This is my second time in the city Oswego and first time eating at this Bistro 197 and I was really impressed with the location and atmosphere in this restaurant. Food was really amazing and tasty, great service and not to mention delicious drinks. Had them made me an old fashioned with Billet Rye Bourbon and was so good. Will definitely be back to try other items in Menu. read more

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I wanted to love this place. The menu is awesome. What comes out of the kitchen is beautiful. The beer and cocktail menu is extensive and fantastic. But the service ruins it. I've tried to eat here so many times. There is the time the water carafe had chunks floating in it. The time the waitress brought out a plate with her thumb in the sauce. The time something I'd ordered several times before came out covered in scallions (ew) and when I complained I was told that was just how it comes. No remedy, no nothing. Or the waitress wearing perfume so thick it gave me and the bf instant stomach aches. So many failures, I don't know if I'll go back. read more

It's everything you'd want: excellent, friendly service; terrific menu; delicious food; great beer, wine and cocktails...they even had live music! We are so sorry it took us four years to try this place because this is our daughter's last year in Oswego. I'm reviewing it so that all the parents of incoming freshmen will know about it a lot sooner than we did! Going to try to squeeze one more visit in before graduation! read more

One of the best in town, usually have unique flavored butter, like the changing menu, been many times. Good drink variety too. Fra diavlo mussels are awesome. read more

Love this place. Very trendy and love the atmosphere. They have live music every weekend. I always bring out of town guests that visit us here and we enjoy the food and drinks. It makes you forget that you're in Oswego, and in this case that's a great thing!! read more

We've been meaning to go there for months! Last night we stopped by rather late an hour before closing. I have dietary restrictions, and they worked with us. My choice was amazing! I have only had one other meal in my LIFE that compares, and we travel fairly widely and internationally! The pricing was fair given WHAT you GOT! I savored EVERY BITE, and trust me, there was enough of it to savor. I probably should have taken some home, but I couldn't Stop!!! I paired it with two different white wines, and my husband had two unique bottled beers, his favorite the wheat from Belgium - Hoggarden. The creme brule (spelling?) dessert was a nice finish. I would recommend Bistro 197 to anyone who appreciate truly fine dining (with table cloths and linen napkins to boot). The wait staff was extremely efficient and helpful also. read more

This place is great! The short version: The food was tasty, ambiance was cozy, and the staff was EXTRAORDINARY! The Long Version: We were driving from Canada to Philadelphia and made a stop in Oswego. We did a quick search and came upon Bistro 197. Our waiter (I think his name was Jason) was funny, informative, and regularly checked on us. The crab bisque was just what we needed on this particularly cold, snowy night, and the seared tuna was on another level. I live in Philly where the food is top notch, and this was up there. I had a fun basil drink which was herbaceous and refreshing, and my boyfriend enjoyed his beer as well as ordering it with it's funny name. I am so mad at myself, because I meant to take a photo of the drink menu, but maybe it's good I haven't spoiled it for you. The drink list is HILARIOUS! Jason had to come back to get our drink order because we were having too much fun reading it rather than ordering from it. Creative and tasty! Now, once we left to get back in the car and check into our lodging for the night, we noticed we had a FLAT TIRE. Mind you, it was snowing, we weren't from the area, and it was getting really late. We came back in and sat at the bar while we tried to get in touch with AAA. What started off as a nuisance quickly turned to potential disaster. AAA wouldn't come out, we couldn't leave the car or it would be towed even though we would happily leave it and cab to our location, and we didn't know how to change out the tire for the spare donut tire. Not only did the staff save us from burning out all of gas, our battery, and then freezing to death, but they were so, so funny and kind. Genevieve and Maddy, you rock! I've never felt so welcomed and taken care of. Seriously, they had every right to tell us to scram but they didn't. Saints! Since AAA wouldn't come help us with our tire, wouldn't come tow us, and if we left the car we'd get towed by the city, the Bistro 197's wonderful, sweet, and talented handy man (it's killing me I can't remember his name - points for 3 out of 4) volunteered to put on our tire for us. OMG this man SAVED US! I tried to give him the last of my cash, but he wouldn't take it. If someone can tell me this mans name, if he has his own yelp or site, or whatever, I would love to review his page too. If the delicious food won't convince you, go here for the wonderful staff at Bistro 197. I can't thank you all enough! read more

Just stopped in for lunch and was pleasantly surprised By the menu and the available beer list. We had the Bbq chicken sandwich which was absolutely the tastiest while my partner in crime enjoyed the Basil BLT. Suffice it to say both plates were completely empty at the end of the meal. Excellent service and reasonable prices mean we will be back here on our next visit to Oswego. Take someone special and enjoy good meal and a great beverage. read more

This place rescued me from the culinary wasteland of Oswego. The crab cake burger, sweet potato fries and delicious glass of Cab made my trip to this neck of the woods almost worth it! Wished I hadn't saved it till my last day there so I could have repeated my visit and experience more of this great chefs creations. Service and the patrons where really really nice. OH AND THE DESSERT!! Chocolate Mousse, ganache, Oreo crust crazy crack deliciousness!! AMEN. read more

Went here for a quick lunch with family while visiting my sister. The waiter we had seemed like he was terrified of us, but he was mostly attentive and didn't drop anything, so he got a good tip. I'm glad that the restaurant has people enter through the side door, although they would do well to lock the door they don't want people to use which opens to the street- some people left through that door and the restaurant was cold for a good five minutes afterwards. The menu had more than a few things I would want to eat, nice. To start, I got the crab soup (which was a bit salty), and my sister got the French Onion Soup (which isn't entirely homemade, you could taste the canned nature of some of the broth). For entrees, my sister got a pear salad, which looked fresh. I got their special French Bread Pizza (since my sister raved about how tasty their bread is) and it was basically inedible. The toppings were good, and the bread was good, but the sauce on the pizza tasted like pasta sauce- it was way too sweet. I'm going to chalk it up to a near miss, though. Overall, I would probably go back, and I think this restaurant will do well in Oswego, as there isn't anything similar in town (that I know of). read more

One of the best places to eat in oswego- their menu is creative compared to most others in the area and their craft beer selection is great. Great place to grab a late dinner with live music on weekends. My only criticism is the service was really poor during my most recent visit. We sat with friends who had already been served and they warned us that it had taken an hour to get food. Knowing this, we flagged down the waitress who wouldn't have noticed us otherwise. We ordered food and she forgot to ask about drinks... Didn't see her again for 15 minutes so we ordered them at the bar. Food came out sooner than 30 minutes (and was delicious!) but when we asked for a fork she grabbed it off of a table that has previously been seated- then we never saw her again until we found her to ask for the check. Hopefully it was a new waitress or just a fluke? Either way, I'd definitely encourage friends/visitors to dine here. read more

Bistro 197 is a new ageish restaurant in a revitalized downtown Oswego that is part of the reason for its renaissance. The culinary offerings are compelling, the ambience is captivating, and the drink mixologists are superbly qualified to produce the perfect cocktail. Add to that live music Thursday through Saturday and you have a winning combination that has become very popular with locals and transients alike. I ordered the salmon special on a recent Thursday evening, and it was superbly prepared and delectably delicious. Add to that the apple crisp dessert and an Irish coffee and the evening was perfecto. They also have a wide array of wines and beers. This is a must stop on the Oswego restaurant horizon . 5 out of 5 stars! read more

Excellent food and decor. Loved the seasonal, locally sourced veggies. This Restuarant compares with the best of fine dining in cosmopolitan areas. read more

I love this place!!! Always a treat, fresh fruit mixed drinks, fantastic appetizers (Fresh calamari) my absolutely favorite. Advised per staff that local, fresh ingredients used per availability. Staff a bit slow at times to check on you, but friendly. Local entertainment a plus, always soothing to the ears while relaxing with friends !! Not a lot of parking, prepare to walk at times. I recommend over and over!!!! read more

Love, love, LOVE this place! My fiance aren't from the area but we've been coming here for the last two years for our annual trek up to Oswego. We love that it showcases casual fine dining fair in a no frills type of environment and atmosphere. You want your food to come out at the snap of your overindulged finger? HA! Hit the road to your nearest fast food joint, Jack! Here you better sit back, relax and enjoy the company you're with along with the amazing food and drinks that will surely delight your palate. Can't wait to come back! read more

When I went it took 2 hours after ordering for our food to arrive and when it did my burger was absolutely raw

Love the selection of wines. Wonderful food with great service. Never disappointed. Live music was a pleasant surprise last visit.

Very good food and atmosphere. It's a very classy joint with a higher price point. Staff was very friendly, good music, great beer and wine selections. The food was very good but don't expect quick service. They even indicate on the menu it will be slow because everything is made fresh. I would take my out of towner friends here for sure. read more

The gluten-free vegetarian risotto was phenomenal. The service was great. The temperature and decor were quite pleasant. Outstanding experience! read more

This place is so amazing and delicious with a very cozy feeling ins. Went last year during a work trip and the next year I went back for dinner and it was just as good ! They have a smaller menu but good interesting choices . You can tell they make everything very fresh . And the Maple butter is to die for ! Great service , waitress Christie k was wonderful and very friendly . To bad I live in nyc or else this would be one of my favorites ! :) read more

My top local restaurant. Best higher-end food in the Oswego area. Good bar foods also if your looking for a lighter quicker meal. Cant go wrong with any chef speical read more

Excellent food and service. A jazz quartet "Take 4 Jazz" was playing. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening. read more

Bistro 197 - French Near Me - Oswego, New York

If I could give this place a 0 I would. The waitress was incredibly rude. You seat yourself so me and my best friend sat at a high top. The waitress came over after 10 minutes of us just sitting there and the first thing she said was "you're sitting here for dinner?" Then after that first impression, she eventually took our order and snickered at the fact that my friend and I just want two side salads that she told us were "dinner size" and to also split the pub fries. I think it is also important to note the fact that there is no kids menu. The pub fries came out and while they were supposed to have white truffle oil on them.. they were incredibly dry and had more Parmesan cheese and scallions than fries. I wouldn't even call them fries because there was no potato in them and in fact they were only dry and extremely overcooked. After I asked her to take them back and out the oil on it because I thought they forgot about it, she went around the corner and came right back... there was no more oil on them because she hadn't even went in the kitchen. When we finished our meal after about 2 bites full of a $5 side salad as shown in the picture we were ready for our checks. Without asking if we wanted dessert, she handed us our checks and said have a good night. Thank you Jeneen ( found her name on the receipt ) for the worst service I have ever had at any restaurant. read more

Bistro 197 - French Near Me - Oswego, New York

Second time there and not disappointed. Ordered French onion soup which was outstanding well seasoned and broth had to be made in house. The special was Cioppino. Nice piece of fish perfectly cooked, scallops, shrimp and mussels were done to perfection. Broth was the center piece expertly seasoned and I should have taken it home for sopping up with bread for lunch the next day. I don't normally gush but this was a great meal before a hockey game at Oswego State. Should have taken a photo but I ate it first, thought about it after. read more

Had lunch here. Service was fast, atmosphere was suitable, prices were fair, and the portions were appropriate. The Croque Monsieur was delicious! read more

We went for drinks, my first visit and I knew they were noted for great Martinis. I asked the bartender what kind of Martini he might recommend, he replied "how about a Bud Light?". I thought that was rude and he had no personality. The ladies next to us were drinking an Autumn flavored Martini and heard his rude reply and began telling us about how delicious their drink was. Needless to say if I ever visit again and he is bartending I will walk back out. He also never asked if we needed another drink or how the drink was that I had ordered. He ought to get out of this profession, not a people person. read more

My friends and I have frequented the new bistro several times and each experience has been wonderful. The croque monsieur and crab cakes are my favorites. Have never tasted better French onion soup. I believe the prices are very reasonable, particularly for the level of food presented. read more

Back in Oswego for a weekend, my parents and I decided to head out to Bistro 197. It was a mostly positive experience, with a few minor exceptions. First, the appearance of the place was great, the exposed brick wall is really nice and the atmosphere is very classy casual. The whole Canal Commons area is very nice now and this is a great addition. The servers and greeters were great-but-not-overbearing all night, maybe a little slow, but that would probably be nitpicking. The menu is pretty narrow, focusing really on what amounts to classical New American fine dining food. The wine menu is pretty limited, there is nothing that is more than $8 or $9 a glass, and nothing exotic, but I thought the prices for wine (and everything else were very reasonable). The bread (a key concern for me in any review) is a nice baguette with a pretty flavorful olive oil/red pepper/parmesan mix that is all-in-all really tasty. For our appetizer course, we ordered mussels, fried oysters, and a wedge salad. The mussels plate is more than enough for two, three, or even four people to split. They were pretty tasty, they had a few different preparations available, I'm sure that all were equally good. The fried oysters were tasty with a good remoulade with a little bit of kick to it. The wedge salad didn't have nearly enough dressing (I want my iceberg wedge drenched). The dressing didn't have a bold enough flavor either, especially considering the tastelessness of iceberg lettuce, though it wasn't bad either. Entrees were once again good but just off from being great. We had a pork dish that was incredible, five stars for sure, a really tasty sauce on top of some fresh mashed potatoes, not one iota of complaint from me. The cod was not as good. The fish was cooked off, I think a little bit overcooked, wasn't quite flaky the normal way cod was (though it may have just been an older piece of cod). The taste of the dish was good and the roasted potatoes and chorizo underneath were a nice touch. The special that night involved jerk chicken, which had a very nice flavor, but the sides were a bit of a let down, mostly because I don't understand why a restaurant that bills itself as "farm-to-table" would serve corn on the cob in early June in upstate New York. Unless local means "possibly farmed in the same country," corn ain't a farm-to-table food product in June. The desert menu sounded tasty, but we were all full. All in all, a really solid experience, I'd love to come back the next time I'm home. A great addition to the city, I hope it stays around for a long while. read more

Had lunch just now and service was great. Deserving of the big tip. Bisque was flavorful and smoky. Had a few brews thanks to their wide selection. Goulash filled me right up the right way. Really put pressure on dinner to hold up. Worried lunch is gonna be the best meal of the day. Real chill and delicious. Highly recommend. read more

The service was horrible. We waited for 25 min, but none of waiters paid attention to us. Be careful if you would like to visit this restaurant. read more

From start to finish this dinner was a disaster. Seven of us came to celebrate college graduation. Although we were seated promptly and given water, that was it for another 25 minutes! Our waitress finally made an appearance to get drink orders and left for another 20 minutes or so. My daughter had to flag a nearby busser to finally get the drinks, minus a beer on tap, that seemed too difficult to pour even though we were two feet from the bar. About that time some bread arrived, but not with the tapenade or dipping oil you read about here. Not exactly sure why, with a limited menu for graduation, things were such an ordeal. Another 10 minutes till the appetizers were ordered. The pathetic cheese platter and plate of calamari in a puddle of oil arrived with no serving utensils a bit later. Finally dinner is ordered and later served. Our waitress taunted my husband because he appeared "angry". Hello! We just waited forever to get some service. She argued and defended because it was graduation. Seriously your waitstaff starts arguments with customers instead of perhaps apologizing for the wait? We had to ask multiple times for drinks. Meanwhile bussers seemed to be wandering aimlessly around. One busser took away our water and napkins and didn't bother to replace them. Although the music was good, it was seriously way too loud for one man and his guitar. It was definitely one of the worst dining experiences I've had. It really shouldn't matter if it's graduation weekend or not. If you can't handle the heat, don't take the reservations. read more

The place I would never go back! The service team including the manager is very rude. We have been waiting at the door for 10 minutes while one of the waiters passed by four times without even greeting us or taking the reservation. After 30minutes, the manager told us that we could not be seated in one of the available 4-top tables because we only have two people. Sarcastically, the couple sitting on the right was being served in a 4-top table. I am very disappointed with their bad attitude although the restaurant has a high score in yelp....Please take actions if you want to attract new customers read more

The food was really good. I had the oysters, pork belly, and duck wings. The were very good and really delicious. I had the french onion soup which was very disappointing. It had no flavor and tasted like onuon water. I jad the short rib for dinner with the gnocchi and that was awesome. The service was very slow and the music was way to loud. The desert was awesomr as well the apple crisp. read more

My husband and I have been to Bistro 197 twice now. Once for his birthday and once for mine. Both times the food and service were outstanding. The chef is extremely talented. I am pretty sure they could make a sock taste delicious. The mussels are fantastic! Their menu is seasonal so it had changed since the first time we went and everything was still awesome. I don't usually eat meat but their chicken was impressive! It was served with grilled vegetables, mashed potatoes and this amazing mushroom gravy. So good. My husband had fish and he enjoyed it as well. We plan on coming back for lunch sometime soon. read more

I got sick after eating here. The cheese in my salad seemed funky, but I ate it figuring they are a 'nice; place. I regret that decision still. Never going here again. read more

Love love love coming here to eat. Prices $$$ but food is well worth it. Menu does change, but that seems to be the norm these days. Staff is always friendly and helpful, business and bathrooms are clean and stylish. read more

So I ended up here because the place I wanted to eat at sucked due to the service or the lack there of anyway. So excellent service and excellent atmosphere, also a live musician whom was very good and was not overly loud his acoustic playing was spot on. So the reason this is 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the food which was amazing the variety was not great but what they had was top notch. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch. The crab cake po boy was full of lump crab and flavorful without being greasy. Appreciated the fact that they put it on whole wheat bread for us. Tasted fresh and possibly house made? The house made creole remoulade and whole grain mustard were both excellent. On the downside, the service was slow, but the friendliness of our server helped to counter that. We sat outside with our dog which would have been lovely were it not for the noisy delivery truck that spent the entirety of our lunch unloading liquor into the store next door. That was not the bistro's fault. Look forward to returning for dinner and sitting inside. read more

Best oysters around!!! Amazing service and great food!!! Steak was cooked perfect and fresh bread is always a delight!

The best dining experience you will find in Oswego. In fact, I had to keep looking out the windows to make sure I was actually in Oswego, and not a major city like NYC or Boston. My wife and I had dinner here with our friends from the Boston area, and we were blown away by how delicious and unique our meals were. The hot tomato oil, part of the charcuterie plate, was fantastic. Two of our party were very happy with the Bistro Burger, feauturing applewood smoked bacon, truffle oil and sweet cabernet syrup. I had the Berkshire pork chop, with pancetta, gorgonzola and spinach stuffing, which came with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. The portions were enormous. I was intrigued by the fact that every bite seemed to be a little bit different...as if subtle flavors were hidden throughout the dish, waiting to be explored. The owner waited on our table, and was kind enough to answer our many questions and explain why he wouldn't allow modifications to his burger. In the end, he was right. You don't mess with perfection. Kudos to Bistro 197 for bringing high-level fare to Oswego. May they see many a successful year! read more