Joel’s Bistro

Joel’s Bistro closed for good on 8÷19÷13.

Looking for a breakfast place near our hotel we spotted this place on Unilocal with a lot of stars! So we decided to give it a shot. It’s a little hard to find. It’s behind the Starbucks, so you have to go into the little courtyard and it’s there on the right.
We were seated pretty quickly. Service was friendly and helpful, but inattentive. After placing our order we had to wait a while. One would hope it’s because they were making everything fresh. We waited longer than we normally would have expected. Once the food was brought we pretty much had to get the waitress’s attention to request anything. She never really checked-​up on us. This is supposed to be a French bistro, so maybe she was trying to emulate the infamous French waiters/​waitresses? Except, as I said above, she was friendly and helpful (when you got her attention). So it couldn’t have been that.
As everyone raves about them my wife ordered the lobster Eggs Benedict. It was very good (though she said that maybe next time she would order not-​poached eggs). Another person had the chorizo. Apparently tasty, but not spicy. The girl knows chorizo (she eats a lot of it), so I will take her word for it.
Overall, spotty (but friendly) service, long wait for the food, but very good food. A tad pricey for some things (e.g. simple scrambled eggs), but given how much lobster you get with the lobster Eggs Benedict some items are not really unreasonable.
I hope to come back next time we’re in the area.

Drove down from Phoenix to try the lobster eggs benedict and it was worth the trip. Service was good — not great but far from bad. Parking is a little tricky. It seems as though everything is 15 min parking and the ones that are not, only take quarters. I dropped about a dollar in before I realized it was just eating my money. Grr!
Now that I am in «the know» about the parking, I will definitely be back.

The pancakes are just amazing. Kind of hidden on the menu– but get the Deux Deux Deux for a real treat. My fiancée and I split the Lobster Omelet (an amazing deal with how much lobster they use) and the Deux Deux Deux many times during our few years in Tucson. Fine memories.

I’m not an eggs benedict expert by any means, but I do love them and order them for breakfast and brunch whenever I can. These are by far some of the best eggs benedict I’ve had and the first time I’ve had them with lobster. The lobster was really fresh, the bechamel sauce was perfect, and the eggs were light and fluffy. Perfect!

I went here early on a Saturday morning after a group run, there were just a few other runners and cyclists in the court yard at Geronimo Plaza. We all started with a smoothie — I had the cantaloupe one, it was large, delicious and refreshing and at $ 2 was a steal. They also had a strawberry banana. The service was a little slow but food was good and the prices reasonable. They were willing to make substitutions like egg whites in the omelet and fruit for the potatoes for an up charge of $ 1 each (I believe). The side of fruit was great and so pretty to look at… lots of different fruit. The waitress wasn’t the best I’ve had but I could tell she was trying. She forgot to bring out a few things we asked for and we ended up going inside to get our checks because they hadn’t come yet and we were ready to go but she rung us all up separately which made things easy. Eating a good breakfast in a picturesque courtyard was the perfect way to start a Saturday. If in the area again for breakfast I’d definitely go back.

Sigh. Unfortunately, I have to downgrade Joel’s based on service alone. I come here a lot, and the two awesome servers I experienced in 2012 haven’t been around to serve me in 2013. The last several times my server has been forgetful, taken our order wrong, disappeared, seemed frantic. While she is sweet and apologetic, she is a terrible waitress. I hope they get the hint, since other people have had the same complaint.
Everything I said previously still stands, I still love the food, the patio, and will continue to frequent Joel’s. Order the Lobster Eggs Benedict, it may change your life.

Had the Deux Deux Deux and the taste was good but it was all incredibly greasy. I didn’t feel very good after I ate it. Prices are reasonable.
Service is nice but it’s true, food comes out slowly. There were only two other tables and we got our French bed after we had mostly finished our meal.

Service was prompt and friendly. Breakfast was OK /​mediocre. The sausages tasted like out of a box and nothing special.

If you love a quaint café for an absolutely delicious breakfast, this is the place for you!
I have been coming to Joel’s for over 7 years now and have never been disappointed with the food or service! Joel’s serves the best French cuisine for breakfast and lunch. I always bring my out-​of-​town guests and family to Joel’s because it is the perfect place for brunch on the weekend! The atmosphere is intimate yet casual, and you have the choice of indoor or outdoor seating.
Every dish I have ever ordered has been delicious, but I would highly recommend trying the Lobster Eggs Benedict. It’s to die for! The crepes are also delicious!

Joel’s Bistro was great. We went Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and I feared it would be jam packed — definitely busy, but we got a table right away. We sat outside and with the weather right now, it was lovely. The inside looked cute and homey.
It was my birthday and I had picked Joel’s because it came up in my search for eggs benedict — so I went all out and got the lobster eggs benedict. I ordered my eggs poached medium and they were perfect. The English muffin was a little chewy, but otherwise, the dish was seriously impressive. Avocado, tomato, spinach, and huge chunks of lobster. It was legit.
Other dishes ordered were an omelet, the burrito, and the meat platter. All were enjoyed.
Oh, and the apple juice was super good too.
Our server was super sweet and the staff seemed to be happy to be there, so that’s always good. Really impressed overall.

Awesome food, I recommend the ratatouille cooked with the eggs sunny side up.
The eggs were cooked perfectly, and the veggies were tender, and although our orders took a minute[*] to arrive, it was well worth the wait. Trust me, don’t listen to these bad reviews, they have, overall, a stunning track record with me and most people that go there.
[*] = it was very busy when we went, so our orders took longer.

This is a great little French bistro! I was visiting Tucson with my bf and his siblings, while walking by the U of A campus we were linking for brunch. Each place we walked by they have already started serving lunch, then we stumble onto a street sign for Joel’s Bistro.
This tiny little place is like walking into someone’s house for dinner. Joel greater us at the front while he was running to clean up a table in a dining area that probably seats 30.
The menu had both lunch and breakfast options. I had the chicken & mushroom crêpe. It was delicious and came with a side of homemade cream of vegetable soup.

After a trip to New Orleans turned up some really good eggs benedict, I wanted to re-​create my experience with this beloved breakfast staple. Joel’s bistro did not disappoint. The lobster eggs benedict were really good. Not spectacular, not great, but solidly good. I did not like the spinach it included as it had a really strange flavor. I probably will ask to have it excluded next time. Joel’s also offers espresso drinks in addition to brewed coffee. My latte was very good. Other than the eggs benedict, the other items were your run of the mill breakfast and lunch staples (pancakes, eggs, sandwiches, soups, etc.).
The outside seating is gorgeous. The inside seating space is small. The day I went there was only one girl manning the inside tables, and made for rather spotty service. However, not much to complain about.
One of the few good eateries on University Blvd.

I came here for brunch with some friends, and we brought our own champagne and ordered pitchers of orange juice. The waitress brought us champagne glasses, and we drank to our heart’s content. This bistro is located in a cute little courtyard with a fountain. It was definitely warm in the late morning, and I found myself hiding under the patio umbrella for shade. I wasn’t too impressed with the waitress, as she wasn’t very attentive, and I had to ask a different waitress to find her, so I could place my order. And then the champagne glass that I was handed had a big crack down the side, so I drank out of it carefully, nervous that it would shatter and cut me. And then there were five of us paying the bill, and she split the bill evenly four ways. (There was one couple in our group, so spliiting the bill 4 ways among 5 entrees wasn’t fair to everyone that was paying). So the couple said that they would tip more when they realized that the rest of us would be unfairly paying for 2 entrees. So, I tipped less with the credit card. Today, when I looked at my credit card transactions, I noticed that the tip amount that I was charged was 30% instead of the 10% that I had marked down. I quickly called the bistro and spoke with the owner. I was happy with his quick response and apologies for the mistake. He found the receipt copy that I signed and noticed that it had been altered. He was unhappy with his employee and told me that he would handle the matter personally, and apologized to me and told me that I could stop by and pick up the difference in cash. I am satisfied with this response by the owner, and definitely plan on coming back to have brunch sometime in the near future. I will, however, plan on paying cash.

The Ultimate Eggs Benedict.
Your classic benedict complimented by spinach and tomato, and I enjoy with hollandaise sauce on the side. Incredible. Order it.

Stopped in for breakfast this morning with the hubby. He had a Denver Omelette, I had the Deux, Deux, Deux (bacon, eggs, pancakes).
His omelette was cooked perfectly with lots of filling. The potatoes are good but could use a little seasoning. My eggs were also perfectly cooked. The bacon was crisp, just the way I like it.
What really blew us both away were the pancakes. Huge and fluffy — just delicious. I can’t wait to go back!

I usually don’t go out for breakfast because I can cook a better breakfast than most restaurants (also, when one avoids grains, the carb-​bomb American standard doesn’t cut it). Checked out Joel’s because we were in the right place at the right time. LOVED IT! I ordered the supreme omelette, with avocado and lobster — wow! Great service, and they sequenced everything perfectly so I never ran out of coffee, and the waffles were piping hot (kids were with me). Fruit is fresh and generous too, and the sausage was delicious. Nice setting in the courtyard on University, with plenty of outdoor tables and shade. If Joel’s repeats this stellar performance next time I go there, I’m bumping my rating up to 5 stars, and you can bet I will be back!

Oh Joel! I love his restaurant. Every single thing I have had here — breakfast sandwich, omelet, soup, sandwich — has been delicious. There is nothing I dislike about the place. It’s a good location, has nice indoor and outdoor seating, and Joel is a darling family man running a strong business.

My only complaint about Joel’s is that I didn’t try it sooner! I met some friends for breakfast there last Sunday morning. We sat outside under a rainbow-​colored umbrella. I ordered a vegetarian breakfast burrito, filled with cheese, spinach, green bell peppers, and mushrooms. I’m a meat-​lover, but this looked too tasty to pass up. I’m glad I didn’t. SO good. Oh, the tortilla was delicious too. And the potatoes. My goodness, the potatoes!
For a locally owned restaurant with great homemade food, non-​frozen tasting food, I thought the price point was perfect. Don’t expect Grand Slam Denny’s pricing, but it’s NOT expensive.
I’m looking forward to making this a regular brunch spot.