The food! The portions! The food! We took a road trip to Bloomington last weekend and found a great little restaurant. One companion called his French dip the best he'd ever had. Another liked her muffaletta, but wished she'd ordered more than a cold sandwich - as tall and as full as it was. My partner and I shared the meatball grinder appetizer. Best meatball I've ever had. There were three meatballs (each one looked as big as a tennis ball!) with little garlic crostinis circling them on the plate. We each ate one and took the other home, which he happily ate the next day. Delicious! Our hostess/server Lanie was the hardest working server I've ever seen, and always with a smile that carried to her voice and eyes. Although we went there to check out mosaic supplies in an art store, I'd easily go back here just for the food! Inside, the restaurant was Diner-noisy. Outside in the pavilion, it was very pleasant. read more

OK, for starters it's too loud. The music is too loud which causes conversations to be too loud to compete. We went on Valentine's Day and there was probably 1 server for each table, so they added to the noise as well. And the esthetics of the dining area left a lot to be desired with what should be behind a wall is instead in the dining area and not covered. So onto the food. While good, $19+ for a sandwich and kettle chips is pretty steep no matter how you cut it. Speaking of cutting it, I ordered the Spicy Arriabiata which was slic3d so awkwardly it was almost impossible to eat as a sandwich. Instead of being cute, try slicing it in half so it can be eaten next time. Overall the food was actually good, service was good and properly attentive. Will I go back? Probably not. Kind of feels like a been there, done that type of experience. Dinner for 2 with a cocktail and wine and 2 sandwiches cost $85. Probably cancel spend that elsewhere and get a better dinner. read more

It was fairly busy for a weekday dinner a few weeks ago! The wedge salad had a nice crunch and an amazing dressing. It was a very large head of lettuce, and I do wish there was more bacon to justify the cost... Everyone was happy with their meals and the waitress was very pleasant. read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Wedge Salad - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Kinda, sort of, out of the way on the south side of Bloomington, but worth the trip. Small café style restaurant with excellent service and great ambience. Half-price oysters on Sunday and an interesting sandwich selection. Full bar, too. Kids welcomed. Plenty of parking. Moderately priced. Pizza's looked interesting and will try on our next trip. read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

We went for lunch today when they first opened. There were a couple of other 2-tops like us and 2 servers. I was happy to see other groups there; I love it when a place I love does well! That said, the service was very slow; it took 15 minutes to get my drink, and even longer to get our lunch. My grilled cheese wasn't grilled today and it didn't taste as good as the other times I've had it. I wonder if it's because they didn't have enough staff to cover the number of customers... Also, the servers are clearly college students who are nice but not very invested in creating an experience -- which doesn't really match with the experience of this beautiful place! I know Half Bottle Bistro is new but I'd love to see some $12-$15 lunch or brunch options or specials. $20 for a grilled cheese sandwich is a lot for this area. And, since I love this new restaurant, I want to see it succeed! read more

Great place for lunch. Ambiance is nice. Light and bright, not too noisy. Food was good. Matt was the best! He deserves 5+ stars. He was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. Very knowledgeable about the menu and helpful with ordering. He made our lunch fabulous!!! read more

Everything is wonderful! The weekly choose 2 is a great deal. Plenty to eat, great choices!

Great food and service. Great cocktails. Only very small quibble is the lighting is very bright.

Alyssa is the best!! She's always taking great care of everyone at the bar! Everyone is so friendly every time I come, and I love the vibes in the place. Great to visit for a lunch or a fun drink read more

Service and ambiance are both amazing! Food is terrific! They had a lunch "pizza" available for dinner and we tried it. Larger than expected! Also had a limoncello spritz! Very generous pour! read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Limoncello spritz - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I highly recommend their French Dip Sandwich. It is spicy, with the house made Horseradish Mustard. The Baguette is crispy and tender. Large amount of delicious beef. It's a bit expensive, but it is crave worthy. Got so excited to eat it I forgot to take a picture!! Note: it does not come with a side, so order the chips on the side!! Love this place!! read more

So I finally hopped on the bandwagon and checked them out. Went for lunch with some friends. I had the French dip sandwich with the lobster bisque... they were both simply delicious. Topped it off with the most yum crème brûlée this place is super lovely. Plenty of seating, lots of windows making it super bright. Modern clean aesthetic. The waitress was attentive and offered menu suggestions. I will definitely be back! They have a lovely patio seating area that I can't wait to try in the summer! I didn't take pictures of my food because everything looked so good that I immediately dove in! read more

Last Saturday (9/1/2024), my family visited Half Bottle Bistro, and we were absolutely blown away. The service was impeccable-- the staff treated us like long-time friends, making us feel right at home as if we were regulars. Our kids were treated with genuine respect and comfort, which made the experience even better. The restaurant's layout and decor were truly unique--bright, airy, and refreshing with beautiful finishes, without feeling pretentious. It's unlike anything we've seen in the midwest. They even had the IU football game on both TVs, with sound (but not overpowering), which was awesome! While the atmosphere and service were top-notch, the food and drinks were the real stars of the evening. We started with the Oysters Rockefeller, Roasted Corn Queso, Meatballs, and Shrimp Cocktail (not pictured) appetizers, and all I can say is WOW! Each dish was incredible. My wife and I shared the Beef Manhattan entree, and our only regret was not having more room to try even more dishes! We did save room for dessert and I am glad we did! We had the Vanilla Creme Brûlée and the Flourless Chocolate Cake (no pictures of dessert, we were too excited and ate them right away) and as with everything else we tried, they were delicious. This place exceeded our expectations in every category, and I can't wait to go back. Ask for Jonathan or Rachel. They love to chat about their restaurant, why they made the choices they did on the menu, and have a real pride in every aspect of it. Five stars all the way! read more

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So excited to check this new restaurant out! We stopped by for drinks and an appetizer on the patio. We ordered the meatballs (should have added the burrata) and they were delicious - tasted/texture-wise more like meatloaf but the still so good! We had speciality cocktails (not on the menu yet) - the Aperol Spritz and Tiki Old Fashioned - seemed to be very popular! I can't wait to go back and check out more menu items for dinner. Perfect place for a girls night or date night, the aesthetic is EVERYTHING and service was superb. Very modern, clean, Cottage Chic vibes - definitely check it out! read more

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A great find! Beautiful restaurant, menu is great! Staff was helpful & friendly. We were just passing through and hopefully will be able to stop here again! read more

I got a little lost in the parking lot trying to figure out exactly where it was in a big beautiful stone building. I did wander into Verona coffee than past a beautiful fountain. upon entering, I immediately noticed how bright and welcoming it was. It had a Mediterranean southern California vibe. The owner/bartender was friendly and offered me a variety of fun beverages. I settled on a Aperol spritz. We talked about my eating options as I was a pescatarian and he was very flexible with offering tofu and other alternatives. The Chef put together a tofu, BLTA or TLTA. I also got a variety of fresh veggies with the homemade hummus dipping sauce. Chef Abel came out to check on me once I had the food to make sure it was to my liking. Can't wait to come back and bring my husband for the oysters, which I was told, they fly in fresh. I also know they have a very affordable happy hour starting at 2 PM with five dollar cocktails. Plenty of parking! read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Chef Abel& his creation - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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I've been here twice, both times it was decent. The menu is kind of limited, sandwiches and a few pizzas. Sandwiches are maybe a little pricey (around $20 each) and come with chips as a default unless you upgrade for $5. But it has a nice ambiance and is close by to my parents house which is a plus. read more

Delicious and nutritious. Much needed after a long day of IU classes- happy summer everyone! read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Aperol Spritz - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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We live across the street from Half Bottle Bistro, and were so excited to see a restaurant/bar go in walking distance from home! We have only one complaint, and I think it would make all the difference in the world. It's an adorable place, but when we go for dinner and drinks at the end of a long work day, we'd love to have dimmer lighting to offer more ambience! They have the prettiest lights hanging, but if they would turn the ceiling lights down or off after 6pm, it would be the perfect place! Please consider it! It's too bright in the evening! More ambience please! read more

Me and my friends went there earlier this week. We ordered appetizers, food, and drinks and we were finishing up after eating our food for 15 minutes after they closed and they came over and told us to they had to put our chairs up and that we had to leave. So we walked out and waited for our uber and they locked the door and closed up right as we were outside standing in the cold. It was rude and nothing I've seen in any service before. read more

Great new spot, lovely vibe with good coffee. Got wedge salad and avocado toast which were excellent. Charcuterie board was great too. Lots of space out front for little kids to roam too. read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Wedge salad and avocado toast - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

We had cocktails that were superb. My wife had an Aperol Spritz and I had a Paper Plane. We had Oysters Rockefeller for an appetizer, a Caesar Salad and split the Beef Manhattan. They were expertly presented and professionally seasoned and cooked to perfection! We will use this restaurant as a benchmark for all future restaurant experiences! The ambiance was light and inviting unlike other restaurants that are dark and rather drab. Service was excellent and the owners were on site and friendly! They said that they will be expanding their menu as they ramp up in the coming weeks. We will definitely be back. read more

I have driven past the bistro so many times and finally stopped in this afternoon. I am so glad that I did! The staff is very friendly and welcoming. The drinks and food ( strawberry lemon drop and Caesar salad) were delicious. I will definitely be back! read more

We found this place for Valentine's Day dinner because we failed to make reservations anywhere else. It was no mistake!! We were so pleasantly surprised by everything! The service was phenomenal, the atmosphere was great and the food was some of the best we'd ever had! The owner even brought over his new dessert for us to try! You definitely need to give it a try! read more

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My friends and I were really excited to try Half Bottle Bistro, but the service was exceptionally slow -- we thought they had forgotten our order! The sandwiches weren't great, especially for the amount of time we waited. Expensive and not worth the wait at all. The place itself was clean though. read more

A great bistro with delicious cuisine, friendly staff, and well-crafted cocktails. Highly recommended.

The service was great, along with the food. We were brought over a dessert waffle on the house which was amazing! Will be going back!

Very good service, all of the servers were helpful, personable, and friendly, 10/10 service. The food however, while good, lacks some of the diversity you might be looking for when you are choosing a restaurant, the food they have is excellent however please note that they only have sandwiches, dessert and a beef stew. ambiance is also not very diverse, very nice outside seating however the closest you can get to indoor dining is a roofed patio. overall pretty decent depending on what you like. read more

Outside seating was really relaxing. The meat ball appetizer was hands down one of the best apps I've gotten in a while, enough to share with 2-4 people. My wife and I ordered the Caesar salad with grilled chicken and chicken caprese sandwich......they were both unreal, definitely taste the authenticity and the time that went into preparing everything. read more

Half Bottle Bistro - Appetizers: Charcuterie board and Meatballs - Salad Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

This is my new favorite place in Bloomington! The atmosphere inside is upscale coastal, so light filled, airy and lovely. Outdoor seating is plentiful and shaded or not- lots of options! Cocktails are well done and beer/wine options are high quality and diverse. I can't bring myself to order anything different from what I've loved the first two times (charcuterie tray with Smoking goose meat and incredible grilled cheese in fig jam), but I'm sure the rest of the items are just as good! The chef is excellent. Servers are attentive and very friendly. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Service was great, the food was excellent, I would recommend the outside dining, but they have both. Fun time I would recommend it to everyone. read more

Food was great. Service also fantastic. Had a big group and it was a perfect meal for everyone!