HRW 2022 – Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse

The team behind the much heralded Amrina also owns and operates one of the best secrets in the Woodlands area: Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. This cozy spot inside Crowne Plaza Shenandoah is a great spot for an intimate date night or an evening out with friends. Don’t confuse Johnny’s with a typical hotel restaurant; it has a very capable kitchen, a bar that consistently turns out excellent cocktails, and an environment that is both comfortable and upscale. Johnny’s even has entertainment; on the night we visited, the talented Justin LeBlanc was filling the room with favorites that set the mood for an enjoyable meal

The team at Johnny’s has put together a Greatest Hits menu of some of their most popular options for Houston Restaurant Weeks 2022. We selected some of our favorites, from both the Italian and Steakhouse aspects of the menu.

Here are our impressions:

First Course

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The Steak Nachos have been our must-have appetizer at Johnny’s, and the HRW2022 version did not disappoint. Two crispy wonton chips are stacked with slices of medium rare ribeye, a bit of fresh avocado, cherry tomato, pickled onion, and jalapeño. It’s finished with Johnny’s outstanding chimichurri, and the result is a bright, delicious bite that is both satisfying and refreshing. This may be our favorite take on nachos in the Woodlands area.

Beef de Burgo Skewers are a classic steakhouse experience on a stick. Filet mignon tips are grilled, seasoned expertly with salt and pepper, then dressed with the creamy De Burgo sauce, and served atop silky mashed potatoes. It’s an excellent bite for the meat-and-potatoes crowd, and a smart way to add a little steak to your meal.

Second Course

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Veal Parmesan is expertly represented at Johnny’s. A generous cutlet of veal is is breaded and seasoned then fried to a golden brown. It’s then painted with Johnny’s excellent house marinara and mozzarella, and finally baked to toast and melt the cheese. Presented with al dente cavatappi pasta marinara, this hits all the notes for the Southern Italian enthusiast.

Steak lovers can jump right to the Filet Medallion Trio. Three 3-4oz medallions of filet mignon are grilled to your preferred doneness, and crowned with three different crusts: Gorgozola, Parmesan, and Horseradish. Our medallions were paired with mashed potatoes and served over a rich beef demi. This is a delicious option for the carnivore; the crusts add a unique spin to this traditional steakhouse favorite.

Third Course and Menu

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We were impressed with the HRW2022 offering at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, one of the hidden gems in the Woodlands. This establishment should not be overlooked when planning your Restaurant Weeks dining agenda.

Johnny’s does cheesecake very well, so we jumped right to the Turtle Cheesecake, baked in a fudge brownie cake crust. This decadent cheesecake was the sweet, rich, and creamy finish to our Houston Restaurant Weeks dinner.