It was an early dinner on a Wednesday, so there was virtually no one else there. We made a reservation for two (our anniversary which was in the reservation), at the price level one would think a table would be prepared for two as per the reservation, but it was not. We sat in a booth prepared for four, but was quickly rearranged for two. The glasses remaining at the table were noticeably cloudy, and we tripped on the table legs sitting down leaving as they extended directly where you sit. The server was very nice and helpful with the menu and special of the day. That said I found it odd that I ordered a second cocktail after the appetizer and didn't get it until after we finished our entree. Food - steaks were cooked correctly, but the red reduction with mushrooms was missing the mushrooms, and the mashed potatoes were cold - not room temperature, but cold. The cost was way high for this experience.
David V Padalecki
No bread again and if there is one thing you should run out of is bread. For a party of 4 to spend big money on steaks and drinks (over $250) and to hear on a Saturday night at 6:30 pm that there is "kitchen hold, no bread, and most specials are not available" is really disappointing. If you want to have the image of 5 star restaurant then act like it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Fargo
The Spanish Rose wine was wonderful. My husband enjoyed his ribeye and bacon mac n gouda cheese. I had the salmon special. Large portion, too salty. Our friend enjoyed his sizzling steak. I want to go back for the grilled strawberry shortcake!
Bruce
Our first time eating at this restaurant and it will not be the last! We were seated downstairs as we were told it is quieter there and they were right. We were tucked away in a booth which was perfect for us. Our waitstaff was prompt and courteous. We partook in the happy hour specials, wine for my husband, white sangria for myself. Both were exceptional. We both ordered steak, sirloin and filet, and they were amazing and tender. The asparagus was roasted and tender and the risotto was creamy and flavorful. To finish it off, we ordered the Bananas Foster. I have not had that dessert before and I am not a big banana person but that dessert was amazing. Ice cream served on a thin layer of cake, then topped with banana chunks mixed in a buttery brown sugar heaven mix. Alcohol was poured around the dessert and lit on fire. Perfect size to share with someone. I am not sure why it took us so long to eat here but I am glad we did and we again in the future!
Ken
Seated in the upstairs area which also contains the bar. My preference actually due to the Texas country music played overhead. Food is excellent for the price and well assorted. The special included a prime strip most other steaks are choice. Steak sandwich is flavorful, redfish ettuffe delicious. Service is attentive.
Dorian
Complete disaster. Had a res for 4 at 6:30. Showed up right at 6:30 and were seated. Nobody acknowledged us for 15 minutes, despite another server bringing drinks to the table next to us. I walked over and politely told the hostess that nobody had come by. She apologized and then came to the table and poured 3 glasses of water. (Pitcher didn't hold four glasses.) We then waited an additional 12 minutes and were completely ignored. Realizing that things weren't going to get better, we walked out. The hostess looked at me strangely and I explained that we had been there almost 30 minutes. She responded, “I just work here.” Dinner would have easily run $250+ for the four of us and I would have gladly paid it. We had high expectations and were very disappointed.
Bill
This was our 45th anniversary and the experience was delightful. The food was also delicious!
w roswell
Steak -excellent
Salad- excellent
Loaded potatoes, asparagus, macaroni - very good
Desert - small, very mediocre
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Terry
An amazing experience with exceptional food. The ambiance was both quaint and upscale, creating a perfect setting. Our server was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and professional. Highly recommended!
Beca Harris
Disappointing Consistency from a Place with High Expectations
We’ve been to 1836 four times now, genuinely hoping each visit would improve but unfortunately, the experience has been consistently underwhelming, especially for a restaurant that markets itself as a high-end steakhouse.
The service is always friendly and attentive, which we appreciate. But the food quality just doesn't match the pricing or the upscale image they’re aiming for.
Each time, regardless of what we’ve ordered whether appetizers, steaks, or entrées the results have been the same: inconsistent execution and subpar quality. The steaks are the biggest letdown. I’ve tried both the tenderloin and the sirloin on separate visits. The tenderloin had more fat than meat, which is unacceptable for such a premium cut. The sirloin wasn’t dry, but it lacked the tenderness and quality you’d expect. It tasted like a lower grade of steak, and based on the texture and flavor, I don’t believe they’re using high-quality cuts. You can also tell the grill temperature is too high the outside sears too fast, leaving the inside unevenly cooked.
Their steak sauce is just as disappointing: it tastes like a salty, artificial version of A1 mixed with an overly buttery base that overwhelms the steak rather than enhances it.
Sides don’t fare much better. Portions have gotten smaller while prices climb. The baked potatoes are tiny and inconsistent either overcooked from sitting too long or undercooked and tough, topped with a mound of nearly frozen sour cream that ruins the texture and flavor.
The appetizers, including the calamari, have been consistently off every visit. The calamari is supposed to be crispy and hot with balanced sauces, but it always arrives lukewarm and soggy, drenched in sauce with no crunch or texture left.
Even when we've ordered something different like the 1836 burger the same quality issues show up. While the burger itself has good flavor, the bun was burnt on top from being seared at too high a temp. At this price point, every component should be handled with care. A great burger should be excellent from the meat to the bread not just "good enough."
As someone who knows good food and cooks at a high level, I wouldn’t feel comfortable serving plates like this, especially not at these prices. It’s frustrating to spend this much money on meals that feel rushed and poorly executed.
Huntsville doesn’t have many upscale dining options, which is part of why we kept coming back, hoping for a better experience. But after four visits with the same food quality and execution issues, it’s hard to justify coming again. This restaurant has potential, but the kitchen needs to seriously raise its standards if it wants to live up to the name and the price tag.
Our appetizers were more than below par. The Texas brisket wontons with pineapple BBQ sauce had no noticeable brisket & zero detectable pineapple. They were stuffed with cream cheese and something which made the cheese have the color of Russian dressing. This was straight up false advertising. The two previous times we ordered them, they were fantastic, with actual brisket and a wonderfully tangy BBQ sauce. The spinach artichoke dip had way too much spinach, which was undercooked. Again, we loved it the last time there. I don't know what's going on and hope this was a one-off. Thankfully, our steaks were perfect, and our waiter, Gilbert (also acting manager) was beyond understanding. He handled a poor situation with tremendous grace.
Debbie Mendoza McAdams
One of the best dining experiences ! Love the atmosphere, wait staff and the food is absolutely incredible! Will be visiting again with family and friends! ❤️
Jonathan
3rd visit to 1836 and we had a party of 5 and we were seated in a booth that was absolutely wonderful. We asked if we could have Gab as our server, because of our great experience last visit and the restaurant complied. He not only remembered us he remembered our cocktail of choice, now that is service. We live in Conroe so we are about 40 minutes away but so worth the drive.
Paul
Service was off a bit. We were never offered bread with our salads or main course. The first two bottles of wine we tried to select were either out of stock or no longer carried. Wine menu needs updating to reflect what is carried. Our guest enjoyed the food.
Kellie
Really neat restaurant in an old mansion. I would have given the food 5 stars but my asparagus was grilled way too long. Nice selection of cocktails and wine. If you go sit in the attic. The atmosphere is really nice up there.
It was an early dinner on a Wednesday, so there was virtually no one else there. We made a reservation for two (our anniversary which was in the reservation), at the price level one would think a table would be prepared for two as per the reservation, but it was not. We sat in a booth prepared for four, but was quickly rearranged for two. The glasses remaining at the table were noticeably cloudy, and we tripped on the table legs sitting down leaving as they extended directly where you sit. The server was very nice and helpful with the menu and special of the day. That said I found it odd that I ordered a second cocktail after the appetizer and didn't get it until after we finished our entree. Food - steaks were cooked correctly, but the red reduction with mushrooms was missing the mushrooms, and the mashed potatoes were cold - not room temperature, but cold. The cost was way high for this experience.
No bread again and if there is one thing you should run out of is bread. For a party of 4 to spend big money on steaks and drinks (over $250) and to hear on a Saturday night at 6:30 pm that there is "kitchen hold, no bread, and most specials are not available" is really disappointing. If you want to have the image of 5 star restaurant then act like it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
The Spanish Rose wine was wonderful. My husband enjoyed his ribeye and bacon mac n gouda cheese. I had the salmon special. Large portion, too salty. Our friend enjoyed his sizzling steak. I want to go back for the grilled strawberry shortcake!
Our first time eating at this restaurant and it will not be the last! We were seated downstairs as we were told it is quieter there and they were right. We were tucked away in a booth which was perfect for us. Our waitstaff was prompt and courteous. We partook in the happy hour specials, wine for my husband, white sangria for myself. Both were exceptional. We both ordered steak, sirloin and filet, and they were amazing and tender. The asparagus was roasted and tender and the risotto was creamy and flavorful. To finish it off, we ordered the Bananas Foster. I have not had that dessert before and I am not a big banana person but that dessert was amazing. Ice cream served on a thin layer of cake, then topped with banana chunks mixed in a buttery brown sugar heaven mix. Alcohol was poured around the dessert and lit on fire. Perfect size to share with someone. I am not sure why it took us so long to eat here but I am glad we did and we again in the future!
Seated in the upstairs area which also contains the bar. My preference actually due to the Texas country music played overhead. Food is excellent for the price and well assorted. The special included a prime strip most other steaks are choice. Steak sandwich is flavorful, redfish ettuffe delicious. Service is attentive.
Complete disaster. Had a res for 4 at 6:30. Showed up right at 6:30 and were seated. Nobody acknowledged us for 15 minutes, despite another server bringing drinks to the table next to us. I walked over and politely told the hostess that nobody had come by. She apologized and then came to the table and poured 3 glasses of water. (Pitcher didn't hold four glasses.) We then waited an additional 12 minutes and were completely ignored. Realizing that things weren't going to get better, we walked out. The hostess looked at me strangely and I explained that we had been there almost 30 minutes. She responded, “I just work here.” Dinner would have easily run $250+ for the four of us and I would have gladly paid it. We had high expectations and were very disappointed.
This was our 45th anniversary and the experience was delightful. The food was also delicious!
Steak -excellent Salad- excellent Loaded potatoes, asparagus, macaroni - very good Desert - small, very mediocre
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
An amazing experience with exceptional food. The ambiance was both quaint and upscale, creating a perfect setting. Our server was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and professional. Highly recommended!
Disappointing Consistency from a Place with High Expectations We’ve been to 1836 four times now, genuinely hoping each visit would improve but unfortunately, the experience has been consistently underwhelming, especially for a restaurant that markets itself as a high-end steakhouse. The service is always friendly and attentive, which we appreciate. But the food quality just doesn't match the pricing or the upscale image they’re aiming for. Each time, regardless of what we’ve ordered whether appetizers, steaks, or entrées the results have been the same: inconsistent execution and subpar quality. The steaks are the biggest letdown. I’ve tried both the tenderloin and the sirloin on separate visits. The tenderloin had more fat than meat, which is unacceptable for such a premium cut. The sirloin wasn’t dry, but it lacked the tenderness and quality you’d expect. It tasted like a lower grade of steak, and based on the texture and flavor, I don’t believe they’re using high-quality cuts. You can also tell the grill temperature is too high the outside sears too fast, leaving the inside unevenly cooked. Their steak sauce is just as disappointing: it tastes like a salty, artificial version of A1 mixed with an overly buttery base that overwhelms the steak rather than enhances it. Sides don’t fare much better. Portions have gotten smaller while prices climb. The baked potatoes are tiny and inconsistent either overcooked from sitting too long or undercooked and tough, topped with a mound of nearly frozen sour cream that ruins the texture and flavor. The appetizers, including the calamari, have been consistently off every visit. The calamari is supposed to be crispy and hot with balanced sauces, but it always arrives lukewarm and soggy, drenched in sauce with no crunch or texture left. Even when we've ordered something different like the 1836 burger the same quality issues show up. While the burger itself has good flavor, the bun was burnt on top from being seared at too high a temp. At this price point, every component should be handled with care. A great burger should be excellent from the meat to the bread not just "good enough." As someone who knows good food and cooks at a high level, I wouldn’t feel comfortable serving plates like this, especially not at these prices. It’s frustrating to spend this much money on meals that feel rushed and poorly executed. Huntsville doesn’t have many upscale dining options, which is part of why we kept coming back, hoping for a better experience. But after four visits with the same food quality and execution issues, it’s hard to justify coming again. This restaurant has potential, but the kitchen needs to seriously raise its standards if it wants to live up to the name and the price tag.
Restaurantji Recommends
Our appetizers were more than below par. The Texas brisket wontons with pineapple BBQ sauce had no noticeable brisket & zero detectable pineapple. They were stuffed with cream cheese and something which made the cheese have the color of Russian dressing. This was straight up false advertising. The two previous times we ordered them, they were fantastic, with actual brisket and a wonderfully tangy BBQ sauce. The spinach artichoke dip had way too much spinach, which was undercooked. Again, we loved it the last time there. I don't know what's going on and hope this was a one-off. Thankfully, our steaks were perfect, and our waiter, Gilbert (also acting manager) was beyond understanding. He handled a poor situation with tremendous grace.
One of the best dining experiences ! Love the atmosphere, wait staff and the food is absolutely incredible! Will be visiting again with family and friends! ❤️
3rd visit to 1836 and we had a party of 5 and we were seated in a booth that was absolutely wonderful. We asked if we could have Gab as our server, because of our great experience last visit and the restaurant complied. He not only remembered us he remembered our cocktail of choice, now that is service. We live in Conroe so we are about 40 minutes away but so worth the drive.
Service was off a bit. We were never offered bread with our salads or main course. The first two bottles of wine we tried to select were either out of stock or no longer carried. Wine menu needs updating to reflect what is carried. Our guest enjoyed the food.
Really neat restaurant in an old mansion. I would have given the food 5 stars but my asparagus was grilled way too long. Nice selection of cocktails and wine. If you go sit in the attic. The atmosphere is really nice up there.
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