Willow’s Bistro

Off top, I will say that I don’t like places that feel posh. The only reason I ended up dining here is because it was 0.2 miles from the hotel I was staying at for a conference. This place is casual but slants towards being a bit too high strung for my taste. The host was friendly, but I did not sense the same warmness from my server initially.
The noise level was moderate, but I was there on a Thursday evening so I’m not sure I can fully gauge how it would be on a busy night. The dining area is small. I don’t prefer small spaces so that was unappealing to me.
I had the Ahi Tuna and Pineapple Salad. It was tasty. The vinaigrette is bright, and the greens and veggies were nice and fresh. I also had a side of the sweet potato fries, but I was not a huge fan of them. They weren’t bad, but I have had some that were far more memorable. For desert, I had the cheesecake with this blueberry slathering on top of it. The cheesecake was good, but I did not like the blueberry slathering on top.

Willow’s Bistro is probably the most dog friendly restaurant in Winston. Not only do they provide excellent service to my four-​legged friend (immediate bowl of water and preferential doggie apps) but they provide excellent service to the human variety! The food is also excellent!

When we lived in Winston, I consider it one of the best restaurants there. The soba noodles are awesome and love the style of ambience both inside and outside.

Sat at the bar, watching the chef ply his craft. The whole crew in the kitchen loves their trade, and the quality of the meal was testimony of the delicious fare. This merits several visits to check out the creative menu.

After 3 visits and 3 amazingly good meals I have to go all in here. I would come back more often if I lived in Winston Salem, rather than Greensboro.
My real thing is hamburgers and the one I enjoyed here was, in my grade book, an A+. (out of 90+ triad burgers for me that’s only the 4^th perfect score)
The sandwiches I’ve eaten here seem to be a normal bar food item but are so deliciously executed that I get giddy. BBQ turkey sliders, goat cheese avocado burger and crab cake sandwiches were all fantastic. Local ingredients are fresh and attention to detail is obvious.
Service has been warm friendly and efficient each visit. No hiccups snags or problems. My experience has been a comfortable and professional encounter from everyone.
I’ve booked a reservation for my birthday and will be having the mussels and salmon which I’ve seen from afar and trust the joy I’ve witnessed on others faces once they dig in.
New executive chef (6 mos) has raised the bar and brings fresh local passion to a very relaxing environment.
I am a fan and I am biased. I would be delighted to return tomorrow.

This was such a great experience. We went for lunch and had a fabulous time. Ive only ever been for brunch, and I didn’t much enjoy my experience but lunch was amazing.
We had the Mac and cheese of the day, as well as a steak burrito special. Yum. Every bite was amazing.
I got the Cesar salad and that dressing. I can’t stop thinking about it. Sensational.
Our server was friendly and charismatic — super cute gal with tattoos and pinky purple hair — we felt very cared for. What a doll!
We will be back, for sure. Delicious food and great staff.

In town for business. Went here based on local recommendation. Sat outside which was nice. The brie cheese appetizer was good, the BBQ ribs, tuna and crab cakes were all good. The waitress, Honey, was not on her game. Ordered appetizer, waited a while and she came back to the table to see if we’d like to order an appetizer. Went long periods without her checking in on us. Luckily the food was good.

i had one of the best meals I’ve had in Winston Salem here on Thursday night. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because of the bizarre reservation system that has actually kept us away the last 2 times.
We were trying to order the Sangria and in our explanation to Christopher, our phenomenal waiter, that we didn’t want it to be too sweet, we forgot to tell him we wanted a pitcher. He personally mixed us each a glass, and then when we gasped about our mistake, he left the 2 glasses and made a whole new pitcher as well. How gracious.
I had the scallop special. They were wrapped in bacon and HUGE. They were seasoned just right and the sauce they were served on was amazing. The asparagus was also perfectly cooked and flavorful. Omg. The bread. I almost forgot to mention the bread. Christopher swore it was one of the few things not made in house but there was something unusual about it and it was to die for. So great.
Another one of the nuances that keeps me from giving this place 5 stars is the fact that condiments come in plastic ramekins. I think when you’re paying more than $ 25 for a meal without a salad, they should use real plates and accouterments. Small detail, but hey, a lot of times it *is* the details that make or break a place.
My recommendations… make reservations as far out as you can. Get whatever the special is. And ask for Christopher. He was sure good to us.

It had been a while since I visited Willow’s in downtown. I work just up the way in City Hall. The first thing I noticed was the dining area has expanded to the porch out front. It was a cool breezy day and I decided to sit out there. i asked the waitress about smoking on the porch, and she immediatly told me about the upcoming Bourbon and Cigars event. I’ll go back next week and enjoy a meal and some Nicaraguan tobacco.
The menu was very diverse, but I stuck with what I knew and ordered the black bean burger and potato salad. The burger was excellent for a home made bean burger. I’ve had the full rang of formless and mushy to burger-​like in apprearance with fried crispy edges. This was in the sweet spot and with some green lettuce, tomato and red onion this was a really good experience. The potato salad was red bliss and, while not like mama makes it, a great compliment to my burger.
Next trip I test the wind, try not to offend, and cap it off with good cigar.

When I forget my lunch I head to willows since it is so close to where I work. I order the same thing every time. I get the blue and black chicken and it is ok. The only thing that bothers me is that sometimes I get no blue cheese or it is all melted and is more of a whipped texture.
I don’t mind waiting but just maybe more consistency.

This is one of our favorite places to eat in W-​S. The menu is varied and they are always willing to modify a dish if someone has a special need. The only problem I have heave there is trying to leave room for dessert. Not because the servings are uncomfortably large, but because there are so many temptations before I get to the sweets part of the meal.

Had a perfect girls night dinner here on Monday the 7^th. Neither of us went in knowing what to expect and were blown away. We had wonderful service and were treated attentively throughout the night. The list of appetizers was long, and also very diverse. We went with fried alligator (another first for us both!) and really enjoyed it. Their honey mustard dipping sauce is amazing as well.
The portions of our meal were well worth the price. We both ordered from the sandwich menu and loved our choices. We finished off with the tiramisu, which melts in your mouth. It was the perfect end to a fun day, and I will definitely be a return customer.

What a wonderful lunch surprise during a work trip to Winston Salem. We started with the sweet potato and fennel hummus as an app, and everything about it was amazing. The veggies were so fresh and the pita bread was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside heaven. For our entrees I ordered the ahi tuna salad on the specials board, and my friend got the chicken fajita wrap also from the specials board. Both were really good. Portion sizes were big, and service was friendly ad prompt. Wish this place was closer to home so I could come here more often!

Went for lunch and it was delightful. I had a steak salad, not something I commonly order. It was perfect. Great server and lovely ambiance. Close to downtown and even closer to the Brookstown Inn. Located in an old factory or warehouse with lots of off-​street parking.
Willow’s appears to attract high quality diners.
Prices are fair.

Willows Bistro is easily my favorite brunch spot in Winston Salem! Willows serves awesome drink specials and has great brunch menu items. Quality of their food is top notch and fresh. (Note: This 5 star review is for brunch only.)
The ambiance in this restaurant is so artsy and inviting. The paintings are nice to look at or if you’re outside on the patio, enjoy the weather. The building in which Willows is located is part of an old train station so has some real character. My favorite meals are the crab Benedict and the egg sandwich! Both are delicious. Drink specials like bloody Mary’s and mimosas are $ 3. What a steal! To top it off, willows takes reservations on large parties so it’s an excellent place to do brunch get together.
My only gripe is that they only serve brunch on Sunday’s! Cmon Willows! Don’t deprive me of your brunch!

Really enjoyed this place. Great atmosphere and service. I had the bacon cheddar burger. It was awesome. Served it well done just like I like it. It was literally still smoking off the grill when they served it. So good. Had the pasta salad for the side which was really good. Definitely will be going back here.

I’ve been to Willows dozens of times and have had anywhere from a 2 – 4 star experience. The trick for me has been finding something on the menu which is consistently good. It seems like every time I venture to try something outside of by beloved tuna wrap, I am sorely disappointed. It is not on their lunch menu, but if you request it, they will be happy to whip one up. I love the sauce and the cook (medium rare) on the fish has always been excellent. I typically pair it with their side salad with roasted shallot vinaigrette, but when I am feeling indulgent, the homemade chips are great!
This past visit, I was with a large group and tried the shrimp ceviche, which was excellent! But the hummus continues to be strange in texture to me and not quite right.
I have ventured into other areas, such as the veggie burger, pasta specials and BBQ tofu and have found all to be meh. I would especially advise against adding the BBQ tofu to any salad, which I found inedible.
Service upon our last visit was excellent, but it has been poor in past (inattentive and slow).
Note that they will bring you bread that is quite tasty at both lunch and dinner, but you have to request it.
Overall, I will go if other folks are in the mood, but it is not on the top of my list!

Very cozy with good wine and good food. I have been here three times and two of them have been great. We did have one mediocre dinner but that was quite a while ago. This visit on a Saturday afternoon the food was top notch.

While there is an interesting, somewhat creative menu here, our lunch choices were not among them for the most part — different is definitely not a guarantee of quality, at any price. This is a very busy place at lunch and it is quite noisy, between the piped in music and the numerous conversations all around. The décor is modern & functional, not particularly comfortable.
We started with the Hummus ($ 8) and Duck Confit ($ 12) appetizers, and neither was especially memorable. The flavor of Hummus changes daily, and on this day, it was tomato based, and really bland. The plate was colorful with strips of carrot, slices of cucumber, and triangles of a firm pita but the main item was short on flavor. The Duck Confit had some nice flavor but lacked the «falling off the bone» tenderness one associates with this dish. Would not re-​order either items, especially at these prices.
Our entrees consisted of the Hanger Steak Salad ($ 10), the Fried Green Tomato BLT ($ 8), and the Rib-​eye Steak Sandwich ($ 15). The BLT and the FFs that came with it were excellent, nice tastes all around. The other two entrée were very disappointing, and very overpriced. The meat in the salad and the sandwich lacked flavor, and was just plain tough — would not order either of these items again, again, especially at these prices.
The service was very good — friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. But the overall experience was a fail. The food generally is overpriced, the quality of the food was surprisingly substandard, and the noise level and lack of comfort detracts from the total experience. This seems to be another one of those places where one comes to see and be seen, but if a good, reasonably price lunch is your goal, I’d advise looking elsewhere.

The store front and the interior look quite inviting and so I went in for a quick lunch by myself. I was given a seat at the bar counter from which I could see the kitchen right in front of me. Nice, I thought.
The female staff in the kitchen took my order without a smile. She looked so busy that she seemed to have no room in her mind to smile. Too bad.
I ordered the house made potato chips and the grilled chicken sandwich.
The house made chips were not crispy but greasy and soggy and it had blue cheese and scallions on them. I did not like it at all.
The chicken looked so small on the bun and again blue cheese sprinkled on the chicken.
I do not think blue cheese compliments potato chips or chicken.
I was totally disappointed but amazed by so many customers eating in the restaurant.