Banyan Bar + Refuge

The place has good aesthetics and the staff was attentive, but the food was disappointing for the exorbitant price. There are also not as many filling vegetarian options to choose from. They also made us sit near already occupied tables when the other half of the restaurant was empty, not sure why.

About a month ago, I went to Banyan and got a call from the manager 10 minutes after leaving. He said the server ran the wrong card for my table, but “don’t worry, we already fixed it.” I asked what the solution was and he said he already ran my card again for the new total, which was about $50 more than what I signed for. He played it off that he was just doing me a favor by calling so I wasn’t confused when I saw my credit card statement. To my knowledge, a restaurant cannot change the total after you sign the check. It’s a shame because my boyfriend loves this place and I did my last birthday dinner there, but this was a very startling experience and I don’t plan to go back.

Fried chicken bao buns, lobster rangoon, and painkiller drink shown in the pictures. The painkiller was one of the best drinks I've ever had with spiced rum. I chose banyan bar for dinner before a show at BCA next door. The happy hour dumplings and spring rolls were delicious. We ordered a ton of food for 2 people but we were happy that we did. In addition to the food above, we also got the pork belly scallion pancake and smashed cucumbers. We didn't have room for dessert but I definitely would come back here if we are in the area again.

Good food and great service

I unfortunately couldn't eat much, but, the rest of my family enjoyed their meal.

Such a great dinner spot. Excellent service, food, and the atmosphere is very relaxing. Highly recommend.

I was so impressed with both the food, drinks, and service. We sat at the bar and all 3 bartenders were super attentive and one made us a drink off the menu and it was top 3 cocktail I’ve ever had in my life!!!!! Do not miss out on the cucumbers or crispy rice. We also love the short rib dish and Dan Dan noodles. We have been here a few times but it honestly keeps getting better and better. They seem to change their menu up which really keeps things intriguing. HIGHLY recommend this place for a good south end vibey night!!!