Braise

New American restaurant · Willow Glen

Braise

New American restaurant · Willow Glen

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1185 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125

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Highlights

Braise offers a casual, farm-to-table vibe with local flavors and communal small plates, all in a laid-back space that once hosted bowling.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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1185 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125 Get directions

braisewillowglen.com

$20–30 · Menu

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1185 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125 Get directions

+1 408 294 2919
braisewillowglen.com
braisewillowglen

$20–30 · Menu

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reservations
outdoor seating

Last updated

Jul 10, 2025

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"When Braise opened in 2011, it was the city’s first farm-to-table restaurant, and there are still plenty of reasons to go today. Despite the high-end quality of the food, which often takes inspiration from Asian cuisines, there’s nothing fancy about the space. The tables were made out of bowling alley lanes (the building did indeed used to be a bowling alley and arcade), and you can absolutely wear jeans to dinner without getting glared at. Sit in the dining room as opposed to the bar—that way, you can watch the chefs make dishes like steamed pork buns and pollo verde. They also operate a culinary school on-site, in case your meal inspires you to become a better cook." - Kristine Hansen

Braise Review - Walker's Point - Milwaukee - The Infatuation
View Postcard for Braise

Tony Mathew

Google
Came here in a group on a Saturday morning for brunch. We all really enjoyed the food over here We started the dining experience by ordering the Tam and Jam Biscuit and Shaved Papaya Salad. The Tam and Jam Biscuit was sweet but tasted really good. They were small bites but felt like the right quantity. The Shaved Papaya Salad was refreshing and the taste of ginger along with dressing gives it a nice kick to the overall taste of the salad. We also tried the Cheddar Beignets and liked it. For the mains, we ordered the Avocado Toast and Brioche French Toast. The Avocado toast was topped with marinated mushrooms and I enjoyed the mushrooms a lot. The avocado toast tasted good too. The Brioche French Toast was a thick loaf of bread and topped with cream and strawberries and tasted juicy and sweet. The crowd was light on this Saturday morning and the service was great where the server was attentive and checked in with us at regular intervals to make sure we were well attended to. Overall it was a great experience as we enjoyed all the food and drinks served and the service was courteous too!

Arthur Molines

Google
The food was okay, everything was well presented, but strangely the hash browns were entirely unseasoned. Turns out that unseasoned potatoes are rather bland... My friend got the sausage sandwich which was apparently extremely spicy and also way too big. The avocado was good. The cocktails were very tasty. Everything felt fresh and prepared with attention but unfortunately a lot of small details were not right. Overall we had an okay time.

Rajarshi Das

Google
Amazing food and ambience. We walked into this place on a Saturday at 3p. It was the cocktail hour. We got the carrot dip, the grilled cheese, and the fries. Everything was perfect, that grilled cheese is unbeatable. This really is a special place.

Carl Foisy

Google
We stopped in for dessert after eating sushi nextdoor. The two options were a pot de crème and a homemade vanilla ice cream with strawberry jam, we ordered a couple of each and a French press to share….and enjoyed ourselves. The place was busy on their patio due to the nice weather, but we enjoyed the peacefulness inside. Tasty desserts, we ate them before taking pics, as they were too delicious looking to think about waiting another moment without tasting them….and they were equally as tasty. We’ll be back!

Mats Gunnarsson

Google
We wanted to try Braise after hear positive reviews by our friends. My wife called and reserved a outdoor table for her birthday. When we arrived there were tables open outdoors, but Braise had no more heaters so we had to move inside. We got seated and got a glass of water each. We wanted a drink while looking over the menu. Servers were walking by (not a busy night, maybe 30% capacity) and paying no attention to us. It took over 20 minutes before we got our drink orders in. We also ordered two appetizers. Appetizers arrived before our drinks. Then the drinks arrived. It took another 20-30 minutes before we had to get the servers attention for my wife to get a second drink and even longer before we could order entries. Food came out in expected time. Pork Chops were great, steak was good (nothing special). Service kept being poor. No check on how we liked the food or if we needed anything. Dessert menu was poor, so we skipped dessert. We actually walked across the street and had dessert instead.

Jaqui Walters

Google
Food was really great. We started with the cheddar beignets and they were addicting. The chiliquiles are great with the homemade chorizo added on. The carrot cake was a special for Easter and it was so worth it. The service was really great and our waiter made great suggestions and explained the cocktail menu well. Only downside was that upon being seated we were told we were going to have to leave in hour because they needed our table. It was strange because there was plenty of other empty tables all over the restaurant and we shouldn't have been sat in that one if it was needed in hour of when we got there.

Nicolas

Google
I am an extremely picky person and probably the most the picky person you’ll ever meet. So 4 or 5 out of 5 or anything 7.5 or higher out of 10 is really an achievement for that restaurant. In that case, here is my review, by Nicolas! I would give this restaurant a 7.5/10!!! Braise in a restaurant and bar with indoor and outdoor seating! I had the New York Steak with special instructions to have it very plain. Just salt and medium rare. It was very good, juicy, perfectly salty, tasty, and not over nor undercooked from medium rare! I am picky so I did not try the baked potatoes that came with it. The service was very outgoing and friendly! I am extremely picky this it is 4 stars! And ghats a solid 8/10!! I

Karume Richards

Google
The wife picked out this place to try, so we went and checked it out. It's in a downtown area so we found parking at a public garage and walked over. We were sat right away. The place looked nice inside. For drinks the wife thought she ordered a mimosa but ended up getting a mule instead, which she said was ok. I ordered the old fashioned which was good. The waiter recommended the Tam & jam so we tried that. It was good, but I found the cheese a little overpowering at times. For our mains, the wife ordered the chilaquiles. She didn't care much for it because it tasted like eating tortilla chips dipped in enchilada sauce, and she didn't like the sous vide egg. Our server noticed she barely touched it, so he took it off the bill which was nice of him. I ordered the brioche French toast. It was good, but parts were a little too sweet for me. Overall the food was ok, service was good.

Alfonso O.

Yelp
The Boys Mid Day outing..Oct 2024 Best time to have a up graded breakfast is 9-11am get it done early for the next course, which is Mimosas or Bloody Mary.

Sue S.

Yelp
IMHO We are kicking ourselves for not discovering Braise sooner. Our first meal became our last on their final night of service... Thankfully, we made a reservation and were seated at 5:30. You could tell from the crowd inside and those waiting outside that many wanted to experience Braise's "last supper" also. Trevor, our server extraordinaire, gave us his recommendations and customer favorites and what was no longer available on the menu. Our starters began with the Cheddar Beignets, Smoked Carrot Dip, Seared Pork Belly, and the PB&J Bone Marrow grilled sandwich. OMG!!! Everything was on point and perfection! Each had its own unique flavor profile, and I understood why customers raved about them. I'm still drooling over the PB&J Marrow... Dang! Our main entrees were two orders, each of the Aged New York Steak and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. I can't say enough about the perfect crunchiness and juicy moistness of the chicken! Perfection! We enjoyed the mini chocolate Pot de Creme. These were indeed mini in size, but they packed a punch of chocolatey flavor. Thank you, Braise and Trevor, for a fantastic, epic, and memorable meal!

Francie M.

Yelp
So sad this place is closing August 5, but glad I was able to sneak in a reservation at the bar before. I ordered: - warrior within cocktail with ginger, miso, mezcal, and gin; salty umami heaven in liquid form but could have used better presentation - cheddar beignets; the perfect cheesy comforting bite sized snack to start off (and paired well with the cocktail!) - Beets by Braise small plate; I couldn't not order one of their signatures but forgot that most beets taste like dirt to me unless pickled carefully - seared pork belly small plate; succulent and flavorful while balanced by the herb and radish garnishes The service staff was so kind even as they handled the rush of people wanting one last meal here Logistics: - indoor and outdoor seating - limited street parking - handful of vegetarian and gluten options

Sam K.

Yelp
Overall experience was good- date night on a Friday was easy, no reservations just walked in and a table was cleared for us by the door. Food: Boyfriend got the burger which he described as fresh and "not too big". I got the fried chicken wich was juicy, and crunchy. Dipping sauce was very tasty, and biscuits were the winner for me. So good. We shared a scoop of the house ice cream with jam for dessert which was much better than expected. Service 2.5 We started with one server and ended with another. We waited very patiently for the dessert but questioned if the order was ever put in and started a timer before we were going to get up and ask if it was forgotten. It arrived shortly after but then it took another chunk of time to get our check. All while staff was making silverware napkins and chatting by the bar or on their phones. Overall we both really enjoyed the food. Not sure we'll need to come back but there were some menu items I was curious about (Farro fried rice).

Angel H.

Yelp
Wanted to like this spot as it looked so cute in photos online. We came here for happy hour twice and the bill was incorrect both times (some HH items were charged full-price) but it was promptly adjusted as soon as we brought it up. Their service is kind and attentive, just watch your bill to make sure it's correct. The smoked carrot dip ($7) was quite bland and flavorless. The potato chips had more flavor than the dip itself. We ordered some cocktails to try and none of them were able to be modified because they were all pre-batched. The tequila sunrise tasted like juice and was too sweet; the braised by wolves was basic. Note that drinks here are not able to be made fresh, which was unfortunate. No comment on the rest of the menu as the HH items were not convincing to have a full dinner there. This spot seems to sell vibes more than the food itself, and it didn't click for us. We ended up walking over to Black Sheep Brasserie for dinner instead where the food was much better! Happy Hour days/times: Wed-Sat 3-5pm Fri-Sat 9-10pm

Kalani S.

Yelp
This place is an interesting American style restaurant . Simple menu and great bar cocktail selection. Here is my scoring card for this restaurant: 1) Location: ( 5 Point ) - Great location for customer to see and find. Great parking for street parking and back side with parking lot parking. 2) Decoration : (2 Point) - They still have the original decoration. Clean and still looks good 3) Price: ( 4 point)- The price is competitive but still a little bit pricey compare to other same stars and type food they serve 4) Quality and Taste : ( 3 point)- The quality is ok, food taste is good and portions are below average . Try the burger and butter fry chicken. 5) Type of cuisine standard : ( 4 point) - The style of American food they serve is pretty close to the way it was prepare in here. Not bad! But some dishes did have slightly modify to cater the customer's need Overall it's not bad and I thinks it's great to give it a try and let me know what you think. Go foodies Total max is 25 Score 18 Stars = 72% round up to 3 stars

Mitzy M.

Yelp
What an enjoyable rainy Sunday morning breakfast! Walking in, the ambiance of this place is exactly what I'd imagine a Willow Glen brunch spot to look like, down to comfortable pillows to aid your back on the wooden bench. We started with the cheddar "beignets" which were delicious, but I would consider these more of hush puppies than a beignet We got the eggs Benedict and the smoked salmon sandwich with a sunny side egg added. I enjoyed both equally and would recommend either, however the salmon sandwich was a little lighter as the Benedict was a much richer sauce with a thick English muffin base. Next time I would request a steak knife to cut into it. Loved the touch of the rosemary ham, reminded me of Thanksgiving or Xmas! I would like to come back here for lunch or dinner after having such a great brunch experience

James S.

Yelp
Fun, comfy upscale place that is not crazily priced. Seriously delicious food, knowledgeable servers and a sleek, cozy venue. Both times were breakfast/brunch, and I wished I could have imbibed with a cocktail. Someday, for sure. Meantime, we realized that we twice ordered the same thing for entrees. The Corned Beef Hash is not messing around. A hearty dish that does not rely on extra fat. Real ingredients uniquely delivered (potatoes, roasted peppers, caramalized onions, splendid hollandaise, sous vide egg). Yum. Pretty much everything looks amazing, and yet I once again choose their Mushroom Omelet. (Maitake, porcini soubise, wagon wheel cheese). Delicate but not wimpy, this omelet will get you and your tastebuds' attention. We started with the 'Tam & Jam'. (Three mini biscuits, Mt Tam cheese, seasonal jam) Say yes to this! Great starter, showcasing sweet and savory and setting the stage for a great meal. The first time we visited, we got something else to start which really underwhelmed. Thought the Cheddar Beignets sounded amazing, they didn't cut it for us. Maybe it was an off-day, but they really did not stand out. Happily, there were other options -- and there are still more yet. Can't wait to try more Smalls and Mains and beverages (other than their perfectly tasty coffee).

Bernadette G.

Yelp
This place is quaint, tidy and clean. I loved the low music as it allowed for nice conversation. For me, a small menu means they make food perfectly. And for the most part they did. They appetizers were good, my husband and I had the beignets, which were nice and savory. Just the right amount of crunch and cheesy flavor. We also ordered the pork belly with the fish sauce. This one was not too impressive. I did not like the over saturation in the sauce, it became very salty and soggy. It would have tasted better with some vinegar and more spice. I had the Manila clams as my main. The white wine sauce with chorizo was delicious! The chorizo did not overpower the mild taste of the clams. My husband ordered the fried chicken. The first thing I noticed was the skin was too dark, not burnt but definitely on the too done side. He tasted it and of course it was dry. After talking to the server, who insisted that it should not have been that way, brought him a new plate. This one was much better. Juicy, tender and flavorful! Overall, we had a nice experience. I will definitely try this place again, although my husband is a bit more hesitant. Thank goodness he's not on Yelp.

Kevin L.

Yelp
Heard some good things about their happy hour (not just the pricing, but the actual food), and I'd like to report that the rumors were 100% true. A great positive first experience with friends. I've been to Willow Glen numerous times, but this was the inaugural visit. Don't miss out on tasty drinks, and the AWESOME bone marrow PB&J. We will be back - the service was friendly and accommodating with our 4 month old, and I suspect this being a go-to spot moving forward.

Marlee B.

Yelp
Everything is tasty here! We especially love their large, juicy burger. The chicken is also very popular. Staff are always good and helpful. The restaurant is small with a few tables outside on sidewalk. The dining room can be a bit noisy for a large group. Conversation is comfortable for a party of 2-4. Check it out!

Sabrina C.

Yelp
Party of 5, is Absolutely impressive service and food. We walked up at 1:59 pm on Sunday. See the sign they said brunch ends at 2. The hostess said if you can order fast I can get it in. We took her offer, sat down and ordered our food quickly and she came right back to take our drink order. All the food was really good. We ordered 2 burgers, chilaquillas, a brioche breakfast sandwich and corn beef hash. All yummy. The cocktails were all phenomenal. 2 Sports, a Margarita, a Paloma and one other I can't remember but they were all good and we were all happy. Thanks for the great service and we will be back.

Scott L.

Yelp
Nice replacement for Over/Under. Tasty, interesting food (they had only been open 3-4 days so they are still sorting out the menu). Wait staff & manager very attentive, to make sure they make a good impression and people return. Nicely done interior and a def upgrade from before. Brunch was delicious and creative!

Julia S.

Yelp
This place is still a find. Staff was super helpful and on top of cutlery and water refills. I had the trout and mussel dish. Servings are on the "healthy" petite side, but the Maitaki mushrooms, crispy skin on the trout, and sauce were beautifully combined in flavor and texture. It's a bit pricey but good for a birthday dinner and also fair in respect to other restaurants of the same quality in Willow glen. Also all their ingredients felt fresh and well balanced. I picked this place for a group of six at 5:30 pm on a Sunday. It wasn't too packed and we were all able to hear each other and sit comfortably.

Lisa M.

Yelp
Best place for happy hour. The grilled cheese sandwich is delicious and they really do have the best French fries. I was told they make them fresh.

Riyona A.

Yelp
This is my new favorite spot for corned beef hash. And to be honest, I don't even like corned beef hash like that BUT this place does it right. First we showed up here for happy hour on a Saturday. I'm new to the area for work and wanted to explore a bit. Braise had great vibes so we stopped in. We ended up having a few drinks and decided to be on our way. The spicy margarita was SPICY and delicious. The next day we wanted to enjoy Sunday funday and brunch so we ended up at braise again, but this time decided to eat and that food did NOT disappoint. This is where we talk about the corned beef hash. It was marinated to PERFECTION. You hear me? PERFECTION. The entire dish was beyond flavorful. I had to call my man by his government name to let him know how serious I was about how freaking good this was and he agreed. He had the burger and said it was very juicy and super filling. He's a good eater and he wasn't even able to finish the entire thing. Great portion size overall and those fries were fire too. Fresh cut in house and salted to perfection. The servers were great and attentive. There was a little hold up with some fries we ordered, but we aren't picky. Stuff happens. Now take a drink every time I mentioned the word perfection when it comes to this restaurant. I will be back!

Ramona H.

Yelp
Visiting the area at Glow Candle and Decided to do dinner after. Checked Yelp and found Braise. It was a few Minutes away so perfect. Small, well decorated friendly staff. Good menu Selection. Peaches were awesome. Watermelon dish was good. Dumpling and corn very tasty but the mushrooms Were extremely salty which threw the flavor off. Cheese beignets were more of a fried cheese ball Max and cheese was not expecting that. Fried Chicken was awesome As were the beets. There were several Mishaps but management made it right. I really like this restaurant and everyone there was extremely nice and had great suggestions. They also accommodated and served spicy Components on the side which was much Appreciated. if in the area again We will Definitely revisit.

Eve K.

Yelp
Lovely surprise in Willow Glen for Saturday brunch. Food: 4 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: yes Eve award: best savory beignets Highlights: - Cheddar beignets: small warm balls of soft deliciousness with cheese worked in the batter. Reminded me of a cheesier less chewy version of the Brazilian cheese bread. Almost ordered another set. And I'm still craving them. 5 stars - Corned beef hash: chunks of tasty corn beef, runny eggs, and hollandaise I was a bit worried about, but it wasn't too much. 4 stars - Burger: hub said it was good being nicely cooked and juicy. 4 stars - Reservations for brunch: I hate having to wait a long unknown time to get a brunch table other places - Cocktails: nice unique variety. I enjoyed the red delicious which was appley and festive and hub got sports which was whiskey based. - Hh even weekends: some items like the burger and beignets and drinks on special - Friendly staff: felt welcome from the minute we came in - Atmosphere: casual minimalistic spot inside with a few outdoor tables Midlights: - Some cocktails premixed so you can't modify them: eg tequila coffee Lowlights: - Whiskey highball: sounded great with roasted rice, apricot, and sparkling, but it wasn't my favorite with a cough drop-y like flavor to me. Enjoyed our meal here and we'll be back for HH, more beignets, and cocktails.

Melissa K.

Yelp
Favorites- Cheese beignets are absolutely delicious (5 stars!), literally melt in your mouth... mmmm! The burger is also consistently tasty. They once had house made gnocchi with butternut squash, that was soooo gooooooood - I still remember my first bite with fondness (yeah, it was that tasty!!) Totally waiting for that to come back! Not so favorite - amount of french fries varies that come with the burger. Sometimes it's like a handful (like bottom of the barrel skimpy) and sometimes it's a decent portion. The fries are good too, so that's a bummer that it's never been consistent. The fried chicken is also pretty good, but, the overall plate, feels like it's missing something. Depending on timing, if you're able to get the fried chicken sandwich, get that instead! Drinks- good bar for adults, good drinks for kids too. The strawberries and cream is my son's go to, sometimes when I don't feel like a cocktail, I order one for me as well! Service - in general very good. Depending on who you get though, it's not always consistent. I have picked Braise to celebrate special occasions (birthdays, Mother's Day, etc.), and would say I'm usually very happy with the meals and service. There is some room for improvement on consistency which is why I'm not giving 5 stars. Other go-to-spots in WG are Black Sheep (highest mark for consistency), then Braise, and then The Table.

Nathaniel K.

Yelp
TLDR: Great pork cheek. Super salty Carbonara I really wanted this place to be special, a hidden gem-in-the-wall, so to speak. Why? Because it was our anniversary, and I wanted everything to be perfect! We left the house on time... you don't know how HARD that is to do for us! I mean, when I told my wife I'm always on time, she told me not to brag. Is that something that is brag-worthy??? I don't think so. But anyway, as you astute critic reviewers can figure out, this place is anything but perfect. Sure there are some bright spots, but there were some stains as well. First the good. It's in a good neighborhood... I always thought of Willow Glen as Los Gatos-lite. I REALLY enjoyed the pork cheek. Normally the Chinese way of preparing it, involves making thin slices of it. Here, and I didn't even KNOW cheeks can be this thick!, they braise it like an ox tail. It was moist and tender, and fell apart very easily. Exactly like an oxtail. We also liked the mini dark chocolate pot de crème. It was very fudgey and chocolatey. I also liked the brulee marshmallow on top. Gave it a little bit crunchy texture, which was like a playground for my mouth. Now the... not-so good. We had the green papaya salad. I know green papaya in general is sour and crisp. It's supposed to be a refreshing salad. Ours was drenched in a lemon sauce or a vinaigrette. Either way... SUPER SUPER sour. And I don't like sour in general. The Pasta Carbonara, if you've seen my previous reviews, is my wife's go-to Italian dish. While the noodles were cooked perfectly al-dente, the sauce was HELLA HELLA salty. Like I could feel my blood pressure rise-kinda salty. I helped my wife eat it by combining it with the salad. Finally we ordered some hawaiian cocktail. The vodka was really nice, but the drink itself was soooo covered in ice. I'm not sure there was much alcohol in there at all. It was very hard to drink... like eating the ice-chips after you sucked out all the syrup from a slushee. Lastly, the service was a bit spotty. While our server was cheerful and bubbly when she took our order, we didn't see much of her again. Oh and our bill was SUPER SUPER wrong... they double-charged our drink, and added beets? I'm not going to dock them a rating for that, since I'm sure it was an honest mistake... but just be careful going over the bill. All in all, there was just too many flaws to ignore. I really wanted to give them 4 or 5 stars, but alas, I just can't. I'm really sorry.

Jessica H.

Yelp
So happy to find another great brunch spot! We tried the smoked salmon sandwich and brioche French toast; both were delicious! I really liked the French toast because the bread was very soft and spongy. It reminded me of an Asian sponge cake and I liked that it wasn't too sweet. Our server was very friendly and constantly checked up on us and refilled our water. This place is located on the main street with a bunch of restaurants and shops so parking can be a bit difficult. I'd definitely recommend carpooling.

Courtney H.

Yelp
Went to Braise with a small group for Mother's Day Brunch and did not have the best experience. For starters, they already have a small menu and ran out of the French Toast by 11:30am. The options are also extremely limited if you don't eat meat. After our group voiced our feelings about no French toast, and a few other common mishaps (wrong plate being brought out), we heard multiple staff members gossiping, talking bad, and rolling their eyes at our table which felt very unprofessional. When our food arrived, some of it tasted good, but the overall experience with the service was such a turn off that we won't be back to Braise unfortunately.

Rachel K.

Yelp
We were so relieved when this place made it out alive from the pandemic through take-out and we could continue visiting in-person. It was with great sadness that we visited for the last time today. This place has been part of our rotation for many years because we love it so much. By far the best item is the PB&J bone marrow. Today's nut butter was the classic peanut butter. We always get at least one of these. Today we ordered 2 of these. Marrying bone marrow with PB&J is top notch innovation. We will miss this item a lot. The buttermilk fried chicken is another fave of ours with its crispy outer layer and juicy meat that never disappoints -- even with we order for delivery. The Tam & Jam made its way from the brunch menu into the dinner menu and into our hearts. The soft, cheesy Mt. Tam with jam inside a biscuit is perfection. My husband discovered the jungle bird cocktail here and immediately fell in love. It was no longer on the menu today but the bartender was kind enough to make one. We wish the best to the Chef AJ and the Braise team!

Steve W.

Yelp
Had dinner at Braise tonight. This is a cute and fairly small downtown Willow Glen neighborhood restaurant with a tapas/shared plates approach. Jill was our server. We told her we were new to the restaurant and she took the time to review the menu with us. This was extremely helpful. We ordered cocktails to start. The cocktail menu is very inventive with unique combinations/ingredients. We ordered the tiger paw, foolish assassin, and spicy margarita. I had the spicy margarita and you could taste the spice, but it wasn't overbearing. The tiger paw was surprisingly a warm cocktail, and the foolish assassin was an easy drinking and flavorful martini type drink. All were very tasty. We ordered 7 dishes that the 3 of us shared. Although that sounds like a lot, it actually was a perfect amount. We all liked every dish except the green papaya salad. This traditional Thai salad had too much fish sauce in the dressing making it too funky tasting to eat. My favorite was the PB&J, which was a fun and tasty play on a childhood favorite using bone marrow and homemade jam and nut butter...awesome. My wife and daughter liked the cheddar beignets, the pork belly, pork cheek adobo, and the fried chicken. All were pretty flavorful. We finished our meal with the mini chocolate pot de crème and 3 spoons. Toasted marshmallow topped with sea salt and the smoothest chocolate pudding. A perfect way to finish the meal. Braise is a fun family style/tapas restaurant with an inventive menu and a super fun cocktail program. The service was great. The food was good, but did not 'blow us away'. The chefs will have to ramp up flavors and textures in order to be Great. But I'll be back...certainly to try another unique cocktail.

Vicki A.

Yelp
The food at Braise was very good, but the service was pushy and rushed which put a damper onour evening. My friend and I went on a Thursday night and the restaurant was only about 3/4 full. Despite this, our waitress was constantly coming by to ask if we were ready to order, even after we told her we needed more time. She also cleared our dinner plates and dessert spoon before we were finished eating, and then came by several times to check if we were ready to pay the bill even though we were clearly engrossed in conversation. It felt like she was trying to hurry us out the door, even though there were plenty of open tables. I would agree with others that the lights also need to be turned down, it was far too bright for an evening dinner. Overall, the food was good but the service was disappointing. I would be hesitant to recommend Braise to others, especially if they are looking for a relaxed dining experience. Hopefully it was just an off night but I'll stick to take out from now on.

John D.

Yelp
You Braise Me Up It's been a while since I first reviewed Braise, so I figured this would be a good time to update after our latest visit. Opened in early '18, Braise is the brainchild of Anthony "AJ" Jimenez (former chef at The Table) and Josh Hanoka (formerly of Bray Butcher Block), Braise's new American cuisine features a constantly rotating and evolving menu, based on seasonal ingredients and probably whatever pops into Jimenez and Hanoka's culinary minds. The Good: *Great, huge post-covid dog-friendly outdoor dining parklet that beats the hell out of their former tiny, outdoor dining space. *Menu changes seasonally, but they do keep a few of their classic stand-bys (e.g., fried chicken, bone marow PB&J, etc) on the menu. *Strong cocktail menu with even stronger cocktails. O_o *Small, but curated selection is local brews on-tap *Happy Hour Menu with almost 50%-off certain drinks *Staff is always friendly and top-notch *Our two go-to dishes always manage to knock our socks off: cheddar beignets and chocolate pot de créme. *Food is always high-quality, delicious, and innovative. The Meh: *We saw some recent reviews about service issues, and, unfortunately, we have to concur that they definitely have some issues. While we didn't personally experience any, the table next to us had several dishes that somehow didn't make it back to the kitchen and waited a long time for their food and drinks. However, I will say the staff resolved the issue quickly and in the right way by compingb them some drinks and some of their meal. *I noticed that Josh Hanoka is no longer listed on their website. Hopefully, he's just taking a back seat, and there wasn't a falling out. The Ugly: *They require you to put a CC down when making reservations, as they'll charge you $20/per if you no-show. TLDR: Despite some slow service and snafus, I will say that Braise is still one of our top choices for date nights as the ambiance, service, and food are always exceptional.

Alex M.

Yelp
One of the best restaurants I've been to in the bay. Ordered three item. The burger, the bone marrow PBJ, and the French toast. All were amazing. The French toast was especially amazing because it was literally the thickest one I've seen ever. If I ever want to impress someone with French toast, I'll be here again. The bone marrow pbJ was excellent and tasted so good too. Burger was pretty good The service was excellent and had a perfect date atmosphere with a 10 person bar. Nice and medium-small.

Veronica C.

Yelp
I have to say, I thought it'd be a little easier to find the place, but it was a bit non-descript before we approached. We arrived at 9:45am on a Saturday morning for brunch, and we were the first ones there. We got our pick of the tables and sat down on the outdoor patio. I have to say, the drink menu was a bit overwhelming, but we decided on a coffee and a Hunga Tonga Volcano. Both were great! The coffee was strong, with a slight sour note on the first few sips, but pretty smooth otherwise. The Hunga Tonga was sweet, and you could really only taste the guava juice, but it was refreshing. We started off with the Tam and Jam - the biscuits were fantastic, warm, crunchy outside, and soft and fluffy inside, and the brie and strawberry jam went well together with it. My corned beef hash was not what I was expecting, but it was delicious nonetheless. There were huge chunks of beef and thick potatoes, with a mix of onions and peppers. I think the sous vide egg could have been cooked just a tiny bit longer, but once you mixed it with the hollandaise sauce (which was slightly more mayo forward then a typical one), it worked out well. My partner ordered the lobster roll, and while it didn't look like it had a lot of lobster, the balance between the brioche roll and meat was pretty good. The lobster tasted super fresh, but in my opinion could have used an extra punch of herbs (maybe some dill or chives). But the brioche was nicely baked, with an even toast on the sides that seemed to make a world of difference in texture. Overall a great meal, and great service. We managed to get a top off on the coffee, which was nice to just sip and chill at the end of our meal.

Carlson T.

Yelp
The service here is awesome! Loved the vibe of the place and it's great place to catch up with friends and family. A bit on the expensive side so be forewarned and the food is a bit on the heavier side! PB&J w/ Bone Marrow - Ours had the pineapple jam. Great combo! Liked it so much ordered 2 more! Cheddar Beignets - a bit salty but addicting to much one. My nephew loved it! NY Strip Steak - not the greatest and it's definitely not a prime cut. Dry and chewy. The potatoes was also the same for some reason. Whole Roasted Dorade (Fish) - roasted fish - I didn't care much for this; pretty standard roasted fish Seared pork belly (3 pc) - if you have Vietnamese thit kho - it's similar to that but with nuoc mam. Not that spectacular. Duck Confit - A bit on the drier side but it was very tender Fried Chicken - looked like KFC. lol - tasted good but wasn't memorable Drinks - Orange Krush - get it; it's suppppeeerrr good! Prickly Pear - It's very sweet but you'll definitely down it quick; Would buy it in a regular if they sold via Big Gulp

Sandra N.

Yelp
Braise is such a cute little spot for happy hour with a date or small group of friends. From the live moss wall to the rows of green plants, Braise gives all the cozy intimate vibes. Happy hour is from 3-5 pm on weekdays and it's honestly a great deal. The happy hour menu features share friendly appetizers as well as light bites like small grilled cheese or peanut butter and bone marrow sandwiches. They offer beer, special cocktails, wine, and a few non alcoholic options that sound equally as intriguing as the alcoholic drinks. I came here with a group of coworkers after working a long, hard shift and we had a wonderful experience. The servers and bartenders were so friendly, patient, and accommodating. *Cheddar beignets - They were small but packed a whole lot of flavor. When you think of beignets, you think of something doughy and bready in texture. This was more like a deep fried mac and cheese ball essentially. The breading is like a deep fried batter with a gooey melty cheese interior. The cheese flavor is very deep without being too intense. If you are a cheese lover, definitely order this! *Bone marrow PB&J - This was definitely unique! The bread was toasty with a strong wheat flavor. The peanut butter and jelly was very overpowering when it came to the bone marrow but not in a bad way. The bone marrow butteriness just blends right in with the peanut butter, all while the jelly brightens it up with a fruity tart flavor. I would order it again. * French fries were good and came with a side of creamy aioli that complemented the potato well. Most of the fries were crispy and airy. It's a decent item to share among friends. *Sparkling Strawberry Breeze beer - Its listed as a beer but it tastes more like a cider. At only 5% alcohol, the drink can easily pass for being a very light and fruity rosè. Its extremely easy to drink and perfect for those who like sweet alcohol. Braise is a lovely spot to enjoy drinks and snacks. I have yet to explore their dinner menu but I truly enjoyed the cocktail hour and the ambiance Braise has to offer.

Nick M.

Yelp
Where do we start. There were 4 of us we ordered a dish that had 3 pieces. Most restaurants will for a fee add one more piece. Not these guys they try to sell you another order. This was three mini toasts with jam and cheese for $12. Seriously $12. Why not sells us one more for $4. Come on man. The food was a 3. Had sausage and egg. If the sausage party is supposed to be pink inside then the meal only needed seasoning and if not than my undercooked sausage was tasteless. The avocado toast was soggy and the poached eggs were pulled out way too early. They're supposed to be soft but not boogery looking.

Grace F.

Yelp
Fast friendly service on a sat afternoonish, not sure if it was cause there was hella restaurants or cause it was raining Winner!!! for us cause that meant a party of 7 would've been waiting but, Nope Our waiter was super friendly, patient w/us being newbys & others w/extra orders or periodtt. Will definitely be back to try out the rest of the yumminess & drinks they' have to offer. Definitely visiting again.

Tiffanie T.

Yelp
Food we got: 1) Frog Hollow Peaches (3/5): The peaches were a little hard and not ripe enough. The toast was also a little burnt and it was hard to overlook that flavor when eating it with the burrata and peaches. It had potential but it lacked a little in its delivery. 2) Cheesy Beignets (not shown; 4/5): These little bites were good but they had a corn-mealy texture to them. The flavor was good but I wouldn't pay $9 for 7-8 little balls of fried cheese. 3) Buttermilk Fried Chicken (3/5): Solidly cooked and great texture, but the flavor was lacking. All of the seasoning seemed to be packed on the top layer of the chicken skin so there wasn't much flavor if you got a piece without skin. The biscuits were decent; could use more moisture. 4) Santa Cruz Halibut (4/5): Halibut was moist and flaky. The mussels were perfectly cooked and the flavors of the dish were well-balanced. If you want something lighter, this is a great dish to get. Service: We went around 7pm on a Saturday and it wasn't too packed. We were able to grab a table outside. That said, service was a little slow, but that probably had to do with the fact that we were outside and away from the main area. Even then, they did forget a few things and needed reminding when they did come to our table. Ambience: It was cute. Wish there were lights around the outside patio area. Once the sun set, it got a little too dark due to the lack of lighting. Overall, it was a decent experience but I don't think it was worth $200 for 3 main entrees, 2 appetizers, and 3 drinks.

Tom T.

Yelp
Solid food happy hour spot in Willow Glen on the main drag from 3-5pm M-F. Stopped by around 3ish and we were one of the only people there. Fries - 5/5 I make home style fries all the time at home and these were crispy and moist. The house sauce that it comes with is excellent. I've been to plenty of places where they do not execute on the fries and these guys knocked it out of the park. Burger 4.5/5 The bun was great and they're really good at toasting is perfectly so that there is a hard crust on the inner bun. A little bit over dressed but very good for the HH price. Just a nice burger. Bone marrow PB&J 4/5 my family really liked this one but I thought it was just okay. Nice rich PB on a standard toast with nice presentation. I didn't love the combo but it's a nice dish to try. Chicken Sandwich - 4.5/5 the crust of the chicken was super crunchy. Good flavor. Thigh meat. The crunch. Yum. Pulled pork sandwich - 4.5/5 for pulled pork I was pleasantly surprised and I liked the jicama slaw that it came with versus a standard slaw. Beignets 4.5/5 - Very nice flavor. After you eat one and come back to the dish, it has this rich flavor that is very. Addictive. $8 margaritas are great, I didn't love drinking it out of a clay cup but it was very smooth and went down easily.

Tasha M.

Yelp
Strolling in downtown willow glen was quite lively and our brunch at Braise was delightful too. Upon walking into the restaurant, it has a very homey feel and some of their items on the menu reflect that as well. I was really excited to try their fried chicken and forgot that it was only served during the dinner menu sadly. It worked out though since I didn't have my eating pants on anyways. The service was really great and staff checked in with us frequently to make sure we were content with everything. Our appetizers took less than 10 minutes to come out and we received the rest of our food shortly afterwards. * Cheddar Beignets $8 (5/5): After reading so many glowing reviews about their cheddar beignets, I had to get them and they did not disappoint in the slightest! I think I ate at least 3 of them in a span of a minute and no regrets here bc they were so warm and deliciously creamy. * Beets by Braise $16 (3.8/5): I love me some beets and this dish had a great zing to them. The vinaigrette provides a bit of that zing and sourness which went nicely with the apples and arugula. Wish the beets were a bit more tender, however it was still good to order for the table. * Salmon Benedict $18 (4/5): Very generous portion of salmon which literally almost never happens at other restaurants. The hollandaise sauce was yummy and I enjoyed their hash browns too. It's more on the rich side if you're feeling a heartier brunch.

Alex ..

Yelp
Swung by this place for brunch while waiting to get a phone repaired. We walked into a bustling restaurant with a great variety of dishes and drinks. Ordered the Cheddar Beignets, Braise Burger, Avocado Toast, and Mushroom Omelet. The cheddar beignets were crunchy and had that nice cheesy saltiness, but they weren't as fluffy as I'd expect from a beignet. The braise burger may have proven too heavy for a brunch/lunch. Despite that I found myself inhaling the burger in record time, fries included. The cold brew had a nice spice, but I felt like it had too much ice to fully enjoy the mixture of cold brew and the cream on top. I'll gladly come back here for another brunch, or even dinner to explore their other offerings.

Kim L.

Yelp
I made a brunch reservation here and I don't normally enjoy brunches, but the quality of food was SO GOOD! We ordered the cheese plate which had a nice selection of Cowgirl Creamery with really nice snack pairings. The mushroom omelette may be one of the best, well-cooked omelettes I've ever had. And the hash browns were perfectly crispy on the outside, and soft and moist in the center. Serious props to the chef. The ambience is so comfortable and cozy, kid-friendly with high chairs available, and not so loud so you can have nice conversations.

Jackie D.

Yelp
I've been here a handful of times. The most recent time was around 9pm after my husband and I got our kids to sleep. When here, we have to get the pb&j bone marrow. It's delicious. It's my favorite thing. We also go the carrot dip. I was a little weary since I don't prefer cooked carrots. My husband kept trying to tell me that I was going to like it because it would be creamy. I did, in fact, like it! The fried chicken is yummy too. I really liked the biscuits that came with the chicken. Not many people on a Saturday just one other table. It's was pretty chill and easy going.

Eric L.

Yelp
Perhaps my review is tainted by my high expectations; I came here years ago, when they first opened, and was blown away. But this second visit left me wanting. Service was excellent, but the food couldn't justify the high prices. A breakdown: Braise burger: Sarah described it as "good," if not memorable. It's one of the better values on the menu. Pork belly: I enjoyed this. I would order it again. Bone marrow and jelly sandwich: I wanted to like this, but it just didn't taste that good. I would have liked more jelly to balance the buttery marrow, and the bread felt like an afterthought. Tomato salad: We all loved this. The mix of tomatoes (and watermelon, and avocado) refreshed the palate. Halibut: Jackie enjoyed the dish, but said it was overpriced at nearly $40. Pot de crème: Loved it. A dairy-free dessert that isn't sorbet or the dreaded fruit salad. Jellies: practically an afterthought. I enjoyed, but I can buy this at any high-end grocery store

Kes D.

Yelp
I would go back just for the non alcoholic margarita and cheddar beignets. Our server was very helpful and friendly. The ambiance was nice and airy, with a funny bowling wallpaper in the bathroom. Other food wise...the pickles were decent, the pork belly was great, and the Hokkaido scallops were cooked well but tasted rather one note (could've used a touch of acidity perhaps). Overall a nice place, I'd go back.

Simona H.

Yelp
You can always count on Braise to deliver good food and great atmosphere. The service is always excellent. Thank you.

Shawn T.

Yelp
Felt vibe of the whole place was very cozy and chill. The Food was good chicken sandwich was hugeeeee the bingets was very cheesy but a little on the bland side the pb and j was as expected you cant mess that up and the fries was cooked well. The wait staff were very nice and attentive. Id rate overall experience and food a 6.8/10

C B.

Yelp
Stopped by here to celebrate my wedding anniversary, and this place was absolutely fun to go to. Got here early and they allowed us to stand by the bar to get some drinks until our reservation, which was still less than an hour away. Best thing on the menu was the cheddar Benigets and the PB&J absolutely recommend them.

Katrina V.

Yelp
Wow, it's been 5 years since I've been to Braise. Although I recalled having a mediocre time then, I felt that my recent positive experience warranted an update to my review. My sister, boyfriend, and I had a blast at Braise for happy hour. By the way, it's one of the few places I've found in San Jose with great deals for weekend happy hours. We ordered all the cheese items off the menu including the cheese plate, cheddar beignets, and grilled cheese sandwich. I could've done without the cheese plate, which was pretty underwhelming. I also thought that the cheese samplings were so small. The cheddar beignets and grilled cheese sandwich were delicious though. The cheddar beignets were the best. They were like super cheesy hushpuppies. I loved how the grilled cheese sandwich was cooked with cheese on the outside, making it really crunch. My only wish for it was to have some type dipping sauce. I used the house mayo that was like 1000 island dressing to play around with flavors. We also ordered the fried chicken sandwich, which was unfortunately was not cooked all the way through. I noticed that the middle was way too pink, so I requested to have it swapped out for the burger. The burger ended up being fantastic. Lastly, service was excellent. Our servers were so helpful and personable.

Loran W.

Yelp
Every single thing we ordered was excellent. I had the burger. My son had eggs Benedict and my husband had eggs/ hash browns etc. so good.

Xing Q.

Yelp
The menu looked really interesting, but the food turned out just ok. Maybe we didn't order the right items. Everything we got was relatively under seasoned and under flavored. The green papaya salad tasted like a muted version of what you'd get from any Thai restaurant. The sunchokes were interesting, but there weren't enough actual sunchokes and the spinach that accompanied it is underwhelming. On the plus side, the service was good and the restaurant was nice and cozy.

Jen H.

Yelp
3/5 stars I had high hopes. Came here for brunch and was underwhelmed. Portion size is not your avg large brunch dishes. Ordered: Cheddar biscuits: good but nothing amazing French toast: again, another decent dish Ham Benedict: hmmm this one was lacking something. Not sure what was missing her, but overall experience was OK.

Richard E.

Yelp
Nice spot. Good seating and ambiance outside. Drinks are good and so are the shareable. Surprisingly the pickles are pretty special so try everything!!!

Karthik B.

Yelp
First meal out with just me, my wife , and our 5 month old baby girl and what a great place to come! Everybody was super nice! Dishes: Cheddar Beignets - perfect texture and flavor. Crunchy outside and melty inside. Strawberry French Toast - fantastic crispy outside and fluffy inside. Cream was delicious and the strawberry flavor came from multiple preparations and permeated all the way through. Mini Pot De Creme - elegant and fun. had a s'mores feel to it. Only complaint was that we could have dominated one twice the size. Fantastic experience and will definitely be returning!