Chez Zee American Bistro

We had a great experience, seated promptly, professional service, excellent salad and pizza, great atmosphere. I buy their custom seasoned salt as bday gifts along with their seasoned olive oil. Love the eclectic décor. Patio seating is great. I am a fan!

I’d most likely never go back. This place was mediocre and only 2 people at our table of 7 enjoyed their food. Service was pretty good though, so I had to give 2 stars.

Went here for a friend’s birthday on Saturday night. We have been for the Brunch before and liked it but neither of us had been any other time. We had reservations so got seated right away.
It took awhile for our waiter to get with us to order. We noticed bowls with something wrapped in napkins on some of the other tables, bread or rolls we guessed, but were never asked if we wanted some. I finally asked and the waiter brought the bread. He said they had regular butter, garlic herb butter, or smokey olive oil with herbs that they would add pepper at the table. We usually like the olive oil with herbs so we opted for that. The oil was horrible. Not sure how they got it smoked but it didn’t taste like any oil I’ve ever tasted before. When he came back we got some of the herb butter and it was good. I didn’t get charged for the bread so I am assuming it is free to everyone, but they don’t tell you that. Most restaurants ask you if you want some. They don’t apparently because we weren’t the only ones who didn’t have it.
We started out with Caesar Salad. I asked the waiter was it good. He went on to describe it as really good with Parmesan cheese and wonderful croutons. He stated we could have anchovies if we wanted. I ordered mine without, my friend got them. The salad did have Parmesan cheese but no croutons and little to no dressing. The anchovies were very salty my friend said, which is not unusual but he said most restaurants usually rinse them off before putting them on the salad for that reason.
My friend got the Smoked pork tenderloin served with house made macaroni & cheese, sauteed vegetables and our signature black cherry sauce. He said the pork was okay (the 6 or so little pieces of it) but he said the signature black cherry sauce tasted like Kraft from the grocery store — no cherry here. He also got what was supposed to be sauteed veggies. He said he could tell they were frozen and microwaved, not very good. He said the mac and cheese could have been molded into a ball and thrown. He added salt to his food which he never does. I got the Sharon’s Angel Hair Pasta with shrimp. It was very sticky and the pasta and sauce had no flavor at all. Certainly nothing to write home about.
On top of that the waiter would come taken plates without asking if we were done, etc. and was not prompt on getting what we requested.
We did get a piece of the Mocha Fudge Torte because it was his birthday. We got it to go. Apparently the raspberry purée and whipped cream don’t come with it if you get it to go. It tasted good but again, wasn’t anything to write home about.
Got about a $ 55 bill for that. I don’t mind paying higher prices for food if the food it really good and you feel you are getting your moneys worth but we could have gone many other places and got better food, more of it, and service for less money.
I did feel bad since this was his birthday and the place was supposed to be all good. We won’t be going back.

I actually can see why this place has three stars but I give it four stars because of the Crème Brulee French Toast. They have a small breakfast menu and I thought I would try the Crème Brulee French Toast. There would be pros and cons to my decision which seems to be part of any decision making. Pro — I love Crème Brulee. Con — French Toast. Everytime I’ve had french toast you might as well give me bread soaked in water because I was never a fan of it. The Crème Brulee French Toast came with an order of eggs, potatoes (which was somewhat burnt) and bacon.
The Crème Brulee French Toast made me a believer in French Toast. It’s as though they didn’t really use bread but it something that didn’t make it too soggy. You can get the French Toast with strawberries and whipped cream which I highly recommend. Instead of maple syrup, I had the Meyer’s Rum Sauce.
The service was quick, not fast food quick but I didn’t have to wait that long. The interior is really cute with its red, white and blue small lights. There’s a private lot where you can self park or use the complimentary valet parking.

Came to Chez Zee for brunch. I was seated immediately. I waited for over 15 minutes for someone to come to the table. I then flagged down a waiter who said he was going to go ahead and put in my drink order. Waited for another 10 minutes and finally my waitress came to the table. She asked again for my drink order. I understand it’s brunch time and everyone is busy with tables but several employees walked by and neither asked if I’ve been helped at any point. The food better be worth it…

Décor: 3.5÷5
–Outdoor has some seating, activities and unique décor that keep in touch with ‘Keeping Austin Weird’
–Small and limited parking lot
Service: ³⁄₅
–standard, everything came relatively in a timely matter
Food: ³⁄₅
–Crabmeat quesadilla comes in 7 wedges and is quite filling. The sauce pairs well with the crabmeat and cheese
–jalapeño cornbread. I have no words. Well, I do and its «Don’t order this»

Nothing to ding about. The waitress was nice and attentive. My soup was awesome. The sourdough bread was great. The chicken salad was excellent. My chicken fried steak was very good. The atmosphere was very calm and relaxing, very laid back feeling.

This gem is an adorable unique restaurant, with a nice courtyard and beautiful decorations to make your dining experience memorable and enjoyable. Happy hour is also a plus, and you might hear some lovely live piano music if you’re dining at the right times.
I tried the fiesta chicken salad and a frozen margarita ($ 3 during hh!). The chicken salad was delicious and filling, and the dressing was tasty too. Washing it down with a simple frozen margarita was perfect. Oh and complimentary bread! Always a nice touch.
The only downside of my experience was the long wait times, even during slow hours. Our waiter seemed to have forgotten about us and also forgot some details of my order. However, he was very friendly and accommodating otherwise, and the rest of my night at Chez zee was well worth the bragging of the restaurant I did afterwards!

Chez Zee is great. They have lots of space inside but not so much in the parking lot. Ride together for lunch or car pool for dinner. They have complimentary valet which totally makes up for this parking miss. The food is better than average. The atmosphere is uniquely Austin. Is very cool and eclectic inside. The desserts are great. If you’ve never been here you must try it out. Just order the special. It will probably be a fish dish. They do a great job at Chez Zee!

The crème brûlée is very delicious! Definitely recommend. Also at the start they give you complimentary croissants with strawberry butter spread. The croissant is fluffy and goes well with the spread! The server we got was friendly and quick to fill my water cup when it was low, which I was thankful for (:
The atmosphere is lively and has a Spanish vibe. They have lots of Christmas lights! They also have a big connect four for the kids and adults to enjoy!

I’ve been out of luck trying them out for weekend brunch (which is what they’re known for), but it’s a decent choice for lunch during the week. Service is fine. Diego was my waiter last time – super friendly. He even pulled a few strings and got me a croissant with strawberry butter (yum!), even though it’s only served on the weekends. Their crab cakes are pretty good – not outstanding, but one of the better choices. The shrimp bisque is unfortunate – way too thick and chunky, more like a chowder. If they really want to call it a «bisque», it should be smooth, rich and creamy. It almost seems like it’s from a can, kind of bland for my taste. Their salads are pretty good, fresh and tasty. Their créme brûlée French toast is decadent, but heavy. Eclectic atmosphere and décor with an outdoor shaded patio.

Always love Chez Zee, since the late 1990s. It has been good since then. The croissant and strawberry butter makes my mouth water. The gluten free pancakes are also yummy, and all the omelettes I have had have been great!
Whenever we go, we always love the piano player! He is so good and plays songs you love to hear. We always bring friends and family from out of town, because of the food and ambiance. Just be sure to make a reservation, at least the day before!

Delicious brunch place with a great Austin atmosphere. Wait was lengthy, but that’s expected in Austin on a Sunday at brunch time. It went by fast with a quirky waiting area with Connect 4 and free coffee. We had a family tourney while waiting ending in a Kwan dethroning.
I had a chorizo and asparagus benny as suggested by our very attentive and fast waiter. My fiancé had the crème brûlée French toast. My savory, spicy, salty was a great pairing with her sweet. Everyone quickly devoured their plates and left borderline uncomfortably full. Only knock I have is that the bowl of bacon was bacon in a bowl. I was expected a finely crafted, intricately woven basket made of bacon for $ 8. Will update the last star when I see this dream come true.
Also, the complimentary croissants are wonderfully flaky. That strawberry butter is my butter half.

This place is very Austin-​esque and just the type of place to bring out of town guests. I think it would fit in better in another part of town but aside from the location, it’s a fairly hip place. I had made reservations for brunch but turns out I didn’t really need to. I did love the walkway to the main entrance, and all of the chairs lined up outside gave it a Cracker Barrel country store feeling. Food is decent, service is good, but it didn’t have the «it» factor for me.

On a recommendation from a friend, I treated my crew to brunch here on a Saturday morning. Bloody Mary was perfect. Our group had nothing that was not very good. The Migas were the favorite. Good reports were had on chicken and waffles. I had a sausage version of eggs Benedict which was good, but the sausage overpowers the eggs and hollandaise. I would recommend this local spot anytime. Service was perfect. Quaint environment with a fireplace and fountain for a little atmosphere. Give it a try.

My girlfriend took me here for Valentine’s Day brunch, and every little nuance about this place was incredible.
First, our waitress, Brooke, was the best waitress we’ve ever had– since it was our first time, she brought us their signature crème brûlée French toast with the Meyers rum sauce… To die for!!!
They bring out fresh out of the oven croissants with amazing strawberry topping.
The breakfast quiche was great but the crab cake Benedict easily because my favorite breakfast dish in Austin.
If I could give more than 5 stars, I would.

Brunch: the meal of my people. I really like Chez Zee. Most of my experiences here have been great. Like any restaurant you visit often enough, there are some not so great experiences as well. But overall, this is one of my favorite brunch spots.
If you only come here for the croissants and strawberry butter, no one would blame you. But already get a carafe of mimosa, ok? Let’s keep it classy.
The crème brûlée French toast is dense and delicious. Crunchy on the outside and almost like pound cake on the inside. And always get the rum sauce. I usually get this as my appetizer.
The smoked salmon Benedict is one of my newer favorites, just the right balance of flavors to make you keep going back for more.
My go to, however, is usually the pork chop with eggs which comes with homemade apple sauce. If pork agreed with me more this entrée would still be in my rotation.
But the real reason I love eating here for brunch is to play Name That Tune, even if it’s just in my head, to the live piano music. I’ve heard everything from «somewhere over the rainbow» to «enter sandman» by Metallica, «under the sea» from the Little Mermaid, many many Michael Jackson songs and almost anything Elton John. Food for your ears.

Brunch: the meal of my people. I really like Chez Zee. Most of my experiences here have been great. Like any restaurant you visit often enough, there are some not so great experiences as well. But overall, this is one of my favorite brunch spots.
If you only come here for the croissants and strawberry butter, no one would blame you.
The crème brûlée French toast is dense and delicious. Crunchy on the outside and almost like pound cake on the inside. And always get the rum sauce. I usually get this as my appetizer.
The smoked salmon Benedict is one of my newer favorites, just the right balance of flavors to make you keep going back for more.
My go to, however, is usually the pork chop with eggs which comes with homemade apple sauce. If pork agreed with me more this entrée would still be in my rotation.
But the real reason I love eating here for brunch is to play Name That Tune, even if it’s just in my head, to the live piano music. I’ve heard everything from «somewhere over the rainbow» to «enter sandman» by Metallica, «under the sea» from the Little Mermaid, many many Michael Jackson songs and almost anything Elton John. Food for your ears.

Food: Southwest chicken salad sandwich was really good. Bread was good but now I’m realizing that it probably was too sharp and cut up the top of my mouth a bit. Chicken salad was still really good and flavorful, you can feel the spice. Lots of salad options and gluten free options too!
Service: Lacking. Our waitress took a while to take our order and bring our bread. I know there’s always a lunch rush but they should really be trained for that since it’s a popular lunch spot so people need to get back to work on time.
Atmosphere: They are constantly changing their décor and everything always looks so cute and in theme. Parking lot is a little small when it’s busy, but you can valet.

I just went here for my first time last night with my family, and it was the cutest most «Austin» like restaurant I’ve been to in awhile! There are so many string lights everywhere, completely sets the mood for a romantic or nice evening. The bread was pretty hard on the outside, you could tell it wasn’t fresh. But our actual meal was delicious (Pesto Salmon Penne) that was my dish & I loved it! I also got a raspberry chocolate truffle cheesecake and it was bomb diggity!
I’m going to have to come back and try out their wine because they seem to have a great selection.
Also, 1 more thing — The walkway entrance to their restaurant is like no other! They have lights, outdoor seating (under a roof) and heat lamps for socializing outside and the a big version of connect 4!!!

I’m disappointed.
Honestly that should say it all but I will elaborate for the benefit of others.
This is place has a lot of potential. The restaurant is unique, the staff is friendly, the menu is interesting, the bakery items seem to be made in house and they even have a piano in the middle of the room.
I walked in and was warmly greeted. The specials of the day were explained to me and my drink order was quickly taken. I was offered fresh bead and some sort of side of olive oil to dip the bread in. I was happy to see that the bread was sliced but I found the crust really tough. Next I ordered the crab cake sandwich. I was surprised by the amount of «stuffing» in the crap cake. I picked at it added some mayo and tried to make the best of it. The slaw and the bun were really good. The issue was the crab cake, honestly they should remove it from the menu. A crab cake should have identifiable portions of crab…
After eating half the sandwich I gave up and decided that one of their fancy desserts would save the day. I ordered that banana cream pie and I was informed that was a seasonal item. I finally decided that carrot cake might be a great substitution. I’ve ordered it in the past and was very impressed. This time my cake tasted like it had sat in the dessert case too long. It was really a shame I expected so much more from this restaurant. It’s official it will be a long long time before I visit this place again.

I liked this place, it was a good brunch spot. They had good bloody Mary’s and mimosas. I ordered the tenderloin Benedict and I thought it was pretty tasty the only thing I wasn’t a fan of was that the steak was cooked almost well done and the server said that since the steak was thin you couldn’t really temp it. I’m not a fan of well done steak but the rest of the the dish was so flavorful that it made up for the over cooked steak! I will for sure go back to check out the rest of the menu!

The perfect place for cake and wine… Every single one is amazing!
Love the ahi tuna salad for a quick lunch.
It’s my favorite!
Every one of their fish dishes are delicious.