Cozy French restaurant! You really feed like you're back in France! Food is excellent and staff is very friendly and knowledgeable! Chapeau

We enjoyed some of their specialties like the bouillabaisse and goat cheese ravioli with giant scallops, that wow-ed us. We enjoyed the service staff who was sweet and good at her job. I was just not too impressed with apple pie for it's price and when the top pastry layer was rather burnt covered with icing sugar we asked if that was norm - It returned to us just scraped off so I guess that was the last piece and it didn't create the best experience. read more

Bistro Mistral - Yes the goat cheese ravioli and shrimp scallops r yummy and a little heavy but pretty impressive. - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

We had a wonderful anniversary dinner! Cozy French restaurant - great wine, food and ambience. Tuna tartare was superb as was the boeuf bourguignon. We will be back! read more

The free bread appetizer is delicious as the bread is freshly baked on the premises. This tidy french bistro has delicious food, even salads. The prices may seem very french, with lunch time prices going up to $15 although you can find some good meals for $10 in big portions. The bistro salad is very good and so is their exquisite crme brule which has lavender and honey. The ambience is very french -- it makes you feel you're in a french country house. The bread oven is pretty much in the middle of the establishment. This is definitely a romantic getaway too. read more

Lunch - after dinner visits years ago (a long way from home but this was a biz lunch). Food was superb - daily special salads. Friend had fish soup which he raved about; I had the bistro pizza - "different" but quite good. Service was good but it was a loooong lunch as they did the pizza. read more

Very disappointing. My steak au poive was miniscule at $38. The garlic green beans were soggy and I counted exactly two green peppercorns in the sauce. Most French restaurants offer mayonaisse with fries but only ketchup was offered. My wife's red snapper was properly cooked but unseasoned and tasteless. Her rice was cold. Not at all up to the Guy standards Richard Salzer read more

This is solely a lunch review, so take this with your best judgement. My brother was passing through town and since he doesn't have much French choices in San Antonio, I got the chance to choose a French place to try. After Googling and researching reasonably priced options, I came across this due to the high ratings and the menu itself seemed promising. Maybe I'm a little meticulous on my pretend bougie foodie life but I wouldn't praise this place like my fellow yelpers. It's a smaller, "local" place in a shopping strip so be weary of your parking due to the stores next door, but since we came at about 1pm we had no issues with parking. Inside the staff and ambiance had your quaint French feel with the music, speaking to each other in French, and the close proximity you have from one table to the next. I forgot to ask my brother how his items were, so again, take this review lightly as I've exposed myself to quite a bit of French food and I'm a little on the bougie foodie side of life. [Food] Appetizer: - Escargots Maison: my brother ordered this and I would have ordered this as well until I saw pate on the menu and then I was torn.. - Rillettes de Canard (Shredded duck and pork pâté): it's decent for a pork pate, slightly on the drier side. I feel like the shredded duck was mixed with the pate, therefore causing that drier taste. At least the small amount of greens and pitted olives on the board helped with the taste. I don't recommend you ordering this unless you are wanting to try a different pate for the day. Entree: - Magret de Canard (honey and lavender roasted duck breast and leg confit with sautéed potatoes): My brother ordered this and it looked more pleasing than mine due to the medium rare choice of cooked meat. Again, wish I had asked him or even tried a piece but forgot in the midst of us catching up. - Cassoulet (southwest duck confit, sausage "toulouse", pork, and kidney beans): this was my backup choice since my brother chose what I wanted and we normally don't order the same thing. This is a rather bland and poor choice on my end. The breading on the duck itself, to me, is the most redeeming factor because it gives a crunchy and refreshing texture next to the repetitive taste of "dry curry/bland sauce." Dessert: Profiteroles: The pastry itself was done well, compared to some places I've tried before. I'm not a huge fan of whipped cream and the huge amount they placed on it, but that's an easy fix to just move or eat around. All in all, this place is relatively average and I personally don't find it praise worthy from my dishes. Happy eating. read more

Bistro Mistral - My brother's Magret de Canard. - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Wow...the food here was so good. I forgot to take a picture. I had the beef stew and a friend got the chicken dish. The chicken was delicious. We talked about coming back for a group event. Highly recommended!!! read more

This is my favorite french go to spot in Houston. Never disappoints. Friendly service and outstanding cuisine ;) read more

Bistro Mistral - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had been told that this place was amazing, but found it to be otherwise. Food was cold and flavorless. The dessert was also terrible. The wine was good, however. read more

It was my 60th birthday. Wanted something nice. 3 of us out for dinner. Wine was excellent La Croix de Verre. Escargot very salty - I eat far too much salt in general, so for them to be too salty for me is scary for normal folk. Pork chop was ok but the mashed potato was wet and very basic. I travel a lot - eat out a lot. If somewhere wants to be pretentious the food should support the attitude. The food failed last night. read more

Beautiful and authentic French food. Great wait staff. French country style atmosphere, and desserts to die for.

Special Sea Bass was way over cooked... Not even close to well executed. Dry, under seasoned, and just plain blah. Ravioli with ratatouille was very good. Kinda like the place, maybe just need to get sauced entrees. read more

Loved loved the ambiance! As if we were in a wonderful charming village in rural France. Awesome service, wonderful food, start with the freshly baked bread with oil and the escargot is to die for! Loved it!! read more

Really great atmosphere! The food was well done and the wine selection was great. It is very small and makes you feel very cozy. Hope to visit again soon read more

The best muscles I have ever had. They are accommodating and all the food is amazing. This is a local hidden gem. We had the burrata, escargot, chicken, beef tenderloin, and creame brûlée. All were perfect and so delicious. read more

We used to dine regularly at this Memorial spot until about a year or so go when the food quality nose dived. We decided to give it another chance because the ambiance, especially during cooler weather, has also been nice. Unfortunately we should have heeded the recent reviews, as it continued to disappoint. I ordered the crab cakes to start and though they did have a decent amount of crab they were greasy and clearly under seasoned. For my entree I tried the ravioli which several other reviewers were positive about. I think a great ravioli should stand on it's own. These were served on a bed of poorly prepared eggplant cubes and topped with what was obviously frozen scallops. Yuck! The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is that there wine list, though considerably shorter, still holds up. read more

Impressive menu, wine list and service. My colleague had been here several times before but this was a first for me. Our server spoke, and I think most of the staff speaks, both English and French, which for a bistro in the US. is quite nice. The decor is French country and actually if I woke up there and didn't know better (could happen), I'd be convinced I really was over the pond. I can't think of a single negative for Bistro Provence. I'm quite chuffed about this find in Houston - très bon! read more

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Eh--- Let me preface this review: first I am from Miami and second we went to this restaurant on a Tuesday. Based on the rave reviews, I was NOT impressed. The service was haphazard. I think the restaurant might have been understaffed since the owner and manager were both running around and sweating profusely. Additionally, the service was brusque. I had the French Onion Soup, which was as delicious as advertised. For dinner I had the duck and my dinner partners both had the fish special. The fish was perfectly prepared and very fresh. The duck, however, was a disappointment. My duck leg/thigh was ICE COLD. Upon bringing this to the servers attention it was discovered that there was an error in the kitchen. Someone inadvertently served me the portion from the FREEZER. The kitchen apparently pre-cooks the duck and then reheats as ordered. My duck was quickly replaced with a properly warmed portion and was okay, although it was not replated nicely. The chef just dumped the potatoes, veggies and sauce from the previous plate on the new one...a little effort, please? It seemed like he wanted to quickly get that plate out of this kitchen. Last, I thought the honey and lavender sauce was overly sweet and the lavender was very obvious. Overall, I wouldn't go back here. The service was sloppy and rushed, the food was okay, however, the glaring kitchen error was just inexcusable. read more

Nestled in a small strip mall on an unusually wooded section of Memorial, is this little gem of a bistro. I'm not sure what they were thinking when they built this strip mall 40 (50? 60?) years ago, but the solid brick construction adds a lot of charm to what feels like a little corner bistro that feels more like it's 300 miles in a ville located outside of Paris, France rather than 300 miles from Paris, Texas. The interior is cozy, intimate, but with plenty of window space it's also bright and airy. The view (of woods across the street) is uniquely pleasant for a venue in this part of town. This is a go-to place for a nice lunch in the Energy Corridor. With a great selection of bargain lunch meals that consist of a meat entrée (chicken, pork, fish) in a wonderful sauce along with a side of green veggies and mashed potatoes. Pass the garlic, please. They do a pretty good job with soups and salads, as well. I usually go for the pork entrée special, often in a slightly sweet sauce (such as fig). I've had their pizza, which can make a light meal for two (or two meals, one to go). Service is attentive, and you can spend a leisurely meal here or get in and out in business-lunch time. Call me an admirateur. read more

This is my favorite neighborhood restaurant on the West side of town. I've never had a disappointing meal here. It can be a bit "cozy" on a busy evening. Resist the temptation to fill up completely on the bread appetizer before the meal. The menu is quite varied but I usually opt for one of the specials on their blackboard. The native French speakers on the staff add to the ambience. If they are serving duck, get it. This is definitely the piece de resistance of this establishment. The wine list is great. I usually just drop in without a reservation and almost always have been accommodated. read more

I finally get to write something nice...seems like its been a long time since I felt a place deserved the credit for being: 1. Unique 2. Great 3. Memorable 4. Worth coming back for This is one of those places. The service was expedient and the atmosphere was very cozy. How cozy? I could probably touch the opposing walls of the restaurant with my monkey arms. This is a great place for an intimate dinner with the wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend or even small family get togethers (adults, not kids mind you). They have a great menu that serves the staples of French cuisine. I recommend the goat-cheese ravioli with shrimp and scallops. Let's face it, everything is awesome with goat cheese. The rainbow trout is an acquired taste, but it is plated immaculately. The dresscode is somewhat fancier than say La Madeline, but it is not stuffy. My wife wore her favorite David Bowie t-shirt (we didn't know) and we were seated immediately. The wait staff even liked it. Guess they get tired of Brooks Brothers and Chicos. La critique est aisée, mais l'art est difficile. Bonsoir! read more

I want to like this place, I really do. It's a cute little bistro, has a great provincial menu, but both times I've been here, I was disappointed with my food. The first time I went, I started with the escargot. It was okay, nothing too special. My main course was their pork special du jour. It was a massive chunk a meat and it was so hard. I was only able to eat a few bites and my mouth got tired of chewing. The waitress asked if I wanted it to go and I politely refused. The second time I went, I had the duck breast with mango sauce. Again, it was tough and the mango sauce I expected to be sweet was actually really salty. I travel France frequently and the food I get here are some of the worst French food I've had. read more

Horrible to the point of Embarrassing! They must have changed chefs. This used to be my favorite bistro but alas no more. The lobster bisque garnished with lump crab meat had neither lobster nor crab meat. The steak with Béarnaise sauce was a fatty ribeye served with a cold glop of refrigerated and tasteless paste. Where was the sauce? Tasted unbelievably nasty! I hate to say it but tonight was my last trip here. Absolutely horrible imitation of edible food and an insult to real French food! Look at the date of the reviews and you will notice that the good food served here happened a long time ago. :( read more

We have not been here in a year and I should have read the recent reviews before we wasted the trip from downtown. Yes, there has been a change in chefs and it is obvious. Our waitress was pleasant but what waiter pours wine in all the glasses and then asks how it is. Second the mussels were in some tasteless watered down broth that nobody wanted to finish with a spoon. The small rilletes salmon was not worth the $10 and looked like tuna fish salad in a cup. One of our party had the ribeye and is tasted like burnt charcoal, no real flavor at all with a terrible side of cold Bernaise sauce; the redfish was a better option. Finally, the tart of the day was good but the sorbet tasted like shaved ice. This restaurant is not what it used to be and it is resting on its old laurels. We will not be making a return trip. If you want real French cooking you will have to look elsewhere, do not waste your money here unless you have no where else to drive to. C'est dommage. read more

Overall....just average Ambiance - The restaurant gave us some trouble stating that we did not have our reservation although we did and we even reconfirmed the same day. It's nice, cozy place but very cramped for space. We could hear the table conversation next to us and vice versa. Appetizers - the French onion soup is really tasty. Soup of the day was a squash soup which was absolutely terrible because it had way too much salt. Entree - the ravioli pasta with seafood is very good Dessert - apple pie with cinnamon ice cream was so so. The top of my pie was burnt and the pie lacked flavor. The creme brûlée was also so so and this was very disappointing for a French place. read more

Bistro Mistral - Burnt apple pie - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is an adorable french bistro, tucked away on Memorial. The food is A-plus and if you are a foodie, this a deal. So what is the catch? The service can be horrendous for Houston standards. If you have ever been to France, the service is perfect - absolutely standard. It is still one of my favorites. It is like a piece of France in the middle of Houston. :) :) read more

Wow, really french- even speaking it in there. I started with a delicious wine being featured, then had to have the foie gras- and I LOVE foie gras, it was seared and it was a bit cool in the middle- I don't know if that is how it should be or not, I prefer it warm through but it was incredible. OH and the free bread they keep bringing was incredible. I had the special, chicken cordon bleu, it came with fresh mashed potatoes and broccoli, good and inexpensive. My partner had the french onion soup- it was good not the dark variety but the more traditional weve had in france. Maybe chicken based. He had the raspberry napoleon and I had the special dessert, lemon cake filled with fresh strawberry mousse- all delicious great service, very "bistro like" we will be back. read more

My husband & I dined here yesterday. The atmosphere was cozy & I was surprised by how small the place was. The service was friendly & prompt but the food was just ok. I ordered the bistro pizza & it was nothing to write home about. My husband ordered one of the specials(can't really remember what it was) & he was not impressed. Dessert was good but again, I've had better at other establishments. The staff was friendly, the service was attentive but we were not exactly blown away by our experience. Maybe it was of off night?? read more

So I'll start off by saying that I've never been to France, so I cant compare this to anything else or talk/write about authentic French cuisine. My experiences with French cuisine has been very limited throughout my life and so my review will be based purely on my palate, which has never let me down, and my love/respect/admiration for good quality food. So I'll write this review from that angle. But know this: After eating at Bistro Provence, when I go to France on day, they have expectations to meet. :) First and foremost, the setting. It's cool that this great little French restaurant is nestled in this small, cozy shopping center; right off Memorial Drive. I bet most of you have actually driven pass it's location and not realized it. I had been wanting to go here for a while, but was a bit nervous since they don't take take reservations on the weekends. It was my wife's birthday, so I decided to finally go. Best decision I could have made. We started off with our appetizers (Me: Soupe A L'oignon, Wife: Assiette De Charcuterie). I HIGHLY recommend both. I love French onion soup, so I expected this to be amazing. It did not disappoint. I loved their balance of onion and broth, so the onion wouldn't be overpowering. The cheese was perfectly melted and just hovered over the soup. Mixed in some of their bread with the soup and I was in heaven! My wife's Charcuterie board was delicious. I honestly cant tell you what all was on there, except the ham and olives, cause I don't know what it was. But hey. If it tastes good, I'll eat it. And boy was it good! For our main course I had the Filet De Truite Amandine (Trout cooked with almonds) and my wife had the Magret De Canard (Roasted duck breast). Both were excellent! I had been craving some trout just a few days before that, so I ordered this right when I saw it. I'm the type of person that likes to combine the different flavors that are on my plate and eat them in a bite. This was perfect for that. The trout with the roasted almonds was fantastic. Add the flavor of that butter that it was cooked in and it all makes sense. My wife's duck was just as excellent. I'm glad she got full and let me have the last couple of bites. It was cooked medium rare with a honey sauce and was accompanied with green beans and sliced potatoes. That honey sauce on the duck breast was incredible. Excellent pairing. So as you can tell, we were beyond satisfied with our meal. We couldn't say enough about our kind waitress, who did an awesome job, and the manager (I think that's who she was....) who came to see how our meal was going and if there was anything we needed. I love when restaurant managers take the time to do this, just to make sure their guests are comfortable and taken care of. That says a lot about the culture of the restaurant and their commitment to their patrons; to make sure that they have the best experience possible and enjoy great food. Bistro Provence exemplifies just that. read more

There are very few places in Houston that I actually feel relaxed while I'm eating and this is definitely one of them. The ambiance is as French as you can get here, and I tend to forget that I'm in the heart of Memorial each time I've dined here. Speaking of Memorial - I recommend going for dinner after 7pm so that traffic/rush hour has died down. The place is quite, so probably not ideal for groups. 2 people is perfect, 3's a crowd, 4 is really starting to push it. Authentic French cuisine at its best (says my French friend who brought me here for my birthday dinner last October). And I brought my dad out last night and he's proclaimed that anytime I return to town, this is where we'll be eating. Appetizers - get the pate! I haven't tried the Chef's pate, but the Rillette Maison is d-lish. The escargot is great too. Entrees - I had the Sea Bream - which was tasty, but know that you're getting the whole fish and have to de-bone/decapitate the fish. I've been told if they have the TIlefish, that you HAVE to get it. I've also tried bites of the cornish hen (yum) and the filet mignon. Both fantastic choices. Desserts - Honey/Lavender Creme Brulee! I don't typically prefer creme brulee, but this was definitely the best I've ever had. The lavender boosts the flavor of the dessert. Guys: this is a great date spot if you want to impress your lady :) Bon appetit! read more

My wife and I ate here for our 1st Anniversary back in October. We have friends who were engaged here and always go back for their special meals, so we thought we'd give it a try. Overall, it was a good experience and the food was very good. I like the cozy dining room for two people, but wouldn't suggest this place for any more than 4 people. The quality of the food was good and the service was very good. My only complaints are: The prices - It's well known that restaurants will inflate their prices to appear more high-end or prestigious. However, the simple food prepared here does not warrant the prices charged. (I doubt their rent overhead is killing them given the strip-center location.) They' aren't as ridiculous as other French restaurants in town, but still overpriced. Additionally, a $10 bottle of French table wine was marked up to almost $40. Only French wines are available, which is fine. However, I think they'd be better served by having quality California wines for the prices of the low-end French labels. Staff conversations - While we were eating, the manager was conversing loudly with some of the staff members...in SPANISH! While I admit that hearing spanish with a french accent was humorous, it killed the atmosphere for us. Overall, we would probably consider going back. However, with so many other great restaurants in town, it will probably be awhile. read more

Picked up Thanksgiving dinner here and was extremely disappointed. The amount of food you received was very small despite the high price point. The worst part is the food was not very good. Neither my wife or I could eat most of it. Will not being eating here again. read more

Disclaimer: This is my first time tasting 'authentic' French cuisine. With the above note, I really enjoyed my lunch. I got the Ravioles de Chevre et ses Fruits de Mer - Goat cheese filled raviolis, served over a garlic and Provencal herb ratatouille, topped with shrimp and scallops. I was accompanied by my co-workers, one who was born and raised in France. She said the food was very good and the cooks had put a bit of a creative twist to the original recipes. The dish included many different veggies (squash, eggplant, onions, garlic) and was mixed with a creamy sauce with a slightly sour kick to it. I always assumed French food to be bland, but this dish was far from it. The restaurant was small, but the decor and the wood grill looked to fit together perfectly and I did not feel cramped. Very warm/fresh bread was brought to the table accompanied with an olive oil and herb-filled bowl to dip the bread in. The staff was friendly and really wanted us to enjoy our meals. They spoke French most of the time, so I'll give them even more points on authenticity. :) The only thing I was missing was the ability to sip on a nice glass of white wine. Boooo for having to return to work! How I found this place: After trying the Breakfast Klub's Wings and Waffles and thoroughly enjoying the experience, I noticed a sticker that awarded the restaurant Top 100 - Where the Locals Eat. Bistro Provence was included in the Top 100 as 'Best French'. Houston has WAY TOO many restaurants to know where to begin, so I though this would be a good guide to help lead me in my tasting adventures. The list has been 2 for 2 so far! 98 more to choose from! read more

Absolutely delightful dining experience! Excellent service, exceptional Parisian cuisine finished with a lemon tart prepared with fruit from owners own garden. We will definitely be back soon! read more

I love the ambiance of Bistro Provence. The food is over the top fantastic. The lamb shanks fall off the bone. If rabbit stew is on the menu, you gotta try it! Genevieve, the owner is hands on and so much fun! read more

Bistro Provence is just wonderful. The service is fabulous and the food is delicious classic French. The place is rather small, intimate (as in don't bring a child or a loud date) and the prices were a bit much (even for French food), BUT I still love it and will go back. We had the Moules Marinières, French Onion soup, and an off the menu special...and two different recommended French wines. There wasn't a crumb left, when we were finished. read more

Bistro Provence is a VERY authentic, small french restraunt tucked on Memorial. For a light Tuesday lunch (so to say) my mother and I decided to order the Bistro Salad. To start us off, we got the usual bread with olive oil dip, which wasn't anything too special but the bread was light and crunchy. The service was good (to french standards) but the salad was absolutely amazing. It was light, which was great for the 106 degree weather, but didn't leave you craving for more. The sautéed onions really pulled together the whole salad. Expecially with the cozy French ambience, it was one of the best lunches that I've had here in Houston. For all of us foodies, it's a place to definetly check off of your list. read more

Bistro Mistral - The Bistro Salade - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love this little place! When you walk in you feel like you're walking into a cute quaint bistro in France. The food was super great too! We started with the escargot and wow was that good! We also had the French onion soup and the squash soup. Both were very tasty. I got the Coq Au Vin and it was very good. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants good French food. read more

My friends and I go here to treat ourselves with a good meal, great service, good ambiance, and a good selection of wine. The food: pretty good, all three times I've been I was drinking somewhat heavily (I think it's the dark lighting and cozy atmosphere that makes you drink bottle after bottle without realizing it). But from what I remember, the duck here was delicious (with pear or some sweet fruit glaze). My friend who is a vegetarian, last time had to get the pizza because they don't really have any vegetarian dishes, she said the pizza was ok. My other friend got some beef tips and she and I both agreed that they were delicious. Price: very well priced. around $15-20 a dish. I eat a lot, and at first thought the portions were way too small when they came out, but it's an optical illusion. The food fills you up, and still leaves room for dessert. So people that eat a lot, the portions may be on the smaller side for you. Oh, the bread they serve before your meal is DELICIOUS. or rather the olive oil with the herbs that you dip it in. The bread, they make in the restaurant, so it's hot when it comes to your table. Oh and the cheapest bottle of wine is around $30 bucks, not bad, it was good wine too. Service/staff: All three times I've been here, the owners have been there to greet and seat you at the door. They're really nice. The staff, never anything but good and friendly service. The atmosphere: darkly lit, romantic, cozy, like you're in someone's home. The furniture is all antiqu...wait, why am I even writing about the furniture?? ok. oh the place is a bit small, so the tables are close together. It wouldn't say it's stuffy, but rather cozy. ok, so to sum it up, definitely a great place to eat! read more