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    Julia’s Bistro & Bar

    4.5 (175 reviews)
    Closed 3:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Julia’s Bistro & Bar Photos

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    JULIA’S BISTRO & BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Moderate noise

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    Reviews With Photos

    Eggs benny
    Marisa P.

    This is definitely one of the most slept on restaurants in San Antonio. Excellent French bistro style dishes and still affordable. Sadly they do not do brunch anymore, but offer a perfect early dinner. If you are looking for girl dinner they have happy hour truffle fries and Caesar salad. Different specials rotate like a poached salmon or braised short rib. They always have a nice seasonal salad recently beets and goat cheese. And in true French fashion they always have chocolate mousse or pot de creme.

    Bladimir M.

    dinner was okay overall. They had good prices for drinks, beer, wine. parking is okay, but limited spaces out front. some outside tables and seats outside. got the chicken palenta, which was pretty tasty but also oily. oysters as an appetizer were tasty but also oily. bread with the oysters was good. it was pretty hot inside though. that was my one main concern. for a summer day, wish they had turn on the air conditioner. not sure if it is always like this., but i saw other people were fanning themselves and sweating.

    Jasmine L.

    Heard so many great things about this restaurants and was excited to try it out. However, it was disappointing in several ways. First off, it was incredibly warm in the restaurants in the middle of July, and I was sweating the entire time. Appears that they don't really turn on the AC, or if they do, it does not circulate well. Very discomforting especially for the middle of summer. The food was also kind of a miss imo. The trout was generous, but it was extremely salty. I couldn't even eat half of the plate without drinking a ton of water. The salad, on the other hand, was much better, especially the one with kale, avocado, and apples! It was a wonderful mix and tasted so good. The drinks were also good. I got the french 76, which was just the right amount of sweet and very refreshing! Loved the color as well, and just a hint of lavender was nice Service was good overall, although we had to wait some time for water refills. They were busy though for a weekend evening during prime dinner hour. In all, not the best options for food if you're looking for healthy choices and it is extremely warm inside, but service and drinks were good

    French onion soup

    My husband and I were excited to try Julia's Bistro & Bar after reading about the restaurant and seeing so many positive reviews. Unfortunately, our experience was very mixed, especially considering the price point and reputation. The meal actually started off great. Our server was friendly, attentive, and one of the highlights of the evening. My husband ordered the French onion soup, which was excellent, and I started with the crispy Brussels sprouts with bacon, blue cheese, and balsamic reduction. Those were absolutely delicious and probably my favorite thing I ate all night. The entrees were where things went downhill. My husband ordered the steak frites. The server explained they were in the process of changing the menu and offered a New York strip instead, describing it as coming with a sauce featuring tomatoes. My husband agreed to try it. While the steak was cooked to the requested medium rare, the quality of the meat was disappointing. It was sinewy, had a large tendon running through the center, and honestly didn't resemble what we'd expect from a New York strip. The sauce was even more confusing. Instead of something tomato-forward, it was a thin brown gravy with a couple of halved cherry tomatoes on top. The flavors didn't seem to work together, and the seasoning was just off. I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken Piccata with Cajun butter, capers, spinach, and roasted vegetables. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly memorable either. The dish looked flavorful, and I could see the capers, but surprisingly I couldn't really taste them. Overall, it felt under-seasoned and lacked the bright flavor I'd expect from a piccata. The roasted vegetables, however, were excellent. To finish the meal, we hoped to order the dulce de leche cheesecake, but we were told the dessert menu had recently changed and it was no longer available, which was disappointing. Overall, there were definitely some bright spots: the service, French onion soup, Brussels sprouts, and roasted vegetables were all very good. However, the entrees were underwhelming, and for the price and hype surrounding the restaurant, we expected a much better dining experience.

    Kristine Marie T.

    Dearest Yelp reader, Our evening at Julia's Bistro & Bar was one of those nights where everything just flowed -- warm service, thoughtful pacing, and dishes that showed real care from the kitchen. From the moment we were seated, Carlos made us feel welcome with his steady, attentive approach, and both Chef Ramon and Sous Chef Seth added genuine, personal touches checking in on our experience. We started with cocktails -- a Chocolate Old Fashioned that was smooth and balanced with a Luxardo cherry, and the Smoky Paradise, refreshing with a subtle, pleasant smokiness. With drinks in hand, the starters began arriving: * Chef's Choice Crostini -- sun-dried tomato bright, savory, and full of flavor * Truffle-Dusted Fries -- crisp, aromatic, and served with a Calabrese aioli * Char-Grilled Spanish Octopus -- tender, well-seasoned, beautifully plated * Cajun Butter Oysters -- buttery, herby, and nicely balanced * French Onion Soup -- rich broth, caramelized onions, and perfectly melted Gruyère For the entrée course, each dish delivered its own kind of comfort: * Short Rib Bourguignon -- melt-apart tender, deeply flavorful * Braised Lamb Shank-- rich, layered, and beautifully executed * Steak Frites -- a great cut, cooked with care, paired with crisp fries Dessert was a highlight all on its own -- and all three were absolutely worth ordering: * Bourbon Apple Bread Pudding -- warm, cozy, fully decadent * S'mores Pot de Crème -- silky chocolate with a nostalgic twist * Dulce de Leche Goat Cheesecake with Pecans -- creamy, hint of tangy, and surprisingly the table favorite The entire night felt intentional -- casually elegant with smooth pacing between courses, and a team that clearly takes pride in what they do. If you want a dining experience with personality, warmth, and dishes that truly shine, Julia's Bistro & Bar is absolutely worth the visit! Until the next bite, Kiki

    Cajun truffle French fries and crispy Brussel sprouts
    Jennifer C.

    This restaurant was absolutely delicious! We were a party of about 15 and service didn't skip a beat!!! Lela was the best!!! On top of everything! Drinks and food! So friendly and professional!!! Tasted a few items not pictured- calamari and fried chicken piccata- which was my ULTIMATE FAVORITE!!! Loved all the art work featured throughout! There wasn't anything bad to say!!!

    Steak frites
    Doretta W.

    It is a very well designed and quaint restaurant at the roundabout on Blanco. More parking in the back ... but it is dark after hours. We dined on Friday night, and I recommend a reservation. As our first trip, we decided to try a lot of dishes and drinks on the menu. Let's start with the hostess knew us the minute we showed up ... gave her the name and she said "dinner for four". Wow! Drinks to start ... the Smokey paradise was a delicious mix of flavors .. hint of ginger beer and jalapeño (not much heat). Julia's martini was a favorite at the table as well. The VDR blend was rich, sweet and bold. Appetizers ordered: east coast oysters, escargot and hummus. All were excellent! The oysters have the salty water. A note on the hummus ... the carrots are in the hummus, and the dish is served with bread for dipping. We then moved onto French onion soup and the beet salad. The soup had a super rich broth with lots of onions. The beet salad was a green salad with a beet base. However, it was tasty. The main dishes: steak fries, lamb shank and mushroom risotto. The steak was cooked perfectly and covered with butter and pepper. Hint... you can sub with truffle fries. The lamb shank was large and drenched in the sauce ... thick, rich sauce with hints of cinnamon and chocolate. The risotto was my only disappointment .. it was rather flavorless and the mushrooms were mushy. The service was spot on. Efficient but not intrusive.

    Ammmmmazing!!
    Annie G.

    This is a hidden gem and my new favorite place to eat! I had the Cajun chicken piccata (OMG) it was so amazing! My husband had the steak and fritz and he was in heaven as well. Thank you Daniel for making it a great experience. Oh and the music was on point!

    Inside

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    4 days ago

    Great restaurant!! Love the food and the staff was attentive. Can't wait to go back and try more of the amazing food !!!

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    24 days ago

    Food has french preparation with Texas size portions. Great quality and service. Julia's becomes a favorite after one visit.

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    Jean Francois P.

    Thank you Rebecca, hope we can see you soon!

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    Julia’s Bistro & Bar Reviews in Other Languages

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    This place hits the mark on everything when it comes to breakfast…read more We had the standard huevos rancheros and the huevos benitos. Both were solid, especially the huevos benitos. I'm not a big fan of chorizo, but I do seek out unique variations of eggs benedict, and this one fit the bill, so I went for it. The flavor combination was perfect, and I wasn't overwhelmed with chorizo. If you like eggs benny, give this variation a try. You won't be sorry! The refried beans - I know it's silly to review beans, but these were a bit different than the normal ones we find in SA. They had a bit more texture, unlike the overly blended beans we're used to. Chef's Kiss goes out to these beans! The potatoes - we weren't sure what the seasoning was, but we think it was adobo. Whatever the seasoning is, it puts them over the top as far as breakfast potatoes are concerned. Good stuff! Just a couple of notes: We didn't get tortillas with our breakfast. It might have been an oversight, or our meals didn't come with them. Not sure. The service was great, but depending on the server you get, you might need to know some Spanish. I give them 5 solid stars for breakfast.

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    This was a recommendation from many, so I had to go. Walk in and there it is...the panaderia…read more(bakery) counter. The hostess was a little drab but as I was walked in to be seated, you could feel the upbeat mood. Note that if you're dining solo, they will push hard to seat you at a dark diner type counter to stare at the kitchen area even if you have a reservation, so don't give in unless you're starving and that's your last resort. The colorful decor hits you and you're transported. I ordered the "Mexican Dinner" with chicken enchilada, pork tamal, beef taco with beans and rice. Also had a side order of fresh handmade tortillas. Paloma to wash it all down. Everything tasted great. My server was excellent. Patient and helpful with recommendations. The mariachi band was fun and they roamed the restaurant and bar to play, so chances are that if they aren't singing at your table then they're nearby.

    We decided to eat at Mi Tierra while walking through the shops at Historic Market Square. We were…read morecertainly glad we did. All dishes were great! I loved the beef enchiladas with gravy & rice & refried beans. The gravy was very unique. Not your typical sauce for Mexican cuisine, but very good. As a side we received, warm flour tortillas. These were unbelievably good. This is a beautifully decorated restaurant with such a nice wait staff. Also, serenades are available from a couple of gentlemen walking throughout the dining area. I recommend this restaurant!

    Photos
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    Balcony in the bar
    Triple Chocolate Cake. @coreyd123 on ig for all your photography needs!
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    Chocolate cake. @coreyd123 on IG. Contact me with product/marketing photography interests

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    The restaurant is on the river walk, and right under a hotel, so it's very accessible. The…read morerestaurant itself leans more towards a modern experience. Electronic dance music pulsed quietly in the background. The toilets were all individual unisex stalls that were classy, mine had run out of hand towels. Also, the entire restaurant is very dimly lit. I had to use the flashlight on my phone to read the menu, but I have poor eyesight so there's that, but it might explain the quality of the photos I took. The Paloma drink was amazing. It had a great spicy zing in the back of the throat after every sip. Queso was... kinda plain. It might have been better with the add chorizo option. It was very thick. Shrimp cocktail was big, but we started fighting over the shrimp pieces. There was plenty of onion and tomato left over after the batttle. Pollo Asado was a great flavor and the chicken was juicy. Grilled squash that was on the side was good. Chicken enchiladas were good and had freshly sliced jalapeños, which is always a welcome detail. I wasn't able to taste the quesadilla but my daoughter said it was "really good". Fried Chicken sandwich had a great flavor and the bacon was actually pork belly if I'm not mistaken. Sadly there was more batter than chicken. The seasoned fries were delicious and crispy.

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    Surprised the wife with a trip to Pan Fila for her favorite hot chocolate and concha. We started…read morewith the Pan Fila Conchota combo that is a combination of the two that is 1/2 gallon of hot chocolate made using a base of Abuelitas with additional cinnamon, and cocoa along with something special. It was delicious! The concha was soft, buttery and flaky, with just the right sweetness. We took home the majority of it and it stayed nice and soft instead of turning hard like so many others. We decided to try several appetizers to go along with our concha to get a wider taste of their food than we would by just ordering a couple entrees. Let me tell you, this was a great idea! We ordered the Tosti-Ceviche Verde, Panela Asado, Mexican Street Corn, and their Spicy Bean Dip. The Ceviche Verde was excellent, the freshness of the fish and shrimp was wonderful with the chipotle mayo and avocado. We chose to have it on the salsa Verde Tostitos and it was all great combination. The Panelo Asado was a completely new dish for us and was extremely good with a savory flavor from the salsa Tlaquepaque that mixed well with the Panela cheese. Their tortillas though not made in house, are made for them and taste like mom made them. The Mexican Street Corn was great and had the perfect bit of char taste from the corn. It was creamy and flavorful, we did think it could use just a tad more lime juice though. The Spicy Bean Dip was very good. You can't go wrong with Oaxaca, Chorizo, and pieces of pork mixed with some mildly spicy beans. Our server was fantastic. She had great recommendations for us, and was quick with checking on our drinks and generally helping us throughout our dinner. The food was prepared quickly, was hot, tasteful and refreshing. We definitely will be going back, and recommend Pan Fila to all of you.

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    Julia’s Bistro & Bar - french - Updated August 2026

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