St Martin’s Wine Bistro

Last Saturday night was my first time at St Martin’s and it will not be my last! The atmosphere is very cozy: just dark enough to be atmospheric and the piano was loud enough to be heard but not so loud as to drown your conversation. The music was beautiful and provided a nice background to the meal. We started the meal with escargot and it was divine. The escargot was tender and the sauce was fantastic. I had the Thermidor and the flavors were excellent. My only complaint, and it’s a minor one, was that the shrimp were a little chewy. Overall, excellent dish. My friend had the special — Chateaubriand — and the beef was cooked perfectly. We finished the night with a chocolate soufflé and it was well worth the indulgence. The wine list was extensive and reasonably priced. The service was excellent, as well!

We had a really tasty brunch with a large group on Sunday. The St. Martins Omelet and the French Toast were standouts. Both soups are great to start with as well. It gets a little busy right after noon time, but before and an hour afterwards are good times. One of the better brunchs in Dallas.

Years ago, I had a girlfriend — we’ll call her Kate – who, if truth be told, also served as my on-​and-​off significant other. Yes, Kate was reliable, attractive, and never failed to please — if you can catch my drift. Figuratively speaking, of course.
Over the years, despite Kate’s loyalty, occasionally, a new and more pretty face would wander into my life. Perhaps her skirt might be a tad shorter. Or maybe I was besmitten with her full-​body glitter makeup. Or it could have been my mixed-​up fantasies of the spiked heels of her Monolo Blahik’s walking across my back.
Hell, I don’t know.
But time after time, off I would trot, leaving Kate in my rearview mirror. But soon, I’d find that my new paramour was nothing more than a shallow little tart — all legs and show, but no substance.
Leaving my pride behind me, I would slink back to Kate. And she would take me back, always being true to her form.
Just like Kate, many years ago I discovered St. Martins. St. Martin’s was my go-​to restaurant if I wanted a great meal, superb service, and top-​notch old school atmosphere. Always consistent. Always reliable. And never let me down.
And from time to time, a gaggle of new and over-​hyped restaurants would open in Dallas. I would get swept up into the hype and off I would run, allowing St. Martin’s to drop out of my meal-​time rotation. But soon, I’d find that these new gastronomical faces geneally meant either long-​waits or no reservations, poor service, noisy crowds, and food that often missed the bulls-​eye.
After being lured by one-​too-​many hipster sirens of the Dallas restaurant scene, I’ve once again put St. Martin’s back into my regular rotation. But this time, I’m not leaving because I know that St. Martin’s will always be there for a fine meal, great ambiance, and service.
I wish I could have said the same for Kate. After years of dealing with my shit, she finally ran off with a roadie for the Foo Fighters.

This place has a charming old-​school atmosphere and the food was good but the service is extremely slow. It wasn’t even a particularly busy night but our waiter took forever to give us menus, take our order, bring us our food and give us the check. Don’t come here on an empty stomach, it will be a while before your food arrives.
ETA: Very shortly after writing this review the owner/​manager? John called to apologize for the long wait. Adding an extra star for following up and handling the situation very well. Merci, John.

This is a restaurant that brings many things together that one would assume do not fit!
1. This is a french restaurant of top quality in Texas.
2. Texas is not known for fine french food!
3. It is not break you wallet expensive.
4. The food is to die for! Nothing on the menu is bad! NOTHING!
5. The service from the owner to the wait staff is the best!
I could not ask for a better place to eat in Dallas. You don not have to be dressed up as this is a business casual place for the most part. I wish I could say something bad about this place but it was worth it!

Wrong place, disregard

I booked a reservation here to celebrate my mom’s birthday. We were promptly seated, experienced exquisite service, and the food was outstanding. I would absolutely revisit again!
We dined on a Saturday evening and there was live music! Valet parking also was available.

My boyfriend and I love this place. We go here every year for our anniversary. Love the atmosphere and I enjoy the piano music while you’re having your meal. My favorite dish is the steak there. They have a good 3-​course meal plan there. Overall, good place to go for special occasion events.

This restaurant is so fantastic! It is truly my favorite in the DFW area. My husband and I went the night after our wedding and it is very special. It is so romantic! Our waiter was Adam, and he was awesome! They seated us without a reservation and with me having an OU t-​shirt on, as it was OU/​Texas weekend. The lamb was super and everybody was so friendly! I just can’t say enough good about it. If I could give them 10 stars I would. They also have live piano music that is wonderful. The only negative comment I could say is, Adam took our check before we were completely finished to check his tip and never came back. This made us feel like we needed to leave so they could turn our table even though we spent well over $ 200.

We had our rehearsal dinner here tonight and I was very disappointed. The food was ok not bad not great, but my biggest disappointment was the manager and his arrogant and condescending attitude.
We ordered 33 bottles of wine and I asked him if we would get a price break and he said you decided On the price, I said you are the manager you set the price. Anyways if I run a restaurant and someone orders 3 cases of wine I probably wouldn’t charge them like they ordered 1 bottle. Anyways if you like a French arrogant guy this is your place. If you want a kind caring person go somewhere else !!!
The foods just ok, I recommend the Grape!

To be honest, this place was a solid 4 stars when we finished our meals but by the end of the night, I had to drop it down one more.
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday. We came a little before 7 on a Friday night which apparently is pretty early since the room we were sat in only had 1 party before us. I ordered the Chilean sea bass which is on their specials menu while my boyfriend ordered the beef tournedos. We also got a champagne brie soup to share. The soup came out fairly quickly, and as everyone says, it was delicious! Very creamy and smooth and especially good with the complimentary bread they serve you.
The Chilean sea bass was really good, but nothing outstanding to me. The risotto was subpar but went well with the lobster bisque sauce and the fish. My boyfriend’s meal was also very good but again, nothing too memorable. I did like the touch of foie gras that topped the beef. By the end of our meals, we were both satisfied and full. Since it was my birthday, we decided to order a dessert even though we were full. The dessert menu is very ordinary, but the one that stood out to us the most was the Godiva white chocolate cheesecake with Godiva white chocolate liquor. Everything up to this point had come out at a good pace, but for something like dessert that probably only takes a minute to prepare, it took about 15 – 20 minutes to come out. We waited so long that I was thinking about canceling it altogether. Since it was my birthday, I was expecting maybe a birthday candle or something, but nope, nothing. While the dessert wasn’t bad, it’s not worth $ 7 and it’s really not worth getting. I might as well have skipped on it. Getting our checks took a while too. Granted, the restaurant did get busier by the end of our meal, but an acknowledgement would’ve been appreciated.
I had high hopes for this restaurant due to friends’ recommendations and also according to Unilocal,and maybe it was because I had such high expectations that I was slightly disappointed. Overall, a beautiful and romantic ambiance for a date and good food but an experience that is not particularly memorable.

Very nice.
Dark, French, lilting gently with music and fine wine, St. Martin’s Wine Bistro is the quintessential special occasion spot. The food is not innovative, but is comforting in its predictability. And good. The manager observes all that goes on in this tiny little haven, giving you the sense that if your service should go awry, he’d notice before you did. Go for the flourless chocolate terrine for dessert. And that champagne brie soup that will leave you at a loss for complimentary words.

This just may well be the best kept secret for brunch in Dallas (or as least it was before I told you)! I’ve heard of this place before, but I’ve never had the privilege of dining here. While looking over their menu, I saw that they offered brunch. I always thought of this place as an upscale place to have a romantic evening, or to celebrate a special occasion, but once I saw that they had a brunch menu, I made it a point to go the following Sunday.
As we walked in, the place had a small, but decent crowd, and we were seated right away. Not having to wait over an hour for brunch on lower Greenville = HUGE plus. The next thing I noticed was how reasonably fair the prices were. For an upscale restauarant, their prices can’t be beat! Drinks are $ 3, starters are $ 5, and a good majority of their entrees were $ 8.95. Excellent brunch for under $ 10… COUNT ME IN! If you know you want a drink and a starter, they have a special called Prix Fixe Sunday Brunch. For $ 16.95, you get a starter, and drink, and an entrée for a reasonable $ 16.95. Again, considering the quality of food, this is as good as it gets.
TIP: The special is for any brunch entrée, so whether you’re getting one of the many options for $ 8.95, or steak & eggs listed at $ 14.95, the price you pay is still $ 16.95.
I settled on a mimosa, champagne brie soup (their house specialty), and a crab cake benedict. Given all hype the soup has gotten online, I was eager to see how it tasted. It did not disappoint! It tasted similar to a new england chowder, but it was much more rich with a hint of sweetness. 5 stars just for the soup. The rest of my brunch was excellent and our server did a phenominal job of keeping our glasses full. I can’t wait to come back to try their French onion soup and seafood crêpe (shrimp/​scallop/​crabmeant/​crawfish/​lobster sauce) next time!
As a self-​proclaimed brunch aficionado, this place has entered into my brunch rotation after just one visit.

Finally stepped foot into this Dallas establishment recently for a friend’s birthday gathering. Had no idea it was so labyrinthine, with our eventual room being located waaay in the back. St. Martin’s has that classy, very dark atmosphere that you want for a romantic date!
Our waiter, Victor, was great! He answered questions and gave recommendations (and also «no, you don’t want that tonight») honestly and steered us in the right direction.
Despite all that good stuff, I’m awarding the 5 stars almost entirely for the special that night, which I ordered: Chateaubriand. I’m a sucker for tournedos and that is a regular menu item, but when asking Victor his thoughts between the two dishes, he said go with the special. Oh, it was good. Wonderfully delicate medallions of beef filet – medium rare – with a tasty slightly crunchy outside and a velvety inside with the very best Bernaise drizzled all over that I’ve ever had! For $ 34, and that included asparagus and new potatoes, I’m pretty happy!
Also excellent was the wine list and we ended up with a great choice. It looked like bottles are the only option? Didn’t see glasses on the menu.
I am so glad to know about this place and to have finally gone!

We went here for Sunday brunch. I’ve been wanting to try this restaurant for years and we finally got our act together. They have a price fixe brunch ($ 16.95) that is a great deal. You get a starter, a drink (including champagne or Bloody Mary), and an entrée. Plus, they start you off with fresh, warm bread and butter. I usually am not a bread and butter fan but this sourdough bread was excellent.
I ordered a Bloody Mary, it was not bad at all. I also ordered a Caesar salad and it was very good. The dressing had distinctive anchovy and garlic, but not too much. The salad was not overdressed. The quality of the Romaine was good. My entrée was the salmon topped with crab, served over risotto. The fish was cooked expertly and the risotto was pure perfection. My meal was outstanding and I left way too full for a Sunday morning.
The wife’s meal perhaps was even better. She started with the brie soup and there are hardly words to describe how tasty it was. Very rich, silky, and smooth, the flavors were a perfectly blended. She got the seafood crepes and loved them as well. Big chunks of real seafood with a delicious sauce. Decadent! Her glass of champagne was good quality and not cheap stuff.
The restaurant’s ambience is extremely attractive and warm. It is definitely upscale but not pretentious. Our service was professional and efficient. I cannot think of one thing that was not outstanding. I was very impressed and I would like to return to try their dinner menu at some point.

I came here about a year ago to sit at the bar and have a few glasses of wine. I remember a lady being at the bar and talked to us almost the entire night about how good the food is there. She seemed to know all of the workers. She had our bartender tell us a few jokes, which wasn’t needed, but wasn’t bad either. We had a good choice of wine selections and even managed to enjoy the live pianist that was in the restaurant.
This place seems to be very romantic and intimate. I would like to come back one day and try out the food since everything else seemed to have gone well here, from the drinks to the service.

For my birthday dinner, I asked JR for the following: a restaurant with good food, live music, and good wine. At St Martin’s Wine Bistro, I got all of the above, and more! I felt so respected, and so important here. The staff did an amazing job at making sure we had a great experience, from the minute I walked through the door, to the minute we left.
Romantic, cozy and dark… pianist played some good tunes (my favorite was when he played billy joel, piano man!!!), the service was top notch, very attentive, food was amazing. could go on and on about the champagne brie soup!!! The escargot were amazing as well. Hot, buttery & perfectly cooked. I ordered the lamb (rare), which came with broiled potatoes, and sweet cherry tomatoes. I am not a huge fan of cherry tomatoes, but let me tell you, I am a HUGE fan of these cherry tomatoes!!! something about these cherry tomatoes really complimented the lamb.
Had enough lamb to take home and it was still good the next day! So yes, you get what you pay for… a lot of lamb! (4 large lollipops).
Definitely would recommend to couples looking for a romantic dinner.

Be sure to make a reservation on the weekend. You’ll need it. ;)
C’est Delicieux!
The ambiance is one of the most romantic in Dallas. The live piano music was lovely. Be sure to sit in the room with the huge old chandelier and paintings on the walls. They dim the lights and you feel like you’re in France.
I ordered the tartar de boeuf for my apéritif, and I was very pleased. It was served with boiled egg, onion, mustard and toast points.
The duck was delicious and cooked perfectly… They must have used some sort of rosemary compound butter for the potatoes because they were outstanding. They almost out-​shined the duck. The french know their way around a potato.
I got a little drunk on the Pinot Noir… I can’t remember for the life of me what it was, but it was so smooth going down and delicious. I’ll try to recall.
The only complaint I have is that waiter didn’t put the chocolate soufflé in at the appropriate time… so we waited quite awhile, but dare I say… it was worth it.
Bön Apetite.

The food: ¹⁄₅. Generally, Dallas has very limited foodie options, but I was hopeful about this place given the reviews. Our dinner started with a basket of complementary bread, which was probably the worst bread I’ve had in a while. It was old and stale and very sub par for a French restaurant. I was expecting crispy French baguette, but instead we got some stale sourdough tasting bread. Our appetizer was foie gras, which was also disappointing as it was tasteless and the pear was the only enjoyable part of it. My entrée was Les Fruits De Mer Thermidor, which again was mediocre. It had mushrooms in it, which was not in the description and the sauce was very greasy. I ate only half of it and didn’t want to take the rest. The most enjoyable part of the meal was a glass of Remy XO at the end, but it’s wasn’t enough to make up for the mediocre dishes.
The service: ¹⁄₅. Our server seemed very inexperienced and confused about the menu, as he was unable to open a bottle of wine.
Overall: ¹⁄₅. Underwhelming food and service. We won’t go back

Loved this place! My girl friend and I came here even though we heard it was a super romantic place. Glad we did though. It’s so cute and now we know where to recommend couples to go.
The service was great even though they were not terribly busy. In most cases I tend to get bad service because the servers are hiding out back when it’s slow.
Food was great. Champagne Brie soup is a MUST! So creamy and decadent without being overpowering.
I had the steak Diane which was perfect. Dessert wasn’t anything I would rave about but their cream brûlée was pretty good.
I will definitely be back for the live music and champagne Brie soup.