Julia’s Bistro

Houston, United States

3.6

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 713-807-0090
Address:
3722 Main St, Houston, TX, 77002
Fourth Ward, Midtown
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
340 ftEnsemble/HCC (Southbound)
590 ftEnsemble/HCC (Northbound)
0.4 miWheeler Station (northbound)
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Classy
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today –
Local time (Houston) 05:28 Friday, 18 July 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Menu Highlights

Dinner

Crepas de Huitlacoche

sauteed Mexican corn truffles/​panela cheese/​cream sauce

Taquitos de Filete Mignon

grilled beef tenderloin/​petite corn tortillas/​guacamole chutney

Sopas Y Ensaladas

Sopa de Frijoles Negros

black beans/​tomato/​onion/​vegetable stock/​crème fraîche

Ensalada de Sandia

organic spinach/​Texas Valley watermelon/​queso fresco/​candied almonds/​citrus vinaigrette

Platos Fuertes

Trucha

pan seared butterflied rainbow trout/​sauteed mushrooms/​Mexican baby shrimp/​passion fruit –madeira sauce

Cangrejos a la Plancha

blackened Maryland soft shell crabs/​guayava-​ginger coulis

Costilla de Cordero

potato crusted garlic stuffed rack of lamb/​vanilla-​merlot reduction

Lunch

Torta de Cerdo

pan seared pork tenderloin paillard/​caramelized onions/​lettuce/​tomato/​honey dijon mustard

Sanduche de Pescado

potato chip crusted fish filet/​lettuce/​tomato/​chile piquin tartar/​kaiser roll

History

Established in 2004.

From humble beginnings along-​side her grandmother in a small kitchen in Mexico, Carmen began to hone her craft of bringing authentic, rustic cuisine to life by melding South American and Spanish fare. The product of this labor of love has flourished into what is now Julia’s Bistro in Houston’s hip Midtown. While staying true to her origins, Carmen opens her kitchen to new and exciting recipes, and has situated her menu uniquely among Houston’s finest restaurants.

With each changing season, the ensemble at Julia’s Bistro will keep even their most devout patrons hungry for more. From the organic and locally grown foundations of each dish, to the eclectic wines from the award winning wine list; whether you’re a familiar face, or will discover us for the first time, come let Julia’s Bistro wow you with flavor and finesse.

Meet the Manager

Ric A.

Manager

Ric Ancira was Julia’s bistro orginal General Manager. After 5 yearsof being gone he has returned and vows to bring Julia’s bistro back to its «original roots». Working very closely with Chef Jose Garcia. The two have collaborated on some fun and innovative dishes and well as bring back some of Julia’s bistro «classic signature dishes». Changing the menu seasonally and working closely with local producers has become Ric’s focus and ensuring the patron have the absolute best dining experience by paying close attention to details.

Julia’s Bistro — CLOSED also recommends

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«keeping the Arts alive»

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,

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«supporting other locally owned business»

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«Fantastic Space/​Stylist/​and overall person»

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«showcasing some the best artist in town»

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20 reviews of Julia’s Bistro

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
Best ceviche ever! Salmon with habenero sauce, chipotle mashed potatoes, and green beans is the way to go. Trust me. you won’t be disappointed. Not spicy, just amazing and fairly priced for such a great atmosphere.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
FYI — they are going through a transition right now. Call before you head over there.
Place rating: 4
Downtown, Houston, TX
I really like this place, but I don’t know if they’ve closed down or not. I’ve gone by the restaurant about three times during the past two weeks for dinner, but their doors were locked.
The times that I’ve been there, the food has been good and the wait staff has been friendly.
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
I had been trying to make it to Julia for a second visit for the passed month and a half! But for some reason, every time we tried to go something came up. This last time we finally made it and I am so glad we did! I knew my boyfriend would like this place although he is a little picky when it comes to food. First, this second visit they had a jazz band playing in the background, I loved that! It definitely made for a more enjoyable dinner. Our server was very nice and attentive and that was a plus!
We both ordered drinks from the bar, which by the way were really great. We ordered the Calamari as an appetizer and it was very well seasoned. I ordered some kind of fish, cant recall the name of my dish but it was pretty good. He ordered the same but requested they hold the butter and serve the sauce on the side. They were really good at accommodating his request. Overall I enjoyed dinner and the ambiance of the restaurant. It also counts that I had great company! This was a great dining experience.
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
I’ve now been here at least five times in the last 8 months and this place never fails. The coffee flavored steak (blanking on the official name) is amazing. The chef is so thoughtful he brought out the plates at one point and asked for constructive feedback — but I had nothing to offer — just the best.
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
Absolutely incredible. Went on a week night and tried several things on the menu, all were mind blowingly amazing. Authentic Latin cuisine. Excellent service and food and will definitely be frequenting this place more.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
My friend and I went at 7:45 on a Thursday night and there was only one table of patrons there. I ordered the salmon, white rice cilantro, and chipotle mashed potatoes. The salmon was good and very well seasoned. However, the rice had no taste, and the chipotle mashed potatoes were just okay. So why the three stars? Our waiter. He was very accommodating and even accommodated my friend’s fried plantains request even though it’s not on the menu. Also, was polite enough to add $ 5 to our bill so we could get the cash to pay the valet. Cons: Parking lot is super tiny and you have to pay to park in their parking lot. Also, our food took FOREVER to come and I’m not an impatient person by any means. Also, there was only one other table of three people there so I couldn’t understand why the food took so long to come. Don’t come here if you’re in a rush. If you have a couple of hours to kill and are looking for a quiet place then this is it.
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
The service and management are extremely friendly and helpful. I’ve been once for lunch and really enjoyed the executive set lunch — the salad was a major standout with fresh figs and balsamic dressing. I also attended a once-​monthly wine dinner last week and really enjoyed the pairings of food and wine. I am trying it out for a regular dinner tonight!
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
My girlfriend and I used to drive by this place frequently and it became a long running joke between us. If we ever saw more than 2 or 3 tables occupied in this restaurant at any given time we’d feign utter shock and surprise.
This place is the very definition of lipstick on a pig. It’s normal/​okay food, dressed up and billed at inflated prices. The waitstaff was helpful and attentive, but then again when the restaurant is mostly empty, I would at least expect service to be on cue.
We got the filet mignon taquitos as an appetizer. For what is supposed to be a prime cut of meat, the taquitos were overcooked, dry, and stringy. The rainbow trout was decidedly average, the porkchop was uninspired.
People seem to genuinely enjoy this place and for the life of me I can’t figure out why. For my money, I’d be happier with the $ 2.50 banh mi from Les Girvales down the street.
Place rating: 1
Houston, TX
I cannot speak on how this restaurant operates normally, but their Valentine’s menu and service were both horrible enough to ensue I will never be back.
My boyfriend and I walked into a trap. In fact, he used the word «con» to describe their prix fixe menu. $ 65/​person for lukewarm, low-​quality food.
The neglectful server only added insult to injury. For instance, between our first and second course, we sat for over 30 minutes without water!
Utterly disappointing.
Place rating: 4
Humble, TX
What an interesting little place. I pass by here all the time and would never think of stopping but today a friend of mine suggest the place and we went. I bet this was the only place that wasn’t packed on V-​day and if I were to treat someone to a V-​Day lunch this is certainly where I would go! There were about 5 other couples in the restaurant and we were able to have a quiet conversation. There was even a father homeschooling his son at this restaurant, which was the cutest thing I have seen.
The food was great. I ordered a cup of the tortilla soup, which was freaking amazing and really tasted like it should have been called Tamale soup! For my entrée I ordered the
Place rating: 4
Johnson City, TX
The rack of lamb was superb — spiced in an interesting way and well-​presented. The salmon suffered from being overcooked.,
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
I have been a few times. The food is always great, the service attentive, and the peaceful ambiance a welcome from the hussle and bussle of the office.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
My team loves coming here for lunch, we usually bring a large group to do goodbyes, welcomes and celebrations. Julia’s should just give us a special menu.
Valet parking– it’s complimentary but it stinks that you have to go with this option because there’s just no parking besides the tiny lot they have. Breakfast Klub is right next door, FYI.
They used to have the business executive lunch option where you get the appetizer, entrée and dessert for less than $ 20 but they did away with that.
I ordered the Garden club sandwich — grilled eggplant, very good dish for vegetarians. It was served on sourdough bread which was so good and kind of hard like banh mi Viet sandwiches where it could cut the insides of your mouth if you’re not careful. I struggled to manage how to tackle on eating but I eventually got to get my hands dirty for the oil dripping from the sandwich. The sweet potato fries that came with it was perfect! It was fried to a very good crisp and didn’t come out soggy or thin.
Bread pudding (Pudin de Pan) — this was so so. Not the best bread pudding I’ve had and it wasn’t very warm nor the bread moist and soaked in the sauce. The portion size was also small. Next time I’ll go for the Pastel de Julia (verona dark chocolate cake/​dark chocolate mousse). I got to taste my coworker’s and it was better than my bread pudding choice.
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
I went to Julia’s for the first time this past Saturday night. And it was with a group of almost 30 people! I must say for the size of our party, I was very impressed. While it was understandably a little slow getting our drinks and food, I was proud of our waiter. He was very slow and patient with all of us. And the fact the restaurant was willing to accommodate such a large group was astounding.
I ordered the special of the night, which was a filet with 2 jumbo shrimp over some kind of garlic risotto. While my risotto was just slightly cold when I got it, the shrimp and meat were still cooked to perfection! And among those of the group I talked to, they all loved their food as well!
I will definitely go back and try this place without such a large group, but for our size and the stress it must have caused the waiters and chefs, I was still largely impressed!
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
I recently dined here and tried one item from each category on the menu, & must say I was very impressed. There is a nature of enchantment in every dish.
The décor is modernly cozy, as you walk through the painted deep red walls you hear Bachata playing softly in the background. It’s a place to go when u want to step out of the box and just let someone cook for you.
From the exotic dishes to the creative cocktails, I’m sure this bistro will be one that makes your top 5 to dine in the city.
Oh! and You’ve got to try the butterscotch Crème Brule, they call it the Crèma de Catalana!
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
After reading the other mixed reviews on Unilocal,I had no idea what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised! I’ll agree with the many others that the location is sub-​par (and I noted this on my comment sheet that choosing a new location would work wonders for their business). It’s in a sketchy area of town and anything on main is going to require some effort for parking. Also, the name makes no sense to me and could be a little catchier. Who the heck’s julia? But, once inside, wow…
Love the ambiance – perfect for this Latin inspired restaurant. The service was fantastic – ours was not slow as reported by other Unilocalers. Had to request the bread (preggo lady needed some food right away!).
We ordered the filet mignon w/​avocado chutney, the pork tenderloin, and the pan seared rainbow trout (without the butter, and glad I said that, cause it was certainly heavy on the oil!). Everything was beautifully presented and the flavored worked so well together. Yes, the trout and veggies didn’t need the amount of oil used, but I’ve never in my life had rainbow trout that tasted so awesome. My husband agreed! He thought the pork tenderloin was phenomenal, but couldn’t stop raving about the filet mignon appetizer. I’m not much of a red meat fan, but these were very unique and full of flavor.
I hope one day they move to a new location so more people will discover these beautiful dishes. My only tip, if you prefer to eat healthy like me, would be to order NO BUTTER and go light on the oil. But do go to this place. It’s a hidden gem. And I’m a picky eater!
Place rating: 2
Houston, TX
I had a business dinner here with a small group and didn’t get to choose the restaurant. The menu is somewhat limited for vegetarians with only one appetizer, 4 salads, and one soup available daily. There were no vegetarian entrees just sides.
However, I’m not rating on the choices. It’s what I got. I ordered a soup and salad. The Chevre salad was fine with the raspberry dressing being dominant. However the soup of the day, a potato soup was just too salty and I wasn’t sure if it was intentionally salty due to all of the other myriad spices in the soup. Another person in my group remarked the same thing. I went through 6 glasses of water to try to clear the taste off my tongue and quench the thirst.
Service was prompt although they mixed my bowl of soup up with another guest’s. I wish I hadn’t corrected them. The others in my group that didn’t have the soup enjoyed their meals.
Place rating: 3
Dallas, TX
I don’t know — some things have changed ever since I last came here. The attention to details were not as precise as before as I noticed a plate being chipped, the table clothes being not ironed like they were in the past, and even our food was served by the busboy near the end of the meal (our waiter had pretty much disappeared). Much of these, from what I recalled in the past, were pretty much unthinkable.
And there’s a lot more spicy food too. Gazpacho, the cold tomato soup, was too spiced and the tomato base was too acidic — it was a little difficult to eat the whole thing despite it being a small bowl. The mashed potatoes were spicy-​hot.
It would be nice if there was a better mention of spicy food in the menu — not everyone can eat it, and this place did not give off the vibe that the food would be spicy. I had always thought of this place to be pan-​Latin (for the record, only two major Latin American countries’ cuisine can be said to be generally spicy — Mexico and Peru). So this change in the menu is new to me (but from what I understood, they changed the menu a while ago).
And unfortunately, the desserts was just nothing to write home about — and plus it was not presented very nicely. This can be improved.
There’s more work to be done to bring it back to the level where it was when this place first opened. When it first opened, it was even a restaurant worth driving to from the suburbs. Because of the previous experience from years ago — I know this place still has potential. I’ll be keeping my eyes open.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
I know now why this place has such an average rating. Their food is barely average.
The BF and I have been stalking Julia’s for quite some time now and finally had the opportunity to eat there for lunch.
The servers and host are very nice and professional, but the food is just Meh.
For appetizer, I ordered the Taquitos de Cochinita Pibil – achiote marinated pulled pork/​corn tortillas/​pickled onions. The best thing about the dish was the pickled onion, as the pork had a ton of fat and no discernable achiote flavor.
Main course I ordered the Trucha – pan seared butterflied rainbow trout/​chipotle-​pineapple purée with mashed potatoes and grilled carrots. It was bland and boring. Plus, the fish was on top of the potatoes and carrots! Ooooh, gross – my food is touching each other
;-)
I was hoping that dessert would be redeeming and ordered the Crema de Chocolade. Folks, this was cold chocolate pudding with some whipped cream on top. PUDDING – really!!!