James Coney Island Grill

Didn’t know what to expect, since when I visited it was the first time since their new branding to JCI. Nothing seemed too different besides a few things on the menu including some price changes. The service was nice, the food was prompt, so no complaints there. Tried the Texas & New York while we were there and they were both tasty. So no complaints from our visit.

3 stars is a generous review for this JCI Grill! I wanted to so badly love this place because it was such a staple in my childhood growing up in Houston. However, the JCI brand has continued to plummet over the last few years.
The Good: The portions were actually decent with the new dishes. Before the rebranding, you would pay $ 5 for a «large» chili that was about the size of a 8 oz. ramekin. I was pleasantly surprised with the large bowl of chili I received, which matches the steep increase in price. $ 7.99 for The Classic Combo.
The Bad: From my experience, the drive-​thru and to-​go orders have not changed in size but their prices have greatly increased in the last 2 years. The price of an Extra Large Chili To-​Go is now a whopping $ 14.99 compared to the already overpriced $ 9 pre-​JCI Grill remodel. In addition, the staff was friendly but very inattentive. The cashier literally had his head down so close to the counter that he was not visible. As I stood at the counter for a good minute, he finally looked up and took my order. I could care less if you want to look at your phone all day at work, but at least take my order first.
The Ugly: What would have been a perfect Chili Frito Pie that would soon satisfy all my cravings were ruined by the common culprit … stale Fritos. Alas, the unfortunate cherry on top to sink this JCI experience down the drain. Nevertheless, I will try again and give this place another chance because I genuinely feel the golden days of JCI are now in the past and we will soon lose this Houston gem forever.