Bandera

To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. Came here for my little brothers birthday last night along with my 2 younger cousins 9, 11 years old.
The service was impeccable, but the after effects of the food was horrible. My 9 year old cousin had to miss school today because she was so ill from the cheeseburger she ate. She threw up all night and has had nothing but water. I also at a cheeseburger I was not able to go to work today because stomach pains and horrible nausea I’ve been dealing with since I ate there.
We had over a $ 150 tab that night all for what? To be sick loose school days and more importantly work days? I would expect this type of low quality food at a fast food restaurant but not at an establishment with this price tag.

Very nice ambiance in this restaurant. Food and service was good and nice that it’s so close to the beach. Nice little restaurant!

This place is amazing. The chicken salad and enchiladas are out of this world. Husband had the filet and said it was better then almost all the steakhouses we frequent. Everything was great! Service spectacular! We will be back.

Always great food and walking distance from home. If your from out of town, a great place to eat.

Great spot for dinner in NB. We had a party of 5 and we all got a different dish so I was able to try a little bit of everything and it was all good! The prime rib is to die for. A nice thick, juicy slab cooked perfectly to your liking. Their filet is so tender. The bbq salmon was the best salmon I’ve tried to date. The smoked bbq flavor gives it a nice different flavor from the usual bland salmon I’ve tried everywhere else. The ponzu dressing the comes with the seared tuna dish was amazing! Lastly, the kick from the jalapeños in their fresh cornbread was on point! The chefs did a a great job! I will definitely be back.

Great experience from beginning to end.
Street parking was plentiful, we parked about a block away, and it wasn’t long after we got out of the car that we began to smell the delicious aroma of roasting chicken wafting down the street from a small unassuming brick structure that turned out to be our dining destination for the night. From outside of the restaurant you can see Bandera’s rotisserie chickens slowly turning behind an iron grate, you can smell them roasting and hear the delicious skin lightly crackling. I didn’t think I’d have any trouble deciding what to order after experiencing the warmth and smells emanating from this brick fortress of chicken-​y goodness.
Wrong.
Everything I saw on the menu appeared irresistible. Our waitress Karina (sp?) was energetic, helpful and always there when we needed her despite the fact that the restaurant was packed and I’m sure she was very busy. She confirmed our suspicions that these rotisserie chickens were a house specialty, and pointed us in the direction of some other can’t miss items. We started with house cocktails, dip duo and a cast iron skillet of the best cornbread I’ve ever had. The cornbread was crispy on the outside where it had slightly overflowed the skillet, and ridiculously moist inside it’s outer shell.
Entrees were as good as advertised, I ended up splitting the rotisserie chicken and a 14 oz ribeye with a coworker and the 3^rd member of our party had the crispy chicken sandwich. The ribeye had an incredible char on the outside and was a little more medium than medium rare but I didn’t mind at all because that gave that fat a chance to render a little bit and it was melt in your mouth good, yummm. The side of tomatoes and blue cheese that was served with the steak was unique and complimented the dish really well. The chicken was some of the most moist I’ve ever had, and I only picked up a little bit of the apricot flavor from the glaze but it was a nice touch. Chicken sandwich was reportedly «best ever» quality, but I was too full and focused on my plate of turf and turf to take a bite when offered.
Only 2 small complaints, neither of which warrant taking away a star from the five star experience:
1. My bourbon sidecar was served up, and had clearly spilled over at some point in the making/​delivery process and the entire glass was extremely sticky (I don’t blame anyone for this, as a former server I think martini glasses should be outlawed), which in turn made my hand and utensils sticky, which is never pleasant. When I finished the drink I went to wash my hands and new utensils were delivered in a flash by one of their great servers.
2. The experience felt a little bit rushed. Our entrees came out no more than 8 minutes after we ordered them and we still had unfinished appetizers (that we were plowing through, it’s not like they’d been sitting there forever). I think we were in and out in 50 minutes, and would’ve liked a little more time to enjoy the atmosphere and a few more drinks. We had planned on ordering a bottle of wine with dinner but it came so quickly that we weren’t even done with our cocktails and ended up skipping the wine.
I’m only in Irvine for a few more days but I think we’ll be back to hit this spot again to try everything that we missed!

I used to go to bandera all the time. The food is amazing! Wow the smoked salmon is awesome and the cornbread yummy!
However, the last time I went we had an unfortunate experience and haven’t been ever since. There were three of us already on our second bottle of wine ordered at the restaurant and on the second appetizer. We were waiting for a fourth friend who was running late… The server kept coming to the table saying we needed to order the main course and we told her that we are still waiting for our friend and ordered another appetizer. Shortly after, the server asked if we were ready for our check. I told her she was making us feel rushed and I would like to speak to the manager. The server said the manager is the one telling her to keep asking us to pay or order…
I said that I would still like to speak with him. I told him that I don’t enjoy eating at a nice place feeling rushed… He said it was restaurant politics. Really? If this hasn’t happened to anyone maybe there was some kind of discrimination? I do want to return bit hope to have a nice experience. My friends all know about it and when I tell them I’m craving the smoked salmon and the cornbread they make fun and say «oh you want to be kicked out again»??
I would love to go and write an awesome review but I still haven’t gone. I would like to rate it 5 Stars!

Delicious food and great service. Our waitress was on point making sure our experience was a good one. Ordered the dip duo as an appetizer and oh so yum! Overall a wonderful place to eat. Highly recommend it

Ive only been here twice but each time has been awesome. The service is great and the food phenomenal. Plus my lady swears by the steak, so im sold!

Always in my list of top five favorite restaurants!!! It has a beautifully designed architectural structure to it, and then it is impeccably interior designed to boot, which always makes for a good time. If you need to wait upfront for your table, you can sit by a very cozy, quaint little fireplace section, that is perfect for catching up with someone with a drink.
As for food. two words: MACHO SALAD!!! I first tasted one about ten years ago and still to this day have never tasted a better salad anywhere. Whoever created this culinary feat is a genius. The steaks are always cooked to perfection– I’ve never been disappointed. & their artichokes are to die for– always perfectly done.
The service has been impeccable every time. The wait staff know their menus, which are vast and comprehensive.
& yes, the cost is on the pricier side depending on what you get, and what kind of food you are used to– and people may say that «this place is not the place/​scene it used to be» (which I like.) — but when you evaluate the atmosphere, food and service, it is well-​worth the price asked for a once in a while amazing dinner out! I’ll be back again and again!

Always have been one of my favorite dinner spots in OC. They have the best martinis always with a blue cheese stuffed olive.
Me and my boyfriend always get the dip-​duo
It’s the perfect, tastiest appetizer that we always rave about! The rotisserie chicken is always so moist and I love the apricot sauce! I do miss the green rice but the mashed potatoes are equally delicious!
Ambiance is always nice dimly lit. Service is always exceptional. A home-​run everytime. Xoxo

I celebrated my 26^th birthday here… and it was perfect!
Pleasant, quiet atmosphere. Fun and affordable options, delicious food, great service, and convenient location. Parking was pretty easy, and it’s a great neighborhood to walk around!
The cornbread appetizer was AMAZING!
Good drink selection too!

A 21 year wedding anniversary comes but once a life time for most and my husband and I decided on Bandera as our dinner this evening. The manager Andy Palma was amazing in making this such a memorable evening for us, people like Andy make a dining experience from great to excellent!!! Thank you Andy, see you for the 22^nd;)

Wow! Was this place amazing! Came here during the holidays with my girlfriend and her parents. We ordered the famous corn bread, that was fantastic. I ordered the chicken and rib plate. The ribs were so moist it flaked off the bone, as well the chicken. Mashed potatoes were fantastic. Make sure you have sufficient funds, place is pricy. This is more of like a date night type place.

Corn bread to fight over!
Delightful drinks
Potatoes are worth their own trip!
Delectable rotisserie chicken and smothered ribs!

Service was outstanding — never had an empty glass.
Burger was delicious. Red cabbage side is amazing. Kale salad is one of my favorites across the Hillstone brand. Macho salad was ordered and empty plates remained for two of our party. Rotisserie chicken was good but I prefer a crispy skin.
We didn’t have room for the banana cream pie but I sure wish we did.
All in all, convenient and tasty!

Yummi… bring your friends and family… fresh food… wine list… bar…clean…cool vibes…

I just don’t see it. I mean sure its ok, but it isnt the WOW that it use to be. The demographic seems to have changed to a far more mature crowd (which by all means is fine), but I suppose it just isn’t my cup of tea anymore.
I must note that the dip duo is very good, but they dont offer hardly enough chips to accompany the dips and when it comes time to request more chips your server is no where to be found.

Always delivers. I’ve been here at least 50 times, no joke. I’m proud to say that I help them pay rent and pay their very attentive, well trained waiters salary.
Their whole menu is delicious and will not disappoint, I’ve tried almost every dish.
Service, food quality and drinks are superb. Of course there have been nights where some things weren’t perfect, but you know their customer service always makes up for it.
Great for date night, biggest party they can sit is 6 people. Bar is always happening.

Bandera has been THE spot for years. Great atmosphere, good looking people, and delicious well crafted food. If you’re looking for an upscale place to go with great ambiance, this is it. Just know there is a wait if you don’t call in advance.
Unfortunately, the last time I went the wait was extremely long and the waitress never came back to give us our change. I don’t mind waiting but there needs to be some acknowledgement from a hostess/​waitress/​manager to provide some reassurance you’ll be seated soon.
Also, if NOT coming back with the change is some way to keep a larger tip, it worked. :(But remember we all know when someone owes us money so I’ll let the waitress know next time that tip was already given in advance.

I have dined here a few times in about ten years. During my most recent experience, I ordered a Diet Coke and was shocked upon receipt of a dainty glass Diet Coke bottle. I’ve noticed that a few nicer establishments, in an effort to appear higher class, have abandoned the soda fountain and free soda refill freedom we Americans not only enjoy, but demand. I suppose it’s just the next phase in American’s slide towards the trough that Europe has become. Soon we’ll be paying for water.
Beverage failures aside, the food and dining experience here is excellent. The cornbread is unique and fantastic. My «little house salad» was delicious. I ordered the Kobe beef with butternut squash enchilada and it was wonderful.
If Bandera improves their soda offering in the future I will have no choice but to revise my rating to 5-​stars.

It was a busy Saturday evening. We had reservations but we’re not seated until 15 mins after our reserved time. No big deal.
Got seated, ordered some corn bread and had some wine. The corn bread was delicious but filing. We ordered a Macho Salad to split. Came right away but no salad plate. We asked for some salad plates and were given a very warm appetizer plate. Another server gave use salad plates after we asked for a replacement.
Dinner came even before we finished our salad. The filet was good but a bit over done for me. No biggie as it was still very tender. The butternut/​cheddar enchilada was very good too. They had some cucumbers that refreshes your palate after each bite of the enchilada.
The bill came via a different server even before our dessert was served. Hmmm, they want us to go.
Our server was nice and comped our appetizer and salad due to the missteps. I appreciated that, thanked him and tipped based on pre-​comped bill.
We just felt hurried. Seems like they want you to gulp down your food quickly and get out so they can turn the table over.
I have had better experiences at other Hillstone restaurants.

Banderas is owned by Hillstone Restaurant Group so you get what you get: really good service, pretty good tasting food and remarkably $$$ prices for what you get, but hey that’s Orange County for you.
I’ve been a few times.
Things I love:
–house smoked salmon ($ 16): it’s smoked salmon served with slivers of toast + some unidentifiable sauce. The slab of salmon is about half a pound. It’s not over-​salted, tender, and breaks into generous morsels. Oh so good. And also expensive.
–dip duo with tortilla chips ($ 9): comes with guacamole — but the real winner is their pimento cheese dip which I dream about forever because it’s so good. So good. Cheesy, heaty, heavy — everything you want in a dip.
Okay the real reason why I am very meh about this place is that everything is incredibly overpriced. The last time I was here, I impulsively ordered the Kobe-​style Tri-​tip and Enchilada Platter which comes with some cucumber salad. I will tell you that the enchiladas were pretty good — but unless the vegetables were handpicked from the field earlier from the day and hand delivered, I can’t tell you otherwise why the enchiladas were so $$$. Okay. Fine. The same goes for the tri — tip — they were perfected cooked medium with a nice pink center, but aside from the presentation, there was a lot lacking in flavor. This, my friends, cost me a whopping $ 35! That’s insane!
It’s dark and stuffy in here. And lots of old folks. More fun restaurants in the area.

Okay… so I have been obsessed with with Banderes for forever. Best filet, yes even better than Mastros but unfortunately the «master» in the kitchen will not create a Béarnaise sauce. If anyone has ever experienced the truly amazing-​ness of a Banderas thinly sliced filet coupled with the buttery deliciousness of a Béarnaise sauce, please request it comes back to our table. Thank you to Banderas, we want to give you 5 stars.
Honestly…from a Banderas lover… please go to Mastros if you are in OC. Seriously makes me sad but staff (as nice as they may be) do not have enough autonomy to make your experience enjoyable.

Been coming here for years and it’s always very good but the quality of the cooking staff is heading downhill it appears to me.
LOCATION: (Rating 4) It’s in one of the busiest areas of CDM (Corona Del Mar) and has a prime location. The parking is typically busy and you’re sometimes forced to park across the street which is metered. The interior is a bit dark and it has a happening bar in the center of it. It’s a very inviting layout. The waiting area is sheltered with a very nice fire place. It’s open-​air however, so bring a jacket if it’s cold out as the fireplace won’t heat the entire area. The tables are elevated above the bar area on both sides and are a bit dark in places depending on where you sit vs. where the halogen lighting is pointing on your table. (Bring an LED light).
CORNBREAD (Rating 5) The cornbread recipe is great and being cooked in a cast iron skillet is awesome. It typically runs over the edges with a wonderfully sweet crispy taste. The flavor is unique with the jalapeño peppers and is probably my favorite cornbread anywhere. Tonight, however, we encountered one that was not mixed properly and had huge clumps of the powdered dough within it. (First time I’ve ever sent one back and they replaced it happily.) It seems other reviews from tonight shared the same experience.
CHICKEN & RIBS COMBO (Rib Rating 2) This wasn’t on the menu for many years, but they’ve added it by popular demand it seems. These are beef ribs and used to be some of my favorites. Unfortunately, the last 3 times I’ve been here the ribs have been well over-​cooked and not nearly moist enough. They are so overcooked that the meat is shrinking and bone is exposed with very little meat left on it. Also, ask for extra sauce as the over-​cooking of the ribs makes the sauce almost non-​existent on the dish itself. It’s really a bummer watching the attention to these details not being noticed by the management.
The chicken (Chicken Rating 5), however is wonderful. Bandera has been doing rotisserie chicken long before many competitors and they still achieve one of the best seasoned chickens I’ve had. So much so, that even their architecture of the building includes a window facing the outside showing off the large exposed flame rotisserie.
MASHED POTATOES (Rating 5) These are some of my favorite mashed potatoes anywhere. They include a perfect amount of cabbage and green onion in the mix giving these potatoes a unique flavor all their own. YOU HAVE TO TRY THEM.
BANANA CREAM PIE (Rating 4) This is a very good desert. There are sprinkles of dark chocolate on it which are wonderful (more would be better) and the graham cracker crust is great as well. (Sometimes better than others. Not sure why) The banana pudding used is very nice and the banana slices make it healthy, right?
AGED PRIME RIB (Rating 3) I like a well seasoned prime rib. One that the seasoning has penatrated, not just a mild seasoning on the outside. I’ve ordered this twice so far and to be honest, its very good, but a little bland for my taste. The mashed potatoes however are the best!
BUTTERNUT and WHITE CHEDDAR ENCHILADA (Rating 3) When this dish was first introduced on their menu it was my wife’s favorite. It came with two enchiladas, rice and vegetables. Now, it comes with one Enchilada and a cold cucumber salad that’s just «OK». $ 17 for one enchilada? The butternut and cheddar mixture used in the enchilada are excellent, but you better not be hungry.
FAMOUS PRIME RIB FRENCH DIP SANDWICH (Rating 5) While I’m not a fan of the Aged Prim Rib entrée, the «prime rib» french dip is a different story, especially, because unlike most sandwiches, this comes with the AWESOME mashed potatoes. This is a great way to add some flavor to a semi-​bland prime rib (that’s cooked well however) and it’s served on a wonderful bun and tastes great! It’s also relatively pretty inexpensive. WIN WIN.