Jason Dady -- local restaurateur-cum-celebrity chef -- thrives on challenge and contrarianism. When the culinary illuminati stress the importance of "location, location, location," he shutters the popular Broadway location of his Tuscan-inspired Tre Trattoria and relaunches it in a largely inaccessible space tucked inconspicuously behind an art museum. When most visitors to The Alley (nee, Artisan's Alley) demand girly tearoom fare, he opens a hipster Asian fusion joint. Amidst a global pandemic (a time of anxiety for most restaurateurs), he announces Jardin, a Spanish/Mediterranean concept located in the heart of the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. A quirky restaurant premise like this would falter in the hands of a lesser chef, but Jardin is mostly a success, a veritable "greatest hits" of past glories (the Mediterranean and Spanish flavors of The Bin Tapas Bar combined with Italian favorites from Tre Trattoria) given new life in a gorgeous, enchanting stone cottage surrounded by manicured lawns brimming with flowers. Though the menu features several Dady favorites, including an excellent herb-stuffed branzino and fresh pulled-to-order mozzarella, the mezze sampler is arguably the best place to start. Regardless of which options you choose, make sure to order at least one pita, toasty along the edges, soft in the middle, brushed with ghee, and finished with fresh herbs and sesame seeds. The pita is delicious on its own but pairs especially well with a creamy labneh accented with green olives and an intensely smoky baba ghanoush. Another mezze standout, bolognese-stuffed arancini, resemble crunchy hushpuppies on the outside, but are filled with gooey mozzerella and a rich, meaty ragù alla bolognese. Even a deceptively simple crudite won me over with crisp vegetables ensconced in a thick, creamy lemon aioli resplendent with fresh lemon zest. Small/sharable plates include the aforementioned pulled-to-order mozzarella, several salads and soups, and five creative takes of hummus. This not-so-humble Yelper has been singing the praises of Dady's mozzarella for years now. The ball of cheese arrives warm and seasoned simply with sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Cut off a piece, place it atop a slice of oak-grilled toast, and join yours truly in simple, unadulterated bliss. The standout on a recent visit, however, was the iteration of hummus studded with pearls of lump blue crab meat, sweet corn, and brown butter. The sweet crab and crunch from the corn contrasted nicely against the cool, creamy hummus, while the brown butter added yet another savory component and brought the entire package together. Less impressive was a fococcia pizza topped with ricotta, shaved asparagus, fried farm eggs, a mountain of freshly shredded Pecorino-Romano, and a heavy-handed drizzle of truffle oil. The pizza was overwhelmingly savory and needed an acidic component (tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon) to cut through the denseness of the fococcia and the multiple layers of creaminess. I have read several words of high praise for a different pizza -- one topped with soppressata, jalapenos, and a chunky marinara -- so I will probably order it on a future visit. Desserts include a rich, decadent Nutella torte (another holdover from Tre Trattoria), a delightful raspberry panna cotta, and an intriguing deconstructed olive oil cake. The creamy sweetness of the panna cotta was offset by bits of crunch from pistachio, bitterness from dark chocolate nibs, and a pinch of coarse sea salt. The unqualified hit of the evening, however, was the olive oil cake, consisting of three moist, triangular slices of white cake separated by dollops of saffron-infused Chantilly cream, honey-drizzled mascarpone, and a nougat tasting of almond extract. The use of olive oil in a dessert might sound strange, but the flavor was nuanced and added moistness to the cake. During the course of five visits, servers have been comfortable describing items and offering recommendations, but the kitchen staff have stumbled in unexpected ways. The first time I visited, my dad made asked that his soup arrive prior to his salad course, yet both items emerged from the kitchen simultaneously. That same morning, a runner brought out a plate of hummus topped with pork belly instead of the crab meat iteration I had ordered. On my most recent visit, my pita bread arrived ten minutes before the other components of my six-item mezze sampler, suggesting that the kitchen was overwhelmed. Jardin is still relatively new, so perhaps Dady and his team still require time to iron out a few issues. Despite my misgivings with the service and the fococcia pizza, Jardin has become one of my favorite restaurants near Alamo Heights, a burgeoning foodie enclave featuring such culinary luminaries as Cappy Lawton, Damien Watel, and Chris Conger. I have to wonder what's next for Jason Dady, though. A Mexican-Pakistani fusion place accessible via a manhole cover on Poplar Street? read more

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Came for lunch. A big Dady fan here. Jardin has been on my list of San Antonio restaurants to try and today's lunch was a first go. We were a party of three girlfriends. GF #1 ordered from the Mezze Plates selection and had the Deviled Eggs: Saffron, Smoked Paprika Harissa & Olive, the Sicilian Cauliflower: Lemon, Golden Raisins Capers & Red Chile and the White Cheddar Stuffed Dates: Spicy Honey, Prosciutto & Pecan. GF #2 also ordered from the Mezze Plates and had the Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Chevre & Tomato Jam, the Bolognese-Stuffed Arancini: Mozzarella & Black Truffle Aioli, the Lemon Ricotta Spread: Olive Oil & Sherry Vinegar and the Naan Pita: Garlic, Butter & Zahtar. I had the Beef Kefta Kabobs with Herbed Yogurt; mine came with hummus and a mixed green salad. Madiso, our server was attentive and informative. All foods were two thumbs up. Can't wait to return for dinner! read more

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The Ambiance is really nice. My server was knowledgeable, we sat at the bar area. It's locally owned and operated which I loved while on vacation. I love the locally sourced food and the drinks are really nice. Made with local ingredients also. read more

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Great service. Great good. Great atmosphere... but beware of flies! I ordered hummus, the mozzarella and tomato pizza and a peach Bellini. I'd order the same thing all over again, because it was that good! I was somewhat confused by the description of the pizza and thought it didn't come with a tomato paste, but it did! I got a tomato paste on the side too though. Absolutely delicious. While you can't get an adult drink at the garden, you can take one to go from here. The peach bellinis will sneak up on you. Proceed with caution. Our waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu and was very kind and attentive. Definitely will come back. The only thing is, I'd maybe rethink eating outside because of all of the FLIES! read more

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This place is fantastic! The ambience is relaxing and the food is exquisite! The server was absolutely knowledgeable and very pleasant! Come here if you can, you won't be disappointed.... read more

The latest of Chef Dady's (and team) restaurants does not disappoint!!! Great location next to the San Antonio Botanical Garden. The food reflects the freshness of the environment. The naan is simply amazing! But so is everything else we had! Hummus, chicken, salad, pizza, etc Can't wait to return! read more

Jardin - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Drinks are amazing. Food was ok. It felt like whitewashed Mediterranean. We got a 6 item mezze platter, a pizza, and an order of kebabs. The arancini, mast-o-kahir and lemon ricotta spreads were good, but the other dips we got and the deviled eggs were not great. We didn't finish them because it lacks flavor. The pizza itself was a huge ciabatta loaf with minimal toppings. Nice to snack but left you feeling like you could eat something better or spend the money on authentic Mediterranean food read more

Jardin - Mezze platter - Mediterranean Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I greatly enjoy our visits to Jardin whenever we stop by to see the botanical gardens. It's the perfect way to end a leisurely stroll. The outdoor seating is surprisingly comfortable even in the heat. Inside, the only feedback I have for the establishment is to fix the tables. Every one I've sat at indoors in the last 3 years worth of visits has been wobbly. Favorites for this family are the naan and you can't go wrong with the cocktail menu! read more

Yummy! Kimberly knocked it outta the ballpark with our 16 top family! I had the beef carpaccio, lamb meatballs and the naan! The dirty bleu martini was the best one I've had in quite some time! Thanks for hosting and filling our bellies! The whole table was happy and spoiled! read more

Such a cute restaurant! The ambiance is perfect for a date night or GNO. I get the EVOO hummus every time. It's a must. Perfect amount to share. The pita bread that comes with it is just as yummy! Ask for extra. The beef kabob lettuce wraps were fresh, crispy with a tinge of spicy. My girlfriends ordered the lamb meatballs and the lemon ricotta pizza. Meatballs were really good and the pizza was good but a lot of bread. Pizza would be a nice one to share as an app imo. Although the food is yummy and I will continue to come back the service is ehhh. Our server hadn't tried any of the food that we asked her about and said she didn't have any change to break our $20 bills to leave her a tip. We ended up getting our change and leaving a good tip but imo a server shouldn't ever expect or assume to get a whole bill. read more

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Wonderful fare, with the best lamb ragout I have ever had! It was light and not overwhelming. The honey olive cake was delightful, not heavy, yet brings out the honey. Better ambience and fair than Stout's. read more

First and last visit to Jardin. Hoped to enjoy a nice meal before touring the Botanical Gardens. Ordered Mezze for the table which was 12 appetizers, plus one order of naan. Each of the appetizers was two bites for $48.00. The naan for $4.50 turned out to be one piece about 5" in diameter, so we ordered 3 more naan. The naan was soggy. Still hungry we ordered pasta carbonara which tasted like unseasoned hamburger helper. Very expensive and disappointing experience. read more

Wow Awesome! If you're looking for Mediterranean Eats! And a Beautiful view this is the place! The hummus is amazing the Foccacia fresh & lovely! The lamb burger cooked to perfection. And the desserts are FAB FAB FAB!!! Worth your time to Pop in & Partake!!! read more

Had lunch today at Jardin.What a wonderful experience ! The atmosphere is warm and lovely. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Service was attentive but not hovering. It is obvious that there has been great attention to every detail. At the same time there is no pretention. The background music felt like a gentle hug. The restaurant is at the Botanical Center and although we did not have time to go into the gardens , it would be a perfect afternoon. read more

We were able to secure 6:15pm reservations tonight, Thursday. We were excited to have a night out. Well what a disappointment. The restaurant was empty when we arrived. There was one table with people inside and one table outside. We walked up to the hostess stand and there was no one there. The bar tender pointed to the guy at the bar on the phone. The bartender said he is the hostess and will be right with you. The hostess sat us outside and turned on the heater. The whole resturant was empty. We sat at our table for 15 minutes and no one came to say hi or ask us if we wanted drinks. Not even water was served. We understand if the restaurant was busy, but no one was there. We got up and walked out. The staff seemed to enjoy visiting with each other then helping the guests. The absolute worst service I've seen from an empty restaurant. Guess that's why people are not visiting this place. It will be a long time before we venture back to Jardine. A perfect example of absent management/ownership. Find somewhere else to dine!! read more

I feel really terrible writing negative reviews, but I had a really, really disappointing dining experience during Mother's Day brunch and I wish I had chosen somewhere else. I booked my reservation a month in advance because I was so excited to bring my mom here. Unfortunately, we all left disappointed and my mom left sick to her stomach. We chose Jardin for the food and the beautiful garden. I can say that outdoor patio and garden were excellent and exactly what I was looking forward to. The food, on the other hand, was beyond disappointing. The lobster bisque had shell blended into it. The avocado toast had no seasoning - not even salt or pepper. Worse, the crab was rotten. The olive oil cake was extremely dry, salty, and the cream on top tasted like stale refrigerator seafood. The appetizer (bread, hummus, vegetables) was really good. Unfortunately my mom was sick to her stomach after eating the crab. I will say that the waitstaff were super friendly and seemed to be doing their best on a busy, hot day. But it was clear something was terribly wrong here. I understood that they were dealing with some capacity and staffing issues, and as someone who has worked in food service, I felt for them especially given such a busy holiday. But to me this really puts the question on the ownership and how well they're treating and paying their workers to have these types of issues. The manager did give us a 4% discount after offering 25%. This was a very disappointing meal for $275 for four. read more

Me and my husband came on Sunday for lunch and tried their restaurant week tasting menu with wine pairing. The ambiance was super cute and we sat right by a window and I was in awe at the view the entire time. What I liked the most about this place was the mezza sampler, and it's location being at the botanical garden (you could take a nice long walk after eating a big meal lol). I would've given this place a 5 star review, but the greens on our entree plates were way too salty that we couldn't eat any of it. It was probably a honest kitchen mistake/accident (I hope, because it was so so salty)... In addition, our server seemed new and didn't provide the most timely service. We waited for about 15min for her to bring over water after we sat down. By the time we got our water and got to order drinks, the table behind us covered by a different server had already gotten their drinks and 1st course - needless to say we felt pretty jealous of the other tables and wished other servers would've noticed us and offered a helping hand to our server so we didn't have to wait so long. It didn't start out great for us, but our server was friendly and genuine, and she did a great job of bringing out the food and clearing the plates later on so it made up for the wait in the beginning. Drip coffee was delicious! read more

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Worst restaurant I have ever been at. This "salad" in the picture took an hour and a half to serve. Absolutely ridiculous. Also ordered a beer, only to find out 10 minutes later became I came into the restaurant and asked what's going on with it, that they do not even carry this beer which I chose from the menu. No one knew about my order, the waiter didn't even mention the fact that they don't have it anymore and she never bothered to let me know. All of the other food that was ordered took over an hour and a half to serve, some of the items were missing (butternut squash in the "salad") a new waiter was assigned to us and the poor guy knew everything is off and I felt sorry for him as he tried to make our stay there nice. Would NOT recommend coming here. read more

Jardin - A very oily and bland "salad" which took an hour and a half to prepare - Mediterranean Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

My family met for dinner on New Year's Day and our 7pm reservation was immediately seated. We opened with a couple of cocktails and a bottle of wine from their ample list. The menu offers a great variety of dishes to sample, and we dove right in with hummus with crispy pork belly, deviled eggs, white cheddar-stuffed dates, Bolognese-stuffed arancini, and their take on a grilled cheese sandwich, made with chèvre and tomato jam. Everything tasted delicious, with the dates and the grilled cheese being my personal favorites. We continued with beef kefta kabobs, crab dip, shrimp with spicy Zhoug, and from the large plates, we shared the beef short rib. Again, all offerings were exquisite, but I enjoyed the shrimp most as it was a first for me. We finished with a cappuccino and the raspberry panna cotta, and both were the perfect end to a delightful evening at Jardin. read more

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This restaurant is located by the Botanical Gardens. Michael, our waiter, explained that many items on the menu are grown on premises and that even the flowers in the martini are edible! We eat a lot of vegetables and it's difficult to find a restaurant where they are the star of the menu rather than an after thought. We choose six dishes from the mezze section, all were delicious. Portions are small, but filling. The staff pays attention and spaces the courses, fills water glasses, brings extra plates, etc. We sat in the garden where there were fans and plenty of shade. This meal was dinner before Shakespeare in the Park, but we noticed they also have items to purchase on the go if you are enjoying the garden grounds for the day (including alcohol). Thanks for a lovely dinner, we will be back!!! read more

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The drinks were superb. The food was spectacular. Reserve ahead of time so you don't wait. The service was great. I highly recommend!! read more

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Absolutely delicious food! The "grilled cheese" appetizer Spritzers were a bit watered down, though. Lovely evening all in all read more

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Second visit. Last one as pretty good, so we came back. Seated immediately at a dirty table. The table next to us was covered with salad remnants and buzzing flies. After ten minutes of no greeting or water, we moved to the bar. We were greeted right away and ordered drinks and app plates. For some reason, they only brought half the apps at once, and then the second half 20 minutes later. Kind of hard to enjoy the Naan with the dip when they are served separately. No further service was offered, additional drinks, or offers to clear used plates. I watched one waiter catch flies with his hands off of a door window, and watched the bartender use his teeth to remove the wrapper from a bottle of booze. Most of the food was inedible. What they called a deviled egg was really a soft boiled egg with a squirt of Dijon and an olive on it. The freschetta was bitter, and the green "dip" for the Naan, that was served 20 minutes earlier, was green and tasted like dish soap. I'm not kidding, it was all that bad. read more

Decided to check out a new spot for lunch while on a photoshoot at SA Botanical Gardens...called the wife to join me at this awesome location since she works nearby...the rest is golden! Asked for patio seating but didn't know advance reservations are required due to the heavy lunchtime crowd...oh well, inside (open seating) will do. Glad I did because it warmed up pretty quickly outside! Greeted by the lovely Fanona, superior customer service with a smile and conversation. Oh well, let me get to the point! The food was incredible and not overpriced for the location (Alamo Heights). The Pan Seared Salmon lunch plate (Moroccan-inspired CousCous, Charred Cumin Oil, Tzatziki, apricot sauce) was delicious and so was my Foccacia Pizza (Soppressata, house Marinara, Jalapenos). "Nuff said, return visit a must! Total bill $50, left a $20 tip! Thanks, Fanona! read more

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We didn't get the full feel of the restaurant as we were only able to sit at the bar (reservations were needed & the phone line was busy...that's on us though because you could have book online). Food was great, don't skip on the naan it's the best we've ever tasted. Salmon was cooked perfectly, pizza is on focaccia bread so it's light & airy. Hummus was very unique in that it's whipped so it's super smooth & light in texture which we have never had prepared that way before. Adam, the bartender was super busy but very attentive to our needs (he didn't skip a beat) so survive was excellent. Actually, sitting at the bar made me want to try more items next time because you could hear what everyone was ordering. We will be back! read more

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The food we got was amazing, however they were out of half the items on the menu. The drinks were very nice though, so it made up for us not getting our first, or even our fifth choices in food. read more

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Beautiful bucolic setting .Great food and service.I recommend this restaurant highly.

Every bite is intentional and packed full of flavor. Our food came out quickly and the historic atmosphere was beautiful. Wonderful for showers or a stroll in the garden. Pork belly was crispy, light, and made an excellent contrast to creamy hummus. Pleasantly surprised how much I loved this food! read more

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Meh. 1 star for the food and the second because dessert was better. We had the 3-Mezze appetizers with the beets, cauliflower, and butternut squash followed by the gnocchi and shrimp small dishes with the Nutella dessert. The appetizers were okay when all of the components were eaten together. But each ingredient on its own tasted like something you'd get at the supermarket. The entrees were the same. We had a boiled smashed potato with absolutely no seasoning nor was it cooked in any other way as "crispy potatoes." The spiced cashews, pomegranate sauce, rose anglaise all sounded great but tasted like nothing. The gnocchi were soggy and it's saffron cream sauce with basil oil again tasted like barely anything while somehow still looking and feeling greasy. The best thing by far was the dessert, but it couldn't make up for the rest of the evenings disappointing lack of flavor. Aside from the food... The pizza oven was broken and our waiter really shouldn't have been on their own yet. These things aren't really their fault and so didn't contribute to the rating (or it would be one star). read more

Gone downhill. Used to be one of my favorites. Pita bread was raw. Sent it back and got another one, still raw and charred on the outside. Portions even smaller and not very good. I won't be back. read more

Absolutely superv service!! Drinks were strong & the food was delicious. It is a bit fancy but it works. :) It's a cozy restaurant with great atmosphere. read more

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Mediocre food, bad attitudes, and closed 90 minutes earlier than the big hand written sign in the door and website stated. We called ahead of time to confirm hours of operation and made a special trip to the restaurant, because we were really looking forward to eating outside on this beautiful day. We were turned away for an unannounced early closure. We've eaten there a couple of times and the food and service are just ok. read more

Someone pinch me as I think I was dreaming that I'd been transported to the Mediterranean and a lovely garden restaurant. Seriously, I love a good farm-to-table (or in this case botanical garden-to-table) concept and this one is definitely a fan favorite. It's a beautiful old stone carriage house on the San Antonio Botanical Garden property (you don't have to pay for garden admission to eat here and there is free parking!). The staff was friendly and I'd highly recommend reservations, especially if you want a coveted outdoor table. The menu is Mediterranean inspired and is heavy on flavors that they grow in the chef's garden nearby (which you can see if you visit the Botanical Garden). The hummus is a MUST order - some of the best I've had and you can tell it is freshly made (almost tastes as though it were made to order!). The food was flavorful, filling and healthy - I got the edamame falafel stuffed in a pita with a side salad and the hummus. I could have licked my plate clean! I only wish I lived closer as I was just in town for a day trip as this would definitely be a place I'd frequent. read more

Jardin - Stuff pita - Mediterranean Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Beautiful setting in an old stone carriage house, probably on the San Antonio historical list, right in the botanical garden. The olive tree bearing olives by the front door as you entered, blew my mind. I have never seen real olives growing before. You can reach out and touch a growing green olive still in its hull. The handicap large push button front door was a little puzzling as you will see. Inside is like you might imagine an old carriage house with a dark rustic ambience. Our favorite place to sit was the 10-seat white porcelain bar giving you a view of the place. Try to avoid the upstairs dining room as it is small dark and dingy. We like to see lots of other diners around us. The staff was a bunch of young energetic college kids servers with a big smile and friendly helpful attitude. The food? Not as good. A little too "artsy" if you know what I mean? The crispy pork belly hummus had a strange tasting pink sauce on it that didn't fit. The soft scrambled eggs with feta cheese was anemic and too expensive. $14 for two or maybe three soft scrambled eggs with only a few small pieces of feta cheese, 1/4 of a small avocado sliced and five of those little 1 cm tomatoes cut in half. You ate it out of a bowl with a large spoon. It totally lacked any flavor. To be on the safe side, try their flatbread pizza. This is a place mostly for tourists and if you are local, it is worth a visit just to see the place and say you have been there. read more

Very cool and relaxing. Darnell was our waiter and explained everything in the menu we had questions about and recommendations. We had the grilled cheese, Greek hummus, Naan bread was delicious. Overall 5 star and dint forget the refreshing frozen peach Bellini to go walk the gardens.:) read more

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Getting to the restaurant, via Uber, was a bit of a challenge as it does not map well. Once we got there, we were blown away by the atmosphere of the restaurant. Our server, Jerome, was very friendly and helpful, making suggestions and having engaging conversation. A+ service. Bloody Mary was great - VERY spicy; so, you may want to ask them to tone it down if you don't like the spice. We went for brunch (10:00 am) and were a bit disappointed to see little "breakfast" in the "brunch, with only one scrambled egg option and one frittata choice. Definitely would be a better lunch spot and obviously the locals know this as it was very quiet when we arrived and getting quite busy by the time of our departure. read more

This place is a hit or miss. My first time visiting was a hit. The second time was a miss. My first time there, we ordered the hummus (classic) as an appetizer, I had the lunch portion of the salmon, and my fiancé had the lamb burger. The hummus was excellent!!! And it came along with a naan pita, which was hot out the oven. My salmon was good, but maybe a little too greasy for my taste. It paired well with everything on the plate though (couscous, side of fresh greens). My fiancé LOVED the lamb burger! It was very well made. The iced tea was also really good quality. The next time we went, I ordered the Jardin salad with grilled chicken and there wasn't anything special about it. It lacked flavor, sadly. My fiancé had the pizza with jalapeño and it was ok! Not bad, but not amazing either. We also split the Greek hummus and neither of us cared for it. I was excited for the naan pita & it arrived cold. The iced tea was also not as good the first time... Oh! And I ordered a lemonade (asked if it was fresh, they said yes) and it tasted like minute-maid. Nonetheless, it's a nice atmosphere and I'd recommend for you to try it! I wish it was more consistent though... There are also always flies buzzing around inside which can get annoying. read more

Pretty nice, though loud, lunch place. Courteous waiters. Lots of flies, so they will provide you with a little whirligig to put on the table that will keep the flies away. The food is mediocre at best. Our check was $50 for two. Bread is not provided, but you can buy some naan for 4.75 (also mediocre or worse). The salmon plate at 18 was skimpy and dried out. The side was hummus, a curious choice. No bread or pita . There was couscous which was very dry. The salad on the side was delicious. I would go back for another try, maybe, for the ambience, at dinner. Lunch, not so good. read more

NOT worth it if the patio is closed This is not a comment on the food, it's about the ambience. I was really excited to finally try this place, and chose to go for my birthday. Unfortunately, it was a rainy cold day so we weren't able to sit on the patio but I didn't think that was going to completely dictate the experience... Unfortunately it did. The indoor space is very casual for the more upscale experience I was anticipating. It felt like I was at a bakery Lorraine type casual café, rather than a nice dinner. I think this could've easily been resolved with white tablecloth's and maybe some tea candles on the table. I did really like the small plate style and the Mediterranean menu. I just really hope the next time we go back that they class it up a little bit more... inside and out. read more

This place was such a disappointment. The food was Not great, The salmon was over cooked and the dessert cake was dry. But worst of all was the service. Our server barely checked in on us. I understand if the restaurants was super busy and the server had many tables to oversee, but that was not the case tonight. And to top it all off our bill came with an add 20% tip and as we walked out we saw our server sitting at a table, behind a curtain of some sort, chatting it up with other servers, I guess she had more important things to do than attend to her guest. We won't be going back. read more