The food was delicious. Our server was helpful and attentive. The ambiance was just right for carrying on conversations. read more

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If dining is meant to be an experience, then tonight was certainly one. Not the kind you rave about, more the kind you unpack over a stiff drink later, wondering what exactly went wrong. I made a late reservation at Southside Bistro, hopeful for a good evening. We arrived 30 minutes early, aiming to grab a drink at the bar. No dice. It was full. The owner suggested we grab a glass of wine while we waited, which would have been lovely had there been anywhere remotely comfortable to do so. So instead, we went next door to the liquor store and made the best of the situation (hello, bitters, Luxardo's and bourbon for later). When we returned, we were greeted with a blank stare. The host had no memory of us, which was... fine. Mistakes happen. We were seated shortly after. Let's talk ambiance. If "cold minimalism meets cafeteria intimacy" is your thing, you'll feel right at home. Shared bench seating put us close enough to hear the life stories of both adjacent tables. Romantic, if you're into that sort of thing. Now, service. Hats off to our server, Gina. Professional, kind, and the MVP of the night. She did her best to carry the weight of what unfolded next. We ordered two apps: blue cheese custard and clams. The custard was lovely, rich, garlicky, and creamy with a well-made flatbread. Alaska's produce limitations made the wilted greens forgivable. The clams, however, were a different story -- overcooked, gritty, and floating in what I can only assume was salted dishwater. Olive oil? Not even a whisper. Then came the entrées. A filet mignon and a rigatoni. Both arrived lukewarm, but hey, they looked fine. The filet was topped with a slice of cold butter thicker than the steak itself (which is bold, honestly), and the mashed potatoes had already developed that signature "left in the window too long" skin. Veggies? Straight from a freezer bag into a steamer. Nostalgic. The filet was, sadly, inedible. Cold, dry, rubbery. Probably sous-vide then left to die. Meanwhile, the pasta was undercooked and bland. I've had more developed flavor profiles from boxed mac and cheese. Now, I've been in the industry over 20 years. I don't send food back. I don't like making a fuss. But tonight, I politely asked to remove the filet from the bill. One bite in -- that's all it took. Our gracious server obliged. Then the owner returned, and that's when the real magic happened. He approached us not with curiosity or concern, but with a smug lecture. Apparently, because I said the dish "looked fine" when it hit the table, I had forfeited the right to express concern about the temperature or quality. He assured me that everyone else was enjoying their meals, as if that somehow invalidated my experience. Irony: the table next to us had just sent back their lamb for the exact same issue, undercooked and returned twice. It's rare that I feel compelled to walk away from a restaurant, let alone leave a review. But the arrogance displayed tonight was just... disheartening. Anchorage deserves better. The industry deserves better. In the end, I paid the 200 dollar bill for a half bottle of wine and two apps, tipped 20 percent (Gina earned every cent), and left with a story. Not the one I hoped to write, but one worth sharing. Jens, if you are going to wear a white chefs coat in the dining room all night, maybe have an idea of how to act like a FOH manager if you aren't willing to dress like one. Never again. read more

Best most consistently great food in Anchorage. The fish is always perfect, pastas are So goood. read more

This was my first visit here, and we only went, because it was the only option in the strip mall we were at, right as i was getting hangry. Walking in the door, the space is large, lots of big art on the walls, booths, tables, white coated chef-type guys, and servers in black attending tables with white tablecloths, and fabric napkins. It had the feel of maybe Kincaid Grill or Jen's. I think the rusty orange colour chosen for the walls, was maybe trying to emulate a cozier feel perhaps, but i personally always prefer lighter walls, they make a space look more airy and clean. It wasn't an expansive menu. Drinks were served quickly. We ordered the Brie Flatbread as an appetizer. I don't know what the policy is here - but we didn't get bread on the table, where lots of other tables were being served bread. I assumed that if you order an appetizer, then no bread? Seems wrong to me. We should all be treated equally. I could tell by the way some patrons were greeted that they have a lot of regulars. I definitely felt like a newbie in here. I ordered The Chèvre Ball Salad, with Chicken, husband ordered the Pasta Special which was Fettuccine with Italian Sausage. I assumed that in keeping with it's upmarket vibe, that portion sizes would be proportionately smaller (which has been my experience thus far) so i also ordered a bowl of Soup Du Jour (Butternut Squash) The flatbread came out reasonably quickly (12 minutes - yes i was timing it) and following the plates being removed, the entrees came in 21 minutes later. I thought the timing of the meals was pretty good for a large and busy restaurant. The Brie Flatbread was very nice, the base was crusty, perfectly cooked, and a nicely sized appetizer. The apples slices on it however, were room-temperature and grainy. No crispness to them at all, which would have elevated the dish enormously. Some greens on the flatbread too, which in hindsight, i should have kept to one side, so i could add them to my salad when it arrived. My Butternut Squash soup was everything I'd want, very creamy, smooth, perfectly blended. I'd say there's a lot of heavy cream in this, as i could feel it coating my lips, but that's a compliment, it was really good. However, again, no bread. The salad however - i was extremely disappointed with. It's small, salad is not filling, so a small salad, is not at all filling, and this is small. Like i say, i should have kept the greens from my flatbread to supplement it. The highlights were the chèvre ball and the olives, which added most of the flavour. The chicken was dry, bland, and overcooked, and I'd assumed I'd be getting a full chicken breast, but this was either a very small chicken, or a butterflied half of a breast. I left most of it, as it was tough. Not what I'd expect of a 4.1 star rated restaurant. Husband did not offer an opinion with regards to his pasta dish, but he ate it all, so i assume he liked it. It was also on the smaller side. He ordered a Creme Brulee, and i ate some of that, mainly to compare with my own that i make (i make a pretty nice creme brulee) and it was nicely done. The presentation was outstanding, as the Brulee dish came in a larger plate which had some artfully swirled fruity saucing around the outside. The Brulee itself was smooth, creamy, the custard had been made expertly, and baked perfectly. The sugar crackling on top was good. Our server was attentive, but did not interrupt us a lot, which i like. Had it not been for the distinct lack of a bread basket, as well as no bread with the soup, my chicken being bland, dry, and tough, and my salad being so small and disappointing, I'd have given 4 stars, because everything else was very nice. read more

Southside Bistro - Brie Flatbread - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

There are certain dining experiences where you take your time, studying the menu, discussing the appetizers, enjoying the ambiance, savoring every bite, in an unrushed atmosphere. A truly enjoyable multi course meal can take three hours and you won't even know it. This place was not that. We had reservations, were seated, and our server immediately made us feel rushed, which was weird because our entrees took almost two hours to arrive. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I often judge a restaurant by the bread first brought to the table. This bread was warm, crisp, fresh and delicious, perhaps setting my expectations too high for the evening. We started with oysters and the wood fired cauliflower, which arrived promptly. The four oysters were fine, but the cauliflower was bland and a bit soggy. Certainly not something I'd expect to come out of a wood fired oven. Nevertheless, we ate it and enjoyed a wonderful conversation. But what followed was perhaps 45 minutes of not much communication from our server. I watched as the expedited/owner bagged up one to-go order after another. Perhaps a dozen in the time between our appetizers and salad. When the Caesar salad finally arrived, brought to us by a food runner, it was well plated, but nothing I would say was noteworthy. And our server was nowhere to be found, and there was no offering of ground pepper. I watched as the to-go orders continued to be bagged up, many sat awaiting pickup for what seemed like a long time. Our entrees finally arrived approximately 40 minutes after our salad. My wife had the pasta special, which was not special and was rather bland. I had the scallops and polenta. The five small seared scallops were over cooked and dry. The polenta and green beans were fine. Again, nothing noteworthy. The owner knew the other in our party and came by the table to say hello. When we told him it was our first time, he asked if we were new to Anchorage. "Well, we've been here for 30 years," he said, rather arrogantly. It felt like we'd been waiting for our food for about half that time. We opted for dessert, a flourless chocolate cake. It came on a nicely decorated plate with, perhaps slightly too much coulis. But at least we didn't end our evening with a bitter taste in our mouths. Overall the service was disappointing and the food very underwhelming. I was struck by the energy put into assembling to go orders, which seemed to come at the cost of preparing the dine in service. I looked around at the 3/4 filled dining room and wondered how many others were in here for the first time. read more

We went here for a birthday dinner. The atmosphere was very nice. The food was delicious and the service was great. No complaints! If you aren't feeling a fancy/expensive restaurant they also have a bar menu with cheaper options. There burgers were amazing! Though I was a bit disappointed with the fries... Will come back again! read more

Southside Bistro - Scallops appetizer, snail appetizer, & fried calamari - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

A friend recommend this restaurant for our date night. O. M. G. The nachos here are freaking amazing! Seriously. I plan to visit frequently for a beer and nachos! However, we will return for more than just the nachos. My NY step was perfect. My husband enjoyed his burger. Justin, our server, was amazing. He didn't rush us. He acted any and all questions. He visited without overstating his welcome. We will definitely be back. read more

Came in for a glass of wine and appetizers. The lady who was working the bar area was super nice and helpful, even if we only racked up a $50 check for her. The dinner entrees going by looked amazing. We'll be back!! read more

The service here was good. Friendly and courteous servers. But the food left a lot to be desired. The classic hamburger was very dry, and quite tasteless. It was a basic burger. The french fries were some of the worst we have had. Overcooked and greasy. It's been quite a few years since we have eaten here, and the butter leaf salad we used to love had changed. It was no longer fresh and had a bitter dressing on it. We were hoping for better food. The prices have really gone up and it is quite expensive. The meal was very disappointing. read more

This dessert is good, right amount of sweetness and a fair amount of banana. The pastry on the top is in between chewy and crispy and I find it well-balanced. A bigger size would be better I think. read more

Southside Bistro - Caramel Banana Napoleon - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

I ordered the filet mignon, which was served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The steak with sauce was tasteless, the vegetables were underdone and the mashed potatoes had the taste and texture of instant mix. The service and ambiance were average. They only offer beer and wine, with no cocktails available, which was a bit disappointing. My husband had the halibut which was really good and so was the crème brûlée. read more

My wife had the Halibut. She was extremely disappointed, very small portion, overcooked to the point it was dry beyond any resemblance to halibut. A sauce was used that was too strong and over powering( maybe to hide the over done halibut) I had the other special Swedish meatballs. Mine were excellent and was very pleased with them! read more

An Anchorage "insiders" place. Jen clearly has the best kitchen in Anchorage! We've been going here for 25 years and have never had a bad meal. read more

I have grown up in this restaurant because the food just keeps calling out to me. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Fantastic food. Had a wonderful dinner. I give 5 stars without hesitation, If you're looking to expand your knowledge of well-cheffed food in Anchorage, this is a required stop. I think the lack of tablecloth on hideous linoleum tables and clunky tableware which is hard to cut meat against and poor steak knives should have no bearing on the judgement of the proficiency of the chefs, and demure yet health imagination which is wonderful. The Peach & Raspberry Cobbler Desert is a must. I strongly recommend this restaurant. read more

Southside Bistro - Peach Peach & Raspberry Cobbler - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

This was our first time here and definitely won't be the last! Everything we ate was delicious. I love that they use local ingredients! My pork entree special came with fiddleheads and they were the perfect addition. They also have several pasta dishes using AK Pasta Co including the spaghettoni special that we had. There's nothing better than fresh made pasta! For dessert we had one of my favorites, flourless chocolate cake. It was perfectly dense and fudgey and came with a delicious raspberry sauce. Service was awesome too! I loved that we weren't rushed and were able to actually enjoy our time at the restaurant. This is so rare! I loved the cozy booths and upscale but still casual vibes of the restaurant. Can't wait to go back! read more

Southside Bistro - a skillet of food on a table - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

We had excellent dinner meals for our group of five, and excellent service during a busy Thursday night. We started with two orders of excellent crispy and tasty Calamari. Our entrees were Pork Schnitzel, Roast Duck, Veal Medallions, King Salmon, and Halibut. Good drinks and humorous table service by our server, Thomas, made a very enjoyable dinner for us all. read more

Southside Bistro - Pork Schnitzel and potatoes with Lingonberry jam, Ranch Dressing, and fresh Dill Cucumbers on the side. - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

It's always such a treat coming here! We haven't been in a while but the staff still remembered us, it felt like going to family dinner or catching up with old friends. The food never disappoints, staff is always so attentive and has amazing recommendations. It's definitely a shame we don't stop by here more. read more

Sooo, if you're lucky enough to hit the fresh sheet this week with the Elk, get it!! Yep, it's $56 but soooo good! I would go back just for the Elk. As always, the crème brûlée was perfect! My biggest kudos to the SSB is the addition of that Elk! It was so good, perfectly cooked, dressed beautifully, etc. We eat there regularly enough that the menu is just kind of "blah" for the most part. The best "regular" thing is the Crème Brûlée! Always get that. Then share what someone else wants. Southside Bistro has cornered the market on the best Crème Brûlée in Anchorage! read more

Southside Bistro - 100 Years of Port and Creme Brûlée. - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Sad-worst meal I've had in years. Certainly never had one so poorly prepared from this restaurant- Because of changes made to days & hours open a few years ago & Covid, it's been 4-5 years since I was there. Every meal then, was wonderful-what happened? The Wienerschnitzel tasted like nearly burnt cardboard. However the clam chowder was tasty. What "better" restaurant doesn't either serve bottled flat water or filter tap water? And the "peach cobbler" was a sugary soup-no doubt prepared in advance, sitting and ice cream melting before served. And the inspired kale salad was gone from the menu as we're other favorites of past delight. Don't worry, I won't be back. read more

Excellent wine list! One of the best in town. Staff has always been attentive and friendly. Entrees are exceptional and different, elevated compared to similar dishes at other fine dining restaurants. I almost always will go with one of their specials because it is guaranteed to be the bomb diddly! We've had good luck walking in but I would recommend making a reservation. read more

Friendly customer service with quiet atmosphere, delicious butter leaf salad, scallops were perfectly done and the risotto with relish was amazing. read more

Always a great experience- staff and food are amazing! Great environment every time. Love this place. read more

The best dining experience I've had in Anchorage hands down. We had reservations at 630 we arrived at 635 and we were seated right away. There were several open tables but having a reservation was a special experience because the table was perfectly set for our group of 4. Our Waiter greeted us right away and took our drink orders right away. He was professional and personable. He offered suggestions from the incredibly extensive wine and beer selection. Our drinks were brought out promptly and we placed our order for out dinner. One thing I really appreciated was the iced tea was served with a full glass of ice and a carafe of tea, which as a tea drinker I appreciate because you never have enough ice for your tea or it takes forever to get refilled. For our appetizers we ordered the blue cheese custard, calamari, and a wedge salad. The calamari is lightly seasoned and breaded which allowed the flavor of the calamari stand out rather than tasting just the breading. My husband and daughter thought it was some of the best calamari they've ever had, both rings, and tentacles were on the substantial platter. The blue cheese custard is served with house made focaccia, I love blue cheese my daughter not so much, but she really enjoyed this dish. The flavor was incredible! The wedge salad is made with romaine hearts not your typical iceberg wedge which in my mind sets it above any other wedge salad I've had. It was a simple salad of romaine hearts, diced tomatoes, chopped bacon and an incredibly flavorful blue cheese dressing. Now on to the star of the evening the entrees! I ordered the rigatoni with ham, peas and an amazing fontina cream sauce. I literally could have licked my plate clean wow it was amazing. My daughter ordered the schnitzel from the specials menu which was paired with a green salad. Perfect balance of a crispy juicy pork tenderloin snd a crisp green salad with egg, potatoes and asparagus. I think it had a Dijon dressing. My husband ordered the pizza from the special menu, house made sausage, caramelized onions, charred radicchio. It was perfectly cooked and the flavor was amazing. My son in law ordered the duck prepared medium and it was perfectly to his liking. We each tried something from each entree and every bite was met with ooh's and ah's and wow that's amazing. We decided we didn't have enough yet and went in for dessert. We ordered the creme brûlée and the crepes. The creme brûlée was perfectly cooked and oh so rich, it was plated beautifully with some fruit purée layered to make a beautiful design but also delicious to drag your spoon through and add to the custard. The crepes change daily and tonight's offering was lemon curd with berries again plated artistically and out of this world delicious! Overall it was an incredible experience and we are already planning out next visit. The atmosphere of the restaurant is as perfect as the food there were about a dozen other tables seated around us we could easily hold a conversation about the amazing dishes we tried and not be bothered by other tables conversations. The staff are professional, personable and seem to really enjoy their working environment lots of smiles when anyone passed our table, our waiter was the perfect balance of attentive while also allowing us to enjoy our meal. We were seated for over 2 hours and never once did we feel rushed or had to ask for anything he was on top of everything. Such a great evening! Thank you south side bistro for a perfect evening! read more

My family and I went out tonight to enjoy this lovely restaurant. I heard it got awesome reviews from both friends and family and online. The food and service were both excellent! I had the pork schnitzel and my husband had the king salmon. OH MY GOODNESS! So good. (and their butter lettuce salad and wedge salads were dreamy!) Our server Anna, was so friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was very relaxed yet you can tell it's an upscale eatery so that there wasn't an air of pretension. And no kids were there, so yay!!!!! However, what bothered myself and my family was the wait from the kitchen to get our entrees. We had gotten our drinks, appetizers and salads in a very timely manner. But when it came time to get the entrees, it took well over an hour and a half (we were there for almost 3 hours!). We saw bag after bag after bag of take out orders ready to go, get picked up and repeated. This bothers me so much because our table of 6, with alcohol and our food orders wasn't going to be a cheap meal. I've seen this with countless other restaurants that the takeout orders are always ready, bagged up and get taken away long before the diners in-house get their orders!!!!! People that actually drive to go and sit at the restaurant seriously deserve to get their dinners first. Why do takeout orders always get preferred treatment over actual people eating at the restaurant itself. I am very angry because this was a special meal and the kitchen was not prioritizing the in-house diners. Please help..... This situation really bothers me. read more

Stopped by on a Thursday on the way home from Whittier. Checked open table for reservations and saw a spot. Just what I was looking for, an upscale meal in a comfortable environment with a great wine list. Greeted and seated immediately, they nicely cordon off extra bar seating with a screen, so the dining room stays separate. A large place that can hold a lot of people, so don't be put off if the parking lot is mostly full - but check first about open tables. Started with the blue cheese custard with flat bread and roasted garlic. Heavenly smooth custard with very sharp and strong blue cheese. Perfect with the garlic on the bread. The flatbread was undercooked and almost doughy - I'd rather mine be tending towards crispy than limp. The Alaskan Halibut dinner was excellent. Halibut crust was crispy outside with flaky fish inside. Nice fresh julienne of vegetables were nicely seasoned and went well with the wonderful saffron sauce. The mushrooms and tomatoes went well with the saffron caper sauce, the rice was nondescript. Service was great, these folks are busy and deserve good tips for good service. I ordered the wrong wine and they replaced it with what I wanted. Tried the cobbler and coffee for dessert. For some reason cobbler took forever to come out. Server checked in and apologized. When it did arrive it was so schizophrenic I didn't know what to do. There is a big scoop of vanilla ice cream covered in caramel on top of a crust and a fruit mixture. The ice cream was hard, so when you tried to get some, it pushed all the filling out of the cobbler dish. I tasted the crust in two bites but it was swallowed up with everything else. The unripe peaches didn't cook, so it was like eating hard raw peach - not pleasant. For some reason there is a decorative ring of five flavors - purée of raspberry, mango and kiwi plus chocolate and some white stuff I guess was vanilla. While they were tasty and decoratively arranged, they didn't seem to go with the cobbler. Seemed random and added to the schizophrenia. Disappointing. Coffee was good, but it was a big miss for me that they don't have any soy or almond milk for coffee, I'd love to see non dairy options. I was glad there were several vegetarian options on the menu. Lots of creative choices for appetizers, salads and entrees. Overall excellent for a fancy dinner if you want to escape downtown or tourist traps. Avoid any cobblers :). Was crowded when I arrived, full when I left, so make a reservation or call ahead! read more

My husband and I enjoyed our anniversary dinner here great spot on the Southside. Employee's were all wearing masks and tables were seated spaced out which is nice due to the rise in COVID numbers. Friendly great service! The schnitzel which was crispy and delicious with the lingonberry sauce while my husband had the special rock fish which had a light crispy breading great texture and taste. They offer Togo with spots reserved right up front for pick up, we will be sure to be back to support this Southside gem. read more

Had a pretty subpar dinner featuring overcooked halibut. Kitchen really doesn't know how to cook fish. Served over greasy home fries. Would have eaten better at Firehouse or Judy's. Can't recommend Southside Bistro. read more

Everything I had here was great. The salmon was fantastic, salad was huge, and of course who doesn't like free unlimited bread? A+ service too. read more

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Really cool little place in the South of Anchorage. Everything looked and tasted amazing! Our server went above and beyond to make everything excellent. The staff is very nice as well. Highly recommended it. read more

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Always a fabulous meal and wonderful customer service. The setting is fabulous and they have a great wine selection. read more

A group of us went to Southside Bistro last week. It was the first time I had been there. Very nice restaurant in a strip mall. The ambience was great, our server was wonderful. Always there at the right time with no hovering. They had a Alaskan cod special that night. It was super good. Perfectly cooked and the crust was divine. It came with nice bright fresh veggies that were not mushy. I had the Crème brûlée for dessert. We had some awesome oysters, Calamari that appeared to be hand breaded and was cooked to perfection and a flatbread with cheese, greens and apples that was also very good. I would recommend this place if you want a nice meal. It's not cheap but it's worth it. read more

Great local spot; always has a regular locals crowd! a hidden gem in south anchorage. Fresh sheet items are always a great choice!

Wow! I'm almost ashamed of myself for not experiencing this place before in all my years on the southside! I don't even know where to start! The atmosphere is relaxed yet sophisticated, perfect for an easy dinner with friends and even better for an impressive dining experience with a date. Wine list is good and food is AMAZING! I believe I have found possibly one of my new favorite places on the southside for dinner. The owners and staff are very personable and knowledgeable in their craft which makes the whole experience even better! I know I've said experience likely one to many times but that is what it is, and if you have not yet indulged with this restaurant come find yours ;) it's an experience you definitely won't regret! read more

The server was supportive, responsive, and helpful from the time we sat down, through the service, and through to the time we walked out the door. The food was plated beautifully and tasted good. The atmosphere was interesting and the timing of the meal allowed us to visit and enjoy our time together. We have consistently been pleased at Southside Bistro. read more

I'm so glad these guys are still operating for take away meals **see their Facebook page for regular posts with updated menu**! We ordered their Brie flat bread app which was divine. I had the prawns and scallops which I asked for over wide flat noodles and they happily obliged. It was definitely the way to go instead of rice. Cooked well and the cream sauce was light and flavorful. My significant other had the lamb which was perfect medium rare and his potatoes and veggies were delicious too. Took the food home and enjoyed a late summer sunset dinner outside on our deck. Curbside service was great too! read more

This was a take-out order. Very good curbside pickup system with curteous wait staff. The "medium" burger ranged from medium rare to fully rare inside, but tasty. The "medium rare" burger was full-on rare throughout, but tasty. The calamari dish was undercooked and fishy: breading was white with zero golden color at all, squid itself had a strong fishy taste and smell; I finished cooking in a toaster oven (still fishy). But service was superb at curbside. They have a good system. read more

Amazing staff, food, and atmosphere! Good parking. Great prices. Food presentation is beautiful. Highly recommend. read more

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Southside is one of my favorite dining spots in Anchorage! Don't be fooled by the strip-mall location - they really have the fine dining service thing down, and their specials are out of this world. Have a hankering for pheasant, sous vide? I've had it there. Halibut with a pineapple piccata-style sauce? Oh man. Their bartender is a total ham. Go in on a slow night and sit at the bar - you won't be disappointed. Possibly the most underrated dining spot in Anchorage, and I love having awesome food on the South side. read more

We had dinner at the bistro one evening last week. When we entered we had a very good impression and the smells were divine. The service was good and The waitress was helpful interpreting the menu. I felt the entrée was very good, however the side dish that came with the plate was a surprise. The mashed potato dish and the vegetables were substandard. They were both overcooked and dry. The salad was excellent. We will probably try again someday. read more