Bess Bistro

This place is fabulous. \r \r We went on a Tuesday night and were seated immediately even though the restaurant seemed busy. The atmosphere was dark, comfortable and relaxing and the menu had a lot of choices -- something for everyone. Sticking with basics, we ordered the steak frites and the roast chicken. My husband eats steak all the time and usually prefers aged steakhouse style beef to bistro fare. However, what the chef did with this flank steak impressed him. He even liked the sauce, which he usually pushes off to the side. The fries that came with it were cooked perfectly and had some incredibly, addictive, seasoning on them. I wish I knew what it was so I could clone it. The roast chicken breast was served with a small bit of sauce and a crispy, golden square of polenta with Fontina. It was an interesting choice for a side dish and it definitely worked. Rarely do we leave restaurants, especially new ones and say ?Boy, we need to come back here soon? but this was an exception. Whatever you do, make sure someone at the table orders fries. \r \r We only tried one dessert, the flourless chocolate cake. It was fabulous as well. \r \r Service. All in all, great. I like slower-paced meals and we were not rushed. When it was time to pay the bill, the server was very prompt in returning the credit card....so there was not hostage situation there. Pros: Food, Atmosphere more

\r I have dined out every evening meal for going on six years.\r \r That's 365 x 5, plus - or more than 1,825 sucessive meals. I have eaten in restaurants from San Antonio to Houston to Austin and many places between. I'm no expert on either food or cooking. Afterall, we all eat. \r \r Restaurant Bess Bistro is a going concern. With two visits under my belt, I had and enjoyed the salmon and sauerkraut; a rarely seen but nevertheless delicious combination. (It's got to be German.) A delicious sauce holds it to your fork, but yet another sauce is cooked into the sauteed shrimp appitizer. It's all good. The service in this restaurant is busy, but spectacular. Not only does your server care for you, but all the servers watch over you. The serving of your food can come from any one of them. There is a complete assortment of wines. The decor is charming and interesting. Bess Bistro is a fine restaurant and prices are in line. If you care for valet parking, it's six bucks.\r \r I'll definitely be going back to try all the tempting entrees. Pros: Charming restaurant to eat and for a date. more

I read a lot of mixed reviews on here but my experience tonight (Thursday) was very nice. Called before hand and asked how late food was served ( as it was close to 10pm) and the greeter was so friendly and welcoming "" come on down!"" she beamed. We got there and the hostess was obviously the one that answered the phone. We were seated right away, their were people at the Bar you see as you come in, scattered about the restuarant was folks who seemed to be having a good time, groups and couples. It was a good atmosphere. The wait staff was prompt and friendly and to top it off the food ( I had the breaded tenderloin and my fiance had the Halibut ) was perfectly portioned , not too little not too much, and tasted wonderful. I will go back often. I f I had any criticism it would be the music was too loud, but being a musician I often would rather have the music softer than most. Great place and food. Go see for yourself before you believe these bad reviews. I did and I found a great new place to dine. Pros: ambience,food,service and portions Cons: if I was picky, music a little too loud more

Hummm. Not sure what all the bad vibes are about.....I love this place. The bar is fun and the mac/cheese is killer. I've been a couple of times and everything I've ordered was wonderful. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and the details of the interior design are great. I wish the waiters / male bartender were a little more friendly, but perhaps that will improve with time. This is Texas....we like for people to smile and talk to us! But I will be back, for sure. Pros: Ambience Cons: Wait staff not very friendly more

I have been to Bess twice now; a month apart, and while I found it lovely the first time around, I was sadly disappointed the second time. The location is great, and the decorating touches are charming, but the food leaves much to be desired.\r I ordered the Croque Monsieur and crabcakes both times, and there was a vast difference in the quality between the visits. The crabcakes were inedible, pasty and contained virtually no crab to speak of. They reminded me of a cheap restaurant wanting to serve a ""filler"" item. The Croque Monsieur was so salty I could not get through half of it. We decided to order a brownie a la mode to try and make up for the poor meal and the fact that we were both still hungry. The brownie was awful. Cold and hard, with an artificial flavor. How do you mess up a brownie? We did not take more than a couple of bites each and gave up.\r \r We are not the ""hardened restaurant types"", mentioned elsewhere, but we do eat out quite frequently and upon the last vist we were excited to have found a new lunch location.\r I am willing to try again, as I know that it can be tough to get things to a consistent level, but I am reluctant to spend money on a chance. I appreciate the owner's comments on wanting to improve, so I will keep an eye on the reviews and give it another shot.\r \r Good Luck. Pros: Decor, location Cons: Food, service somewhat lacking more

I have never really been all that intrigued by this restaurant but was in the neighborhood with a couple firends last night and we gave it a try. The hostess didn't follow us to our table and we were given only one menu to share between us. Our waitress was friendly but seemed more suited to H00ters (looks like citysearch policy requires I disguise that word) than to a downtown spot. And now, the food. That they insist on creating the burger from ground beef AND sausage is problematic, but that it is shaped like a near-perfect sphere (and so dry you immediately notice it is served entirely without condiments) really ruins it. The shepherd's pie was so salty my tongue burned from every bite. It tasted of cheap butter and Morton's salt. The clumps of hamburger/sausage in any other context wouldn't have been anything to look forward to but in the midst of this dish were its only reward. Another friend had a baked chicken which was okay, also very salty.\r \r I would say its disappointing but I hadn't given it much thought either way before we went. I wish I could say the same for The Woodland, which is 2 blocks away from our house. Now THAT'S disppointing! I am waiting for the day when Austin starts getting some decent mid-priced restaurants. I had hoped this would be one of them, in my opinion it isn't. more

Just because this restaurant is owned by Sandra Bullock, and the prices are outragious, don't assume you will get high quality food or service. I found the atmosphere to be average, the music loud, the tables too close together, and don't even get me started on the food. I ordered the cheese lasagna ($12), and when it came out, it was in the center of the plate, looking terribly lonely all by itself--and it measured about a 3"" square. Needless to say, I left the restaurant hungry. Service was also poor--having only water to drink, no one ever came back to ask if I wanted more. \r \r There was nothing about this restaurant that makes it worth visiting, or worth paying the high prices to eat mediocre food.\r \r I can't imagine with all the good restaurants in Austin that this one will survive. Pros: I can't think of any Cons: Everything more

When you are trading on celebrity, Austin is getting a taste of the foul stench and why actors should stop getting sucked into the food and beverage industry.\r Any checklist will do here, they are unable to get a passing grade on any of the requirements.\r It is a sad day when the money is thrown at a restuarant without thinking it through. \r Food is not eatable, service is reality show-based. You've hired wantabe's in a market that has enough already.\r Valet parking, this group of attendants/sycophants are not touching my car again.\r Jesse would kick their a** if they did this to him. Pros: You can see the truly Lost of Austin here Cons: The staff is not to be trusted more

We stopped at Bess on a Thursday evening with our teenage boys for what we hoped would be a hearty meal, and at worst a place that we decide to revisit for a ""date night"". We were seated immediately, which was nice, and the booth was nicely decorated and clean which is not always the case in Austin. We started with the smallish butter lettuce salad for $5, but it was made of iceberg lettuce, and had some salty nuts and salty cheese or something on it. Plus it was really small, and the dressing wasn't made of orange as per the menu, it seemed like cole slaw dressing to me. No good. I had the lasagne which was burnt on the edges and extremely salty, so my husband shared his croque monsieur with me. I've had croque monsier in paris, and this is a fun idea--I expected a fancy version for dinner; it was just salty cheese, and salty ham with salty egg on top. On the side Bess serves salty fries. My boys each had the cheeseburger which is really a salty sausage burger, with salty fries. The water waiter was very attentive and we appreciated him for sure. Can't recommend this one, and in fact I opened my account to get my 2 cents in. I do hear the bar is fun if you are going for drinks. Pros: Nice decor, valet parking, attentive waitstaff Cons: Salty food, burnt food, small salad, items not as per menu/waiter more

We had dinner at Bess for my birthday this past weekend, and the food was very good. We arrived early (6:20) on Saturday to ensure no wait, and the place was going gangbusters by 6:45 - the bar area filled up quickly, and we had pretentious strangers with drinks hovering and closing in around our table until we left at 8:30. The atmosphere overall is nice - we were just too close to the bar, but if you can get one of the booth seats you'll be in luck. The restaurant is also very loud - low ceilings, hard floors, and crowded conditions ensure that you'll be eavesdropping in no time, and at one point we just stopped talking to one another until the banter died down. I certainly do recommend the food - the menu is small and somewhat limited, but the food quality is wonderful. Expect food similar to Moonshine. The tenderloin was great, and the salmon was also quite tasty. The wait staff was attentive, but seemed a little unorganized and the dinner didn't have a good ""flow"" - either our plates were about to be taken before we were through, or we had to wait forever for dessert. I would definitely go back. Pros: Great food, quaint atmosphere Cons: Loud, portion sizes more

I agree with some of the earlier reviews, both good and bad. The character of the interior is delightful, but the chairs were very uncomfortable and don't encourage one to linger for very long. The mac and cheese was very bland and my friend's warm spinach salad was served cold . However, the BLT and frites were wonderful. The homemade mayo was a nice touch. Will go back again. Pros: Nice ambiance, good music, sophisticated comfort food Cons: small portions, food temperature more

I am so suprised by some of the negative comments below. I have been to Bess at least 4-5 times since it opened, and the food has been consistently great. Perhaps some of the hard negatives are from other restaurant owners? I am clearly stumped.\r The steak frite dish is by far my favorite, mac and cheese is to die for and the shepherds pie is a recipe I wish I could steal. The staff has indeed ""worked out the kinks"" as far as Im concerned and has been attentive and friendly each time. \r The no camera rule? So what! This rule is in place in a lot of exclusive places. Take picturess before and after you go if you must. Give me a break. \r Bess has great food and a great wine list. We will be back! Pros: Great Food, great Wine, friendly staff and a nice private atmosphere Cons: Maitre De ""Manager"" guy was a bit pompous.. more

I just read all the reviews. I haven't felt the need to comment on a restaurant until now because Bess deserves a little more love than it's getting. I don't know what happened to others, but my experience at Bess was wonderful. My boyfriend and I went into Bess with no expectations and an open mind, knowing it had just opened. We were on a wait and we sat upstairs on the patio, which is absolutely gorgeous and intimate, with cushions and heaters and pretty lights. We ordered an excellent bottle of wine, recommended by our cocktail waitress, who was so pleasant and sweet and attentive. We weren't in a hurry so we just enjoyed our time up there until they came to get us and seat us. We liked the energy of the place and people around us seemed to be having a great time. We continued with our bottle, ordered some appetizers, which were very good, and finished off with a glass of champagne. It was a really beautiful night. The only ""negative"" thing is that the entrees didn't interest us as much as the appetizers. As far as the camera situation, I didn't know you couldn't take pictures and I'm not so sure that's a great idea. I'd go back to Bess again anytime with my boyfriend because we had such a special night but if it's a special occasion, I'm a bit too camera-happy that I'd probably go somewhere else for that reason alone. The only pictures I want are those of people I know. I'm not into taking random shots of celebrities. By the way, we didn't go in because we heard Sandra Bullock owned the place, we went in because we heard Ryan, a really great Austin restaurant manager, was managing Bess. Whatever kinks this place has, Ryan's the one to work them out. Pros: Excellent patio, great ambience, service was great Cons: Entree menu more

I am the owner of Bess. And I thank all those who have helped with suggestions to make this bistro a place that satisfies those who take time out of their busy schedules to spend some time with us. Our goal is high quality comfort food, a terrific staff that dotes on our customers, and an atmosphere that is private to all those who spend time here. We have only been open a few weeks and we are working daily to improve. We thank all those who have been patient and have returned time and time again... I am overwhelmed by the response. With all the fantastic restaurants here in Austin I know we have a lot to live up to and intend to make every effort to do so.\r Happy New Year,\r S.B. more

A few friends took me out to Bess for dinner to celebrate my birthday last night. We were delighted by the atmosphere & ambience. The service was friendly enough. The food was average, the wine was nice, but the kicker was this whole no camera thing. After 3 bottles of wine & tons of laughter, we snapped a few pictures of each other in our tucked-away booth. We were immediately reprimanded (which we found absolutely hysterical & it only prompted us to take a few more!) Like schoolgirls, we got in trouble again (at this point, we were the last table left in the place). In an age where everyone has a digital camera with them at all times, this just seems like a losing battle, and a nonsensical one, at that. I'm betting this doesn't fly with Austinites in the long-run. Say cheese! :) Pros: Ambience, Location Cons: No cameras, average food more

Wow, a lot of ""haters"" on here so far.\r \r I applaud the owner for opening Bess instead of selling off the property for another Star Bucks or Walgreens.\r \r Lush interior and upscale pub food.\r \r Go for lunch and enjoy yourself.\r \r Get over yourself with the negative stuff. Pros: Great interior Cons: bigger lunch menu more

I took my mother to this restaurant tonight pleased to be able to try out a new place. While the atmosphere is charming enough, the rest of the experience was awful. I ordered the Shepard's Pie, which is usually pretty hard to mess up. Described as a beef stew topped with mashed potatoes and parmesan, it turned out to be bland, dry hamburger meat topped with hard tasteless potatoes and dried parmesaean served in a fajita skillet which not only gave it a weird smell, but a weird aftertaste. My mother got the bean soup that was served to her cold and although described as three bean ham hock broth with goat cheese, what it actually tasted like was chili. No mention of the tomato....but that is what it was. We also had the warm spinach salad that doesn't deserve any additional elaboration. Our service was slow (although the restaurant was empty). The waitress was unable to provide any good recommendations, and never followed up. Overall it was very disappointing. Hopefully Bess will really up its game, or it will not make it? Pros: Cute French Bistro atomosphere in great location. Nice date ambiance. Cons: Terrible service, terrible food. more

Underwhelming at best. Unless you're a bird, don't expect any satisfaction from the butter lettuce and herb salad. The entree portion is the same as the side, and comes with exactly 3 raspberries and one walnut and is about as big as my fist. For the price, I think one could afford to expect a little more quantity.\r \r The side of ""marinated vegetables"" is really just one vegetable-asparagus. Seeing as they offer lemon asparagus as a separate side, I would have expected to see onions, bell peppers, or even just tomatoes. \r \r Of course, your order could be changed, if you knew what to expect. As no information is volunteered, I would suggest you ask exactly what you're getting before it comes to the table. Pros: Nice interior Cons: Unsatisfactory food more

Cool place. Not so great service. I hope it just needs some tweaking.\r \r However, the food was grossly salty. I love satly food, but the cauliflower side we had was unbearably salty.\r \r I hope this place succeeds, but some things need to change.\r \r \r *UPDATE - A year later we decided to try Bess again b/c we had a gift certificate. Service was slooooooow, very slow. Food was ok, but would pick a million other places in Austin for the money. Our check came, for an order of four, we gave our credit cards and they came back with grat included (for a party of 4). We were so ready to get out of there we didn't even ask to change it as it would take forever the way the evening had been going. So the waitress got a $40 dollar tip for slow service. We got a good sign that we should never come back to this place, ever. more

I tried Bess on a whim with a friend on a Saturday night about 2 weeks ago. They weren't accepting reservations, so we just showed up. We were told the wait would be about 30 minutes, which is no big deal. We headed to the bar - one of the few highlights of the place - and made it through 3 martinis before our table was finally called over an hour later. Chalking it up to a new restaurant with rough spots, we were still hopeful that the food and wine would save the night - WRONG. Our waitress made what might be the worst wine recc I've ever had (we left 1/2 the bottle on the table), and the food was pretty unimpressive (I had the lasagne - hard to mess up, but apparently possible - and my friend had the pork, which she reported was OK). We were never offered any bread. The waitress was nice enough, but the whole experience was SLOW. One other highlight: the dessert. We had the brownie a la mode, and it was awesome. I'm not writing off the place entirely just yet, as I loved the space and the decor and am hopeful it was just so bad because it had just opened, but if I have another similar experience there in the future, I don't think I'll ever go back. Pros: Decor, Dessert, Bar Cons: Food, Speed of Service, Loud Music more