I really wanted to like this place... I really did. I read the glowing reviews on this site and decided to give Bistro Basque a try. Milford is in desperate need for good restaurants and when Hooters and The Olive Garden are the standard issue fare there you can only go up, right? Sadly, I had the worst meal I've had in years... The wine menu is fine, our appetizer was okay, although mostly tasteless... For an entree I had the Mahi-Mahi, which was the most terribly over cooked tasteless seafood dish I've ever had. My girlfriend had the paella which resembled and tasted much like a frozen food dish. At best we thought our meal at Bistro Basque was worse than what one could expect if a high school cafeteria did a Spanish dinner night. I was truly disappointed with my meal and I'm equally disappointed to have to write a review like this. I'm sure the place will remain packed due to the nice atmosphere and desperate Milford residents starving for anything besides Applebee's. read more

We dined outside. Lovely ambiance, terrible service!!! Our grumpy waiter asks if we want a drink, I asked for a menu. It came bit he didn't return to take our orders for 15 minutes.. And then we waited forever....... The guys both ordered gazpacho, good.gals shared an endive, beet, blue cheese and pear salad. Tasty but no pears and almost no cheese. And then we waited and waited But here's the thing. Tapas was terrific!! read more

I have been in Spain several times and tried great tapas. The tapas served here are the aborted children those, an awful byproduct of "feed the dumb americans anything and put a cute name to it" gone wrong... The are average at best and ten times the price. But I suppose the herd of sheep keep going, because obviously they don't know any better... Emilio Estevez read more

My friend and I were planning on going to a seafood restaurant around the corner it didn't want to wait the hour to be seated. While walking back to our car we noticed a member of the wait staff outside the front door looking at some paperwork. We asked her how long the wait is. She said it was busy but we should go in to ask. It was pretty busy but We were immediately greeted by a French gentleman who said it would only be a few minutes so we waited. We were seated pretty quickly at a table for 2 and immediately given menus. We ordered drinks and given a minute to look at the menu. We both ended up ordering duck with a peppercorn Reduction. The meal was also served with a scalloped potato casserole and fresh garden vegetables. The meals came out very quickly and the food was at the perfect temperature. The duck was tender and very flavorful. The scalloped potatoes were surprisingly light and also have fantastic flavor. The vegetables had just the right amount of firmness to show their freshness. We were both satisfied with the portion and very pleased with the meal and overall experience. What a great find! We will be returning! read more

Was here last night for the first time to celebrate my birthday dinner. Had 8pm reservations for 5 people. Met at the entrance by the owner who welcomed us. Staff were very friendly. Bread was warm and delish, served with a dish of olive oil. Tapas were fresh and yum. We had the calamari, crab cakes, and portabella mushroom tapas. All delish!!! Lobster bisque was a bit fishy tasting but still yum. Main entrees included the sea diver scallops with mashed potatoes over spinach (so good), chicken/seafood paella (also very good), and the lobster risotto (very very good). Everything was reasonably priced for the quality, presentation and most important of all, taste. Nice ambiance, bar area at the front, limited outdoor seating. I will say it took a while for the main entrees to come out after the tapas, but we were served another round of bread and I was in great company so no complaints. I also had a lovely birthday surprise with a chocolate mousse cake dessert from the restaurant. Great birthday dinner! read more

The food was really great. I came with a group of friends, most of whom are very familiar with Spanish food in general and Basque food in particular. Our group really enjoyed our meal, though the service was less than stellar. For tapas, we had the croquettes, txipirones, and carrot/parsnip etouffe. All were great. The croquettes were my favorite. My friend who had lived in the Basque country for a year really enjoyed the txipirones. The carrot/parsnip etouffe was good but not fantastic. For entrees, we ordered the pollo estilo de mi abuela, the paella, and the sea scallops. The sea scallops were stellar. The sauce was delicious and they were perfectly cooked. The chicken was also delicious, especially served with crisp potatoes. Some in my group really liked the paella, especially with the lemon it was served with. It was a little oily for my taste but was good. Our server was not very friendly. He refused to give us any recommendations or talk to us about the food in any way. He just seemed a bit rude in every interaction we had with him. The rest of the waitstaff was great, though, so maybe just a bad day for him or something. I would definitely recommend it! Starting the meal with tapas is a must. read more

Very satisfied. I went with the small salad tossed in the chef's vinaigrette, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. The salad was a heaping portion of greens tossed in just the right amount of dressing. The cauliflower was very tender and cheesy and was my favorite part of the meal. The Brussels sprouts were ok. I think I would try the portobello mushroom next time. read more

Bistro Basque - Cauliflower au gratin and Brussels sprouts with a bleu cheese bechamel. The cauliflower is amazing! - Spanish Near Me - Milford, Connecticut

Excellent food. Excellent service. Do yourself a favor and try this place out. It is an amazing restaurant and it is clear that the owner takes pride in maintaining a high standard. read more

Used to love this place, but wont be back. Bartender was great, that's the only plus. Ordered mussels, sent them back immediately they smelled like sewer, obviously not fresh. Then ordered the monkfish and a filet again sent the filet back it must have been pulling a cart yesterday it was stringy and tougher than an old boxer. Owner said he thought it was ok just a matter of opinion. Asked for check but in the meantime the busboy brings out chips and salsa saying they are complimentary, the owner then comes right over and takes them away saying no no no. That we found comical...keep your chips and salsa David. No wonder the place was slow on a saturday at 7:00 read more

Had a very good experience with the service and the food. Happened to stop in here as other eateries in the area were packed, long lines, no parking, downtown Milford on a Friday night - what can you expect? What a pleasant surprise. Food was excellent and the portions were just right. The mixed drinks done perfectly and it was a fun evening. David (Da' veed) is delightful and reason enough to return. You won't be sorry. Will definitely return to test the consistency of the goodness. In some cases, once is not enough. read more

I recently moved to downtown Milford and this is my favorite dinner spot so far. The food is fantastic, the service is friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere makes you feel like you are in Europe. Two thumbs up! I will definitely be coming back again with my boyfriend for another date night :) read more

Nicest gem in milford. Where to start.... The food, wine and atmosphere are top notch. From the outside the place looks like you are in spain. The owner even leaves his bicycle parked out front, adds a nice touch. Upon entering the spanish/ Basque flair is obvious. There is a nice bar with bistro style tables, good for enjoying a glass of wine and some tapas. When its warm out, the owner sets up small tables outside right on the sidewalk, also a nice touch. Bistro Basque has three main dining areas. The main room offers tabels suited for 2, 4, and more. The decorating style matches the spanish styling one sees upon entering. The second dining area is in the back, it is a solarium, and quite nice. Glass ceiling and different types of plants growing offer a different but nice atmosphere. The third and best dining area is seasonal, for it is outside in the back of the place surronded by the buildings of downtown Milford. This almost feels like NYC, open sky allows you to look up at the stars and hear the subtle sound of the traffic. The food and wine are great. The owner offers different wines mostly from Europe. The main courses are french, and the taps like one would expect are spanish. All great tasting! The desserts are as well! The staff for the most part all seem to be from France, Spain, and s anyone would guess the Basque country. In short itbisva great place offering great food and drink. read more

Lighting sucks. Food is great. Service is good. Excellent seafood entries, well seasoned, and cooked to perfection. The Pasta del Mar is awesome and so is the salmon. Parking sometimes an issue. read more

The food is very good here, I don't think I have had a bad meal there. The service is usually good, but we sat in the back patio area last time, where it is very cramped and uncomfortable for paying so much for a meal...and the service was very unprofessional. The waiter flirted with me before my hubby met me there, and the waitstaff was picking on the busboy. Really not what we expected. I think it's better to sit up front where the owner is keeping an eye on things. read more

Once again, we had a wonderful dining experience! I simply cannot relate to previous reviews complaining about poor customer service and bad attitudes...we have only known Bistro Basque to be staffed with very warm, inviting and friendly people who are a pleasure to spend time with! I had the Paella, Estilo Vasco (traditional paella) and my husband had a chicken stew with a side of potatoes. Both dishes were amazing (flavor, presentation, portion size). We also had the white sangria which was very refreshing and tasty! BTW, they have updated their menu since our previous visit (the menu I found online is not current). I enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner in a beautiful restaurant...looking forward to our next visit! read more

Fantastic food, atmosphere and incredible service. Definitely adding this to our "special occasion" go-to list!

My boyfriend was doing business in the area so I drove down to meet him for the evening. We love international cuisine, and I read all the great reviews about Basque, so we gave it a shot. (I had narrowed down our choices to Basque, Bin 100, or Olive Tree take-out with a bottle of wine on the Milford Green) I am glad we went with Basque! Our reservation was for 7pm and it was quiet at that time. Inside was dead but there were a few people on the patio. Later, the patio would fill up. We stayed for three hours of tapas & sangria on the candlelit patio! The tables are tucked into little "nooks & crannies" between the two buildings. We loved our table, it felt very private thanks to some strategically placed plants and the table next to us staying empty for the first hour or so. To drink: Sangria. Lovely! To eat: We shared four tapas and a salad d'endives. The tapas were the Calamare (not fried, very tender and soft, lovely flavor), the lamb ravioli (so flavorful and delicious), the escargot (soft and delightful although I agree with one of the other reviewers that it needed bread, so I asked for some more of the table bread to go with it), and the duck-stuffed peppers (these were flavorful but not what we were expecting. A bit small, weak.) The salad d'endives was quite nice with gorgonzola, beets & walnuts. Yum! For dessert: Rice pudding. Traditional style, nothing too special but still good. Service: Quite good. Our waitor had a sense of humor which is always nice and the bus staff was friendly! Overall, we are glad we chose Basque. Its location in the historic part of town made for a nice walk before and after our meal. Later, we drove by Bin 100 which was in a strip mall area. We considered stopping in for a drink but it was completely empty. In their defense, they may have been closed. If you are looking for a special meal and great atmosphere, go for Basque! read more

Eager to please and job well done! Meals are always top notch and consistent. The service is some of the best you will get in the area. Always look forward to the beet salad and a few tapa's. They never disappoint. read more

Best paella in CT!! And very reasonably priced. I've also tried a few other entrees and they all have been delicious. The appetizers are really good but I don't care much for their dessert options. Service is very friendly. read more

It's one of a handful of the fine dining establishments in downtown Milford. Food is an authentic mix of Spaniard and French. I actually spent a month in the Basque Region of Spain. They have an impressive wine list and a great selection of tapas. Entrees are amazing. Definitely sit outside on the sidewalk or get a table near the sidewalk during the summer months. read more

I had a wonderful experience at Bistro Basque. The first time was on a late night and we only ordered dessert. It was fabulous and made me want to go back. My second experience was even better. Bistro Basque opened especially for us at lunch time so we could have a family gathering. They were very accomodating with kids menus, time, type of food we wanted.....They told us they would make us happy! and they did! The food was an assortments of tapas and then a paella. It was delicious. The staff was very attentive and I highly recommend this place. read more

"Spanish only when being tortured" as owner David is fond of saying. As much french and portugese. Best ever Majitos and Sangria. Feast on wonderful tapas and deserts. Wonderful outdoor backyard garden. read more

My absolute fave restaurant to eat at in all of Milford! Everything they make is INCREDIBLE and they make a pretty fine Sangria too!!

Came in tonight for a five course dinner/ wine tasting and everything was amazing. Fine dining at its best

Very nice atmosphere and very good meal. The scallops were delicious - also highly recommend the swordfish. Only beer in the house was Bohemia and it was delicious. read more

Wow! I had the best meal here a few weeks back! My friends and I went here on a Friday for tapas, wine and some food and we left very impressed although my buddy was complaining about the price. But I felt we got what we paid for! All of the tapas were delicious and I ordered a basque fish stew with monk fish and other treats from the sea. Idk if I was just drunk but it was really delicious! I definitely want to return to this restaurant. My Spanish teacher from Cadiz, spain told me that the basques are known throughout spain as having high quality restaurants. read more

I was in Milford to do a little shopping with a friend on Friday night. We wanted to try somewhere new since we've done a few of the larger places in downtown before. We did not have a reservation but we were seated right away. The menu, although small, had a nice selection of tapas and full entrees. The specialty cocktail list was jam packed with a variety of options and some not so easy to pronounce names. When our waiter came to take our drink order (and by that time we were also ready to order some small plates), my friend had the specialty list and was able to order her drink first. She then passed me the list so that way I could be sure to pronounce what I wanted correctly since it wasn't a common drink name. As I was looking for it, which wouldn't have taken me longer than maybe 10 seconds, our waiter got impatient and said he would be back in a few minutes. We never said we needed more time nor did he ask "would you like some more time" as most waiters would do. I was truly just trying to find the right drink on the menu and what didn't help was that we were seated in a very dim/dark section of the restaurant. Instead of giving me a moment to find it he just walked away. The waiter went around to several other tables to take other orders and do his check-ins but never came back to us. He also proceeded to bus a couple tables all while my friend and I were looking up hoping to make eye contact to let him know we were ready. After a few more minutes the hostess that originally seated us came over to see if we needed anything and we politely said no thank you and at that time just decided to leave. We were extremely disappointed and I have to be honest, it's been quite a while since I've received such poor and rude service. Luckily we were able to get right in at another place a couple blocks down that provided exceptional service and amazing food. read more

Phenomenal...everything about it. From the warm reception coming in from the owner, to the quaint back area filled with cool, antique furniture to the amazing food that I can't wait to return for. You need to try this place...you will NOT be disappointed! read more

We've been here twice and loved it both times - once outside during spring, once inside during winter, both lovely atmospheres. Great service, creative - delicious food ( I heart little plates in general), and we love the vibe. read more

Great little restaurant in downtown Milford. It is run and owned by a real Spaniard/French. The food was true Spanish tapas material, right down to the Foie Gras (not pate but actual seared livers). I'm not a fan of the former dish but it was cooked impeccably. Small, cozy and intimate. This place would be a great place for a first date. read more

New York style bistro in Milford When I first stepped into this place it felt more like downtown NYC rather than small town Milford, CT. This old building has great character and charm accompanied by terrific food inspired by Spanish cuisine. The owner lives in the building and is passionate about his restaurant. He spends time to know what people do and do not like to keep improving his menu and wine list. He has put everything into revamping this space into a intimate spot to dine and sip great wine. The back room outside is great and covered for colder months. The bar up front is pretty small but very nice as well. No TV for a change just good food. If you like a small bistro feel this is a great choice. read more

If you haven't made it in yet, then you are missing out on the best restaurant Milford has to offer. We have become regulars because we cannot stay away from their wine list, cocktail list, tapas, and OH MY THEIR BREAD PUDDING WITH GOAT WHIP CREAM! AMAZING! Bistro is a place where you can go and just pretend you're not in CT any longer, what a treat for a couple of hours. Michael, the bartender, is always very attentive, friendly, and can make a mean Daytrader. The ownner, David, is always so welcoming and such a wonderful host. Juan is probably one of the most versatile servers and Eder, a man that wears many hats, is always in a great mood and there when you need him! This place is great! read more

The food and atmosphere are great. Reminds me of Europe. They never disappoint. Worth a visit.

Romantic, atmospheric, gastronomic! Can't wait to come back. We could have had an entire meal off the tapas menu alone! Cauliflower was rich and flavorful and the fois gras was succulent. A bientot! read more

I am officially a fan... Had lunch there last weekend and not only does this restaurant have phenominal food but the atmosphere and service are outstanding. One charming quality about this establishment is that the owner takes time to speak to his customer. This is a quality that I greatly appreciate. Definately try the French style paella, the picodon, and the Pollo estilo de mi abuela. It sound contrived but the Gambas Ajillo is different...good different and better than say.... Barcelona's? After having dinner, their tapas and finally lunch I highly recommend. Can not wait until I return! read more

We stopped in early last Saturday for an early dinner. Tapas and wine were our choice, sitting outside in the garden. What a lovely experience. The clams with white beans were perfect. Ditto for the shrimp in garlic and the lamb pockets. The Malbec was excellent. Service was good , but might have been more attentive. Highly recommended. read more

Hands down the best food in Milford! The best tapas, the best service! You have to try Gambas Ajillo and pork tenderloin tapas. Delicious!

Bistro Basque is one of the best places in Milford. Located on the green, it is a charming location and even better decor. With an intimate setting, Bistro Basque is the perfect place for an intimate date or gathering with friends. The Sangria is as good as it gets, as well as the scallops. Everything I've tried here (I've been here 3 times) has been phenomenal, as well as the service. I highly recommend Bistro Basque!! read more

Bistro Basque is the best restaurant in Milford by a wide margin. With sleek decor and spanish pop music in the background, Bistro Basque has a Manhattan-worthy feel along with cuisine to back it up. Usually offered as a special, the Dorada fish entree with garlic & olive oil is superb and also a healthy, light dish for anyone trying to eat lean. For tapas, pork lomo and artichokes are among the standouts as well as some good mushroom tapas that are offered as specials from time to time. I recently had the Cassoulet special (a slow-cooked bean casserole with duck and chorizo) which was outstanding. If it's available, I strongly recommend it. read more

Love! Love! Love!!! Whenever my parents visit we have to make a stop for dinner at "The Bistro" (my dad's favorite place), I have celebrated my birthday there with friends several times and just introduced my husband to the place. We have a 1yr old and they were able to accommodate her too. The staff are always friendly and on top of everything, and the owner makes his rounds welcoming the guests which adds a nice personal touch to the place. The duck confit is to die for and most recently I had the lamb shank. Fantastic. They have a superb selection of wines and their sangrias are great. Can get a little pricey though but I think you get your money's worth. I will write more when I get a chance but if you're considering going, hesitate no more. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!! read more