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    Bistro 71

    4.4 (131 reviews)
    ModerateFrench, American, Soup
    Closed 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Bistro 71 Photos

    Business Info

    BISTRO 71 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Bistro 71

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    Bistro Shrimp
    Heather C.

    Very elegant and nice Not too formal but relaxing. Food was delicious! The service was excellent. The waiter was very attentive. Went in for appetizers with my daughter and was pleasantly surprised. The crab dip and the plump, seasoned shrimp delicious!! Very filling. The moscato wine was light and a good combination with the apps. I shall return.

    Pasta with grilled lobster dish.
    Nina W.

    My company office party had dinner here to celebrate Christmas and new years. Wait staff was attentive and friendly. We were spread out as we had a large group but overall nice time. Food was good and drinks well made. Food was fresh and tasy. Crab dip was good.Cheesecake for desert was heavenly. Overall good experience.

    Manhattan
    Jeff S.

    Dustin was fantastic as normal. He always goes above and beyond. The filet special was stellar tonight, and the carrots were amazing. Thanks for always making a great night!

    Trish C.

    Exceptional food, especially in a town with virtually no fine dining options aside from this gem. I had the pumpkin ravioli in brown butter sauce with pine nuts and grilled shrimp. It was lick the bowl delicious. The entree came with a house salad composed of spinach, spiced apples, feta, and pepitas in a light and smoky vinaigrette. Delicious. A tasty focaccia with house-made pumpkin herbed butter rounded out the meal.

    Gin Martini & Manhattan
    R W.

    We visited for a wedding so we're not locals. However the atmosphere was nice and inviting. I ordered a manhattan and my wife a gin martini. Both were a little lacking. Mine needed more vermouth and the martini was doused with lemon juice instead of dry with just a lemon twist. The duck was recommended so we got it. I'm a huge duck fan and have had it often here as well as overseas. This duck was overcooked and dry. Maybe it was a bad day, but it wasn't great. Overall a nice place.

    Steak Special

    Came for Valentine's day, and had an incredible time! The service was great, the food was hot and so so good!

    Duck breast with blueberry compote, garlic polenta, and bacon jam Brussels sprouts
    Amy S.

    Update: Bistro 71 is now my go-to for all special occasions: birthdays, anniversaries, dinners with out-of-town foodie friends, and just for the sake of it. Service is excellent, food is excellent, and you always feel special when you eat here.

    Wine
    Dave W.

    Love everything about Bistro 71. Food is outstanding and so is services. We drive 1 hour and 10 minutes each way because we love it that much. Highly recommended

    Prime beef shoulder.
    Karl B.

    My first trip back to my hometown in 15 months since COVID-19 and I was overjoyed to have lunch at Bistro 71. My wife had the prime beef shoulder and I had the toasted cheese with tomato bisque. Both were excellent. I substituted the house salad for the fries. The dishes were flavorful with the freshest ingredients. The parmesan crusting on the bread with the melted goat cheese and provolone inside is cheese paradise. The tomato bisque is stupendous, what a great combination. My wife's beef was tender and wonderfully complemented with the aioli. The server was attentive and informative. Bistro 71 is a great restaurant.

    Cesar salad

    This restaurant came highly recommended and didn't disappoint. The ambiance is quaint. They'd do well to upgrade their chairs to accentuate the upscale feel of the rest of the interior. The food was very good. We had the crab dip which was flavorful and creamy. It was seasoned very well but wasn't overpowering. Enjoy tasing the crab. The scallops were also cooked to perfection. They were paired with potato's which were an also seasoned (but not spicy). I had the sablefish which was mild but seared with a tangy risotto and carrots. I also had the side salad with the most delicious vinaigrette and cheese. I think I could go back just for the salad. They make a great lemon drop martini. It was just sweet enough and smooth. I compared Bistro 71 with The Tasting Room in Frederick. They are very similar. However, the food is better at Bistro 71 and the portions more generous and less expensive. So I really felt we got our money's worth. So I highly recommend Bistro 71.

    Lamb lollipops

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    14 years ago

    We enjoyed a wonderful dinner. Every entre was terrific. The owners are very friendly. The atmosphere is "happening".

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

    I've been once a year for the past three years, and each time I get the Filet Mignon which is outstanding. Also great desserts and Martinis.

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    14 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    Page 4 of 4

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    Mise En Place

    Mise En Place

    4.7
    (19 reviews)
    61.7 mi

    I happened by this spot on a business trip to Cumberland, and Mise En Place did not disappoint. It…read moreappears that the owners are keeping with the European traditions of relaxed atmosphere and easy pace. The night that I stopped in there were three other couples dining, which I understand were all regulars because of the great food. I can't disagree with them. I had French onion soup that had the perfect balance of flavor and texture. I decided in the vegetable lasagna. Delicious indeed. I enjoyed my meal while I engaged in a super awkward conversation with a curious couple trying to figure out why I was visiting Cumberland

    Definitely an experience I'd come back to for special events and showing off to out-of-towners…read more Definitely pricier but justifiably so -- chef has culinary chops, packing and pairing complex flavors within a dish. Got duck and filet and both were cooked as requested and to perfection with a delicious char, a juicy center, and perfect salt and seasoning. Sides were packed with flavor as well. Ordered a cheese board appetizer as well and they reopened my eyes to blue cheese, peppers, espresso beans, and olives. Very intimate setting, maybe 8 tables max with one server (maybe two and I missed) but I'd plan at least a couple hours for your dining experience, especially if you plan to get appetizers or dessert. Tips: Gotta check out their FB page for the weekly hours and menu as they close some weekends for catering. BYOB, no corking fee! No need to bring corkscrew, they cork it free of charge.

    Photos
    Mise En Place
    Mise En Place
    Mise En Place

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    Oeuf Bouef et Bacon

    Oeuf Bouef et Bacon

    3.5
    (49 reviews)
    60.2 mi

    Service is great, with an attentive waitress. However, this is the only real highlight. And that's…read morenot saying much since I visited when students were away for the summer. The theme is fun, but strained. They have Paris-style love locks, American music with French lyrics, little french flags, and wall hangings in French. I even spotted a print that was also used by HiWay Pizza. It does seem a bit forced since they didn't update the seating after taking over from Baby's. As such, those old booths with duct-tape repaired cushions are still there. They really need to strip out the old seating and do an update. All they did was add some blue paint to the existing red and white theme in terms of actual renovation. The rest are just different decorations. And if that wasn't awkward enough, they have number locks on the bathroom doors. This isn't a city with a vagrant problem, it's Happy Valley. Oeuf Bouef et Bacon seems to be just a restaurant owner flip instead of a genuine renovation. Food is somewhat decent, but nothing special. Their waffle is good. It's not much of a French item, so I opted for butter and syrup instead of the jam. They give you one packet of syrup and two packs of butter, which is not enough. But packets? Really? I guess the one thing they inherited from Baby's is the diner mentality? Side of bacon was good, but they only give you two strips. I also tried the lemon glaze crullers, which left me really disappointed. They had that bad fried taste; perhaps their oil was not hot enough and/or hasn't been changed in a while? The cruller batter wasn't even good anyways, since it lacked that light & fluffy consistency. No cruller egg taste either. These might as well just be sold as fried dough. Yuck. I really wanted this place to have better food. I would have wanted to try more on their menu, including coeur de palmier (typoed as couer on the menu), croissants, and their french onion soup. But my first experience will probably be my last. I'd much rather enjoy a breakfast at the Waffle Shop (that's getting more and more expensive), than to eat here again. Ultimately I think the most painful nail in the coffin of this restaurant is its menu. It lacks innovation. I enjoyed my trip to France years ago, especially the small towns and country side since Paris is too much of a tourist trap. And I really miss the food. I'm no expert on the French cuisine, but I did get to try it for a couple weeks. So I was a little perplexed by the odd French menu choices mixed in with regular American items. For example, a typical French breakfast is rather light: croissant or pain au chocolat with tea or a cafe au lait. French toast isn't really "French". As for their lunch options, they don't reflect a typical French lunch. If it was more authentic, we'd see a multi-course meal instead of single entrees. I'm not expecting Michelin star restaurants in State College, but if a joint advertises itself as French, I'd expect it to give us a little taste of traditional French cuisine. But nah, this is some sort of weird fusion without saying it's fusion. If you can find a favorite here, then at least their prices are good. For me, I doubt I'd be bringing anyone else here.

    The formers Baby's (we haven't been to state college in a while) has transformed to a French…read moreversion of Baby's. Still diner-esque . We loved the sweet bread basket for the table. The burger was delicious and the croque mosieuer was also very good. We had our two younger kids split an egg plate and it was so nice that they plated everything separately for us already. I got the the fondue. It's fun bc it comes with a candle but it's really just cheese and bread. It was good but I could would have preferred some meat. Our server was so sweet and did a great job.

    Photos
    BEEF BOURGUIGNON 18 slow simmered beef stewed in red wine with carrots, potatoes, pearl onions. served on mashed or baguette
    BEEF BOURGUIGNON 18 slow simmered beef stewed in red wine with carrots, potatoes, pearl onions. served on mashed or baguette
    Pecan sticky bun
    Pecan sticky bun
    Menu

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    Menu
    L'Auberge Chez Francois

    L'Auberge Chez Francois

    4.4
    (831 reviews)
    65.6 mi
    $$$$

    Exquisite food and presentation, top notch service, and comfortable ambiance meeting the high…read morestandard of experienced expected - blah, blah, blah blah.......nothing new to add that others have already described. It has a well-deserved top notch reputation. Given the restaurant likely seeks opportunities for improvement, the following details are offered..... 1) Hard seats, though padded, became uncomfortable over time. By the end of our two - hour seating, we were more than eager to get up and go. An unnecessary distraction. We'll bring our own set cushion next time. 2) Water glasses smelled off. It's not the water as the odor remained in glasses used for bottled water. Based on experience, we guessed a dirty dishwasher was to blame. 3) A pesky fly was with us the entire meal. Perhaps it was more than one fly, yet it was surprising for indoor seating. A minor distraction, but surprising. We'll be back.

    I won't tell you how many decades we have enjoyed eating at Chez Francois…read more It is delicious and elegant a meal as you will enjoy in Norther Virginia. The Brasserie, though less formal, is equally as fine and equally as tasty. Plus, you have the option of sitting outside either on the patio or in the inside/outside covered area.  Wherever you sit, you will be happy and very well fed.  The evening we dined, we tried to hold back from eating too much of the super yummy garlic toast and cottage cheese that is always brought to the table at the start of your meal.  It is super good and so tempting to keep on munching but there is so much other good food on the way.  The Caesar salad is crisp and the portion is big enough to share if you are guarding room for the amazing grand marnier souffle which you order at the start of you repas to savor at the end.  My favorite entrée is always the bouillabaisse.  The broth is so amazing and it is filled with seafood. Another favorite is the duck (confit de canard) that is a special on Sunday. Again, save some space for the souffle which is served tableside and worth every calorie.

    Photos
    Outdoor seating at the entrance of Jacques Brasserie
    Outdoor seating at the entrance of Jacques Brasserie
    Classic Beef Bourguignon
    Classic Beef Bourguignon
    Interior

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    Interior

    Bistro 71 - french - Updated July 2026

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