An all-around great meal! We tried the Charred Spanish Octopus for an appetizer. The char taste with the romesco and squid ink sauces was a delightfully complex flavor. For entree, I ordered the Blackened Wild Louisiana Redfish, and I would definitely get it again! The blackened seasoning was perfection, and I thought that the fried okra were well done too. We also tried a dessert that I can't remember the name of - it was chocolatey, creamy, and delicious! I really liked the atmosphere - a good combo of formal while being unstuffy. We brought some family that was in town, and we were definitely pleased with the experience! read more

Bistro 218 - Blackened Wild Louisiana Redfish - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Always a great experience. Great food, drinks, customer service, and a lovely atmosphere. read more

Bistro 218 - Duck Confit - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Had a great time at bistro 218! We got the octopus to start which was cooked to perfection along with some great sauce to mix it in! Then I had the steak with some fries which was fabulous and their fries seem like a hidden secret! We finished with a wonderful dessert that had a crispy chocolate shell and soft inside! This place is always dreamy at night and has a wonderful atmosphere to hang out and just enjoy company for a while! read more

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Our first vid it before a movie at the Sidewalk theatre. Cute place. We had a drink at the bar first. Disappointed that they had so many selections for Chardonnay but none for a Moscato. We were seated upstairs. Food was great. Service was stellar. Will come again. Maybe next time the will offer the Moscato! read more

Bistro 218 - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Ambiance wonderful! Maryland crab cakes wonderful! We tried their gumbo and the beet salad (strawberry vinaigrette ... literally would drink or buy if they bottled it). And my husband got the grouper.. beautifully cooked. For a booked restaurant, they did a wonderful job read more

Hot Damn! What a wonderful way to end the day with a fantastic dinner! I had high expectations based on the reviews and we were not disappointed. The martinis were delicious and the West Indies salad for an appetizer was absolutely delicious. Afterwards, my wife had the Yam, Parsnip, and Butternut Squash Rosti. I had the Duck Confit. Both were amazing. We had a wonderful time mainly because we had a great server, Mark, he was excellent. Great recommendations and very helpful throughout our visit. read more

My boyfriend and I snagged a last minute reservation while we were out Saturday night. We sat in the bar dining room which was nice. We enjoy sitting at the bar and having a meal, but this was a bit more intimate and perfect for the night. Sadly, I was way too excited about our meals to remember to snap a pic, but he ordered the steak frites and I had the duck compote. Both were amazing Lastly we ordered the dark chocolate olive oil cake for dessert and it was wonderful as well! Definitely could have eaten it all on my own read more

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Everything was delicious and the service was phenomenal. We went for a friends birthday and they had a birthday card on the table for her, it was a very cute touch. Everything we ordered was a 10/10 and we will definitely be coming back. read more

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This is truly one of my favorite Dinner spots in the 'Ham. The setting is refined, yet comfortable and inviting. The staff and service are quite exceptional and the food is beautifully prepared and presented. A fine wine menu and craft cocktails are complimented by an array of epicurean appetizers. The entrees and deserts are on par with any fine French Creole New Orleans restaurant. Well done folks, I'll be back for more. read more

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Highly recommend! Great date night or girls night spot. Our waiter, Mark, was wonderful and so friendly. The food was outstanding! I will be coming back soon! read more

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If you're looking for an elegant fine dining experience in the downtown Birmingham area, Bistro 218 is an excellent choice. It is described as a French-inspired bistro fare serving entrees such as duck confit in a brick-walled space with a warm and intimate vibe. First, they offer a convenient valet service if you don't want to circle around in search of street parking. This was our second experience and thankfully it did not disappoint. We were promptly seated by a friendly hostess and then greeted by our enthusiastic server, Chad. He was completely knowledgable about the menu items, made recommendations and worked diligently to provide us with a great dining experience. There is an extensive wine and cocktail menu to browse. All entrees are thoughtfully conceived and utilize fresh local ingredients in many cases. Everything is made fresh in house. Our party of four selected a variety of delicious items from the menu including fried green tomatoes, charred Spanish octopus, Maryland style crab cakes, blackened wild Louisiana redfish, chicken paillards with risotto, vanilla bean Crème brûlée and coconut cheesecake. I believe the menu changes daily but seems to include a few standard items. Overall, this restaurant checks all the boxes... elevated cuisine and excellent service in a pleasing environment. We will definitely be back! read more

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Very kind and attentive service and a classy atmosphere. The highlight was the house cured pork belly, which was perfectly crispy and melted in your mouth. It was delicious over grits with a runny egg. The charred Spanish octopus was tender and delicious with romesco and chorizo. The bone marrow was good, but did not stand out in comparison. The BLT salad wasn't special, but the bacon in it was amazing. The red snapper was a bit salty, but it was tender and soft. The beef Wellington lacked complexity of flavor, and the quality of meat could have been a little better. The chocolate olive oil cake wasn't anything special. However, the Caramel French Press Coffee Martini is a must. read more

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Had a wonderful time! Amelia gave us the best service and the food was so delicious. We had a very nice table up on the loft, would definitely recommend opting for that spot. We will absolutely be back! read more

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Elegance .... Seems like a NYC fine dining.... Easy to listen and talk because the noise level is low. Excellent cocktails. My favorite restaurant anytime... but especially for special occasions.... read more

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The food was so bland, including the West Indies salad big disappointment!!! With So many restaurants in Birmingham. I don't believe I'll go to this one again.! read more

Before we get into the food, let's talk about the service: I'll get right to it: we had the best service that we've ever received in our lives. Mark took care of us from beginning to end with no complaints. He made wonderful suggestions from starters, drinks, entrees, to dessert -- they all were on point. Now as for everything else: I had made reservations for my girlfriend's birthday and, we thought it to be a nice touch that they had separate areas for casual-ish dining and the "more exclusive" experience. We sat alone for about an hour in a nice dining area as we were served water and a delicious French bread which name escapes me. Mark recommended the Maryland Crab Cakes as a starter with a smoky style chili oil and lemon white wine butter sauce. EASILY the best crab cakes we've had. Full of tender, fresh crab meat and the exterior had a light but firm crunch. The entrees were also fantastic. Girlfriend had the Free Range Chicken Paillards that she fell in love with and I had the Steak Frites. The steak was tender and to my liking, although I probably should've went with a medium option rather than medium well. Frites were delicious and didn't taste of any grease whatsoever. Dessert was on the house for her birthday so she chose the créme brûlée. I myself am not a fan of créme brûlée, but she is and she loved it. Drinks were also good! Overall, we enjoyed our experience -- 5/5. We will return. read more

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Really bad food experience this time! The appetizers are, at most, OK. Odd mix of flavors. Some came out kind of cold. My $52 new york strip steak was the worst steak I ever had at an upscale restaurant. The overall flavor was OK, but they turned a medium to medium-rare order into a well-cooked cheap hamburger! My jaw got sore the day after because of how hard that thing was to chew. I could not make a scene during the meeting, so I swallowed it in a one-hour-long process, but in any other situation, I would have talked to the manager. A colleague with whom I shared a few bites of it afterward told me, "That was not a medium-rare". Also, no aging whatsoever; salty seasoning; ...it was an awful thing to eat!! The ambiance is always great. Service is stellar good! Parking wasn't too bad this time. The music, though, was way too loud; we had a hard time talking to each other, and considering we were there for a business dinner, we may have to scratch this restaurant off the list just because of this issue. We'll pass for a while read more

Bistro 218 - $52 New York strip. Awfully cooked. A trow away - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

You want a dining experience of a 5 star restaurant then look no further. We were blessed to have Marc as our server as he was a rockstar! Service was on point and food was fantastic. The wife and I split the crab cake app. She had the 'Yam, parsnip & butternut squash rosti' and she said it was amazing. My redfish was very good. We finished the evening with creme brulee...outstanding. Shout out to the bartender as well as our drinks were top notch. Environment is very inviting and a prefect spot for date night. Even the GM stopped by our table to check on us. read more

I've been here half a dozen times or so and tonight was the best yet. The team did a great job from the seasoning on the ciabatta at the start to the freshness of the "West Indies Salad" and the cook on the chicken paillard, (atop a well-executed "mirepoix risotto" ) my wife and I enjoyed a meal with my father on a random Friday night: no special occasion, the room was clean, quiet, and the mood was just pleasant. Good coffee too! Four stars only because we found the deserts (blueberry tart, peach tart) to be a bit lack-lust, maybe just slightly less than fresh, though tasty. But my dad very much enjoyed the cherry chocolate cake option. And that has been my experience here, the meal is phenomenal up until the deserts, which underwhelm. But this is becoming a go-to place for us, it's classy and never stuffy, always welcoming, and with friendly staff who are relaxed but prompt and professional. Thanks for a good dinner! Reasonably priced for 3 courses for three people! read more

Bistro 218 - West Indies Salad, Watermelon Salad - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Fantastic dinner experience in downtown Birmingham. Incredible flavors, friendly and attentive staff, and a lovely dining room that's great for an intimate dinner for two or a larger group. Will be back, and I highly recommend for any occasion. read more

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Nice place. Elegant French vibe, but not over the top. The restaurant is professionally staffed with host and waiters that seem trained and knowledgeable. Everyone was cordial and polite to us. Reservations are recommended Valet parking was easy and convenient. My wife and I split a salad and an entree. It was the perfect amount of food for us. I loved that the kitchen took the time to spit our order. The presentation and quantity seem like a full order to me. The BLT salad was fresh and crispy sliced wedge of iceberg lettuce. It was topped with dime sized pieces of bacon fried to perfection. For our entree we split the Steak and Fries. The steak was sliced and cooked to tender medium temperature. It is served in a tasty a chasseur sauce (brown sauce deglazed from the pan). read more

Our party of 6 dined here before attending a show at the BJCC. It was the Black Jacket Symphony presenting Jimmy Buffet so of course we wore our Hawaiian shirts. So of course we all got some strange looks since Bistro 218 is a "nice" place. As the evening progressed and the restaurant filled, there were others who were also dressed very casual. So don't fear. You won't get turned away unless maybe if you showed up in a t-shirt, sweat pants and flip flops for dinner. I can only guess, but I'm pretty sure the 218 in their name is because they are located on 218 N 20th Street. They are on a busy section of downtown with valet parking. I was able to find a close spot on the street since we had an early 5:45 reservation. There's no outdoor seating, but inside is very spacious with plenty of seating. There are almost two separate rooms with the bar being in the room you enter. They keep it quite "dark" inside which gives the restaurant a very "romantic" atmosphere. Our tables had a couple of very cool LED table lights. I mentioned a romantic atmosphere but as the night progressed, the dining room got pretty loud. Since we had a reservation, we were seated immediately. Our server Joseph quickly took our drink orders. Being a French bistro themed restaurant, they had a very nice wine list and a short but comprehensive dinner menu. Tammy enjoyed her French martini. We shared a bowl of the seafood gumbo which aside from Tammy's home made gumbo, is probably one of the best seafood gumbos I've tasted. The presentation was beautiful with a single large shrimp centered in the bowl. Tammy also tried the redfish. Beautifully plated on yellow corn grits and green beans, the blackened redfish was delicious. But it didn't compare to my snapper. It was perfectly grilled served on a bed of fingerling potatoes and topped with stewed tomatoes. I could not speak more highly of this snapper. I enjoyed every single bite. Yom Yom Yom Yom! Paul and Linh shared the filet. Kenny and Renee also had the redfish. I heard no complaints from anyone else. Bistro 218 did not disappoint. Being a fine dining establishment, prices will be reflective of the delicious food and exceptional service. Servers were constantly topping off our drinks and Joseph was great. I would not hesitate to return. read more

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I visited 218 this week with my sisters for a special event. Mark, our server, was fabulous! The food was delicious!! Great experience! Thank you Bistro 218! read more

Never disappoints! Atmosphere, food and service is excellent. One of the best bar seats in Birmingham.

EXTREMELY disappointed...we came for Valentine's Day dinner and I found a hair in my dessert, fingerprints all over every dish I ordered, and food on my wine glass (not pictured)... read more

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West Indies salad was wonderful. Out split entree was perfect and quite enough. The waiter was knowledgeable on all menu items and specials of the day. Recommend this as a great night out. 5 stars. Atmosphere was great. read more

My boyfriend and I went to bistro 218 recently to celebrate our anniversary on Valentine's Day. We were disappointed in the atmosphere, food, and service considering how much we spent for our dinner. After drinks it was well over $350 for us due to the standard pricing for valentines dinner. We have no problem paying that but the expectations were high. Firstly, they sat us at a dinky little table that was not even level and was in a pocket directly across from the kitchen. Behind us was apparently where they did dishes based on the noises and the loud coughing coming from behind us. We couldn't even hear each other or the waiter all night due to the loud kitchen noises, clanking of thrown dishes behind us, and loud cursing from kitchen staff. Also, due to our table placement, kitchen staff and waiters were constantly almost clipping our table by how close they were coming by. We were actively trying to ignore all of the distractions so that we could enjoy the meal but it was impossible. We eat downtown regularly so it was not normal downtown restaurant noise. It was just not a top class experience considering the price. The food was alright but I've had much better in Birmingham. Our server was nice but was very nonchalant. It definitely felt like the wait staff had no motivation to perform since we were required to tip beforehand. Overall, I understand Valentine's Day is a busy day for restaurants but that doesn't excuse a subpar dining experience when the price of the meal requires financial sacrifice in this economy. read more

Great service. Bartender was friendly. Food was really good. The octopus was good and the red snapper was good. The brussels sprouts were really good! Drinks were well made. read more

Yelp! I finally made it to the coveted Bistro 218! Upon my entry, you are inviting with an elegant but subtle holiday flare. Your hostess is pleasant and intentional as she checks my coat. Tonight is holiday girls night out and we are a party of 4. We are timely as posted for our 7:00 reservations. Looking around, you appear to be empty, but in one snap, you filled up fast. Okay! So here we sit, our waiter David, so nice, comes over and offer drinks and starters. However, the server with the complimentary bread has forgotten that we have been here more than 30 minutes. Loss of star. Never fear, there is hope, Chef Saab stops by to greet us and graciously grabs us bread and oil. Aww, thanks chef for your personal touch. The rest of the night is flawless. David got all this. Apps are good, PD chose gumbo, Sanders got Brussels and I got frites. No complaints! As for Entrees, our trio got the redfish set up, grits-okra-green beans with the snapper versus redfish. France's got the crab cake dinner with risotto. Yum! Fancy or not, we here for this food and it is good. The spirits were present tonight, PD got the passion fruit margarita, she enjoyed. Sanders got the holiday special, featuring champagne with rum and cranberry. Christmas is definitely in the air. YALL already know, when I'm made happy, I'll be back. read more

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Enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Bistro 218. This French-American restaurant has something for everyone! The table enjoyed the octopus, duck, steak, and more. We also enjoyed martinis and red wine. Make a reservation! read more

Bistro 218 - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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We went for my husband's birthday and had a great experience from start to finish. Mark was an incredible server and did everything possible to ensure we had a fantastic experience. The atmosphere was so cozy and romantic and the food was beyond delicious, from the appetizers all the way to the dessert. So much thought has been put in the flavoring and plating of every dish. Can't wait to go again! read more

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I was in town for work, wanted a relatively quiet place where I could grab dinner solo, and Bistro 218 delivered. Pros: I was able to make a reservation for an early dinner, but it wasn't needed Service (Graham was my server) was on point Bread is tasty, albeit seemingly not house made, but the soft butter made up for that My steak frites was certainly serviceable Cons: Though the portion was ample, I don't appreciate an overcooked steak (asked for medium rare, got closer to medium well and this was sliced steak so it was obvious to the cook) The frites needed salt desperately It's downtown Birmingham, so you know the parking situation will be a nightmare Prices might be a little pricier than you expect, though I didn't find them eyebrow raising Overall, a solid stop for a bistro-esque meal. read more

I went to Birmingham on a work trip and ended up at Bistro 218 as they were the only place that could accommodate our party of 8 on short notice. We were all impressed by the great service and food. I had the steak frites as that is a measure of a bistro and they nailed it - delicious. read more

I dined here this past weekend after having this restaurant on my bookmark list for about a year now. I enjoyed the fine dining experience and company of others. The food was good, but not something that I would desire to come back again for. Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with. We had two reservations for a group of 7 and 4. We sat on the second level, which was more like a loft and our waiter was Sebastian. Sebastian had our group and about 3 other tables, so he was super busy but made sure all of our needs were met. He had one or two other people working with him to assist and I was pleased with his service. I ordered the shrimp and vegetable risotto. The shrimp was delicious. The vegetable risotto and sauce wasn't my favorite. The mixed vegetables were undercooked and were more on the crunchy side, which I did not like. The sauce had a vinegary taste that was not pleasant to me. Basically I ate my shrimp and tried to pick the vegetables out of my risotto in order to enjoy the risotto. Overall my dish was $36 and the taste did not reflect the price. I've had better elsewhere. I give this restaurant three stars for the ambience, experience and good service. I'm glad to have tried this restaurant, but I was not overly impressed with the taste of the food. read more

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Upon arrival to our 5:15p reservation, the hostess took us to a table right next to one of the only other occupied tables in the restaurant. Seeing the entire restaurant was 90% empty, we asked for a more private table. She told us she needed to check her seating chart, then reluctantly took us to a table across the room. Not much common sense. Other than that unfriendly beginning, the rest of the experience was very good. Lucas was our server. We ordered a dirty martini and old fashioned. Good. We ordered the crab cakes, Brussels and redfish. All delicious. Other than the first awkward seating moment, experience was great. Nice music, lighting, and overall ambiance. read more

Bistro 218 - Redfish - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Ambiance was great, very sleek upscale Food was amazing crab cakes were delicious The gumbo was amazing, their beef Wellington was so flavorful. (We had. Huge party) Castle did a great job with the wine service, he had great suggestions and kept the glasses full! Joseph our server was amazing always making sure everyone was taken care of. Appreciate yall helping us celebrate a great night read more

I went here for my birthday with a group of friends, but have been several times before. Each meal I have, I'm not surprised by how delicious it is! The staff is friendly and well versed on the menu and its seasonal changes. read more

Came here for the first time for valentines day with my lovely lady. I'd have to say, this is another fine dining spot in downtown that I somehow missed since living here in Bham. But I sure am happy that we stopped on by. Love the atmosphere and dining room set up. The service and staff were friendly and very accommodating. I enjoyed a delicious bourbon cocktail and was beautifully crafted. We then enjoyed the fried seafood appetizer and grilled octopus in squid ink aioli (deliciousss). For our main course, I had the well known and raved about pork chop while she ordered the farmed chicken. Both were very very good entrees. Overall, we had a great time and will definitely be back in the future. Bistro 218 is among the top restaurants in Bham that we would recommend to all foodies and fine diners from near and far. read more

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We stopped by here on a Saturday night without a reservation. Luckily, they were able to accommodate us. We were seated in about 10 min. The restaurant was busy. We started with the Fritto Misto. Seafood was fresh, seasoned well, and fried perfectly. Our entrees took quite a while to come out. I ordered the blackened red fish. It was served with grits and fried okra. The dish was very good although it was served lukewarm. My husband's medium well New york strip was served rare. It took us several minutes to get someone but once we did it didn't take too long to receive his correct steak. We both really enjoyed our food. It was clear they were short staffed and doing the best they could so I didn't deduct any stars for slow service. read more

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The food was delicious. We had the pork belly appetizer, Gumbo, Duck confit, Louisiana red fish & crème brûlée and expresso chocolate desserts. Everything was wonderful! The service was great. Waiter was very polite and they went above board on keeping the water and wine glad full and taking plates away and bringing out all entrees. Old Frank Sinatra and that era music was just playing in the background and very nice. read more