Wslkingbaround checking out which restaurant we would stop at We chose this restaurant due to it's cozy, confy and inviting feel. The food was served hot and was tasty. I loved the Bisque. Atmosphere is lovely and cozy. Bar staff made me a good cranberry old fashioned, the holiday drink. We had the seafood lasagna as entree. Would definitely go back read more

This place wants to have 5 star quality food with 1 star quality service. Came to this place on February 22nd for an anniversary dinner with my wife. We are new to the area and wanted to try a local restaurant. We arrived and sat at the bar and was greeted promptly by the bar tender Richard. He went over the specials and took our drink order. After receiving our drinks we placed our order for an appetizer and 2 entrees. Drinks were good but I couldn't tell you how the food was because after placing our order thats when service took a turn. The place did get busy but it seemed like Richard had no issue accommodating everyone around us at the bar with exceptional customer service even so much as tending to a couple sitting at a table away from the bar. We sat with empty drink glasses for well over 30 minutes while Richard had no issue providing additional rounds of drinks to the couple next to us and everyone else at the bar. No disrespect to the couple next to us but it was apparent that they knew the manager on duty (older gentleman in a black ball cap who came by and chatted them up multiple times) which might explain the exceptional service they received while we were pretty much invisible to the rest of the staff. 50 minutes eventually went by and we still had not gotten our appetizers and drink glasses still remained empty while everyone around was enjoying their's. Eventually we had to stop Richard and ask what was going on with the appetizer he told us it would be up shortly but by then we were ready to pay for the 2 drinks we finished a long time ago and leave. The manager came over after that and all of sudden they wanted to go above and beyond for us when all we wanted to begin with was adequate service, we never came in expecting special treatment like the managers friends sitting next to us. After I explained to him about the blatant disregard we received from Richard, he then back tracked and said "oh well we are swamped right now" but again it seemed like everyone else in the restaurant was receiving adequate and attentive service. I told him I would like to pay for my 2 drinks and leave. He told us not to worry about that and so we left. Total shame even more so because we were very excited to try the food and drinks while spending a good amount of money on it. Not sure why this place fell short on standard customer service but to go that long without even so much as a "can I get anything else for you guys" or just general acknowledgement from the bartender is beyond me. They couldn't so much as provide us with the complimentary bread that everyone else got after being seated. read more

We enjoyed a birthday dinner with several guests. Everyone was pleased with the atmosphere and the food. I personally had the steak marsala which was delicious. read more

Traveling through from FL to OH we found The Bistro on line. Our dinners were delicious, fish and chicken, and our server was attentive and friendly. We're glad we stopped. read more

Excellent food. Staying in the area for a couple months. Haven't been disappointed here. Definitely in the top three restaurants in the area. read more

The worst food from a restaurant I ever had. Ever! But bartender was nice and attentive and he recommended a peanut butter stout beer, which was good. I stopped by w my son for carry out order. I had the crab bisque and appetizer sized crab cakes. The soup was was watered down and bland. It taste really runny like maybe they bought store brand led can of bisque and a and added water to it and diluted it if any seasoning. This is no exaggeration. I couldn't give it away to my son and he eats anything. The crab cakes were the same. Maybe they were frozen and reheated and for flavor added the remoulade sauce on top because that's all the flavor you got. I finished the cakes because they had no distinct flavor. So bland I couldn't tell you if it had more crab or bread because it lacked flavor aside from the sauce squirted across the top. My son had the shrimp Alfredo pasta. He couldn't finish it either. He initially complained about the shrimp shells still on but this is not uncommon. But he didn't finish the pasta (which is usually his fav) bc it had no flavor. It was basically noodles w shrimp on top and scant amount of sauce. read more

I enjoyed a wonderful dining experience at, The Bistro. The intimate ambiance with medium dim lighting and artwork hung over the red brick walls was perfect for a Saturday night amongst friends. The service was attentive, with a personal touch--especially when the owner came by to check on us during the meal. For a starter, we had the signature crab cakes, which was perfectly breaded on the outside to a crunchy crisp. The inside was to my preference, with all shredded crab--not packed with starchy batter filler found in most restaurants. I continued my seafood theme with the lump crab stuffed cod with cream sauce and chose the twice baked potato, as well as the spinach cream for my two sides. My friend enjoyed the succulent capri salad and freshly tuna cold plate (two separate dishes if you're interested in something light and refreshing). My daughter ordered the chicken Alfredo--yes, there is something for all ages. The best was definitely saved for last, as we shared the bread pudding square, drizzled in a warm house made caramel sauce, topped with vanilla ice cream. Believe me when I say, "The Bistro is a restaurant you will leave with an overall memorable dining experience--not just a satisfied meal!" read more

See all

Erin is our server and she is great! We didn't have to ask for my husband's refill on his soda. She is friendly and quick! We had the Tuscany chicken with roasted garlic smashed and the jasmine rice. All was outstanding! Chicken was cooked perfectly with great flavor! The jasmine rice was nice and aromatic and buttery. The mashed potatoes we creamy and silky. My husband had the grilled and blackened shrimp. Amazing flavor! The home Fritz (homemade French fries) are just that...big fries, salted extremely well, crispy yet soft on the inside. He also got the rice pilaf and it packs the flavor. Very happy stop on our way to Florida! Eating now and I'm trying to figure out how the 3.5 rating because it's a 5 star rating all day long! I'm glad we decided to eat here anyway! Maybe the supply chain issues from over a year ago were legit at the time but not any longer! Ambiance is very hip and cool. Great music playing. Very cool bar scene. read more

The atmosphere was beautiful, and clearly allot of thought and energy went into creating this physical space. The food on the other hand was beyond disappointing. I ordered the steak (filet) Au Poivre, described as being served "in a rich cognac infused demi glaze". Not a chance. It was served with a gelatinous brown gravy, something that resembled and tasted like a brown gravy mix available in the grocery store. Just yuk! read more

Bottom Line Up Front: Unless you're willing to wait 2 hours at your table for subpar service go somewhere else. To say the service here was slow would be an understatement. 1) It took 20 minutes after being seated for our waitress to come take our drink order at which time we also ordered an appetizer. 2) It wasn't until 15 minutes later we even got our drinks because the restaurant doesn't even have a bartender but rather make the waitresses make all the drinks! 3) After we got our drinks it was about 30 minutes until our appetizers came and an additional 35-ish minutes to get our food. All in all we were at the restaurant nearly 2 hours for sub-par food and abysmal service. We would have left sooner if it weren't for the fact that our appetizers came out shortly after asking our waitress for my ticket for our drinks since we hadn't received anything. The table next to us had 3 different couples sit at it and leave because their waitress neglected to help them or get them anything in a reasonable time. I wish I had left sooner as well. 1 Star because the appetizers were good. Margherita flatbread & oysters Rockefeller worth ordering 1 Star because the hostess was super nice and apologetic and overall most understanding 1 Star because I feel like the restaurant has huge potential but from the way I look at it is the management is sub-par and lacking. Perhaps under different leadership the restaurant could start picking it up and attain and more regular customer base. read more

The food and drinks were terrific. My wife had a steak that she loved and I had pasta with marinara sauce and olives that I enjoyed. The server was efficient and friendly. The atmosphere was enjoyable. I loved the music selection - not too loud and suitable for the restaurant. We'll be back. read more

Food is fantastic, I've come here for a few large group dinners and everyone has walked away very happy. Prices are reasonable for the quality and the staff are great. I got a surf and turf and it was fantastic, and they had some onion cheese dip thing that I have been dreaming about ever since. Great mojitos as well! read more

The food was amazing. Staff was very nice. Love the paintings and ambiance. However, for the prices you pay, I don't expect shrimp to come with the tail on and I have to take it off. They had big flies in the window. I killed three of them. They may need some kind of bug catcher in the dinning room. Menus could be laminated cause the paper ones were covered in stains. read more

Food was good and the server was so sweet! Great little place. Bar is big and open space.

Great quiet place. Driving back to Atlanta found this gem! Started with Tuna appetizer. Prepared well. Had strip steak with "druken" mushrooms as a side. My wife had scallops. Tad bit salty, but not chewy. Amazing back bar and our service was top notch due to Morgan! Hemingway daiquiri was delicious. If we ever are in this great little town we will definitely stop back. For anyone driving South from Atlanta to Florida it's a must stop! read more

Great tasting food @ a reasonable price. Special occasion dinner for daughter's birthday on 10/24. Oyster rockerfella & crab cakes for appetizers. Drunken Angus cooked medium rare with twice baked potatoes and spinach gratin as sides. Pinot noirs as beverage of choice for awesome pairing. Dessert of bourbon brownie topped with vanilla ice cream topped by chocolate syrup & caramel sauce. This is definitely as shareable dessert. Restaurant was crowded and hopping; but service was spot on with great timing by waitress. This was my second visit and can't wait for next visit. read more

The owner said they had to buy a lower quality steak bc of the prices. $40 steak and I couldn't even chew it up. I could have gotten a better steak at Applebees for half the price. read more

Had an amazing time due to our attentive and patient server Erin. She went above and beyond to ensure our dinner was perfect. Will be returning for great food and Erin's section. read more

We had dinner with another couple on a Thursday evening. We ate at the restaurant a few years ago and remembered a very nice experience. However this experience was less than satisfactory. Three of us had steak entrees, 2 with filet and 1 with a strip. The filets were unsatisfactory since they were filled with grizzle and almost uneditable. The strip was overcooked and tough. I would have sent it back but it would interrupt the evening. The waitress was not much better, the appetizer and salad was rushed together and the main course very delayed. There were a number of empty tables however a party was seated next to us and i am sure we both bothered each other. read more

Loved the steak I ordered and Richard was an amazing server! I will definitely be visiting again soon.

I will update this review when I have more time to share my specific experience with this place. But, for now, please know that if you are looking for a restaurant that is taking COVID precautions, this is not your place. I picked up takeout from here recently and, although waitstaff were wearing masks, the restaurant was operating at 100% pre-COVID capacity, and was completely full, with no social distancing measures being taken AT ALL. The tables were right on top of each other, in most cases, with less than 2-3 feet between diners. I was horrified! I felt like I was at a COVID super-spreader event and I could not get out of there quickly enough. Suffice it to say that for this and other reasons regarding my takeout ordering experience and food quality, I will not be patronizing this establishment again. read more

The ambiance is really quite nice. The caprese salad is one of the best I've had since we visited Venice Italy!! So lovely. My husband had the crab bisque and said it was nice as well. We got Mac and cheese for our 2 year old and the taste was great but it came out piping hot and was impossible to eat for at least 10 min; which my toddler was not happy to wait for lol. We both ordered the chicken picatta. The taste was nice, but the chicken was a little over cooked and could have used a little more seasoning. I think if there was a little more sauce it would have been perfect! We shared the brownie dessert which ja very sweet but it it the spot! We enjoyed the experience, and our server was great as well. read more

Would give less stars if it was possible. The service is terrible and never got our food. 45 minutes and no apps, we were told that the food would come out when it came out. Cancelled and was still charged for drinks. Hope they spend that $12 wisely, that'll be all they get from me! read more

We love the Bistro. We dine here at least monthly and the food is always great. Our favorite is the burgundy filet mignon. Perfectly prepared and great flavor. This place has a great drink menu and great desserts too! Service has always been attentive and friendly. If you are going to be in Valdosta, this is the place to go. read more

Food quality is outstanding from appetizers to entrees and sides. Very large drink menu to choose from. We picked this by chance and saw the 4 star rating. We give it a five. Service was great. Staff followed good virus protocol which made us feel very comfortable. We are traveling and will put this on our list to stop by whenever we pass thru. read more

Was not expecting much coming in but so glad we did. Dinner was great- blue cheese filet spinach ah gratin - Tuna with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. Half and half desert was unreal. Bread pudding and brownie ala mode. We will certainly be back. read more

Absolutely a "Home Run" Terrific service, terrific food. My new favorite place, a downtown classic! The servers make an already beautiful restaurant spectacular. read more

Time, service, food AWFUL! We got there and was table #3 out of the whole place & sat outside by the hostess. At first I thought how nice and was so excited to try it until 25 minutes in, 3 or 4 more tables began to be sat and served and here we are & our 2 small kids still hadn't been greeted by a server, not even offered water. My husband went inside to see what the matter was as we were about to leave and I wish we had of. They sent someone out and said the hostess was on a phone call & never let anyone know we were there. We were right in front of the door for goodness sakes! Server comes out and gets our waters and says she must rush in to tend to a table who's appetizer was up and not to mention a table seated 10 minutes after us. She came back and we order the kids food and appetizers. At 1 hour in the kids food was delivered and my son a was missing all his meat which didn't show up until 1hour and a half in. We had to wait a additional 15 minutes just for silverware so hey begin to eat with their hands. THEY WERE NOT RHAT BUSY which the server blamed the whole night on. She said when it's slower it throws the vibe off and they all work slower. No excuse! We tried to put our order in 5 minutes after placing the kids, then before the kids food arrived. We motioned for her and she said brb, then again when she delivered it and she looked inside and said brb for your order and then after a good little wait, the kids were done eating she FINALLY came back for our order. A little after the 2hr mark it was served. I got the fillet and crab (YUCK) I couldn't even eat it because it was over the top fishy and the steak taste like dog food, The tables next to us was complaining about the taste as well, and my husband got the pasta primera which was flavorless and cold. 2 .5 hours later and over a $100 dollar bill we were finally done. No discount, no owner to come out and say anything, not let me take care of it nothing. My husband and I literally left almost two full plates because it was so bad. We left and went through a drive threw. We were starving but thankful the kids got to eat something. Neither of them liked there's either. I guess that was supposed to make things ok because our server was the owners daughter. Disgusting food& disappointing! FYI the onion dip was ok but the crab cakes were the worst I've ever had and in pictures so big but in real life extremely tiny! read more

This place is absolutely beautiful. The food is amazing, staff is amazing and the music they place is a mix. Very nice. read more

The Bistro - Seafood Near Me - Valdosta, Georgia

We went to this place for my friends birthday and made reservations. After being there for maybe about 20 minutes waiting for the rest of our guests to arrive we were told by the waitress "I cant wait any longer I have a big party after you so I need your orders" Um excuse me we scheduled this ahead of time maybe don't schedule large parties close to eachother! Then after that "the manager " came over asking for one of our tables for guest sitting at the bar saying "this is how we make our money by sitting guest down from the bar" We said no because we had more guest arriving after rushing us for our food orders the food then took 30 minutes to come out and wasn't even that good like at all. Very bland. Overall the atmosphere is nice but the service is not and they we're very rude to us. I do not recommend. read more

Called ahead and had a table ready for Tank the Dog and I as we were passing through town. Sydney waited on us and was exceptional. I had ordered fries for Tank the Dog and when they came out w seasoning on them (I forgot to ask) they immediately made up some more sans seasoning. They didn't have water bowls but made a way to make sure I and Tank were taken care of. I ordered the ahi tuna appetizer (far from the best I've ever had - lacked flavor) and a blackened filet. The salad and fresh bread w what I assume to be in house made were both really good. I asked Sydney to recommend an amber beer and a beer out of Savannah brewed w pecans and vanilla was suggested - I honestly only ordered it to be nice as Im not a fan of pecans or anything sweet in my beer but it was fantastic- So I ordered more than one. This is a great spot for dinner, I pass thru Valdosta frequently and I'll stop here again. Thanks guys for taking care of Tank the Beach Dog and I. read more

The Bistro - Amber Beer brewed w Ga Pecans and a hint of Vanilla - Seafood Near Me - Valdosta, Georgia

Terrible service at the bar tonight. I sat down and waited at least 10-15 minutes for the bartender to clean the dirty dishes off from the bar in front of me and at least acknowledge me. He walked past me multiple times taking orders from people on both sides of me but not giving me even a glance. I ended up leaving and going somewhere else for dinner. read more

We used to go to the Bistro years ago and just recently started going back again after hearing from other friends about how good it was. We have been very pleased!! Last night we went with 2 other couples and once again the drinks and the food were amazing!! Love the atmosphere here. Thanks for another awesome meal!! read more

Best crab cakes so far S.C.to Boston. Great staff ...knowledgeable and attentive. Love the tuna and drinks are fabulous. read more

The Bistro - Excellent...best crab cakes I've ever eaten - Seafood Near Me - Valdosta, Georgia

I will NEVER go to The Bistro Valdosta again! Our server completely ignored us the entire time while prioritizing her other tables. Our appetizers took 45+ minutes to arrive. We were never offered any complimentary bread. When confronted, she dismissed our concerns and had an attitude. We asked for a manager (who turned out to be the owner), and can you believe he had an attitude too?! He talked over us and tried to dismiss our concerns as well. The owner told us that unfortunately "we got the short end of the stick tonight." Are you kidding me?! read more

Great little find in downtown Valdosta. Mind you it's likely the only little find in downtown Valdosta, but they seemed to have a good crowd and the food was great. Passing through we were looking for a place for a quiet dinner and found it through the iPhone on a search of local restaurants. The reproduced Chagall paintings on the wall are great and the converted historic building has a charm reminiscent of a lot of places in Atlanta. The service was fine, though could be stepped up a notch. We started with the Hot Crab dip, which was quite tasty and followed up with a special Grouper with a lemon beurre blanc and capers and the Drunken Filet. Not hard to see why the filet is the most popular on the menu, according to the waiter. The Caramel Cheesecake was good, but nothing to rave about. If you're in the area it's definitely worth checking out. read more

Food was cooked and presented well. Really enjoyed the Rack of Lamb and Twice baked potato. Service was great too - I ordered a drink and happen to didn't like it and the waitress offered to replace it for me, free of charge. Only downside, is that it did take some time for the food to come out, however that can be expected on Valentines Day. 10/10 would recommend. read more

don't recommend. the place is cute. but terrible service.ruined any possible "great experience ". we waited for an hour and a half, watched 3+ tables come in after us and finish their whole meal and and leave while we still waited for our entrees. super inconsiderate with the fact we had a child with us. not coming back. read more

Terrible place Used to be good but now sucks Service is poor and slow Food was food and had plastic in it Deserves no stars at all read more

Tried it - won't be back. Typical restaurant that wouldn't survive anywhere other than Valdosta. For $3-$5 more just go around the street to Steel Magnolias which is a legitimately good restaurant. I ordered the crab topped strip steak. Medium rare is what I ordered, it came out medium well. It was also a mediocre cut, even for a strip steak... but I'm glad I didn't let them ruin a filet! A friend ordered vegetable "medley"... And it is just green beans! Another ordered the rice pilaf - they were out of it. Next ordered an avocado salad... "We're out of avocados". Seriously? What is the manager doing? Go to the grocery store and buy the stuff you should have stocked. This was a Thursday night in Valdosta, not a Saturday night in Miami or Manhatten, how are you running out of all the food on your standard menu?? Waitress wasn't rude, but pretty apathetic. Of course, that might have been because to top it all off, the air conditioner was broken. Classic. Owner needs to find a competent manager. ---Break-- Hi Charles, thanks for taking the time to respond. 1) No it is not, but for the same reasons Pho places close down while new Bojangles pop up, you'll likely survive here. Limited competition and a narrow demographic work in your favor. But you know that and you're playing the game well by asking if I'm "Insulting Valdosta", which is clearly a straw-man because I'm reviewing Bistro, not Valdosta. 2) Just stating other local options where the food and service are better for about the same price. This review is intended for potential customers, and if they're from out of town I want them to know the better options. 3) I did eat the steak. Medium well steak is still better than an MRE and I eat those too, so don't assume that means it was good. I've just been to too many 3rd world countries to waste edible food. And frankly, if it were just the steak being overcooked, this review wouldn't be here. It's a combination of many factors that made me decide to make a Yelp account and leave this review. 4) He opted not to get the "medley", and again, the fact that he could have ordered something else is not the point. That should never be a response from the owner of a business. 5) I was wrong here - the missing menu items brought up a discussion about the last time he had visited and you were out of rice pilaf. So I guess this is a trending issue at Bistro. 6) The point here is bad management. This is a standard menu item, the restaurant wasn't busy, and there are multiple grocery stores within a 5 mile radius. There's no reason to run out of something like avocados. 7) I've actually had great service at most restaurants in Valdosta. I could name a few, but I'm guessing that might be interpreted as "advertising" 8) This is actually worse, because I asked the waitress about the A/C and she said it was broken. So either she lied or you are lying. Mistakes happen. When it's one or two mistakes followed up with great service, that's no big deal at all - but that's not what we're talking about here. I wrote this review for other customers so they don't waste money. However, as the owner you can choose to bury your head in the sand or actually fix the problems with your business. We've already established it will have no further impact on me. You're welcome for the feedback Charles, take care. read more