I had dinner here last night. I was very disappointed. The filet was cooked perfectly to a medium rare. The peppercorn sauce was very undercooked and overpower the filet. It made it have a different taste and not in a good way. I mentioned this to the bartender, and he made excuses for the chef. I guess he did not care about my opinion that is why I am writing this review. Perhaps the public cares! I have been here many times before and decided to write a review since I frequently dine here. read more

Went here for Valentine's Day dinner. Had a reservation already, so no wait to be seated. All of the tables were full inside, but the ambiance didn't feel crowded at all. There was a specialty valentines theme menu that they had. Even with it being busy this night, our waiter was communicative and attentive throughout the whole night. We were informed early on that the kitchen was a bit busy/getting backed up, so we appreciated the transparency. To drink: I tried the Sangria (8/10) I enjoyed the flavors; was a simple sangria. And the featured cocktail, Cupids Arrow (10/10) this drink should be on the menu permanently because I'd def dine here again just for this drink. It had a good balance of being fruity, fizzy, and decently strong for a light buzz. To eat: we started with appetizers, the Fried Green Tomatoes (9/10) I typically don't like tomatoes, but the batter alone on these had me wanting to order more! They were tasty. The Kale Caesar (8/10) felt like a little more dressing was needed, but it still tasted good. I ordered the Filet Au Poivre (7/10) I requested for my Beef to be medium; however, some bites were medium and some were much more medium rare... a couple burnt ends on some of the asparagus. I enjoyed the seasoning on the meat tho as well as the softness of the potatoes and the creamy pepper sauce. I got to taste a bit of the Santa Fe Chicken Penne and it was very tasty; I was lowkey wishing I had order that myself instead. For dessert, we tried a slice of the Raspberry & Passion Fruit Mousse Cake (8/10) it was very fruity and sweet, def a "refreshing" sweet treat. Though the flavors were bold and complimented each other decently well, this was not something I'd see myself ordering again honestly. I was decently pleased overall with everything I had for the night. I can see myself returning to try some other menu items. My overall rate of experience : 8.5/10 read more

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Everything was okay, but I don't know why the waiter asked us how would we like our burger and pork chop if they were going to give us what they wanted. We asked for medium and everything was well done. The pork chop was super well done and on the dry side. Additionally, you only get one regular size pork chop the same size you would get from the local grocery store so it's not worth the price of 30 dollars at all. The burger has a good flavor. Bottom line this is cafeteria flavored food with a high price tag. The ambiance is cool. Nothing to write home about. read more

219 Bistro - Drunk duck burger - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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I am forever traveling to Norfolk for something. This is my first time going to a very nice sit down meal. I wasn't sure what to expect when I was invited. But I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the service, the presentation of the food and drink. If you are in downtown Norfolk and need a place to warm your stomach with some great food stop at 218 read more

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Norfolk has a lot of gems. Tried this place for the first time and planning my next visit. The food was absolutely delicious, everything was full of flavor. The service was just as good, the bartender was friendly and made the whole experience feel welcoming and relaxed. The atmosphere tied it all together, cozy, laid back, and very enjoyable . Definitely a spot worth checking out! read more

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Very nice restaurant, clean, professional and friendly wait staff. Thank you for everything and being so accommodating.

I came here on a Sunday for Happy Hour after seeing a show at Chrysler Hall. It's a short walk from Chrysler Hall & Scope. We arrived right at 4:00 as they were opening. We were greeted and seated right away. We ordered everything on the happy hour menu and were very satisfied with the taste, portions, and presentation. Our server was friendly and attentive. She checked on us throughout evening. The vibe is nice and cozy. Christmas decorations added a nice touch. One of the better dining options in Downtown Norfolk. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in the area. read more

219 Bistro - Fish tacos, wings, deviled eggs, truffle fries, fried pimento cheese bites. - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The brussel sprouts SHINED!!! The shrimp scampi also was the very good and a very big portion. The fried green tomatoes were like any other fried tomatoes you could get from somewhere, but the brussel sprouts were different than anywhere else I have tried. My fiance really enjoyed the meatloaf and she crab soup as well. We will definitely be coming back here for the food. The only thing that was kind of not so great was the wait time to get our drinks and food. We stayed there in total of almost 2 and half hours. The drinks were very strongly made, so if you need a pick me up with that, this is the place to go. I highly recommend making a reservation here, especially during the peak dinner times. Parking is either street parking or a parking garage a block away from here. read more

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I visited 219 Bistro during Norfolk's Restaurant Week with high hopes, but unfortunately, the experience fell short. We were seated and received our first course without issue, but then waited nearly 30-45 minutes for our second course. The restaurant wasn't particularly busy--moderate traffic at best--so the delay was unexpected. When our second course finally arrived, the orders were incorrect. Our server admitted they had entered the wrong selections, meaning we were facing another extended wait. At that point, we decided to leave. I did speak with the manager, Jerry, before we left. He was very apologetic and handled the situation professionally, which I appreciated. While I may consider giving 219 Bistro another try in the future, this first impression makes that unlikely. Restaurant Week is meant to showcase the best of what a restaurant has to offer--unfortunately, this experience did just the opposite. read more

Had a reservation for 730pm and when I arrived five minutes before that time, we ended up having to wait twenty mins for a table. What's the point of booking a reservation? When the scallop dish I ordered came out (almost two hours after being seated) I could immediately tell the food was spoiled. I didn't eat my meal and the waitress did not take the food off my bill. She did offer to order something else but I was already waiting several hours for this horrible dish. 4 hours later I began vomiting and going number 2 which lasted for FOUR DAYS. I've never been that sick in my life. Other people who ordered this dish must have gotten as sick as me. I thought I was dying. Will never return to this establishment again. read more

219 Bistro - Poison seafood - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

For the third consecutive Thanksgiving my best friend and I had a wonderful meal at 219 Bistro. One of us travels from Portsmouth and the other from Williamsburg to enjoy the busy but mostly relaxed and friendly Bistro. The menu for the a la carte holiday is eclectic and every dish from appetizers to desserts were well made, innovative, substantial, and delicious. While I regularly visit their sister restaurant down the street (Byrd and Baldwin Brothers). I often recommend 219 to others. It is consistently above average and absolutely my Thanksgiving go to. Thanks to the friendly and ever helpful staff, our 219 Bistro experience was, and always has been, delightful. read more

Stopped here for a drink yesterday and it's a very nice spot. Open, airy vibe! They have large windows with pretty seats. They have a bar and an outside seats as well. From 4-6 they have a great happy hour with cheap drinks and food. We didn't have any food but it all looked really great and decently priced. I would come back! read more

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I have been coming in here for a few years, the menu is outstanding, great service and wonderful atmosphere.

First time customer and won't be the last! It sits in the heart of downtown Granby Street which is well lit and filled with lovely views and people bustling around for excitement. I absolutely was pleasantly surprised by this bistro. A walk-in and was seated immediately! Mocktails are tasty and good. I had a great experience and ate delicious food. It's quaint and cozy with hometown charm. It's very calming and the atmosphere was filled with nostalgia and relaxing. It's open floor plan but situated for semi-private spaces. I could see other diners but not really hear them. A TV hangs on the wall but not distracting from your meal. The service was excellent. read more

Worst service I've had in years, we waited two hours to eat. Paid $120 for two entrées., an appetizer, and a cocktail. Will never return.

Service was very good, I appreciate so much when they box up the leftovers instead of having it be the customer's responsibility. Good beer selection, including local beers and an extensive wine/cocktail list. Food was good, although the 'vegetable lasagna' was very different from what one would expect. It was kind of like a 'stack' of grilled (or roasted?) veggies, cheese, pesto, between 2 or maybe 3 sheets of what I guess were fried lasagna noodles, quite crispy and hard to cut with knife and fork. Or maybe they were homemade parmesan crisps? Hard to tell exactly. It was an attractive presentation and creative, but not what anyone would expect from 'veggie lasagna'. I think this should be clearer on the menu. It tasted fine but was a bit hard to cut with the knife and once you cut it the 'stack' falls apart to some degree. It would be good if the server could explain this is different from your typical veggie lasagna, or revise the menu. Nice atmosphere, good menu choices with variety and several vegetarian options, and the appetizers are nice options. read more

I was there with a professional group attending a conference. The choice of 219 Bistro was somewhat spontaneous----- decided mainly by other Yelpers and their reviews. The menu looked good. We made a quick Open Table reservation and arrived close to the same time we booked. We started with some beers at the bar until our table was ready. It was only 5-10 minutes and they had us seated and ready to order. Our server was very attentive and informative about specials and house favorites. I ordered the She Crab Bisque to start. Lots of lump crabmeat in a delicous creamy bisque. Very flavorful and satisfying. For the main course, I ordered the Shrimp Gumbo. There were 5 large shrimp surrounding the rice, andouille sausage and toasted chilis. I recommend highly. Not too spicy, but more savory and flavorful. Unfortunately no room for dessert. read more

219 Bistro - She crab soup - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Food was good; drinks were ok; service was amazing - Jasmine thank you for tending to us so well. She was great!! Cheers!

A wonderful dining experience for our family of four following a Christmas show performance at the Welles. Food was delicious, but perhaps the best part was the server, Drum: poised and low-key, friendly and considerate, informative - he had the right balance of everything to match our mood. Thanks 219 Bistro for an excellent all-around dining experience in Norfolk, VA. read more

My heart wanted to give this place 5 stars. I can't because I didn't ACTUALLY eat here. According to the menu HANDED TO ME WHEN I GOT TO THE TABLE (The owner/manager let me know there is a menu posted outside the restaurant, but who runs outside then back to the table to cross reference a menu? Want a customer to see the full menu? Then hand it to us at the table). GOOGLE, they were supposed to have an extensive VEGAN menu. They had two items--edamame and Thai Zucchini curry. "Two" does not constitute "extensive". We left. The 3 stars are for the kind waitress--DANAE. She was quite understanding and suggested their sister restaurant, Leones. She told us 219 Bistro updated their menu recently, and clearly the black bean and corn veggie burger and the honey sriracha Brussel Sprouts didn't make the new menu list (though they are on the menu when you Google this place). Oh well. read more

219 Bistro - 2021 menu. It is NOT the menu on Google, however. - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I had visited 219 Bistro for Happy Hour once and was eager to try their dinner menu. My friend and I were going to the late Matt Rife show so I thought this would be a perfect time to head back to 219 Bistro. I looked at the dinner menu online and saw that the dinner prices were fair for the entrees provided, so I knew this would be a good spot. When we walked up to the restaurant, I was beyond ecstatic to see they had extended their Restaurant week menu and pricing bc they were the once place I wanted to visit, but was unable to make it. I did the 3 course for $35. I got the Duck L'orange appetizer, the bone in pork chop entree and the chocolate mousse dessert. My friend got the Beef Tenderloin entree. The food was UNBELIEVABLE! Our server Brock was also so attentive and an absolute pleasure. I 100% will be back again and again! My only con is I wish they were open more days of the week, but I understand why they operate in the capacity that they do. I can't wait to come back to try all the other amazing dinner options! read more

219 Bistro - BONE IN PORK CHOP with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower purée - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Service and ambiance were great! The food, despite excellent presentation, was giving Applebee's as far as taste goes. Not worth the price point. read more

Once again my wife and I took advantage of Downtown Norfolk's Winter Restaurant Week to visit a bistro we've never been to. First up, the service was impeccable. Ambiance was magnificent. A true classy urban bistro with big windows for people watching. She had the bacon wrapped goat cheese figs with a smokey chipotle blackberry jam for an appetizer. This is a real winner. Smokey, savory, sweet, and gooey. Yummy. I had the she-crab bisque. It was good, but not exciting. In an area where blue crabs are plentiful, to stand-out in this area, 219's she crab bisque needs more flair. Her entree was the beef tenderloin coated in cracked pepper, finished with a creamy cognac and pepper sauce, served with buttery new potatoes and grilled asparagus. The tenderloin was grilled perfectly with melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. My wife loved the creamy cognac and pepper sauce on the potatoes and asparagus. I had the Cotija Chili Lime Shrimp - Mexican quinoa salad of bell pepper, red onion, black beans, cilantro, scallion, corn, crumbled cotija cheese and Mexican crema. This is an excellent entree if it's summertime. But not a winter dish. The quinoa salad is served cold. Not something I expected for a winter dish. The spiced shrimp with the Mexican crema sauce was spot-on. For dessert, she had the raspberry sorbet - very refreshing on the palate. I had the Bailey's chocolate mousse - another real winner. Highly recommend it. Creamy without being too sweet. Delicious. Everything washed down with excellent hot decaf coffee. Creative presentations, great ambiance, and wonderful service, we will be back. read more

Food is always GREAT and DAVE is awesome! Great service!! 10/10!!!! Happy Hour is 4pm-6pm and love the wine and beer options

Tried this restaurant for the first time because it was restaurant week. I read some reviews that said the service was so slow.. I was worried about that. But!! That was NOT the case. Service was quick. We had a reservation and were sat right away. We got a water soon after and ordered drinks. My boyfriend got the Pineapple Persuasion and that was super yummy. We ordered off the $45 restaurant week menu. I got the she crab bisque and my boyfriend had the bacon wrapped figs. My soup was delicious. His gosh were tasty. A little sweet but overall great. For the entrees, I got the bacon wrapped scallops with risotto, and my boyfriend got the filet. My scallops were cooked perfectly, but I didn't really like the sauce in the dish, a little too sour for me. Still good! My boyfriend's filet was cooked perfectly. Needed a little more flavor but overall we both enjoyed it. Alfonso, the server we had, was kind, helpful, and went above and beyond to make sure we had a good experience. The desserts were super good! The chocolate mousse and the sorbet is what we ordered. And it all came out with great presentation and had great flavor. We will be back again :) read more

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Just a good standard restaurant in nice downtown Norfolk. Menu is good size with good variety. Atmosphere was good and unique enough. Had the chicken & sausage penne pasta. Quality was sub par as it seemed not be fresh but taste and presentation was still good. Service was a bit weird as the wait staff didn't seem to have an organized way of doing things. read more

Got ignored for about 30 minutes Got Carded without my ID. Bummer Sat in the window with AC blasting on me. Told hostess. No change. Free Desert that was offered at our conference was chocolate mousse and whipped cream and it was gross Steak that I liked two years ago has changed with the menu and was dry and well done instead of medium well. Not sure that I will ever be back. I miss the waitress from before. P.S. I told the waitress, hostess and guy who looked like a waiter that they needed to sit in that seat. Waitress told me that I should have told her. She didn't wait on us most of the service. She basically yelled at me on my way out. read more

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Not my first time here, but probably the last. Service was pretty good - seating was fast, server was alright. The food is really average to slightly less and portions were small given the price. Unless you are ready to spend a small fortune to leave not hungry, I suggest getting a snack somewhere before coming here. read more

The start of the evening was wonderful, hostess sat us quickly and informed us that if we are going to see a show we should order off the pre-fix menu to ensure we are out the door in time for our show. Thats when things went south, out waitress was less then stellar, she took our drink order and then we waited and waited and then she came back and took our appetizer and entree order at the same time. Never came back to the table to check on us, the guy she was training came over and cleared out plates and that was it. When our entrees got served we had to ask for our check because she took forever to come to the table. I went to the bathroom before our dinners were served and she was back sitting down talking to someone. The food was decent, nothing to write home about. But the lack of attentiveness from our waitress was what killed the whole experience for us. read more

We came for Sunday brunch and were pleasantly surprised to see a variety of items available! I also took advantage of their $3 classic mimosa, which did not disappoint! We started with the loaded breakfast tots - man, loaded was an understatement! I could have ordered this as a meal and been completely content. My boy had a bowl of the she crab soup which he enjoyed, and the southwest brisket burger. It's both brisket and a cheeseburger - it was so big he head to eat it open faced. The brisket was tender and the burger was juicy. I had the lobster omelet, which also had crabmeat. It was tasty but could have used a little more salt. Service was good, our server was training someone so we had twice the attention. Would definitely return for brunch! read more

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Excellent burger and great service at the bar. Was engaged by some regulars at the bar and learned quite a bit about the city. Overall ambience and atmosphere was good. read more

We went there for dinner with drinks. Good food, we had burgers (also veggie available) and She Crab Bisque. Our particular service was forthcoming but a little unattentive for a bigger group. We liked the interior and atmosphere of a modern American diner. read more

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Sooooo good! You can get it with or without the cured sausage. You can definitely get this as a meal for one or share with a group. read more

219 Bistro - Charcuterie Board - American Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Holy cow! Let me start by saying this was the best meal I've had in a good minute. With new hours and a brand new dinner, dessert and brunch menu, 219 bistro is the place to go downtown. Everything was absolutely delicious, the hostess and our server were extremely polite and kind and it looks so beautiful in there! The Corn and Crab Hushpuppies app is TO DIE FOR, the Steak frites had an amazing herby, slightly tangy sauce to accompany a perfect medium steak, the Beef Bourguignonne was so tender and flavorful and the Airline Chicken breast was served with deliciously crisp Brussels sprouts and baby potatoes. And then dessert! We all shared a slice of gigantic PB Chocolate pie with a PRETZEL CRUST. Salty and sweet is always the way to go, absolutely amazing. Why can't I give more than 5 starts?! Amazing service, amazing atmosphere, amazing dishes. We will be back! read more

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This is a Downtown Norfolk gem! The staff was friendly and prompt and the ambiance was simultaneously upbeat and relaxed. Our server was knowledgeable and gave us great wine recommendations to go with our meals. I had Filet and my husband had the Scallops. The filet was cooked perfectly and the sauce that accompanied it was absolutely delicious! My husband said his scallops were cooked perfectly and he loved the goat cheese risotto that came with them. If you haven't been here yet, you need to take the time. read more

I like this place. they have a kid's menu and that's always a win. Vegetarian menu as well. ok... here's why I like this place. Good happy hour specials food wise. large enough to share for the price- totally worth it. the drink specials are good but honestly, I wish they did better beer discounts, but I digress. the flavor of the wings are good, but I like the skin more crispy but really, nothing to complain about with the dry rub old bay. GET THEM. the Bloody Mary bar on the weekend is CHEAP. $5!!! they have the basics for the bar and that makes me happy. I find it's my go to joint waterside area because the food is good and consistent. comes out quickly and exactly how I want it. stop by! Monday is Bob's burger night! read more

So we came here on a Saturday night, date night. 7:30 table, didn't leave the restaurant till 9. It was not understaffed, our server just didn't care about us versus her table of 8 which would obviously tip bigger. For context, her section had two tables in it, us and the bigger group. Drinks took about 20 minutes, okay whatever. And then our dinner order took over 1 HOUR to come out, and our server was barely around. We talked about cancelling the order and just leaving because there was no point in staying and crazy, just as we were about to cancel, our food came out. My burger was cold from top to bottom, even the patty itself. And my boyfriends scallops were beyond burnt, and his "chipotle goat cheese risotto" was spoiled with an excessive amount of bacon grease. I took one bite of it and spit it back out into my napkin because why does it taste like bacon grease? I understand restaurants are busy on the weekends but this experience was truly appalling and I would not recommend coming to a place where the servers quite literally don't care about you if they have bigger tips in their sections. read more

The food was really good. The drunk duck burger was magnificent and so was the risotto. My boyfriend loved his dish as well. The atmosphere was very chill. Definitely a place you can hang and have a couple nice drinks and eat good. read more

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WOW! What a disappointment our experience at 219 was! Our group of 10 had dinner here last night. We made reservations 3 weeks ago and were really looking forward to it. We arrived and were some of the 1st there. I told the waitress we had tickets to the theater at 7:30 and was told no problem. She started off good and went downhill. She placed our order at 5:45 and from there was a nightmare. They ran out of wine glasses so drinks were delayed. At 6:50 we were still not served after I mention the time several times to her. I was worried about the time and EVERYONE was served around us. The Manager was no help and incredibly unconcerned. The waitress finally started serving our meal at 7:00 and in 3 shifts with 5 minutes between them. We had to gulp down our expensive meal in 15 minutes and rush to the theater. The meals were mediocre. Will NEVER go there again! read more

First time visiting was restaurant week in Norfolk and I certainly intend on making this place a regular spot. I ordered the Truffle Fries (delicious), Salmon (decadent), & Sorbet- Lemon (lite and refreshing) with the Pineapple Persuasion (had 2 because 1 was just not enough). The flavors and good were just amazing. Now for the atmosphere and staff... both were very relaxing and welcoming. Our server, Emily, offered great recommendations and made a killer drink. read more