Does anyone remember the 1980's restaurant in SA, TX named Arthurs? There may have been a sister restaurant named Bijan' (San Antonio: tax lien)

[penelopepoo717]

Does anyone remember either of these 2 restaurants?

When did they close?

[need4speed2012]

If that Arthur's was on broadway it would have been around 87 through 92 due to federal tax liens and other judgments as well.

[Pamela Berg]

we just had a lively discussion about this restaurant and it's companion restaurant in the FB group Things I Remember In San Antonio and Others ... I had posted a question about an as unknown to the club hoppers of San Antonio yet that had a trio playing in the bar at the time, The Nobuko Trio. When I used to go there it was a peaceful little jewel; the customers waited to be seated and a few like me who came only to listen to the music, never more than 10-12 people in the bar at the time & I was always afforded one of the few table in the bar; most other people having to stand at the bar or nearby. At that time I could swear the restaurant was called Bijan's. I recall that as I remember I and others were not quite sure how to pronounce it. I frequented the bar until early 1982, as I became pregnant in February 1982. I know during the time I used to go there that it closed once for about 3 weeks due to financial difficulties. It was touted around that it was closed for renovations. I don't recall that it had changed it's name to Arthur's yet anytime that I was going there. I also used to enjoy dining at it's sister restaurant P.J. On the Riverwalk at N. St. Mary's and I believe Convent St. The group discussion didn't ever remember it being called Bijan's and said Arjan ran the restaurant and club and that Bijan's ran P.J.'s. I remember it as completely turned around. Why else would a restaurant be called Bijan's if it was run by Arjan? I had heard it closed again due to financial difficulties. I believe it must have been called Arthur's when it reopened, somewhere around 1982-3, and then it was run by Arjan. P.J.'s already very successful must have traded hands to Bijan's. Now Arthur's is no more; although P.J.'s still exists in some incarnation. I think it's called Arthur's Bistro. Lately they have partnered with a sub shop to provide quick luncheon fare. It's all run by Arjan.
They had also ran a bar named Ruffino's. I really don't know where it was (I surmise N. Broadway) & it was wildly successful according to the comments in the post. Apparently by then Bett Butler appeared at Arthur's during happy hour, before Nobuko came on, and then she entertained audiences at Ruffino's.
There was several comments that Arjan had a restaurant on N. Broadway near Loop 410, I surmise in one of the two towers there before Magic Time Machine.
These days Bijan's runs an oriental rug company in the heart of Alamo Heights in a prime Broadwat St. location, almost right across from Cappy Lawton's several restaurants there, including Avery's (for lunch or dinner - rather expensive) behind 2 other restaurants facing Broadway - one is an old fashioned luncheon diner & the other is a fairly new gourmet coffee shop (like Starbuck's), popular with the Alamo Heights morning crowd.
I hope I have answered your questions to the best of my abilities. You might want to visit the FB page I mentioned above. It's comprised of a fun group of people & you are welcome to join. There is another San Antonio FB group called You Know You're From San Antonio When. If you live outside San Antonio these 2 FB groups should keep you updated and entertained about happenings in San Antonio. I must tell you there is an archive of pictures and previous posts in the former group that you can access by typing the subject in the search bar at the top right hand side of your screen. You will probably see this only if you are on your computer. I know I can't access it from my phone; although I haven't really looked to see if it's there on my new iPad. If you find a post you really like, if you add your own comment to the post it becomes an active post once again. The administrators, Cheryl Pate Zack, Tom Nash and Dan Campbell prefer that members search the archives first if they can. That way everyone benefits from the knowledge of prior comments. This also cuts down on newbies to the group posting the same old discussions again and again, which causes us older members of the group to not want to repeat our prior comments in those posts. We get sick of it. That's why if you search a topic you might find quite a few posts on the topic. Look for the older posts. They are probably more informational, not to say that some of the newer posts surprise me sometimes, but not often.
I wish you good luck in your San Antonio searches and much reading pleasure.
Pam Berg
betenior123@gmail.com

[GWhopper]

Ah, Ruffino's. It wasn't a bar, it was an Italian restaurant. They had a bar in it and offered a late night menu. Make no mistake the service and food were outstanding for a San Antonio restaurant at the time. When Arjon closed it in the late 80's, he said San Antonio didn't know how to appreciate fine dinning then.

The original Ruffino's was at Wurzbach and I-10, by the Colonnade. The building is still there, it's some kind of Maternity place, now. The second Ruffino's was downstairs in River Center Mall. It later became a Tony Roma's. Not sure what is there right now.

POP QUIZ: Before Arjan's opened over there inside 410 near Broadway and Nacadoches, what was in that building and what were they semi-famous for?