Excellent, please go. We went this past friday 12/5. Great date night place. Reservations recommended for weekend. Food list and specials well worth checking out. Vibe was comfortable, cozy in a converted space. Wine and spirits list top notch. Specials rotate but i had my eye on 12oz ribeye and my partner wanted pecan trout. Started with delicious potsticker appetizer. Our server Sue was top notch. Helpful, accommodating but not hovering. Nice music inside to compliment dinner. Food came out on expected time considering kitchen size. Be aware food is prepared to order so large parties need to understand kitchen needs time. Left no spec of food on plate. Ribeye, creamed spinach and creamy mashed potatoes. Please go, enjoy the vibe of a classy, comfortable and highly enjoyable place. John F. read more

Great food and service! Valentine's Day gave us an excuse to go here. Best place in Shelby! Husband and I lived mainly in Chicago and Charlotte so we've been to many great restaurants. Very busy and close seating, but that's to be expected on Valentine's Day. Waitress was very attentive and offered great suggestions. We both ordered filet and it was really good. Told the people next to us about the 20% server fee. Will definitely go again! read more

Scrumptious food and attentive, friendly service. We started w the Chacha shrimp (w sauce on the side). I had the ribeye (well done, which took a bit longer to cook) with green beans and mashed potatoes. Beans were perfectly cooked and flavorful. Steak was tender and cooked exactly as ordered. my husband had the pork chop. It was huge. I am not normally a fan of pork, but this was perhaps the best chop I have ever tasted. perfectly seasoned tender and flavorful. read more

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Service was lacking plus a 20% gratuity automatically charged on a party of three - would've been great to know this up front. Certainly expected on larger parties, but three people? Wait staff know this and we were never asked how our food was or if we needed anything - water was not refilled & other issues made a high priced meal unenjoyable. Meredith does not seem very interested in providing customers with a good experience. Will not be back. Food was good. read more

As a fellow business owner, I'm more disappointed by the owner's defensive response than by the poor service from Meredith. My review ( I left originally to call attention to the owner) was meant to raise a valid concern -- one shared by six other customers in the past month -- yet it was met with zero apology and a statement that the owner "stands behind staff" regardless of a customer's account. I wasn't looking for free food or money, only for an attitude change from a staff member whose behavior is damaging the restaurant's reputation. Great food and atmosphere, but when obvious service issues are dismissed and customers are made to feel wrong for speaking up, it shows misplaced priorities. Remember, a business owner's representation is a direct reflection of their staff. My conversation with this Owner will continue to be made publicly known as I will not allow myself or others to be disrespected. And just seeing how rude she is the way she responds to negative reviews-very concerning read more

Food is way overpriced. Could get a better Caesar salad & steak at Texas Roadhouse for less money. & why can't you get more complimentary bread?? Service was subpar. Wouldn't recommend. read more

Our service was perfect! The atmosphere is nice with an unassuming air and as our dinner arrived a fellow showed up with his guitar and started playing music. The volume was ideal for conversation and it really was a nice touch. Dinner was good. The sauce that came with my pork was delicious and my green beans were fabulous! Jackie's steak was cooked perfectly but she wasn't impressed by the Demi glaze. We had dumplings for our appetizer and they were tasty. Nothing about dinner blew me away but everything was solid and I would eat here again. read more

Bistro 214 - Pork loin with mustard cream sauce - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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This is a fabulous spot in downtown Shelby! I'll be dreaming about this steak salad for a long time. The fried onions were a delicious touch. Service was fast and friendly and we enjoyed the live music playing. read more

Bistro 214 - Steak salad - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

First time trying this restaurant since the name change. We had a great experience. Sherilyn was super nice. Gave us a wonderful window seat. Our server, Susan, was very attentive. The food and the service were good. Only issue was salads came out late and shortly after our entrees arrived. Will definitely be back. read more

Clean and good environment Clear bathrooms Great food Great service No complains All menu is great great Fair prices read more

Filet and Rib Eye were absolutely fantastic. Meredith was an amazing waitress. In my opinion, Bistro 214 would be one of the top restaurants in any major city in the US. Shelby, NC has a gem! read more

Bistro 214 - Rib Eye - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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We had an amazing dinner here during our vacation to North Carolina! The filet mignon was amazing! Wow, wow, wow!! So classy. Everything was so yummy. We all raved about the meal. The service was also great. Can't wait to dine here again when our travels once again bring us to this charming city! read more

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Bistro that does not disappoint, top notch service, exceptionally good food, and ambiance! Highly Recommended!

A nice treat for a special occasion. It's the best fine dining in town. We were invited by some friends and enjoyed our dinner very much. The atmosphere is very nice and we enjoyed the live music too. We ordered the pecan crusted trout which was great. I enjoyed the goat cheese salad. There's great service and friendly help. They have full bar and wine menu too. Our friends say it's the best place for steak too. We hopefully will be able to visit again. read more

Very good food service and atmosphere every time we go there. I reccamend almost everything on the menue !

He had the rib-eye special with mashed potatoes and asparagus and said it was excellent. My pecan-encrusted NC trout in buttery sage sauce was a huge crispy delicious filet atop sautéed spinach and sweet potato chunks. The sweet potatoes were flavorful but a little firm and not very exciting. We shared the cha cha shrimp which was served in a Chipotle cream sauce on a thin edible shell with lettuces. His cab was good; my red wine blend was better, smooth and deep. We finished with the chocolate mousse Gamache. Altogether a superb meal with very good service. Oh, and the bread was thick and warm with a Balsamic olive oil.​​ read more

Bistro 214 - NC pecan-encrusted trout - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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We set up a reservation to celebrate our birthdays ( my husband and I are a day apart). We requested a table by the window. There are two big windows in the front. We were seated at a side table technically by a window. My husband was literally next to a wall and his seat went into a main walkway. There was music playing way too loud. When we were seated the hostess said here. I said I guess this has to do. She shrugged. The waitress tried very hard and the food was okay. The seating was terrible and the table was way too small. The only reason I am giving any stars is because of the hardworking waitress. They have a long way to go for us to come back. We used to love coming here and it was our special place before this last changeover. My husband just told me he TOLD them it was a special occasion and there was nothing said or done to make it special. Notice the response below as an example of how management handles difficult situations. When my husband requested the table by the window, if he had been told they were booked, we could have changed our time or day to help everyone. Also, I removed my statement of the 20% because I have no proof. We didn't take a picture or our check, but my husband swears it was there and was very surprised. A simple "happy birthday" or" thank you for joining us on a special occasion" would have sufficed. Response: Business owner information Bistro 2. Business Owner Feb 5, 2024 First, There is NO STATEMENT of not leaving a gratuity, you will be charged 20% automatically!!! A window table was reserved for you for a party of 2, with note of birthday, no special requests other than window table, There were other larger parties with window reservations before yours, which filled up window section, but we kept your table for 2 guests. Tables are seated according to number of guests, so you had a 2 seat table. We always have guitarist on the weekends playing background music, which our guests enjoy and ask for him to be there. There has been NO "change over", just a remodel, redecoration, upfitting and rebranding of name. All else is still the same. That was 2 1/2 years ago. Not sure what you wanted to make it "special" as you did not speak with wait staff or manager on duty to address. Read less read more

I've been 3 times and the food and service are excellent. If you haven't tried it yet, it's a must!

If you've never been to Shelby, NC you are missing one of the prettiest downtown areas a small town can offer. I was so charmed by all of the quaint restaurants along the strip frequented by the locals of the town, everything within walking distance. On this night we chose to dine with Ni Fen Bistro and had one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while. Ni Fen has a very open feel, with few tables and high ceilings. I was struck by the large front door as we entered, very welcoming! We had a reservation, and were quickly seated at a spacious table. Our waitress took the order for our drinks and was very knowledgeable about wine selections. We ordered appetizers and salads and then our lovely server brought us some of the best bread we'd ever put in our mouths. Crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, we ate two basketfuls with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar they brought out as soon as we sat. I ordered the Spinach Salad which was enormous! Fresh spinach leaves topped with shaved red onion, bacon, chopped hard-boiled egg, blue cheese crumbles and candied pecans and dressed with a sherry vinaigrette. It was fresh and delicious with just the right touch of richness from the cheese and eggs offset by the sharpness of the vinaigrette. A simple dish done perfectly. My date ordered Pot Stickers for his first course. The homemade stickers were filled with a spicy chicken mixture speckled with ginger and green onions. The tipping point came when we dipped the little gems into the ponzu sauce. When Dustin finished his pot stickers he poured the ponzu sauce out on his plate to sop up with his bread. It was that good! Our friends got steamed mussels, which was a special on this night. They were succulent! They were tender and seasoned so deliciously, full of parsley and garlic. And truly, the best part was the broth that collected at the bottom of the plate that we all helped sop up with that wonderful bread. The portion was enormous, too! My entrée was a special for the night: Lobster Thermidor. Who does that?? I rarely see it on menus (at least around here) anymore, but after eating it Friday, I think it deserves a resurgence. This one was lighter than ones I've had before, with a light wine broth enrobing the chunks of lobster and sliced mushrooms. Again, the bread came in handy. The men both got another special that night: Seared scallops with a beurre blanc sauce. It was served with mashed potatoes and haricots vert. The scallops were cooked perfectly with a light sear on the outside and creamy firm insides. And they tasted so fresh! The sauce was amazing and delicate, a perfect accompaniment. The mashed potatoes were creamy and rich, with plenty of seasoning. The haricots vert (you know, green beans) were bland, but who cares? I will say that the rest of my tablemates loved them, but you can't trust them. My friend got the third special of the night: Filet Mignon. Oh, it was a perfect slab of beef with just the right amount of color. It is rare that we leave a restaurant when my friend doesn't need a doggy bag, but on this night, she ate the whole steak. It was just that good. After all of that delicious food, there was just no way that dessert could compete. But, to make a completed review, we all took one for the team and ordered them anyway. I had a flourless chocolate cake which ended up being more like a Torte that a cake. It was very dense and rich and I could only eat a few bites. We got Bananas Ni Fen which is bananas in a rum glaze, reminiscent of Bananas Foster, atop a scoop of ice cream in what tasted like a Phylo dough bowl. It was fresh and yummy. We all agreed that the chef of this restaurant uses a deft hand with the spices and has the experience to cook the food correctly and with perfect timing. It was a well-orchestrated experience. But it goes beyond that. The staff worked as a team. We were completely taken care of by our server for the night, but we were also visited by the owner and helped by other servers. We felt welcomed and spoiled. I can't wait to get back. **posted from a review on my personal blog read more

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Made reservations early 5:30. place empty, within two hours barely filled. I do not understand as the food was fabulous. Of course perhaps too early for a Tuesday but we were starving. Fried oysters and mussels better than those offered in my home town of RI. Trout dish delish but needed a light sauce. sweet potato and perfectly lightly sautéed spinach wonderful. Rib eye cooked well but a bit dry for medium rare so next time I will ask for rare. but still wonderful. No room for dessert. but next time going for banana ice cream dessert. Waitstaff wonderful and attentive. Table flower bouquet totally Paris. Background music eclectic - fun and romantic. we knew the music. I come from RI. People . . you MUST go!! read more

We had the Cha Cha Shrimp for an appetizer which was delicious. The "shell" was awful. This would have been better served on a bed of lettuce. My husband had the Shrimp & Chorizo Pasta which was really delicious. I had salmon with sautéed sweet potatoes & spinach. The sweet potatoes were the star of this dish for me. The dessert with the homemade caramel sauce was my favorite. I'd go back but only for the desserts and appetizers. read more

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Very nice atmosphere, attentive waitstaff, and great wine list! Food is quite good and affordable. read more

We love the fried oyster salad and the fried goat cheese salad. Quant atmosphere and great service.

Witnessed the worst customer service I've seen in my lifetime. Waitress and manager were totally rude to two ladies because they asked about their food. We had been waiting over 45 minutes for our own food. The staff seem like they didn't care basically told the ladies to get out that they were refusing them service. For a place supposedly supposed to be upscale is totally unacceptable. Will not be coming back to this establishment so food and poor service. read more

Great daily deals/specials. The food is definitely enjoyable. Great little vintage euro vibe in this place. Dumplings, Warm goat cheese (YUM) salad and salmon on top all tasted flavorful. read more

Bistro 214 - Warm Goat Cheese Salad - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

What's in a name? When it comes to Ni Fen Bistro, my first impression is that it is more like a winery than a restaurant. As my friends and I walk into the bistro for lunch, we are greeted by a smiling face. This is a good sign. Everything is so elegant; from the white table set up with the dim lighting to the classical music. The reason I say that it has a winery feel to it is because the pride in their wine is very evident. Wine is practically a part of the decor. As our server (whose name is Tamara) hands us the menu, she informs us of the specials. She is very polite and knowledgeable about the menu and has no problem answering the questions that we have to the best of her ability. Tamara made the whole experience run more smoothly with us being first timers. Having her as a server was definitely a breath of fresh air. The one page menu was a little difficult to read. The font could stand to be a little bigger. There is only a few selections on the menu (that does not include vegetarian/vegan choices) nor does it have a kid's menu. How can your mission state that "it extends the welcome of family" when children are not even included in the menu? However, the wine list is at least four pages. This is another reason for my winery reference. To me, Ni Fen is more of a wine and dine your colleagues or significant other type of establishment. Compared to the table, the glassware and plates are massive. I ordered the chef selection, which was the grilled salmon topped with cucumber and dill relish on top of fried mashed potatoes with seasoned green beans. In order for me to get the full experience, I decide to try each food separate then together in one bite. Individually, the salmon is a little dry for my taste. The green beans are succulent and seasoned perfectly. The potatoes are a burst of happiness in one bite. The crispy outer crust combined with the creamy center is a celebration for the tongue. To put it all together in one bite, I saw hearts and stars! The cucumber and dill relish really compliments the salmon. At one point, I think my feet danced a jig as I continued my meal. The wine I chose is called Mamamango. It is a mixture of Moscato and mango, so if you enjoy a sweeter wine it is a great choice. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered a bottle to go. For the dessert portion, I ordered a Bananas Ni Fen, Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, Flourless Chocolate Cake, and a Caramel Apple Empanadas for all of us to try. The Creme Brulee was my favorite with its creamy texture. The Bananas Ni Fen and the Caramel Apple Empanadas equally tied for second. The Tiramisu was okay, but there was something in it that did not agree with my taste buds. As for the chocolate cake, it was too rich for my blood. Considering everything, nothing can compare to the Ni Fen experience. The food is fresh and made to order. The atmosphere is relaxing and the food tastes amazing. The visual appeal along with the flavors made it memorable. Everyone who lives in Shelby, North Carolina or is visiting should experience Ni Fen Bistro at least once (if you can afford to). Just don't bring your kids. read more

Bistro 214 - Chicken pot pie - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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Highly recommend Ni Fen. Great filet, great charcuterie and cheese, delightful staff. I enjoyed the wine selection. Check it out! read more

Bistro 214 - Filet is always delicious. Great cheeses and wines. Highly recommend stopping here. - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

Thursday they have $5 dollar house martinis great for a nice date! And on Tuesday $2 dollar domestic beers! And not to mention the amazing food!! The service is astounding and the owner is really sweet! Such a cute restaurant! read more

Bistro 214 - Lemon drop!! - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

We had dinner here two nights in a row, it was so delicious! Their warm bread will melt in your mouth. I highly recommend the crusted trout, mashed sweet potatoes, and sautéed spinach. And, wash everything down with a glass (or two) of sangria. Waitstaff were very friendly and responsive to our needs. read more

Great service! Food was wonderful and they were able to give attention to my gluten allergy and offer acceptable options. Definitely will go again! read more

The food was really good, but the service took forever. Just stopped in to get a quick bite and the food took about 30 to 40 minutes. good spot to go to if you have time on your hands read more

The food is always delicious. And the service is excellent. Reservations would be a recommendation.

Walking in, Ni Fen has a very modern and bright interior. They had our reserved table ready for us (party of 8) right on time. Our server (Devin I believe) was attentive and extremely helpful with pairing wines with the dishes we ordered. The food came out at an excellent pace and was absolutely delicious! The Cha Cha Shrimp was the best appetizer in my humble opinion and I enjoyed every bite of my grilled salmon (pictured and cooked to perfection). The Coconut Cake was the perfect way to finish a remarkable meal; perfectly moist and utterly delicious. Can't wait to come again! read more

Bistro 214 - Grilled Salmon with Rice Pilaf and Seasonal Veggies - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

I was the one that visited on Saturday, March 16th, per the review posted from Shawn D previously. My daughter and I had reservations at 7p and were sat in the area by the window. We were greeted by the waitress and placed our drink order and appetizer order at that time. 10 minutes later the waitress came by and stated, 'we have a large party that is about to order and I recommend you get the order in before they do' so we proceeded to order a salad, fish entree and chicken entree, which again we ordered because the waitress recommended we do so because of the large party of 18. 25 minutes later, yes I kept track of the time, our appetizer and salad came out to the table at the same time. I NEVER said a word to the waitress about the timing of the service at that time however, any upscale restaurant/server would know that you DONT EVER take the appetizer out at the same time as the salad...its called 'pacing diner' for your customer experience. We finished our starter and salad and at 815p... still no entree. Yes, that's an hour after the order was placed. No word from the waitress at this time even though she passed our table many times. I feel that a 'I'm sorry your meal is taking so long and its coming shortly' would've gone a long way after such a long wait, but NOTHING. I got up to go to the restroom, passing the waitress on the way (not stomping across the restaurant) and asked if she thought our entrees would be coming in the next 10-15 minutes. She commented, no they wont because the big table just now got their food. I said, 'But you told us if we ordered now, we would be ahead of them' and she commented 'well, they got their order in first'. I did say, 'well, that sucks' and walked to the bathroom. NO Spitting occurred, how rude of the owner to make this up in her reply to Shawn D., and by the way she is hearing this second hand as well because she wasn't there either. When I came out of the bathroom, the waitress approached me and told me I was very rude to her and that I shouldn't be complaining because I already had an appetizer and salad. I proceeded to say, 'For the price of your entrees, I would expect better and that it was 2 entrees taking over an hour to make. If the kitchen can't handle a room full of tables, then don't allow a big party because your regular customers suffer.' I went to sit down at my table and the other waitress came over, handed me my bill, and told me that I was longer allowed to come here for dinner because they don't tolerate people treating their staff in a disrespectful manner. If asking where my entree is after waiting over an hour is disrespectful, you all are in the wrong business. As others can see from many other reviews, I am not the first customer complaining about the bad service or lag in dinner service. I am more than happy to take my $200+ dinner business somewhere else. I tried to eat local, but you all have a long way to go to call yourselves UPSCALE. Back to the WEBB I go. And I am certain that the owner will have plenty to say about my above comments, because she seems to always make it someone else's fault when a bad review is posted about her business. SHAME ON YOU. I recommend you be present more at your restaurant so that you can control your staff and provide better customer service. You have bigger issues than my happiness. read more

Nice space with attentive service. We tried the black bean cakes and potstickers for appetizers. My husband enjoyed his oyster salad and I liked the asparagus salad (I put the dressing on the side) The asparagus was perfectly cooked so it was still slightly firm. I've had too many overcooked veggies at restaurant nearby so that was refreshing. We saw several entrees being served that looked good....think it was a sea bass special. We'll definitely stop by again in the future. We also appreciated the talented guitarist playing Saturday night. Definitely added to the ambiance of the place. read more

Bistro 214 - Nice wine selection - New American Near Me - Shelby, North Carolina

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Delicious dinner and great service! The owner is super friendly and attentive. Would definitely eat here again. I had a salmon dish and my husband had the filet special. read more

I absolutely love this place! My parents and I have gone here 3 years in a row on Mother's Day. We always have amazing service and the food is exceptional. This is a great place to eat is you feel like getting fancy in Shelby. I highly recommend it. read more

This food is sooooo good! Must try the mushroom tart! Seafood cooked to perfection! Great service! We will be back!

Another great find in "downtown" Shelby. We got there early and that allowed us to eat the early bird special 20 bucks for three courses. We started with a salad I got ranch and a creamy balsamic dressing. Both on the side so I was able to try them both. They both were very good, to good to ever chose one over the other. The main course that we both chose was beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Plate presentation was beautiful. Everything was prepared to perfection. The last course was dessert was divine. I had the bananas ni fen and my husband had the chocolate cake. While both are very good I recommend the bananas ni fen. This was so sinful and heavenly at the same time. Just take my word for it and get it. The decor is lovely and the music playing is very elegant. And my husband discovered that the water glasses could be played. So while I was enjoying my dessert he was serenading me with his water glass. Will definitely be returning and can't wait to take our out of town guest to this awesome restaurant. read more

I have been meaning to write a review for a while now. Let me say that when Ni Fen was on Warren Street years ago, it was much better. I am however happy that Shelby has a fairly upscale place you can go without having to go to Charlotte or Asheville. My first experience there (about 1.5 years ago) was definitely 2 stars. Our waitress was young (too young to drink - she said "I don't drink wine") and had no recommendations on what wine to order. It was awkward. She also began to have an attitude when we didn't want to order meals but wanted to taste wines and order several appetizers. The portions on what we got were laughably small for the price. The prosciutto crudo on one platter was shiny and didn't look appealing. Anyway, we ended up going across the street to Pleasant City, as we were starved. My second experience was slightly better. We went on Valentine's this year. They had a decent prix fixe menu. The tables were really crammed in together. We came early. We didn't like where we were being seated (keep in mind it's 5:15 PM and the restaurant is virtually empty) so we asked the hostess (very young AA female) to please seat us somewhere else. She said and I quote that " if she asked, he would say no" and pointed to a very young Cauc male at the seating podium. I almost got up and left but my wife said to forget about it. Others proceeded to come in for seating and asked for different seats and they were accommodated with different seats. That only irked me more. At least we had a nice/decent waitress with some experience. The baked brie in filo with honey and almonds was great. The shrimp cocktail was just okay and only had 3 insulting shrimp as a portion. The chicken pasta dish was solid. The first plate of prime rib they sent was well done. The second plate which had the medium rare (almost an inch thick) slice I had ordered was very good and made up for the first one. The flourless chocolate cake was the best part. Very nicely done with great texture. The creme brulee was good but I think a blueberry accidentally fell on top of it. Just kidding - again the portion issue, put three on so it seems intentional. Coffee was good and waitress again kept us happy. They also get points for OMB on tap. The live music was also a nice touch. I think this place has the potential to be an awesome place. The food selections/menu items seem solid and vary nicely. Pump up the portions of certain items a bit and improve some of the presentations. The staff is where the primary shortfall lies; if you hire young people/high schoolers, train them properly to respectfully interact with patrons. Don't make your diner feel snubbed or disrespected or they may not come back... I have eaten at places ranging from Windows on the World to Le Cirque to the Shelby Cafe. One thing for sure if that even average food can taste so much better when the service is excellent. Try Ni Fen at least once for yourself and form your own opinion. read more