Bess Bistro

We had a friend in from out of town, so decided to go to Bess's on Friday night. I was very impressed with the interior; very cozy and well decorated. However the food could not match the decor. When the bread basket was delivered I noticed a lonely crust, which I pointed out to our server, who then commented, ""somebody's a** is grass"". I can only conclude that we got recycled bread. \r The mussels were good, but inconsistent. The spinach salad was also good, but a little heavy on the dressing. Our companion did enjoy the tenderloin and licked his plate clean. The clear winner on the menu is the mac and cheese. (The key lime martini is also quite good). Pros: Very nice decor, great wine list, good location Cons: loud, crowded, recycled bread more

My friends and I had a terrific meal, wonderful service from a delightful waitress, and a great time gathering here, until the cranky, overly posh maitre de came by to snatch our camera away (we didn't know about the ridiculous no-camera rule beforehand). First of all, get over yourselves. This is Austin, not L.A., and no one here cares about celebrities that much (sorry, Sandra). Second, if you're going to create a fun gathering place, lose the silly no-camera rule. You've just eliminated, um, fun, from the experience. I guess I'll only go to Bess if I want to: not meet up with friends I rarely get to see, not celebrate a birthday or any other happy occasion, not reunite family, or not host out-of-town guests. In short, I'll go here for the food, but not for fun. Whee. Third, if you insist on upholding your snobbish no-camera rule, at least be NICE about it. You're a ""maitre de"", not Mel Gibson.\r \r *By the way, there were NO celebrities on hand when we were eating here. I was visiting from out of town and meeting up with friends and we were strictly taking pictures of each other. (As was the table behind us). Next time we'll meet up elsewhere. Pros: good food, prices Cons: L.A. attitude in Austin more

Enjoyed Woodrows...cute and friendly bartenders...good place to meet people...i enjoy watching sports there, also...good happy hour deals, too....only con was the food, where you had to bring your own (pizza was next door, so not too bad, but still not a great situation). Pros: Bartenders, service, happy hour, hangout, sports bar Cons: food more

I went in for my third visit and decided to try something I'd already had to see if any changes were made. Bess is indeed listening. I had the chicken pillard for the second time. It was good the first time but with to little sauce. This time the sauce was plentiful. The salad was slightly bigger and better dressed than the first. The wait staff has been good each of the three visits and are getting even better. If you've been holding off because of some of the negitive reviews, it's time to give them a try. \r \r After only a month they are about to approach 4 stars, they are that close. Now if Sandra would let me cook MY shrimp for her you'd have it offered on the menu.\r \r When they first opened I talked to Rob Balon and he agreed with me that the potential was there but they needed some tweeking. They are tweeking big time and it's time to make this a favorite.\r \r What I find interesting is that almost all the negative reviews come from people who have reviewed only ONE restuarant, Bess. I think there is a conspiracy going on here. Maybe from friends of the contractor that built her house that she sued. (and won) \r \r You don't get large portions, but the food is good. I expect to pay more for quality and get less quantity at a better restuarant. The chef running the show is one of the top chefs in Austin. Give it a try and decide for yourself. I'd like to see more reviews from people who have reviewed MORE then just ONE restuarant. Pros: Food is pretty darn good. Cons: None really, they are very close to nailing it. more

I went to Bess Friday night with a group of six. We were advised the wait was 2 1/2 hours, but it ended up being 45 minutes. The outside terrace is a great spot for a drink. The indoor atmosphere is nice --warm and cozy --however the low ceilings and hard floors make for a very loud restuarant. We shared the cheese board (small, not a lot of selection) and hummus (good) for appetizers. For our meals, tried the salmon (undercooked and lacking flavor), pork tenderloin (below average), halibut (OK --nothing special) and chicken roulade (OK flavor, but the chicken was tough), the mac and cheese was delicious and the asparagus was good. Our service was spotty at best (slow to greet our table, slow to bring drinks, felt rushed at the end of the meal as plate was taken while still eating). I would give Bess another try --perhaps for lunch --once the newness has worn off and the staff works out a few kinks. Pros: Atmosphere Cons: Food quality and service more

Everything is truly amazing, exactly as I knew it would be with Executive Chef Brenton Childs. It's a cozy, fun restaurant with excellent food. The macaroni and cheese is particularly awesome as well as the Steak Frites. All in all it is a fabulous experience and I'll be sharing it with all of my friends. Pros: Great Deck. The booths are intimate and make you feel special as well as the bar, which is THE place to be seen. more

Wow, I really love this place. Great food, we all loved the Steak Frite, Salmon, and other dishes. The cheese board is a special treat. So many good things on the menu, all perfect. The sides are amazing. Try the artichoke starter. Thank you for opening a resturant for me to call my own. Follow up after several more visits, I must say I still really love the place, a must try for all friends. The staff is great, food awesome, and the beers and wines very nice. Pros: Food Atmosphere and Staff, cosy, nice and warm, friendly more

The macaroni and cheese was bland, and the salad I sampled tasted as if a salt shaker had been poured on it. My caprese panini with a side of fries was good, but not worth the price. The restaurant also has a rather claustrophobic feel to it. I must say I was disappointed and will not be returning. more

The food was sorely disappointing. I was eager to submit a review in hopes of helping aid in the hiring of a new chef. The mac-n-cheese was tasteless, the salad must have been soaked in salt water and the Spaetzle was just indescribably weird. Without question, I will not return and do not recommend wasting money or caloric intake at Bess. Pros: Convenient locatoin in downtown Austin Cons: Rendered me nauseous after the fact more