We were visiting family in the Valley for Christmas and wanted to have a date night. The Sidebar completely exceeded our expectations. The space is such a vibe, with really cool nods to the building's history (old newspaper printing press details and framed original prints). We had the lamb, filet mignon, and espresso martinis. Everything was excellent. The espresso martinis were a highlight (those are so easy to mess up and these were perfect). The meats were cooked exactly right. Our server, Cassandra, was amazing. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and shared some great history about the building. I have Celiac disease, so I have to eat gluten free. Both Cassandra and the chef double-checked ingredients for the dishes I was considering, which I really appreciated. Absolutely worth a visit. We'll be back next time we're in town. read more

The old classical law firm ambiance put us in a very relaxed mood. Good attention to detail. Service was excellent thanks to our waiter extraordinaire Mr Silver. Food was outstanding. Music was okay. Will go back.! read more

Sidebar - Chicken airplane in a purée of sweet potato. - Speakeasies Near Me - Edinburg, Texas

Superb! Visited a few months back with some friends. The food was on point, the service was impeccable, and the ambiance was just divine. read more

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Excellent food. Superb ambience. One of the kind service. The waitress was very friendly and ready to serve and be as helpful as possible. read more

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Wow! Wow! Wow! No other place in the valley like the Sidebar! Elegant, stylish, romantic, vibrant!!! I challenge you to find an atmosphere like Sidebar.... Can't do it!!! Feels and looks like a hip, speak-easy you would only find in a metroplex. The atmosphere and vibe quality of service/servers are with exquisite!! Unequalled in the RGV. Our reservation time overlapped the live sax music and was followed by live vocalist!! They were both so subtle and were a complete complement to our experience and the vibe of the establishment!!! ENCORE Treated dear friends to the Sidebar experience and had a assortment of dishes: stuffed orange roughie, Ricotta stuffed ravioli w/shrimp, Marlot filet, Parmesan crusted pork - all delicious and unique in their own way. Appetizers were: empanadas, mozzarella wheels. End the evening with deserts: crème brule and a memorable "abuela" cake. Was greeted by the owner and shared his passion and standards of the Sidebar. Such a gentleman who cuts no corners and desperately wants to provide a unique experience the makes one say " there are only places like this in movies and big towns"!! Goal achieved Mr. P :). Until next special occasion. read more

Sidebar - Our seating area - Speakeasies Near Me - Edinburg, Texas

It's a true find in the Valley, once you step inside you are instantly transported to another time and another place, everything about the ambiance is intimate, and relaxing. The soft jazz music plays throughout the restaurant and bar, which also adds another level of intimacy. The service was exceptional, always taking care of us without feeling observed or pressured. Our server walked us through the menu, taking it slow, which was really appreciated. The food did not disappoint, it was absolutely delicious, we had the Puerto Rican empanadas to start, everyone loved them, I had the fillet mignon and it was a super tender and tasty meat. Everyone loved their dishes. We tried 3 desserts, my personal favorite was the passion fruit mousse, but the Abuela's bundt cake and the chocolate tres leches were not far behind. Amazing place, will be definitely be going back. read more

Great food, excellent service, good prices and good vibes. Highly recommend for date night or a special occasion read more

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An Unforgettable 60th Birthday at the Best Restaurant in the RGV Last night, I celebrated my 60th birthday at Sidebar in Edinburg--and I can say without hesitation that it was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. From the moment we walked in, everything was a perfect--the ambiance, the cocktails, the food, the service. Sidebar isn't just a great restaurant for the Rio Grande Valley--it easily competes with top-tier establishments anywhere. I felt like I was at an amazing place in NYC. We started with the tuna tartar tower and the filet mignon plantain cups--both were beautifully presented and packed with flavor. For my entrée, I went with the lamb chop lollipops over risotto--cooked to perfection and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth good. I finished the night with a classic crème brûlée that was as good as any I've had in New York or Vegas. To drink? A couple of Kettle One filthy martinis with blue cheese-stuffed olives for me--exactly how I like them. Strong, cold, and dangerously smooth. Our server, Robert, was top-notch--attentive (maybe even a bit too attentive at times!), but truly professional and kind throughout. The music was perfect. Not too loud, and perfectly matched the atmosphere. And as we were leaving, one of the owners took time to chat with us about the restaurant's story and some of the events they host. It wasn't just a handshake and a thank-you--he made us feel like our presence genuinely mattered and was appreciated. This place is something special. You can tell the staff and ownership take deep pride in what they're doing, and it shows in every detail. If you're looking for an elevated dining experience in the RGV--Sidebar is it. Hands down the best meal I've had in the area, and one I'll be thinking about for a long time. I'll absolutely be back, and I'll be bringing friends. Five stars isn't enough. read more

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Arrived for a birthday dinner and found ourselves on Cloud Wine! Gratitude and appreciation for our server Robert, for ensuring that our table recieved excellent and efficient service with a combination of quality and comfort. The service was absolutely remarkable in equality with the delicious appetizers, entrees, desserts, and beverages. I used to be a server for four years in San Marcos, Tx, and I have visited so many restaurants around Texas. The Sidebar is by far the best location if you are looking for taste of comfort and luxury. We be back for more coconut creme brulee, Sinatra melodies and the unique experience! read more

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Yes. We were surprised on how good it was. We had stopped going due to quality of food. This time everything was delicious! We will be back. read more

This is the best of McAllen. It makes living in McAllen so much more tolerable. The decor is amazing. I love it. It's like Martha Stewart was involved but did it on acid...in a good way though. The service was exceptional, look for Jessica, she is great, to the point and has ghost stories if you want to hear them. She deserves a raise if I might say so. read more

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I visited upon recommendations and at the invitation of my children, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. We enjoyed a very pleasant atmosphere, outstanding service, delicious food, and a fine selection of drinks. Congratulations, Robert--it was a pleasure meeting you. read more

This is my second time here. The first time I came everything was perfect. This time we went July 5, 2025, the one factor the made this a negative experience was the waitress Melissa. She' should not work in the service industry. No smile, from the moment we got there we felt like an inconvenience to her. I will not come back to a place that makes customers feel this way. The food was delicious the place was beautiful. But when you have a terrible waiter that makes it a bad experience. read more

Great and well informed staff, food was delicious, the drinks were great too! The building is beautiful and smells amazing inside. read more

Sidebar - Speakeasies Near Me - Edinburg, Texas

Alright. I have eaten a lot of fine dining and even a few Michelin star restaurants, all around the world. I kept an open mind when coming here. And the ambiance definitely took me to some other favorite spots and speakeasies I've frequented in another time of my life. The service was good but my demands were nil- very simple. I chose to try this veg pasta - the pearl and grab a drink- Mary something This food really truly is a solid 3. Extremely average. Nothing extraordinary. Definitely edible. Reminded me of a good home cook's meal. The presentation was okay. The noodle quality and cook time was good. The sauce was okay. The vegetables were okay. The portabello mushroom topping was a little burnt but the concept was there. I think this could have been a 4 star dish with some tweaks. Salt predominated in the sauce. There were occasional hints of herbs like rosemary and oregano but it seemed like dried herb rather than fresh. For the price and ambiance I expect at least a fresh herb. The sauce was quite buttery which was fine but it lacked that elevated flavor and feeling. Usually veggie dishes and pastas are second tier for many chefs so I get it. But that's why I use them as a good judge for a restaurant. The Mary drink was also a 3. Once again elevated flavor complexity and flavor development was not there. It was a fruity type drink but it reminded me of a pre mixed cocktail type or like a college era jungle juice that happens to be pretty good. It had a very distinct saccharine sweetness and it left this cotton candy sugary vibe all around the mouth. But once again, definitely drinkable and bearable. Just not 4-5 star quality. Anyway I don't write this review to disparage the joint at all actually. But just to inform people that this is more for the speakeasy experience. I think the food may be hit or miss so I would come for the vibes and just expect a good edible meal but the food and drink itself is not fine dining. Yet, a LOT of respect to the owners and staff because it is something special in McAllen and probably a great memorable location for special events just because u feel like u are in another city or state for just a few moments thanks to the ambiance. read more

Sidebar - The pearl veg pasta. Yup that's a pic exactly how it was presented to me haha. No bites taken yet. - Speakeasies Near Me - Edinburg, Texas

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Food was amazing! Had all the courses, excellent! Perfectly cooked. If you go, request Gabriel as your waiter..and talk to him! He's well travelled and has a story to tell! If there was a downside it would be that they are trying to create an atmosphere of exclusivity or a level of elegance that McAllen just isn't at yet. When we walked in it really felt like they weren't sure what to do with us and maybe disapproved a little of what we were wearing and told me we needed to wait 10-15 minutes for a reserved table in a nearly empty restaurant. A million dollars doesn't always show up in an Armani suit, especially in Texas, sometimes it shows up in a pick up truck and a pearl snap shirt. At the end of the day you sell $12 cocktails and $50 filet's. You're not selling steaks in LA, or Chicago, or NY..maybe recognize that your clientele may show up with vastly different expectations of service...all that said..five star food and again, Gabriel! read more

Beautiful renovation of Edinburg's The Daily Review! In fact, they still have an metal printer and some printing blocks at the front when you enter. Also are two copies of old reprints for us history buffs. Sidebar is a new location for lawyers to come and rent or use the lovely furnished rooms set aside just for them. Much of the furniture is antique and a lot was purchase from the old Joe Brand. Conference room to offices are set up ready to go! If you walk past the glass areas in the long hallway decorated with large prints of old town Edinburg, you will reach to your left, a floating stair well that leads to a comfortable loft with leather seating and more. To your right you'll see the ornate RED ROOM with an 1800's piano and a large, also antique light! Both beautiful with dark woods and oils of women by an Argentinian artists. I was lucky enough to have the architect show me around the bar area while the owner personally walked some through the rest. Lush! A gorgeous bar and seating to enjoy a drink or two while listening to some jazz. Red velvet seating for your group! They even have a room for special events towards the back. Luxurious! You know that I'll be coming back soon! read more

Visiting from San Antonio this is one of the few places I've found that has craft cocktails that are really good. I very much recommend!

I travel to Texas all the time for work. I'm in San Antonio the most, but I'm also in Austin, DFW, and Houston a fair amount. This is hands down my favorite dining experience since I began coming to Texas two years ago. Best atmosphere, most amazing building/decor/history, excellent food, and phenomenal service. Cassandra was my server and she was impeccably polite and professional. She also recommended an amazing meal and introduced me to my new favorite gin (Monkey 47). The manager (Ruben, I believe) personally walked me to my table, introduced the restaurant, and checked in with me after the meal. Anyway, I hope to be in Edinburg again soon to visit a second time. I've never left a restaurant inspired enough to write a review the same evening. I hope y'all get to check it out when you're in town. In the meantime, keep it real. read more

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Second time eating here. The food was excellent and the service was very good. The atmosphere is subdued with an elegance suitable for a first date or anniversary. In our case it was a birthday. Management was attentive and made sure we were having an enjoyable evening. read more

We come here often to celebrate special occasions and every single time we have been incredibly impressed by Gabriel and Marianna (forgive me if I get your name wrong). This most recent time we've had Marcos serving us and it was extremely disappointing. He's very short-tempered and has no real sense of hospitality. He overcharged us too many times on a few wonderful cocktails we had. The food is always great. The ambiance is just incredible, the service is normally phenomenal but Marcos really drops the ball. I expected more. It was my mothers birthday today and he ruined it. Our dessert was comped and they did their best to ensure we had a great time regardless of such lack luster service from Marcos. I recommend this place to anyone. Tip: When making a reservation you can request a waiter. Shoot for Gabriel he's incredible. read more

I would like to commend the management for promptly responding to our post and make things right. Would definitely give it a second try and the management acted promptly and with integrity to rectify our complaint. read more

Sidebar - The Steak Diane was not cooked as requested and the spinach was cold. - Speakeasies Near Me - Edinburg, Texas

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What more can I say about this place other than the food, the service, and ambience are all amazing. My wife and I finally got a chance to make it out here and it did not disappoint. I have to admit, even the price was very reasonable. We will definitely be back for our next date night. Oh yes, the music is also great!! That is definitely a last but not least comment. read more

I loved the whole experience. Must go! Deutch room is amazing a must go to for any lovers who are wanting to impress. This is the place to go read more

It's my first time at this location but I would say the food and services are fantastic. The place is a museum where you can review the history of a newspaper at South Texas. The live music, food, staff, drinks, etc makes this place unique. read more

What an elevated speakeasy experience for the Valley. Thanks to Yelp, this discovery would otherwise go unknown! I was graciously greeted by Bertha, the owner's mom who generously gave me a tour as well as shared history behind some of the gorgeous, inspired and curated pieces from different places. She took the time and introduced me to the bartender and some of the waitstaff. The manager, Ruben came to introduce himself to me after my dinner so we could discuss the possibility of holding speaker dinners there. The rooms they have designed for meetings have been thoughtfully put together as far as being technologically equipped, yet designed and artfully decorated to stay within the time period of the building. Even the food here was delicious and tasteful. Dining and meetings here is more than just a place to eat, it's truly a pleasant experience. read more

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This place is a true gem. From their service to the food and ambiance, no restaurant in the valley can come close to comparing to Sidebar.

Great ambiance for a Thursday night. Live music. The drinks were pretty tasty. Request for Brandon as your bartender, nobody can make a carajillo or any other drink like him. I ordered the filet mignon. Super tasty. My partner ordered the lamb chops and enjoyed it. We ordered the tuna tartare as an appetizer. It was alright. I'd choose a different appetizer next time. Didn't take pics of the food, but if you're looking for a date night or a special place for dinner, sidebar was definitely impressive. Lamb ChopsFilet read more

I had been hearing if this place through friends and finally decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did, the food was beyond delicious! Me and my so tried out their course menu and it just kept getting better and better, i love each food item I got. The food was flavorful and the presentation was beautiful. The customer service was also on point, our service was very patient with us...as it was our first time here. They even offer live music a few days a week, we will definitely be returning! read more

It's like stepping into a different world, the decor was so mesmerizing. The food was delicious

Bad customer service. Gave it another chance. Nope. The End. Sad that they still haven't changed.

The food and atmosphere is so nice and welcoming. I enjoyed every drink that I had purchased, and all the food and dessert were amazing.

All I can say is Sidebar most definitely earned their five stars. We took the management and owner up on trying the food, once more. The atmosphere is incredible and the service is second to none and the food was delectable. We shall most definitely be back again. Tonight we enjoyed the Red Room for our date night. We'll be back again. read more

Sidebar - Speakeasies Near Me - Edinburg, Texas

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Love the place, setting, live music, food and service. This is a place I recommend to wine and dine the love or your post future partner in life. read more

I mistakenly called our AWESOME server Gabriel , Miguel in my earlier review ... Gabriel made our experience exceptional! Thanks Gabriel! read more

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Love this place! It's always an enjoyable romantic evening with my wife when we go. The ambiance is 5* and the food is delicious. I highly recommend a visit. You'll be coming back more than once after that. read more

Regarding Robert's comment below, if the restaurant is booked for seasonal parties and why not just focus on them instead of opening to the public? In essence, you are saying you're open for business as a restaurant but you're limiting it to cocktails so essentially you're wasting peoples time who walk in like myself who are expecting to get serve food. There's no way to justify this disorganization as regarding the concierge phone number, no, thanks I actually feel like talking to a real person and not some automated system which, by the way, you're literally the only restaurant that uses this type of system which is annoying bottom line, do better, because right now, I definitely will not go back and not recommend your restaurant to anyone else. read more

Beautiful place. It's like somewhere in a big city. A bit expensive but I great place to splurge for a relaxing night with live piano music.

This restaurant is breathtaking. The staff was friendly, prompt, and professional. The food was delicious and the ambiance outstanding. We enjoyed our 4 course meal from beginning to end. The cocktails are delicious and all very classic. My girlfriend and I loved every second of our experiencIf you are seeking a romantic evening with your SO or just a place to relax, this place is for you. There were so many wow factors I don't know where to begin. It's a must see for yourself type of thing. read more

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We decided to take my daughter for her 21st birthday to this restaurant. The ambiance was amazing. This is a place to celebrate a birthday, dinner date, something intimate. The server was very friendly and welcoming. He gave us some background information of what the restaurant was prior. The food was delicious however a tad pricey. They need more of a selection as well. Also, just an FYI, if you bring a cake, there is a $20 charge for bringing an outside item. read more