Bandera

Blown away by the service here. Our waitress Andy was exceptional. She was extremely attentive and even swapped out our martini glass half way through drinking it for a freshly chilled glass. Nice touch. The food was 10/10 We all felt it was a very warm inside. Some of us were sweating. Wish they could turn some A/C on. Otherwise everything was exceptional and we will be back!

We’ve been coming to Bandera in Corona del Mar for years, and I have to say — I really miss the old Bandera. Tonight my husband and I went for dinner, and unfortunately it just wasn’t the experience we’re used to. I ordered the margarita that typically has egg white shaken in, giving it that beautiful frothy, creamy finish on top. Twice it came out without that signature texture — no froth, no creaminess — just flat. It may seem like a small detail, but it’s part of what made that drink special. We decided to split the prime rib dip, ordered medium well. Instead of sliced prime rib, the sandwich was filled with crumbles of meat. Every time we dipped it into the au jus, the meat fell right out, making it messy and disappointing. It lacked the quality and presentation we’ve come to expect. The only standout tonight were the French fries — they were hot and delicious. We’ve always loved Bandera, which is why this was so disappointing. I’m hoping this was just an off night, but it definitely didn’t feel like the Bandera we used to enjoy

I used to drive by Bandera in Corona Del Mar every day on my way to work, always curious about the buzz and lively atmosphere. One day, I finally decided to stop in, and I’m so glad I did. Since that first visit, it’s become a regular spot for me. The food here is consistently excellent. I highly recommend starting with their appetizers, especially the Oreo dessert and banana pie, both of which are indulgent and delicious. One standout dish for me is their grilled artichoke, seasoned to perfection and incredibly flavorful. And don’t skip the cornbread, it’s rich, slightly sweet, and a must-try. My only constructive feedback is about the parking situation. After 6pm, especially during peak dinner hours, it can be a bit of a challenge to find a spot nearby. It’s worth planning ahead or considering a rideshare if you’re coming in the evening. Overall, Bandera offers a great dining experience, and I’ll definitely keep coming back.

We’ve been dining at Banderas in Corona del Mar for many years, and our kids truly grew up coming here. One of our most recent visits reminded us why this place holds such a special place in our hearts — our youngest was with us, and the staff was incredibly accommodating and thoughtful, bringing avocado and fresh fruit without hesitation. Now that our kids are teenagers, Banderas is still one of their favorite places to dine and one of their favorite memories. It’s rare to find a restaurant that delivers consistently great food, warm service, and a family-friendly atmosphere over so many years. We always look forward to coming back.

We love Bandera! When there was one in Chicago we would go often and miss it a ton and while visiting California, we drove over an hour just to experience it again. We miss the legendary lamb sandwich that we used to get, yet the French dip and chicken sandwich did not disappoint. The Macho salad is a classic and so glad that and the Oreo desert were still on the menu. Such a great quality meal. And the ambience is elevated yet not pretentious. Hope they keep this concept! And our server, Hannah was outstanding with amazing down to earth hospitality! Anytime we are in the area we will be back and hope to visit similar concepts.

Have gone to Bandera since the early 2000's, starting when the restaurant had a location in Scottsdale. Made reservations on a Wednesday. A 20 plus minute wait after the reservation before we were seated. Then the restaurant was out of signature rotisserie chicken and pork chop before 8 pm. Wait staff was excellent. My 4th choice of main course, as they were out of 3 other menu items, was way below my expectation. The beef ribs were more like burnt ends. Artichoke was delicious as usual. Still very disappointing with so many choices in the area. All atmosphere and make-up service for lack of quality.

I loved my experience here! My server, Grace, and my bartender, Briana, were amazing! They were super attentive and went above and beyond to make sure I enjoyed my time in the restaurant. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed. We even got complimentary starters from Cal because we waited a bit longer than our scheduled reservation. Which by the way it didn’t feel like it because we stood at the bar and the atmosphere was so great. Thank you so much Bandera for such a wonderful experience!

Servers here are Top notch! The service was almost better than the food. But food was excellent. Thank you

Two of us had drinks and appetizer at a 2-top in the bar area before our dinner reservation with a group friends. The service was excellent along with the drinks and appetizer. After the rest of our group arrived, we moved to a table for dinner. The service was good, but it felt more like a rushed service. It was obviously they wanted to turn the table quickly. The check was dropped off just as we finished eating the entrees and no mention of desert options. I'm not really a desert person so o didn't really care, but a couple others said they would have ordered something more. 3/4 of our group had the roasted chicken which was fantastic. Others had the steak, which they said was good but they felt the outer searing was done too long and the meat felt a bit too tough when cutting through it. Overall, a good experience for our entire group. But a couple of service tweaks could make it even better.

Amazing service,excellent food and always a great time! One of my favorite go to restaurants. They limit the parties to 4 or less which I love as it makes for a much more enjoyable experience.

Passed by here for over 30 years and finally decided to give it a go. Why did I wait so long!? Great food and service was even better! A must try to have a cocktail, appetizer or dinner if you're in the neck of the woods!

We've had great food and service at Bandera over the years, but there seems to have been a few of changes to the restaurant and dining experience. The servers came to the table more often than normal which took away from the intimacy of the meal. Perhaps the most devastating is getting rid of the signature banana cream pie. We always look forward to it and rave about it to our friends.

Plenty of parking. Reservations accepted but not required. Good for groups. Ok for kids. Menu has something for everyone. Our server was Tony, he went over the menu with us. He made some great suggestions. Mud try spot if in the area. I has the chicken and ribs, while my wife had the French dip. Both great.

Where Do I Start? I'll start with Sara or Sarah, the Hostess with the Mostess...Friendly Greeting, Good Sense of Humor, Great Reservation Handler! Then our server...Kenzie...Short for McKenzie, but not short on COOLNESS or Genuine Smiles! Great Recommendations too!!! We've been coming here for over 5 years, which is not a long time, in the larger scheme of things, but long enough to make it a frequent destination! Amazing, Unique Food! Perfect Atmosphere! Spotlessly Clean, with ample restrooms! The Perfect Vibe in CDM! No Happy Hour, but Every Hour is Happy Hour!

We came in here just for drinks! It's Saturday night 7pm and the place is packed! We asked the hostess if we can just have cocktails. She directed us to two tops back by the open kitchen. They have a limited tables for just cocktails/wine and 3 food menu items. It was perfect! My husband ordered a Manhattan $18 which sadly, was just okay. I had the Schramsberg sparkling wine $16 which was perfect! Great ambiance, had the dark woodsy look that many Hillstone restaurants have.

One of my favorite restaurants. Any restaurant that belongs to Hillstone restaurant group has always been consistent, good food, and the best service. I'm always amazed with the service that Hillstone restaurant group delivered. They trained their servers well. All the servers are always smiling and deliver such an exceptional service. I can't remember the last time at other restaurants the server would replace my warm glass of wine with a new cold glass without me asking, and I have been to many fine dining restaurants including many Michelin restaurants over the years. This is an outstanding attention to detail and exceptional table service. The restaurant is cozy and warm. The menu is simple but everything is fantastic.The portion is definitely smaller than it used to.There are so many restaurants to try but I always like to come back to Bandera, Gulfstream, R & D, Hillstone etc.. The server, Ms. Kalani was attentive , engaging and friendly. She made my dining experience much more enjoyable. Can't wait to go back when I'm in the area again.

I had the best dinner at Bandera! I had been to other Hillstone restaurants before and was very happy with my experience at this CDM location and love that it's 2 blocks from the beach. The service was great, servers were super attentive. I love how they change out martini glasses so your drink is always chilled. I ordered the filet and it was cooked perfectly. Perfect spot for a date night or quick dinner. I would definitely recommend.

Great team dinner at Bandera! Ordered the chicken and rib combo, excellent choices as well as a bottle of Duckhorn, our server Grace was fantastic, booth was comfortable and lighting was dim but welcoming

Wtf... why would they remove the absolute most popular item on the menu??? Please bring back the jalapeño cornbread skillet. The cornbread bites look lame and based on the feedback they are an inferior replacement. Bangers, hope you're listening to all of the people WHO WANT THE CORNBREAD SKILLET BACK!!!

There down fall should be studied. Me and my wife have been going here for years. After they let us down a few months ago I promised not to go back. But tonight I decided to give them another shot.. This time it was worse. They have wayyy too many servers bombarding your table every second.. wasn't like this before, also they took the banana cream pie off the menu! Our hearts broke.. we definitely will never come back. It was good while it lasted.

I used to love this place. They used to sell you an entire chicken for like 28 bucks now you get half a chicken for $26. It was Wednesday and it was packed to the rafters so I guess they're doing well

Bandera is consistently great. The food is always solid and the service is reliably good. The macho salad is excellent, the dip duo is always a hit, and both the salmon and the ribs are consistently well prepared. It's an easy place to bring friends or family and one of the better dining options in Newport Beach. We come back often.

The rotisserie chicken and bbq beef rib combo is an excellent choice for a tender juicy chicken with a wonderful smoky flavor and tender fall off the bone beef ribs with a tangy and lightly sweet bbq sauce. Service is always consistent across the Hillstone family of restaurants which means excellent attention from start to conclusion. I recommend the Oreo ice cream sandwich for a light sweet finish.

It's a hillstone so it's consistent. Menu isn't as big as other hillstones but if you want something hearty , it's def the place

Food: -Grilled artichoke: so well done, delicious sauce -Emerald kale salad: the side order was huge! Was very good and well dressed. -beef back ribs: so tender and very yummy. The coleslaw was also very good. A good combination of creamy and vinegary versions -prime rib sandwich: just as good as R+D, pillowy soft bread and tender thin slices of meat. Love that they offer a side, R+D doesn't. Fries were great, just the way I like them. -no mocktails but the waitress offered a n/a spritzer with fresh grapefruit juice, sparkling water and mint which was great. Service: overall good, very attentive. No negative notes Vibe: busy on a Friday night. Well lit and great space. Overall very happy with our dinner and will come back!

With childlike enthusiasm I ordered the grilled artichokes. However, the adult reality guy punch was delivered once the dish arrived. I drew a blank. How does one tackle this artichoke?...I had forgotten. To help, my husband looks at me with bleep as the charred vegetable is foreign and menacing. Finely victorious, the artichoke was conquered. Should really come with a manual. Dip duo does it. It hits. Fresh chips served with guacamole and jalapeño cheese dip. The double-cut pork chops served with red cabbage and goat cheese had me pleasantly surprised. The colcannon potatoes delish. The Pettit filet cooked to excellence and even had a great crust.

It's been a couple of years since I've been. Use to be my go to in town. The bbq salmon dish was phenomenal. All of it. The veggie and cheese enchilada was recommended and good. Loved the side salad with it. Great vibe, people watching place, ambience is sexy and yet casual. Great service as always. Expect a wait on weekends. Not a bad thing with fireplace on and excellent bar.

Just left Bandera, Andy was our server tonight. Five years ago, we had a bad experience and had not been back since. Tonight Andy restored our faith that there are still people at Bandera that can provide excellent service. She was delightful, engaging and personable. She even replaced my cosmo with a chilled glass half way through the evening. Because of Andy we will return! Thank you!

Fantastic service with dark/moody ambiance. Appetizer: kale salad, always a hit at any Hillstone branch. Entrees were disappointing. We got the chicken and ribs plates along with coleslaw and side of fries. Fries was not hot and it had a strong oil flavor which we didn't like at all. 1 star! The bbq ribs were cooked fine but the sauce was way too sweet. If you dine at Gulfsteam (sister restaurant couple of blocks away) their ribs and the sauce is far superior and balanced. The chicken was more disappointing. Mine was not cooked enough for the chicken to separate easily from the bones and I had to wrestle with it. it was also red in some parts of the leg so I stopped eating it. Also, the chicken really lacked any flavor. Overall I was not happy with my dish at all. For dessert, banana pie... we thought the banana would be also incorporated with the pie filling, only to find out it was plain filling with banana slices on the side. Again it lacked flavor. Out of all our dining experiences at different Hillstone sister restaurants this Bandera visit was by far our least favorite.

Great restaurant Specialty is chicken and ribs. Service was great. The only complaint I have is that I asked the waitress to bring me some extra sauce. She brought it in a little silver cup, and it was cold. I don't like to put cold sauce on hot ribs.

Another fabulous meal at Bandera's. The best service of any restaurant in Orange County. When ordering a martini or lemon drop...the server always comes by half way through to pour your drink in a cold chilled glass. I ordered a filet this time...the BEST! Everything about Bandera's is a 10. Thank you!!

Absolutely LOVED this place!!!! This is my favorite dinner place that I have tried in CDM so far. I only have great things to say. Bandera is the perfect date night spot with the moody ambiance and lighting. Our server was great and very charismatic! The food and drinks also came out fairly quick after we ordered. Off to a good start. I got the Crush drink which was soooo yummy and fresh. The cornbread bites could have used some honey drizzle but they were the perfect little starter to share. The chicken and ribs plate and chicken sandwich was PHENOMENAL. Sooooo fresh and delicious and perfect. 0 complaints. The ribs were some of the best ribs I've ever had and the coleslaw was crunchy and perfect. Not to mention the portion sizes are HUGE. We are our leftovers for dinner the next day. Overall I would highly recommend Bandera as it did not at all disappoint. This is my new fav dinner spot in CDM by a long shot.

My bf and I LOVE Houston's and R&D kitchen so naturally we assumed we'd be fans of everything under the Hillstone umbrella, however we didn't have the best experience here. Our Hawaiian ribeye came out too rare (we ordered medium rare). We ate one small piece from the edge and cut it in half after to confirm and let our server know. Instead of making a new steak, they tossed the one we have back on the grill, so when it was returned to us it was the driest steak we have ever experienced. And for more context the Hawaiian ribeye is my favorite steak ever, usually so juicy and packed with flavors of the marinate so this was really disappointing. We also ordered the beef rib and chicken and it was just ok. The cornbread bites were good but not enough for me to come back. The parking lot is small, and for a similar menu and consistent quality of steak, I will stick to Houston's and R&D instead.

Cocktails are ok, food is ok... tried their salads and steak and I'd say CDM restaurant down the street is a lot better. Ambiance isn't that fun, service is good.

Mr. Darren, the general manager at Bandera, is unprofessional. My family and I have been coming to this restaurant for more than two decades, and we have always appreciated the great mesquite barbecue and ribs. Unfortunately, our last two visits have involved exceptionally poor treatment. During our most recent visit, Mr. Darren told us the wait time for a table would be about thirty minutes. We waited patiently in the patio area, but after nearly two hours, our 1.5-year-old became understandably fussy and started crying. At that point, Mr. Darren approached us to say a table was available, but that we could only be seated if we could calm the baby first. On a previous visit, we were also told that the restaurant does not allow strollers. After these experiences, I have concluded that the restaurant is not family-friendly, which is extremely disappointing given how frequently we have dined here over the years. Disappointed. Do not recommend until they change the management.

We had a reservation for 2 people at 6pm. At 4pm we called to request to up our party size to 4. We were told as long as we came early our request could be accommodated. We checked in with the host at 5:50 and were then told it would be no more than an hour wait. We decided to wait the entire hour with nobody coming up to check on or update us. When checking back in with the host for an updated time we were told it could be up to another 45 minutes. This is while seeing other parties of 2 be seated at 4 tops the entire time we were waiting for our table. We promptly left and were essentially told by management "too bad." This is the 4th time we've experienced customer service like this at this restaurant even after following all their strict rules. Not worth it.

Love this place. Everything is amazing. Service is spectacular the food is great and they have plenty of convenient parking.

We've been coming here for years with no review. It's basically a carbon copy of it's sister spot, Houston's. Pretty much the same menu, same restaurant layout, same atmosphere. Service is usually on point and the food is solid. Parking is small, but doable. Smaller menu, which I always appreciate. Roasted artichokes are excellent. Hawaiian ribeye same. Good bar scene. Like Houston's, not a bigger group type of place (party of 4 or less).

First visited a Bandera in Los Altos way back in 2001. It's one of the family of Hillstone company restaurants (including Gulfstream, R+D Kitchen, Houston's, Rutherford Grill, White House Tavern, etc.). This location in the Newport enclave of Corona Del Mar is a neighborhood favorite, walking distance to the bluffs overlooking the Pacific. As with other Hillstone restaurants, the vibe inside is uber comfortable and decadent, managing to be both intimately dim but with spotlights and candles that set wooden tabletops aglow. They have a nice patio with fireplace for waiting, and wait staff serve appetizers and drinks out there. Wood and copper elements with an Arts and Crafts style and interesting art (images of trees, barns, still life). Cocktails are solid, and a nice wine and beer selection. Also no corkage for first bottle if you want to bring in something special. Staff is professional and solicitous but not overeager. You're well taken care of but not pestered. The menu is classic and nothing too crazy: grilled artichokes, a great dip duo of pimento cheese and guacamole, some tremendous beef ribs, rotisserie chicken, often fresh fish. Our go-to's are the flawless chicken sandwich (perfectly soft and slightly sweet brioche with thin and crisp chicken, cool tomato, Swiss cheese, and a great slaw) and the macho salad (greens with pulled rotisserie chicken, avocado, dates, goat cheese, cornbread croutons). In summary, Bandera for us is like that old friend you're always happy to visit who never fails to lift your spirits. I do wish they'd leave me alone about wearing my hat inside though...

Limited wine list , mediocre food. Sloppy service. I have been there three times in the last two weeks.

We had a reservation and asked if we could come in a little early. They were not accommodating at all and said it would be a 2 hour wait without even looking up our reservation:-( So disappointing with their attitude. We canceled.

Best steak in all of Cali and amazing service, I got the Filet that was at a reasonable price!

I am utterly appalled by our recent experience at Banderas. We arrived as a family of six, including four adults, a teenager, and a 10-year-old, hoping for a lovely evening together. Instead, my father-in-law was forced to separate from our group and eat alone at the bar because they don't allow more than 5 people to a table. When my father-in-law approached our table just to say hello, the General Manager rushed over and insisted he could not sit with us, despite my father-in-law explaining he had already ordered his dinner at the bar and that he was just visiting while I opened my birthday gifts. The manager's rudeness was astonishing; he completely dismissed our circumstances with the careless remark, "that's not on me." This lack of consideration for our family was shocking and disappointing. Feeling frustrated but not wanting to ruin our evening, especially on a rainy Friday at 5:30 PM, we chose to stay. Unfortunately, no accommodations were made, nor were any apologies offered for this inconvenience. My father-in-law ended up eating alone, which was disheartening. As if that weren't enough, a server carelessly put her elbow directly in my face while serving our food--an act that felt both intentional and disrespectful. To add to our woes, my daughter found a hair in her ribs!! Gross!! Having frequented Banderas for nearly 25 years and have always loved the menu, experience, and the atmosphere, I can confidently say we will NEVER return. This experience was not just disappointing but also frankly unacceptable. If you're thinking about dining here, I suggest reconsidering. @GM, Darius, THAT IS ON YOU! Do better!!

I don't think I've ever give a 1 star. I've seen people write out I wish I could give negative and now I understand why. I arrived in my 2 year sons birthday to banderas in new port beach. We were there 30 minutes early and just stayed outside until they opened the restaurant. They opened the restaurant and we were the first people inside. They sat us all the way towards the back of the restaurant which I personally prefer because of my children. We ordered our food and my son loves to just roam around and see the area. I always supervise him just in case people don't see him or he goes into areas he isn't allowed. The manager BEN came up to me and said hello my name is BEN and stuck his hand to shack my hand. I shook his hand and said hello. The first thing he said after that was, can you please keep your child with you guys inside the booth, we don't want your child getting hurt. I totally respect that and said no problem and brought my son into the booth to sit with us. I looked behind me into the restaurant and saw that there was maybe 1 or 2 other tables at that moment with people in it. After 15-20 mins of sitting and eating out food, my son was watching some child entertainment on my phone so he can stay calm and not run around. A different manager came and say hello has anyone helped you with anything or asked if you'd like anything small for your children? Me and my wife both looked at each other and said no nothing and he said if I can help, please let me know and I said sure can you please bring me a small side of guacamole for my son , and you can charge me for it. He said of course and then leaned over to me and said, can you please lower your phone volume to the lowest level as to not disturb other people? I was in shock because I could BARELY and I mean barely hear the phone number. I said sure and took the phone and lowered it. My wife that was sitting literally across me said I can't even hear it, why the heck would he even say that??? I was in shock about that. After our food arrived and I asked for my steak to me medium well, it came out medium rare. I didn't complain because I don't usually complain about the temperature of steak because I enjoy the medium or medium rare type but because I have children I get it more well done for my children to eat. My son started getting antsy and started swinging his head and it hit the wood framing of the booth. He started crying and I know he was upset and hurt. I quickly picked him up and rubbed him and took care of him. I said to my son let's go to the bathroom to wash up. We went to the restroom and washed up. When I came back to my sit, my wife said you won't believe what that manager said. I said again? What did he say? He came to my wife and said can you please keep the outbursts to a minimal? My wife told him my son hit his head and got hurt, he said oh no can we get him ice or anything? She said no and he left. At this point I was so angry I was going to lose it. I told my wife get the check and let's get out of here. I have been eating at Houston restaurants longer than that manager BEN has been alive. I'm so disrespected by how he handled that. We sat in the corner kept to ourselves Kept the noise to a minimal Tried ordering quickly and leaving to not disturb anyone Paid and tipped generously For some loser manager to come and say that about my child. I eat at Hillstone in Santa Monica probably once a week if not more. There is a south Beverly grill down the street from my home that I go to as well. Very bad customer service and VERY bad acknowledgement of circumstances.

Amazing Right in the middle of CDM Great atmosphere, busy place. You need to make a reservation for the Bar ads well as the dinning area. it's always very crowded. Reservations are highly recommended. But you will love the experience. Food and the drinks are worth the wait We started with the cornbread bites which are really yummy, followed by dinner.. steak with blue cheese and tomatoes. Delicious. The margarita was also good, but I don't really care for the egg white foam they put in it. When ordering that drink, make sure that you say egg white or no egg white foam. Enjoy

Sad that Costa Mesa is the last remaining example of this remarkable restaurant. Spent a lot of time at the Scottsdale location before it closed. Service - Swiss watch. Kitchen operations - Swiss watch. Food - always excellent. Ambience - soothing, dark and classic. A++++++++++++

I want to say this is my second time writing about Bandera Corona on how exceptional the service, food and restaurant is. Charisma took care of us this weekend and it was amazing that we didn't even have to tell her that it was our anniversary. Whenever you can feel special without having to tell your server it's a special occasion is a huge positive as a consumer. Can't want to be back!

Thought the appetizers were awesome but the entrees were just good, not great but also not bad. Chicken is a tad dry but the smoked salmon spread and corn bread were definitely the stars. Great dinner ambiance. Be prepared to wait, still had to wait 20 mins even when we showed up on time for our reservation

Dined here last night. Servers were very attentive. Ambiance was nice, lighting was somewhat dark but rather nice. Almost every table was occupied Parking was Easy I had the Duckhorn Merlot, she had a Modelo. She had a Salad I had the SEATTLE-STYLE BARBECUE SALMON fillet'd in-house, grilled, and served with cucumber salad

Bandera is always a good time. Met up with a friend there after work. It was pretty busy for a weekday which is inconvenient but also a sign that you're in for a good meal. Despite the crowd, we were seated promptly at our reservation time. Bandera has a very nice vibe, low lighting. Loud enough that your conversations aren't intruded on but not so loud that you have to shout to hear each other. My go to starters are the dip duo and the cornbread. Don't approach these as if they are mutually exclusive. Get both. Trust me. For mains, I had the lamb sandwich. Glad to see it back on the menu. It's so flavorful and the meat is super tender. My buddy had the french dip which he said was insanely delicious. It's a small menu, but that's usually a sign that everything on it will be a hit. Definitely recommend for a casual evening out.

New food pictures for this review as I was out with business colleagues and it wasn't appropriate. Okay for starters we had the dip duo which is guacamole and a jalapeno queso. The queso actually reminded me of a pimento cheese dip that you would get from the south. Both were excellent and delicious. Next I went with the nice little house salad which was really nice with greens, pickled, carrots, walnuts and goat cheese very nice For my entree I went with the chicken and barbecue rib combo. Excellent. The ribs were tender and juicy. They don't give you a lot but that's okay. They do give you a half chicken which was Smokey and delicious. No one went for dessert. Two of my compatriots had the French dip sandwich which they thought was excellent and then our other compatriot had the kale and roasted salad and she enjoyed that. Service was prompt a little too prompt as I was still eating my salad when they brought the entree. But nevertheless, very nice place and they definitely have a lot of good smoked meats

Been coming here for more than 10 years. Excellent service, awesome food. Cornbread make sure ask for a side of honey and butter. Duo dip is also excellent. I always order the chicken sandwich very tasty. All around top to bottom you can't go wrong! Love it ..

Cold heartless jerks. Sarah the manager kicked us out due to us bringing our 9 year old which there were 5 of us at a 6 person booth but only due to us not listing 5 people they asked us to leave. We we were there for our god mothers anniversary of her husbands death but they could care less. Insulting and unprofessional. Deeply insulting and heartless. Review this policy. It's poor execution and no accommodation. They are an arrogant group. I supported this establishment for years. They have ho heart and I'm done and will be telling everyone I know not to visit until things change.

Ugh this is so sad that I have to even write something like this .. I've been coming to bandera for so long. My husband and I usually come twice a month. Well went to Bandera for my friends birthday. I called the day before to see if they allowed five people for the reservation. She said come a little early and they will be able to accommodate us no problem. Upon arrival I reiterated that the reservation is for five people, and the short manager man was SOOO rude like beyond rude to us. Saying we won't be able to sit you for another 2 hours. I'm like why? Isn't it all the same booth seating like we are gonna be sitting in one booth why is it gonna be another 2 hours? "Well that's just how it's gonna be" ewwwwww. Then we finally get seated. All is well we were having a good time then my friend and I noticed they just kept looking over with a nasty look on their face talking to each other. Clearly talking about us. Every time they left our table they would just glare and talk. Idk why. We were having normal conversations. Yeah I may have said a bad word but it was 10:00 at night no one around. The lady comes over to our table and with a stern voice says "please use family friendly language in our restaurant. You are being inappropriate" then proceeded to walk over to the manager and some other servers and talk about us all of them looking in our directions. we were shocked. I've never felt so terrible anywhere. We paid so much money to have the worst experience. The food was out of this world though. I hope I'll be back some day :(

Been going to Bandera and Houston's and White House in aspen for decades. Went to dinner at Bandera Saturday night with three friends all of us are locals and have eaten there many times. We were waiting for our food when a snotty so called little manager came to our table and said we were cut off from drinks. When we asked why he gave no explanation for his actions. I explained that I was the designated driver and asked what the problem was. He then said he was calling the police if we didn't leave, still with no explanation. The food is always good but I will never eat there again. Such an absolute joke.

I'm writing this review with a lot of disappointment because my first experience here recently was absolutely amazing -- and unfortunately, my second visit was the complete opposite. The first time I tried the barbecue beef rib, it was incredible: perfectly tender, served piping hot, and full of rich, smoky flavor without being overwhelmed by char. There was absolutely no blackened tar taste. Even the cornbread was warm and fresh. It left such a strong impression that I couldn't wait to come back. This time, however, was very disheartening. The beef rib was lukewarm when it arrived, and all I could taste was burnt char, which completely ruined the flavor. I was with a friend who isn't comfortable sending food back, and since I was also very hungry, I hesitated to say anything at the moment -- but I deeply regretted it afterward. It's especially concerning for me because I had brain tumor removal surgery in 2023, and eating heavily charred meat is a serious health risk. Blackened meat is carcinogenic, and consuming it is something I absolutely cannot risk for my health. We shouldn't have to ask for our food to be served without a carcinogen -- it should be the standard. When I spoke with the manager, I was told that the meat is cooked over an open flame and that's just how it is. Honestly, I find that a very frustrating and poor excuse. It's not about the open flame -- it's about whether the cook knows how to properly adjust the fire and timing for different cuts of meat. A skilled cook should be able to deliver great flavor without serving burnt food. I've actually been coming to this restaurant on and off for over 30 years. I still remember when they used to serve the most perfect filet mignon -- beautifully cooked, without any heavy char. Sadly, times have changed. Now even the filet mignon often comes out blackened, and it's clear the cooks today aren't the same, nor is the attention to quality. Unfortunately, after this experience, I don't think I'll be returning for a third visit. It's disappointing because my first recent visit gave me hope -- but consistency matters, and so does the ability to handle feedback properly, especially when it involves real health concerns.

Let's face it, Hillstone knows how to run a restaurant. Always good, always pretty consistent. I've been coming to Bandera since it opened and the cornbread was a full loaf in a cast iron. Unfortunately it's slowly beginning to slip and the rules (no hats/caps, no parties greater than 4, etc.) can be a bit obnoxious. I get the business side of things and they need to turn and make $, but the service isn't quite what it was. You can no longer order a full meal at the high-tops in the back, the portions and menu are slowly changing (not for the better). But it's still Bandera and one of my favorite local restaurants.