Bistro 501 consistently delivers a top-tier French dining experience. For dinner, the flavor profiles are exceptional; the duck is remarkably tender and rich, while the recommended blue cheese hamburger offers a gourmet twist on a classic, bursting with savory notes. However, a true must-order is their grilled salmon, expertly blackened - a masterclass in texture and seasoning. While admittedly a bit pricey, the overall food quality here is truly top-notch, making it a beloved institution for both locals and discerning tourists seeking authentic French cuisine. The service at Bistro 501 is impeccable and highly attentive, contributing significantly to its stellar reputation. We experienced no wait, and parking was refreshingly easy, a definite plus for any busy evening. It's important to note that this establishment caters to an adult audience, as it does not offer accommodations like highchairs, nor does it typically host young children. The entire experience, from the moment you arrive, reinforces why Bistro 501 remains a cornerstone of the local dining scene. I will be back! read more

Made a reservation online for my birthday dinner to finally check out this place. Everything was delicious. Server was really knowledgeable on the menu and made sure we knew what to expect from each dish. Very allergen friendly place as well. I'd love to come back and check out their brunch sometime soon. My steak was good, but very expensive. The mashed potatoes were a little chunky but that's something I personally prefer anyway. read more

Bistro 501 - Hand cut Filet of beef - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

What a great find in Lafayette! Friends say it's a staple in the community. Cute chairs, lighting and ambiance. Amazing food quality with superb taste. We were celebrating a birthday, so I tried their strawberry spritz with no alcohol. It had mint, strawberry simple syrup and soda. Really refreshing. Our group had escargot as an appetizer. It was to die for. The snails were in a buttery sauce with herbs. The taste was a melt in your mouth. It comes with a crusty crostini and a goat cheese sauce that is very creamy. Liked by everyone around. I got the blackened salmon that came with roasted carrots, and a cheesy grit deliciousness. Again it is something that I will order again as it was comforting and absolutely yummy. Someone in our group had the French onion soup. He is a French onion soup connoisseur and said it is among the best. Very deep flavor profile and had a great cheese pull! One member of my group had the chicken pot pie which had such a lovely taste and two huge puffed pastry triangles on top! The boys had Cuban sandwiches. One had potato salad and the other had the house made chips. All around we loved the food. Next time we will try to save room for desserts. read more

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We had a family brunch, the food was very, ambients was great, service fantastic & plenty of street parking.

My friend and I had lunch at Bistro 501 on a Saturday afternoon in July. Our reservation was at 1230, right at the end of the Lafayette Farmer's Market. Due to this, parking was not easy. The roads are blocked near the restaurant for the market. I regretted not coming earlier and attending the market before lunch. The market looked great. Just know if you go to lunch on Saturday May-Oct the Farmer's Market surrounds the restaurant. We had a leisurely paced 3 hour lunch. It was a perfect opportunity to catch up with my friend and have an awesome dining experience. I started with a mimosa. We shared the deviled egg appetizer. They were good. They had a different flavor, it tasted to us like curry powder but the menu did not indicate that. Then we had corn chowder. It was pretty good. I don't think I'd order it again because I like their half wedge salad better. It's a pretty thick, heavy soup. Next I had the Fisher Farms bone-in smoked pork chop. This was spectacular. The flavor was on point. I loved it. It came with polenta and garnish of arugula salad. The polenta was good. I've not had it before but it reminded me of grits. The arugula comes with heirloom cherry tomatoes and cucumber, no dressing. I asked for a side of ranch dressing. Their ranch is excellent. Very creamy and flavorful. My friend ordered the Parisian pepper sandwich. She thought the peppers would be hot but they were cold. She liked the sandwich but I too thought it was a hot sandwich. For dessert I had the vanilla bean crème brûlée. My friend had the chocolate cake sundae. The restaurant is really nice. It has a lot of unique items on the wall and around the restaurant. They have three menus. Lunch menu 11-2 Wed-Sat. Brunch menu on Sundays and the dinner menu. They're closed Mon and Tues. The service was fantastic. I didn't think I'd like polenta so the server brought me a little taste of it. I appreciated that. I highly recommend this restaurant. It is French inspired but has many different items to satisfy about anyone. read more

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Everything here is discovering joy hidden behind excellent planning and preparation. We stumbled upon Bistro 501 while walking through town seeking lunch. We sat and looked at the menu seeing plates not commonly available such as chicken pot pie, Wellesley roast beef sandwich and various more common burgers, salads and soups. As I stood to wonder and look at the restaurant the hostess who seated us asked if I needed anything. I told her I was looking at the restaurant and she began giving me the history of the building and how Mark Twain, Ulysses Grant , Al Capone and many famous people have eaten here and stayed in the hotel upstairs. She explains she had purchased the restaurant from the previous owner and how her two daughters worked with her while they attended nearby Purdue University. We ordered hot cider which was much more than heated up apple juice. It was made with a cider reduction process with apple cores and a syrup purchased from a specialty supplier in Vermont. There are supposedly ghosts in the building and it happened to be Halloween the day we arrived. I ordered French onion soup and maple syrup pumpkin pound cake. Everything was amazing. We ordered two hot ciders each that totaled $40 of apple juice which caught me off guard but was worth it. Maddison, a student at Purdue, took great care of us and was so nice. The total tab was $84 without tip. The restaurant does supper clubs throughout the year featuring foods from different countries. Mary Buckley is a creative owner who provides food for the people with excellence. Her daughter Cheyenne is the Chef and the other daughter, Theresa, is pastry chef and general manager. Such an experience! read more

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My kids and i were turned away today at 1030 "brunch" because we didn't have a reservation and they were "completely full until 1130" despite numerous empty tables both inside and out. This was not accounted for or explained, just rudely turned away by two younger ladies at the reception desk. I've been to Bistro many times....Mary and Theresa have always been so nice to our local family this was disheartening. Maybe my allegiance was short lived.....if you can't get in it doesnt really matter how good the food is! read more

Bistro 501 - 1/2 order Biscuits and Gravy devoured and Chicken and Waffles - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

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Really nice environment, upscale but not stuffy. Incredible menu - it was hard to choose. Ultimately went with the Moroccan stew and it was delicious. Huge portions for everyone at our table regardless of what they got. Could definitely share a meal. Service was excellent. Austin was very nice, accommodating, and patient despite a large party and one of us spilling a glass of water on the table/floor. read more

Bistro 501 - Moroccan sweet potato and cauliflower stew - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Stopped in for lunch now that they are open again Wed-Sat during lunch. This is a great lunch spot! Today I went in for the smoked salmon crepe at lunch time and it was DELICIOUS! I was especially happy to see the decadent caviar on top - what an excellent addition to this dish. I look forward to returning next week to try more lunch menu items! Highly recommend!! read more

Best restaurant in town! The food is amazing, the staff is always wonderful. We have a few dietary restrictions (DF/GF) and the staff is very knowledgeable and accommodating for them with lots of delicious options. read more

I have been here a few times and it never disappoints. I have only been for lunch on Sundays. The vibes are great. You walk in and are greeted by the host. Make sure you have a reservation ahead of time because this place fills up quickly. I had the cranberry Bellini and smoked salmon Benedict. 10/10!!! The drink was perfect, croissants were soft. I wish the potatoes were warmer, but there was a reason for that, which we completely understood. I would have taken a picture if i didn't eat it so fast. We will try dinner here one day too and I will update then. Sunday brunch is a must! read more

I'm giving this place only three stars for a couple of reasons. Though the service was good, the timing was not. The French onion soup was a little too sweet and My salad came with my meal. I ordered their filet medium rare and it was closer to well done. The quality of the steak was good. The chocolate cake was more grocery store quality. The crème brûlée was very good. In order to get the reservation we went through a lot of hoops, but we were able to finally get a table. I think the place is a little overrated, but for the area they are in, they will do very well. Pricing was reasonable, given the quality of the meals. I would definitely go back, but they would have to really impress me to get five stars. read more

I could write a page or two but I will try to contain some of my thoughts. In years past this was one of our favorite spots (previous owners I think) and its menu was far more to our liking with a wider variety of meats and seafood. At the request of a family member we returned last evening with four adults and two small children. The bill, before tip, was $292 and there was not a single alcoholic beverage in that price. My fillet was properly cooked and tasted OK but not any better than any local chain. It came with 'mashed' potatoes and a concoction of something that was described as gravy. My wife had the salmon that she said was quite good but it floated in a sweet grit like 'pudding' that distracted substantially from the dish. As mentioned the bill was nearly $300 but that included two 'bread plates' that consisted of 4 rolls and a scoop of butter. These were ordinary rolls that 99% of eateries would provide as complimentary but here you will pay $10 for each 4 roll plate. BTW, sodas are $5.25 each. As a further insult this 'Bistro' adds the credit card charges to your bill. Though some business follow that practice, it is pretty uncommon at 'high end' restaurants. In my opinion Bistro 501 tries to be a trendy upscale establishment, but misses that mark and becomes just an overpriced underachiever. To be fair---though my wife and I were very disappointed the other adults in our party were pleased with their meal. But they can write their own review. read more

I love this bistro! Whether for dinner brunch, great ambiance, delicious food and wonderful service. A lovely gem in downtown Lafayette. I finally tried their brunch and it was great! I personally loved the biscuits and gravy, they were spicy and just out of this world. Served with delicious potatoes. Also tried the salmon Benedict, now I enjoyed it but I would have rather it been on the standard English muffin va a croissant asi don't like it soggy. But all in all delicious food! read more

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Great food and atmosphere! The service is top notch. We have eaten here often and never had a bad meal!

Had been a while since I've been to the Bistro and since I had loved my last experience I though I'd try them out for my birthday celebration. Made a reservation and everything was set to go. Street parking is so easy to find so parking wasn't an issue. Had a last min addition to our party and they worked with us. The truffle fries were hands down delicious, I love fries and these were spectacular, my niece would agree lol. Love that they gives crayons for the kids to draw on the table, which had a special covering. For my meal I ordered the lamb curry and sad to say it wasn't the curry I expected. It was much sweeter than I'd like so I didn't eat much of that, thank goodness for the fries. Everyone else at the table loved their meals. My special cream brûlée Birthday dessert, which was on the house, was so creamy and I'm so happy I decided to get something I don't normally order. It was delicious and the gold coin was made out of chocolate Also the bread basket they bring once you order is good and nice way to fill you up so take it easy lol read more

Bistro 501 - Moroccan Braised Lamb AU* - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

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Staff is amazing! Was greeted with a smile and had every question, no matter how redundant they might have been, answer. Food is a 9/10 as well. 100 percent recommend. read more

Literally the best food I've had in the Lafayette area! The atmosphere here is excellent and the food and service are really superb. It's pricier but you get what you pay for here. Definitely an elegant place to have drinks, go on a date, or just have a nice night out! You really can't go wrong with any of the drinks or food on the menu. This location is busy and parking in the area can be difficult. Get an early start looking for parking if you have a reservation during peak hours. The staff will call and check up with you to see if you're still coming if you are running late. I was--driving in circles looking for a spot, d'oh!--but they held my table without issue. My server was super nice and the manager was beyond delightful. She really took the time to connect with the many guests there and made me feel super welcome. I'm so excited about their future endeavors and will definitely be back! I had a coconut drink (so good!!), bread/butter, a gorgeous salad, a duck confit dish, and creme brûlée. Everything exceeded my expectations and was so wonderful to enjoy. I can't wait to take some guests to this restaurant in the near future! read more

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If you ever get the opportunity to experience their buffet on Mother's Day or Thanksgiving don't miss out. You will not find a better buffet anywhere in the world PERIOD. It's one of the most satisfying culinary experiences you will ever have. read more

Bistro 501 is definitely at or near the top restaurant in the Lafayette area. Their Sunday Brunch is absolutely incredible and it has some of the top servers in the area to match its stellar reputation. I would recommend that you plan ahead a week or two to make your reservation . You will definitely not be disappointed. read more

Great food! Beautiful, relaxing atmosphere. Staff is always friendly. Servers are well-versed in the menu and make great suggestions.

Excellent! I can't think of any way they could improve. Well done! Thank you for having so many vegetarian options. read more

Went here for dinner and brunch the next day. Food is delicious. From lobster bisque to bone marrow to lobster and crab benni. Ambience is festive and warm. We got the best table by the fireplace that we really enjoyed. Owner remembered us by name and was very accommodating and welcoming. and service impeccable. Kaytlin was attentive, warm, excellent server and went above and beyond whether it's for pictures or a refill on drinks. Highly recommend. read more

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Very good Food very good service. My only complaint was it was difficult to find a parking spot.

One of our all time favorites. Great ambiance and rotating menus makes it our go to for any special occasion.

One of my favorite places in town! The food and drinks are amazing! Everything we ate was divine! After living in Europe for a few years and being able to get escargot pretty much anywhere, I'm thrilled to have a place here in town to satisfy that craving! And they were as good as any I've had before! I plan on returning just to sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine and escargot! While this restaurant has a French emphasis, their menu is diverse. After enjoying my escargot, I had an excellent bahn-mi sandwich. For dessert, scrumptious creme brûlée. Their cocktails menu is fabulous as well! I've always wanted to try the cocktail, The Last Word. The ingredients are expensive so I've never been able to buy them to make one for myself and not a lot of restaurants and bars around here have them on the menu, but Bistro did! I was so excited and it was delicious. I've only been the one time, but I look forward to going back whether it be for a drink and some escargot, a full dinner, or their brunch which looks absolutely amazing! The restaurant itself was cozy and well decorated and has outdoor seating on a sidewalk patio in nicer weather. read more

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Came here on a Friday night without reservations and we were lucky to get a table immediately. Everything was delicious and warm if not hot in temperature. The portions are fair and prices are a little more but it is a white table cloth setting. The ambience is like being in someone's home. Food timing was done well too. Service needed some improvement with timing, friendliness and attention to details. Some suggestion include but not limited to: Paying attention to the water glasses, not rushing in choosing a wine, providing recommendations, asking if dinner was a special occasion etc. I would still come back bc the food is that good especially in this tiny town with super limited choices. read more

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I have had many wonderful dinners here. The food is beyond amazing and the people that work there from the front door to the kitchen are lovely. read more

Food, service, atmosphere, and drinks are always amazing. This is the best fine dining restaurant in Lafayette Indiana. read more

Bistro 501 - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Tried out this quaint place on a Sunday morning for brunch - highly recommended! The bistro is very tastefully decorated, and has a certain charm to it. There's indoor and outdoor seating, but as it was a chilly October morning we decided to warm up inside. Service was fantastic, no complaints. With regards to the food - no disappointments! Every dish we tried was delicious. We tried their fried chicken on waffles (yummyyyy), pancakes, eggs benedict, burger and the full breakfast. Although I only had the chicken on waffles, everyone else seemed very happy with their orders. The one thing I would highlight is that their French press was a little on the weak side, not sure what kind of roast they use. They have good sized portions! read more

One of downtown's shining stars. Whether it's fine dining or Sunday brunch, Bistro has you covered. This is the place where you take your friends from out of town for a special treat. I love their seasonal options and professional staff. Enjoy! read more

Still my favorite restaurant in Lafayette/West Lafayette area! Maybe even all of the Indiana area! Their menu changes seasonally but also hangs onto a few things. My favorites of the menu items that have stayed are: Daily quiche at lunch, French onion soup, The pate, Pom frites, Bread pudding, And so much more! I love that they now serve brunch on Sundays! So incredibly delicious! Please! If you haven't given this amazingly delicious restaurant and it's phenomenal staff a shot, make a reservation today! read more

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The staff is wonderful and the Bistro has the best food in town. No one else is even close... A very eclectic menu that changes regularly. It's my go to after a tough week try them once and you become a regular like me... read more

In town by myself while my son is looking at Purdue university. This place was a little nicer than I was expecting and I felt slightly under dressed in my athleisurewear. But there were plenty of others casually dressed also there. I was by myself the hostess asked if I would like a table or to sit at the bar. I chose the bar. We had a brief exchange well she sat me at the bar explaining that some of the others around me were regulars and made me feel like one too. The menu was very well rounded and I found it difficult to choose. I started with a pretzel fondue plate that was delicious. I paired it with a woodsman, which was a cocktail with smoke bit of porter ale mixed in. It was a really nice complement with the pretzel fondue. Then I had a small Caesar salad and a cup of onion soup. These were both very good. The Caesar salad was nice and salty and rich like it should be. The onion soup was also very good and earthy, not sweet. Impaired this with a dry Rosé, a Chateau de Campuget. It actually paired quite nicely. Light and dry with the earthy salad and soup. My intention was to then move on to a great sounding trout first course dish. But was feeling a little full already so I stopped there. All in all I had a lovely time service was great the atmosphere was very nice. I would definitely recommend this and go back again. read more

Day trip last month. Unfortunately, most of the details are lost in time. That said, here are a few of the highlights: This is a nice restaurant that closes at 10pm on a Saturday, but they were able to accommodate my girlfriend and I at 9:30pm. Normally we wouldn't even try, but we appreciated they let us in. We ordered a french press (coffee) to start out, and it was plenty for both of us. Entrees came out piping hot and in a reasonable amount of time. Considering that Indianapolis doesn't even have a French restaurant of any kind, I loved being able to visit one in Lafayette. Hope to try out their brunch sometime in the near future. read more

Bistro 501 - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Came here for a new hire dinner with some of the employees of the company I'm working for this summer, and the food here completely blew me away. The Atlantic salmon was absolutely the best I've EVER had, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned with the perfect amount of crispness on the outside. It came with these wonderful little sweet roasted carrots and sat on this delicious bed of polenta. Our waitress was so attentive even though we had a big party. Their crème brûlée was divine and it came on a cute little dessert spoon so it was just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth! Our pommes frites also came with this really yummy red curry ketchup, plus two other fun sauces which I thought were unique and added a nice twist. Cute little thing that has nothing to do with food, nor does it really matter in the grand scheme of things but I'm adding it anyway: the bathroom sinks had cool little color-changing lights on them so that you'd know when the water was hot, warm or cold (,: Overall I really loved this place, and I'd say it's worth the price! read more

Bistro 501 - Atlantic Salmon* I dug into it a little before I took the photo, so I messed up the presentation - but still gorgeous nonetheless! - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Really good experience here! They were the safest restaurant I've been to in terms of COVID rules. All of the food was amazing, and although it is on the pricier side, the portions are very fair. I highly recommend the crab cakes and the creme brûlée. read more

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A chic French bistro with country charm and incredible cuisine -- what's not to love about Bistro 501? Although I'm not a Lafayette local, I travel here frequently for business and this has become my go-to for sit-down meals. Most recently, I stopped in for an early lunch during the busy Christmas shopping season. While I didn't have a reservation, I was quickly seated. The staff was very attentive, taking my order and then bringing out my meal before the dining room filled up for the big lunch rush. The menu always features seasonal and sophisticated dishes. This time I started with a cup of sugar pumpkin and wild rice soup, which was perfectly rich and creamy -- just as a French soup should be! For my main course, I ordered the humongous beet and goat cheese salad, which was well appointed with lots of other goodies like wild rice, pepitas and oranges. I added salmon, which turned out to be a full portion. The whole dish was so flavorful it could easily stand on its own, but a few touches of the creamy apple cranberry dressing put it over the top! The beautiful details -- lovely old portraits, antiques and carved wood finishings -- throughout the dining room make a spectacular backdrop for the meal. Keep in mind, this is an upscale French restaurant, so you should expect to pay a little more. But the portions are large and the overall experience is well worth it. read more

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It's not often that we Funkster four are in the same place at the same time these days, but when we are, a great meal is usually not too far away. This holiday season, that "all together" day found us in a Christmas state of mind at Bistro 501 in Lafayette, IN. Fine Dining in the home of Astronauts, Engineers, a world renowned Collegiate Music Organization (with no music degree available?!?) and a big-a$$ bass drum... who'da thunk it! On this early December evening The French inspired Bistro provided a spectacular meal and impeccable service as a Lafayette Christmas parade floated by. A table next to a warm easy burning fireplace for the evening, at least 2 1/2 hours, made way to signature cocktails, beginnings of meat and cheeses followed by delicious and beautifully presented pasta's, chops, fish and steaks accompanied by a bottle of red and a bottle of white (nod to B. Joel) from the Bistro's superb cellar. The evening was finally closed with shared desserts, in Funkster fashion, and an aromatic and rich cup of French roast, naturally from... a French press. It truly was L'Amour from first bite, just remember to have plenty of Francs on hand - even though dead presidents is easier. Will we return? Well as my good friend PePe Le Pew has said, "One nice thing eez, the game of love eez never called on account of darkness!" read more

Bistro 501 - A Bistro 501 Holiday - French Near Me - Lafayette, Indiana

Honestly food is overpriced and salty. A lot of my friends like it but I have yet to be impressed. Egg Benedict is always served COLD!