The Counter--LOVES IT!

Variety is the spice of life and every meal at the counter starts with this GIANT clipboard of options.
It took me FOR-EV-VER to order, so for the fickle at heart, you may be staring at this menu for awhile! :)

Rating: *****

Location: The Heights
Menu

Price: $$

Reviewed: Dinner

Attire: Casual

Reviewer: Yas 
The Counter is a swanky diner that serves up amazing burgers, made any way you like it!  With great service, an awesome ambiance, and even better food, there is no way you can go wrong. Think Chilli's prices with way better burgers!

The "Fifty-Fifty":  ****

I couldn't decide whether I wanted sweet potato fries or onion rings! But thankfully, The Counter had a "fifty-fifty" option and I was able to indulge in the best of both worlds.  The sweet potato fries were off the chain (comparable to Cafe Express's).  The onion rings were "shoestring" which made them a bit messy to eat (i.e. NOT first date safe!) due to their thinness and fragility. But they were seasoned well and I enjoyed them.  The best thing about this appetizer is that it came with 3 sauces!!! Ranch, BBQ, and Horse Radish Mayo. Smiles all around!

Counter Burger:  *****

Perfection.  Topped with sauteed mushrooms, onion rings, lettuce blend and provolone cheese.  The buns were wonderfully toasted and my burger was not overcooked (which when I say "medium" at a lot of burger spots, my ish always seems to come back "well-done") and I enjoyed every bite.  However, the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette was not pleasing to my taste buds, nor did it go well with the burger so I would ask for a different sauce or just go without.

My Own Creation:  **

See what had happened was.....LOL.  There were too many options and I tried to blend some of my fave things together and it just didn't quite work out the way I had hoped.  This was a turkey burger, topped with a herb goat cheese spread, lettuce blend, jalepenos, avocados, and a multi-grain bun.  The turkey burger was amazeballs (tasted like a beef patty)! But the herb goat cheese spread had a very strong taste and would have been better suited for a cracker or mini toasts.  The multi-grain bun also had a strong taste and I could taste the flavor of each grain.  Was not expecting that, and it probably would have been fine if it had not been for the goat cheese spread.  Most of the avocados ended up on my white shirt and pants (insert sad/defeated face here) but they were fresh and yummy.  All in all, my burger could have been great had I chosen better pairings. Ah well, you win some, you lose some!

Service: *****

The waitress was super nice and patient with me as I took forever and a day to make my mind up, which was much appreciated.  The food came out in a timely manner and everything was piping hot.

Things to Note:

Happy Hour! As you can see above, The Counter offers a pretty decent happy hour.  There are multiple flat screens at the bar for all of our sports lovers out there, and also a nice sized patio for those of us who like to enjoy the 5 days of awesome weather that Houston provides. (Although, I must say, it has been REALLY nice lately!).  I am a music lover and I noticed that The Counter was JAMMIN during my time there.  They were playing funky soul tunes from my 3 favorite J's: Jill Scott, Joss Stone, and Jamiroquai. Loved it!

Also for those of you who are trying to watch your figure, The Counter has "burgers in a bowl," so basically like a burger in salad form.  Pretty cool concept, if you ask me!  I will def be trying those out on my next visit.