8 oz. filet with Bordelaise sauce; it came with sides of mac and cheese and creamed spinach. I ordered the Angry Shrimp. All were delectable. The steak was tender, properly cooked/served, and the creamed spinach was the best wed ever had; great texture. The truffle mac and cheese was wonderful albeit it needed a bit more cheese in our opinion. Still, it was very tasty. My Angry Shrimp were a work of perfection: Lightly spicy butterflied prawns drizzled with a spicy mayo (?) on a bed of couscous mixed with small-cut asparagus and pico de gallo. It was fantastic! It is difficult for me to say this given the superiority of the food, but the drinks were the highlight of our experience: My fiance ordered a Cosmopolitan which she described as being as good as the ones I make at home. For myself, I ordered my first Pappy: As such, I went all the way to the 23yo. It was exquisite and I now understand what all the fuss is about. After that, I went with the more affordable Angels Envy Cask Strength 2015. Again, it was absolutely wonderful. For those in the know, neither of these is easily obtained nor inexpensive. I was happy to have sampled them and am glad I have a place like Federal Grill where I know I can get them in the future. In short, their whiskey offerings are unmatched. Our meal, for what it was, was affordable. I think our food bill was in the area of $40/person. Compared to other steakhouses this is a great dinner price. Their website indicates well-priced business-lunch specials, too. The owner/chef is Matt. He visited our table (probably at the behest of the bar manager since I ordered the Pappy). He was fun to speak with and we believe he genuinely appreciated our business. Also, the general manager, Peter, addressed us. He shared his business card and we spoke about various bourbons and scotches. Both are very knowledgeable. As for some of the other people who reviewed this place negatively: - Antonio Benvides, I am told The Olive Garden serves a nice cup of "expresso". By the way, it isnt spelled with an "x". So, I believe I understand where your review is coming from. - Nicole Nguyen, "split checks" are for college students. Perhaps your group would have been happier at Dennys? - Cici Hill, a "kids menu"? Im embarrassed for you. Need I say more?

JU

Justine Hernandez

Though I barely got to know it as its former Branch Water Tavern, I surely wont miss it. Sometimes change is good... very, very good. Its magical when food, staff, and ambiance all come together to form a nearly perfect union. Why nearly? Well, your pocket might be hurting a little afterwards, but good things hurt sometimes too, right? I was able to sample a hodgepodge of menu items. My highlights of the night included... The Beef Carpaccio is pounded until its melt-in-your-mouth thin and topped with arugala, fresh parmesan, and truffle vinaigrette. The whole thing was very refreshing, but still meaty and filled with umami because of the truffle. We also ordered the BBQ Bone Marrow. What goes better with cold, raw beef carpaccio than a sinful, fatty, beefy bone marrow? Nothing. Beef on beef action is the only way a dinner should start. Oh, and lets not forget the accoutrements of roasted garlic, pickled red onion, and fleur de sel. The dish just wouldnt be the same without its supporting team. Normally I dont order fish in restaurants, but I couldnt resist the Pan Roasted Gulf Fish as it found its way to our table, laid atop a corn crab maque choux, and beautiful as could be. I enjoyed it even more than the ribeye. The lump crap studded corn accompaniment really made the fish shine. We had the pleasure of sampling all the sides, but the Truffle Mac & Cheese was my favorite. My easily swayed palette is a sucker for truffle oil. And for dessert, my favorites were the Creme Fraiche Cheesecake and the Molten Chocolate Cake... the cheesecake is so light it disappears on your tongue and the molten chocolate cake was so good I wanted to bathe in it. Where they made their impression was in the service. From the valet to the waitstaff to the managers, I felt thoroughly welcomed. The staff was very knowledgeable and DEFINITELY not lacking in the personality department. The management stopped by each table as well, and it really makes the guest experience top notch. I do remember that Branch Water Tavern was lacking in this department, but Federal Grill has shined most here. Out with the old and in with the new. Unlike its predecessor, Im sure that Federal Grill will be here to stay.

GR

Gristle & Gossip

Visited the Federal Grill this afternoon and immediately realized that I had been here before when it was Branch Water Tavern. The funny part is they still served the same warm bread with the Pepper Jam. Maybe the same owner, or did they leave that recipe behind? Before I get into the review: TFG has a private space in the back of the can be reserved for private functions and there is also a flat screen in there. They have great outdoor seating that is very relaxing on a cool day. Because we were participating in Houston Restaurant Week we were offered a smaller menu that consisted of TFGs top selections. TFG offers 2 courses for lunch, with some pretty good variety. I ordered the PARMESAN CRUSTED FRIED ASPARAGUS (crab meat, garlic butter) and the PECAN CRUSTED CHICKEN SALAD (chopped romaine, diced tomato, bleu cheese, tortilla strips, blueberry reduction, cilantro cream dressing). When I saw crab meat, I was excited because I thought it was going to be like "Oscar styled" but it was really "Oscar the Grouch Styled" because there was just a teeny tiny bit of crab. The Asparagus was good though and the garlic butter pretty tasty. The Parmesan crusted chicken cold have used a little more salt and pepper and less blueberry reduction. I felt like I was having brunch and Benjys with the sweet, fried chicken breast. The salad underneath was good, I just need to pay more attention to things that have "bleu cheese" listed. I hate bleu cheese and Gorgonzola. I truly feel like they make nothing better. The best part of the meal was our server Daniel G. who went above and beyond during our meal to ensure that we got everything we needed. He was great and even gave me a pat on the back for almost cleaning my plate. Small front parking lot was a little to tight for larger cars and might I suggest a "Sugared Lemon" Wall diffuser (Bath & Body works $5) for the Womens restroom. Unless I walked into the wrong one.. it has a super strong smell of "something..