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    Lemon Grove Bistro

    4.8 (357 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

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    LEMON GROVE BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Lemon Grove Bistro

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    Cut flowers and cloth napkins
    Patti P.

    Happy Hour, Friends?!? Really it's late lunch or early dinner since it is a substantial meal. M-F 2-4:30. We tried the Classic Burger and Margarita Flatbread. Nice Chardonnay and Societe IPA pairing. Splurging on browned butter cake for dessert. This place is so cute and always spotless. Staff is so kind and food is consistently yummy.

    Classic Burger
    Jeannie B.

    Great place to enjoy some good food and amazing service!! We can for Sunday brunch. Lots of seating to accommodate large crowds. We came during a slow time so plenty of seating for us to choose. Place is clean. It seems like it's a family run business. They even have the high school cousin working there cleaning tables. Which I 100% support Service was excellent!! We felt well taken care of and comfortable almost liking visiting their home. I ordered the Mediterranean omelette & Americano. Both were excellent. Eggs cooked perfectly with a good balance of ingredients. Their house potatoes were crispy in the outside and tender inside. We also ordered the hamburger which my husband thoroughly enjoyed. We will definitely be back for their dinner menu.

    Grilled rack of lamb.
    Nate C.

    Came here for lunch on a Friday to try it out with my mom for a birthday outing. The restaurant wasn't too busy upon our arrival which was great because we were restricted on time. (Only 2-3 tables dining at the time). Our server came a few minutes after seating and took our order. My mom had the clam and mussels appetizer and I ordered the grilled rank of lamb. The order took around 20 minutes to arrive to our table, which was understandable because I know lamb takes a while to cook. We both shared our plates - the clams and mussels were cooked well and seasoned nicely with the broth. The lamb was cooked medium rare with sides of grilled veggies and mashed potatoes. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. Our eating area was clean and organized. I really don't have any complaints from our first visit. The only feedback I have is the server could check up a little more frequently (especially since it was a bit slow). But other than that I would definitely recommend giving this spot a try. It really is a hidden gem in La Mesa.

    Fisherman's Stew
    Michael L.

    Came here for a NYE dinner and was thoroughly impressed. From service, ambience to food. All were exactly what we were looking for in our group meal. Everyone ordered something different and not a single complaint about what was ordered. All very good from all I could sample. I personally had the stuffed Scottish salmon and it was on point. Loved the veggies and quinoa to complement. Wish we had room for dessert but I left here completely satisfied

    Dara T.

    We went there on a Sunday night and there was ample space. No reservation was needed. The portions are pretty generous here so I recommend to order wisely. We ordered the deviled eggs for appetizer, which included about 6 half eggs and more than enough for the 3 of us. We also ordered the crab cakes for appetizer and that was filling as well as it came with 3 large pieces. For my own, I ordered the beef lasagna and while it was good, I didn't really have much of an appetite that day so I had to take the rest home. The rest of my party ordered the beef hash and the paella and that one was by far the best. Food was all good and we would go here again. Would recommend if you're looking for a nice, quiet, clean, place to sit down for family or date night. Service was amazing and plenty of street parking right out front.

    Delicious crab cakes!
    Mikey H.

    It has been a while, but I was in the mood for crab cakes! They have changed a little. The front, dog-friendly patio, has smaller tables with benches. The menu has some of the staples plus some seasonal items. This time I had the penne with vodka sauce and chicken...soooo good! As always, that grilled levain bread goes so well! Jonesy met up with us and really liked the grilled chicken breast, though he thought it was a little small. Other than that, another great meal! Cake still approves because at one point she laid down. Our server was great! I think she was new, well at least to me because I didn't recognize her. Wish I had room for dessert!

    Slow Braised Short Rib
    Melissa S.

    My 4th time dining at Lemon Grove Bistro. Today I brought a friend with me for lunch. My Rating has not changed one bit, this restaurant is still a 5 out of 5! All the dishes I've tried over the course of a year, are absolutely wonderful. Today, we started out with the crab cakes, served with a flavorful lemon/garlic aioli which complimented the 3 cakes nicely. The crab cakes have a delicate texture, moist and packed with crab, YUMMY! For my main course, I ordered a seafood stuffed Scottish salmon, which was served atop tender quinoa with a lemon caper sauce, roasted cauliflower and green beans - this dish was a 10! Of course I always get an order of the Levian bread served with olive oil and balsamic for dipping - so good! And don't leave without dessert - my favorite is the brown butter cake served warm with vanilla Gelato (though to be honest I haven't tried the other desserts - as of yet). Justin was our server today, and he was very pleasant and took great care of us. We never felt rushed or pressured, it was a relaxing experience. Great place for a date night, groups, celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, and they have happy hour specials (great pricing on beer and burger). Upscale dining experience without all the "stuffiness", all set in a casual, historic part of Lemon Grove, you won't be disappointed.

    Butter cake warm and cold so good.
    Monica P.

    Nice large restaurant with delicious and beautiful food! I will return to try more items for sure. Braised short rib is the best I've had!!! My friend had the panini and upgraded to the salad instead of fries. She loved it. We shared a butter cake perfect for two. Parking is a bit hit or miss. Street parking. At night some parts are dark. I wish happy hour went until 5 but stops at 4:30pm. Not a full bar. Beer and wine and prosecco. Good place to sit and chat at the bar or at a dinning table. Nice clean restroom. So happy Lemon Grove has a nice restaurant! I remember when this place was a bakery. So totally nostalgic!

    Brown Butter Cake
    Linda L.

    Yes, there is a bistro in Lemon Grove! And you must check it out as the wine, food, service and ambience was perfect. There were so many items on the menu that I wanted to try therefore I will be back. The side of bread provided with the pasta was soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside. Purrfect! They also have four slices of bread as a side item, appetizer. Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 is happy hour!

    John C.

    Loved this place so much forgot to leave a review and it has been 4 months. Such a cool quaint restaurant, awesome attentive staff with food that matches. Need to try their Sunday brunch as it looks simple and great too. Not in Lemon Grove very often but when I am there and hungry for sure I will stop in.

    Penne Alla Vodka with Chicken
    Wendy S.

    This months Old Friends, New Places try.... Oh my!!! to be honest, the area kinda worried us.... But this is a MUST try!! Not a single thing was not over the top amazing! The staff was so great, the owner/chef came out and talked with us. The old pictures of what once was here on the walls. All of it was so good!!! We will be back for sure!! My personal favorite was the Chicken Piccata. But tried everything you see pictured, and not one thing I wouldn't try again! Be prepared, it is a bit pricey... bit everything you can tell is made to order and not bought frozen.

    Brown Butter Cake
    Reina A.

    Another amazing dining experience. We had the caesar salad with chicken added, side of fries, mushroom ravioli, paella, chocolate molten cake and the brown butter cake! When in doubt, just order everything. Chef Rashi was busy but welcomed us back and thanked us for our continued support of a local business. Our server Danny was also very kind and welcoming. We love everything about Lemon Grove Bistro-the food, the service, and plentiful free parking.

    Zucchini Croquet appetizer l

    Enjoyed the entire experience and ambiance. Service was great. Apps, entrees and desserts were all a win for me. Will definitely have to keep in rotation. Note-I didnt get a picture of the dessert because we dove right in. LOL Both were great but the Brown buttered Cake and Gelato was my favorite!

    Stuffed salmon.

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    2 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    8 days ago

    the pasta was perfectly cooked, but all the food had little to no salt. the pesto chicken pasta was very disappointing

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    1 year ago

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    1 month ago

    The food was delicious and the service was fast and friendly. I love the decor and the vibe.

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    4 months ago

    Nice staff much improvement from our earlier dinners. New chef seems to have good ideas for the menu.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Lemon Grove Bistro Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lemon Grove Bistro

    My first visit was nice except it was very loud. Just patrons talking, the acoustics are tough. Is it still very loud?

    It is loud. Has been and it is one thing I do not like about it.

    Do they have any gluten free options?

    Yes, we have many options. The options are all marked on the menu with a "gf". salads can be gluten-free as well. Just ask for it and we won't serve the bread with it.… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Usually 5-star and I hate this because I love this place. Monday is happy hour all day and that's…read moregreat. We had the HH Mastiff Fries, chicken wings and two slices of the burata pizza. The food was stellar as always. The service was great. What was not great was the fries came out and about 5 minutes later the wings came out (my order) and 10 minutes after that the pizza came out (my boyfriends order). He had to watch me eat (or I let me food get cold) and then I had to watch him eat. Always better to have all the food come out at the same time. Just not a great experience with the food timing but I stil love this place

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    Coop's West Texas BBQ

    Coop's West Texas BBQ

    4.5(2.5k reviews)
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    Small chill spot, friendly faces (especially Mr. Coop!), and the food is delicious! Took the day…read moreoff for a lil family day. Heard about this place from Gareth Eats and Marvelous Muncher, they did not lead me astray! My wife and kid can be pretty picky. For the amount of food we ordered, we would usually have leftover, but we finished the whole thing! * 2 lbs of chicken - so juicy, great taste, especially with that BBQ sauce. My wife usually complains that BBQ is so salty, or too vinegary, not this time. She loved it! * Mac and cheese - Creamy! Cheesy! Good! * Coleslaw - fresh, I think there's a light vinaigrette. I usually like mayo on mine, but I can see how this pairs better with the rest of the food. * Potato Salad - solid, not too salty as well. Just right! * Beans and Rice - I think I should've gone large on this one. So good! * Peach Cobbler - legit. Warm. Peachy. Cobblery. * Sweet Potato Pie - I was surprised, because I usually am not a fan of sweet potato. Tasty, not too sweet! Mr. Coop checked in with us once in a while to make sure we're all good, stopped by and gave me a sample of the bacon. Sweet, real tasty! I'm excited to come back and try the ribs and brisket! Smelled so good coming in!

    I finally tried coops barbecue. The brisket rained supreme…read more It is so unbelievably tender, and good. It literally melts in your mouth. I bought a a pound to share. I tried the pork ribs, but I do prefer Phil's pork ribs to these ribs and tender, but Phils falls off the bone. Still very good. Collard greens were delicious as were the rice and beans. Service is efficient and prompt.' Ambience is that of a smoked meat joint.

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    I went on an adventure trying to find a new lunch spot.  I found this place on Yelp as Janna's…read moreBurgers, Fish, and Fries and the map took me to the Aztec Food Hub.  Using the street address I was taken to Grossmont Center.  The signage indicates this place is called BFF Burgers, Fish and Fries. I was feeling lucky today.  So I ordered my fried fish with onion rings and paid $1 upcharge.  The problem with onion rings is they range from not good to great.  With fries they are usually fine. White fish was fried in a tempura batter infused with herbs.  White fish had a mild flavor and was nice and moist.  Batter was crunchy. Onion rings were mostly crunchy except the batter was too thick so some parts of the batter were not transformed by the frying process into crunchy goodness.   I didn't like the flavor of the herbs in the batter which distracted from the fried onion flavor. Service from the guy in charge was friendly and efficient.  My combo was $12.99 which is a great deal.  I'd order the fish again but not the onion rings.  Doing further research I found they are also listed on Yelp as BFF Burgers, Fish and Fries.  So that's the story on my lunch adventure.

    I went here after work for a double cheeseburger. I had read the reviews, and they were very…read morepositive, so I took a chance--and I must say, I was very satisfied. Everything was fresh, and the service was fast and friendly. I definitely recommend this place if you're in the mood for a hamburger.

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    BFF Burgers Fish and Fries  - Better angle of the double cheeseburger and fries

    Better angle of the double cheeseburger and fries

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    4.6(219 reviews)
    1.4 mi
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    I wish I had taken a picture but we were half way through dinner and moaning with every bite. I've…read moredriven by this place 100 times (read great reviews on Yelp) and always thought about stopping but last night the line at Chef John's was out the door so we headed down to try this place... it was definitely a "God shot." We got the "kinfolk" family meal with brisket, coleslaw and cornbread. We eat BBQ all over the world and this place is one of the best on the planet if not the best!! The brisket was smoked to perfection and fork tender, the slaw was also amazing (we are slaw lovers), and the cornbread was warm and out of this world! I can't wait to go back and try all the other items they offer like the burnt ends, mac n cheese, greens... oh and they had some amazing looking desserts which we would have tried if we hadn't already placed an order for pick up at cold stone. Don't be dumb like I was try this place now!! Im gonna be a regular for sure!

    Checked out I Que BBQ and overall it was a solid experience. I went with the dry rub ribs and got…read morethe sauce on the side -- ribs were on point, super flavorful and cooked right. Honestly, I originally pulled up for the banana pudding and it did not disappoint. Definitely a highlight and worth getting if you go. Only downside for me was the sides. The potato salad just wasn't it -- potatoes were kinda undercooked and not really my style. All in all, good BBQ spot with some standout items, just might be a little selective with the sides next time.

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    Lemon Grove Bistro - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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