The Bradbury Bistro — Restaurant in Anderson

I visited the Bistro a bit ago while on a business trip in Anderson, and while the ambiance is beautiful and it's clear the owner has some serious interior decorating skills, the service leaves much to be desired. The Restoration Hardware level of attention to detail in the design of the Bistro is excellent but service responsibilities seem disjointed, and many of the waitstaff/hostess' seemed to be bored or otherwise distracted while customers weren't being attended to(including myself.)

The sliders were absolutely delicious. Between the saltiness of the bacon, meltiness of the gruyere, and the crispiness of the onions. Chef's kiss. For dessert, I tried to order a chocolate lava cake, but they were out. Then I tried to order a cheesecake and they were also out of that. Tried to order a creme brulee, and once again, they were out.. They said the only dessert they had was a lemon bar, so... when in Anderson, I guess. The lemon bar was shockingly subpar. I'm not sure if these are being made inhouse but they could use an overhaul. The crust was soggy and had turned into mush, and the lemon curd was bland. Kind of a lame end to the otherwise fantastic food experience.

Honorable mention: Fernando the bartender was carrying the weight of the restaurant on his shoulders. He was making up for the lacking service experience provided by other waitstaff with his attentiveness and welcoming demeanor. He made sure tables were bussed, and people were welcomed and seated quickly. A1 serviceperson.

The critiques I have of the interior: the table I was sat at was so ungodly tiny. I could barely fit the plate for my sliders, water, lemon bar(because the plates weren't being cleared), wallet, and keys on the table without having to awkwardly shuffle around the drink menu, flowers, and decorative lamp. Eventually I just held my wallet and keys in my lap. Additionally, it was SMOKY. The moment you walked into the Bistro, the smoky smell was very overbearing. I'm not sure if they have a ventilation issue or what, but it's concerning that the staff and customers may be inhaling those fumes all day. It definitely put a damper on the experience for me.

Coincidentally as I was flying out of Charlotte, I met a woman who is from Anderson and had a lot to say about her experience at the Bistro. She mentioned that McGee's and Maki are her go-to restaurants and I look forward to giving those places a shot next time I'm in town.

For the record, I've noticed the owner stating that fake reviews are being left by a disgruntled landlord. I am not affiliated with the landlord, or the court dispute the owner has ongoing with them. I took photos of my food, the table, and the restaurant as a whole because I was initially very impressed with the ambiance. I will also add that from the perspective of being a business owner myself, responding meticulously to negative reviews of their restaurant with justification or denial comes off very "small business" and unprofessional. Especially mentioning employees who made mistakes by name - Yeesh. Sometimes getting the last word isn't the most important endeavor. All in all, I wish the Bradbury prosperity and I hope they can address some of the issues mentioned in their reviews. It has a lot of potential to be...

The Bradbury bistro is one of the most well thought out businesses downtown. The details in its design are exquisite and the atmosphere really mimics that of a French Bistro. If you're are looking for a great date or even a casual dining spot, this is the place for you.

A business is more than just it's atmosphere, however, and fortunately the bistro excels in all aspects of a local restaurant. Despite what the negative, and likely only half true, reviews may claim, the service here is truly immaculate. As a college student, I often use the Bradbury as a quiet place to study off campus. Of course, as any good customer would, I make sure to immediately make a purchase, even if it is just a small drink, before I take up seating, and have found the staff to be very accommodating despite not purchasing a full meal. The waiting staff are all friendly and well trained, and the owners have done a wonderful job making sure that guests are always well attended to. The service at the bistro is high level despite employing many high schoolers and inexperienced workers, which attests to the great training provided here.

Finally, the food and drinks are always superb. While their coffee is great, their selection of drinks really puts them ahead of other local coffee and lunch spots. With abundant varieties of mocktails, lemonades, teas, and other beverages, the bistro makes itself accessible to people who may not be looking to have a full meal. Thankfully, the bistro is also great if you do want to have a complete dinner and their recipes and chefs prepare great tasting, reasonably priced, and well presented food that elevates the creativity of the downtown Anderson food scene.

The Bradbury is a must-stop for anyone passing through the area and a must-frequent for any true fine dining and coffee lover...

Top-notch local bistro, well-priced fab food, bracing cocktails, terrific service from a youthful wait staff, and a delightful atmosphere in downtown Anderson, SC. Blow me down, I can’t believe this is in The Electric City! We dropped in on a Saturday night with grandparents and teenaged kids, a party of six, without warning. The staff quickly cobbled together seating for us from three small, marble-topped tables right in the window, in the thick of the action. It was a moderately busy night- impressive, considering it was a weekend in the middle of two big holidays. My son raved about the Wagyu beef sliders (seems like teenage boys have a thing for Wagyu) and my daughter adored her salad. I shared a delicious stewed beef flatbread (I think that’s what it was) with my father-in-law and it was totally devourable. My wife ordered a Boulevardier that was spot-on. I had the Whiskey Sour and it was just the right combination of boozy, sweet, and citrusy tart. My mother-in-law had a tasty limoncello she loved. The barman was very genial, and I can’t wait to go back on a quieter night, have another drink at his bar, and talk to him about cocktails- he seems very savvy. Really impressed with this terrific bistro, so unexpected in downtown Anderson – no slight to the community, just commenting on how chic, fun, and delicious our experience was. Will definitely be back again, next time we’re in Anderson! Really looking forward to a visit during warmer weather so I can enjoy the outdoor seating- perhaps I’ll bring a pack of Gauloises and a novel by JP Sartre or “Accordion Crimes” by...