Driving past this place many times, Bistro on Main radiates a fancy look, except for the almost all gravel type parking lot. Luckily, that's not what you're there for! Inside Bistro on Main is certainly the opposite of its lot - with a nice hostess to be greeted by the restaurant is nicely dim lit with equally nice decor. a rounded out table sat us with a nice view of the bar and SportsCenter. Monday is the day to be there. The 5 dollar burger and fries special is so famous on Monday's that I heard the waitress ask a group if they "needed menus or just the burgers." I looked over the menu and listened to the rest of the day's specials just in case there was a game changer, but let's be real, I was gonna get the burger. The burger and fries were not a disappointment. Great sized portion, filling and satisfying with good service. Not a super fan yet until I try more menu items, but a definite must try. - @ZakirGhazi read more

Dreadful experience tonight. It's Monday, their busiest night. We expected a wait, because we had not made a reservation. However, three hostesses were not necessary. When one asked another to bus a table for us, (or wait for the lone bus boy,) she did nothing. When we were finally seated, a hostess, (one of the two who seemed capable,) brought us water. We waited 18 minutes, watching four waiters carefully ignore us. We left, unfed, unserved and unsatisfied. Note to Management: Training, extra servers who actually serve would serve your establishment well. read more

I stopped here excited to try this place. Sign inside at the front station said please wait to be seated. I waited. Called out a few times. They were not extremely busy. It was right after the lunch rush. No response. No reply. Walk out. Went down the toad to Eddy's and had an amazing meal and service. Hopefully, I can try one more time, to see how it is. read more

I went here a few weeks ago thanks to a friend making a great recommendation! Our table of 4 walked out very happy with our meals and service! We sat in the bar area and our server was very attentive and friendly! The portions are great and the food was cooked perfectly. To start, the plantain nachos and brussel sprouts are amazing!! I ordered the salmon entree and it was delicious! I can't wait to go back! read more

Went here for a graduation dinner and it was okay. It's certainly the type of place that acts much more pretentious than its truly worth. Dark, drab interior. Waiter was some balding man child who barely listened, persuaded some to get different meals based off his preferences, and inserted himself needlessly into conversation. Very rude, hateful person. Some appetizers were very bad like breaded asparagus (grilled asparagus is clearly superior). However there were some standouts- chicken wings, drinks, and some entrees were quite good. Nothing too imaginative happening in the kitchen but it will make whatever old uncle you haven't seen in years happy when he is there for your inevitable graduation dinner. It was fine but I probably wouldn't go again. read more

I grew up in Kent and Bistro on Main is exactly what the Kent community has needed forever. Leave it to a Kent guy to move away and then come back to bring some class, excellent fare and creative cuisine to this college town. The food is exceptional and creative, the staff is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and outgoing and the wine list is solid for the restaurant style and community. The decor and ambiance is wonderful and the menu changes frequently with incredibly unique and flavorful dishes. I can't recommend Bistro On Main more highly! read more

The atmosphere here at Bistro On Main is an ambient one, making it a perfect place for a fine dinner. I look forward to visiting this place again! read more

Bistro On Main - University Hospitals Portage Medical Center General Surgery Rotation Dinner - New American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

This was a group office luncheon in which most everyone ordered and were happy with some great looking burgers. We had the crab dip to start and it was served with some delightful bread. Huge chunks of crab were in the dip that was so creamy, I wanted to scoop it out myself and not share! I had the Cesar salad w/ seared scallops. The scallops were cooked perfectly. The only thing lacking was the dressing for the salad - a little on the light side as in not much was put on as it's mixed with bread crumbs that are absolutely delectable. No complaints though. We sat on their exterior enclosed patio that's heated. It was quite nice. Inside was a bit loud and the weather, despite being a rainy dreary day was comfortable enough to sit outside. I will return for more! read more

Amazing food. Worth every penny. We had a group outing of 16 people here...ambiance provided by a gas fireplace in a special room; spacious, warm, comfortable, and waited on attentively by an amazingly accommodating staff. Giant pork chops cooked to perfection with vegetables paired, and presented with a culinary prowess not seen in many restaurants locally. These guys know what they are doing in every aspect from the skills employed in the crafting of a seasonal spin on a 'Moscow mule' to the flavorfully captivating foccatia bread served prior. My wife ordered short ribs and had the bones removed. I realize that is a tall order, but these folks made it happen. Other guests ordered unique dishes such as quail and baked grapes. You just don't see such treats like that every day. Every aspect from wait staff to fork was satisfaction on a major level. read more

Only been here once tonight and was pretty amazing. Great atmosphere. Nice lighting. Bar is cool. Good fancy drinks. Very nice staff. We came on Valentine's Friday and had gnocchi and fancy Mac and cheese and a glass of wine and a spicy mango margarita. Everything tasted amazing. I really wanna come back for another date night and see if it holds up. I will update then! Highly recommend. read more

I have been to Bistro on Main a few times over the last ten years. Each time I have had great service and the food has been fabulous! Last night I took a friend for a girls night out, and we had another wonderful experience. Alcohol- There is a full bar available, and one full side of the place-mat sized menu is use for beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages. I didn't get past the red wines so I can't speak of the quality of the beer options. Tuesday night is 'Half price Wine by the Bottle" night and we took advantage, ordering two bottles of reds that normally are well above our 10/bottle Grocery store purchases. Our waiter was well informed on the (simple but sufficient) wine list and provided excellent recommendations. Our first bottle was served with a slight delay on our 'Kitchen Plate" of cheeses and nuts but we enjoyed getting to know the wine with no other distractions. The second bottle arrived with our entrees and we may have broken our rule by leaving a little in the bottle to assure our sobriety when we left. Both dry, complex reds made us swoon with the first heady sip. ahhhhhh... Service - We arrived to a packed parking lot, just after 7pm, without a reservation, and were seated in a few minutes. Because we wanted to to enjoy our wine and dinner, we took our time, holding a table in a busy restaurant from our 7pm seating until they closed at 9:30. We never felt rushed and our waiter encouraged us to linger over the wine and food, adding desserts and coffee to tie up the evening. The kitchen was hopping but we were a little disappointing in the delay between the kitchen plate and our bottle of wine (thus one star is knocked off) and generally felt the course were served a little off in the timing. I think this is due to the kitchen processes rather than slow service on the part of our waiter. Atmosphere - The bar and lounge area is small, nicely decorated, and perfect for a dinner or just drinks and appetizers. I've eaten there in the past with my in-laws, and we all enjoyed the feel of the place. Last night we were seated in the main dining room, which is decorated in dark woods, browns and burgundy with lighter (Yellow?) walls. The tables are bare wood, and the silverware is wrapped in a white cloth napkin. It's not a quiet room, but not overly loud, totally fine for business discussions and also nice for a date night. Food- Every course was beautifully prepared, not crazy plate art but definitely thoughtfully presented and attractive. The food is upscale, often locally sourced, and the preparation reminds me of Napa style or Tuscany. Last night we both ordered pork dishes because I only eat pork when it's been farm raised, outdoors, on pasture with lots of fresh air and sunshine. You can truly taste the difference from the bland, mushy factory farm pork (I avoid it for it's lack of flavor and cruel conditions). The special was the pork shank (pictured) which was literally falling off the bone tender and melted in your mouth. The pork chop, thick cut and cooked to the chefs preference (medium rare) was moist and tender, especially for a pig who spent it's time moving about, and packed with the rich flavor only pastured pork can provide. In addition to the Kitchen Plate, and pork entrees we also ordered a pizza (half price on Tuesdays) which we split as a second course, and we couldn't decide on our dessert - the banana bread pudding or the peanut butter and chocolate mouse. After a few nanoseconds of thought we ordered both, along with coffee. OMG SO GOOD! I am not going to wait so long before I return, but due to my limited funds, I will probably stick to wine and pizzas and Tuesday nights! read more

I was in town for training and came to BOM for dinner. Brussels sprouts and tacos are delish. The atmosphere is perfect for any party. I enjoyed my whole experience. Christa provides great service. Prices were spot on for the experience read more

One of our favorite restaurants. Great food, friendly staff, and excellent drinks. Love the intimate bar area -- great Manhattans! Bistro has become our go to restaurant. My only wish is that the Bistro had a more open outdoor seating area. read more

Great service and even better food! We have had some of the best steaks here in the area. Good Bourbon selection. Check in with Yelp for a free dessert. read more

Stopped by on a whim after shopping on a Wednesday Night.....the couples night deal is amazing! I highly recommend the green onion mac and cheese and the fantastic salad with berries and nuts. They have a great deal for gift cards is you buy $100 you get $10 off a visit every month of the year. We will definitely be going back. Make sure to see Tony in the bar, Top Notch!!!!! That was our first visit and he was so patient and helpful. Can't wait to go back read more

Horrible Customer service marred an otherwise mediocre experience. My girl friend and I went as a date, we expected top quality service for the money we were paying however we received anything but. The server whose name I forgot (a bald middle aged white male) was rude and highly unprofessional. He was very terse, would not answer our questions and seemed annoyed with us for no reason whatsoever. I ordered a hamburger and my girl friend ordered some espresso gelato. The gelato was horrible and tasted more like old chocolate ice cream with freezer burn. The hamburger was very boring and tasted like something I could have ordered for much less money from someplace like "the rail" in akron or "flip side" in hudson (both of which I highly recommend). To top off the negative experience the rude waiter charged us incorrectly for the gelato. It said on the menu that it was 3$ which I already thought was too much for such poor quality gelato but he charged me 5.50 which was simply outrageous. I told him about the error and he simply wouldn't budge saying that he "thought I meant the larger portion" despite that fact we only had ONE scoop of gelato. He would not offer to correct the mistake and would not even try to accomodate me, simply walked off with my credit card and charged me anyway. I was highly upset and left the bistro on main feeling disgruntled and unhappy. DO NOT eat hear if you expect any semblance of customer service or quality food. Worst eating experience I've had in Ohio. read more

My best friend invited a very large group of friends and family here to celebrate a very special occasion. They were accommodating, but because of the size of our party, we were not allowed access to the full menu. My friend had to select appetizers, a salad, entrees, and desserts ahead of time for a special menu, only for us. Possibly practical on the part of the restaurant, but honestly, having to plan a menu was just another worry for my friend as he scrambled to get the more important details together for the rest of his event. We'd reserved the back party room, but for some reason they'd separated the tables so only four of us could sit together, like at a wedding reception (the menu, the seating arrangement...maybe they really thought we were having a wedding reception?). We had one waitress for all 15-20 of us -- a bad decision on the restaurant's part, I think it really diminished the quality of the service we got. But what do I know, maybe they were unexpectedly understaffed that night? Given the awkward seating, we asked the waitress and the busboy-possibly-another-waiter if we could combine our tables so there would be two groups of us instead of five, and so we could easily talk with each other. The busboy-possibly-waiter was totally on board with it, but the waitress told us, waving her hand, she had to (paraphrasing) "get the drink orders first, I can't even do that, ask him" (referring to the busboy-possibly-waiter). So we all helped him move tables as she flounced out of the room. The attitude continued throughout the dinner. I asked for a pink squirrel to drink, and even gave her the ingredients -- creme de noyaux, creme de cacao, and cream. I let her know she could sub out amaretto for the creme de noyaux, since I know it's rare to find that one in a bar. She came back to tell me they didn't have one of the ingredients. Really? You don't have cream, some kind of chocolate liqueur, and amaretto? The dive bar down the street from me has all of those things. I asked which one she was missing, thinking I could sub something else out -- she wasn't sure, said they'd found another recipe for it that 1) included ice cream, which they didn't have, and 2) wouldn't taste good with the amaretto. Ok... but 1) that's not what I asked for, and 2) I'm ordering the drink this way because I've had it made this way before, and it tastes fine to me. I brushed it off and ordered a glass of pinot grigio. Meanwhile, one of my girlfriends had to ask three times for her drink. I'll admit we were a little rowdy, but we were in a closed-off room and celebrating. I couldn't hear our group in the main dining room as I waited in line for the restroom, so I don't *think* we were disturbing the other customers. Everyone out there looked happy. But I heard reports from our group that the waitress kept rolling her eyes. I didn't see her do that, but she was pretty brusque with my table. I'm really not trying to get anyone in trouble, I know it's very hard to serve a large party, especially when there's alcohol involved. Just sayin', a smile goes a long, long way. My food, thankfully, was much better than the service, although my best friend and his family all agreed their meat was really dry. I ordered the spinach linguine with scallops, and it was really good. It was light, but filling, and the pasta was cooked perfectly. I was worried because linguine tends to be one of those noodles that gets overcooked really easily, turning to mush -- but these were perfect. I applauded the lobster and salmon egg roll appetizers, too. The wedge salad I ordered was, eh, a wedge salad. In total, we were there just over two hours -- not bad for a big group like that in a fancier place. While it wasn't the best experience I've had at a nice restaurant, I'm guessing the size of our party had a lot to do with it. It'd be nice to go back with just a few people, or on a date, to see what it's like then. Everyone deserves a second chance, I guess. read more

Enjoyed the afternoon at Bistro. Food and wine selections were great !! The ambience is very nice. Enjoyed the dinning experience at the bar. Thanks to a great service by Katie and Tony. Would most definitely recommend this place. Thx DR MD read more

We walked in later on a Friday evening, not very busy at all. Half empty parking lot. 2 servers walked to the front, looked at us, and completely ignored us. We waited to be seated for 10 minutes. Didn't know I was wearing an invisibility cloak. read more

Went there for the first time this past wednesday with some regulars, and had a lovely evening. The bartenders were super friendly and accomodating, the decor was clean, nice yet simplistic. I like that better than clutter where dust can gather at restaurants, yuck. They had a Wednesday night couple special deal with a bottle of wine, an entre to split and two salads for $35. a Great deal, but we ended up getting doing our own thing, and had this amazing stuffed chicken dish. It was great and more than enough for us to split. The drinks we made with more than ample alcohol, the tables had fresh flowers, and the prices were reasonable. I will say there were some pricey dishes on the menu which in my mind is a tough sell for kent, I didn't try any of them, but could be worth it. Anyways, it was a very nice overall experience and i plan on returning. read more

Entree was really good, Brussel Sprout app is not good. Kind of expensive for what you get, weak Draft beer selection, Parking lot fills up on weekends and lot right next door is chained so watch out for that, you can park two lots down at the T-Shirt shop. Make a reservation! Dining room is a more mature crowd, lounge is more hip and cozy. Service is about what you expect. Overall worth a try :) read more

Absolutely love this place! Food is great. Staff is excellent. Atmosphere is welcoming. Dress is casual, but classy in either the dinner area or pub room. Can recommend the dirty Martinis. Will be back again soon. read more

Decided to give Bistro a try and am glad I did. We used a Groupon and had a lovely meal for a very reasonable price. The baby blue salad was excellent... I wanted to lick the bowl. I had the sweet potato gnocchi with pulled pork... Sweet, spicy, creamy goodness. My date had the the pork chop which was HUGE, and perfectly cooked. Cocktails were also tasty and we finished off with the creme brulee duo (which was very good but to small). We will definitely go back. read more

We went on a Tuesday. 1/2 price wine, which is very nice! $5 off pizza, bad idea. First pizza the crust was so thin and under cooked. When you picked up a piece all the toppings fell off. Talked with server. She states "well it is $5 off so they are busy". Get a second pizza, same quality. Pizza is better full price. Horrible quality when they give you a discount. I went home hungry! read more

Bistro on Main is a very classy place! it is pricey, but worth every penny.... from what we hear, the menu changes frequently adding things from places that the owner has traveled. It makes it hard to decide what to go with since a lot of the food is something you would never find around here. The atmosphere is very inviting... perfect for a romantic dinner, special occasion, or a great place to take friends. The staff has always been more than friendly, and can answer any questions that you would have about their menu. read more

Great service! A little bit of a limited menu, but a beautiful place to have a quiet dinner.

Mon night we walk in at 630 and asked if we had a reservation. Um....no. We peaked around the corner and saw the bar wide - we sat at a 2 seat high top (which was not offered to us at all). Went for the $6 sammy night. A burger, chix sandwich, 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers was $36. But THAT burger was one of the TOP 5 best burgers I have ever, ever had. We'll go back for the burgers some other stuff that came out that looked awesome but BOM....tone down the pretention... read more

This is the worst meal I have ever had. The caesar salad was so full of hot pepper it ruined it. I ordered the snapper which also was so embroiled with hot pepper as to render it inedible. Very disappointing,. read more

My husband and I ate at the bar last night for dinner around 7. We both had the specials - strip steak for him and mahi for me. Both were excellent! I am thrilled to have that quality of food so close to home. The staff was attentive and friendly but there was a lot going on behind the bar. Always 3 or 4 people and it appeared chaotic most of the time. The noise level in the lounge was high. It was busy, which was great, but it was loud. Overall, a busy place with outstanding food. We'll definitely go back. read more

Good food and seasoning. Nice seating and an immense amount of food to leave you full and happy.

One of our favorite places to dine in the area. Food has been consistently great and service is fantastic. Highly recommend reservations. Popular place for locals and visitors alike. read more

What a great little gem tucked away in Kent, Ohio! My wife and I dined here and had a phenomenal experience. My wife is a very picky eater too. Great service and amazing food. They custom made my wife's' dish for her. I had the shrimp and salmon egg rolls with the 1/2 Ohio farm raised chicken. Great beer selections too. read more

Came for the first time on a Wednesday night - love the cheap date special! Bottle of wine, salads and pizza for $35!! Great service and flavour! read more

Really tasty and surprisingly creative fare in a cozy environment. I'm not a regular on the Kent dining scene, but I'm down there a few times a year or more, and this was the nicest meal I've had in Kent. Lots of very fresh seafood, clever riffs on some traditional favorites, and a really friendly setting. I think there's a reason the parking lot looks like a German car dealership -- there aren't many good upscale options in town. That German car aura cuts both ways; it's a bit pricey for Kent, but the quality is there to justify it. Lots of great wine and beer options top things off. Best of all, you can still tell you're in a college town because it's not stuffy. read more

Last week was my parents joint birthday dinner and they've always wanted to try the bistro. I was hesitant since my first visit wasn't all that great but I must admit that I had a much better experience this time around. All the guest enjoyed their food, however my sister didn't like the honey that was on the grilled cheese & would not have ordered it had it stated that honey was used on the menu (but that's just a personal preference, doesn't mean it was a bad sandwich). My brussels sprouts were huge!!! The portion was so large that it could easily be shared between two people. Although I had to send them back, the cook accidentally put green onions on them, our waitress was really nice about it and took care of me right away. They also burnt my fathers creme brulee badly but he ate it anyways; after all, it was free since I had checked in with Yelp ( a nice surprise)! However, parking was terrible, there's only way way in & out so it is a great idea to car pool or park @ Stoddards next door. read more

Papa likes this one!. Monday they have tasty burgers for 7 bones. The bathroom is a little redonkulous but who likes to eat while on the toilet? This place has way better food than that trash heap right next door. read more

Bistro On Main is a nice change from the college student oriented eateries around Kent. The service was great and the decor of the restaurant is nice, but I was a little disappointed by the food options on the menu. It would be nice if there were a vegan option besides the salads. I also wish the martinis on the cocktail menu would use more appropriate liquors considering the price of the cocktails. If I'm getting a $9 martini, I would prefer that the vodka in it not be smirnoff. read more

This was my first time at the Bistro. There was nothing specially unique, but nothing disappointing either. Food was very good, service was excellent and friendly. The main reason I gave it 4 was that the place was not as clean as I expect. The plates on our table were obviously not same-day washed, and there were obvious stains on people's uniform. Still I had a good night and can recommend this place. read more

This was probably the best meal we've had in a long time. Every pat of it was great. The beer selection was excellent. There are enough vegetarian options to actually have choice! The puff pastry asparagus and jalapeno cream sauce? Killer. The sweet potato gnocchi? More, more please. The blueberry mille feuille? I can't say no. It was all incredible. Definitely will be back again. read more

Quite a tasty place to eat. Burger nights on Mondays are particularly great (and cheap). I also highly recommend the plantain nachos! They are absolutely delightful! read more