Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar — Restaurant in Kennewick

Deciding on an overall star rating here is difficult. The food is good, and we have enjoyed coming here; but we had a bad experience recently. I thought about it, and that bad experience will make me less likely to go here in the future. So 3 stars seems appropriate.

The problem is simple: 3-6 is happy hour. We ordered a large meal at 3:00, including two items from the happy hour menu. When we got our check, the two items were not happy hour prices. We then noticed that the time on the check was 2:51. We are 100% certain we ordered at (or just after) 3:00, having both checked our phones to verify we were ordering during the happy hour time. Given the timing of our order plus the time for the server to go back inside and key it in, it's likely the order was actually entered into the computer a few minutes after 3:00. We explained this to the server, who apparently misunderstood, because she came back from talking to her manager and said 9 minutes early doesn't work for happy hour. So I told her no, we didn't order early, your clock is wrong; she understood, and went back inside. Soon, the manager came out, and told us we ordered too early. I explained--again--that his clock was wrong. He argued back, bizarrely saying that he checked the clocks against his phone in the morning. That has to be a lie, because it was plain as day that the clock was wrong. He fought back, essentially accusing us of lying. He was rude and condescending, eventually taking the charge off, but acting like he was doing us a favor. Not once did he even consider the possibility that he was wrong, when it would be simple to LOOK AT THE CLOCK ON THE COMPUTER. He asked if I wanted an updated receipt with the reduced charges, which I did. Amusingly (in an aggravating sort of way), the time on the new receipt was 4:07. We checked our phones, and it was 4:20. Of course, the manager had scurried off before we noticed this, or I would have happily pointed it out. At any rate, because HIS computer was wrong, he treated us like we were trying to scam him. In the future, maybe he could be a bit less arrogant and consider the possibility that he doesn't know everything, and that not every customer is running a scam on him. I want to reiterate: the manager who spoke to us was rude, arrogant, condescending, and just unpleasant.

In truth, if he'd even tried to make the argument that the clock may be off a minute or two (which it wasn't: at least 10, probably 12, but for argument's sake) from our network-time-set phones, and that's life, I'd buy it. Clocks aren't all 100% in sync with each other. But he didn't. He effectively made the argument that we actually ordered at 2:51, so we were lying. That's what gets me so angry. The implication that we were being dishonest. And to be clear, our server was great. She played no part in the problem. It was entirely...

A Mixed Bag with Room for Improvement ⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (2.5/5)

We visited Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar for lunch and left with mixed feelings. While a couple of items stood out for decent flavor, the overall experience, especially the service and value, didn’t quite meet expectations for a mid-range bistro.

🍽️ What We Ordered: Fried Calamari – Lightly crispy and seasoned well enough, but the portion was small for the ~$20 price tag. The artichokes and pickled onions on the side were a nice touch and helped round out the dish. Avocado Toast – Served as four half-slices of toast with a thin spread of avocado—decent, but underwhelming. The scrambled eggs were passable but felt commercial. The arugula salad on the side was overdressed and heavy on cheese, likely gorgonzola. Steak Salad – The steak cubes were overcooked and arrived cold, which was the biggest disappointment. Though the salad greens were fresh and plentiful, the dish was heavy on cashews, and the cheese flavor was intense. Breakfast Burrito with Fries – I didn’t try this personally, but our friend said it was not memorable. The fries looked average—crispy but nothing special.

💁‍♀️ Service: Service was polite but lacked attentiveness. After being seated, we waited about 10–15 minutes to receive a drink order. Only two glasses were brought out for three people, and when our appetizer arrived, no utensils were provided. We had to request basics that should have been automatically offered. We did appreciate the server accommodating our request to change tables for better sun however.

🎨 Ambience: The interior had a retro-upscale family restaurant vibe—maybe reminiscent of a 1990s aesthetic. Some might find the design nostalgic, though it felt a little dated to us. The lighting fixtures were interesting and varied in design, which added a little flair. Pricing falls into the $30–40 range per person with an appetizer, so expectations were naturally higher.

📝 Final Thoughts: Twigs Bistro has potential, but inconsistencies in food quality, small portions for the price, and inattentive service made the visit less than ideal. While we enjoyed some elements like the calamari and fresh greens, it’s not a place we’d prioritize returning to—especially given the number of great dining options...

We went to Anthony's yesterday and had such a horrible experience that the manager comped our entire meal. Makes you appreciate places that consistently provide good service! I'll say, I am not the biggest fan of their menu here, not being big on bar-food styled menus. BUT, at least this is definitely "upscale" bar food!

Anyway, the place is well run and the food is always good once received... and the drinks are pretty awesome, and fast. I give this closer to a 4 or 4.5 compared to, for example, the many places we just ate at in Miami while on vacation... but by Tricities standards, it is a 5, lol.

Nothing bugs me more than going to a dine-in restaurant and getting poor service, then be expected to tip 20%. I waited tables for years, so I literally feel guilty not leaving 20%! And so we have done so many times, not knowing if the issues were a poor server, a poor kitchen, poor management, understaffing, or what.

But here? We have literally never had bad service, nor had to wait 15 minutes to order a glass of wine (like yesterday), etc, etc. If they would get some type of crab dish back on the menu? I could see this more as a "true 5" rather than a "5 for Tricities. (Hint, hint management! Bring back the crab dip! Or create a new version of one! Soooooooo few places to get good seafood in the TC's, especially crab and lobster!)

Still, a solid place and you can't go wrong coming here, as long as the "upscale bar food" menu can hit...