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Food and service were fantastic! The fish special was amazing. Everyone liked their dishes. Will definitely go again when back in Charlottesville!
My coworkers and I ate here on a Thursday night. The restaurant is quaint with a rustic vibe. Me and one of my coworkers ordered PAN-SEARED SALMON ratatouille risotto. We both agreed that the risotto was a little undercooked. Overall the meal was ok and the service was average.
Stopped by Bizou to grab some take out for dinner and wasn't disappointed. I went in on a Tuesday evening and it was pretty empty, a few people sitting inside but it was a nice night out so most people chose to sit outside. The inside is pretty small so if you have a larger group and you want to sit together, just know dining outside maybe your best option. Anyway! I ordered their garlic bread appetizer, short rib entree, which came with a side of mash potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts; and pistachio cheesecake for dessert. The garlic bread appetizer is a must! It comes with enough pieces for about two people to share and is paired with a fresh bean paste as a dip - trust me it's delicious! The short rib was just as delicious! The Brussels sprouts did seem a bit undercooked, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Finally, the cheesecake was solid was well! Everything was a decent portion size and worth the price in my opinion. If you're in the area and looking for a nice place to dine, you should check them out.
Dynamite dinner during restaurant week. I fear Bizou might be taken for granted because it's been on the Mall for so long. This week's dinner should push it to front of mind. A perfect tomato tart on delicate pastry with caramelized onions, and a cool creamy gazpacho A short ribs entree and lamb ragout-- both outstanding. We split and traded. A perfect crème brûlée. Partner had the fruit crumble/ice cream and raved, though it was not to my taste. The delicate crème brute crushed it.
This place is delicious. It's probably one of my top places to eat when visiting charlottesville. It's a small, cozy restaurant with amazing food. Service is always great. The menu rotates and I've never had anything here that was just "meh". Everything is so well cooked, flavors paired perfectly, and enough to have space for dessert and not feel overly full.
This place was fine. It didn't blow me away; it wasn't memorable and it lacked an inherent charm that I thought it would possess. Oddly, as a party of three we were sat at the table at the end of the restaurant -- right next to the bathroom. And I mean right next to, it's unnervingly close. At least add one of those little barn doors for the illusion of some separation. Anyway, the main problem was not the location of the table but merely the size. It could barely fit 2 people, but they sat us three there. Normally, if it's packed and it's the best that they can do, I'll take anything. But, the couple next to us had the same table + an extra. I thought the host or waiter would ask if we wanted it or offer, but we got it from the couple ourselves. The garlic bread had a weird naan type quality to it, was not what I was expecting when I thought of garlic bread. Our service was ok-- water got refilled once. At least we had 3 cocktails each to keep us hydrated! My salmon was good, the sauce beneath wasn't very flavorful, but it added some moisture which is always appreciated. Anyways, it was good for a night!
I never got to try Bizou while I attended UVA, so when my friend and I went back for a visit, this was high on our list to try! The atmosphere inside is a little bit dim and not super spacious, but it's a nice place for a date or a higher end dinner. We both got a drink and I got the pan seared salmon. We both enjoyed our dishes and drinks, just nothing super extraordinary. Our service was just fine as well and the prices were about what we'd expect for downtown Charlottesville.
After reading a few food blogs. E decided to try Bizou as we are new to the area. It's a pretty small restaurants that feels very cozy as the seating area is in the back. Our server was very prompt with taking our order and the food did not take very long to come out. I ordered the shrimp and grits which was different than the normal presentation. I had asked the server if the mushrooms in the dish were larger or small since I'm not a huge fan of them. He told me they were small slivers but when the dish came out there were very large chunks. The beef ragu gnocchi was good but not great. The beef was very tender, but the fried gnocchi did not taste like gnocchi to us. They were more like unflavored large fried mashed potato bites. We're glad we tried it but most likely would rather try some other restaurants in the area instead of returning.
I went here a few years ago and the food and service were significantly better 5+ years ago. For a place that's been in cville for 30 years, I am disappointed with how much they've let their service and food slip. We came in for restaurant week and the inside of the restaurant is really cute, it is an old diner converted into a nicer restaurant. We ordered the mussels & frites to start along with the lamb croquettes. Both of the apps came out within about 10 mins of us sitting which was VERY fast. The other 4 tables in the restaurant were either on apps or on their entrees so it wasn't too busy. Both apps were very good, I would eat both again. The croquettes were the standout, 5/5. The mussels were fine, 3/5 - not the freshest or largest I've had and the fries were machine cut probably pre frozen. For entrees we ran into issues. Despite the quick service for the appetizers, we watched the 4 tables around us go from course to course with no change or any word from our server. After about 45 minutes of waiting around, all 4 tables cleared out and we were the only ones left. They had 3 people working the line and about 6 servers/hosts, so I was shocked our food took this long. We ordered the steak and chicken gnocchi so i understand steak takes a bit but this was outrageously long. One of the servers actually came and awkwardly dropped us off menus and apologized that we had been seated and no one checked on us... this was more awkward when he realized we already had our apps and we were waiting for the entrees to come out. He grabbed the menus and ran off and provided us no update with how long our food would take. When the food came it was clear it had been forgotten. The chicken piccata was fried and cold, and the chicken itself was hard and stringy. It was almost all breading. The gnocchi was awful, it was homemade but tasted like balls of mashed potato with no seasoning. Our server gave us a heads up the dish would be lemony but this was the only discernible flavor. Very bland and boring. My boyfriends steak was the total opposite. Very well seasoned and well cooked and the potatoes were delicious as were the Brussels. He actually used to manage a restaurant and he said the steak was actually really good. It came medium rare but you could tell it sat under their warmer for way too long, the edges had dried out in the time it had sat. But overall it was a solid entree. The desserts came out after a bit of a wait and were uninspiring. The stone fruit hand pie was basically just unseasoned peaches inside plain pastry dough with a cream sauce. Put some cinnamon or cloves in there, please!!! The grilled banana bread tasted freezer burned and looked like it had been cooked then stored cold then reheated. It was very dry. Both were edible but below expectations. We spent $115 for a 3 course meal for 2 with tax and tip included and it was not worth it. Cville has an abundance of good restaurants, specifically with this style of offerings, and Bizou did not live up to expectations. If you want similar options but better quality, try Orzo, the Ridley, Mockingbird, or any of the endless upscale American eateries in the area. Almost all do a better job than Bizou.
My wife and I stopped here for lunch today. I had the chicken Caesar salad which, to my surprise, was made with fried chicken. The chicken was very tender and, all together, a great salad. My wife had the beet salad with goat cheese which was equally satisfying. Ambiance: Good Food: Delicious Cleanliness: Very Good Service: Very Good
We sat out on Bizou's patio in the middle of the downtown mall for an afternoon drink - great location! The beer selection was pretty limited, but the prices were good. My husband's drink seemed to have some kind of sediment floating in it - but it wasn't a big enough issue for him to send it back. The service was pretty good, too - friendly staff that were fairly attentive. Definitely got the job done as a nice happy hour spot!
This review is for the brunch and dinner at bizou. For the brunch, I really enjoyed sitting outside during nice weather. The drinks at brunch looked really good and my friend enjoyed hers. I enjoyed the Khachapuri bread boat -- it was a lot of food but really interesting and delicious! My friend who got the French toast was disappointed as it was only one slice of bread for $14ish, so not a very good deal. For dinner, I always enjoy eating the vegetarian specials they have especially the pastas! Their bread is also delicious and so warm!
Came here for a nice Sunday brunch with a friend from high school and we had a great time. We were able to sit outside and it was nice to watch the people walk by. I had biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon and it really hit the spot. The coffee was delicious as well. This definitely is a terrific place for a leisurely meal to catch up with friends.
23 days ago
We randomly came upon this restaurant late at night after a Friday night concert. Only to realize the place was closing in 30 ish minutes. Upon learning that information we decided not to order any entrees, just desserts. The food was okay. The pricing of this place is insane. Service certainly didn't dictate this level of ambiance. But I would try it again. Hard to give it a full 5 stars when the food was just okay. But the drinks were excellent. read more
Tonight we had a party of 4 and they squeezed us in. We started with the Caesar salad , onion soup and calamari. All were excellent. For supper we had the salmon chicken and squash risotto. The chicken Marsala was great the salmon was good. The risotto was meh. Then we had the fried banana bread and vanilla ice cream. Wow get this!! Crem brûlée and raspberry mouse all good banana bread was outstanding. For a place that was established in 1996 I have to hand it to them for doing so well. read more
My coworkers and I ate here on a Thursday night. The restaurant is quaint with a rustic vibe. Me and one of my coworkers ordered PAN-SEARED SALMON ratatouille risotto. We both agreed that the risotto was a little undercooked. Overall the meal was ok and the service was average. read more
Stopped by Bizou to grab some take out for dinner and wasn't disappointed. I went in on a Tuesday evening and it was pretty empty, a few people sitting inside but it was a nice night out so most people chose to sit outside. The inside is pretty small so if you have a larger group and you want to sit together, just know dining outside maybe your best option. Anyway! I ordered their garlic bread appetizer, short rib entree, which came with a side of mash potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts; and pistachio cheesecake for dessert. The garlic bread appetizer is a must! It comes with enough pieces for about two people to share and is paired with a fresh bean paste as a dip - trust me it's delicious! The short rib was just as delicious! The Brussels sprouts did seem a bit undercooked, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Finally, the cheesecake was solid was well! Everything was a decent portion size and worth the price in my opinion. If you're in the area and looking for a nice place to dine, you should check them out. read more
Dynamite dinner during restaurant week. I fear Bizou might be taken for granted because it's been on the Mall for so long. This week's dinner should push it to front of mind. A perfect tomato tart on delicate pastry with caramelized onions, and a cool creamy gazpacho A short ribs entree and lamb ragout-- both outstanding. We split and traded. A perfect crème brûlée. Partner had the fruit crumble/ice cream and raved, though it was not to my taste. The delicate crème brute crushed it. read more
This place is delicious. It's probably one of my top places to eat when visiting charlottesville. It's a small, cozy restaurant with amazing food. Service is always great. The menu rotates and I've never had anything here that was just "meh". Everything is so well cooked, flavors paired perfectly, and enough to have space for dessert and not feel overly full. read more
11 months ago
This place was fine. It didn't blow me away; it wasn't memorable and it lacked an inherent charm that I thought it would possess. Oddly, as a party of three we were sat at the table at the end of the restaurant -- right next to the bathroom. And I mean right next to, it's unnervingly close. At least add one of those little barn doors for the illusion of some separation. Anyway, the main problem was not the location of the table but merely the size. It could barely fit 2 people, but they sat us three there. Normally, if it's packed and it's the best that they can do, I'll take anything. But, the couple next to us had the same table + an extra. I thought the host or waiter would ask if we wanted it or offer, but we got it from the couple ourselves. The garlic bread had a weird naan type quality to it, was not what I was expecting when I thought of garlic bread. Our service was ok-- water got refilled once. At least we had 3 cocktails each to keep us hydrated! My salmon was good, the sauce beneath wasn't very flavorful, but it added some moisture which is always appreciated. Anyways, it was good for a night! read more
3 years ago
I never got to try Bizou while I attended UVA, so when my friend and I went back for a visit, this was high on our list to try! The atmosphere inside is a little bit dim and not super spacious, but it's a nice place for a date or a higher end dinner. We both got a drink and I got the pan seared salmon. We both enjoyed our dishes and drinks, just nothing super extraordinary. Our service was just fine as well and the prices were about what we'd expect for downtown Charlottesville. read more
3 years ago
After reading a few food blogs. E decided to try Bizou as we are new to the area. It's a pretty small restaurants that feels very cozy as the seating area is in the back. Our server was very prompt with taking our order and the food did not take very long to come out. I ordered the shrimp and grits which was different than the normal presentation. I had asked the server if the mushrooms in the dish were larger or small since I'm not a huge fan of them. He told me they were small slivers but when the dish came out there were very large chunks. The beef ragu gnocchi was good but not great. The beef was very tender, but the fried gnocchi did not taste like gnocchi to us. They were more like unflavored large fried mashed potato bites. We're glad we tried it but most likely would rather try some other restaurants in the area instead of returning. read more
5 months ago
4 months ago
I went here a few years ago and the food and service were significantly better 5+ years ago. For a place that's been in cville for 30 years, I am disappointed with how much they've let their service and food slip. We came in for restaurant week and the inside of the restaurant is really cute, it is an old diner converted into a nicer restaurant. We ordered the mussels & frites to start along with the lamb croquettes. Both of the apps came out within about 10 mins of us sitting which was VERY fast. The other 4 tables in the restaurant were either on apps or on their entrees so it wasn't too busy. Both apps were very good, I would eat both again. The croquettes were the standout, 5/5. The mussels were fine, 3/5 - not the freshest or largest I've had and the fries were machine cut probably pre frozen. For entrees we ran into issues. Despite the quick service for the appetizers, we watched the 4 tables around us go from course to course with no change or any word from our server. After about 45 minutes of waiting around, all 4 tables cleared out and we were the only ones left. They had 3 people working the line and about 6 servers/hosts, so I was shocked our food took this long. We ordered the steak and chicken gnocchi so i understand steak takes a bit but this was outrageously long. One of the servers actually came and awkwardly dropped us off menus and apologized that we had been seated and no one checked on us... this was more awkward when he realized we already had our apps and we were waiting for the entrees to come out. He grabbed the menus and ran off and provided us no update with how long our food would take. When the food came it was clear it had been forgotten. The chicken piccata was fried and cold, and the chicken itself was hard and stringy. It was almost all breading. The gnocchi was awful, it was homemade but tasted like balls of mashed potato with no seasoning. Our server gave us a heads up the dish would be lemony but this was the only discernible flavor. Very bland and boring. My boyfriends steak was the total opposite. Very well seasoned and well cooked and the potatoes were delicious as were the Brussels. He actually used to manage a restaurant and he said the steak was actually really good. It came medium rare but you could tell it sat under their warmer for way too long, the edges had dried out in the time it had sat. But overall it was a solid entree. The desserts came out after a bit of a wait and were uninspiring. The stone fruit hand pie was basically just unseasoned peaches inside plain pastry dough with a cream sauce. Put some cinnamon or cloves in there, please!!! The grilled banana bread tasted freezer burned and looked like it had been cooked then stored cold then reheated. It was very dry. Both were edible but below expectations. We spent $115 for a 3 course meal for 2 with tax and tip included and it was not worth it. Cville has an abundance of good restaurants, specifically with this style of offerings, and Bizou did not live up to expectations. If you want similar options but better quality, try Orzo, the Ridley, Mockingbird, or any of the endless upscale American eateries in the area. Almost all do a better job than Bizou. read more
2 years ago
My wife and I stopped here for lunch today. I had the chicken Caesar salad which, to my surprise, was made with fried chicken. The chicken was very tender and, all together, a great salad. My wife had the beet salad with goat cheese which was equally satisfying. Ambiance: Good Food: Delicious Cleanliness: Very Good Service: Very Good read more
3 years ago
We sat out on Bizou's patio in the middle of the downtown mall for an afternoon drink - great location! The beer selection was pretty limited, but the prices were good. My husband's drink seemed to have some kind of sediment floating in it - but it wasn't a big enough issue for him to send it back. The service was pretty good, too - friendly staff that were fairly attentive. Definitely got the job done as a nice happy hour spot! read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
This review is for the brunch and dinner at bizou. For the brunch, I really enjoyed sitting outside during nice weather. The drinks at brunch looked really good and my friend enjoyed hers. I enjoyed the Khachapuri bread boat -- it was a lot of food but really interesting and delicious! My friend who got the French toast was disappointed as it was only one slice of bread for $14ish, so not a very good deal. For dinner, I always enjoy eating the vegetarian specials they have especially the pastas! Their bread is also delicious and so warm! read more
Came here for a nice Sunday brunch with a friend from high school and we had a great time. We were able to sit outside and it was nice to watch the people walk by. I had biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon and it really hit the spot. The coffee was delicious as well. This definitely is a terrific place for a leisurely meal to catch up with friends. read more
Came here with friends for restaurant week. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is very diner-esque. They also have casual outdoor seating out in the downtown mall. For the first course, we shared the Peach Salad, Crispy Corn Fritters, and Grilled Oyster Mushroom. Everything was good but not amazing. My favorite was the corn fritters. They were fried well and tasted great in the sauce. For the second course, we shared the Seared Filet of Salmon, Gnocchi Bolognese, and Truffle Mushroom Tamale. The gnocchi and mushroom tamale were good but not memorable. My favorite was the salmon. It was seared nicely, and the sauce was amazing. The sauce tied the salmon, zucchini, and potatoes together really well. For the third course, we shared the Creme Brûlée, Apple Cobbler, Lemon Doughnuts. I love creme brûlée but the one we had was overcooked which was disappointing. The Apple Cobbler and Lemon Doughnuts were pretty good. Warm apple pie a la mode is one of my favorite desserts and their apple cobbler definitely hit the spot. The Lemon Doughnuts with raspberry sorbet were refreshing and unique. The flavors of the dessert were tasty, creative, and fun. Overall, the atmosphere and food at Bizou was enjoyable. Most of the dishes we tried weren't amazing to me but I think it's a solid spot in the downtown mall. read more
3 years ago
A wonderful place to bring parents visiting UVA. The food was delicious and our server was so kind and prompt. The bread was very light and fluffy, and the steak was perfectly cooked. My mom LOVED her pasta and couldn't stop raving about it. We also sat outside and had a lovely view of the downtown mall and the street performers. An excellent place to eat at when visiting downtown Charlottesville and want something a little nicer without the insane price tag. read more
Bizou has an interesting interior shaping, going from like a bottle's neck entrance expanding into a larger bottle's body for the dining area. I like that I can watch the preparation of the food (at the entrance at that). I experience good customer service during my visit; employees help me navigate the menu for Vegan options (the establishment is accommodating for Vegans as best as possible with the available options). I order a Black Bean Soup which is flavorful with varying spices and other small pieces of vegetables. The Black Bean Soup is thinner than thick though reasonably filling (a medium-light weight meal). The establishment takes different forms of payment. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
This is a joke. I ordered meatloaf that comes with mashed potatoes and they had the audacity to serve me French fries without asking me if the substitution was acceptable. Don't seat me if you're going to serve me subpar meals for the same cost. Extremely disappointed. read more
4 years ago
My boyfriend and I came here for our monthly date night. We decided to do skyline drive this weekend and ended up in Charlottesville because he surprised me with Rocky Horror tickets. We were figuring out dinner and Bizou caught our eyes. We are SO glad we stopped here for a quick bite. The Duck dumplings, the Short rib gnocchi and the grilled banana bread were most excellent. Starter, Entree and Dessert exceeded our expectations. If you have the opportunity, please stop in and try their fare! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
Absolutely loved Charlottesville. We had dinner at Bizou because we wanted a good meal and reviews were good. They were in the top 10 list of places to eat. I called to make a reservation but it was only walk in service. I wholeheartedly agree with the reviews. Located on the President's mall the ambiance is wam and authentic. The staff was welcoming. As you walk in you see the food being prepared. I started with a generous glass of montepulciano. My husband had a local pale ale. I ordered the shrimp scampi and he ordered the chicken pot pie made from scratch. The food was delicious, made with fresh ingredients and prepared daily. I wanted dessert but I had no room. A fantastic experience further endearing us to Charlottesville. read more
Located in downtown Charlottesville, Bizou's aesthetics is reminiscent of Europe--narrow entrance ways like the alleyways of Europe. If seated outside, one can enjoy the atmosphere fully--people watching as live music plays in the background. Atmosphere aside, the ultimate question remains: does Bizou deliver a chef's kiss dish to its patrons? I had the opportunity to try three dishes--the pan-seared salmon, the lemon shrimp linguine, and the roasted chicken marsala. The chicken marsala was decent but did not stand out in any particular way with a rather weak flavor profile, dissuading any potential second visitations. The lemon shrimp linguine had a strong citrus tang. Aside from that, there were no strong nor unique qualities meriting a loyal customer. It wasn't until I tried the pan-seared salmon that I thought Bizou was worth a second visitation. The salmon was soft and not too dry, melting in the mouth. The accompanying vegetables of roasted carrots and kale were well seasoned but also laid upon a delicious, tangy sauce. This dish was unanimously the favorite amongst my party of three. For this alone, I think I would consider visiting Bizou again. read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
I've gone here for lunch several times and it never disappoints. Today I ordered off their special menu, a steak sandwich which looked so good I ate it before taking a picture for you. My partner had a fried chicken sandwich where he substituted the slaw for lettuce, they were very accommodating. We got sat immediately and ate outside, despite the wind chill. I got two metropolitans (their take on the cosmo) which were to DIE for and I will definitely be going back just for that drink. Parking wise, it's downtown so there are a lot of options, mostly paid but sometimes you can snag a 2 hour spot if you have a bit of patience. Highly recommend you check out this spot, let me know how their dinner menu turns out if you go! read more
1 year ago
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More info about Bizou
119 W Main St
Charlottesville, VA 22902
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(434) 977-1818
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http://www.bizoudowntown.com/home
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