Food was great!!! Nice place to eat in Johnson city. My boyfriend and I felt a little awkward at times because we felt that the owner/manager was rude to wait staff. Maybe they were still learning or something, but the way they spoke to them was demeaning. Other than that everything was good! read more

Hill Country Cool! Outstanding Dining experience. Very well executed dishes. Service is well informed and professional. Glassware for cocktails and wine was appropriate and fine dining quality. Ambiance is refined. Please ask your server for a side of the apples and fennel - off menu, but extraordinarily good to pair with the polenta. read more

We have been coming to Bryans for last 5-6 years. Our recent visit on a Saturday night was not indicative of most of our past experiences but is consistent with a slight decline in quality. I am so happy to have a fine dining restaurant in Johnson City but with that comes a higher expectation. We typically have a reservation but we walked in and were offered bar seating. Beautiful bar and very comfy chairs. We were happy when they added this a few years ago. Service was friendly enough but it lagged at different points during our experience. Here is a review of the food. Wedge Salad - nice iteration of this salad included bacon, onions, cherry tomatoes and blue cheese ranch dressing. Could have used more dressing but serving was big enough for 2. Lamb Osso Bucco - looked good on the plate, tender and tasty but I struggled to find enough meat on the shank. Green Beans - forgot to bring out with entree and were completely overwhelmed by dill Signature Mac & Cheese - nothing signature about it. Thin sauce, bland I have to be honest, I yearn for the days of their blue crab dip and exceptional tenderloin steak. I think Bryan's has lost a step but we'll come back and sit at a table try something else. read more

Just gotta get out of Blanco for dinner sometimes. Bryans on 290 was so delicious last night! Restaurant has a Speak Easy vibe that I absolutely love (although it can make it hard to read the menu when you get to a certain age ). I made reservations for 6:45 and was seated immediately. I had two glasses of Rosé and the duck breast (medium) with quail and au gratin potatoes. Everything was cooked perfectly; I would have licked that reduction off my plate, it was so good! Adequate portion size. My date had the salmon with mashed potatoes and green beans, and added the squash with pecan relish (more of a sauce). The salmon was cooked well and had a great crust. The squash was delicious. Will definitely be back (hope they have the creole red fish on special again because I've got to try it!). read more

See all

My husband and I made reservations last night for our anniversary and to top off our Hill Country day-trip to see the Johnson City Lights Spectacular. The drinks were creative and top-notch, and the food was perfection. We got the pimento cheese and sausage and I have never had a better pimento cheese - it's smoked, I guess, and it was insanely good. We also shared the SearedPork Chop and got a side of Saffron Parmesan Orzo and everything was ideal. The service was great as well and the ambiance was exactly what we were looking for. There is literally nothing that they could have done better--fantastic experience, as always. read more

Bryans On 290 - Beautiful Bar - New American Near Me - Johnson City, Texas

We went to Bryans on 290 for the second time a few days ago. It's a wonderful dining "hidden treasure" in the small town of Johnson City. It's not inexpensive, but the food, and the ambience, is worth it. We had the roasted carpaccio appetizer (large portion for two; excellent flavor, with pita/cracker bread on the side). When the appetizer was a little late, our server brought some complimentary quail legs to tide us over. I was tempted to try the roasted bone marrow, but that will be for another time. My wife had the 7-oz. tenderloin, which was excellent as well. I had the -- also excellent -- "Mom's" pork schnitzel dish, explained to us by Mom herself (the chef/owner's mother), a charming German lady who willingly shared her recipes. (The menu is not German except for her specialties.) Our desserts, one from Mom, were excellent as well. (I know; I keep using that word.) The ambience was fairly quiet, informal with soft, tasteful music (nothing blaring). The tables are spaced gererously. Service was very good. We didn't try the wines. There's a full bar; I had a campari & soda. If you live near Johnson City and can afford a Michelin-level meal, go. If not, like us, Bryans on 290 is a great place for those special dates that are worth driving an hour or so! read more

Bryans On 290 - Bryans on 290 5/9/25 - New American Near Me - Johnson City, Texas

We rarely leave negative reviews; however, this experience was not merely disappointing, but it ended in a way too disturbing to ignore. We visited this restaurant on a Saturday night to celebrate a special occasion, surprised to find it was nearly empty. Yet our drinks and each of the two food courses took an unusually long time to arrive--we didn't receive our salad until 30 minutes into our visit, and our steak took another 30 minutes. There was no clear explanation for the delays, and it set the tone for what turned out to be a frustrating visit. Unfortunately, the food did not make up for the wait. The wedge salad had far too much dressing and an overwhelming dill flavor. The steak was lukewarm and over-salted to the point that it was difficult to eat, and the dollop of mashed potatoes was completely bland--no seasoning, no flavor, just an afterthought on the plate. It honestly felt like very little care went into the preparation. What made the situation far worse, however, was how our polite feedback was handled (after we left the restaurant!). We did not volunteer our criticism, but when a staff member (not our sever) came to our table and asked about our meal, we decided to be candid. We shared our concerns, calmly and certainly without placing blame on the servers. The young staff member noted that they were indeed short-staffed, that a new cook was on his own for the first time that night, and he also confided that the owner is "cheap" and doesn't pay the cooks enough. We had a nice laugh with him, thanked him for his candor, and boxed up our barely eaten steak to take home to our pets. We refused a discount when offered by our very polite server, but thanked her for doing her best, and paid the full amount plus a 20% tip. We paid $160 for a salad and a steak (which we shared) and 3 drinks, including tip. We chalked it up to a bad night for this restaurant, which we had enjoyed a few years ago. Where things took a dark turn was when we arrived at our next destination. We had mentioned to the young staff member that we were pressed for time as we had an engagement at another venue nearby. We mentioned the other venue and the musician scheduled there by name. When we arrived at that venue after dinner, the owner rushed out to greet us and told us Bryan Gillenwater had been "blowing up" their phone with angry texts and a call, threatening to call the police on us. We were stunned. The police??!! We didn't walk the check or raise our voices when we spoke with the staff. Bryan Gillenwater even took our pictures as we exited his restaurant (unknown to us) and texted them to the owner of the second venue. Apparently, he thought I was the musician scheduled to play that night and must have been trying to get "me" fired as retaliation for daring to criticize his food. That kind of reaction is completely unacceptable, disturbing and deeply unprofessional. But after speaking with a few locals, we learned Bryan Gillenwater's angry outbursts that night were not at all unusual for him. Between the slow service, poorly prepared food, and hostile response to reasonable feedback, this was the worst dining experiences we've had. I would not recommend this place to anyone looking for good food or basic customer respect. We are still blown away by that horrible experience and obviously will never return. read more

We visited for dinner and enjoyed the food, it was high quality quail, duck, and salmon that was paired with unique sides on each dish! I truly enjoyed the twist of the lemon dill weed sauce on my dish it enhanced the flavors in a delicious way! The ambience was quiet and relaxing with nice warm decor and mini yellow lamp fixtures on each table giving the room a subtle calming touch. Even on a busy night and being short staffed my husband and I received good attentive service. We were a bit unhappy that some of the menu options were not available which was mentioned after we were seated. To end the night we tried the bourbon pecan pie which was just the right level of sweetness, crunch, and flakiness topped with a nice custard on top to help give it some needed moisture. Overall, delicious and would recommend that you try if you are in Johnson City! read more

See all

We were there to celebrate a friend's birthday and upon walking in, we were immediately greeted and sat after providing the name for the reservation. Upon being seated we noticed the restaurant wasn't too bright or too dim, it was just right. Although the menu is one sheet, there were plenty of options and upon ordering and the arrival of our food, we couldn't have been happier. Overall, we had a wonderful experience from beginning to the end. read more

We have been frequenting Bryan's since we pleasantly stumbled across it in 2021. We have brought family from San Antonio and Austin over and we have all believed it is AMAZING! I sometimes wish we could comment on some of these reviews. I cannot believe some people would ask for you to "fry" something that wasn't even on the menu. All I have to say is my daughter has visited Bryan's since she was 5 years old and she loves grilled shrimp and has been taught to order what is on the menu and she has gained such a palette in her young 7 years of age. Our last visit we went we of course had to have 2 orders of our crispy brussels and we all have our favorites: the schnitzel, the pork chop, and we love trying some of the specials. We have had special occasions here and have always been treated phenomenally. We have sat in the back dining room and the front dining room, as well as the patio outdoors and the service has always been 5 star. Actually my soon to be 8 year old daughter, her birthday is in October, asked if we could go to Bryan's during her birthday week. Chef Bryan has come out to talk to her and is the sweetest man. Lorelai, my daughter, swears she will own her own restaurant one day. I cannot recommend this restaurant more for every occasion from special to just wanting a special meal. read more

Finished our day of wine tasting at this place and were happy that we did. The escargot was hands down the best I have ever had. Never realized until today that it could be soft and not like chewing rubber bands. Three of the four of us chose the veal schnitzel and were happy that we did. Great flavor and the mashed potatoes were a hit with my granddaughter. Just a nice higher end restaurant with great food and service. read more

Bryans On 290 - Veal Schnitzel - New American Near Me - Johnson City, Texas

See all

It's a wanna be upscale restaurant. The mashed potatoes were cold, the Brussels sprouts were soaked with too much sauce, I could go on and on with the food. The waiter was not the most attentive and those that worked there were mostly socializing with each other. We should have just gone to Fredericksburg for upscale dining. We had to pay upscale pricing for "local" cafe dining, the photos were deceptive. Not to mention they asked us if we wanted bread, we said yes and asked for another to go with our steak. We had to wait and watch our server socialize, walk around while we finished our dinner got charged $8 , and the bread was hard and burned! read more

Everything we ordered was great from appetizers, main entrees to dessert. The staff were very nice and helpful. The atmosphere of the restaurant was low key and enjoyable. read more

We took a chance for dining as we came into see the Christmas lights from out of town and state. We stopped in on Bryan's not knowing anything. We didn't have reservations but were welcomed. We all enjoyed our dinners and met Bryan's wonderful mother. The lights are quite dim and hard to read the menu but the place was very nice and decorated for the holidays. Our server very helpful with our questions. A must to try and we will be back someday. read more

Bryan's is our favorite spot. The food is amazing, even compared with the hottest spots in Austin. We love the staff....always enjoy a good time. And the bar....fantastic drinks. read more

See all

I would be embarrassed to sell a $65 ribeye that is tougher than boot leather. It was one of the worst meals I have ever had at a "fancy" establishment. Very over priced and lacking. I was warned prior but had to go try it. Disappointing and wasteful is the only way I can describe their food. read more

Food and services were great. Everyone loved their meal. Lovely atmosphere and drinks were very nice! Can't wait yet go back. Menu was unique and everything we tried was very good. read more

Recommended to us to try out while in town. Great place. We started off with cocktails which were done right. We also had wine pairings with our food which was also good. We had the special of the day which was a halibut and risotto. Very good. The pork chop and sweet potato was also very good. Always a nice pairing, along with the apple chutney. Bryan's Mom stopped by our table and we had a nice conversation. She also saw us out the door. We also had a great conversation with one of the other servers. A great local place that we would defiantly recommend to anyone and would love to return to. read more

Yum! Service was a little slow at times but the food was great! Smaller restaurant and it was very packed! All the food was great and cooked to our liking. read more

See all

Food was amazing. I had the pork chop and my wife had the beef ribs. Both were delicious. We also had the carrot cake, which was the best I've ever had. Service was amazing. Ambiance was classy. We will definitely be back. read more

A Cathedral of Smoke and Flame - Bryan's on 290 is a Culinary Revelation If Zeus himself descended from Mount Olympus in search of a perfect meal, he'd find himself at Bryan's on 290, standing slack-jawed before the altar of open-fire cooking. This isn't just dinner--it's a full-blown flavor epiphany. From the moment you step onto the gravel lot and catch the scent of smoldering pecan wood, you know you're about to experience something mythic. The chef--an imposing, silver-haired German genius--doesn't just cook. He orchestrates fire like a symphony, turning primal flame into poetic cuisine. Every bite is a standing ovation. The ember-kissed ribeye? So tender it practically weeps gratitude. The whole trout, roasted over open coals with wild herbs? It's like nature and craft locked lips. And don't even get me started on the sides--the charred cabbage with fermented chili butter might change your religion. Service? Impeccable. Vibe? Rugged elegance meets Hill Country soul. Bryan's on 290 isn't just a restaurant--it's a destination, a pilgrimage, a meaty mecca where fire is god and flavor is gospel. 11/10. Come hungry. Leave reborn. read more

Amazingly delicious wine and food. Service needs some work- our server didn't tell us the dinner specials without us asking, and NEVER refilled our wine or water for our 2 hour visit. Food and ambiance was exquisite. Service needs some training, imo. read more

Bryans On 290 - Ribeye w grilled zucchini - New American Near Me - Johnson City, Texas

See all

We discovered this place as a recommendation from friends. It's a nice place with a great atmosphere. It was easy to get a reservation on a Friday evening, although I'm not sure we needed one and they have parking adjacent to the restaurant. So, to start with, we were taken to a table in the very back of the restaurant. It seemed odd since in the bar area, which was bright with sunlight, some nice music playing and other people but not full. Then there was what maybe is the main dining area with some other people. But we were taken to a dark area of the restaurant where there were no people and it was almost like they wanted to keep us out of view of other people? It was just me and my daughter and we were dressed nicely so this seemed quite rude and we had to ask to be seated somewhere not so secluded. I don't understand why the need to put us as far away from every other patron. The menu isn't large but everything on it sounded so appetizing... we actually tried several of the starters. We had the Steamed Mussels, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Iceberg w/bacon and Gorgonzola and the Scallop & Blue Crab Dip. Okay the short answer is the Brussels Sprouts win hands down; but next time I would order then without the smoked pork belly. The iceberg with gorgonzola I would pass on. Nothing beats a traditional wedge salad with real bleu cheese. The "house made bacon" was too big of chunks and should should have been cooked more thoroughly but simply I just wouldn't recommend. The steamed mussels we are mixed on; they were cooked well and the sauce was good. But the mussels were the smallest mussels I have ever had. The Scallop & Blue Crab dip was good and while the toasted bread they served it with was good, it would have been so much better with the grilled bread that comes with the mussels. Please be aware, these appetizers are on the smaller side. Great for two people... but more than two people, you will want to order double or additional appetizers. For our main courses, we ordered the Seared Salmon which is served atop a spinach salad and has a soy lime dressing. We also had the 14oz ribeye with garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes. The salmon looked amazing... but just looked. The salmon itself was cooked to perfection... but the soy lime dressing is incredibly salty and just took away from the flavor of the salmon. As for it being a soy lime... I can't say I could taste much lime. But again, very salty. For the ribeye, it was okay. For the price, I was expecting a much more flavorful piece of meat. It was cooked as ordered and it certainly was tasty, but I wouldn't go on to say it was a great piece of meat or that I would order it again. For the mashed potatoes... very disappointing. Never tasted any garlic and while I'm sure they are not, they almost tasted like something from a box. It's staggering to me because mashed potatoes are so easy to make. These are not fluffy mashed potatoes but almost runny which is why I compare them to mashed potatoes from a box (just see the photo). For an additional side, we had the "Spicy Green Beans". Green beans they were... spicy they were not. To give it a full try, we even had dessert; We had the chocolate crème brûlée and strawberry shortcake. The 'chocolate crème brûlée was simply just chocolate pudding. I make an amazing crème brûlée and again, this was just chocolate pudding. The 'cake' in the strawberry shortcake was quite hard and not moist. Again, quite a surprise. Making a simple yellow cake is so easy. Last, the wine menu was also disappointing. There was one selection for a white wine by the glass and just a few reds. They have an assortment of wines but nothing on the list that stood out. It was a nice experience, but not a place I would go out of my way to try. We will probably go back at some point just to try again, but for now we will check out some other establishments. read more

See all

We haven't been in the area in a while, but recently had the chance to stop by for dinner. Wonderful food and service as always! Love that it's maintained its nicely upscale dining (not stuffy) with a welcoming atmosphere. read more

Lots of shouting from kitchen. Very uncomfortable and uneasy experience. Staff was pleasantly knowledgeable

The most unbelievable experience ever- I called ahead (15 minutes before I arrived ) and was instructed that bar seating was available. I ordered the iceberg w/house made bacon. The Chef approached me since I mentioned that have a gluten sensitivity. He recommended agreed that smoke duck with a different sauce would work. The duck was fresh and light (not gamey) and the reduction was mouth watering. I can't believe I could experience such a perfectly fantastic meal in Johnson City! Please come to experience it yourself! You won't be disappointed! Two weeks later - I added dessert this trip! Pics attached!- Chocolate peanut butter pie with red wine reduction!!! I started in the middle and left the crust since I am gluten sensitive! Elevate the experience with Tawny Port! read more

See all

Used to be one of the best restuarants I have ever been too including throughout Europe. However, it has gone downhill. The menu change is uninspring. The food is not good for a hefty price. I really miss what Bryans used to be. read more

Kaitlan the bartender is amazing!!!!! The Brussel sprouts are pretty dang good too! And they have some great Texas wines !

Update that after I posted my review, the chef reached out to me, apologized repeatedly, and voided the charge. He acknowledged our unfortunate experience and took ownership, which I appreciated. I am leaving my original comments because they're accurate but wanted to supplement and increase the rating. When we ultimately got our food, even though it was not what we ordered, it was fine - not great,. Overall, it was a poor experience. From the beginning, it was very slow. We waited a very long time for a waiter and then waited forever for our drinks. Finally, mine was delivered, but my husband's took so long, I was almost done with mine when it arrived. Then, long after we ordered, the waiter said "I need to talk to you " and left. When he returned, he said they were out of what my husband ordered so he re-ordered. When our meals finally arrived, my husband was given something other than his second order. At that point, we were starving so just ate what was served. Although the waiter said "sorry " repeatedly, when we received the $250 bill, there was no concession offered for the horrible experience. We are not the types to ask for anything and after the delay, really just wanted to leave, but based on the negative treatment, we would have expected the restaurant to step up. If you are in a hurry, like fast service, or want to eat what you ordered, I would not recommend. read more

I dont know that I can put into words how horrible of an experience it was to eat at your restaurant but will try to bullet point all of the disappointments: 1. We arrived 15 minutes early to our reservation and the restaurant was empty. The hostess/waiter was at the bar on his ipad and told us to hold on a second while he finished whatever he was doing, which took 5 additional minutes. 2. Since the restaurant was empty, the hostess/waiter thought it would be great to seat us at the 2 top closest to the bar, I guess for ease of serving us but cramped us during our dinner service...even though the restaurant stayed empty during our entire visit 3. The bartender was our waitress and it took her 10 minutes to initially greet us, only after her and the hostess/waiter sat at the bar and complained about what was wrong with working at the restaurant. 4. Upon our initial greeting by the bartender, she asked if we were ready to order and we requested getting cocktails from the bar before we put in our order. We ordered old fashions with Woodford. When she got to the bar and was making, she told us that she is on her last bit of woodford and didnt want to open a new bottle and asked if we were ok with one drink being made with something else. Say what? Disappointing 5. We ordered Short Ribs and Ribeye steak dinners. The meat came out REFRIGERATOR Cold internally. The Ribeye had bone marrow butter on top, which wasnt melting, so the bartender brought over her torch from the bar and heated the butter up so it would melt over the cold meat. The short rib bones were cold to the touch and the meat around the bones were cold. We both believe that our meat was stored in the fridge from being prepared days prior...WHAT a DISAPPOINTMENT. As you can imagine, this was one of our least favorite meals EVER and we will NOT be back. Based on the 3 tables that dined with us that night, everyone else feels the same way as well. Too bad....because this could be a beautiful place but the experience is NOT worth the price. read more

The service was amazing when I came in for dinner before homecoming and had some of the best food of my life

Visiting from Houston! Exquisite flavors and entrees. Fine wines and superbly flavored chicken and Salmon mains.

The service was too notch. The place was clean but the feel was a little dated. The food made up for it all. Steaks were delicious and cooked perfectly. We had the scallop and crab dip...amazing! The bone marrow was a favorite at our table. Best we've had. The pork schnitzel was tasty and the Mac and cheese, so good and creamy. The mash potatoes were also creamy. We will def be back! read more

We have eaten at Bryan's before when people told us that Bryan's was amazing and it wasn't amazing. We came back a second time because it happened to work out that we were passing through a Johnson city on a weeknight when it made sense and it was not memorable. This time - we decided to make it the focal point of our Saturday dinner because we were actually staying in Johnson city and as far as I'm concerned it under delivered for the last time. Upon arrival with my wife and five year old - who is perfectly behaved and has shared everything from a charcuterie board to sushi - there was a major scandal at the hostess stand as we got relocated to a part of the restaurant with the most casual walk-ins. Not an auspicious start. We then went on to ask about gluten free crackers or pasta or accommodations of any kind as our online reservation made two weeks ago asked specifically about allergies and my wife is gluten free. When we asked our server about gluten free options we received the look of an ape first discovering fire ... actually scratch that ... an ape pissed off at the concept of fire. Off to a spectacular start. We then asked about options for our son suggesting that perhaps the kitchen could make fried shrimp and fries - the menus has fries and shrimp and fried items - only to be told immediately- no that was not an option and perhaps our sone would enjoy grilled shrimp or a steak. Definitely serious options for a 5 year old. At this point we decided to have the two appetizers that we purchased along with the bottle of Sancerre and go literally anywhere on gods green earth other than Bryan's. There are three Mexican restaurants in this town and at least two of them must have better service than this place. Pecan street has the worst cheese I've ever tasted on a pizza but they have some spectacular nachos and every sob in that place was 1/10th of the ass that we encountered at Bryan's. In short this review is 1/100th of the word of mouth work I will do to make sure that no sane decent person darkens the threshold of a place who is so up their own third rate ass to be complete jerks to a family of three that invested their Easter weekend in dinner here. read more

Wandered in from Fredericksburg on our way home. Best surprise in a long time. Service was excellent. Food was even better. We live 40 minutes away, but this spot will be on the regular rotation. Highly recommend for special occasions. read more

Wow! This place is a jewel in a small town! A culinary masterpiece! We stayed at a nearby resort with no open restaurant on site so we're forced to drive the few miles into Johnson City to order dinner. After driving all day we were tired and wanted to order to go to dine back in our room. We did a quick search of nearby places and liked the menu options of Bryan's. We decided to walk down the street which was many trees lit with beautiful Christmas lights while waiting on our food. The restaurant was busy as it seems to be the only real restaurant in town. The owner was on site and being the daughter of a chef, has always made me appreciate the food even more. All of the servers were top notch, friendly and professional. We both ordered the grilled chicken and Mac n cheese. We were both beyond pleased with our entire meal! We will definitely be back to dine at Bryan's upon visiting the area again. read more

Bryans On 290 - a group of people sitting at a bar - New American Near Me - Johnson City, Texas

See all

Best restaurant in town. Hands down to the friendly staff who suggested to get the crab dip, oysters (super fresh), the salmon was phenomenal with the ratatouille and a fragant basil, the scallops with corn and pancetta was super delicious. We ordered the wedge salad and a peruvian ceviche. To complete our dinner party we order the huge tomahawk for 2 and on the side the creamy garlicky mashed potato and the sweet crispy brussels with house porkbelly. 10/10 for this menu. Exceptional night to remember. Cheers to the chefs for this wonderful meal read more

3 of our meals were excellent. My New York strip was terrible and full of gristle and I was willing to accept that because in reality food can't always be perfect. We asked for the 14 dollar wedge salad to be cut in half so my 85 year old in laws could split it and staff refused. Our waitress Lindsey was THE BEST and she was clearly apologetic about the salad. I expected that the overpriced salad to be removed from our bill but it wasn't. Final overview.... the place is too small so you need a reservation . I watched walk ins still waiting during our whole meal. There is more seating on the property and the weather was low 80s so who knows why they don't serve more people outdoors as they appear to be over staffed. The owner/ chef was helping to serve us and he never acknowledged our salad request. At this price point the policy should be " the customer is always right ". This is just a factual account of what we experienced and is constructive criticism. read more

We just had a lovely dinner at Bryans 290 in Johnson City. Forget small town diners in Texas, this felt like a high end Bistro from the Wine Country. Fried quail, shrimp toast, Texas redfish, and smoked steak, each paired with wine. Portions so generous, none of us could finish our meal... though we did manage to squeeze in room for the homemade strawberry shortcake for dessert. read more

The room was warmly lit and made an intimate setting. The food was fantastic. My wifes ribeye was perfectly cooked and my smoked porkchop was wonderfully flavored. Bryans mom was on hand to chat us up and really made our honeymoon dinner special. 5 out of 5, we will return. read more