| About: | A city-hip restaurant located in Jacksonville's historic San Marco district, Bistro Aix brings an intriguing mix of vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors to Jacksonville. Chef Tom Gray's seasonal Mediterranean and French bistro-inspired menu features wood-fired oven and grilled specialties including pizzas, pastas, risottos, steaks and seafood, complemented by professional, unpretentious service. A Wine Spectator Restaurant Award recipient, Bistro Aix offers over 250 wines by the bottle and 50 by the glass. A wide variety of hand-crafted cocktails and specialty martinis are available from the full bar. The bustling main dining room is highlighted by original 1940s brickwork, a curved marble bar and an open kitchen. A second dining room includes a glowing backlit onyx bar and open-view wine cellar that bring the feel of the big city to the cozy neighborhood of San Marco. Outside, an intimate dining patio is accented with oversized flowerpots and climbing vines. |
| Hours: | Monday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Tuesday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Wednesday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Thursday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Friday 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Saturday 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Sunday 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
| Categories: | Banquet Rooms, Catering Services, French Restaurants, Bistro Restaurants, Restaurants |
| Parking: | Lot |
| Payment: | Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club |
| Year Established: | 1999 |
| Chef: | Tom Gray |
| Cuisine: | American, Contemporary, Mediterranean, ProvenAal |
| Ambiance: | Casual, Elegant, Family Friendly, Fun, Romantic |
| Feature: | Bar, Catering, Delivery, Great Beer List, Great Wine List, Happy Hour, Healthy Options, Late Night, Outdoor Seating, Private Rooms, Take Out, Take Out |
| Reservations Policy: | None |
| Smoking: | Non-Smoking Restaurant, Smoking Area, Smoking Area (patio only) |
| Dress Code: | Business Casual |
| Price: | $13 - $36 |
| Other Contact Info: | Fax: 904-398-9386 Email: jerry@bistrox.com |
Bistro Aix has all the amenities of any upscale restaurant, with a young, bustling crowd, attentive waiting staff, and eclectic ingredients; HOWEVER, the food failed in every single way compared to its atmospheric promises. I was expecting high end food that was flavorful and delicious, but each course I received was bland and mediocre. My fiancee and I started off with the crispy duck confit spring rolls and the smoked tomato soup. The duck was dry and the pineapple "ketchup" was pretty tasteless (not to mention it did not resemble ketchup at all, so I'm not sure why they have it listed as such on the menu...). The tomato soup tasted like marinara sauce that was overspiced with oregano. I was expecting a creamy, smokey soup, but alas, it had NO smokey flavor and little cream in it. For our entrees we had the Penne with Zeke's spicy sausage, marinara & creamy goat cheese and Housemade Whole Wheat Fettuccini with Corn. The Penne was fair (but probably the best thing we ate there), and the Fettuccini was TASTELESS. I'm not even sure it had sauce. I could have made the same thing at home with canned corn and jarred red peppers. Lastly, we ordered the specialty dessert, Grapefruit yogurt cake. It was a premade cake that Hostess could have claimed as its own, with the only redeeming ingredient being fresh strawberries. I had an after dinner coffee, The Banana Split, which was overwhelmingly sweet. I wanted to try the apple cobbler on their dessert menu, but you can only get it with a TRIO of desserts. For an upscale restaurant, I was really expecting them to please their customers and allow them to order things off the menu without having to purchase the other 2 desserts that I did not want. I would not go back here, and I would not recommend this place to anyone I know. The price did not match the quality of food we received.
I fell in love with this cozy dining and bar place....It is a great classy place to eat or have a drink. This atmosphere is awesome and the young crowd love it. If I was only in the Restaurant biz...this is what I would want to create. Actually there is smething for everyone. But for me it is like Heaven. Can you tell I love it?????
I'm a self-admitting food snob. I've dined at some great places.
Bistro Aix can do excellent food and you can have a great time. I eat here a couple of times a month. If going for dinner, try to get seated in the main dining room. I've found service not to be up to the same level in the onxy bar area. If going for lunch solo or with a friend, sit at the bar and get excellent service.
Save room for dessert and try to start with an app. After living in the NYC area for many years, this is one of the few places in Jax that has a real cuisine, commitment to service, and atmosphere. I've complained once or twice and found that they listened.
I eat here at lunch often and you cannot go wrong with either the half-sandwich and soup or quiche and salad.
The onion soup is superb ... be sure to get extra bread to sop up the bit in the bottom.
Good wine selection by the glass and bottle for any event.