The French onion soup is fabulous. We had a French dip sandwich and a Rueben sandwich for lunch. Both were excellent. The decor hadn't changed in the years since I have been there but that's what makes it such a great neighborhood restaurant the aquarium is a sight to see. read more

O'Brien's Bistro - Beautiful aquarium - New American Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

My wife and I were looking for someplace different to stop so we found O'Brien's on Yelp. We do like sitting at the bar most places; however, O'Brien's needs some more decor in their bar and lounge area. The tan walls were just way too plain. That said our food was very good. My wife's croissant club was absolutely huge! And I truly enjoyed my blackened salmon salad, which was huge as well. As we are leaving the area, this is a one and done for us. That said, you wouldn't be disappointed if you gave them a try. read more

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Oysters Rockefeller were the best I've ever had!! Sooo cheesy! Every other dish was outstanding! Lunch prices are great; dinner prices a little high. Still a wonderful place for a tasty meal. read more

Great place for lunch. They overpriced their dinner. You can go down town for the same cost and better food. French O soup is the best in town. The shrimp app is really good. Still 5 stars for lunch. read more

Made a reservation and was seated quickly. It was mid week and did not look busy so not sure how much a recommendation it would be to have one prior. Inside is clean but feels very dated with old booth style seating and tables with chairs. Service was attentive. Crab cakes were ok, they were drowning in sauce, which if I had known it would be covered in sauce I would ask for it on the side. I like to choose my own adventure with sauce application. The crab was ok, lots of flake with some visible lumps but most were broken up with a little too much filler. I had the surf and turf and husband had the salmon. So long story short everything had a gravy/sauce on it. The salmon was ok and the sauce (which was expected) the sauce had no actual taste of plum or mango so not sure what happened there. The rice has no flavor at all. The surf and turf....the steak was served rare and perfect but had a blob of gravy and a single sliced mushroom on it. The two scallops and two shrimp were swimming in a cream sauce/gravy. I looked back at my pictures of the menu and nowhere does it mention this as part of the dish. The chocolate cake was nice but no "lava" was seen. The cake was very hot and literally steaming we cut into it which made me pause...there is no fresh baked cake that would come out like this. Felt and tasted like it could have been a microwave cake. If it were not for the ice cream this cake would have been just a ok "baked lava" cake. Overall the experience everything was cooked to temperature but bland and like I said drowning in gravy and was a very ho-hum. read more

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No happy Birthday. A tiny portion of stuffed grouper that accompanied a sautéed spinach and angel hair pasta with no flavor and no seasoning. $36.00 for a disappointing meal and a server who did not seem to care. The rolls were 'Thank goodness' filling enough. Would not recommend this restaurant for your birthday dinner!. Go to the Grand Marlin for the same price and a better experience!. And a complimentary birthday dessert!. read more

Had the opportunity to try brunch while in town one Sunday! We were seated immediately and service was fast and efficient. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. I ordered the shrimp and grits and they were delicious! Would definitely come back to order them again. read more

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This casual dining experience? Unreal. Nothing I've ever been a part of comes close. I'm not exaggerating when I say that steak was better than any I've had in my entire life. It melted in my mouth like a tube of ice cream left out in the Florida sun--but in the best possible way. I wouldn't be surprised if Ruth's Chris is hiking their rent just trying to compete. They're probably in the back whispering to spices, trying to decode the secret. Whatever magic is happening here... I want in. read more

Food and service was outstanding! Ann was our server and she was awesome! we will be back to see her and the wonderful restaurant

Using Google and Yelp only, we found O'Brien's Bistro, made a reservation, and went for dinner after church on Saturday evening. It was a reasonably long wait from being seated to being approached by a server. Eventually, we ordered drinks, and upon delivery, our server said she would be back to pick up our appetizer order, but it might be a little while. It was. We ordered an appetizer (Brie) and waited another while before receiving it. We then ordered dinner entrees (Stuffed Grouper & Chicken Piccata). By the time we got our salads, we had been seated for nearly 1 hour. We discussed packing it in and paying for what we had received, but did not--a mistake. During this time, every table in our section had been seated, served, and left. Each table in our section was greeted by its server with the Specials for Saturday. We were never told about any Specials. Every table received a basket of rolls. Not us. I got up to stroll around a bit because I had been sitting so long, and a man, whom I inferred was in management, asked me how my evening was going. I said, "Not great." He asked if I was waiting on anything, and I responded, "Our food." Our food arrived a little while later, and it wasn't great. Look up any Chicken Piccata recipe. What my wife was served wasn't that. Of course, it is one of her favorite dishes, and she orders it everywhere. A Chicken breast, pan-fried in a skillet. Not breaded or pounded --just a dry chicken breast, browned on both sides. I smelled my Grouper coming before it was set down right under my nose. Let's say it was loud. We picked at both, asked for the check, and left. Nobody ever took notice of us, even though every other table turned while we sat, and two tables turned twice! No effort was made for any Service Recovery or apology. I mentioned church earlier because that is the only reason I maintained any decorum. The recency of being at church It was an expensive (both in time and money) and brutal evening. read more

It isn't really Irish, except for the green sign welcoming you to O'Brian's out front, and of course the famous Ruben sandwich. So, please don't think you'll be overwhelmed by Irish fare. The menu is eclectic, but I went for a cup of French Onion Soup and a Ruben sandwich, yeah I know predictable. The French Onion soup was great and very tasty. The Ruben was an overstuffed delicious delight. Absolutely no complaints there. The service was fine and the staff was friendly. This is a great spot for lunch for the business area. I'd come back again. read more

O'Brien's Bistro - Cute little basket of bread. - New American Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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My husband, who is a Pensacola native, introduced me to this restaurant recently and I'm kind of upse that he didn't introduce it to me sooner! It was so good. We had brunch- shrimp crab and asparagus omelet- crab cake benny and I would definitely recommend! Will be back another day to try their other menus. read more

The appetizer was good i wasn't to crazy about the chicken parmesan. The bartender was great and the atmosphere was cozy. I'd go back

We were looking for a place to celebrate Easter with Mom. Checked out the menu on line and some of the reviews. Reasonably priced and the pictures of the restaurant looked pleasant. Upon our arrival we were warmly greeted and had a great seat where we could sit and talk. Our server Ashlynn arrived promptly with a great smile and gave exceptional service throughout. I did not take pictures of what we ordered as you should be surprised as well. From the appetizers, salads, soups, main courses and desserts we were so impressed with the presentations and flavors. Very fresh, good portions and well worth the drive into Pensacola. Don't be taken back by the curb appeal as once you experience the same you will be very pleased. A hidden jewel for sure. We will be back. read more

Absolutely amazing food and service. This place really surprised us. I got chicken caprese and my husband got the grouper. We also ordered the crème brûlée for dessert and everything was delicious. Great place! read more

Always has great choices their French onion soup is wonderful I've always enjoyed their petite fillet

The stuffed mushroom appetizers was ok. A little pricy for the 6 small mushrooms but it was tasty. We also liked the French onion soup... now the rest was a mess. I was very grossed out by the menus as you see splattered old food, wrinkly pages etc. My steak salad was not editable. I ordered medium steak and it was undercooked. On the bottom of the bowl was a mixture of butter, oil and salt, thAt made the entire salad like eating a plate of salt. Sent the whole thing back as I was so grossed out. Our server was sweet and fast. All together I would not recommend. Seems dated, the quality was meh and the prices are a little high for the quality read more

O'Brien's Bistro - Dirty old menus - New American Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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We stopped in for dinner and had a wonderful time. I think it was the manager that greeted us as the host, he was the only real negative experience. He seemed bothered, or maybe just to the point. Not really the friendly hostess you'd expect when walking into a restaurant. The Caesar salad was okay. There wasn't that wow factor. The bbq shrimp was amazing! We enjoyed the rolls we enjoyed the chowder, it was full of seafood. The scallops were yummy, but lacked the sear. The house Pinot Noir was very good, as was the margarita. I thought the prices were fair. The manager was better on the way out. My only thought, if you are the first impression of an establishment, you should be all smiles. We will defiantly back, and look fwd to trying new things in the menu! read more

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O'Briens is an interesting spot to me. The ambiance is... okay. It's a strip mall but they've done a lot to it, but the inside still looks dated and not in an old time feeling or nostalgic way but things like the floor feel a run down. The opening up of the bar area was a nice touch. In terms of food, I feel like it's what a fine dining menu was 20+ years ago and that's not a dig. I don't need inventive sauces and I like well done classics. I just feel like I can barely recall any food I've ever had here and I've been 10 times in the last year and a half. The Brie with the pecan topping is probably the most memorable thing. The steak has always been good. I've never had a bad meal here, or bad service, it just isn't ever a place we think to go and isn't ever memorable. read more

This is a quiet, well appointed, cozy restaurant with very delicious food and lovely service. A nice bar too. There is ample parking. You won't be disappointed! read more

The last time I dined here was years ago, and it was pretty good then. Today, I ordered the Black and Blue salad ($16.95); I requested the steak chunks to be "slightly pink"; they were almost bloody and, oddly, the meat was just plain mushy (made me wonder exactly what cut of meat it was). The salad was OK, but then how can you mess up lettuce and a few anemic looking tomato slices? I also ate half of my wife's "Bistro Burger" ($14.95) which she liked, but I certainly did not think was worth that price. Total bill? $58.74, including TIP. The waitress, though, is to be commended; she did a great job. A restaurant has to stand out for me to dine there again. The prices of dining out almost anywhere, even including FF restaurants, makes me wonder why ANYONE does it except occasionally. Personally, the quality of the food and the service has to balance the cost, and these days, too often, that is simply not the case. read more

Well established business. The service was great, pleasant and knowledgeable. The food was very well prepared and the presentation was well done. It was obvious that this chef uses quality ingredients. The only downside was a small wine selection. We will definitely return! read more

We usually get back to Pensacola to visit our hometown two or three times a year (PHS '67 and '68). Back in the day when here for vacays when my parents were still alive we often did Thursday night "Family Dinner Out" with my siblings and their spouses at O'Brien's. My wife and I had not been back to O'Brien's for many years until last July for a lunch with an old Pensacola friend. That proved to be a very enjoyable dining experience. So this week we met my brother here for lunch and once again were impressed. Even more so than on our visit last summer. I ordered a Tanqueray martini dry with a twist of lemon and Miss Anne her customary whatever Chardonnay. The Martini and it's sibling that followed was very nicely poured and, get this, $10. Are you kidding me? Ten buck's? LOL. Wow. But this is typical of the prices here at O'Brien's. I'm telling y'all ratnow this is prolly the most inexpensively priced classy restaurant in town. If the store were white tablecloth I'da done gone and gave it six stars. But it does have very nice cloth napkins! We both ordered eggzaktly the same thing we ordered day before yesterday because our dishes Wednesday were so off the chain delicious and enjoyable. Miss Anne chose the Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad. A pecan crusted breast served over mixed greens with red onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, craisins, mandarin oranges with the apple cider vinaigrette. She said if she weren't already married, she'd marry this salad. I decided not to ask if that was her tawkin' or the Chardonnay for fear that it might not have been the wine. I enjoyed again the pan seared Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi with beurre blanc sauce and rice pilaf. The dish comes with a medley of vegetables but on my previous visit the portion of fish was so large that I was unable to finish the fish and pilaf, much less even touching the vegetables so I asked our server to hold the veggies today. Miss Anne asked though if there were other side options for my dish and there were indeed several to choose from so she asked if the sautéed spinach option could be presented on the side. "No problem". Turned out that this was pan sautéed fresh spinach perfection. The kind of pan sautéed spinach I wish I could perfect. It was lovely. And once again the Mahi was absolutely perfectly cooked. The fish, pilaf and beurre blanc all work together in a wonderful medley. And also once again I could not finish the generous portion of fish. And I tip the scales at 225. Miss Anne who is a petite 100 lbs smaller had to finish it off for me, including the spinach. LOL. We're gonna hit O'Brien's at least once more next week before heading to Cape San Blas and I'll get the pics I have neglected so far. read more

Enjoyed a wonderful trio salad yesterday. Portions was perfect for lunch. Black bean and corn, caesar salad and fresh fruit. Service as always was perfect. Thank you Katie! We were a party of 7 so we were able to have the side room which was great. read more

I've eaten here twice - once for lunch with a friend and once for dinner with my wife. Both times were solid food and service, and the atmosphere is nice without being stuffy. For dinner we ordered 3 apps and 2 dinner, and the bill with tip was $110 which seemed very fair for the overall experience. The food is always good - but some things have been hit and missed just barely. For example- the daily feature shimp/artichoke app was excellent, but the drizzled marinara sauce conflicted with both the main ingredients, at least to my tastes. Yet... On point completely- The crab cakes are huge and wonderful, and the oysers rockefeller are the best I've had locally! The fish entrees were both excellent, but the angel-hair pasta that served as a bed was soggy and underseasoned. Grits would have been way better IMO. The fish on both our main dishes was fresh and cooked accurately but lacked that extra bit of flavor to take this to a 5 star review. Overall it is a marvelous neighborhood gem with a nice menu and worth a vist! read more

My favorite restaurant in Pensacola. The food is always excellent and there is a wide variety from light entrees, sandwiches, and entree salads at lunch to great dinners in the evening. Steaks and seafood are prepared in a variety of ways. Servers are very attentive and accommodating. The atmosphere is low key and comfortable. read more

Delicious. Hidden gem. We drove from Fairhope as we had an early flight from Airport. It's super close to airport. It's in strip mall but the staff is fabulous. Food was fairly priced and so good. Homemade salad dressing are to DIE for. Portions are good and side of vegetables was perfectly seasoned. I am so very glad to have found this spot!!!!!! And desserts are amazing too!!! And host and owner stopped by our table to check on us. It's old school Hospitality!!!! read more

Good food service drinks, I'll be back. The onion soup s always good. They alwsts get the salmon right.

Had read good things about this place but was disappointed. The interior was dark and 'old' looking. Food was cold and subpar. Tasted frozen. read more

The ribeye was tender and perfectly cooked. The au jus was probably the best I've ever had. Can't wait to go back.

I have eaten here many times, especially love bringing the parents here for special occasions. We have yet to have had a bad meal for as long as we have been coming here. The drinks are amazing. The wait staff is professional and courteous. They understand the menu and make wonderful recommendations. We prefer outdoor seating as the inside can get a bit noisy but for this food I really don't care where we get seated read more

We came here for my birthday and the staff were absolutely amazing. They interacted with us the whole time. They gave us good advice on things to do in this area because we had just loved. You could tell that they were very genuine with us. I would come back mostly because of them. The cheesecake and the appetizer that was brought out to my daughter were sooo good. The French onion soup wasn't to our liking, it was a bit strong in flavor (which is okay, I'm sure others don't mind it). The steak was very tender. read more

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Caesar salad had stale croutons, the driest chicken ever and way too much dressing. The onion soup was not hot and the cheese just barely melted! Take a pass on this place. read more

Another fabulous evening at O'Briens Bistro! My husband planned a date night for us, and it was perfect! Perfect service, perfect food, perfect martini! read more

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Solid lunch spot. The food was very good but the service was a bit slow. I will go back if I am in the area. read more

It is god found in Yelp. They restaurant has salt water fish tank with beautiful coral and fish. If you paid attention, there is a zebra eel in it. The restaurant indicated they are American cuisine. I think they also has some Cajun dish. We were here after project and have dinner here. Many people come here with dress up. Kind of bit upscale but with affordable medium price. We got the chef special with seared scallops. The chef did a good job with dill sauce and the topping of the scallops. We all love this fish. The second appetizer is the Rockefeller oyster. They took the shell off and put the oyster on the six indented container and top with cheese and spinach. It is a good dish. My entree is the Rack of Lamb. The lamb was cook well with drizzle with wine sauce. Delicious. My friend has the Bistro Strip Sirloin. They like it too. Overall we have good service. I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Delicious food, nice atmosphere, any not outrageously priced for the quality. I would absolutely eat here again. French onion soup was killer! Grouper lyonnaise was really tasty too! Nice outdoor seating if you want to bring the pup earns extra bonus points! read more

I went here for lunch today and I found it to be less than desirable. I ordered the black and blue salad, very low quality meat with a lot of gristle, vegetables were end cuts, overall low quality. I am not sure how they could have the reviews they have unless they are fake! read more

Good food in a small setting. Good service, old school waitstaff. Best neighborhood bar, low key, great service, polite bartender. read more

Food was outstanding! Service was fantastic! Cannot wait to do lunch in the future! Be back in a few months for certain!!!