This restaurant is a hidden jewel within the ruins of Florida "society". From the escargot in a cream butter sauce -which I have never experienced- to a lightly dressed vinaigrette salad, to a beautiful main course of scallop and shrimp in a sauce flavored with anise (add more butter!) to the dessert of chocolate mousse- a wonderful experience. It was a really really good! I returned from France 5/2 and this is right there with the restaurants I experienced and that I enjoy. The negatives are that the waitress was kind of a cold girl - not the owner- and we did not like what we were seated. But overcall I will be back here as much as my arteries allow. Tres bien!! read more

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There's nothing bad I can say about this restaurant. The place was lovely. An unusual surprise in a beach town. The food was superb, the service as wonderful and as I said the food was the very best French food I've ever had. I started with their homemade blue cheese terrine, a house salad, a perfect rare duck and profiteroles. Everything was served beautifully, and tasted amazing. There were 6 of us and each and everyone felt the same way about their meal. read more

From a very unassuming store front along Gulf Blvd. in Madeira Beach, you'll find a wonderfully cozy and romantic French restaurant. The decor and ambiance are comfortable and friendly. We were cheerfully met at the door and led to our table. We decided to get the 'Tabled' Hote' which, for an additional $13, you get a choice of appetizer and dessert. For appetizers, we selected the Lobster Bisque and the Escargot en Cocote which was in a delicious butter and garlic sauce. (see pics) Luckily, the hot crusty bread was amply provided during the course of the meal and thank goodness! You need bread to sop up every last drop of goodness on each plate. The escargot was some of the best I have ever had, period! For entrées, we ordered the La Soup du Chef 'Bouillabaisse Way' and the Medallions de Boeuf. (see pics) The bouillabaisse was lush with large shrimp, Grouper, clams, scallops and mussels. The seafood was ample and perfectly cooked. I had asked that the filet medallions be cooked rare and I had asked for the Sauce Béarnaise on top. What a dish! It was the best piece of steak I've had in YEARS! The accompanying green beans, corn casserole and au gratin potatoes were fine, as well. For desserts, we opted for the Berry Coulis Crepe a la mode and the Orange Marmalade Crepe a la mode. Both were deceivingly rich and filling. They were both delicious! Be aware that they do not serve iced tea but they have other beverages and very fine house wines. You can bring in your own bottle as well, with a nominal corkage fee. This was our first visit to the Gulf Bistro and it will not be our last. They do not take American Express but they do take other credit cards. There are not many tables so reservations are necessary but not required. They were packed the night we were there. The family that runs the restaurant is cheerful, helpful and very French! read more

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Ohhhhh my does this place remind me of the little restaurants back home. The decor is very Provencal with lots of yellow and blue. It's a small restaurant and the owners are French; if they know you can speak it, they will pretty much stick to it. Definitely friendly service here, and in true French fashion, no one is rushing you out the door once you finish eating. I went here for the first time a week or so ago and decided to have one of their specials. It started off with a small salad. It had a light mustard dressing on it, not too different from what I used to get on a salade Niçoise when I was growing up in the south of France. For the main course I ordered a pork dish that came with green beans and potatoes. The pork was cooked in red wine with carrots and mushrooms and could be cut with a butter knife. Oh, and a basket of warm bread came with it all. Yum! I decided to give the crème brûlée a shot too, and it was pretty good. I've had better before, but this was still up there. read more

My husband and I were here on holiday and thanks to previous Yelp reviews, found this gem tucked away on Gulf Blvd. He has lobster bisque that was velvety good and I the onion soup with good consommé that was not too salty, as often it is. I had pork with dates that was very delicious; he had the duck, which was a little too orange-y for our tastes, but cooked perfectly. Crème brûlée and profiteroles finished our meal - also lovely. We go home tomorrow and need to start fasting! Apparently this place has been in business for 17 years - hope it continues to prosper for many more. Thank you for a delicious evening. read more

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What a wonderful find this amazing restaurant is for fantastic food. We had an incredible, evening the owners are so personable and attentive. We had the liver with caramelized onion and lardons and also the special duck with apricots, cranberry in a fig ginger date sauce totally amazing flavor. The crepes are so French and delicious and reminded me of our time in Paris. The wine wasn't overpriced and the wine list had a great selection. Overall an amazing find and we will most certainly return for many more visits. Go you won't be disappointed!!! Pork and duck Pate was wonderful but I ate it before taking a picture read more

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Our Yelp Elite friends Melissa and Todd asked us to come try this place so we all met up for dinner and good times. Born and raised in France, I have to try every French restaurant in Tampa Bay and they said this was a good one. They were right!!! The place is small and warm. The owner is from France and very nice. The menu is perfect size. Not too many or too few items, and what is there gives you plenty of choices. We started with Escargots, Lobster Bisque, then got surf and turf for our entrees and finished dinner off with chocolate mousse, and Profiteroles au chocolat, something I was very leery about, as I have never had a good experience with that in the US unless it was at a Michelin Star restaurant. More on that later. The plating was beautiful on every dish. Nice to see the care taken on each plate (see photos). The lobster Bisque was wonderful. Well seasoned. The escargots were served in a creamy garlic sauce, something I had never seen before, and it was AMAZING! That sauce!!! Holy crap that sauce!!! Cleaned it out with bread and could have had a whole cup on the side. WOW! The filet was so tender you could cut it with your fork, and perfectly cooked and seasoned. Lobster was also perfectly cooked and seasoned and definitely fresh. The chocolate mousse was thick and delicious. Not too light or too heavy. Perfect. But what about the profiteroles? Well......One word.....Perfect! They weren't hard like many other places. They were soft, and the custard filling (something many places also forget) was exquisite! The chocolate sauce was high quality (definitely not your Hershey syrup here). Finally!!! If you want to know what profiteroles should taste like, either go to France, or come to this restaurant. Amazing! We will definitely be back. Thank you Melissa and Todd for bringing us here. read more

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I have not had real authentic French bistro food since I left Brooklyn, NY two years ago. This place is a gem and the food is stellar. I had the calves liver with bacon and carmelized onions in a dijon mustard sauce and my friends had the grilled salmon in a lemon butter sauce and the duck breast a l'orange. Plates were clean all they way around! Oh and don't miss out on the crepe with brie and berry's! What an amazing app!. I'll be back for sure! FYI Make reservations for an early seating as their hours are limited and be aware parking is extremely limited so you may want to uber it. read more

Lovely restaurant, cuisine and service. Our Party of 4 enjoyed the salmon, snapper and monkfish special entrees. Everything was delicious and served at proper temperatures. The chef was very accommodating and prepared a vegan dish with a variety of vegetables and herbs. read more

Gulf Bistro - A vegan dinner - French Near Me - Largo, Florida

We found this cozy little place through Yelp. We had no reservations but stopped by on a Saturday night anyway. We were lucky to get a table for two. It was a perfect experience from salad to dessert. Everything tasted and presented well. I can't pronounce what I had but it was chicken with bacon. My wife had tenderloin with mushrooms. We didn't leave anything on our plate. Both meals came with green beans and potatoes plus a little fish of what seem to be eggs and beans. All very good. Desserts were large and full of flavor. Check the photos. Highly recommended and will go back for dinner on our next visit to this area. read more

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Four of us are vacationing in the st Pete area and chose Gulf Bistro to eat dinner one evening last week. What a waste of time and money. The food was at best ok... very small portions with very little taste and very expensive. But the food was not the basis for our unpleasant experience. It was the appalling behavior of the waitress. I asked her if anything came with the dinner and she said yes salad and I said ok we weren't sure because it didn't say anything about it in the menu. She got visibly irritated and stiffened her body, rolled her eyes at me and proceeded to point out something on the menu that had nothing to do with my original question so I told her that and she got even more upset. She ruined the evening for our table with her unprofessional childish condescending behavior. None of us dared to ask another question and just wanted to get out of there asap. We were shocked that her behavior is tolerated by the owners who are otherwise doing a great job serving the public! read more

I've been this restaurant for three times and they always served good food. All the food that I ordered from them was really delicious. This is one of the best French restaurant I have ever been. The person who serves the food is the owner of the restaurant and her husband is the chef. The server was a nice and friendly lady. I recommend this to anyone who likes French food. read more

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Oh, how I LOVE this place! Fabulous family run French restaurant! Husband cooking and wife serving. Food and wine is fantastic. I would like to keep this place my little secret but they definitely deserve the recognition. read more

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This tucked away, little French restaurant is absolutely amazing and you must try it! From the street it doesn't look like much but, trust me, you can expect a truly perfect experience. We have been here several times now and every time it is rave-worthy. Everyone we know who has been agrees 100%! The escargot is absolutely delicious! Try the specials, always worth it. The owners are a husband and wife from France, he is the chef, she is often the server. Makes it feel very special. read more

The food was perfect. The best place we've eaten in this area. Service was excellent the atmosphere and food wonderful. Everything from start to finish the crab bisque, seafood linguine, red snapper, rolls were all excellent The desserts are in a category all to themselves and there are so many choices. The chocolate mousse alone is worth going back for !! We were very surprised by the large menu for a small place. Decorated nicely and love the Paris decorations, map of the city and feel of a Paris bistro. We will be back soon ! read more

Loved this little gem! My dinner was delicious and cooked perfectly. The staff was extra friendly and accommodating to us! Would definitely go back! Make a reservation. read more

Gulf Bistro - French Near Me - Largo, Florida

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A most delicious meal. The atmosphere was very enjoyable. Lucy and Mary provided excellent friendly service and advice on the many delicious options. My husband and I will return again and try another of the intriguing main courses. The escargot are the best I have ever eaten and both of our desserts were magnificent. read more

I was desperately looking for Sweetbreads in the bay area to sate my 97 yr. old mother. I came upon this GEM of a place off my normally beaten track, but well worth the drive. Simple, but classy. Not pretentious at all. Just super good classic French country fare, served by a seasoned restaurant duo. I will be back with the ma (hopefully many times) read more

Food was delicious. It's a a great place to stop by and get lunch or a late afternoon sandwich. There isn't any atmosphere per se, except turning to look at the water. the staff was wonderful and attentive. I got back again. So staff and food 5 stars. Atmosphere average. read more

The best French food....no the best food ever!!!...from the salad through dessert, everything was amazing!!! Oh, I forgot about the wine...absolutely amazing ! The best French food, no just the Best restaurant on the beaches!!! read more

We had an excellent family dinner at Gulf Bistro. It is the ultimate family owned, intimate, French restaurant and serves incredible meals with excellent service. The wine was excellent as were the escargot, mussels, veal, pork tenderloin, onion soup and seafood soup. The crepes for dessert topped it all of. All and all an excellent evening and we will go back tomorrow. read more

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We continue to love their food, service and atmosphere. Like being in Paris our favorite city, Go there once and you will become a regular and part of their family read more

Oh, my Goodness!!! My meal at the Gulf Bistro was exceptional. I read an article in the Tampa Tribune that listed 12 restaurants to visit during 2015 and I decided to try one tonight. I chose the Gulf Bistro and it was, as they say at the Trop, a Grand Slam! I started with the lobster bisque which was superb. I added a bit of pepper and the lobster bits stood out as a hint of texture throughout the creamy delight. The escargots en cocote was pretty good, due mainly to the wonderful tenderness of the snails, but I would have enjoyed more garlic to give the heavy cream sauce some zip. The salad was next and I did like the home made house vinegiarette dressing. The main course was the bouillabaisse and it was a treat. The soup had just enough flavor to compliment the tender shellfish and grouper and the portion offered plenty to enjoy. A glass of a nice house cabernet accompanied my meal. The grand finale was a Cup Margaux, which was a large scoop of vanilla ice cream adorned with caramel sauce, fresh whipped cream and toasted almonds, served in a chilled dish. Perfection! Outstanding service by Marie, who owns the restaurant with her husband Frederic. My compliments to the chef! Like the Terminator, I'll be back. read more

Food was amazing! The owner is so nice and we had fun talking to her. I loved the duck and lamb dishes! Family I was with loved their fish. This place has literally the best creme brûlée I've ever had in my life. Nothing will ever compare to it. read more

Sat night was date nite with my wife. Service and meals were excellent. They have a nice wine list and the wine by the glass is very good. My wife had grouper provincial and I had steak with a green pepper corn sauce. Both meals came with a salad and appropriate veggies. I also has escargot in a garlic cream sauce. This was an excellent evening at a very reasonable price. Extra note. Social distancing was in place and we felt very comfortable. See you again. read more

If you are looking for just excellent food, look no further than gulf bistro! We loved the option to make our entree a 4 course for just $16. The chef simply knows how to cook. Period. I had a seafood pasta which was overflowing with red snapper, scallops, shrimp and salmon in a lobster cream sauce and mom had a scallops special with risotto. Both were excellent. We had French onion soup (WHOA) and salads. We also each had dresser with the 4 course deal. Everything was made from scratch and divine. Don't miss this little spot where the owner will likely seat you and serve you. It's a family run joint and you really feel the attention poured into every detail. read more

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. Marie and Frederic are the owners and are here every night. It was like dining in their home, what an authentic experience. Their daughter helped serve as well. The meal was amazing, well timed and perfect proportions to feel satisfied but not feel TOO full. Appetizers: (French) onion soup, crepe Brie Salad comes with the entree Wife had a potato crusted salmon with Berneaise Sauce, I had the lamb chops. Cannot go wrong with either dish. I We had the crepe with honey and crepe with Nutella for desert, both a la mode and delicious. They ran out of the Creme brûlée so we'll have to come back for that. They had a full menu to choose from and we look forward to sampling the other dishes. We also had a bottle of Bordeaux and everything came out to $60 PP which was well worth it. Ambiance is romantic but modern, the hosts were fantastic. This place is a gem on the beach, much different than the other American-fare restaurants. Please check it out! read more

The food is great. The frog leg appetizer is real good. I had the filet Diane and it was excellent. My wife had Bouilleboux and she loved it. We are in town for a week vacation and have eaten here twice and food was equally good. Small place excellent food G and J read more

One of the few fine dining restaurants in the area. And it's not typical Florida cuisine. Classic French food served by the lovely owner gracefully. Everything is delicious. I always get the sweetbreads. Where else are you going to get those in Florida, lol. Go and enjoy a pleasant meal. read more

Excellent all the way around. Menu was pretty extensive and very hard to choose from among so many wonderful options. The mussels and escargot were delightful. Main courses also wonderful. Highly recommend. read more

Lovely little surprise! The ambiance was rather French. The food was interesting and well prepared. We had the pate, escargots, snapper Lucie, and the Grand Marnier crepe. All were delicious. I also appreciated the inexpensive wine selections which were quite nice. I think our server was the owner and she was attentive and pleasant. I'll definitely return. read more

Gulf Bistro - Red snapper Lucie...sideways. - French Near Me - Largo, Florida

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The food was outstanding from the lobster bisque to the three desserts we ordered! Mary and the crew were delightful! Very attentive and personable. I felt like we were back in France! We will definitely add it to the list the next time we come to Madeira Beach! read more

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Once again AMAZING!!!! I brought my Valentine date to the Gulf Bistro for Valentine's dinner. Although they had a selected menu on that night it covered a variety of different meals. My date was on a diet so she couldn't eat anything with carbs and they accommodated her with a menu that was low carb. The service was amazing the ambience was amazing and the food was delicious. This is a small restaurant with amazing food it's a little pricey but for the amount of food and the quality of food it is top notch. French cuisine, you want to impress somebody, if you like great food, and great service this restaurant is well worth spending a little extra money. read more

Restaurant is such a hidden gem. All it says is "restaurant " outside, but what a treat. Very quaint, romantic Parisian vibe. Waitstaff so welcoming, so Professional, so proud of their product and really really outstanding food. I would recommend this a thousand times over! My boyfriends family has had a condo .2 miles from this and never heard of it. This restaurant has been in business 18 years. Go see gulf bistro!! read more

The quality of the food was only surpassed by the quality of the people. The owners were wonderful, giving us a late reservation to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. I was visiting from Seattle which has a lot of wonderful and unique high-end dining options, but this small restaurant tucked away in St. Petersburg could put up a fight with any of them. Every plate was so good that we wanted to ask for more of each (and did in some cases). The soup was my personal favorite, but everything from the bread to the main course was fresh, hot, and delicious. I will definitely be coming back, and my family all agrees. This was the best meal of our week-long vacation. Fantastique! read more

If you're looking for a one of a kind, heavenly delicious meal where each entree melts in your mouth, you have found it within the Gulf Bistro near Madeira. My family and I were visiting on vacation and had decided on Gulf Bistro for dinner one night, last week. It was one of the best decisions we had made that trip. The lobster bisque was some of the best I have ever had. Each dish is given it's own attention to detail and care, and trust me, you'll notice in your first bite...and your second..and third...Incredible food! Savory and delicious! I highly recommend this sophisticated, quaint little restaurant along Gulf Blvd. You will not regret it. The owners are fantastic, friendly, & very much accommodating. Will come back every and any time we're in Madeira. Wow! Merveilleux! read more

Ok, so we chose this restaurant for our 37th anniversary because it was under "romantic" restaurants. NOT! There was a young child with his phone on very loud and besides him, it was just a very noisy atmosphere. Just because it's French doesn't mean it's romantic. Will post again about the food later. read more

This was an unexpected delight. The frontage and entrance made us nervous but the entrees, wines and deserts were excellent. not cheap but worth EVERY penny. We'll return at anniversar. read more

Don't be fooled by the exterior. We've driven past this place many times, never realizing it was fine french food. It's not very big, maybe 15 tables. Glad we made a reservation bc there was only 1 open table while we were there. The owner was our server & she was wonderful & very friendly. I loved that she threw in some French every once in a while ("s'il vous plait", "ca va?", "merci"). Brought me back to my high school french class :) The pace was perfect (not too fast, not too slow). Food was phenomenal!! We had the onion soup & lobster bisque, house salad, red snapper with shrimp & veal medallions, and berry coulis crepe & creme brulee. Can't wait to go back & try something else. Highly recommend. read more

The food was not that good. They had Styrofoam to go containers. They seem to boast about French food but their bread was terrible and we had some pate That was like spam pretty terrible. They definitely need to step up their game. read more