I have eaten at Houston restaurants in other cities in the past with good experiences many years ago and jumped at the chance to try this venerable institution again. My co-worker and I got seated at a comfortable booth although I noted that the background music seemed a bit too loud and asked if they could turn it down. The staff said that they would although I did not notice a real profound difference.
We started out with the smoked salmon which was really good. They gave us a good chunk of fish which had a nice smoky flavor.
I then chose the French dip sandwich which was very good as well. There was a good amount of meat which was nice and juicy and just tasty. The accompanying fries were good, although slightly overseasoned for my taste.
Service was good - there were lots of staff available around who would unobtrusively ensure that my water glass was filled. It was a little pricey at around $35 per person for lunch, but at least there is consistently good food and service.