Julia’s Family Restaurant

I’d love to give this 4 stars, but stopping at 3. Salad bar has best selection in Alvin (small town proud of beef.) Great burger that’s juicy. They don’t flinch at my medium rare burger request. Fellow reviewers please hold all health warnings. We all know most places over shoot it for a medium burger, anyway. Some of the hardest working wait staff that I’ve seen. Exterior and interior is worn. The hot food bar varies in choices. Once, I had the best croquettes that I’ve ever had. Next visit, I walked the food bar and stuck to the salad-​side. Free cones are always welcome. Simply put, this one is a mixed bag in need of some TLC.

Julia’s has served me breakfast on many occasions. It is a place of all familiar
faces to one another… except when strangers walk in and you get the once over.
But the food is ok for a greazy spoon breakfast and that’s the only time I venture
down to Alvin. Wait staff has always been friendly and the prices are nominal.

Pros: breakfast all day, plenty of parking
Cons: expensive for what you’re getting, Faux News always on the big tv
I’ve been to Julia’s now a few times and my thoughts on the place are steadily decreasing. After my first visit last year, I was really happy I’d found a place that hand-​breaded a chicken-​fried chicken that reminded me of dinners back in my hometown. After my visit this past Saturday, I wonder what has gone wrong. That chicken-​fried chicken was still hand breaded but the batter, chicken and the gravy was almost completely flavorless. I was not real happy with it. And the options for sides (almost all of which are deep fried) leave a lot to be desired. Selina asked for a piece of toast after our plates came but it never arrived.
Then the check came and I was wondering if I’ll ever come back. Two below average chicken-​fried chicken plates and two sweet teas: $ 25. Ouch. With tip, that’s $ 30 for a lunch we wish we hadn’t had. Not a great value.
2 stars.

Best Burgers in town, Best mushroom swiss burger ever.

Solid country cooking. Formica tables, fluorescent lighting, plastic glasses. Men should wear gimme caps. Out of twelve men there, all but two were wearing gimme caps. I was one and I felt underdressed. Fox news on the wide screen TV. Friendly plump waitress, hair up in a bun, with scoop neck shirt showing her breast and neck tattoos. She kept our glasses full and checked back with us frequently.
My broiled catfish was fine, just right. The green bean side, with plenty of bacon, was flavorful. The other side order was called ‘Broccoli-​n-​Chez’. French name? House broccoli? I found it … strange, but my wife said «Broccoli like my mother used to make. Boil it to death then mix in lots of cheese. But I think they’ve thickened it with cornstarch.»
Julia’s serves breakfast anytime and I got to sample other plates. Very good bacon. Fairly good omelet, they’d used a good cheese in it. Huge biscuits. Real butter in little plastic packages. I didn’t sample the grits but other family members liked them. A decent hamburger. Most of the rest of the menu was breaded and fried. Chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, fried okra and more. Most dinner entrees $ 9 – 14. Not an amazing bargain, but a decent value for what we got.
We ate there the Monday before Thanksgiving; they were putting up the Christmas lights. Covered porch with picnic tables and benches for the smokers. Dolly brand chocolate donuts in the pastry case by the register. We passed on the mini sweet potato pies. I say the place is A-​OK, check it out.