Rancho Santa Fe Bistro is very cute. Like storybook cottage, European bistro, think Nancy Meyers-adjacent cute. The decor alone sets expectations that you're about to have a Proper Dinner™. The food absolutely held up. I ordered a decently sized steak and it was genuinely delicious. Well cooked, flavorful, and satisfying. The menu leans into classic, Italian-leaning comfort food, and it does that lane well. The owner was present during our visit and was very kind and welcoming, which deserves real kudos. The staff was also attentive and on top of things throughout the meal. Service was not an issue at all. Where this stops short of five stars for me is the indoor dining experience. Even with a reservation, the seating felt very tight. Close enough that I could hear every single detail of the conversation happening at the table next to us. No judgment on them, but I did not need to be spiritually invited into their dinner party. Because it was a cool evening, outdoor seating wasn't really an option, which made the cramped indoor space more noticeable. This might be something to keep in mind during colder months. I could see this place being much more enjoyable when the patio is in play. That said, I did enjoy myself, and I'm not disappointed. I just think the combination of price point, cozy-but-tight seating, and comfort-food-forward menu didn't quite push it into five-star territory for me. And to be fair, I'm generally stingy with five stars. Four stars feels right. Beautiful space, kind ownership, attentive staff, and good food. Just go in with calibrated expectations and a tolerance for close quarters. read more

The Rancho Sante Fe Bistro is a super cute must try restaurant located in (you guessed it), Rancho Santa Fe. They offer quaint European wine bar vibes, melt in your mouth protein options, and excellent wines -- it's truly a vibe! This is a great spot for a girls night out, date night, or even a family night. We ordered: - Baked Brie - Dinner Ribeye with fries - Lamb T-bone with mashed potatoes - Sautéed asparagus - Kids cheese flatbread - Ice cream butter pecan - Cherries jubilee Follow @allthingsfoodinsandiego for more must try San Diego restaurants, date night ideas, and food experiences! read more

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If I could give the Bistro a 10 out of 5, I would. We got a reservation for 5 at 6 p.m. tonight and we got the best seats in the house, in a quieter area back against the wine racks, where we could bask in the classy ambience and hear each other's conversation without straining. Gregory our server was everything you could want in a host, explaining the specials in a most inviting way. He was attentive and friendly and professional. Moesi the owner honored us with some stories about the origins of his restaurant, explaining that the essence of good food is that it is "Honest, and Simple". Yes, amazing. We ordered the 18 oz ribeye special, the lamb shank, the pork chop, and the 8 oz filet mignon with mashed potatoes. All deserved 5 stars, and the lamb shank in particular had the most savory sauce and the most succulent fall-off-the-bone meat. If you're in the area, treat yourself to a splendid dining experience. There's a generous patio with heaters and plentiful street parking. We will surely be back! read more

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Ughgh - the service was terrible! We had six people for dinner on a Wednesday night. It was pretty busy and the owner was present, going about speaking to guests. For the most part, the food was good except my french fries were lukewarm and wilted. Salmon was delicious. My husband had the pork chops and they were great, as always. It took an hour before we were finally able to place our order for dinner. Salads took another half hour to come out. Then, finally our meal. The remodel looks wonderful. Ladies restroom is awesome. I think if they work on their service this place will be a winner for RSF! read more

Great setting with birds singing. Under umbrellas and very pleasant music. Good food and quite read more

Compassionate, hard working baristas! Coffee is a 10/10 and the atmosphere of the restaurant is so welcoming and friendly

My friend and I had lunch today here now called Paseo Rancho Santa Fe. Both of us ordered the hamburger. Mine was fine, but my friend's contained two pieces of wax paper. Our server gave us a 15& discount, but I think they should have completely comped her meal. Having worked as a server many years ago, I never want to make a fuss, but I think the manager should have come out and have made good on the situation. read more

I have been here twice, once for lunch and again for dinner. Both experiences were great! Food was delicious and service was exceptional. Nick is awesome and friendly and I liked the relaxed atmosphere. Looking forwarding to going back soon! read more

I like dining in the cozy village of Rancho Santa Fe. The Bistro at Rancho Santa Fe is located on Paseo Delicias, across the road from Mille Fleurs. Parking along the street is plentiful. The front patio at the Bistro possess tons of charm, with its abundant flowers, strings of lights, canaries in cages and old stone fountains. The service is provided by young women who are kind and efficient. The menu has something for everyone's taste. I can recommend the Dover Sole Meuniere and the steaks, In addition, perhaps in a nod to the owners' Persian heritage, the Beef Kebob over Basmati rice and vegetables was delicious. The wine list is small, but the prices are very fair. For dessert, my favorite Chocolate Mousse has been removed, sadly, from the menu. The after dinner espresso is beautifully-served in an old fashioned gold-accented little cup, but I wish the flavor of the coffee were deeper and richer. read more

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I waited until til the second time I ate here to write a review. Now that I've eaten here twice, and have read some of the constructive comments, my thoughts are this: If you are wanting to eat in Rancho Santa Fe, and would like honest fare served with love in a unique setting this is a great place. Is it super-high-end gourmet? No. Is it perfectly delicious, simple food made with quality ingredients in a non pretentious environment, that provides a lovely night out? Yes. The servers know what is in each dish, how it's prepared, and what's good that day. The outside patio is enchanting in a quaint, backyard patio-style, and inside is festooned with the owner's personal collection of photos and ephemera. It's not corporate or dripping with Rancho snobbery. read more

Food was good. The waiter gave off annoyed vibes right from the get go, but whatever, maybe he's having a bad day. That's not what I'm upset about...it's the birds (I saw another review on here with the same concern, so this isn't just a me thing). There were these finches in really small cages used for ambience. I sat next to the one in the smallest cage by the door. It would hop from one side of their cage to the other, over and over and over. It only had one bar to sit on and it was hung high overside our table. Call me crazy, but I'm not fond of live animals used as props or decor. It speaks volumes about the owner. I don't care if you claim "they're taken care of"... Apparently not enough, give them up to a sanctuary and try something else. Like, that's that bird's entire life and I'm supposed to laugh and drink my overpriced wine? Anyway, to future customers, I wouldn't recommend this place. Go somewhere else so you don't have to witness zoochosis. read more

The food was great , our server was very attentive, took care of us well, and of course the nice outdoor seating with nice people around . I think most of them were locals .. read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

A really lovely little restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe. The service is impeccable and the food is very good. We sat outside with pups as it's dog friendly. Great wine selection as well. read more

Solid all the way around! Love it here! The menu is one where you could close your eyes and point to an item and always be happy with your selection. Ambiance is like a cozy courtyard and the service is consistently solid. read more

Wonderful wonderful wonderful...escargot...baked brie...Margherita flatbrea..cherries jubilee...wow read more

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Another great dinner!!! We had the flat bread and escargot. We had the lamb which is always fabulous. The filet was a new choice and amazing. My husband had the Brandino fish. All amazing dishes. It a nice quiet nd romantic atmosphere. Quality is always high and service is awesome. The chef here is amazing. I tried the chocolate mouse and fonseca(port). Everything was amazing but it always is. The owner always comes out and checks on you. read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - Patio seating. Beatitiful garden setting, water features and low playing music - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

This is not a review of the restaurant's food, but rather I just want to point out how dismissive and misinformed the managers response was to another recent Yelp reviewer who complained about getting food poisoning that he believed he had gotten from this restaurant. . The review by Marvin written on 3/29/22 stated the following: **About six hours after eating here, one of us developed a gastrointestinal illness that suggested a food borne illness.  The symptoms lasted about 30 hours.  I contacted the owner out of courtesy, to let him know that this happened.  He explained that they've never had food poisoning reported by any patrons for the ten years they've been open.** The manager responded on Yelp showing a TERRIBLY MISINFORMED NOTION ABOUT FOOD POISONING: ****Medical research shows Gastrointestinal infection and illness symptoms takes a few days (not 6 hours)for the virus or bacteria to spread in the digestive system, and most commonly happens by coming into contact with an infected person. As you can see on other reviews, we are known for exceptional attention to detail, freshness and quality of food and caring deeply about our customers and their safety.**** Anyone who has ever gotten food poisoning knows that it doesn't take a few days for symptoms to begin as the manager claims (I have had it multiple times, and it always has taken between 3 and 8 hours to rear it's head). But, you don't have to trust me, just go to the CDC's web-page on foodborne illnesses and you'll see that the first four illnesses have symptom onset that can begin in 6 hours or less (see below CDC link) https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/symptoms.html#:~:text=Symptoms%20begin%206%20to%2024,and%20fever%20are%20not%20common.NOTION If the manager is dismissing all such complaints that would occur within 6 hours, then they are ignoring their potential role in food poisonings. I feel a manager should not be dismissing such complaints, but rather should be keeping a log of all such complaints, and recording what the person said they had for dinner so that they can recognize any patterns that might recur over time. And, at the very least they should not be dismissive and publishing misinformation. Lastly, the reason these are called foodborne illnesses is because they are frequently transmitted by food, not by coming into contact with an infected person (as the manager stated). Although it is possible to get things like E-Coli from another person (one foodborne illness that actually does take 3 days for symptoms to occur), it is well known that eating contaminated foods is the most common way to get an E Coli infection (see below Cleveland Clinic link) https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16638-e-coli-infection read more

Our favorite go-to spot for any occasion. I'm not sure which keeps us coming back: the food (excellent and consistent), the atmosphere (charming and welcoming and unlike any place you'll find in San Diego), the service (hard to come by service like this anywhere these days). Always look forward to our meals here and look forward to returning again very soon! read more

This was my 3rd visit to this restaurant in 3 months. This time, however, we did a dinner here with 4 out of town guests. The 6 of us sat in an alcove where a bird cage is kept. At dinnertime, the resident bird was quiet. But, eeeewww, to be sitting next to the bird cage. It's not very healthy nor did it smell good. We tried hard to ignore this fact so we could enjoy our time together. The atmosphere was nothing like what we had experienced indoors or at the courtyard. Sadly, this little alcove could be nice if not for the bird cage situation. Food was good. Server seemed to be covering so many tables but did a great job. read more

Absolutely charming and lovely! Water fountains and bird cages on the patio which make for such a peaceful setting. Our waiter Gregory made the experience so great as well with his smiling attitude and recommendations. My chicken piccata was very tasty and my fiancé loved his turkey wrap. Perfect lunch, good wine list, and reasonably priced for RSF. We will definitely be returning! read more

This was such a nice surprise! We were in town for a soccer tournament and wandered into the restaurant after a long day. We had a party of 9 and arrived around 8:15 pm. The owner greeted us at the door and we sat in the patio. So much charm! The lights, flowers and the birds! Gregory waited on us and was possibly the nicest waiter we have ever had! We had a relaxing dinner with amazing food, ambiance and service! As we were wrapping up and paying the check, we realized the restaurant closed at 8:30 (it was almost 10)! Never once did we feel rushed or unwanted. We loved it so much, we went back a second time for lunch. Amazing! We will be back! Food highlights : Shrimp Saute app, lamb chops, cherries jubilee read more

FABULOUS olde world charm From greeting to great wines by the glass to lunch menu- everything was PERFECT! Worth the drive. I will be back! read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - Bistro Rancho Santa Fe - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

Excellent service and the food was great. I had the Caesar salad with chicken. The lettuce was very crispy and fresh, the chicken was plentiful. read more

The food was solid. Ambience very nice. Our server was fantastic. The only issue is the owner has such poor customer-facing manners I don't know that I can bring anyone here again. I mean, it's part of the whole experience, right? That's why I gave 3 stars. How can I give 5 when I'm hesitant to return in case he's there. I'll probably come once again by myself to see if it was maybe a bad day or something, before subjecting guests to such a confusing experience. read more

Looking for a dog friendly restaurant that was open for lunch in the area, I found Rancho Santa Fe Bistro and decided to give it a try. My husband, dog, and I showed up around 12:30PM on a Saturday and had our pick of tables on the patio. We decided to sit in the corner next to one of their bird cages that had a very happy, chirping yellow canary. Upon seating, we were presented with both a brunch and lunch menu along with their wine list. Our server promptly took our drink orders and provided us with the soup of the day (tomato basil), lunch special, and fish specials. I ended up getting a cup of the tomato basil soup, tuna melt, and a side of sweet potato fries. My husband opted for a bowl of the tomato basil, the salmon BLT, and a side of fries. Our soup came out very quickly and it was delicious. It was a little cooler that day, so the warm soup really hit the spot. It was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of basil. We didn't realize some salad/greens came with our sandwiches, but it was a nice surprise and actually pretty good. My husband actually ate it and he doesn't eat vegetables! He really enjoyed his salmon BLT and thought the salmon was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The fries were really good as well. I wasn't expecting the type of bun that I got with my tuna melt and was thinking I'd get more of a pressed sandwich, but I still enjoyed it. The cheese was melted directly on the tuna and it was in the form of a patty so fit nicely in the bun. The sweet potato fries were really good as well. Our server was great. She was very nice and checked on us frequently. It wasn't too busy, but after we sat down, 4 other parties showed up...I guess we set the trend! Overall, I'm so glad we found this hidden gem. The patio is enclosed and covered by big umbrellas, so it was perfect for us to dine at with the dog. Pricing is very reasonable and the food was great. While eating, we were not only listening to Frank Sinatra, but also were serenaded by the yellow canary next to us. We'll definitely be back again. read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - Cup of tomato basil soup - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

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3.5/5 stars The food overall was OK. Not TOO bad for neighborhood restaurant. We came here for an early dinner at 5pm. Items we ordered: 1) Baked brie: tasty, but nothing amazing or out of the world 2) Shrimp Sautee: this dish wasn't too bad 3) Duck breast: done perfectly. read more

Very good food and service! We had the beet salad and shared a. Burger. Interesting building, used to be old school.. check it out!

Amazing Food. Exceptional service, and the owner is so down to earth and pleasant. The atmosphere is so European and cozy. You are eating in a garden with a singing canary in the corner. We will definitely be back read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - Chicken Marsala - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

We've lived in Rancho Santa Fe for 15 years and have never encountered such poor service. Unfortunately, our recent visit to this restaurant was so unpleasant that we ended up leaving before even trying the food. Upon arriving, we were told by the waiter, in an abrupt manner, to "sit over there." We sat down with our well-behaved 7 and 9-year-olds, who were quietly playing cards. When it came time to order, we asked if we could have a flatbread without sauce for our picky son, but the waiter sharply told us it wasn't possible as the flatbreads were pre-prepared. Fair enough--we decided to get creative and ordered bread with butter and a side of avocado to make a sandwich for him. When the waiter returned, we asked if the bread was regular white bread. His response? A flat "no," with no effort to clarify or assist. I asked the type and he responded "a mini baguette" When I inquired further as to size and if it was sliced, he cut me off with a condescending, "Do you know what a baguette is?" His tone was rude, dismissive, and sharp throughout. I told him we were leaving because of his attitude. He walked away without a word and never returned. After sitting there for another 5 minutes without seeing any staff, we left. We can't speak for the food, but the service was beyond disappointing. Based on our experience, we won't be returning. read more

This place looked very charming. I was intrigued by the sound of song birds singing so loudly when we walked by. I looked everywhere for the birds and decided it must be a recording. We sat down for lunch, and I discovered where the birds were. They were all trapped in small cages. It was heartbreaking. If I wasn't with my mom, I would have tried to release them. If the owners read this, please do the right thing and set them free. The birds are trapped in nets made of glue and then sold to live as prisoners. Horrible. There is absolutely no excuse that can justify this. They deserve better. read more

I have been to this Bistro SEVERAL times. Their service and food have never disappointed me. Farah, their pretty owner/manager greets you with a lovely smile and beaming with classiness. The FOOD also doesn't disappoint! For lunch, I loved the Eggplant Parmesan. For dinner, the rack of lamb is tasty and the shrimp Pasta Primavera is worth savoring as well. Just go... and let this be your go-to resto when in RSF. :) read more

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Great food and Service ! The guy with the accent is great and then there's some mafioso guy that hangs out of the background that's really nice too but doesn't talk much! read more

This was always one of our favorite restaurants when we lived in the area. Now that we're returning to the area soon, I look forward to many more delicious meals there. Friendly staff and owners, great food, really lovely ambiance. A real winner. read more

The setting is lovely, a nice patio and the inside has a beautiful old bar. The beet salad and wine were delicious. The service was prompt and considerate. read more

A bit torn about posting this review because I don't want this bistro to get too crowded! We had a delightful lunch in the front garden - with heat lamps available if needed. Everything was so well prepared. The signature chicken piccata is fabulous with just the right balance of citrus, butter and capers. Every detail was well thought out - for example, the side veggies were fresh from the farmers market and lightly sauteed. The tuna melt was pure comfort food - and the tuna was not over mayonnaised - something I care about. We fought over the baked brie - each piece meltingly decadent, and paired perfectly with grapes. The vegetable soup had turmeric, which I dislike - but it was still well-executed. The service was attentive and friendly. I loved the music - 1950's Italian classics by American singers - think Dean Martin singing "its amore". And the price is right - much more reasonable than other Rancho Santa Fe restaurants. read more

What a delightful discovery! I was in Rancho Santa Fe for a celebration of life today, and a friend I'd met up with there and I decided on an early dinner after the service. Lucky us to find that Rancho Santa Fe Bistro was just opening for its dinner service. All the offerings were enticing, but we both chose the pork chop with mashed potatoes, highly recommended by both our friendly and very efficient waiter, Nick, and the bistro owner who welcomed us. Their promise of a great pork chop came through with flying colors. I grew up on an Iowa farm, and I know good pork, and I know good mashed potatoes. But seriously, I don't think there's a better pork chop anywhere in San Diego. And the potatoes are the real deal. I just happened across this bistro today. I'm so glad I did...it will be well worth my drive to return again. read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - Iowa girl is impressed with both the amazing pork chop and perfect mashed potatoes. - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

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From the moment we walked in, we felt like we were welcomed. The owners and wait staff are all so friendly and on it. Everything we ordered was delicious from the bread, appetizers, and entrees. I highly recommend checking out the Rancho Santa Fe bistro and can't wait to return to try some more dishes on the menu. read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California

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The food is simplistic and good! We ordered the sea bass and steak. French fries and the chicken vegetable soup were delicious. We loved the ambiance and customer service. We recommend this restaurant! read more

Nice cool relaxing location! I had their grass fed angus burger with cheese. Ingredients were all very good, but I feel like it was missing something! The burger was maybe just salted and not sure if there was any condiment. But ingredients were fresh and tasty, burger reminded me of a European one! read more

The place is very cute , staff is friendly. To be honest food was very good too. The only reason why I dont give them 5 stars is because they had this poor bird in a cage by himself. the bird was very anxious and miserable. It was raining but no one care to move his cage to a different location. That wasn't cool. unfortunately I can't upload a video on yelp but this is a photo. read more

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro - This poor bird is being neglected big time - New American Near Me - Rancho Santa Fe, California