If you're visiting Moab, make time for dinner at Desert Bistro. From start to finish it was one of the most memorable meals we've had in years. Our server, SH, was an absolute delight--easily one of the top five servers I've encountered in the last decade. She was warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely seemed to care that we had a great experience. The food itself was fresh, thoughtful, and beautifully prepared--every dish tasted intentional and delicious. While the price point is on the higher side, it feels completely appropriate given the quality of the food, the atmosphere, and the fact that you're dining in the heart of Moab. We would return again and again without hesitation. One more thing, while the restaurant feels elevated and refined, they also offer several kid-friendly options, which made it easy for our whole family to enjoy the evening. It's the kind of place that manages to feel special without making families feel out of place. read more

I'm. Speechless. Literally... Star Star Star Star Star You can't go wrong. Get your base right. Huney... are we having steak or seafood? Great Bison it is... Red Wine Merlot Please. Then off to Japan for the Tuna.. and I'll have Scallops. Bison and NY Strip. See pic. Yes it's that great. read more

Such a great gem in Moab. Landed here after a day in Arches. Had a bison party with bison empanadas for an appetizer and bison tenderloin for the main course. Drinks were also brilliant (had a desert old fashioned with High West). Our server Sam was perfect. It reminded me a lot of Hunt and Gather in Torrey UT outside of capital reef NP. read more

Desert Bistro - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

We had an excellent dinner at Desert Bistro. The wheat bread was warm and fragrant and delicious! The appetizer of shredded cauliflower on crisp endive leaves was refreshing. The bacon wrapped dates were very good. The miso infused fish was wonderful. The bison steak was excellent. The warm apple tart was very nice. Our server was kind and attentive. The setting is beautiful. We had a great time! read more

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Absolutely wonderful restaurant. Food was amazing. Service was fantastic. Location also worked out well for us. Our hotel was only one block away so we were able to walk to this great restaurant. We made reservations on their covered patio. Not only was the patio covered, but it also had temporary walls, so it kept the wind out, which i was slightly worried about. Each table had blankets in case people were a little chilly. Our server was friendly, and knew the menu well. She described all of the specials and ingredients. Bread was delivered before our food and it was so well made and tasty. Ate every piece of bread that was brought! We ordered bacon covered dates, with goat cheese as our appetizer. So Delish! For dinner, we ordered the steak which came with mashers, spring peas, and radishes. The steak was also covered in gorgonzola cheese. Absolutely delicious!! I ordered the Duck Confit. Nicely roasted duck, with veggie risotto. Last, we ordered a sampler of desserts. All so tasty! We rolled home after dinner as we couldn't leave one tiny morsel on our plates. Everything was so good! Definitely recommend this restaurant for a higher end experience. read more

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Though we didn't have a reservation, we were seated immediately on the pleasant back patio. We ordered the specials, Chilean sea bass and bison. Both were excellent; even the small potatoes served with the bison were perfectly cooked and seasoned. I got the pavlova for dessert; it was beautiful and delicious. This was one of the best dining experiences I've ever read more

Desert Bistro - Pavlova with peach sauce, fresh strawberries, and vanilla ganache - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

Very welcoming hostess when we arrived. Our table for six was tucked in a nice corner like I had asked for. The service was impeccable. I had the Seabass, which was flavorful and flaky. Husband had the bean cake dish and he loved that. Other people had the tenderloin which everyone was raving about. The deserts are hard to explain, but they were incredible also. Definitely a must do when you are in Moab. read more

Best food in Moab! Diverse menu. Great entrees. Service was enjoyable and back deck quiet

A friend and I had dinner here last night for a belated birthday celebration. It was the perfect spot for our first meal in Moab. We got into town just a little early and they were able to seat us just a little early which was so nice. Quinn was our server and so terrific! We opted to split a few appetizers and a salad for our meal. Excellent decision and we left full without feeling overwhelmed. We tried the bison empanadas, scallops, and beets with the fall salad. Everything was so incredible. The restaurant is very intimate and relaxed. We enjoyed everything about the experience and can't wait to return next time we're in town. read more

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We had a wonderful meal at Desert bistro on vacation! The bread was delicious warm and yummy... also, the dessert was delicious. We will be back next time we're in Moab . Our server Dailey was incredible read more

We made reservations online. They have a parking lot. We were seated immediately. The service was good. Drinks were brought and salads served. Both were fine. The main wasn't good. While the steak was nicely charred and done to correct temp, the rest of the flavors didn't go well together. The tomato sauce wasn't tasty. The radish and snap pea was different and the mash potatoes had raw onion in them. Not for me. $160 for 2 read more

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Run do not walk to this quaint fine dining establishment. Atmosphere is so cute, calm and tastefully decorated. Service was perfect and food even better. We ordered the beets appetizer which was delicious. Their fresh bread was amazing and I loved that it came with a tapenade. The beef tenderloin dish with the blue cheese cake, devine snow peas, radish and a chipotle tomato base was out of this world. The margaritas were also amazing. This was the perfect dinner to end our stay in Moab. The Chef should be congratulated for his sophisticated and delicious menu! read more

We were in Moab for a birthday getaway weekend and needed to find a place for a nice, relaxing and romantic dinner. Well the options in Moab are a little limited for fine dining however the Desert Bistro is a find in this small town and it's tucked away from the Main Street crowds. It's a small old house that only has a handful of tables available inside plus a nice patio area for outdoor seating if weather permits. Reservations are definitely recommended as it's a small place and you can tell the care and attention to detail is their focus. We were welcomed and seated promptly upon arrival at our reservation time. We had brought our own wine along to celebrate however we were pleasantly surprised at the expansive wine and cocktail menu available so we also enjoyed a bottle of wine from the restaurant. Zach was our server and he was warm and welcoming. He introduced himself and reviewed the menu and special with us before getting our drinks. The menu includes a small but nice collection of entrees to choose from however this evening there were two specials available and we decided to try both of them. One was a bison filet and the other was sea bass in a miso sauce with rice. Wow wow wow. The presentation was beautiful, the portions were just right and both entrees were DELICIOUS! We were very pleased with our selections. Be careful not to fill up with your entree as they have a nice collection of fresh made sweets for dessert and of course we had to try a couple of those too. Thank you Zach and Desert Bistro for such a wonderful dining experience in Moab. We'll be back again on our next visit. read more

Desert Bistro - Sea Bass - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

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Incredible attention to detail. Excellent staff from front of house to waitstaff and obviously the kitchen. Our best meal in Moab by FAR. Definitely listen to the specials -- best sea bass we've ever had. Ambience is also amazing -- especially on the heated patio -- very clean and well-styled. Wouldn't hesitate recommending to all!! read more

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Very cozy house with great food and beautiful presentation. Service was outstanding. We ordered off menu, with the chef specials for the evening. Everything was very tasty. read more

Desert Bistro - Bison medallion - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

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Ambiance and service is good. Unfortunately to me it's way overpriced $18 a glass a wine! I was wondering if I was drinking a Louis Latour, but it's was only a Cali wine, endive and cauliflower salads good bit bland, my wife and I both had the agnolotti paste which was actually very good, but the sauce was horrible, I actually should say it was more a broth. Then I made the mistake of adding Bison tenderloin to my order, very nicely cooked medium rare but completely unsalted and the bison taste was completely overwhelmed by the pasta broth ruining my experience of the bison taste. Again way overpriced. read more

Great food will go again hopefully soon. Loved the duck and the delicious dessert. Great service and atmosphere.

Not quite a 5, but close. Food is the best part by far. The service could be a bit better but it's always busy and really the only good choice for upscale dining. Prepare to spend a few $$$. The setting and decor are as tasteful as the food. You will need a reservation. Parking is not hard, not easy. read more

My husband and I were lucky enough to find this restaurant on our recent trip to Moab. The food was on the level of many Michelin star restaurants we have been to (we have been to many and that super famous one in Yountville), without the exorbitant prices of those restaurants. Highly recommend. read more

Desert Bistro - A slice of lemon meringue pie with yellow topping, whipped cream, and a lemon wedge on a ceramic plate, with three small dollops of white sauce. - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

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Of the three foodie-worthy dinners that we enjoyed on our November 2024 visit to Southern Utah's Mighty Five national parks, Desert Bistro's was overall the least satisfying. The menu is very pricey for what you get -- probably because Desert Bistro is the one big fish in Moab's small pond of fine dining options. My appetizer salad of toasted cauliflower on endive leaves was very pretty but extremely dull. My duck confit ($44!) was just okay, as the fruit sauce was gloggy. My GF fared better with her picks of butter leaf salad with duck breast bacon and the agnolotti pasta ($40!). Service was excellent, and the dining room space was pleasant. read more

We were greeted by a very friendly hostess. She took the time to learn a little about us before we were seated in a very nicely decorated room. Very comfortable and it was obvious that the ownership takes pride in all of the details. Quinn, our server was amazing. She showed us just the right amount of attention. The menu is varied and the offered features for the night sounded great. We shared an appetizer, salad, and dessert. We each had an entree, a beef and a pork. The presentation for all of the dishes was incredible and the quality was 10 for 10. read more

Very nice restaurant with fresh, high-quality ingredients, prepared very well. This may be about the only fine ding restaurant in town. I'm glad we experienced this place. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly and offered a table in the rear, outdoor, covered patio. Inside the walls are adorned with beautiful Navajo Rugs and it would have been enjoyable as well. Outside, the weather was perfect and sitting on their patio was such a pleasant and serene setting and prefect for the meal about to be served. The friendly waiter offered suggestions on his favorites. The fresh halibut was exceptional. Wine list was perfectly suited to the meal choices. Reservations required. When I could not get one on line (Tock) and I was never notified of any cancellations, I called the restaurant and made one over the phone. They worked us in. read more

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Everything about Desert Bistro is perfect. The greeting, seating, serving, and food were beyond any criticism. We had martinis, wine, pasta, and the duck entrees. I was expecting a bit of stress and crowding given the difficulty in getting a reservation, but the atmosphere was extremely calm. It's a pure 5 star place. read more

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Excellent service and outstanding food. They also have a very good wine list. Finer dining than you might expect for Moab. Dining room has beautiful Navajo rugs on the walls. It was a bery nice meal. You need reservations for sure! read more

We just finished driving Schafer Road and wanted to treat ourselves to a nice dinner! The Desert Bistro did not disappoint! We had a nice bottle of wine, cauliflower and scallop appetizers and then the bison tenderloin! Everything was delicious! We finished our evening with the gourmand dessert and some port wine! It was perfect! The service was amazing from greeting to paying! Go eat at this place!!! read more

Desert Bistro - Gourmand dessert - A dessert plate features a small cake with whipped cream and lemon curd, a chocolate square on whipped cream, and a glass of red wine in the background. - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

Started out where they wouldn't seat us until our exact time slot. After being "lectured" on the phone when making the reservation that they have a strict 10 min wait policy, we arrive 15 min early! They wouldn't seat us, didn't have a bar to seat at and wouldn't serve us a glass of wine until we were seated. Next came the pompous waiter, almost singing his script of today's specials. He practically jumped for joy at our choices. I will mention here that there aren't many options on the menu. Very limited. Fall salad was tasty, duck was ordinary and pasta (which was really ravioli with mushrooms) was also just ok. Nothing was worth the price we were charged. Should have went to one of the Taco places...the lines were out the doors as we passed. Sorry but this is our honest opinion of this restaurant. read more

Desert Bistro - The only thing I took a pic of because the photo wasn't all that. - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

NY Strip was not Reservation was at 5pm. They charge you if you ate late but we and others arrived at 4:58 and door locked. Rude!! The menu says any changes requested from menu options will be respectfully rejected. What an attitude to its customers. Move to San Francisco or Paris. You will fill in better there. read more

First things first. Wow. The definition of you get what you pay for. We came to desert bistro on a friends trip in Moab. Saturday night was my birthday and so this was kind of our special meal for the trip. Planned and made reservations ahead, but even upon arrival, I think we probably would've been able to get sat because it wasn't that busy overall. Also, there's a 15% discount on your ticket if you get sat before 6 PM. Amongst my group of eight, we all got different things. I got the fish special which was perfectly crusted. I was able to try some of the beef tenderloin as well as the bison fillets. The bison was unbelievable. The only dish that was kind of weird was the pasta was not nearly what I would have expected. It kind of seems more like wonton soup. Another thing worth noting is that their bread was amazing. They mentioned that the chefs mom makes all the desserts and the pre-dinner bread. It was so good and so warm. Definitely made me feel like I should start making bread at home because wow. Everyone was very pleased with the cocktails and wine selection. I got the violet blues, which was very fun and really tasty. I will know that when we were looking to make a reservation for a larger party, there were some options online that would charge $20s a person for a reservation. We ended up calling in instead and were able to get a reservation. No problem and no fee. read more

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What an absolutely gem! Just go there! The atmosphere was calm and comfortable, the people were all very friendly, the service was great, but the food!!! It was AMAZING! Well presented, creative, and wonderful tastes from everything that ended up on our table (from the homemade bread, appetizers, salad, and the Chilean Sea Bass special, plus scallops). We had a GREAT meal! Thank you!!! A+!!! read more

We were in Moab to do some off roading with our Jeep. Whenever we travel we look for some fine dining and this restaurant did not disappoint. We ended up eating there two nights in a row. Ted, the maître d' was very gracious in accommodating us on the second night with no advance reservations. They have a very creative menu, taking classics like a wedge or Caesar salad and doing their own riffs on them. As an example the wedge had house-cured duck breast bacon that was simply outstanding. Dailey was our waitress on our second visit. She shared with me that she has been eating the Gorgonzola crusted Beef Tenderloin since she was twelve years old and returns to it time and time again. Having eaten it myself I understand why. Really terrific place to eat in Moab and also quite reasonably priced for the quality of the food and the service. The only regret I have is that we were to full to eat desert as they sounded wonderful and are also all homemade. read more

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I can't remember ever having such an outstanding meal. The Pork Tenderloin and Sea Bass were excellent. The Walnut Chocolate Pie was outstanding. Everything about this evening was perfect. It's a popular place so make your reservations early. read more

Desert Bistro - Sea Bass - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

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Ounce in a great while you find chief creative food. This food experience was amazing. Then, top it of with exceptional service and you've got a home run. Be sure and make reservations. read more

The outdoor seating was comfortable for our dinner. Derek was spot on with the food descriptions. The appetizers were spectacular, followed by the bison and pork tenderloin dishes, which were also incredible. Great service and fabulous food. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Desert Bistro - Bison tenderloin - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

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We dined on Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. We made reservations late around 830pm - with two kids, this is late. They did their best to accommodate us a little earlier which we appreciate very much. Everyone we encountered at the restaurant were so friendly. We sat on the patio. It was enclosed and heaters were one. If you were near a heater you did not even need a jacket. Otherwise, they did provide blankets. They were super sweet to our kids. No formal kids menu, but they made butter noodles, so, check, kids all set (& with the promise of dessert). I was torn between so many items on the menu (Pumpkin Mascarpone Ravioli!, Hand-made Agnolotti Pasta etc.!) and their Thanksgiving option. I went with the turkey - it's my tradition. It was amazing and comforting. If you get to the fall menu, I hope you can try the other options. My husband went with the Market Fish (not a meat eater), and highly recommended it. We will return and try more of their menu options! read more

Wonderful food, ambience and service. Highly recommended. Haley is a great server. Delightful find.

The patio was pretty. Service was prompt. Mocktails were yummy. Husband had house salad which was delicious and beautifully presented. Beet salad was also very pretty and tasty but instead of fresh basil pesto as described in the menu there was a single basil leaf garnish. Husband had pork tenderloin which was amazing and he loved it. Duck confit was very disappointing. It was dry, skin wasn't crispy, and it kind of reminded me of the drumstick from a grocery store rotisserie chicken. The risotto that accompanied it was pretty good but not thrilling. We'd been encouraged to try the Desert Bistro by someone we met hiking the park. I'd say you have better than a 50/50 chance of wonderful. I just didn't get a winner. read more

Recently six of us sat down for what turned out to be an exquisite meal together at Desert Bistro. We had a lovely corner table leaving us feeling cozy and together. Talking amongst ourselves, I could clearly hear the conversation despite wearing hearing aids. Our server (I wish I could remember her name, she's from Pennsylvania) was absolutely top notch. She was so very professional and listening to her describe the meals made me feel like I was watching a performing art. She was attentive but not distracting. She took our order only making notes in her head and she was 100% correct in the plates she served and to whom. The presentation of the food made me feel like I was attending a White House State Dinner. I'll post some photos. And the delicious taste of the fare was out of this world. Many of us ordered dessert which almost put us over the edge it was so good! I would recommend strongly to anyone asking, go have a wonderful meal at Desert Bistro. It's pricey but well worth the money spent. read more

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We ate at Desert Bistro three of our six nights in Moab! Generally the food in Moab is average to poor and Desert Bistro is really the only fine dining choice. They have the best wine selection in town (by far) and the food is both innovative, fresh, and well executed. We especially liked all the appetizers with different flavors and the fish and game specials. This place is very expensive, probably owing to the tortured supply chain necessary to serve only one fine dining restaurant in a huge radius. However, we feel it's worth the trip at least once, and we were so unimpressed with Moab dining establishments in general that we went three times. If you are interested in more info about the Moab area and the national parks and wild lands around Moab, you can check out www.wanderin2wonder.com/canyonlands and www.wanderin2wonder.com/arches. read more

Good service and food. We liked it better at last year when we had the fish special and the duck. This year it was just OK. read more

Desert Bistro - New American Near Me - Moab, Utah

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Very nice place good service good food. Pretty fancy for Moab, was a nice change from the other basic American food that we've had. Good wine, good staff good experience. read more