Bistro Menil

Had a delicious dinner date here ✨ The atmosphere is classy enough for a nice dinner but casual enough to drop in by chance for a lunch. The pizza was interesting. A bit more of bread + salad than pizza but good flavors. The mashed potatoes were deliciously creamy. Main dish was tender and juicy. Staff was sweet and gave good wine recommendations.

Nice Sunday brunch with 2 friends- we had bubbly and mimosas with our meals. I loved my crab & mushroom crepes with lemon butter sauce. The cold zucchini with pancetta salad was unique and delicious! Love the service too. Make reservations so you will have seating right away- too noisy and crowded. Suggest that wall and ceiling should have noise absorbing material-

What an amazing restaurant. I have loved eating here for the past ten years or so. The patio in Spring was always perfect. The food was phenomenal, as was the wine selection. I had the best rigatoni of my life here about 7 years ago. The 12 hour ribs were always delicious. Will miss this place dearly. So glad we were able to go once more this week. I had the San Marino pizza for the first time in years. The sauce was spicier than I expected, and the mushroom and panchetta added a certain funky umami. My wife loved the crab cakes. The eggplant fries can sometimes be too greasy or soggy, but they were crisp and perfect this time.

A really lovely cafe bistro. The eggplant chips were out of this world. We've all eaten our fair share of pizzas but somehow the Chef takes it to another level. Highly recommended.

Short but comprehensive menu and brief but great wine list. All tastes are pretty much catered for. Efficient and friendly service. Quiet lunch, a precious thing. Pizza Amalfi with pear and truffle oil was plenty for two.

As a celiac girlie, finding a restaurant that truly accommodates gluten-free dining is a challenge—but Bistro Menil exceeded my expectations! While they don’t have a dedicated gluten-free menu, the staff was incredibly knowledgeable and went above and beyond to help me find safe options. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, and the atmosphere is just as lovely—perfect for a relaxed brunch or a cozy dinner. Plus, being right next to The Menil Collection makes it an ideal spot for a full-day experience! Highly recommend for my fellow gluten-free foodies looking for a safe and delicious meal in Houston! ✨🥂 You can also follow my journey navigating gluten-free life with EoE over at @glutenfreewitheoe on Instagram for more great finds!

Updates: I just found out about this place and I have been planning to visit again. I am so sad to learn that it is closing down. :( Love the indoor settings great place for dating and the food was great! Veggie Bowl 5/5 this is so healthy and tasty Crab & Mushroom Crepes 5/5 Yes I would come back for this

An excellent French restaurant that is very accommodating for gluten free food. The service was decent, and the food was great. Make sure to order the baked Alaska for dessert, unless they add Crème Caramel to the menu. I would definitely return in the future should I come back to Houston.

Service was a bit slow, but the food was good. Nice dinner intimate setting. The waiter did a good job helping my fianee and friends with wine selections

Came to Bistro Menil for a friend's birthday celebration to have afternoon tea on a Sunday for 2PM. Reservation process was smooth and our table was ready when we arrived. There is a small parking lot available for guests at the Bistro and for the Menil behind the building. There was plenty of parking available when we arrived. I was the first to arrive and as soon as I walked to the host stand, the host had time to say hello but then the phone rang. I was discouraged that he asked me to wait while he took the phone call and unfortunately it took several minutes. Once he hung up, he seated me promptly. The afternoon tea is lovely - you receive either italian soda (lemon or raspberry) or a glass of champagne first. Next, our food arrived and a little while later, we ordered our tea. All of the drinks were delicious and served at great temperatures (hot and cold, depending). The food was also delicious and the perfect portions for the occasion. At times, it was hard to get in touch with our waiter and service was a bit slow, but overall a good experience and I would go again for afternoon tea.

Atmosphere was great. Our waitress was very nice and knowledgeable. Food was very good for the price and portions were large. We got the watermelon salad - delicious. The salmon salad which was good but not your average salad. My dad got the trout also delicious. The seared brussel sprouts were not my favorite. I only took 1 star off because the parking lot is hidden. When you put the address on maps it takes you by the collection building. Also for the brussels

I was really surprised how much I enjoyed my experience here. I had never been because I figured it was expensive. Firstly I wanna say the limoncello kiss, my drink, was fire. And that may have altered my perception of the food. The croquettes were absolutely delicious. I started regretting ordering food and wishing I had just ordered more croquettes honestly. The burger overall was a 7/10. It had good umami flavor, I loved the truffle cheese and the onions. The bun was above average. The actual burger patty was alright. It was not cooked to what I ordered and ended up being medium well instead of well done. I honestly could've done without the bacon as it added nothing to the flavor profile. I would've loved to see something fresh added in as well like arugula or something. The side potatoes were very bland and unimpressive. No im sorry I didn't try the little pickles. But overall I enjoyed it and it was nice to sit outside. It will be so much nicer I'm sure after the summer. Oh yeah and lots of parking and right next to menil shop, menil collection, and park.

I've been to the Menil Collection before and was recommended to try their bistro by several people. When I saw they were partaking in HRW, I decided to finally try this place. I went with a friend of mine who is gluten sensitive and their menu was completely GF friendly. Major plus on their end. - Jumbo lump crab cake with caper and cornichon mayonnaise: pretty good, not too salty. Squeeze of lemon gives it a nice touch. - Crisp duck confit: was really worried about this since the reviews were mixed between crispy and dry. But it wasn't dry this time. Skin was crispy enough and the meat was tender, easy to fall off the bone. I was pleased with how it came out. I got the mashed cauliflower/potatoes and house salad as my sides. I enjoyed those as well. - Crème brûlée: typically not my go to dessert, but I enjoyed this textbook crème brûlée. My friend ordered the 12-hour beef short rib and I was able to try that as well. Not too bad, however could've used a little bit more port wine sauce to top it. She said she enjoyed all her food as well. Overall, pretty good experience. Attentive servers, cleaned courses off fairly quickly, and kept my water filled all night. They take reservations, but it wasn't too busy for walk ins. There is outdoor patio seating. Good amount of parking in their own parking lot (grateful for that). At night, the ambiance is lowly lit, good for date night. I would come back again, but wouldn't say I find myself absolutely craving to come back right away.

Wow what a pleasant patio dining experience for one today! Weather is gorgeous and the staff seated me under the tree, so I would be almost guaranteed longer shade. I had the entire entrance patio to myself, so I felt very VIP!! They have some jazzy elevator music, but I love that because I can chillax without words - sounds like Spanish guitar at times. Staff is kind and welcome and knowledgeable with the menu. I tried the HRW $25 lunch and was impressed with my crab cake - big chunks of crab and I liked my roasted potatoes and salad, almost like a bento plate. Today was an iced tea kind of day and they kept my glass full. I was just enjoying the sunshine, oak trees, and sycamores. I think they just have the standard iced tea, perhaps having some different flavor options might be fun. The lemon tart was delish - crunchy phylo crust and merengue like topping with the tangy lemon filling, just perfect for a breezy warmer day. So much fun to people watch, great crowd of all ages - one human had magenta hair, I felt style envy! Highly recommended for lunch!

Overall, I don't think I would come back, but it was a solid place for lunch, especially if you're in the area or visiting Menil. This review is more of a 3.5. FOOD Eggplant fries ($12) It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, maybe more breading than I thought? I recommend if you want something crispy/fried that's not fries. Calamari ($12) This was solid, I didn't like the sauce. Calamari was soft and chewy though! Crab cake ($34) I don't like crab cake, but this may have been the best crab cake I've ever had. I tasted actual pieces of crab, and not that much cake. We got it with mashed cauliflower/potato and house salad. The mashed potato had a pool of butter in it, which my mom/grandma did not like. Pizza ($19) I didn't like this, but my mom and grandma enjoyed it. My grandma even had a second slice! It had sausage and mushrooms, but I think the sauce was what put me off. SERVICE Our waiter was friendly and easily resolved an issue we had with one of our dishes. AMBIENCE There was a lot of natural lighting and the views of the trees/Menil collection was very pretty. It's nice that there's a dedicated parking lot with plenty of spaces. We didn't have to wait for a table at 11:30-12pm on a Saturday.

A nice converted restaurant conveniently next to the Menil Collection, Bistro Menil is a nondescript eatery that offers tasty European inspired dishes. We settled on this place on a Sunday evening. It was a pretty full house, though we were seated immediately. We started off with the papas alinadas as an appetizer which consisted of Spanish style potatoes topped with tuna and egg. It was pretty good. The potatoes possessed a bit of a sour taste and were nice. The duck confit was absolutely delicious. I loved the crispy skin, and it was a perfectly cooked, flavorful, and moist. The dessert of Tuscan lemon almond torte is not to be missed! I love a good almond dessert, and theirs is delicious and top notch with the accompanying dollop of cream. So why the three stars? First, service was super slow. At first I excused it because it was a busy evening, but by the end of our meal, we were the only diners left and it still took forever for the server to attend to us. Secondly, the regular sides were very lackluster and limited, and it was a hefty amount to upgrade to larger and better premium side. Overall an okay place with a charming atmosphere.

Blackberry cake @ Bistro Menil, needs a few more berries ;-) Very much enjoyed the ambience, and company including AAEF Board members, Rice Univ., artist moody.Rice.edu/exhibitions/Hayv-Kahraman-foreign-us Thank you to our gracious host Dr. Aziz Shaibani! Hayv K. has a not to be missed exhibition @ Rice, free to the public, now through May 11th.

This adorable bistro is located in the Menil museum property just off of Alabama. When you go there you feel like you are in central park in New York. It's beautiful and you are among nature. They have outdoor seating along with a small restaurant that has natural light throughout the restaurant. We went there on a Saturday afternoon and had lunch although they also had brunch being served we ordered the short ribs and the zucchini fries the short ribs came with cauliflower mashed potatoes And the zucchini salad. The short ribs were outstanding and melted in your mouth. The zucchini salad was also very delicious. We had a dessert of three small cakes, which were delicately flavored. The waiter gave wonderful suggestions, and the food was absolutely marvelous. They have high tea at brunch, lunch, and dinner. I definitely recommend this place and will go back again.

I arrived to find all the outdoor tables tee with the reserve sign on each table. Don't be discouraged by that I asked if I could have one of the tables and I said take whatever one you want. I was visited by Tony one of the several male squirrels we've been told are one of the most loyal customers at the restaurant, Tony maintain the proper distance and the nearby tree and fed a peanut by hand by our server. Our server was friendly, efficient attentive, and had a lovely voice when singing happy birthday to my wife. Two of us began with a French onion soup hot enough, but not too hot to eat right away and delicious. I followed it with a pizza planning to only eat half of it and take the other half home delicious, a salad with a was an apricot dressing. My wife had a salad that came with a different dressing, but asked for the apricot instead and we were accommodated. The lemonade was appreciated by those joining me and I had a ginger beer. And when we thought we had to rush out and order was sent to the kitchen to put on Rush takeout dessert moments later we change that and the kitchen and the waitress gracefully changed from rush and we got to enjoy our dessert which was a brownie with a sparkler accompanied by that beautiful song from our server

My friend and I had brunch at Bistro Menil this past weekend. My friend arrived first, but they wouldn't seat her at a table until I arrived. The restaurant wasn't busy when we arrived, but it did pick up as we were leaving. We had the option of ordering from the brunch or lunch menu. I was a little bummed that the cocktails are all wine based. Drinks: Blood Orange Mimosa (not pictured) - It was okay. I didn't love it, but I drank it. White Sangria - My friend ordered this and liked it. Cappuccino - My friend and I ordered cappuccinos after our meal and they were really good and foamy. Food: Belgian Waffle Savory - Chicken and waffles basically. The portion was huge! I asked for extra syrup because the tiny cup that came with it wasn't nearly enough. The chicken was okay. It wasn't bad, but wasn't outstanding either. I could taste orange zest in the waffle batter which I don't care for. Because of that, I probably wouldn't order the Belgian waffle again. Belgian Waffle Fruit Forward - My friend ordered this. She had the same opinion about the orange zest. They did give a generous amount of berries and they were sprinkled with powdered sugar. I had a slice of strawberry and it was good. The presentation of the food was nice, but the taste of the food didn't quite match up. The service was good. Our waiter was attentive and other staff kept water glasses filled which I always appreciate. The restaurant itself is cute and has a nice ambiance. They have a small patio out front as well as a patio on the side if you prefer to dine outside. The grounds around the Menil are really pretty. They have a large sculpture near the entrance of the restaurant. We didn't visit the museum, but I have been to the Menil before (granted it was years ago). They have a private parking lot, but it is kind of narrow so be careful. If you can't find parking in the lot, there's street parking. The food was okay, but the service was good. It wouldn't necessarily be a top choice for brunch, but I would be willing to come back to try some of the other menu items.

I came for houston restaurant week and this place is a solid 4.5/5. Only took .5 stars off because of the price and quantity of food. I shared the crab cake and the beef rib with a friend. Crab cake - 4/5 Delicious with nice chunks of crab meat. The caper mayonnaise wasn't my favorite but it paired well with the crab and was very tender! Beef rib - 5/5 Super tender meat and delicious bbq sauce. I liked the fried onion strips that went along with the rib. Gave it a nice crunch. My favorite of the sides was the mashed cauliflower/potato with generous amounts of butter. Super delicious and smooth. The fried potato chunks were nice but could've used more salt. Creme brûlée - 5/5 Delicious and creamy but slightly on the cold side. The caramel on top had a very nice crunch and wasn't too thick so it didn't get stuck in your teeth. Basque cheese cake - 4.5/5 This cheesecake was surprisingly not overly sweet and the fruit gave it a good amount of acidity. The only gripe I have is that the crust was too damn thicc. Definitely did not finish that part.

Great service- Alex was friendly and efficient. Lovely deck. Great food. In addition to the two dishes pictured we had eggplant fries. Must have!!

Fantastic French bistro hidden away in a neighborhood. Small menu that is well executed and best of all very gluten friendly. Will definitely return.

I went here for afternoon tea on my birthday and really enjoyed it. I love the peaceful ambience of the restaurant and it was definitely a more modern take on afternoon tea. We got champagne at the beginning, followed by a cute little cup of tomato soup both very good. Then they brought out the tiered tower of sandwiches and desserts. We got 4 of every sandwich so the portions were pretty good. I will say when comparing it to Hotel Granduca's afternoon tea, I don't think it is as good but still enjoyed it.

All excellent! Service is top notch. Food was great, we dined on the patio. Peaceful ambiance, you can hold a nice conversation.

I had been wanting to come to this place and it did not disappoint. It is a little pricey but the food is really good. I am pleasantly surprised at how delicious the dishes were! Braised ribs: great flavor, tender and soft, love the caramelized onions Fried eggplants: I didn't know eggplant fries were a thing but I love the concept and the fries were perfectly crispy and light Chicken breast: nothing special and a bit dry Brussels sprouts: roasted well, could use some more flavor Goat cheese and asparagus crepe: loved this! I never would have thought about putting asparagus in crepes but it works well and the crepe batter was light and tasty Service was amazing and the atmosphere is clean and elegant.

I like everything down here The service is wonderful The food is great The vibe is super simple but chilled I love every inch of here Will for sure come back again

On a recent visit to Houston decided to return to Bistro Menil for lunch. Had lunch a few years ago and recall having a very good experience. On this visit the meal was even better! Had the Andalusian Gazpacho which came with a tomato-basil sorbet (not sure it enhanced the flavors) but it was flavorful and delivered the right amount of spiciness and Eggplant Fries (their signature starter). Both were delicious. For entrees we had the two specials: Paella and Mussels on a wine sauce. The seafood paella had grated parmesan cheese (which was not expected). Both the paella and the mussels were excellent. Decided to share a Tuscan Almond Torte which made a great meal memorable. This is a must have item. Should you feel full after your meal, order it and take it home! You can thank me later!

A real disappointment. Menil has always been a favorite, usually reliable with good food at a reasonable price point. However this time, we were seated and waited 15 minutes with no service. Waiters walked by us several times without stopping to take out orders. It was moderately busy, Saturday night (6:30). In fact a couple tables came after we were seated and they were serviced. Finally we just left without dinner. DISAPPOINTED!

A gluten free paradise. I've NEVER had a GF croquette in a restaurant- I was thrilled to have it on the menu. Same with the eggplant fries. Then had the duck salad and ended with a gluten free brownie!! Everything was good and the only reason it's not 5 stars is because everything and every bite was good - not OMG best bite ever. I would definitely return if back in town and am so appreciative for the immense choices!!!

Service 1 star Food 3 star Atmosphere 5 star Score 2.6 stars Sides were delicious and the flank steak was tender and cooked perfectly. But the meat lacked any seasoning which made it unappealing. Also, the servers looked straight out of a low end Mexican restaurant and the service was slow and unenthusiastic. Terrible service for a kinda pricey place. We had to hail her down with hands in the air. She took off with menus before we could order another serving of wine. She asked me if I wanted a box when they clearly can wrap up your food. And for the price, they should. Motel service at Ritz Carlton prices. Lovely atmosphere. Convo with the ladies is the only thing that made traveling here worthwhile. Not on my lists to revisit and try anything else.

5 STARS for a gluten-friendly restaurant with amazing food. Everything is clearly marked and some of the widest selection of gluten-free items in the entire Houston area. Great work Bistro Menil

They have a super lovely outdoor patio in perfect communion with nature, big oak trees around you and sunshine kiss on your face, overlooking The Menil Collection and Menil Park. It feels so serene and relaxing as you enjoy your meal here. We came here as a group, service was great but a bit slow, but food was fantastic. Some of the dishes we ordered: Roasted Salmon with mashed cauliflower and seared brussels sprouts with pancetta as the sides, Bavette Steak with seared brussels sprouts with pancetta (extra $5 for the brussels sprouts), and Sous Vide Salmon Salad. Everything is artistically presented and cooked to perfection. Most importantly, this restaurant is very health-conscious, they offer a plenty of gluten-free options of entrees and desserts. Highly recommend.

We were there on an off night, as in it was a Saturday dinner but Beyoncé was in town so the restaurant was empty. It's usually pretty booked, always make reservations. On busy night you won't be hearing each other well, so no first dates, no serious dinners, just best for good times with friends and family. The food is good. It is fresh and generous servings too. I remember the 12-hour Beef Short Rib, it was good.. The desserts don't disappoint either. Overall it was a great dinner. If you are visiting the museum this s a great place to take a break and get some snacks during the day. The attire in the evenings is a little more formal. Just beware. But it's Houston it's not like they are going to turn you down because you showed up in shorts.

This is a celiac paradise. Almost everything on the menu is Gluten Free and good w resonable prices

Came here after a visit to the Menil. Walking in, I thought the ambiance was nice. Looking at the menu, I was a little underwhelmed but since we were already there, had to make the best of it. Our waiter came a couple of minutes after we sat down but we asked for more time. He gave us a little too much time cos 15 minutes later, we were looking for him. We had to ask the person who refilled our water for him to please return. I had the 12 hour short-rib with their house salad and bistro fries. I think rating it a 5/10 is quite generous. For a 12 hour short-rib it lacked flavor. The bistro fries were just okay. The service we received was also lackluster. Definitely not the experience I was hoping for.

A cute restaurant with lots of nice natural lighting. We came for the afternoon tea, which was $65 a person and included a glass of champagne. Everyone was in the same dining room for both afternoon tea and lunch. Service was great, but the tea was not super unique. The food was decent- my favorite was the raspberry friands. Probably about the best you'll get for afternoon tea in Houston, but doesn't come close to authentic afternoon tea

Cute spot next to the Menil museum. There are very few places that embrace gluten free food. The bistro Menil does a great job with this. Everything from the calamari to the dessert is done well. They also have a great restaurant month menu. I always find myself returning. Great weekday lunch spot and weekend brunch.

As an entirely gluten free family, we definitely appreciate when a restaurant has items marked on the menu. And we love it even more when the majority of the menu is gluten free. That was the initial attraction to Bistro Menil on my first visit after finding it on the Find Me GF app. I brought a date on my first visit and we had the patatas bravas and chicken. The patatas bravas were really good but the chicken was lacking. And our waiter pretty much forgot about us at the end when it was time to pay, even when they were getting ready to close. Because of the variety of options I wanted to bring my family back. This time we had a 6 pm reservation and a show to catch at the Hobby Center, and our waiter told us that was no problem. They did bring everything very fast and we were done in an hour and a half. For starters we ordered the house special eggplant fries which I thought were really good. And of course the patatas bravas, which are my personal favorite. The sauce is just bursting with flavor and smokiness and the egg complements it really well. Mains: The 12 hour short rib was excellent. Super tender and nice flavor from the wine. The house salad was tasty as well. Cauliflower mash was eh. My friend didn't particularly enjoy her salmon salad (sous-vide) but the crab cakes, gluten free pizza, and prime steak, and duck salad were all thoroughly enjoyed. Dessert: I love that all desserts were gluten free. I had the banana and nutella crepe and thought it was alright, but the blackberry cake was delicious. Great service, pretty good food and a nice atmosphere make this a wonderful restaurant.

I yet, I tried again because it is close to my work. I continue to say that the staff is rude and racist. I went with a girlfriend and ordered a cheese board and some appetizers and salad. I asked for a change of bread and they asked "what"? I asked for a "white bread". I was mimicked on "white" and was told everything doesn't have to be white and they don't serve WHITE bread. I have allergies and I can't have grain breads or breads with seeds. I shouldn't have to explain my issues. White bread is any bread that is simple and plain and usually used in the kitchen for many things. This place finds everything racist! Yes, we were two white women with blonde hair, but to treat us wrong because we weren't "hippy" or " tattooed" or "darker skinned" is not acceptable. The waiter did not return to the table and another server took over and even this server was unkind and racist. He kept asking us everything was "white acceptable". We waited forever for our drinks and even to pay. I believe this place needs to think seriously about how they train their personnel. Customer service is vital and they need to keep their personal hatred at home. Hate takes you nowhere!

Ok its a great experience. The Sunday brunch is great also had dinner here a few times. Owner stopped by the table and welcomed us. Had a lot of different food on our table. Overall they have some great dishes. Not a fan of the GF Pizza but Everything else is fabulous. Also lots of gluten free options.

Excellent bistro, Houston version. The food is great and the service is adequate. Indoors is nice and the terrace is beautiful in the spring and fall.

Nice cafe. Went there for tea service. Had a great time there. I would go again for the regular menu.

We came here with some friends to check out the HRW menu. It is located next to the Menil Collection and Menil Park. Very nice area and the restaurant itself if beautiful and upscale. Parking is plentiful and free. We were seated right away because of reservations. The staff was friendly and definitely take care of their guests. Other than the beautiful surroundings and nice service, the food and value was very underwhelming. First things first, do not expect any cocktails here. They only serve wine and beer. That was kind of odd to me. We all went with the HRW menu. For my first course I went with the Galician Octopus. This dish came out with one tiny tentacle. It had maybe three or four solid bites. Those bites were tasty, but I wish I had more. It was tender and cooked well. I had a bite of the crab cake and it started off good, but it was overly citrusy. For my entrée I went with the 12-Hour Beef Short Rib with mashed potatoes and zucchini with parmesan and pancetta as my sides. The short rib was just ok. The mashed potatoes were completely bland, no flavor whatsoever. The zucchini like almost everything else was way heavy handed on the citrus notes. It was not enjoyable. For my dessert I got the crème brulee which was the saving grace of the meal. It was really good. Overall, I was not very impressed with this place. The food just did not seem to be consistent with the upscale vibe or prices they're trying to portray.

Went for lunch during HRW. Loved the crab cake with sides and creme brûlée for dessert. Street parking is available right around opening time, but not sure how packed it would be for the dinner rush. Ample tables and seating and the wall to wall windows crated a nice open atmosphere.

What an amazing unexpected gem! The restaurant is classy and the food was great without being overpriced. The patio out front gives you a great view of the museum and trees across from the bookshop. It's truly refreshing since most patio restaurants in houston seem to face a parking lot. We dined on the patio at lunch on a Saturday with no reservations and got seated immediately. Amazing Neapolitan style pizza fresh from a brick oven and split the duck salad with a tea was 54.00$ . Can't beat the quality of food at the price with the view. Will definitely be back.

Came for noon tea. We got 3 teas, the cheese board, and roasted potatoes. Overall the ambiance was nice, and food was okay. The French vanilla rose tea was defenitly our favorite!

Got to love a museum that has its own bistro and keeps the food at the same level. That's the case here. This is my second visit and the first where a HRW menu was offered. Had to try it as I found the regular menu enchanting. The HRW menu was a good sampling of the culinary skills of the chef. I had an exquisite short rib that melted in my mouth. My dining companions opted for the crab cakes and a crab salad. We all had the creme brûlée and it was delicious. Let's talking plating, it's museum quality! Check the pictures.

Relaxed but stylish ambience, lovely staff, prompt and attentive service (thanks Ally!). We had the HRW menu and everything was perfect - crab cake, short rib and generous sides, dessert was scrumptious - cheesecake and lemon meringue. Must be one of the best value HRW menus and locations.

VEGETARIAN REVIEW This place isn't ideal for vegetarians, but they do have a few things. I was there for appetizers and wine, and I chose the Cheese Selection starter. It came with toasted fig and walnut bread, cornichons, candied pecans, sliced pear, and cranberry mostarda. If I were to return, I would probably come for brunch to try the Caprese omelet. The service was a bit slow, but pleasant. The restaurant had a nice ambiance.

Exceedingly mediocre in every aspect. It is pretty cute and the patio was nice to sit on but that was probably the best part. The service left a lot to be desired and the food was very meh. Soo many of the dishes feature truffle & I was excited to try some so we got the potatoes with truffle cheese & oil as well as the mushroom pizza. Both were really bland and boring, you could hardly taste truffle but they were still edible. Very forgettable meal, but maybe I just got the wrong things. As a vegetarian there weren't many options, no vegetarian main entree options. I would probably go back cause it was alright but I wouldn't choose it myself.

Phenomenal bistro. Excellent food and service. As a side note, one of the most GF friendly restaurants I've ever eaten at. Wonderful options. Gfree crab cakes, calamari, flatbread, and desert pastries. Recommend the calamari, house vermouth, and the almond torte. World class.

Afternoon tea review: My friend and I came for afternoon tea on a Sunday with an advance reservation. Parking is available in a free lot. Dress code is a dressy casual (we called and they said jeans were fine, but fortunately we dressed up more than that because no one was wearing jeans.) We were seated promptly and given the option to dine outdoors, though chose indoors. For drinks, champagne or lemon or raspberry Italian soda is included in the $65/person price. We got champagne which was good but served in a margarita type glass and therefore lost a fair bit of its carbonation. The tea was served promptly. I had a rose vanilla tea which was tasty. Sadly the water was not refilled and the teapot was rather small, so it was only about enough for 1.5 cups of tea. For savory food, the zucchini-based soup came out first and was served in a very cute mini mug. It was flavorful. The tower came out next. It did not include scones as a standard afternoon tea would. Of the sandwiches, the BLT on a house made bun was okay, though served cold and then bun was similar to a pillsbury grands roll. The savory chicken salad roll was decent although the chicken was overpowered by the raisin bread. The smoked salmon sandwich was slightly less fishy than is typical and there was a lot of mayonnaise that drowned out the flavor, although the bread was rather thick and the sandwich was dry. The mini crab cakes were tasty but predominately breading with a hint of crab. For dessert, the lemon tart was quite tasty with delicious, soft meringue and puff pastry as well as a smooth and tart lemons curd. The chocolate mousse had a strange nutty flavor despite not being listed as nutty and was very rich, which is more a personal preference than food quality indicator. The vanilla creme brûlée was delicious with a snap on top and pieces of vanilla bean throughout the custard. Overall, the desserts were the best part of this afternoon tea. I'm not sad I went and had a nice experience, but I probably won't go again.

We came for brunch. Cute restaurant in a great location. The avocado toast I had with salmon was very good, as was the blood orange mimosa and the Bellini. Service was good - our waiter was very attentive.

Lovely patio. Food just OK. Is there even a chef in the kitchen? Most meats are cooked sous vide and it's obvious all sides are pre-made. It did taste ok but if we weren't sitting on the patio with lovely weather this meal would've been pretty disappointing. I think this place is prob better for a glass of wine or a cup of coffee while enjoying the surrounding grounds rather than a full meal. I won't be going back; toooo many good restaurants in this town.

For gluten-free folks, Bistro Menil should be a regular stop at the top of your list. It's upscale casual--the crowd leans both older and artsier without feeling too uptight. It's busy (always opt for a reservation) but not loud and the patrons are generally well-mannered, The food is fresh, clean and adventurous without succumbing to trends. I had the GF crab cakes with the cauliflower-potato mash and a side salad. My companions enjoyed the crab avocado salad (which is more of a short/wide crab tower) and another salad as well. For dessert, we split the GF blackberry buttermilk cake. All were delicious, but I have to say that for the crab cakes to be the signature dish, they are blander than I'd hoped. I ended up with dish envy and wish I'd opted for the short rib instead. So many places in inner loop Houston have become difficult to navigate due to the crowds, but this place is such a quiet gem. Every time I'm here, I remind myself I need to come back sooner rather than later.

Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. The food is a bit pricey but delicious nonetheless. A quiet spot near a high quality free art gallery.