I loved the food and the service! Had gumbo, snapper and almond cake! The only feedback I have is that they were playing 80's music like simple minds etc. I like that genre, but it didn't match the ambiance. Overall, based on food and services, it was a solid experience. read more

Started with terrific cocktails - French and Hemingway. Nice balance of flavor and liquor!! Starters pomme frites, gumbo and Bistro salad. All 5 stars and special compliments on well dressed salad! Main dishes- Tornadoes were perfectly cooked and Fantastic flavor! The strip steak again perfectly cooked, moist and well made! I cannot say enough how pleased were with meal and service!! I will be back! Thank you Richard!! read more

This was only my second time ever eating anything remotely French (minus french fries of course!), and I have to say this may be my new favorite restaurant and type of food. Service was amazing from our sweet waitress that was super knowledgeable of all menu items to the kind valet (and only one working I think) who had to stand in the cold all night! The appetizer portions were huge with the fritto misto and steak tartare being what we chose to share. The fritto misto was more shrimp and calamari compared to amberjack which was good for me since I personally don't like fish. It was served with a delicious remoulade for dipping. The steak tartare takes home the gold though! I had only learned maybe a year ago that people EAT beef completely uncooked! But after today, I can say that I'm a fan! I think steak tartare may actually be almost as good as a regular steak, the capers and raw egg served atop of it made it just perfect. As for my entree, I ordered the free range chicken paliards which was some of the most tender and perfectly cooked chicken I had ever had. It was served with the lemon butter caper sauce and creamy risotto. There were SO many menu options that appealed to me though so seeing rissoto really helped me decide, and it was the best decision ever! I had a piece of the duck confit my friend ordered, and I have to say it was a little tough for me. It tasted more like the dark meat of turkey, which I'm not a big fan of. The only time I've had duck before tonight was when I was in China, and I guess Chinese ducks must be 70% body fat because they are so much more juicier and have much more delicious fat on them. Overall I had a great five star experience, and can't wait to be back! read more

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Get the house cured pork belly, it is ridiculously delicious!!! The duck confit kinda looks like pigeon confit, tiny little leg... read more

Everything is perfect! From the decor, to the menu, to the chef who came to our table to personally apologize for our appetizer taking 'too long' to come out (in his opinion). The duck appetizer was TO DIE FOR. One of the most delicious dishes I've ever had. I would have waited years to eat that, so the chef needn't worry about us waiting a few extra minutes. I will definitely be going back! My only tip to patrons would be to make a reservation. The night I dined there it was packed, but, I being the compulsive planner I am, luckily had a reservation :) read more

Bistro 218 - The rabbit was delish!! - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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The evening was a success due to Tom Saab personally taking care of our table - recommending the beautiful wine to our delicious entrees. Did I mention the entrees were delicious? Especially the duck!! If you're in the neighborhood - give them a try. It means ALOT when the owner takes the time to personally takes an interest with each table to engage the guests and ensure their satisfaction. I'll see you next week! read more

Bistro 218 - So blessed to have this #asianbama moment with two beautiful #birmingham #alabama souls - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Everything about our dining experience was excellent. Nothing but praise, but I am concentrating on the specialty cocktails, they were my favorite part. First, the Absinthe Minded Martini. This was my first time trying absinthe and I was surprised how smooth it was, because I've heard it has quite a strong taste. They did a marvelous job crafting this drink and I highly recommend it. Next we got the French Martini, which contained Chambord. The flavor was outstanding, and in my opinion has to be in the top 3 best tasting cocktails I've ever had. I can't really describe it, just try it. And for desert, I ordered the Kaluah Egg Nog and enjoyed every second of it. This is what egg nog should taste like. Stellar job crafting this drink. And the beignets were great too. read more

Bistro 218 - Eve's Passion. Wow what a delight. A must have at Bistro. - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Finally made it to this popular Birmingham restaurant for one night during restaurant week. Due to their limited seating during the pandemic, I would definitely recommend reservations. We were quickly seated once we arrived and the server was on point during the entire meal. Their atmosphere is sort of industrial with a lot of nice wooden touches. I decided to get the prefixed restaurant week menu. I started with a Smokey Old Fashion from their cocktail menu on recommendation from the server. It was pretty pricey, but all of their drinks were. I was not blown away by any means, considering the price I wanted much more from my drink. I'm not sure if their bartender was off that night or if they just overcharge their cocktails because all the ones I tried were not up to par. Luckily, the food saved the day. We were given some tasty complementary bread and started with the BLT salad. The salad was divine and the pork belly on top was so juicy and flavorful. My entree was the Beef Tenderloin Tournedos au Poivre. Every aspect of the dish was perfectly imagined and fit together like a intricate jigsaw puzzle. The brandy sauce tied the whole plate together. The kale was flavored and cooked to perfection. The meat was so tender and perfectly prepared. They were out of their restaurant week dessert so they offered me some of their other ones they had. I had a deconstructed blueberry and mousse dessert and it was incredible. It felt really upper tier to me. I would definitely recommend this place, but might stay away from their overpriced yet underwhelming cocktails. read more

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My wife and I enjoyed a delightful small plate dinner here last night. Her French Martini and my Smoked Old Fashioned were delicious. The spicy Brussels Sprouts made a tasty appetizer. She thoroughly enjoyed her Watermelon Salad, and the Gumbo and BLT Salad that I had were first-class. The ambiance was relaxing and the server did a very attentive job. Glad we found this spot on our short visit to Birmingham ... we would go back! read more

Very disappointing Valentine's Day dining experience. Restaurant management clearly placed profit over customer satisfaction by drastically overbooking well beyond server capacity. After waiting for a glass of wine for over 45 minutes, I finally decided to retrieve some from a bottle I had luckily stashed in my near-by parked vehicle. Food was delicious; Service was deplorable. read more

I went here on a double date with my best friend. We started at the bar while waiting for the table, loved the Paloma and the drinks had me feeling great so they definitely weren't skimping on the alcohol. I got the Red Snapper for dinner with the side options from the pork chop dish instead. It was some of the best food I've had in a long time. Even tho it's a "fancy" restaurant, we felt very comfortable as young people here and had a great time laughing and enjoying each other. I will definitely be back again. read more

My wife had the duck and I had the pork chop, both were delicious. I also had a cup of gumbo which was tasty. I tried the bacon infused old fashioned and the maple smoked old fashioned, preferred the smoked over the infused. read more

Bistro 218 - Bacon infused old fashioned - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Delicious!!! Food was amazing, service top notch and environment was laid back and chill.

This place is a quaint romantic and lovely setting for a date. It is in a fantastic location if you plan to go take in a production/show at the Alabama Theatre or Lyric Theatre. There is street parking and valet parking. I have not idea if the valet parking is free. The food was good with a fantastic selection. I had the Fishermen's Choppino with Red snapper, scallops mussels clams and octopus in a tomato base. The tomato base was outstanding; however the seafood was disappointing and they would of giving me another dish and I complained. I did not. The Cream Brulé was fantastic. The service was outstanding. read more

Bistro 218 - The street scene. - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Our appetizers were great, our server was pleasant and helpful. The lobster bisque was good but runnier than you'd expected from a bisque...then came our entrees...the duck tasted like it had been waiting in someone's freezer for 3 months before deciding to cook it. The pork was equally unimpressive. But the coup de grâce was our to-go dessert order. It tasted as unimpressive as it looked...and that's saying something. It really confirms the only restaurants in Birmingham that are worth this price point are owned by Frank Stitt or Chris Hastings. Publix's bakery has much better options at half the price. TL;DR - a Florida grocery store is both better tasting and cheaper than Bistro 218 read more

Bistro 218 - Pear Gingerbread & Mignardise Plate - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Willow was our waitress. She was super sweet! The restaurant was beautiful. Wonderful are and great food. Dessert was so yummy. If in the area a must french restaurant to visit read more

Nice elegant spot in downtown Birmingham,Al. Great place to take your special someone for great tasting food and a great wine selection. Chef Che Gaines cooking is on point and you won't be disappointed. I had the Charred Spanish Octopus, and the Pan Seared Gulf Red Snappers both dishes delicious especially the sauces read more

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We got the frito misto, their remoulade sauce is so refreshing. The Duck Confit literally slid off of the bone. The lady had a salad. THEIR SEASONAL DESERT IS ABSURD. read more

Bistro 218 - If it wasn't a high end place we would have licked the plate clean. - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Excellent experience! I love a nice restaurant that also brings out bread and butter. Bistro 218's butter was whipped up and delicious. My wife drinks plenty of water during a meal, and the waiter kept the glass full at all times, so she was happy. We ate Crab cakes/redfish/scallops and topped it off with the apple tart. With every bite we kept saying that we would definitely come back. read more

Kudos to the entire staff for a great last minute date night decision. We booked a resi at 3:00 on Friday for an early dinner at 5:30 and because we like to sit at the bar when its just the 2 of us there was no issue ---great looking bar with a very attentive tender--she couldn't have been more hospitable !!--we had a few drinks to settle in --she had her wine ---i had my bourbon ---very good selection of both --- then the reason we really decided to come ---the selection of New Orleans style seafood ---we both had the gumbo and it was so fresh ---not mushy been in the pot for days tasting --one of the best I have tried --- for entrees she had the redfish over creamy risotto ( which they allowed her to sub --another good sign of a well run establishment) ---it was amazing ---I had the scallops over grilled tomatoes and spinach --incredible -- we both remarked the next day what a fun time we had and how good everything was ---we will definitely be back ---it was so good to see a restaurant run the way it should be ---we are lucky to have this jewel in Birmingham ---Thank you Tom Saab for what you have created and i am now looking forward to trying you latest creation --Bocca read more

Love this place. Quality food and excellent cocktails. Very attentive staff, laid back atmospere...what more do you want? Finish off dinner with a nice tawny port...excellent. read more

My wife and I ate at bistro 218 before attending a show at the BJCC. I often wonder when I have driven or walked past why this restaurant seems half empty. It could be because it isn't hip, it could be that it is more expensive than some but I can tell you it is not because of the food. The food here is top notch! We started with pork belly on a bed of grits and topped by a an egg sunny side up, it was awesome such a good blend of flavor. For main I had blackened redfish with fried okra, again my taste buds were the recipient of a generous amount of flavor and were left wanting more. My wife had the scallops which she enjoyed immensely. They have an extensive wine list, good wine list and all the liquor you could want. I did find their drinks to be a bit overpriced and my wife's dirty martini was average. Service was good, like I mentioned the restaurant isn't full so the dining experience is intimate. It's also nice to see they got into the space brick and tin used to occupy and built out a great bar area with more affordable offerings. There is a little seating outside for an al fresco experience. Till next time read more

Arrived downtown early to go to a show at the historic Lyric Theatre. Walked a couple blocks over to 20th and found this gem simply waiting for me. The restaurant was about half full and the hostess told me the only available seats were at the bar (maybe because I was a "party of one"?). The bartender greeted me warmly - and continued to do so all night -- and just wouldn't quit smiling. The entrée I was interested in seemed a pricey, so I asked her advice and she supported it fully and completely. I took her advice and was totally satisfied with my (her) choice (tenderloin medallions - pretty thick for medallions!). The plate looked a little skimpy upon arrival, but there was plenty to fill me up -- and every bite was delicious!!! Did I mention Tim, my waiter. He was very nice too - and provided a small French loaf to sop up the sauce as I approached completion. If back in this area, I am a definite "YES" to return! (ALL CAPS is intentional!) read more

Had lunch today, but failed to take photos. Gumbo was well-seasoned with plentiful amounts of shrimp, crawfish and sausage. Gumbo did not come served over rice, which I especially liked. A cup was just enough to serve as a starter. Ordered the pan seared flounder with vegetable risotto. Excellent choices! Flounder was seared perfectly-- crispy on outside and moist on the inside. Flounder was about 4 oz., which was the right size for a lunch portion. The vegetable risotto was a substitution, since the flounder is generally served with grits, which I didn't want. Risotto was creamy and flavorful. Embarrassed to say that I cleared my plate. Husband had chicken panini with gruyere and spinach, which he enjoyed, along with the gumbo. Panini was served with an ample serving of shoestring French fries. So glad we stopped by on a whim...we will return! read more

Everything about this place is excellent. Ambiance is upscale but not stuffy, good background music, service was excellent. We walked in and got lucky to grab seats at the bar. Jeanee (I think) was our bartender along with the manager Mike. They took good care of us. We had chanterelle app, grilled octupus, and the shrimp with veggie risotto. All were amazing. Highly recommended. read more

Amazing food and service. Had few appetizers. Couple of meals. Tuna tartare is a most try!!!

The burger and gumbo were absolutely fantastic, but I found the $5.00 charge for a Diet Coke to be a bit excessive. $2.50 would be fine, even $3.00. It would be nice to have a forewarning for the soda and tea prices on the lunch menu. So, go there for a great lunch but be sure to stick with water. read more

Expensive beef Wellington was horrible. Meat was tough and tasted reheated from another time or just old. Sauce was non descriptive. Would not recommend this place. read more

This place was perfect- Great cocktail menu, wonderful service, and spectacular food. French/Cajun style with a really great music playlist in the background. Not too loud to hold a conversation. This would be a great date/double date venue. Not a late night place so don't expect to walk in at 9pm as they will be closed. We tried apps- Gumbo, Frito Misto, Pork Belly app, BLT salad dinner- Grouper, Quail (awesome), and Rabbit Prices comparable to Bottega MDR. They take reservations although it was not very busy at all for walk-ins and are open for lunch. (closed on Mondays) Small seating area but it looked like there was a place for group dining upstairs. Quick valet also. All was wonderful and we will definitely be back soon! read more

This jewel of downtown is the perfect location with the perfect vibe and menu for a business lunch or a nice dinner with friends or family. Everything I've tried has been fantastic. Love the salads, the fish items have been fresh and well prepared, and service has been spot on. They seem really glad you're there. I'm a sucker for the gumbo, a small but luscious cup with big shrimp, spicy sausage, and fried okra. Yummy. Prices are reasonable for a downtown white table cloth eatery. My only complaint is that they're closed on Monday's. Try it, you'll like it. read more

Decent joint. Very good ambience and food. Pretty good wine list, too- with offerings from Oregon, Washington, and the usual California, France, and Italy. One of the best options in Bham. read more

First of all, let me warn you --there may be repeat superlatives contained within this review. I cannot get enough of this place. The Maitre de, David is gracious and knowlegeable, our sommalier, Micah, was very helpful and our server, Tracy or Terry did a wonderful job. The food was exellent. My party ordered the flank steak and two roasted chckens. All three were cooked to perfection and the pomme frites were soooo good! Attenion of servers was appreciated, food was delicious, and it was all complemented by the fact so many amazing people were dining at the same locale -it seemed every turn we made, we ran into another group of friends and aquaintances. For dessert, we had the creme brule --not being adventurous, but boy were we rewarded with the BEST I've ever had. We were surprised by how much less it cost for this wonderful dinner, excellent service, and ambience --than say Brio (not that they are even in the same league as 218 -Brio just costs more). So far, I've been back three times in less than two weeks. LOVE IT!! read more

I had a very late lunch. Got to Bistro 218 and they were closed since it was 3pm. Lucky me, the chef said he would be happy to cook for me, JUST ME!!! So here I am yelping from an empty restaurant that accommodated me in the nicest way possible. I am so very impressed with their service but then the food arrived and boy it is very good!!!!! read more

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Food alright. Service...never really feel like the hostess and waitstaff wants us there. We keep trying to make it work but always leave disappointed with the service. We dropped a pretty penny...treat us like we are paying customers. read more

We recently celebrated our anniversary at Bistro 218. The atmosphere was romantic and the service was impeccable. The food, oh my goodness, the food was delicious. The crab cakes were brought to us by the chef, and he congratulated us on our anniversary. The crab cakes melted in my mouth and the sauce was silky and buttery. The wine suggested by our server paired perfectly with my Beef Wellington, which was cooked perfectly. Do yourself a favor and go to this restaurant, you won't regret it! We'll definitely be back to try out the lunch menu. read more

Bistro 218 - Beef tenderloin and Beef Wellington - French Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Bistro Two Eighteen was a wonderful location to have a nice team for our company's team building weekend in Birmingham. Despite a slight delay between when our reservation was and when we were able to be sat, the service and atmosphere was great. Plus, the wait allowed us to have some incredible drinks and service at the bar with the bartender Tiana. Lukas was our server and was very patient and attentive to all 14 of us. Everyone greatly enjoyed their meals, drinks, and desserts. We will all recommend Bistro Two Eighteen for other personal and business dinners! read more

I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to lobster bisque, but they do it right at Bistro 218, complete with a surprising amount of lobster meat. I had flounder for dinner, and it was completely wonderful. Served over a bed of blue corn grits, with some green beans and a nice lemon sauce, it was quite enjoyable. But my favorite part of the dish were the spears of fried okra. Rare is the cook that can do okra right, but Bistro 218 does it the best! I tried the vegetable risotto with gulf shrimp, and it was quite nice as well. So was the duroc pork chop I tasted. The restaurant is very nice, very "classic bistro" in style. The service was good, and the staff was pleasant and very accommodating to our large group. They make a really nice Manhattan, too! read more

Had a wonderful experience. The food was fantastic, as were the drinks. Our service was delightful and charming. LGBT friendly. Is a little pricey, but is worth the experience though! My partner and I are glad we got to spend our two year anniversary here for sure. read more

This was my first visit to bistro 218. Love the Valet parking for dinner. Food and service is second to none. The grilled grouper was fantastic. I will be back. Preston Lawley read more

My wife and I dined at bistro for valentines. It is always one of our favorites and it did not disappoint. The food is outstanding. The shrimp with vegetable risotto was great. Atmosphere is casual enough while still nice. This restaurant does not get enough good press for how outstanding it is. Looking forward to their new venture read more