Birch Street
2363 Birch St,Ste A, Palo Alto, CA, 94306
Birch Street Menu
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Main
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Sides
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Dessert
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Dessert - Ice Cream & Sorbets
Healthy Meal suggestions for Birch Street
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Main
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Sides
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Dessert
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Dessert - Ice Cream & Sorbets
Visit below restaurant in Palo Alto for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2363 Birch St,Ste A
Palo Alto, CA, 94306 - Phone (650) 327-0284
- Website https://www.bistroelan.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual, Trendy, Classy, Upscale
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Jack B.
excellent, diverse flavors with enthusiastic and passionate staff. I have been to this place upwards of 20 times, and I have never been disappointed. I have also met the owner each time I've been there. highly recommend - beautiful local business.
(5)Adrienne M.
This is by far my favorite restaurant in Palo Alto. I have gone many times & have never been disappointed in any dish I've tried. I almost always order the scallops here; they cook them perfectly. The current preparation, with sides of spinach, Japanese sweet potato gratin and balsamic brown butter, might be my favorite one yet. If you haven't checked this place out yet, do yourself a favor and go now. Other dishes I highly recommend are the steak and the petrale sole. (Best ___: Best Restaurant in Palo Alto)
(5)Kevin O.
Walking around Palo Alto without an agenda, my date and I stumbled upon Birch St and decided to give the dinner menu a try. Ambiance: Very small, romantic/intimate setting, lighting could use some work... Too dim for my liking. Service: Subpar service, server made a mistake on my wine pairing and offered us the poured glass at no charge. Food: Decided on the Cast Niman Flat Iron Steak and Duck Confit. Simple dishes with that were made with fresh and local ingredients. In terms of price to value of food, this place is definitely on the pricier side. Overall: Simple well done dishes. Most likely will not return, better options within the block radius.
(3)Mymy T.
Have been here several times with friends for lunch. The food is okay, with some items overpriced for lunch service. Usually an older crowd gathers here, 45-50's +. It happens regularly that they run out of menu items on an already limited menu.
(3)Kaylee T.
Called to check availability at 5:30 and was told there are no res and NO walk ins.... Really?! Great customer service guys, won't be giving you my money, ever.
(1)David E.
We noticed this place while driving by last weekend and decided to make a reservation for Friday night. It is a very quaint place with indoor and outdoor seating. We were very excited to try this new place. The vibe from the time we walked in was disappointing. We were greeted by a very busy waiter who quite abruptly told us to wait, without greeting us with a simple "hello--I will be right with you." Unfortunately, he was also our waiter and his attitude continued throughout the entire meal--cold and unfriendly. The food, however, did not disappoint. We started with a wonderful homemade potato chip with smoked salmon and mustard--delicious. For an appetizer, we had a gruyere and chanterelle pancakes (3) served with heirloom cherry tomatoes. They were amazing. For the main course, we both had Swedish meatballs, served with duck fat potatoes and pickled beets. It sounds like a weird combination but it all blended together beautifully. The meatballs were amazing--delicate, well-spiced and drenched in a delicious light sauce. The duck fat fries were small chunks of potatoes crispy on the outside and velvety on the inside. The beets were golden beets pickled wonderfully with shallots or onions. The meal was exceptional but the service was not. We did not have dessert. We brought a good bottle of wine and were I was shocked that the corkage fee was $25. That is ridiculous for a small bistro to charge that much for corkage. Overall--the food was a 4+. I'd go back in a heartbeat for the food. I would think twice because of the service and the corkage fee.
(3)Lauren O.
Absolutely love this restaurant. Service is flawless, food is amazing, the atmosphere is cozy. Highly recommend the duck confit and the asian pear salad. I've probably been here 20+ times and never gotten anything else, it's that good! The portions are big and the food is local/organic. Keep in mind there are only about ten tables in this tiny restaurant, so a reservation is necessary.
(5)Stephanie H.
It's not often that you walk into a restaurant and walk away feeling like you have experienced a slice of heaven in every single bite! This happened last night at the Birch Street Restaurant. My boyfriend and I like to experience new places especially in walking distance. This restaurant is a hidden little gem that you must make a reservation for. Our waiter gave us great recommendations and we went with most of them. From the appetizers, being the special-fresh ahi and the seasonal prosciutto/pear salad. To our main courses- the duck confit over succulent risotto and the scallops over corn drizzled in oil. We also had to finish off our meal with the chocolate/carmel mousse dessert that kept us coming back for more with every bite. We paired our meal with a perfectly crisp summer Chardonnay from the Stuhlmullervinyards! Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone that is ready to experience heeeeaaaavveeen on a plate!
(5)Margaret A.
Finally my friend and I got a table, without a reservation, on a Tuesday night. We were seated immediately, but no one came for a long while. No water, no bread, no candle, no welcome. The tables are so close together that the waiter for the next door table, who totally ignored us, had his butt in our faces. Eventually our waiter came and from then on the service was quite good. The candle was never lit, however, and our water and wine glasses were never filled. The wind was howling, and the tarps that encased the outside area were blowing frighteningly - but I guess that wasn't the fault of the restaurant. The food was pretty good. Light waffles with smoked salmon were brilliant. There are no vegetarian dishes on the menu, but the waiter assured me the chef could put something wonderful together for me. It was disappointing unfortunately - just a plate of (nicely cooked) vegetables. I'd asked for, at least, some cheese, but it never came. All in all it was very expensive and not a particularly wonderful experience.
(3)JD Z.
Another great experience at Birch. Here's what I loved about the experience: 1. Atmosphere- the place balances small and intimate with personal. The wait staff is great, friendly, and the vibe of the place hits all the right notes...you could easily feel you are in Europe dining at a small cafe as the tables spill out onto the sidewalk. 2. Food- It seems the menu is always changing based on what's available. Two people in my group had the Greek salad with meatballs and raved. I had a pork scallopini and it was outstanding...the sauce was just right and perfect for sopping with the delicious bread. We also had the Meyer lemon ice cream which was outstanding. It's a great spot for a special lunch or dinner.
(4)Alana F.
A small and quaint little restaurant which boats healthy, clean eating food. They always have something different on the menu, I love this place!
(4)Alyssa Y.
I really wanted to like this place because it has a super cute and cozy atmosphere (especially compared to the other restaurants around California Ave). Maybe their dinner is better but my lunch was a huge disappointment. I got the Greek salad with meatballs and the meatballs tasted (and looked) worse than IKEA meatballs. I wish I was exaggerating but seriously, I was just at IKEA the weekend before. The veggies were fresh which is why it's so sad the meat was poorly prepared. The chicken in the chicken salad was pretty dry too. Even the fries and aioli were disappointing (usually my boyfriend and I can down an entire serving but not this time). My stomach was unsettled for hours afterward. I'm not risking coming back...
(1)Angela R.
Absolutely delicious! Went there with my husband last weekend and had a lovely time. Food, service and atmosphere is top notch!
(5)Kim N.
Bistro Elan may no longer be serving lunch but their new bistro around the corner is. Only a few months old, they're serving up an eclectic mix of new American and European influenced fare. There's some outside seating for these new spring days plus a compact dining area in the restaurant proper. After perusing the menu we opted for: -Swedish Yellow Pea Soup with Ham and Dijon -Minute Steak with Bistro Fries and Foie Gras Butter -Spaghetti alla Amatriciana with Tomato, Guanciale, Parmesan and Pecorino Entrees come with an Acme Levain roll. Food was excellent as was the service. I think our iced teas (and carafes) were refilled man times and all of the staff were smiles and timeliness. They're committed to using the local farmers market for ingredients and Im sure the menu will rotate with availability of those items. If I hadn't had to go back for work I'd have lounged outside and gotten dessert. Excellent opening and you can be sure I'll be back to try some of the other selections.
(5)Sandy B.
I had the beet / seared tuna salad and my husband had a steak + fries. it was pretty good (nothing greatly amazing, but tasty and enjoyable). Portions are normal which we always appreciate. However, I think it is kind of overpriced for what it is. (with our 2 dishes + 1 espresso, + TT: bill was around $45) - kind of expensive for lunch.
(3)Jennifer D.
If you are a lover of fresh, very tasty, and healthy delicious food, this is the perfect place for you. Although the portions are smaller than you get say at California Pizza Kitchen each bite is a treat and you will enjoy any of the selections. The atmosphere is romantic, cozy and warm. While the restaurant is small, the service is fantastic and personal. You'll feel like you stepped into a cafe in Europe but the food is better.
(5)Jeremy G.
Cozy little place right off of California Ave with outstanding service and great food. I met up with my girlfriend for lunch here a couple days ago and everything about it made the day feel like it slowed down as we sat at one of their outside tables. When our server told us about the days special my GF and I both were amused by the presentation he made of it. Hand flourishes and mouth watering descriptions that you could sink your teeth into. I ordered the grilled ahi and beet salad. The ahi was okay, but the accompanying beet salad was more delicious than it had any right to be! Adding a bit of salt to the ahi perked up it's flavor. Overall I was really happy with this selection. My girlfriend had the chicken salad. As an overall salad it wasn't anything to write home about, but the chicken itself was surprisingly moist and flavorful. As a whole package, this place is a keeper. The food, however, is something I'm still deciding on. I'll probably try to be back sometime to try their dinner menu.
(4)Geoff D.
I was sad to see that Bistro Elan closed, so came to give Birch Street a try yesterday. It was tasty, though offers a different league of experience vs Bistro Elan. I had the soup, salad and sandwich (SSS), which was a good combination for the price. The Broccoli Soup of the day was fantastic, and the Salad was solid. The Turkey Club(ish) Sandwich had good favor -- only weird thing was that the turkey skin was left on -- I found that strange and ended up making a mess by pulling my sandwich apart. The space is cute, but of "functional" rather than "warm" design and extremely small with Max occupancy of 19. A very nice place for lunch, just not the romantic dinner spot the bistro was.
(4)Jennifer W.
We came here for dinner on a Friday night with our cousins. It's always good to see family and enjoy great food. Located and tucked away on Birch Street, we sat outdoors. The menu was simple, but offered meats, seafood, and pasta. Either way, we all enjoyed the food. I had the steak and tomatoes with french fries. The french fries and steak were cooked and made perfectly. With tomatoes and the sauce, I just wanted more.. The bordeaux with the steak was just perfect! ...The portions were a good size...perfect room for dessert. I shared the apple crisp with vanilla ice cream. It was a great finish to our dinner. YUM!
(4)Kym L.
If you're on a strict diet, you should dine here. The portion size is child's play!
(2)Annie D.
Today was the day to try their lunch menu. It states allow 40 minutes for full service lunch menu! okay! We got seated right away , got our drinks and took a look at the menu. We did beat the rush since a large party of 8 came after us and a few couples soon after. Took our orders and we waited with our bread. Chilled Cucumber soup with yogurt and dill- pretty straight forward soup, blended cucumber with yogurt, well seasoned, and nice for a sunny day. 1/2 doz Hama Hama oysters- served over rock salt instead of ice. The oysters themselves were good, not grainy, good texture and no taste of the sea. Downside, the oysters were served room temperature, almost more to the warm side which took the delightful taste of fresh cold oysters away, bummer. Warm oysters are a no-no. Those dishes came out pretty quickly, but ended up waiting for a good 30 minutes before our next meal. Everyone else around us was getting served, even the party of 8 all got their entrees. Greek Salad with Lamb Meatballs- black olives, feta, romaine salad, eggplant chips, yogurt and cucumber and lemon shallot vinaigrette- it was a salad with three lamb meatballs on the side. The eggplant chips weren't crispy as I hoped, really served no purpose since they were mild in taste. The feta and black olives gave it the greek tangy taste that went well with the meatball. The meatball itself lacked some texture, it was very mushy which just wasn't appetizing in my mouth. Disappointed overall. Niman Hamburger with fries and aioli- I only took a bite out of it, but the dish overall looked very appetizing, the buns looked nice and toasty and the fries were cooked perfectly. It was just a regular burger overall, nothing special, but just done nicely, meat was cooked the way it should be. Overall, service was okay, we didn't have a designated server, we got seated, ordered and our food all by different people. They all seem really out of place and scattered at times, they were nice, but just not tentative. Our meal took a lot longer than it should, even if we ordered starters, our entree shouldn't take that long after to come out. I think they just forgot and gave our food to the larger party and served us after. We were there well over an hour during lunch hours. Lunch should never be that long. Food, was good, but overall nothing special that we tried today.
(3)Superduperpooperscooper T.
[generated for list purposes, review to follow]
(4)Andy L.
The positive reputation of the original Bistro Elan sparked my curiosity about the Birch St. shop so I decided to check it out with some friends. Off the bat, this place is small...good-sized restroom, but the dining room is tiny. With very little elbow room, I was afraid of bumping or clotheslining the waiters. And you can't help but feel that everybody can hear your conversation. With all the $ you're raking in...c'mon, get a larger space. Service was kind of a bummer too. There's a joint effort/multiple server type thing going on there. The intial guy that waited us was great...friendly and enthusiastic...but then for the majority of our meal, we got this grumpy guy that really put on the brakes for us. He was quite unpleasant, appearing to rush us to order and just doing the bare minimum (dropping off entrees and, well, that was it). He didn't even have to refill water because a carafe was conveniently left on the table. For the price point, service should've been better. The food was ok. We got a dozen of oysters and an order of beef carpaccio to start things off. Though good with the vinegarette, each oyster comes out to about $3, which is pretty spendy. The beef carpaccio was ok; small portion that was primarily composed of fresh greens. Our group ordered the flat iron steak, short ribs, and the scallops, which were tasty and prepared well (with fresh ingredients). Dessert was so-so. The menu does not have many offerings, which can be perceived as good or bad. Ultimately, I was thankful for the good company of friends and the decent food, but for the amount spent, the overall dining experience should've been better.
(2)Theresa L.
This is by far my favorite not-sure-what-I'm-in-the-mood-for restaurant in Palo Alto. The food is consistently excellent, somehow I can always get a table (shocking because this place is tiny!) and Ed makes the entire experience wonderful. The duck confit is rich and served over a great risotto, but portioned well so that you don't feel sick (or hate yourself) after you finish the entire thing :) The best dessert I've had in a long time was the chocolate waffle, I hope it makes another appearance on the menu soon... ps - if you, like me, are going on a foie gras tear before the July ban kicks in, definitely put this on your list and go soon, there is still time for multiple trips!
(5)Katia H.
This place is expensive, the food is only eh, and several hours later my stomach is churning in discomfort. Avoid.
(1)Jorf D.
This is a pretty good restaurant that is still working out the kinks. I passed on eating here twice when I saw "Please allow 40 mins for lunch" on the menus. I hate restaurants that have signs up that tell me we what to do. But the food looked good, so I vowed to come back when I had the time. And I did. We stood around waiting for 5-10 minutes not being seated even though there was nobody in line and two obviously ready-to-go tables set for two. Finally the owner was like, "why is nobody seating you?" We didn't have a good answer for that. I tried to order the hamburger, but they were out. I'm not sure who could possibly predict that hamburgers would get ordered a lot on California Ave, but, okay, things happen. So I ordered the flatiron steak and fries. My companion ordered the Greek Salad with Meatballs. The bread they brought was excellent, but there was not enough butter for two people. I asked for more butter, but never got it. The steak was cooked correctly medium rare, and the fries were excellent. The steak itself wasn't the best flatiron I've had, but it can be a difficult cut. It was a little on the tough side. The sauce was good, a little on them lemon-y side, which is either good or bad depending on your taste. The Greek Salad with Meatballs looked incredible, and my friend finished his plate. Some of the other dishes I saw being delivered (such as the Tuna) also looked a lot better than my vegetable-free steak. As I ate my fries, I had a hard time flagging down a waiter to ask for ketchup. When I got it, it was about 5ml of ketchup. I was never able to flag someone down to get more ketchup. I liked that they had Orange and Lemon Pellegrino on the menu, as I am addicted to it. So, to sum up: don't go here if you're in a hurry or you'll piss them off. The food is pretty good, avoid the flatiron, and the service isn't so great. Hopefully this place will only get better, because California Ave needs this kind of place.
(3)Lilly O.
Do you want to spend a lot of money on a tiny portion? Do you enjoy leaving dinner hungry enough to go to another restaurant to feel satisfied? Do you crave cold bread and butter? Then go here. This place is great for people who have have a lot of money to spend on food that isn't delicious. I expect a $30 entree should be yummy and filling. I thought the steak would be a cut of steak. What came out was six small pieces of bland meat and a bowl of fries. The $20 spaghetti carbonara was tiny, and it had weird burnt pieces of meat that tasted terrible. While I was dining, there were two separate occasions where a couple sat down next to us, looked at the menu, looked at our food, and left the restaurant. Two times! Two couples! Within 10 minutes of each other. I wish my boyfriend and I did the same thing. After getting out of Birch Street quickly (finished in 15 minutes, waited for 5 for the check), we bolted out of there and made our way to Palo Alto Sol down the street where we shared an enchilada plate and chips and salsa because we were still hungry. Suggestions from a person who is admittedly not an expert, but loves food: Either lower the prices or offer better entrees. Cute decor, though.
(2)Scott Y.
I have always been a fan of Bistro Elan, so when they moved to this hip new place, I had to take my wife here for an early Valentine's Day dinner date. I had been telling her about their seared foie gras for the past 5 years, so we are now on a mission to eat as much foie (sorry to animal rights activists but it really is yummy) as possible before it is banned. I like the new decor here (it's trendy and cozy) and the same satisfying menu. For French food, I like it flavorful and stick to the basics. We had the: 1) Crab salad with avocado - Very tasty and fresh 2) Seared Foie (MUST HAVE. NICE GENEROUS PORTIONS) 3) Spaghetti Carbonarra - Decent but a bit heavy on the cream 4) Duck Confit - Very well prepared 5) Apple Turnover - Good. Anyway, great date place. If you want some good french food in palo alto, check this place out.
(4)Kathi H.
Really needing to tame the carnivore in me & so feeling like I needed someone else to do some cooking, I charged on over to Birch Street (fna Bistro Elan). The Yelp reviews looked interesting & I read they use stellar ingredients. A Neiman Ranch flatiron steak, medium rare should satiate this lioness. Feeling particularly ravenous, I also ordered the swedish yellow pea soup w/ham & dijon. And, to disguise my drooling, I ordered 1 of my favorite sparkling waters, Pelligrini. My server was informative, friendly & cued me in on not 1, not 2 but 3 specials of the day. Not 1 included beef so I stayed true to my inner lioness. I wanted to deviate but beef is what was for my lunch today. The small portion of soup was good. No -- it was great. As I slurped onward, it was very, very great--giving me dreams of pea soup to be created at home. I had hopes for my Neiman steak. I was at 11:45am, 1 of the 1st few for lunch. I watched as several of my co-diners (many of whom arrived after me), were served their courses while I waited in anticipation of my steak. I saw someone affiliated w/the restaurant come in w/a grocery bag of ??? Perhaps it was my Neiman steak? I waited & observed yet more diners that came after me being served such lovely "specials" & scrumptious looking salads. My waiter kindly let me know a few times that my steak was to be expected. My inner carnivore was scoping out other meals at this point....to pounce or not to pounce? I am a Leo after all. Shall I roar? Finally! It arrives in such a minuscule portion that my lioness whined. Indeed it was delicious, cooked to exact perfection, the bearnise divine. (I wanted to dunk my acme bread into it). I also wondered for such a petite piece of bliss, why did it take so long to get to me? It was steak & sauce & fries. The fries were good. The way I like them. Great? No. My high points on this meal: the soup & the bearnise sause. As a few diners noted on Yelp, the price point didn't pay off for me either. I needed more. I was (look of whining disdain) wanting for more!! She who always has left overs. I will say that I didn't order dessert. I had room for it, I just didn't want to pay for it. I paid $36.40 before tip for this solo lunch treat. And, yes it was good. Price wise good enough for me to return? I may, only to see if the specials pay off. Because I observed that the specials seemed to be hearty enough for the price. This is not the place for a blood thirsty carnivore to eat. I think the specials is where it's at. Ambiance: loud. It's a very small place & this lion would wear out her growls trying to out shout the waiter much less any guests on hand, Very noisy, which distracted from my meal. I'm paying a premium price to out shout my waiter &/or guests? Everyone at lunch was trying to out talk themselves. I heard about moms & business & well, I guess if you want the daily scoop, perhaps this is the place to listen, yikes. grrrrr. TMI
(3)Julie S.
Not sure why this place has such a low rating. I went here for lunch today and had a very pleasant experience. We had a 10 minute wait, which was not bad during the weekday lunch rush. My friend and I decided to share a few items instead of ordering our own, so we ordered the following: - Buratta, tomato and onion salad - Pan seared albacore tuna with avocado, roasted beets, cherry tomatoes and paprika dressing - Fries + aoili We liked everything we ordered. The tomatoes in the buratta salad were fresh and delicious. The tuna entree was AMAZING. The tuna sat on a bed of beets intermixed with tomatoes and avocados, all of which were covered with the paprika dressing. I could have eaten the beet salad alone - it was SO flavorful and fresh. I would absolutely order this entree again and highly recommend it. I like the atmosphere in the restaurant as well. The stainless steel and white walls make it very open. It is on the pricier end, but perfect for a special occasion or interview lunch.
(4)Stacey M.
Finally had a chance to go here since they moved from their own location. The food is still exceptional and in proper portion sizes. I really enjoyed the duck leg confit - it was cooked to perfection. I couldn't tell if the dessert was supposed to be served warm or cold (strawberry-rhubarb compote) as it was neither. It was tasty, I just wished it hadn't been so "room temperature." The service was spotty - we had nearly a 45 minute wait between our salads and entrees. It wouldn't have been so bad, but others around us were being served quite promptly.
(4)Kevin S.
Like many others, I was sad to see Bistro Elan disappear. When I found out that it was reincarnated with Birch Street, I was eager to see how the new restaurant measured up. It was a near complete disappointment. My friend and I stopped for lunch. I had to ask the waiter 3 times to repeat the special and still did not understand him. When I asked my friend, "What did he say?" I just got back a blank stare and a shoulder shrug. We both ended up ordering the Niman Ranch hamburger. When they arrived, all we saw was a meat patty, some butter lettuce, and a bun. No cheese. No tomato. (We asked them to hold the onions.) When I enquired about the possibility of other things to put on the burger, I was rather perfunctorily told that such items were not on the menu. The waiter didn't even attempt to address what was a rather naked and unsatisfactory burger. In fact, it seemed that it was my fault for even asking. Safe to say, I won't be going back. Next time, I'll just go to the Counter or even In-and-Out for a better burger. The one star rating comes because the bread was pretty good. Not nearly as good as Bistro Elan's bread, but better than average.
(1)Michael W.
Very interesting place little place. The layout of this establishment is very modern, and clean. Very similar to cafe style seating, table sizes are small and it seems to cater to the lunch crowd. And the crowd builds quickly which the reason my co-worker and I decided to try this place. We thought, "hey this place looks popular, lets eat here." I had the Sauteed Marinated Beef Tenderloin with gem lettuce, asparagus & radish salad. I thought it was cooked well, but the beef was overly salty. The cilantro & lemon vinaigrette was a bit odd on the salad, tasted a bit bland and oily and there were a bunch of asparagus pieces that were tough, which tells me the person preparing the asparagus didn't know to remove the tougher portion of the shoot before cutting it. My co-worker had the Cubano Sandwich and it appeared to be a panini, but it looked like an amateur's first attempt at making a panini. The bread was squished too flat. It sounded like a cracker when bitting into it. The taste okay, but not prepared well. Overall, this place looks the part, but the quality is far from there. You definitely don't get what you pay for. I have not been to Bistro Elan, the parent restaurant, but this experience gives me deep reservations about entertaining the idea of trying them. I don't know if I want to go to a place which would lower their quality like this.
(1)Annie c.
i was surprised how crowded it was for a wednesday evening. everything sounded good on the menu, including the specials on the chalk board. overall, i thought the chef was a bit heavy handed with the salt throughout all the dishes. we tried the carpaccio, the flat iron steak, sea scallops. the apple crisp was not crispy at all which was a disappointment
(3)Katie Anne N.
We had dinner here randomly one night when I came down to PA. We walked in without any reservations around 6:30pm and were seated right away. The place looked brand new (I heard it just moved from a different location) and the décor itself was intriguing. I almost want to say it is a cross between a SF restaurant and a barn, very woodsy feel yet with some modern aspects like lighting and table top. The food was phenomenal. We shared a heirloom tomato salad, seared scallops, and the steak. Everything was prepared perfectly, presented simple and tasted amazing. I was quite shocked really that PA had a place like this.
(4)Linda L.
good flavor. solid
(4)Min L.
Good ambiance and good, quality food, but expect to pay a lot for it, even in Palo Alto. A $55 lunch for two is common, if not a bit less than what you should expect to pay for lunch here (and we didn't get wine or beer!). I appreciate that they use produce from the Sunday Cal Ave farmer's market, but I suspect that's more marketing than actual implementation. How do they expect that one day's worth of fresh food to last through the week? Service not as great as the past reviews have stated, also. Big minus is the price tag.... even for a Whole Foods shopper and local/organics-minded foodie.
(2)Olli L.
One of the better restaurants we have found in Palo Alto. Tasty food and a nice contemporary atmosphere. It's a very small place and you will need a reservation to get a table, and only good for max 4 people groups. I ordered a prosciutto asparagus appetizer, sole with shaved brussel sprouts for main, and a chocolate waffel with caramel ice cream for dessert. My wife had a crab salad for appetizer, the sole for main and a crem caramel for dessert. We tasted all the dished back and forth, and everything was quite delicious. We will definitely revisit this place, and I can fully recommend it.
(4)Saran R.
As a fan of Bistro Elan, I knew I have to try out this restaurant one day. I had a pan seared Foie Gras for appetizers ($24) and spaghetti carbonara for entrees. Spaghetti carbonara was not that great in my opinion. It was dry and a bit too salty for me. When it's served, it was unacceptably cold and I had to ask them to get new a new one that is warm. I asked my friend to taste it and he agreed that it was way too cold to eat. Foie Gras was pan-seared nicely. Although I enjoyed the taste of it, consuming a big piece of foie gras is too much for me. I'll give Birch Street another try again.
(3)Laurie D.
Wanted to love it, but was somewhat disappointed. Ordered the carbonara and it arrived quite cool. When I asked for it to be warmed I was told they could remake it but it would be the same temperature. Waiter tried to convince me it was hot by making me feel the bottom of the plate..I found this to be insulting! Seriously, you can't make a customer hot pasta? Our dinner was $100 for two people (1 wine each, 1 entree each and shared appetizer and shared dessert). At that price I expect hot food! My friend's sole was under-seasoned although we didn't say anything. The chocolate mousse and brocollini were both excellent.
(3)judy n.
Nice little french-american bistro just off california ave. nice place. :) we went for a walk to dinner last night and came across this cozy restaurant. Amuse buche was smoked salmon w dill mustard on a potato chip... YUUUM!!! Sauteed wild king salmon with chanterelles and fingerling potatoes. the fish was nicely cooked, and tasty vegetables. Cast iron flat iron steak with tomato and garlic and basil and french fries. really tasty. i would have enjoyed it more if he ordered medium rare instead of medium though. This place was nice. the portions are a bit small, but it was ok, cuz shared some fro-yo at the organic place around the corner afterwards. perfect place for a date.
(4)Stephen V.
Birch Street is run/owned by the same folks who ran/owned Bistro Elan. The lease is much less expensive, but the space is considerably smaller. From what I hear the owner decided that he could serve the same quality food, cut down on staff considerably, and have a much higher profit margin. He's kept the same chef and the best of his staff. Put another way, moving three blocks into a nice space that was much smaller enabled this venerable Palo Alto restaurant to stay in business, albeit with a smaller space. The food here is basically the same as Bistro Elan, although it does seem as if the menu is a bit smaller. In fact, that's probably a good theme for this review. This is Bistro Elan...light. I've been here twice -- once for lunch and once for dinner. I was a big fan of Bistro Elan, and remain a big fan of the chef and of Birch Street. They do a very good job with the food. The service matches the food and the atmosphere is very good too. The only two complaints I have: The place is now very cramped and small (a bit too small). And the menu appears shorter and more limited than at Bistro Elan. I'm hoping that they constantly update it with a variety of new dishes and look forward to eating my way through them. P.S. I'm not completely sure why they changed the name from Bistro Elan.
(4)Matt G.
Birch Street is the successor to Bistro Elan, the previous restaurant of Swedish owner/chef Amjorn and a Palo Alto classic. Amjorn's dishes feature a simple elegance with high quality ingredients. In a sense, it's a neighborhood cafe for upscale Silicon Valley. The Swedish yellow pea soup is excellent as is any salad featuring pears or peaches from Kashiwase farms. The spaghetti carbonara is a delicious mix of carbs, egg, and guanciale (pork). The sea scallops with vegetables is perfect for a light seafood dish and the duck leg confit is satisfying. I'm also a fan of the lobster or crab salad when they're on the menu.
(5)E L.
Given its Bistro Elan history, and the clean airy decor, thought I'd finally try this place for lunch with a friend on a sunny NoCal spring day. We went early, because the restaurant is tiny and we had heard about lines. Service was nice, attentive, we were seated immediately in a cute corner table. I ordered the special that day: Swedish Meatballs. There were three of them, and they were small, and therefore overpriced at around $12-13. Besides that, not so memorable. (I remember thinking that the ones at IKEA were much better, sadly!) Might give it another chance, but there are so many other great lunch spots that offer flavor and quality ingredients for better value.
(3)Sergei B.
4-star food in a 2-star dump, unless you sit outside. It's same food & owners as famous Bistro Elan. The move to a new place was a disaster: it's a former laundry, and you feel as in a laundry. Great place destroyed. But outside is still fine.
(3)Andrea A.
Went for lunch at about 12:30. Luckily didn't have to wait too long for a table. Small menu, but the food was good. It's a small place, but the menu is pretty fancy. Not a place I'd go everyday for lunch given the prices, but it's nice for a treat or if you were taking clients to lunch or something. There's outdoor seating as well, which is nice for a pretty day. I had the greek salad and it was really yummy. My lunch date had the burger and fries. We both agreed the fries weren't so great. The have a pretty large wine selection if you're into that. The yummiest part was the dessert! Although I am pretty biased toward any baked goods.
(4)Ellen M.
Whenever I'm in Palo Alto I try to have at least one meal at Birch Street. I love their food. Last night I had scallops on a corn waffle with a tomato garnish. Truly delicious and just the right amount. The service was smooth and fast. My companion had a flat iron steak dinner and she said it was excellent.
(5)C C.
Bravo-excellent overall! We had the Gazpacho...to die for! Spaghetti Carbonara...super delish / Cast iron Seared Flat Iron Steak...amazing / Pan Seared Sea Scallops...absolute heaven! Wait staff was incredibly friendly and provided great sevice. The chef was busy saying "hello & thank you" to the guests. This is a first class restaurant with pure style! Go and try!
(5)Gabby N.
This is such a cute restaurant! I have never seen this place and I've lived in Palo Alto my entire life. The inside is super cute and cozy. I would definitely not bring more than 4 people here though or you're going to have a long wait. The place is pretty crammed inside. If it is a nice day though they have tables outside which are really nice and they are located on a street that doesn't get too much traffic so you should be able to enjoy your meal peacefully. This place gets 5 stars in every category: ambiance, taste, and service! I already told you about the ambiance so let's jump right into the grub! My family and I always share a taste of our plate so I got to sample all the things our table ordered. Here was what was on the menu for the night and how I rate them: iron flat steak with fries and beets - the steak was cooked perfectly, exactly what I asked for. I don't usually like beets but they went surprisingly well with the meat and I felt healthy eating them :]. As usual everyone at the table stole a bunch of my fries. But they were nice and thin, crispy, but still had some yummy potato meat on the inside. You got a dipping sauce I believe was some sort of aioli. Whatever it was it was yummy and good with my fries. scallops with proscutto bacon - from the title alone you can't go wrong. Scallops and bacon = tasty. duck confit with risotto - I've never been a big fan of duck confit. I love duck I just don't like it fried. However, this was pretty darn tasty and very flavorful. The plate looks a little sad since it is a very monotone color but eat it and i'm sure you'll be happy pan seared foie gras - oh my god. You could order one of these as your meal. They give you such a big piece and it is so good. They make it absolutely perfectly! Now on to the service. This place was so nice in accomadating us. We came here for my brother in laws 30th birthday. We had to wait about 30 minutes even though we had a reservation because a couple people were taking longer with their meal. Because we had to wait outside in the cold they offered us free drinks (alcholic drinks included). Unfortunately due to his stupid co-workers and his job he had to go into the office while we were waiting outside for our table. Therefore when we got inside we asked them if they could package his dish to go. As you can see from their menu they don't usually do substitutions or to go orders however they said that for us they'll make an exception. They even waiting until a little ways into our dinner to cook his meal so it'll be hot. And they did this even though we were about the last table to be seated. Near the end of our meal we found out that my brother in law was able to make it back so we gave our waiter a cute little smile and asked if they could plate his meal and they weren't horribly happy about it but they did do it :] They were still sorry for having us wait outside for our table for so long that they also gave us a free dessert which was really yummy. I know we definitely won't be getting all these exceptions next time but it was nice to salvage what was left of his birthday dinner and made the night a little bit of a success. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who asked and I would definitely come back, maybe even this week!
(5)Kristi G.
Love this place! Enjoyed a birthday lunch with a friend today at this lovely little spot. Fresh and delicious food and fabulous service! The cold gazpacho soup was divine and also loved the butter lettuce and shrimp salad with peas and a yummy dill dressing. Passed on desert but enjoyed a cup of french press coffee! Now, if I could just get them to open a restaurant in Los Altos.....:)
(5)Amir K.
Obnoxious service. Not friendly wouldn't seat us. We had to call to make a reservation while we were standing there in order to be seated and then they didn't believe us. They sat us begrudgingly.
(1)TheMissus O.
Great food... not sure why this place is getting low stars. Their proscuitto/peach/feta appetizer is absolutely delicious!! All the other food there was absolutely well done. The bread and the flan and their sorbets are awesome! (their pastry chef is such a keeper!!)
(4)Tim R.
Best kept secret in Palo Alto. The very best service, a fantastic simple menu, what more can you ask for. We are regulars (once a week) and have never had anything but perfect meals!
(5)Eva G.
I just picked up an arugula and artichoke salad for lunch here; pretty tasty - dressed with just olive oil and lemon juice. The woman who took my phone order was pretty patient with me even after I cancelled a main course of dungeness crab and pasta because I didn't want the hot food to go in a plastic container. I think the place must have yummy food because it was packed in there for lunch. I would suggest making reservations because it's a tiny place. I'll definitely go back again.
(4)Laura W.
My absolute favorite place to dine!!! The staff and owners are friendly, helpful and wise! The food is fresh and always delicious! The portions are generous and the desserts cannot be beat!!! Cozy, comfortable and consistent! You will not be disappointed!
(5)Sterling D.
Below average service and food and I had to send my utensils back because they were dirty...Yuck!
(1)Ursula A.
Today, we had lunch there for the first time and MY last time I will ever eat there, We had a party of 4. 3 of us showed up first and the lady in the place told us rudely that we could not be seated until the 4th person showed up. There was no one in line waiting to be seated. Our 4th person showed up, we were then seated. The menu did not have anything that appealing to me. So I ordered a hot dog which costed $7.50 - came with sweet pickles and chips. The hot dog tasted good, cause it was an All Beef - Grass Fed Bolinas Hot Dog. However the bun was hard..... my Friend ordered Tuna....and it was dry and hard./ overcooked ..... my other Friend ordered a hot dog too. her bun was also hard. After lunch we were offered dessert and we said NO...they gave us the bill and we were chatting at the table,,, because we were done and no longer eating,.. the waiter proceeded to ask us if wanted anything else at the table.... We already had said NO, we already paid the bill....yet they wanted us out since we were just siting and chatting. Bottom line, I have never in my life ordered a hot dog at any restaurant.. -but with little choices of anything good on the menu,.. I thought that might be the best choice, I will never eat there again.
(1)Alka G.
We used to love the old Bistro Elan so decided to give this a try. It was horrible. Bad customer service, cramped quarters, terrible food, zero sense of trying to make it a pleasant experience. They acted like they were doing us a favor by serving us food. They refuse to do any substitutions - and at that price point, on a week night, most places will accomodate - ESPECIALLY if they dont' have a vegetarian option on the menu. Now, I"m a vegetarian and not asking for a fancy dish - but a dish. They suggested taking the seafood, without the seafood, just the bed that it was sitting on (a waffle with some cold cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.) And they weren't even interested in trying to suggest some sides or anything - they just said it. My husband eats meat - and thought his dish was fine. But both of us were turned off by the service and will, unfortunately, not go back here. So sad, as we have friends who just moved a block away from this place and we thought this would be come a highly frequented place for us.
(1)Julia K.
Simple, super fresh dishes. I love the beet and albacore salad, the pasta, the lamb salad, the soup... Everything I've had here has been just super fresh and pristine tasting. Airy despite being in a tiny space, bustling without being too loud. Lovely. The wines are also superb!
(4)Celeste R.
Came here for lunch with a friend. When we sit down, the waiter tells us we can only have sandwiches, salads, or soup for lunch. That leaves about 6 items on the menu to choose from. I ask for the SSS (BLT) and he tells me they are out of it. Huh? You barely have anything to choose from and you're out of it? Then he got annoyed that I didn't want to order anything. Sheesh. We left and went to Pro Bono (which was amazing). I'll try to come here again at dinner and see if there is a difference.
(2)Elyse K.
A perfect neighborhood restaurant serving elegant takes on simple dishes is welcome by me anytime! I had an amazing 24 hours with my great friend in Palo Alto where we were both pleasantly surprised from this tiny sidewalk stunner. I loved everything from the small, simple space to the views into the uber-tiny kitchen and not to mention the food. The wine list included a half bottle of Bandol Rose which we wish we ordered a full bottle of along with many other French-focused choices. The menu is small, just like the kitchen, about 5 starters and salads and 4 mains with select sides. There is no way that tiny little kitchen could put much more. For those of you that have seen Canteen in San Francisco, the kitchen must be close to that same size. OK, food.. crab, avocado, pistachio, apple salad was amazing and a decently sized portion along with the purple tomato gazpacho was fresh and flavorful. While I usually only eat half of my entrees, my seared scallops on corn cakes was too delicious to leave and Steph's salmon looked pretty cleaned up on her plate. Upon leaving the restaurant, I gave the chef a little wave and silently wished him the best.
(4)Frank K.
Definitely going back. When will it be open for dinner? Fantastic food - Cuban Sandwich was tangy and satisfying with perfectly pressed bread. Hot Dog was the best I've had in a very long time (was with my Dad, who ordered two after sharing half of his first with me, ha). Much of the food is locally sourced, with produce right from the California Ave farmers market. Great service - Waiter was very accommodating. As we were waiting for a table outside, he took our order so as to be ready when we sat down. Atmosphere - Very small inside, but it's not cramped. Lack of space gives it a nicer bistro feel than an industrial restaurant - more personal, although we did wait for a table.
(5)julie l.
3.5* Good solid food, slightly high price tag for what you get. I made reservations for 2 of us so at least we had a table. The restaurant is very small, we were seated in the back by the restroom, but they had a curtain there so it was ok. The menu has a good variety- fish, meat, a pasta dish and some sides you can order like fries, mac n cheese, veg. We shared the crab salad- fresh crab with avocado, apple and toasted pistachio. The salad was very good, light and fresh. For entrees, I ordered the sea scallops- pan seared with some caper, tarragon sauce and served with spinach and endive and crispy prosciutto. Crispy prosciutto was tasty, very crispy/crunchy with the nice saltiness of the meat. My husband had the petrale sole, sauteed with brussels sprouts in almondine sauce. The sauce was very buttery and rich. We shared a side of fries. The fries were nice and crisp, needed a bit more salt but otherwise good. For dessert we shared the smores brownie with banana brulee. It sounded more interesting than it was. It was a brownie with torched marshmallow and a piece of banana on the side that was torched/caramelized on top. It was ok, but I'm a huge dessert fan and this didn't blow my mind. I would've rather eaten my gourmet gelato at home. Overall, the food was good. Decor/ambiance was nothing special, not really a "date night" type of place. It's good for a more casual evening out for some good (but not amazing) food. Go again? Yes, I think we would go back again.
(3)Jessica R.
Lunch was packed. After you eat there you understand why. The food is out of this world. I ate the Swedish Tartine Fanfreakintastic......
(5)Astrea M.
I have walked by this place for weeks now and have been dying to try this restaurant. Upon seeing a voracious line of hungry patrons waiting to eat at this establishment I thought to myself, if there are this many people waiting to eat here it has to be good right? Well the reality of the situation is that the place is tiny! It holds 40 people max. I carefully perused the menu and decided to choose the Chicken salad with fulton valley chicken diced and breaded atop romaine lettuce and served with and asian sesame dressing. My God was that salad huge! It could of easily fed 2 people! The flavors were great, but nothing that was memorable enough for me to wait in that god aweful line during the lunch rush.
(3)Denise P.
This is my new favorite lunch spot in PA. It is a great place to bring clients as well as colleagues. All of the salads I have had there are divine. The one with eggplant chips and lamb meatballs is my favorite. Last time I was there I had an open faced sandwich with egg, shrimp and smoked salmon. It looked beautiful but I was worried that it was going to be too "busy". Instead, the flavors all melded together beautifully. It is pricy, but I think well worth it. My only criticism is that it is very small and it can get loud. I have now been there about 12 times in the last 2 months and have never been disappointing.
(4)Ben G.
This is basically Bistro Elan in a different form. So as expected, the food is great (despite the small menu) and the service was good, no complaints. And they have Mexican Coke with real sugar!
(4)m t.
Super cute place and welcome addition to the California Ave area. I had the lamb meatball Greek salad and it was delicious.
(4)Mark H.
This restaurant is the reincarnation of Bistro Elan, located down the street. Apart from the size of the restaurant (this one is much smaller) it is virtually the same place as Bistro Elan, however. My wife, daugher, son-in-law and I had dinner here the other night and we all raved about the meal. The menu is a bit limited, only about six entrees, and I (a real meat-and-potatoes type) could find only one thing that I really liked (the steak) but it was simply superb-- about six slices of beautifully seasoned and tasty steak served with a huge mound of delicious fries. My wife had lobster (a special that night), my daughter had scallops and my SIL also had the steak. and they all loved their dinners. It seemed to me that the restaurant's "doneness" ratings were a bit different than I am used to at home in Iowa-- my medium rare was quite rare, and my SIL's medium well was what I would have called medium or medium rare. No matter, though: the food was delicious, and the portion sufficiently large that I took home about half of my steak for lunch the next day (I saved the rarest pieces, which cooked a little more in the microwave; it tasted great a day later, too. Very highly recommended; I would say this is one of our collective favorites in Palo Alto.
(5)Stephen H.
Went for lunch at Birch Street today. The cafe has about 12 tables, and another 4 or so on the sidewalk. (There are two propane heaters for fresh spring days.) I ordered the Greek Salad with Lamb Meatballs, which mixed textures, including little chips of eggplant and clumps of feta. Service was attentive, and the restaurant fills fast. Recommended.
(4)ron f.
First. let me volunteer that I am not a regular Yelp reviewer; I am prompted to write this review because of the marked change between all aspects of the experience (including food quality) at the prior incarnation of Bistro Elan on California Avenue and that in its current location. My wife and I had been to the Cal Ave location a couple of times and liked it quite well--the food and service were very good, if pricey, and we regarded it as the best restaurant in the Cal Ave area. Cal Ave has matured recently (especially with the addition of Baume). While I dont pretend to know the reasons behind the move of Elan from Cal Ave to Birch St, the end result (from the diners POV) is disappointing. First of all, the place is miniscule (I suppose management would use the word "cozy"). There are only 10 or so tables inside and they are arranged so tightly that the waitstaff have to engage in gymnastics to avoid bumping your table (or you!) during their rounds. While this might be acceptable in a less pricey establishment, it is not acceptable here where the tab for a simple dinner for two with one glass of wine and without dessert exceeded $100 pre-tip. The food was lackluster and uninspired. The green salad was not dressed; rather it seemed to me that balsamic vinegar was simply poured over the top of the leaves--I hardly noticed any olive oil--and the result was a disaster. The main course, steak, was also ordinary--in fact, the steak was cold and it felt like the meat had been precooked and reheated to order. In an admittedly small restaurant, one can rightfully expect to receive more attention to food quality and preparation. The Anatolian Kitchen, next door, has better and more interesting food and the prices are much more reasonable
(2)Cheryl W.
Dined here with party of 4 for dinner on Friday night. Very busy and crowded, consequently noise level was quite high. Was surprised at some of the items on the menu, for instance, Foie Gras. Only the night prior to our visit was there segment on the about how the duck farms that make foie gras force feed the ducks to enlarge the liver 10 times. A law will ban making or selling this in July. I was surprised to see it in a Palo Alto restaurant. Also, Albacore Tuna. I would have liked to know where this was from. If it was Canadian, it was fine, but if it was imported from elsewhere it is on the "limit due to high mercury levels." The green salad was nothing spectacular - sort of like packaged mixed greens with a few sliced radishes and some balsamic. The main dishes were terrific. I had scallops and my husband had duck. Both were superb. Chocolate cake looked great, apple crisp was apple crisp. Coffee was not drinkable.
(3)Rob C.
feels like eating SF quality food in palo alto. produce from the local farmer's market and good quality sourced ingredients. already busy at lunch. some items on the menu carried over from bistro elan. sampled: everything looked scrumptious *greek salad with lamb meatballs, romaine, black olives, feta, eggplant chips, yogurt and cucumber, lemon/shallot vinaigrette. executed perfectly. the vinaigrette coated it all so well *pan seared albacore tuna, avocado, roasted beet, satsuma mandarin and green bean salad, spicy paprika dressing. beets with mandarins worked well, could increase the spicy *swedish tartine sandwich, open faced with buttered bread, smoked salmon, shrimp, mayo, dill, radish, with house waffle chips. ok, but maybe should have gone for the extra instead the orecchiette pasta. this place will be popular like bistro elan still serving awesome lunches, like farm to table menu chicken salad Fulton chicken breast, napa cabbage, carrots, leeks, creme fraiche, soy and ginger -- tasted great.
(5)Lourie C.
My first review and unfortunately it is for poor service, overpriced food and a rude manager. I won't be going back and I won't be recommending this place. I really like its sister Bistro Elan and have eaten there several times and even recommended it to colleagues and friends. Unfortunately, Birch Street is NO Bistro Elan. The food was just okay--nothing impressive, but maybe it would have "tasted" better if the manager hadn't been so rude to us. If you plan on eating here...note that they do not take reservations (no big deal) and they won't seat you even if there are empty tables and no body waiting...until your whole party is physicially in the cafe....even if they are just parking the car. I know there are a lot of restaurants who share this policy but they usually do it because they are busy and I totally understand that. But to potentially turn 4 people away when there is no one waiting to be seated? It would have been OKAY if the manager was nice about it but she wasn't. She walked over to the wall...pointed at a piece of paper on the wall...and said our policy is not to seat the party until eveyone is here. In the end, none of us had a good experience. Too bad too since it was my boss' birthday...he was the one parking the car.
(1)Robert R.
Good food, good service. The big drawback is the very rude and obnoxious hostess.
(3)M M.
I've been a long time patron of the owner's former restaurant - Bistro Elan. Birch Street is a smaller version of its predecessor with a condensed menu, less frills but still the healthy, organic food from the Sunday Farmer's market prepared over a continuously changing menu. Sadly, no reservations for lunch and the space is cramped, but one of the better restaurants on California Avenue.
(4)Kamini S.
A friend recommended this place and I am so glad I finally gave it a shot. It is a cute small place and the food is amazing. Everything we ate was sensational from the appetizer to the entree and dessert. The wine list was nice as it included many options on half bottle. It is definitely a gem!!
(5)Bill O.
I had my anniversary dinner here this week. Food is unbelievably good, organic, fresh, terrific sauces and combinations. Perfect presentation. Not much in the way of ambience, small inside seating area, crowded, and sidewalk seating does not allow for much privacy. But the food is fanstastic.
(4)Christina R.
Having had superb dining experiences at Bistro Elan, I was dying to check out this sister restaurant - and I was delighted! The menu is wonderfully creative, here and there sophisticated and simply delightful. And the food does not get any fresher. Every time I make it to the Sunday California Street Farmer's market I see the owners selecting and sourcing. They even get private deliveries by the farmers during the week - it doesn't get much fresher than this. High quality - primarily organic - food. Great ambiance. Very tasty. Lovely dining experience. My Marin co-diner was equally impressed. Get there before noon cause the line does build. We're simply lucky we finally got another true 'lunch gem' in Palo Alto.
(5)M. M.
After my beloved Bistro Elan closed for lunch, the next best hangout for lunchtime is Birch Street Cafe. I haunted Bistro Elan weekly for lunch and dinner, enjoyed the outdoor patio during summer, great wine selection, fresh produce and mingled with the friendly staff. With B.E. only open for dinner, Birch Street has less charm, attention to detail in food preparation and less of an "occasion" to dine. Despite its casual atmosphere, the limited menu is still tasty, though less extensive with regards creativity. Instead of a lamb, pork loin or fish dish, you have spaghetti, a tuna/beet salad and cookies vs. a nice sorbet or souffle for desert. They still have the good coffee and the cookies are addicting. It's cramped and you can't reserve a table, getting there at 11:30 AM ensures a seat in the minimal seating area.
(4)