Bess Bistro

I totally love this place! It is such a cozy and tight environment. It’s sort of dark and their atmosphere is really cool; something you’d see in a movie. Their food is GREAT! I had the spring salad and it was absolutely refreshing. Their scallops were delicious and their black pepper gastrique was very unique; I loved it. Atmosphere; check, Food; check, Service; check… what more could you ask for?

I miss Bess! My top place to go for an old fashioned and dinner date. Wish it had closed after the holidays so I could’ve ran into Sandra bullock one last time lol

Most people have probably heard of Bess Bistro and that it was owned by Sandra Bullock… but how many people actually went? I certainly didn’t until I heard about them closing but I’m glad I went before they closed.
I had no expectations going in. It turned out that the food was surprisingly to my liking! The Pan Seared Diver Scallops dish… god I’m going to have dreams about that dish forever now. The risotto in that dish was perfect, and I loved the fried corn crisps. The a la carte whipped potatoes were heavenly (whipped and seasoned just right… did I taste some rosemary in the potatoes… oh you know me so well Bess Bistro).
I guess all good things come to an end. Thank you for the first and last experience here Bess Bistro!
PS — Walton’s is the shiz.

I really, really loved the bathroom here. The stalls have this little indicator that says «Vacant» so I don’t have to peep through the slits and make eye contact with people and exposed naked bits. And the hand soap smelled so nice. I kept smelling my hands mid-​meal and I bet people were thinking «Why is Mary Katherine Gallagher here and not MF’ing Sandra Bullock?»
In between smelling my hands, I split the fresh bread, crab cakes, fried green tomatoes, and the cheese board with my dinner friends. The crab cakes smelled ocean-​y, which I found odd, cause normally they don’t smell. I also found the tomatoes a touch under cooked. For my main dish, I hoarded all the spicy and delightful ravioli. Heads up! The main entrees can be on the smaller size; perfect for Europeans!
Really, the food and service was wonderful.

This place has a Went to Bess Bistro yesterday for happy hour with a couple friends. Got there a little after 5 and were pretty much the only ones in the place. GREAT happy hour prices, delicious $ 5 cocktails — i had the bee’s knees and a friend did the bartender’s choice which was fun. Also great wines for $ 5 as well as some apps. We shared a cheese plate which was also really good, couple cheeses from VT, some walnuts, grapes, AMAZING honey. To get inside you go downstairs into a cozy room with the bar and high top booths. Super cute and classy, i can’t figure out why it wasn’t busier!

Bess is one of those restaurants I put on a pedestal for when I would be in a different place in life. Like when I finally have my seat on city council, drive a Lincoln, or more importantly, have a rich boyfriend. I would probably come in with someone wearing a sport coat with an expensive bag that still has that new car smell.
When my friend suggested we go here for happy hour, it totally ruined my plans of ultra WASPiness. Much to my surprise it was very approachable. The staff was warm and friendly and I didn’t even have the slightest urge to wear fur or pearls.
We started with a fried green tomatoes appetizer, yeah I said fried green tomatoes. You thought they were fancier than that didn’t you? Nope. We started with soul food that had the right amount of flair and sophistication. I think since having this app I’ve only day dreamed about it twice– a modest amount for how truly delicious it was.
I had an old fashioned because sometimes I like to pretend I’m Don Draper and that we live in simpler time that doesn’t involve Tinder or DVR. From there I moved to the lavender lemonade. And eventually made my way through the rest of the happy hour menu. I’d like to tell you how delicious all these other things were but truthfully, I had a strong buzz so everything was delicious.
Bess is a great place to take a date. A third date mind you, or an anniversary, too strong for a first or second date– unless you’re going to sit at the bar. The bar is a great place to be basically every day of the week. I’d start with happy hour and just order one of anything and remind yourself that this is so much better than yoga after work.

Everything was delicious and fresh the seating was intimate. Beautiful bar I can’t wait to come back.

Bess is lovely. We went after sitting in a conference room all day to a treated dinner at Bess — sat immediately in a table/​booth off the side. I love the décor — brick and just a cute building. Our waiter was good; not the best service I have witnessed but good enough. I also thought the wine list was good — a cold pinot gris to go with shrimp and grits was a great choice! The fried green tomatoes were quite tasty as well — and I was starving. Cool spot and I like that it’s Sandra Bullock’s restaurant!

Went here for the first time last night and I’m in love! First off, it’s great that there’s a parking lot (paid — but still) right next to the restaurant ($ ⁵⁄₂ hours). I hate going downtown for a nice dinner and having to drive around for a parking space forever.
We were greeted promptly and taken to our table. Our waiter (Jonathan) was so sweet and helpful. He was always there when we needed him and had a great sense of humor.
Now … the food! The bread and butter and selection of salts was awesome. The scallop dish I had was to die for and the dessert decadent. I will happily return again for a special occasion (because it is a bit pricey).

Proper dinner service, quality cocktails, and expert chefs grounded in traditional and precise preparation. Very chill spot, and great place to have a conversation. The staff is always on point. Classy.

Every time I go to Bess, the food and drinks are absolutely perfect – and I may or may not go a little too often. ;)
The space is just gorgeous and no matter what every experience feels special.
I recently went with a coworker, and we had the beef tartare, fried green tomatoes, a panzanella salad that was a special, a steak special, and dessert. Everything was spectacular! We couldn’t have been more pleased with our food.
Bess also excels with their new summer drinks. We each had a couple and they were perfect! Not to mention they were on Happy Hour and a great price!
Go here for happy hour after work, if you want to try great food and drinks at an under-​the-​radar spot, or for a special occasion – you won’t be disappointed.

Me and my partner ended up going there for our 15^th year anniversary. I have heard about this place but never been. We walked in and they sat us in a reserved seat. When we sat down there was a card on the table with everyone’s signature saying happy anniversary. What a nice touch. I loved the setting of this place. The exposed brick and being in a basement like setting was really neat. I felt like I was on the east coast.
We started off with some bread and butter. They brought 3 types of salt. The butter was soft. Great touch. We ordered the fried artichokes. I don’t think I would order that again, they were really greasy.
We then both ordered the pumpkin soup. And I have to say that this was one of the best soups I have ever had. It had bacon jam in it and pine nuts and it gave it a nice touch that makes it different from other pumpkin soups. I was thinking of skipping dinner and just ordering another cup of soup.
Then I had the short rib in horseradish grits. I have to say I have had much better short rib. It was very tough and most of the time short rib is very tender. I don’t think it was cooked long enough. So this I would never order again.
Tim had the rib eye and he said it was good not the best rib eye he has had but it was good.
Over all this place had a great feeling and the soup was amazing. I might go back but won’t rush back.

When traveling to Austin, my friend wanted to dine at Bess Bistro simply for the fact that she’s a Sandra Bullock fan. We arrived for an early dinner on a Saturday night (with reservations). They claim to be known for making the best Moscow Mules ($ 8) in town. It’s made on tap (first I’ve ever heard of that for this drink) and how they make it different is by infusing earl grey tea. It was good, nothing out of the ordinary. For my meal, as a vegetarian, I basically only had the option of the Sweet potato ravioli ($ 22). It was a nice and not too overwhelming dish. There was pumpkin seeds inside which added to a nice mixture of texture.
Overall the service was great and the décor was beautiful.

The food is a 3.5 stars, the environment is a 4, the service receives a 2, and the unnecessarily high menu pricing calls for a 2. All in all, this place averages out to, well, just average. If you want to know more details about my definition of «average», read on!
We had a girls’ night here last Thursday. We weren’t organized enough to make reservations ahead of time and Bess’s is the only place we considered that didn’t have an hour+ wait. We walked in and were instantly seated.
This restaurant is located in a cellar and they’ve worked with the decorations to maintain the rustic elegance you might expect a wine cellar restaurant to have. Think brick columns, dim candelight, arches. It’s kind of nice. Verbatim quote from my friend, «wow, this is a popular old people date place.» Yup. It is. (We’re in our 20s, so you can ponder what our definition of «old people» means.)
The biscuits they bring out were pretty good. We got the artichokes for a starter — it’s a smallish portion of fried artichokes and the presentation was just so-​so. It tasted pretty good, though. For the meal, I got the hangar steak. It was tough but the flavoring was good. The broccolini was such a sad-​looking accompaniment — this restaurant could definitely work on presentation. The mac-​and-​cheese was ordered for a table side dish and it was great. It was a big portion, too. We had leftovers even after sharing that between the three of us.
I’m not sure where our waitress was the entire night, but she certainly wasn’t circulating among the tables. After 20 minutes of not being checked on, we finally stuck someone on «waitress duty» — aka, when you are responsible for catching the attention of and waiving down the waitress. It still took about 10 more minutes to find her. Getting dessert and a check was a BIG ordeal… by the end we were rushing to put our cards in the check sleeve before she walked away, just so we didn’t have to wait another hour.
This restaurant isn’t horrible, but I wouldn’t suggest going back. Actually, I will actively dissuade my friends from suggesting we go there again. I don’t mind paying for good food, but my expectations rise with the price. Bess Bistro doesn’t correlate the experience with the price — it’s not worth it.

Wonderful ambience, great service. The multi grain bread was crunchy and soft and complex all at once, excellent with a nice blob of butter (which was served in a dinky container, unfortunately). The corn bread was tasty, but too sweet (kills the appetite). Fried green tomatoes with crawfish was spicy, but not that big on depth. Good, but not spectacular. The breading was very even and crisp, but a bit heavy.
The burrata was quite good, creamy and bright with crispy fried or mellow roasted root vegetables and a bright bite of greens.
The rare duck breast was beautifully plated with sweet potato purée and rich and toasty Brussel sprouts. Very nicely done., except the skin was not crisp. Very sad.
The beignets for dessert were a disappointment. They were heavy, not light. The flavor was OK. They were served with a really nice crème anglais and a muddy toffee sauce that was out of place. Maybe replace it with a fresh and bright raspberry sauce?
Overall, this is a lovely restaurant that does many things right. It misses the mark on too many items to hit 5 stars for me.

When my husband asked me where I wanted to eat dinner for my birthday this year, I had to do some research since we aren’t Austin natives. Normally I go for Italian but then I came across Bess which was described as a farm to table restaurant serving a fusion of Texas meets New Orleans style food. I have a huge soft spot in my heart for New Orleans, but I have an even bigger soft spot for Sandra Bullock who owns Bess. It took me about 2 seconds to make the reservation followed by a month of anxiously waiting.
We got there on the dot at 6 and used their valet which was only $ 7. The inside is candlelit and romantic, with gorgeous furnishings and exposed brick that took me right back to the French Quarter. Our server was extremely knowledgable and personable. They had a birthday card waiting on the table for me that had been signed by the staff which was sweet. He then took our drink orders and brought the bread to our table. The jalapeño cheddar cornbread was divine! They also bring a plate of 3 salts and explain each one to you. The first is a pink Himalayan salt that reduces bloating, the middle is regular sea salt, and the third is a black salt which has detoxifying qualities from the charcoal it’s made from.
For my drink I first ordered the Bess Champagne which they import from France and serve with a wedge of lime. What a revelation! The champagne is sweet and the lime helps round that out to give a smooth crisp finish without being tart. My second drink was the Moscow mule which I admit I was not fond of. They are made with vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer then served in a copper mug. I had never had one, nor ginger beer, and it was too rough for me. The ginger is so overpowering it comes off harsh and a bit spicy like a gingersnap cookie. If you like that this cocktail is for you, but I guess I’m more of a gingerale gal.
For our appetizer we ordered the fried artichokes. They come topped in crunchy spinach and Parmesan cheese, with fried slices of Meyer lemons and a large dipping bowl of garlic aioli. Out of this world! We inhaled that plate in under two minutes.
It took me a long time to browse the menu and figure out what I wanted. I don’t consider myself a picky eater, but there is one thing I absolutely put my foot down on and that’s mushrooms. I’ve had them cooked every way imaginable and just loathe them. The menu states that there are «politely no substitutions» and each dish that caught my eye had them. The arancini, the sweet potato ravioli, and braised shot rib were all out. I was down to either the pork chop, the scallops, or the braised lamb shoulder pasta. I’ve had lamb before and found it to be gamey but I took a chance and ordered it anyway.
I’m so glad I did! The second the plate hit the table my mouth started to water. The lamb is cooked long enough that it falls apart and melts in your mouth. Not gamey at all! The only thing I didn’t like about this dish were the white beans. They were very al dente and still had some crunch. I think this was because both the lamb and pasta were soft and they wanted to add another texture to the dish. The flavor was there, I give them that, but I like my beans soft.
My husband got the shrimp and grits (heads come still on) and cleaned his plate. It always creeps me out when the heads are left on. I don’t like my food watching me as I eat it, but my husband didn’t care in the least.
I couldn’t leave without ordering the beignets which they brought out with a candle and paid for as a birthday treat. I’ve had them in New Orleans which ruined me because no one can hold a candle to those, but these were still delightful. When dipped in both the vanilla and toffee sauces it was the perfect bite. A great, surprisingly light, way to end our lovely meal. I would love to come back to the outdoor terrace for happy hour.

I recently got to try the new menu, and my previous opinion of this place did a 180.
The service was top-​notch, drinks were very good, and food was delicious. The place was romantic as ever, but now their Cajun focus was gone, and a farm to table approach was in its place. I had practically every seafood dish on the menu, and everything was divine, especially the scallops. Another much improved piece? The wine list. If you haven’t been to Bess in a while, definitely swing by to see how they’ve changed for the better/​best.

Review for all day Sunday Happy Hour (even though their website doesn’t show it; Thanks for the 411 Amy D):
Bess Bistro has been on my list of «to-​trys» from some time now, so what a better time to check it out than happy hour? Half off all apps and specialty drinks! Located in a unique B1 at the far side of West 6^th, Bess has great ambiance. White table clothes, lots of candles, dimly lit (well, more like so dark I couldn’t see my menu so I had to pull out my cell), and romantic.
Just a few drinks and apps so my husband and I sat at the small bar. Super bartender — wish I could remember his name. Very friendly and made a perfect dirty martini for my hubby and (more than one) Moscow Mule for me served in a cool copper mug.
Some bites —
Sauteed escargot with white wine butter sauce served with ciabatta: Presentation really off. Huge flat bowl with about 7 or 8 tiny escargot in the middle with a massive piece of bread on top. First escargot completely filled with grit. Had to spit it out. Not edible. The others were ok; however, I mentioned the bad one to the bartender and he just said «sorry…happens sometimes.» This was my first bite at Bess. Not good. Don’t recommend… but it gets better.
Seasonal cheeses served on a wooden board: Three different «boutique» cheeses, none really special, and one was Gorgonzola (cheapest blue cheese). There was a small piece of honey comb on the board that went really well with the goat cheese. A few nuts and some other tiny stacks. Some great pieces of extra thin crispy flatbread. A-​OK.
Crab cakes with saffron aioli: Nice size and packed a punch of heat and a tang of citrus. Very good.
Fried green tomatoes: Had to twist my husband’s arm to order these as he usually isn’t a fan, but surprisingly this was our favorite dish of the night. Perfectly fried, not greasy, large slices of tomato. Served with the yummiest Cajun remoulade and tender blackened crawfish. Spot on flavors, great presentation, and just the right amount of kick! Pretty big for an app. A go to next time as Bess! Highly recommend.
Overall: There were some hits and misses with the food; however, the hits were really high and the cocktails were phenomenal so everything kind of evened out.
We will have to return for a full meal (the pics look amazing!). Will definitely return for HH too — a great deal — now we know what to order and what not to. :)

I have no idea why it took me so long to give this place a try. They have a wonderful happy hour, charming terrace and decent service. what more can one ask for?
Some double Gold and plus Elites recently dined at Bess’ Bistro and I drooled over all their wonderful pics! So when Keri B says hey why not happy hour here there was no way I would pass it up.
The restaurant, bar/​lounge and the terrace all have their own ambiance that is equally enjoyable. We started off in the bar area and later made our way onto the terrace. Notably it is nice having both options for a casual meal. The bar is appealing when it is scorching hot outside and the terrace is favorable on breezier nights.
Happy hour is a BIG deal here. By big deal I mean:
½ off appetizer
½ off specialty drinks
$ 4 wells
$ 4 select red and white
I usually am a fan of most white wines but their white on happy hour is stellar. For food we pretty much ordered each item from the appetizer list. The highlights:
Fried Green Tomatoes — I am not usually a fan of FGT. But these were perfectly crisp and full of flavor and had a nice Cajun twist as it was served with a Cajun remoulade and spicy crawfish.
Sauteed Mussels — Easily my favorite appetizer! The mussels were served in a spicy and thick tomato sauce with morsels of pork lardens and thick grilled ciabatta.
Crispy Artichokes — The surprise dish of the evening. These delicious artichokes were served on a bed of lightly fried spinach, topped with Parmesan and served with lemon and garlic aioli.
They have valet but nearby meter parking can usually be found within a block or two.

We were both living in the same town, just 10 minutes away. And we never met.
Me just South of downtown. You on West 6^th Street for the last 8 years…
And we never met.
You with your half price morsels and $ 4 select wine and cocktails at Happy Hour.
Me with my love of food, wine, and old buildings with eclectic Southern French charm.
I drove by you often. But we never met. Can you imagine that?
You know where we met? In your basement last Friday at happy hour.
I valeted my car out front and walked down your canopy covered steps into the bar.
Across the room, there you were, providing libations, food and laughter.
I kept ordering more wine, just to prolong my enjoyment of you.
I ordered your $ 4 HH Picpoul, Sauteed Mussels and Crispy Artichokes.
Your wine was crisp and your mussels sublime in that spiced tomato broth
with 2 gargantuan slices of toasted ciabatta to sop up the sauce.
Your crispy artichokes came with crispy spinach and a garlic aioli. Who knew spinach
could be so crispy and delicious? Even the fried lemon wheels were edible.
The artichokes were breaded and perfectly lightly melt in your mouth crispy fried.
We later went up to the roof area for more HH bliss and conversation.
Your service was effortless, your food divine, and your company engaging.
My evening with you was perfect as is my new found love for you Bess.