Perfect place to go in a nice day because of the great patio ! Decent wine selection They had a mussels special for appetizers when I was there and it was delicious. Their charcuterie board can use some improvements. As entrees we had the crab cakes, the chicken and the risotto. They were all delicious. Service wasn't great, our server would forget about us for long times :s read more

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. read more

So cute! Greta place for lunch or high tea if you're in the area. The food and desserts were delicious just missing the scones. I poured some of the raspberry Italian soda into my champagne for sweeten it up. Very casual attire. Indoor and outdoor seating. read more

See all

Bistro menial is a quiet, comfortable small bistro with excellent food and service for a lunch with friends or business associates. The food was fresh and well seasoned and just a enough different to be interesting. read more

Not bad not bad. Walked in, was seated immediately. Came in on a Saturday afternoon at 2 pm, was surprised to see that it was not too busy. We had to wait a little for our server to take our orders but he was attentive and friendly. (Side note, our water cups smelled really bad so we had to ask for new ones, just be aware of that). We were served bread and butter and it was delicious! (Not enough bread though..) I ordered the La Spezia pizza. It was pretty good! It consisted of pesto, tomato, and mozzarella (a lot of mozzarella!) I also ordered ice coffee as well with milk and sugar. I would come back and try something else or order the La Spezia again. I recommend trying this place out if you are visiting The Menil! read more

Bistro Menil - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Made a reservation a week in advance requesting an outside table. When we arrived, it was a bit warm, so we asked to be seated inside. No one else was inside. When I requested two different tables, I was told they were reserved--even though they had no reserved signs, while many of the outside tables did. We were told "they were for people who come in often and know to ask for Table 7 or 35." The dining room remained mostly empty for 30-45 minutes. When a couple came in much later, I understood them to say they had no reservation either, but were seated at one of the tables. And much later, just before we started to leave, the same thing at the other table. Perhaps we didn't fit the image the hostess was looking for to fill those tables, but it didn't feel very good. Our server was excellent and the food, except for the almond lemon torte, was very good. I don't visit this restaurant but 4-5 times a year, but always make a reservation, and have always enjoyed everything about the place. This visit changed the overall feel for me. read more

Walked in. Got a table immediately. Not too packed on Saturday at 2pm. They give you bread w some seasoned butter. The bread was not warm but wasn't cold. It was room temperature. I always like to add salt to it. Ordered the veggie bowl with a side of chicken. It had chickpeas, beets, avocado, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. I added the chicken. Good food, light. I usually order the mushroom pizza. I wish ordered that. As much as I liked the veggie bowl, I would order the mushroom pizza. I'll be back next year. read more

Bistro Menil - Veggie bowl w chicken - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is amazing! What an excellent discovery. I was scrolling through the list for Houston Restaurant Weeks and saw that Bistro Menil was one of the participants so what a great chance to try it out. There were four of us in our party and we order a wide variety of the items from the HRW menu and all of them were fantastic! Between us we tried the Sous-vide Salmon, the Grilled Octopus, Mushroom Bisque, Duck Confit, 12-hour Short Ribs, Red Fish with Lump Crab Topping, Lemon Tart, Bread Pudding and Cheesecake. They were all amazing and not single morsel left on anyone's plate. The grilled octupus was surprisingly good; surprising in that it was not tough or at all rubbery like octopus can be often times but nicely tender with a crispy outer skin. The Duck Confit was very nice also, well seasoned and cooked perfectly. However, of the main entree's, the Short Ribs were the big winner. Absolutely perfect - tender and moist and a delicious reduction sauce on top. The service was great as well. The host was very pleasant, greeted us warmly and professionally and our server was very attentive. The water glasses were always filled and cadence of the dishes was perfect. We can't wait to come back and try some of the other items off of the main menu. read more

Bistro Menil - Front porch - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Love the modern, sleek feel of the restaurant. It reminds me of some of the places I visited in Iceland. The felt artwork on the walls is both pretty and noise reducing, although I cannot imagine how loud this place can actually get. We went on a weeknight and the restaurant was about 60% full. The noise levels were high and we often couldn't hear the people at our 3 person table. That's just too loud. Our waiter was slow. We got there at 7:30pm but ended up being the next to last table finished and we weren't even drinking! I'm not sure what caused us to be such a low priority for our waiter, but it really was annoying. Our appetizers were good. My sister loved the eggplant fries. I loved the Foccacia bread with fig and ham. I would definitely try more of their flatbreads. The pork loin and chicken dish we had was pretty good but the side items were awful. The diced mixed veggies all tasted of onion and the potatoes were slivers that also just tasted like onions. I love cooked onions, but everything was cooked with them and it just masked the taste of all the side items. The chocolate brownie dessert was good as was the berry buttermilk cake. The crepe with nutella and banana was also good. I liked all the desserts. I wish the entrees had been better, especially the side items. I wish that as I waited at the hostess stand, I hadn't had to stand in the way of people entering and exiting the kitchen. I wish this place had not been so loud. I wish my service had been better. That's a lot of wishes. read more

See all

OMG...I have found my dairy-free custard Unicorn. Thank you a place with a dairy-free dessert that was DELICIOUS! I don't see it on the regular dessert menu. But if they have it try the Coconut Custard with hazel nuts and toasted coconut. Our server was really nice and the service was good. My only issue is when it came time to pay we spilt the check and it was wrong. They have inside and outside seating when H-Town has nice weather you need to carpe diem which we did... Patio seating is nice and there are umbrellas. They also have a small private dining area inside. Parking can be a little tricky on a busy day. read more

Bistro Menil - Pear upside down cake, fruit, coconut custard - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came here for brunch with a group of friends on a Saturday and luckily were able to snag a table without a reservation. This restaurant is located across the street from The Menil and down the block from Menil Park. They have a large private parking lot as well as nearby street parking. Walking in, the restaurant has a sleek, modern look. There is a bar with a large wine selection and also a cute outdoor patio. The ambiance is casual although I would kinda feel out of place coming here in workout clothes and sneakers. The day we came the place was packed for brunch so service wasn't exactly the speediest. I ordered a bloody mary which was dull and definitely not spicy at all. For appetizers we shared the calamari and octopus. The calamari was pretty standard, fried and crispy- nothing special. The octopus was delicious though! So tender and grilled perfectly- definitely a must try! For my entree my husband and I shared the Cheeseburger and Eggs Lyonnaise. I ordered the cheeseburger medium rare and received a burger cooked medium but I can't complain- it was still yummy and delicious and topped with gruyère cheese (which I love). The Eggs Lyonnaise is basically jamon served on a toasted brioche and topped with 2 over easy eggs and lyonnaise sauce- the dish was just meh, unnoteworthy and not something I would recommend. My biggest gripe about this place was with our bill. Apparently this establishment cannot split checks with more than one credit card- we offered to split everything down the middle with 4 cards, we even wrote how much money to charge on each credit card and they still weren't able to do it! We basically got a long drawn out annoying spiel on how their system just couldn't handle split checks like that. Bottom line, if you come with a big group of people, either bring cash or ask for separate checks at the beginning of the meal (although I wouldn't be surprised if their system couldn't handle that either). Would I come back? Possibly- this place is close to where I live and I love their cute outdoor patio but the quality of the food seems overpriced to me and their mediocre service definitely needs work. read more

Bistro Menil - Cheeseburger with fries- yummy! - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

This is a fantastic place for a leisurely lunch in one of the prettiest places in Houston. A bit pricey, but the food is good and fresh and you feel like you've had lunch in a French garden. read more

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

My daughter and I enjoyed a meal after church. It is located across from the Menil Museum with parking on side of restaurant. It is in a frame structure with huge windows touting a minimalist space. We were seated immediately and waited on by courteous staff. As I looked off behind the hostess stand I saw someone standing whom I assumed was restaurant manager. As he neared the older couple next to our table, I realized it was chef/owner Greg Martin. He chatted with them about Paris and some eateries. He didn't greet anyone else while we were there. The food was delicious. And the other plates that passed us looked equally scrumptious. Once finished dining, we strolled across to the Menil Museum with free admission and always amazing displays of artistry. It was a perfect visit. I highly recommend. read more

See all

I came here for Saturday brunch- it wasn't crowded at all which was nice for us. Two of us ordered the breakfast galette and the other two ordered the pancetta egg brioche. The food here was super good. It's not diet food by any means, so don't go to eat healthy, but enjoy what they've got! Galette: if you're familiar with French "galettes", throw that image of a galette out the window because this is nothing like that. It's more of a breakfast pot pie in a croissant bowl. Once I got over that difference, the meal was very good. It was unique and fun to try! Brioche: my top breakfast rec. So flavorful. Their pancetta is incredible so definitely get that! Also, I saw the fruity waffle across the room and it looked absolutely amazing so that will be a definite try next time! I'll put this in the tips section too, but do note that they keep the restaurant freeeeeeezing so it's best to bring a sweater with you and order a warm drink! read more

Bistro Menil - Pancetta and Egg on Toasted Brioche Buns - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

We came by for a quick bite and drink before heading to the Menil. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it was a lot more casual and low key than I imagined. The aesthetic was very gray and modern like the Menil, but just more upscale diner/café atmosphere than what I pictured. Since we were there for a short while, we sat in the bar counter seating that looks toward the lawn and Menil entrance. It was moderately busy for an afternoon, but not full by any means. We initially went there because we heard of the Saturday happy hour. However, the drink prices were not appropriate for a Houston mid-day happy hour. I started with a Ladybug cocktail, which was just sparkling wine and pomegranate juice with berries in a champagne glass. It was really good, but didn't warrant $9 for "happy hour." We also had the eggplant flies ($4) and calamari ($5) and both were really delicious. The calamari came with a tiny side of regular fries and a spicy red sauce. The eggplant came with a creamy anchovy/Caesar sauce and the red sauce. I decided to also have a Bellini ($9 as well), which was served like the Ladybug but with peach juice instead of the pomegranate. It was a little too sweet and again a bit high for happy hour, but still quite enjoyable. On the service end, our experience ranged from overbearing to missing. When the main server was there, he was pretty attentive and considerate. Otherwise, we were at the mercy of several random servers. Someone was always close by and we just stopped random people if we needed something. I'd try this place again if in the area, but probably wouldn't seek it out. Certainly worth stopping in if you are headed to the Menil or nearby galleries! For a Saturday happy hour, I'll stick with Benjy's in the future. read more

See all

We got flatbreads and my friend's toppings and cheese completely slid off the pizza when she picked it up. The service was incredibly slow. Food was average at best. read more

I came on a Friday for brunch with a friend. Despite the Menil being closed for renovation, the parking lot was packed. Surprisingly though it was not too busy inside. My friend and I split a charcuterie plate as an app; I will say I wished there was something to help balance the saltiness of the meat. There was some bread but not enough to eat together with the meat. I ordered the pancetta and egg on brioche buns and my friend got the duck salad. My meal was definitely by no means a light lunch; the sauce is quite rich and portion size is big. We both were satisfied with the meals. Despite the good meal and atmosphere, I have to write about the service. Service is not a huge deal for me, but here I felt the waiter disregarded my friend and me throughout the brunch. Maybe was it because we look young and unable to tip well? It took some time for us to order drinks, then an appetizer, and then our meal. We had to flag him down just to order. That's not great, but I can deal with it. However at the end of our meal, our waiter suddenly plopped a dessert menu in front of us without a word and just walked away. My friend and I were confused because we never said we were getting dessert. He came back some time later and dryly said "so what are you getting?" It was uncomfortable feeling like I was "supposed" to order something. My friend and I explained we were too full and asked for the check and if he could split it, and his face visibly changed. We put our cards in the check book, but for whatever reason he didn't see it when he came by and I remember he specifically said, "um hello?" with the most exasperated face. But then 2 seconds later he saw our cards and said something like "oh never mind I see them" and left with our check. It was such an unpleasant and uncomfortable way to end our meal. read more

Bistro Menil - Pancetta and Egg on Toasted Brioche Buns with a side salad - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food is delicious. The ambience is inviting. Our waiter was good. However, I will NOT EVER come back here. The hostess and manager were very unprofessional. Also, they didn't treat us like the other customers. It was two of them and six of us but they ruined our experience and it was my first time there! I don't like to dine somewhere once and write a poor review, but I will make an exception here: We were a party of six (black professional women) and our reservation was set for 1:00p. When the 1st person arrived, she sat at the bar because the whole party had to be present, according to the hostess. As the girls and I arrived, three of us ordered drinks at the bar. When the sixth person arrived, they MADE us sit at the table closest to the hostess desk out in the open, which was not where we wanted to be. We wanted to be at the EMPTY table of six to the left of us so we had a bit more privacy. We were already the only black people in there. The hostess said no. They said the other table was reserved for another group coming soon, however, the other group didn't arrive until 2 hours later as we were leaving...That table remained empty the whole time we there... Besides that, we noticed two other tables were seated without the whole party being present...we told the manager, who by this time had defended every example of poor customer service. The manager explained her treatment of the other tables by saying they got drinks at the bar. We said so did we! (Sigh). At the end of our meal, the manager and hostess were talking about us in Spanish not too far from where we were sitting. It's a small restaurant. Several of us speak Spanish and could understand their conversation. I was mortified! Who talks about their customers in plain sight?! My friend, Tiffani, confronted them about it and then the manager took off $43 from our bill --Tiffani's portion. She did that after Tiffani had to explain all the reasons why we all had a bad service experience. In a city of foodies who eat out often, good service is paramount. Bistro Menil needs some serious work in this category. read more

I've visited a few times and each time was a treat. The food is fresh and nicely plated. The outdoor seating is tight but still open enough to squeeze in between chairs. Service is spot on. read more

Came here during my lunch break to try out their short ribs. What a disappointment that my short ribs were ice cold. I had to send it back while I ate the sides without my main dish. read more

See all

Boyfriend and I came here awhile back and we've been wanting to come back ever since. The view here is lovely and the food is very elegantly presented. You can tell the chief takes pride in his food. Can't wait to come back after this pandemic read more

Bistro Menil - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Everything was good. Nothing was memorable. We were seated at a table by the window with a view of the Menil. Quaint, Monstrose / museum district area, house-like setting. My friend and I ate more than half of our meals but not inspired to finish our entrees or the dessert, or take anything home. Friendly staff, but you may have to get their attention to get service. May return if visiting the Menil again, but would not be a destination restaurant. read more

Applause to Chef Greg Martin! My husband and I are regular dinners at Bistro Menil. Chef Martin always takes time to visit with every table and share a great story or two while making sure everything is to his guests' liking. The restaurant has four signs posted that it is a non smoking establishment especially on its' two patios. As we're visiting with Chef Martin, my husband and I notice cigarette smoke. Chef immediately recognized the culprit standing next to his party and addressed the man who did not want to put out his cigarette. The man feigned innocence and put it out, only to light up another after Chef left the patio. I confronted this man as well and repeated what Chef had said. This man tried to engage Chef in a verbal attack with his other guests at the host stand. He was asked to leave. I have never seen such deplorable behavior from a restaurant patron. This man was selfish, rude and clearly can't recognize the difference from a restaurant and a bar. Chef Greg Martin takes such notable care to ensure all of his patrons are enjoying his creativity, with impeccable service and great ambiance. read more

Incredible food and lovely ambiance. We stopped in after the museum for dinner on a Sunday. They have a great prefix on Sundays and generous wine specials. We ordered the watermelon feta salad, calamari and pizza Bianca and it was all absolutely outstanding. Highly recommend and would definitely return. read more

Came here for HRW lunch. We made a reservation and were seated immediately. Ambiance is nice and neat. I had the crab cake (jumbo lump crab, lemon and green onion), which seemed to be half the serving size of their lunch "crab cakes" dish (the 's' gave it away ;)), but it was plenty, as it came with sides. I oped for bistro fries and petite baked potato with crème fraîche and chives. The fries were diced and yum. The baked potato was a bit grainy. My dining parter got the 12hr beef short rib (crowned with port wine and shallot reduction and topped with crisp fried shallots), which was excellent. There was a lot of fat in this dish, which gave it it's exquisite flavor. Side of cold zucchini with parmesan and pancetta was great, but I thought the mashed cauliflower/potatoes was mediocre. The server seemed to get really confused with the dessert selections. We ordered 2 of the 3 (the lemon tart - classic lemon curd with italian meringue in house-made pastry shell and bread pudding - with sweet cream gelato and sea salt caramel sauce), but he kept repeating the wrong combination to us. When he finally brought out the correct dishes, he named them incorrectly again. I thought this was exceedingly strange. Otherwise, it was a great experience from a service standpoint. The desserts were both excellent. I liked the lemon tart better, and the shell was made with a puff pastry shell, which I thought was unique. read more

See all

Updating from prior review, current as of 5/2019. Bistro Menil has had a significant decline in quality, which makes an updated review worthwhile. The ambiance still is overall pleasant owing to its privileged location in Montrose with a nice little terrace for those outdoor biased folks. Staff generally nice, but they are either painfully understaffed or simply very disorganized (or both). Granted our visit was for mother's day, but it was not peak hrs and reflected a similar experience. It took at least 15min to land an order. Drinks (coffee) generally came a good 15 min before the food making for either cold coffee at brunch, or an obligatory second order. Dirty plates piled on our table were disregarded for long stretches despite the obvious heaps building up. The food generally is good but there's an obvious decline. On one end, a re-trial of the otherwise tasty eggs lyonnaise delivered a much reduced display- little gruyere, little sauce, okay eggs. The potatoes were cut quite differently and lacked the distinct crust. On the other hand, while I've been open to prior interpretations of classic francophone cuisine (such as an underwhelming but plausible cassoulet), I wonder whether the chef has in fact tried true liège waffles: typically doughy, with the pearl sugar caramelizing the exterior (owing to the high temperatures achieved in the iron clad waffle presses). They don't really even need syrup. The "linge" (sic) waffles are more of an overly sweet sponge cake. Very disappointing. Overall while it retains some positive elements, Menil is not a spot to mark for return amid a rather hectic houstonian food scene. read more

This review is of the afternoon tea service only. I've never been to Bistro Menil before but had heard good things about it. Went for afternoon tea with some Mom friends.. was a nice getaway from the kids! 2 of us opted for the champagne option while the other got the raspberry lemonade. This isn't a traditional English afternoon tea which was a bit disappointing as I LOVE some nice scones with a bit of clotted cream & jam, but I appreciate the modern twist. See my pictures for the menu & tea options. Everything tasted great & it was a really fun afternoon out. read more

See all

Went with a friend requiring glutin free. Had such high hopes but alas...no. I got the veggie bowl. No seasoning. Could not discern any dressing. Extremely bland. I could have made better at home. My friend got the roasted cauli...again very bland. For her entree it was the crab salad. She said it was ok. I left most of my bowl and did not accept a to go. Waiter didn't even ask if it was ok. We spent over $100 for lunch with no alcohol. For these prices you expect so much more. It's a shame. Lovely setting and museum but Bistro Menil is a real downer. Houston has great restaurants. Don't waste your time and money here. I think the museum is carrying it. read more

Don't High Tea, just High Tail it outta here! My two friends and I made a high tea reservation for Thursday afternoon at 2 PM. We arrived a few minutes early and were headed towards the hostess stand when the Chef stopped us and said "What's going on?" My friend explained that we were here for our reservation, to which he said "OK, someone will assist you." Not a great greeting. Then we were seated, and sat for 15 minutes before anyone even approached our table. The hostess finally came by and said "Do you ladies want water?"... Um, we would like something, since we've been waiting so long. She finally returned with our waters and told us, in a highly condescending way, "Be patient, your waiter is very busy right now, so just be patient." But, there were several empty tables and several waiters around... When our waiter did come by, he asked if we were ready and we decided to go with the Champagne. He brought the bottle over to the table and poured us each a glass, before taking off again. The Chef delivered our soups, which were very delicious. We waited awhile to get our tier of snacks, but everyone else who was ordering lunch and entrees was getting served quickly. After another wait, the tier of sandwiches & desserts was brought to the table. Our waiter told us to "Wait for the tea until you get to the mousse." The whole point of this visit was FOR THE TEA. We told him we wanted the tea immediately and as part of our meal. He brought out our three pots and we were disappointed to see that it was just tea bags in a pot. For $49 / person, you would expect a better quality tea and not something that can be purchased cheaply on Amazon. The first tier of food was actually delicious. Our table loved the crab cake balls & mini blt's. But as we moved on to the second tier, we found that it was not quite as good. The creme brulee was soupy and the cake was very dry. The tier was topped with a mousse that while edible, was lacking flavor. Then we asked for a second round of champagne. The waiter asked us "Um are you sure? Like you really want another bottle?" Yes, we would, and we are aware that we have to pay for it. But honestly, save your money, because this bottle is nothing to write home about. We were never offered a second round of tea. Overall, the food was good, but not worth the experience. Our grand total was $275 for three people- $49 / person for tea, $65 for a bottle of champagne and 20% gratuity REQUIRED for their horrible service. While I believe in 20% tips, this gentleman only came to our table three times and provided extremely lackluster service. I am HIGHLY disappointed in the Bistro Menil and their quality of service they have provided. (But I would recommend the St. Regis & Hotel Granduca if you are looking for amazing and authentic tea experiences!) read more

The duck salad wasn't even close to the quality I've always had at this restaurant-wilted salad, duck so dry that it was just a step above jerky & no flavor. I was really disappointed as I've always loved this dish here read more

I wish I could wrap this review up in two words: Eggs Lyonnaise. But I can't do that! You need details. The bistro, itself, is an adorable house-turned-restaurant just in front of the astounding Menil Collection. The quaint exterior is surprisingly juxtaposed with a chic, contemporary art interior. Not that I'm too surprised a museum restaurant would be curated with chic and tasteful contemporary art, but the contrasting styles ironically play together very nicely. Speaking of nice...the staff couldn't have been more accommodating. We were seated right away on a Saturday mid-morning and catered to throughout the whole meal. Explanations and suggestions of certain dishes to fast service, every aspect of our experience was seamless and positive. Now, onto this Eggs Lyonnaise. Toasted brioche, gruyère cheese, jamón Serrano, frisée, two over-easy eggs and lyonnaise sauce. If that doesn't sound appetizing to you, then you're just a downright crazy person. It tasted just as delicious as it sounds. The ham and eggs were perfectly cooked and the sauce is what really brought it together. None of the ingredients stood starkly alone, but cohesively created a delectable balance of flavors atop a perfectly toasted brioche. It was almost too filling, but I made sure I didn't let any bite of it go to waste. Accompanied with a Blood Orange Mimosa, and I was one happy brunch goer on my way to enjoy art at the Menil! read more

Bistro Menil - Eggs lyonnaise - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Went there a year ago with my friends and forgot to give it the 5 star rating it deserves. The place was really nice and we dined outside, and the food was SO good. Oh and the cocktails were amazing also! read more

This is a brunch place that I had hoped to add to the rotation. But I was extremely disappointed by every aspect of my experience, so chucked into the trash can it goes here. There was a short wait for a table. Which is unacceptable because I am impatient. But I think that is actually the thing I am least bothered by out of the entire experience. Service: completely inattentive. The server disappeared for long stretches of time and it is a small dining room to begin with. So I am thinking he just used the toilet to secrete himself away to the Ministry of Magic and hang out down there with Reginald Cattermole's wife rather than getting a brother some water in a glass up above in the resto. The few passes he made through the dining room throughout the course of two hours were fixed solely on the tables that were drinking mimosas like fish, since they were going to tip better because they were drunk. Well I have feelings too! And I want attention, not just flirty but also for water in my glass that restaurants are in theory supposed to provide to you, generally for free or for only a small charge. Wait time to order: extensive. Since the waiter was not around to take our goddamn orders, which as far as I know, is a relatively important thing for a restaurant to do because how else are they going to make money off of you if you are not ordering food? Time for food to appear: ludicrous amount of time from order to delivery of food, tacked on to the already bothersome amount of time it took to place the order in the first place. If it takes so long for food to come out of the kitchen that you already forget what you ordered, then the kitchen took way too long to prepare some simple American breakfast/brunch sort of options. I think they took the toilet down to the Ministry of Magic too and forget they were supposed to be cooking upstairs. Noise level in the dining room: The noise level in the dining room was too damn high. It was impossible to carry on any sort of proper conversation. And considering the long length of time that Bistro Menial required us to be there with their fuckin' about in the waiter and the kitchen, this was making me increasingly angry. I feel like the architect designed the space and utilized materials for this one purpose, to make it noisier than a wind tunnel, just to annoy me during this one brunch. Food: utterly unremarkable and forgettable. My 3 Egg Omelet with Roasted Vegetables and Mascarpone ran $13. While I would never expect to see $6 words like "mascarpone" on a menu at iHop or Denny's, my dish still just as easily could have been served there as long as they called it something more American sounding like the Military-Industrial Complex breakfast combo. I failed to be amused by any aspect of my brunch experience at this restaurant. Your mileage may vary at dinner; but I wouldn't expect it to. read more

Bistro Menil has the perfect balance of everything you could want in a brunch restaurant. 1) Menu variety and taste - has a good mix of brunch classics with creative twist, as well as some less typical items. All the food was very fresh and I think we were all pleased with our choices. 2) Atmosphere - The outdoor patio was well shaded and the whole space felt very green. Noise level was just right, and didn't get any car noise or fumes from street. Really felt like an extension of the museum despite the fact that they aren't attached. 3) Drinks - has good cocktail and beverage options, ranging from mimosas and bloody Marys to Irish coffees and specialty cocktails. 4) Service - despite going at 10:30 on a Saturday we didn't have to wait at all and the service was excellent. Im sure once more people find out about this place, wait may become an issue, but hopefully not. 5) Location - after eating you have plenty of options nearby if you want to walk around to digest your food. The Menil is right there, and surrounding neighborhood is very accessible. I look forward to returning for lunch/dinner! read more

No. Just No. Decided to give this place a try for HRW 2016 even though it didn't have great reviews in Yelp.. Well.. Now I know why. The only thing this place has for itself is the space. The location was in a neighborhood next to a museum so it was cool and well kept. The structure out front and the style of the building the restaurant is in was on . I loved the decor and the light fixtures and the open, light and airy space! And then it went downhill.. We arrived right on time for our reservations and the hostess had told my party the table was ready for us once the last guest arrived. We came in on time and she told us that they were just cleaning our table off.. Which was perfectly fine.. But then went on a rant about how people were staying longer than expected.. Except in words and I quote "not to say guest are overstaying their welcome but they are staying over their reservation time".. Who tells a guest that?! So unprofessional! Ok.. So brush it off.. Let's just enjoy our meal and have a good dinner! The first course was good.. My friends had that calamari - nice crisp, a marinara with a little kick of spice to it! Good - nothing fancy! My olive oil poached tuna and tea smoked mussels were definitely refreshing and had some unique flavors! I loved the tea smoked mussels - wow it was smokey and the crisp of the sliced fennel in the dish with the radish and sauce blended well together. Not sure the poached tuna added to the dish - not sure if I like poached tuna that taste like canned tuna period. Next course - my friends loved their crab cakes. Two very tall and large portions of crab cakes with good flavor and a nice sauce on top. However the frites were disappointing - like they were done a long time ago and they lacked salt and flavor. Just old fried potatoes. The quinoa salad was apparently bland and so was the cold zucchini with Parmesan and pancetta. They both lacked flavors and anything to develop the flavors - it was just though ingredients thrown together. But most disappointing was my duck confit - it came out looking crispy but when I cut a slice and took a bite - it was fatty and tasted like oil was oozing out of it. It was as if they deep fried the duck leg. I've never sent a dish back before and this is definitely my first. The server gave me an attitude and was like "you know duck confit is submerged in duck fat right?!" Well.. Yeah! I've had duck confit before and I have a French friend sitting right next to me! It's still not suppose to taste like it was submerged to soak up all the fat and oil! Ack! Who wants to eat that?! It's as if they cooked it at the wrong temperature and the grease just seeped right through the meat. A nice duck confit should have a nice sear on the outside and a soft buttery center - not ooze oil. They did take my dish away and replaced it with a crab salad, which was refreshing and had a sweet mango/passion fruit glaze on it, which was unexpected. I liked that better than the duck for sure but wasn't my first choice in meal preference. The desserts were just mediocre. The lemon curd meringue tart was meh.. They use a puff pastry on the bottom - like the horseshoe looking pastry. A lemon custard and a meringue on top. The lemon custard was good - I guess I'd prefer a crust over a puff pastry and a more delicate meringue. Just wasn't my favorite. The sorbets were also a little too sweet - blood orange and pear. It came melted and creamy and didn't really taste refreshing like a sorbet should. Overall service and food quality was lacking - there were a few good points but mostly not so great. Would not recommend and would not be back. read more

See all

This place is one of my faves. I go there often. Sooooo many gluten free options. GF crab cakes, calamari, and deserts!? I'm in. You can dip in after seeing the collections at the menil museum across the street or just go for lunch/dinner/brunch minus the museum the service is great. read more

I just had the best meal at Bistro Menil. What an adorable restaurant. It is perfectly located next to the Menil. The ambience is simple but elegant with a beautiful bare wooden bar complete with Sea Dog Blueberry beer which I discovered years ago and love. The whole beer list is fantastic. We started with baked brie with fig preserves. I will take any excuse to start off with something a little bit sweet. It was so good. We also tried the eggplant fries. Omg... they were fantastic too. Then I had the fillet which was perfectly seasoned and accented with beech mushrooms. The steak had this delicious little nub of fat on the edge which i will be thinking about for days. Even the French fries and baked potato were better than they had any right to be. I can't wait to go back and try the scallops. read more

Bistro Menil - Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

When I ordered the Shrimp Cobb salad I expected a Cobb Salad, with hard boiled egg, bacon and lettuce of some type. Bistro Menil needs to rename what they call a Cobb Salad. No lettuce, no bacon, no egg. Too much avocado and a meager amount of shrimp. $25? Not worth it. Hope I don't have to go back. read more

OK, so Epicure Friend (see my previous reviews about Max's and Epicure Bakery) decided to kick off HRW 2015 by dining here for the first time. Short version: Bistro Menil is a very fashionable - albeit noisy - bistro with a very well-executed menu, great wine pairings and fascinating flavors. Kudos to Chef Greg Martin! Long version: I've read quite a bit about Bistro Menil and its founder, Chef Greg, and couldn't wait to try it out. His culinary background is quite different than mine - heck, the man worked with Julia Child! - but I can say that his attention to detail and flair for exciting flavors matched my palate well. Epicure Friend and I arrived (with reservations) a few minutes early on Friday evening. No table was available, but we gladly stood at the bar and quaffed some wine to start off the festivities. NOTE: Per European tradition, Bistro Menil only serves wines and beers. Do not come here and expect a full bar. In France and Belgium, the mark of a bistro is its limited alcohol selection. The next step up the eatery chain would be a "brasserie," which does have a full bar. But I digress. The wine selections are beyond compare. Epicure Friend - who also doubles as my sommelier when we have dinner at my house - looked over the wine list and said two words: "Absolutely incredible." No need to say more. So we asked for the HRW menu and looked over the selections. Here's how it went down: FIRST COURSE: We both got the tuna tartare. (Actually, Epicure Friend was supposed to get the eggplant frites, but he changed his mind at the last minute. Too bad - we could have traded bites.) In a word, INCREDIBLE. I was expecting the traditional tuna tartare - big chunks of marinated tuna served on toasted rounds - but don't underestimate Chef Greg's version. These were more like miniature tuna tacos, with puff pastry shells stuffed with tuna, scallions, and a hint of lemon zest. WOW. SECOND COURSE: Epicure Friend had the seared salmon with horseradish Bearnaise, which he swore outdid my version. OK, I can live with that. The salmon was done medium-rare (per the waiter's suggestion), and Epicure Friend claimed it was superlative. I had the crab cakes - and again, Chef Greg took an ordinary dish and made my eyes get big with wonder. The crab cakes were light, fluffy and perfectly cooked. The dill-enhanced hollandaise was better than anything I'd had in Europe. The food came out hot and tasty. Both of our dinners came with a choice of two sides. Epicure Friend had the baked potato and zucchini; I had the potato and the steamed vegetable medley. Even the sides were exquisite. The wine that Epicure Friend suggested - the 2014 Pouilly-Fuissé - accompanied both our dishes perfectly. We ordered a half-carafe that carried us through to the end of dinner, as well as through our sampling of each other's dishes. But all good things had to end: THIRD COURSE: Here's where we reached gastronomic heaven. Epicure Friend had the chocolate mousse - again, with Chef Greg's twist. It was a mouth-watering piece of chocolate cake (and I bet it's based on Child's "Reine de Saba" recipe) accompanied by a frothy mousse. After sneaking a nibble, I had to agree with Epicure Friend - HEAVENLY. I tried the Buttermilk Blackberry Cake. WOW. It was a heavenly torte filled with blackberries and topped with real creme fraiche. It tasted as if it had come straight out of the oven, and it was a velvety rich confection. A glass of champagne would have gone great with it - if I'd had room for it, that is. The aesthetics of the Bistro Menil are very avant-garde: no-nonsense, sturdy tables with modern art displayed on all the walls. Service was good; the water glasses stayed full, and the waiter was very personable and knew how the food should be cooked and how it was prepared. If I had to zap a star off, it was the noise factor. It was LOUD. I mean, louder-than-Donald-Trump loud. Don't try to hold a romantic dinner here; you'll be hoarse by the time you finish screaming over the din. Fortunately, the food and service are what keep you here. My advice is just shut up and eat. You'll be glad you did. Chef Greg seemed to be on point that night. I saw him overseeing the back of the house, the kitchen line and the front of the house. I wish he'd come by my table so I could have offered my sincere thanks for a great meal. (That, and to let him know that he's also kind of easy on the eyes!) Having been part of the food biz, I know a well-executed concept when I see it. Bistro Menil deserves your attention. Come with an open mind and an empty stomach and experience it for yourself. Earplugs are optional. read more

See all