Wistaria Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in Sierra Madre

I live walking distance from this restaurant and have dined here twice. The first time was just after they opened. I was underwhelmed. The food and service were fair, but I attributed this to being a new restaurant. Last Saturday, my wife and I were celebrating our anniversary. We initially were planning on having a quiet night at home, but at the last minute my wife suggested we walk to Wistaria and give it another try. We called to make a reservation and our table was ready when we arrived. We didn't tell the restaurant we were celebrating a special occasion because we wanted to be low key.

The place was full and it was quite some time before our server arrived. She seemed rushed and not overly friendly. After taking our drink orders, she said she would bring bread to our table if there was any left. When the server returned with our drinks we were told they were out of bread. While waiting for our meals another party was seated at a table nearby and their server brought them bread. When another server filled our water glasses, we inquired about the bread and a few moments later he returned with bread. When our server returned to our table she noticed the bread but said nothing.

Our food was just okay. Not bad, but not great either.

We have really wanted to like this place but for for the price, we'll choose to dine elsewhere for better tasting food and service that's...

We have dined here a couple of times when we come back to visit family. We are never disappointed. The food is quite good. Portions are on the larger size, so expect to have leftovers to bring home (or just go nuts and indulge).

However, the dinning room is comparatively small and not intimate. That isn't that big of a deal, but you should be aware of it going in. I would recommend a reservation if dining later in the evening. If you arrive earlier, they can usually seat you.

Parking is on the street (but that is par for the course in Sierra Madre), but be prepared to have to drive around a little to find a spot.

The only negative was on our last visit. The front of house was clearly understaffed. The one waiter was doing double duty as the bar tender. So, speed of service was not on the menu.

A solid choice for dining and will we will undoubtedly...

Came here for brunch with high expectations, but it was like any average brunch experience. I wouldn't say there was anything spectacular about the food, but it was still delicious. We got 2 dishes for 3 people, and the portions were large enough that we all left perfectly satiated. However, even with only 2 dishes and 2 coffees, our total came out to be $40 w tip. For that price, I expected to be a little more impressed.

Service was excellent, so we didn't mind leaving a nice tip despite the bill. The location was nice, especially sitting out on the sidewalk enjoying the breeze and pleasant Saturday morning. Wouldn't mind coming back again - I expect to add a star after having the lemon...