We do not go to Bistro all that often. We should as we live pretty close. The server Pam is amazing. Every time we come she remembers us. We asked for her to be our server. She always makes us feel welcomed. Always great conversation with her. The food was amazing, as always. Service and atmosphere was great. We were getting ready to leave but started talking to Viv. She is new. Struck up a conversation and ended up staying another hour and a few drinks more. We will always recommend this place and we will definitely be back more often. read more

2.5 stars Food was good, but not amazing. The service was poor. We sat for almost an hour before we got our one entrée. During that time we were never offered more bread, refills of water, nor did the server come and communicate with us. The hostess just pointed us to our table and said "sit there." Really??? Our son and best friend are in the restaurant business and would have fired her on the spot. Next time we will choose another place for our date night and drop the $150 there. Disappointing. Do not come here!!! read more

I had dinner here with some friends while visiting the area. The salad was...OK. It was a lot of lettuce and not so much on the croutons or other items. With freshly ground pepper and the mustard vinagrette it was fine. I had the lamb chops with potatoes. And it was very well prepared and overall I was happy with my meal. Service was OK...but she got really busy and missed coming around for a drink near the end. read more

Bistro 234 has all the variables for an excellent restaurant, stylish interior, innovative menu, good location, but it lacks execution. Overall, the food is good, but not great. Also, the waitress that served us could have been better, her attitude and communication was a little unprofessional for a place that is trying to be 'high end'. read more

My first time here! The building is beautifully done and there's outdoor patio seating as well. It was a bit too windy and chilly so we chose to dine inside. I loved the old ceiling tiles and the combination of building materials, it made for a really pleasant atmosphere. We went at lunch time so it was extremely busy. We had a reservation but were running a bit late. We were seated in the back corner by the wine cellar/display stuffed in a corner. Our servers were courteous and waters were refilled without asking. However it took a really long time to get our food, there were three people in our party. I ordered the grilled salmon, it came with a green salad - romaine lettuce with some sort of dressing & croutons, and french fries. The fries seemed odd on the plate. I picked off the croutons and asked for the aioli on the side as I did not want it drenched all over my fish. The salmon was well cooked and seasoned but it was farm raised and the portion was on the small side. A bit pricey at $18 a plate and the reason for the 3-star review (farm raised, small portion & $18 plate). I would like to come back and check out their dinner service sometime. For Turlock, I think it's one of the nicer places to eat. read more

This is easily the best culinary experience I've ever had in the greater Modesto area. To begin, we sat inside. The patio seating seemed very nice, and allows you to enjoy the charm of Turlock's downtown section. Now, the food was excellent! I had the grilled salmon with creamy jasmine rice. The salmon was perfectly cooked, not overdone, and with a slight crisp to the outside. The inside was buttery, flaky, and tender. Honestly, the only time I've had better salmon was when I was in Alaska, and THAT is hard to beat. The rice in this dish was the perfect accompaniment to the fish. Many restaurants would over-salt or over-spice this kind of rice, but Bistro 234 did not. It was perfectly creamy and buttery, with that wonderful subtle jasmine rice flavor. The addition of a small amount of cracked pepper gave this dish the perfect zest! The jasmine rice allowed the salmon to shine, without overpowering it or adding too many competing flavors. Our waitstaff was VERY friendly, and made us feel very at-ease, even though it's a slightly upscale place and we had a 20 month old child with us. The servers enjoyed attempting to hide the bread from my son, as if he saw it, he'd eat nothing else on his plate. We were made to feel very welcome, and the waitstaff seemed to know enough about the menu to make recommendations. We also had the 2004 Silkwood Syrah. Silkwood is a Modesto winery, so it was nice to see them supporting local vintners. I said it before, and it bears repeating: This was the finest Modesto-area culinary experience I've had, and would love to go again soon! read more

Good if not great. Food was very good but the service could have been better and the patio chairs more comfortable.

Took my mom here for her birthday. We used the gift cards from Costco which were a good deal, $75 for $100 worth. We made a reservation and they made us wait forever. Their excuse was that they had a big group for a party and were backed up. They should of called us ahead of time. So after an hour just standing outside we just left and ate somewhere else. The second time we went on a weekday and were seated immediately. My dad ordered the Salmon which had too much dill sauce. My wife ordered the Ribeye which was very fatty and drenched with dijon mustard, but the garlic mashed potatoes were good but buttery. My mom got the rack of lamb, which were cooked perfectly and the most expensive entree on the menu at $30. The kicker that would make me come back was the hamburger. It was juicy and the meat tasted fresh. The bun tasted and the burger itself was seasoned nicely. Overall, the place was nice but very cramped and crowded. They are a little pricey and they make all their food with tons of butter, you feel like junk after you eat here. If they had a happy hour price for their burger I would be back, but I won't be back anytime soon. read more

Went here with a friend to try new places and things. The restaurant was very classy. By far classier than anything else in that area. We went on half price bottle of wine day. My friend and I ordered the Chicken Marsala and Herb Chicken. Both were very good. My only negative comment was that my Chicken Marsala was drenched in olive oil. When eating the pasta I had to let the oil drip off if it first before eating. The food was still good, but to get 5 stars it needs to be perfect. I definitely plan to return though. read more

My husband made a reservation for my birthday. When we arrived we were told all online reservations were for the patio unless you changed it. His email confirmation did not show that. We were shown to a pathetic table on the street with a view of the cars and sidewalk. No plants, no effort to make it cute. We asked for a different table. No offer to accommodate us in any way. We were told about this policy like they had experienced it before. So why is it still what they do? I don't think people go to the bother of making a reservation to eat on the sidewalk beside the cars. Very bad experience. read more

Adorable little restaurant in Turlock. Beautiful inside, with tasteful paintings and plants everywhere. Great wine selection. Half price wine bottle on Wednesdays! LOVE their mac and cheese. Their sea bass (I'm pretty sure that was the fish) dish was delicious and creamy. Took one star off because their dessert selection is lacking and I love me some dessert. But otherwise, great place to spend a wednesday night! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Turlock. I went there tonight with my girlfriend. It was dead due to the corona virus scare but the waiter/manager was fairly rude this evening. His first words to us were. I'm closing in 45 minutes and locking the door. Are you ok with that. He had a really condescending tone. We looked at the specials board and he told us not to because none of it was valid. He also didn't refill my drink till I asked which was after our meal was finished. I'm leaving 5 stars still because I understand the current stress level and I assume the service will return to normal at some point. But that said I consider myself a valued customer here and the attitude tonight was unjust. Came very close to leaving. The filet was great as usual but the sea bass and rice were very under seasoned. So if the waiter reads this, I'm sorry I only left you a 7 dollar tip but please try to be respectful next time. We almost walked out. read more

I visit Turlock a few times a year overnight. Its a small town for sure and I normally don't go out to dinner when I am there. But this last week I went to Bistro 234 for dinner on Saturday. We did not have a reservation but were seated immediately at a hightop. The beer and wine choices were good and the menu had some nice choices. I had the pork loin with au gratin pots and my partner had the halibut with mashed. I thought both meals were prepared very nicely and served soon after we finished out salad. I travel a lot and eat at many restaurants at all price points. I thought Bistro 234 was as good as most for the price and better than many at higher prices. The decor was pleasant and the sound level was fine for me even with my slight hearing issue. My only criticism was the service could have been a bit friendlier. However the entire experience exceeded my expectations. read more

The food here is usually pretty good. On a good night, I'd give the food 4 stars. However, the menu NEVER changes, so I can't. Even the "specials" are usually predictable. That being said, this is the best restaurant in Turlock, so you can't be too picky. Try their gnocchi...it's really rich, and I can never finish it all! The salads are huge too, so be really specific if you want a side salad instead of a dinner salad. Leroy (the chef) is really good about futzing with dishes if you'd like something a little different. Other reason for the 3 stars, not 4? The service has definitely gotten worse in the last year. There are a couple of nice waitresses, but most of them are either crabby or are part of the rotating set of "new people". I actually heard one of the waitresses on her cell one day (away from work) talking about how much she hated her job and all the patrons. So now it's hard to buy it when she approaches our table with her fake smile. Overall, best night out you can get in Turlock..... read more

Delightful 'discovery' due to getting hungry on the way north to Sacramento. Couldn't wait that long for lunch and so I checked Turlock restaurants and found this was nearby and easy to find. Loved the atmosphere, we sat outside and watched the world go by as we had delicious salads and finger food. Server was excellent, professional, fun and helpful. All around fabulous experience, couldn't wait to go back. Disappointed to find they were closed next time I got by that way. Will go back again, it's worth a special trip (I live 100 miles away). It may be worth noting that lunch was not crowded and our service was fantastic. The specialty drinks were mighty tasty too. read more

For what it is your options are Bistro or drive to Modesto. You won't find anything close in Turlock.... Don't anyone tell me that Chili's is even close on quality or presentation. I went here for my birthday and was pleasantly surprised to find well thought out dishes and great flavors. No it's not for everyone but you can't expect taco truck prices when you're getting a fillet. Decent wine selection and service that's "there" but not invasive into your dinning experience. I recommend the lamb and the french onion soup. read more

If you've frequented restaurants in NYC/LA/SF, are passionate about food, and have a refined palate....just don't bother with this place. We were on the fence for a few weeks about trying this place as the reviews were so-so and based on pictures and menu selection it didn't seem great. However, friends and coworkers kept recommending it and we finally caved. If you do find yourself here, the mashed potatoes are good and my fiancé's steak was okay. They overcooked my fish so I sent it back for a burger (thinking that was safer), but it was also overcooked though they didn't even melt the cheese-how did they manage this?! The crust on the key lime pie was soggy rendering it inedible. They have a good wine selection but their bartenders don't make drinks very well - for example, they usually shake their Manhattans- WHAT? Who does that? Why would you beat up the whiskey? Ugh. Anyway, service was fine but the food was not. Table 26 actually has much better food - I recommend going there instead. read more

Nice quiet and cozy place to visit when you want few distractions, the low lighting sets that atmosphere a little on the romantic side so it would be a good choice for a memorable evening. The menu is limited but the choices are of a good variety. The service was a little slow but I also noticed that there was only one server to our side and that could very well be to CA having just fully reopening and it is known that many places are having to replace workers. This a was little inconvenience as our drinks were delayed and the refills to a while to arrive but the food and deserts were flavorful and arrived at good temp. making the little delays ok. I would like to try this Bistro in a couple of months to see how they fare. read more

Stopped in for lunch with a friend and ordered the lunch special, sirloin. We both ordered the sirloin to be cooked medium, it was not tasty & overcooked. The waiter did offer to take it and make another one but we were pressed for time. Also, the napkins are filled with lint, don't wear black. read more

The gnocchi is so good here, I have to get it every time. The drinks are great and atmosphere is nice and chill. It's a great date night restaurant in Turlock or a place to have drinks and dessert with your girlfriends. read more

I went here recently and can't wait to go back!! It was so delicious and they had no problem modifying a meal to make it vegan for me!

4 of us went to 234 Bistro last night for my wife's birthday. This was our first visit. The other couple had been there a couple times before. We went on their advise. We couldn't believe some of the low ratings. Come on, this is a Bistro. And a very nice one at that. We had reservations for 5 pm. Arrived at 4:50. We were promptly seated in the back by the wine display. Very nice. Our servers name was Sierra. She was very prompt and attentive. Very nice personality and cheerful. Sierra took our cocktail and hors d'oeuvres order. Our cocktails came back promptly. By the way, I ordered a Crown Royal on the rocks. Usually your served, maybe one shot of liquor. They were very generous with their portion. Soon after we were served crab cakes and onion soup. OMG. Some of the best we have had. We ordered rack of lamb, Chilean sea bass, chicken marsala and a special of the day, tiger prawns with butternut squash risotto with lobster sauce. The rack of lamb melted in your mouth. It was so tender. The sea bass was cooked to perfection. The chicken marsala was delicious and the latter tiger prawns with butternut squash. Well butternut squash didn't sound very good but with the lobster sauce, it was absolutely out of this world. The prices were very moderate for what you order. In fact they were a little below the norm. I have to say, the food in this Bistro was fantastic. Our hats off to the chef. And to Sierra, she saw to it that everything came to our table in an orderly and timely manner and really made us feel at home. People, forget the low ratings. This place is 5 star all the way. Oh! By the way, when we left, around 6:20 pm, most of the tables were occupied. That says something. read more

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Great place to hangout, grab a bite with a variety to choose from. Service was great, food was delicious and our drinks were delightful. Best part was dessert, the Diana Torte was amazing. Great for sharing between a couple. Overall great experience and would definitely go again. read more

Second visit within a few months. Still feel the same about the dressing and sauce on each entry, it is somewhat overdo and heavier than average. Overall it is pricy. read more

My wife and I have been to Bistro 234 approx. 10 times on "dinner date nights" over the past 3 years. The food has always been very good to excellent. My wife and I really enjoy seafood, but rarely order one of Bistro's seafood entrees. We use the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List (yes, there's an app for that) as our guide to eating responsibly. Unfortunately, many of Bistro's seafood selections are on the "avoid" list due to unsustainable fisheries, or for environmental reasons. We would love to see them, like many other quality restaurants, switch to a policy, and advertise, that they only serve seafood approved by the MBA. We believe that would set them apart from every other restaurant in the region, and that there are many more people, like us, who would frequent them for that alone. We would also like to see them start using local organic produce and meats. If they're doing so, we haven't seen it listed in their menu. We have always had excellent and friendly service! Our only other criticism would be, the menu has changed very little since we've been going. On our next date night visit, we would love to be surprised with some new and exciting options on the menu. We would recommend Bistro 234 to anyone wanting to have a nice, romantic dinner date. read more

I'm at my favorite restaurant. The food is excellent, and the service is professional and courteous. I'm not here to be baby sat nor to be motherly nurtured. Good food and good atmosphere is what I look for in a restaurant, and Bistro 234 always delivers. Pamela is our server and we always love her. She doesn't hover but she takes care of you. And Jayton is always there to greet you and make you welcomed. Love my Bistro read more

Made reservations a week in advance and showed up to be seated at high table in bar area. Asked to be moved to regular table and was told they are for people who call in reservations and because I booked online we had to sit at bar table. Only three tables were being used, place was practically empty even an hour later when we left. They did not bring us any bread but we had bread plates on our tiny wobbly table and they put bread on other tables. My steak came covered in white dressing that was horrible and three spears of asparagus, wife ordered raviolis and she got six of them. What a waste of $80 bucks. We were polite and didn't complain to anyone and were treated like we were not welcomed to be there. Our waitress was nice and the food was good but sparse. To bad they can't see how to accommodate their customers in a way that makes you want to come back. read more

I've been here on a few occasions. Whether it's an anniversary dinner, lunch with my mom or lunch with girlfriends, Bistro is one of my go-to places in Turlock. Some people complain about the dinner prices, but I think you pay for what you get. At Bistro, that's delicious food & excellent service. Plus, Wednesday is half off wine bottles! To get a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay half off is reason enough to go! Oh, and can we talk about dessert for a minute?? Their Diana Torte is amazing & enough for 2-3 people to share. Love the atmosphere & will be a returning customer for years! read more

First time..excellent service.. delicious taste..meat was tender..only negative was it was too salty. I drank a lot of water! They substitute for vegetables..again serve was excellent! read more

Bistro 234 - Grilled Halibut on top of grilled vegetables and asparagus. I was able to sub out a the potatos. - New American Near Me - Turlock, California

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Went out last night with some friends to enjoy some appetizers and drinks. Usually Bistro is in the back of the listed options for me just because of the price and lack of atmosphere, however my friends suggested it so we went. Right away our server, Mikala, met us with with a warm and welcoming smile and greeting. All through our meal she was in top of our food and drink orders. Her recommendations and memory of the menu were outstanding. I really think a meal/restaurant is made or broken by their talent, and she is a keeper. Our group will be coming back for $2 draft Thursdays and ask for her section! Only complaint for the evening would be that of the dollar amount of he humus and sausage appetizer. Other than that glad to say we will be back. read more

I'm surprised this place isn't 4+ star rated. I've enjoyed several different entrees from gnocchi to filets to Chilean sea bass and have thoroughly enjoyed every dish. Food is always excellent, wait staff is attentive and the bartender Jayton is one of the most talented and personable bartenders in the area. read more

A nice upscale (albeit pricy) restaurant in downtown Turlock. I had the shrimp and scallop pasta, one of my colleagues had the chicken marsala, and my other colleague had the sea bass. The wine and beer list complements the entrees, and the portions are such that you won't go hungry but you won't be overly stuffed either. All of us were pleased with the meal - although I think my colleagues were more pleased seeing that I got stuck with the bill! 4 stars for the food, 2 stars for the value. read more

Very disappointing experience at Bistro 234. We were glad they were able to seat us outside with our dog, but that was the only positive part of our meal. We were put into a corner and forgotten about. Two requests for more bread were ignored. Our water glasses say empty for long periods of time. Other tables were clearly more important to staff and management. My girlfriend and I both ordered hamburgers and we were severely disappointed. Meat was dry and overcooked. If anyone had bothered to ask us how our food was, we would have said something. But no one asked or even seemed to care. I'm likely not to return read more

Wonderful setting on the charming Main Street in Turlock. Fabulous food and delightful staff. I recommend the patio for lunch and bring your dog. read more

Bistro 234 - Beautifully plated - New American Near Me - Turlock, California

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Great alcoholic drinks! Drew was so kind. So I don't know much about drinks and I asked Drew, the bartender, that I wanted a strawberry fruity drink. She asked me what kind of liquor I like to figure out what drink is best for me. She made me a fantastic berry cocktail. It was perfect! I usually never finish my drink but I not only finished it I wanted more! It was amazing! The drinks weren't only awesome but the service was great as well. We had claressa as our waitress and she was so happy to serve us. It was a great welcoming atmosphere and the food was amazing too. Defiantly coming back! read more

Bistro 234 - Amazing berry cocktail! - New American Near Me - Turlock, California

I went there last night with my wife and some great friends. We made a reservation at 645 and we were given a better table than we requested by the hostess. Our waiter and his helpers were great keeping our glasses full. Our food was outstanding!!! They packed up our leftovers and the price was reasonable. Our dessert was creme brûlée was good not great but I still think this place was worthy of 5 stars... I definitely recommend. read more

Amazing French onion soup! I haven't had anything here I thought was bad. The only weird thing was that the wedge doesn't have bacon. I had to ask for it. Service is good. Food tastes fresh and the atmosphere I would ay is romantic. Good place for a date! read more

Turlock nice sit down restaurants listing are short to a point that I can count one hand. Bistro food is a 3-4 stars for me. Their lunch menu is good. They have very good and tasty sandwiches.Their dinner menu is okay. Overall the food quality is good but it hurts the wallet. I do like that is a local and a csus alumni owner restaurant. read more

Very disappointing... Let's start with the dirty, sauce stained napkin. Then came the clams... half of which were closed; which means they were dead before they were even cooked. The clams had obviously been frozen for way too long as there wasn't a whole one among them; just some shredded bits of clam meat found clinging to the inside of the shell. Then came dinner... falsely advertised as "tiger prawns" ... couldn't have been bigger than a 51/60. How many staff members did the dirty napkin go through until it made it to our table? How many staff members saw the closed clams by the time they made it to our table? Blatant complacency.... not going back read more

I have gone to Bistro a few years now and do enjoy it. I've had experiences in the past that weren't the best but recently I have felt like a valued customer. This a good restaurant to go to if you are wanting a quit and good meal. I would highly recommend the Chicken Marsala read more