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    Half Bottle Bistro

    4.5 (31 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Half Bottle Bistro Photos

    HALF BOTTLE BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Paul S.

    Kinda, sort of, out of the way on the south side of Bloomington, but worth the trip. Small café style restaurant with excellent service and great ambience. Half-price oysters on Sunday and an interesting sandwich selection. Full bar, too. Kids welcomed. Plenty of parking. Moderately priced. Pizza's looked interesting and will try on our next trip.

    Limoncello spritz
    Nancy M.

    Service and ambiance are both amazing! Food is terrific! They had a lunch "pizza" available for dinner and we tried it. Larger than expected! Also had a limoncello spritz! Very generous pour!

    Great selection at the bar!
    Matt W.

    Last Saturday (9/1/2024), my family visited Half Bottle Bistro, and we were absolutely blown away. The service was impeccable-- the staff treated us like long-time friends, making us feel right at home as if we were regulars. Our kids were treated with genuine respect and comfort, which made the experience even better. The restaurant's layout and decor were truly unique--bright, airy, and refreshing with beautiful finishes, without feeling pretentious. It's unlike anything we've seen in the midwest. They even had the IU football game on both TVs, with sound (but not overpowering), which was awesome! While the atmosphere and service were top-notch, the food and drinks were the real stars of the evening. We started with the Oysters Rockefeller, Roasted Corn Queso, Meatballs, and Shrimp Cocktail (not pictured) appetizers, and all I can say is WOW! Each dish was incredible. My wife and I shared the Beef Manhattan entree, and our only regret was not having more room to try even more dishes! We did save room for dessert and I am glad we did! We had the Vanilla Creme Brûlée and the Flourless Chocolate Cake (no pictures of dessert, we were too excited and ate them right away) and as with everything else we tried, they were delicious. This place exceeded our expectations in every category, and I can't wait to go back. Ask for Jonathan or Rachel. They love to chat about their restaurant, why they made the choices they did on the menu, and have a real pride in every aspect of it. Five stars all the way!

    Danielle W.

    So excited to check this new restaurant out! We stopped by for drinks and an appetizer on the patio. We ordered the meatballs (should have added the burrata) and they were delicious - tasted/texture-wise more like meatloaf but the still so good! We had speciality cocktails (not on the menu yet) - the Aperol Spritz and Tiki Old Fashioned - seemed to be very popular! I can't wait to go back and check out more menu items for dinner. Perfect place for a girls night or date night, the aesthetic is EVERYTHING and service was superb. Very modern, clean, Cottage Chic vibes - definitely check it out!

    Chef Abel& his creation
    Jennifer L.

    I got a little lost in the parking lot trying to figure out exactly where it was in a big beautiful stone building. I did wander into Verona coffee than past a beautiful fountain. upon entering, I immediately noticed how bright and welcoming it was. It had a Mediterranean southern California vibe. The owner/bartender was friendly and offered me a variety of fun beverages. I settled on a Aperol spritz. We talked about my eating options as I was a pescatarian and he was very flexible with offering tofu and other alternatives. The Chef put together a tofu, BLTA or TLTA. I also got a variety of fresh veggies with the homemade hummus dipping sauce. Chef Abel came out to check on me once I had the food to make sure it was to my liking. Can't wait to come back and bring my husband for the oysters, which I was told, they fly in fresh. I also know they have a very affordable happy hour starting at 2 PM with five dollar cocktails. Plenty of parking!

    Aperol Spritz

    Delicious and nutritious. Much needed after a long day of IU classes- happy summer everyone!

    Wedge salad and avocado toast
    Dan C.

    Great new spot, lovely vibe with good coffee. Got wedge salad and avocado toast which were excellent. Charcuterie board was great too. Lots of space out front for little kids to roam too.

    Waffle dessert...amazing

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    4 months ago

    Great food and service. Great cocktails. Only very small quibble is the lighting is very bright.

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    3 days ago

    Everything is wonderful! The weekly choose 2 is a great deal. Plenty to eat, great choices!

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

    A great bistro with delicious cuisine, friendly staff, and well-crafted cocktails. Highly recommended.

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    1 year ago

    The service was great, along with the food. We were brought over a dessert waffle on the house which was amazing! Will be going back!

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    2 years ago

    Food was great. Service also fantastic. Had a big group and it was a perfect meal for everyone!

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    Cute place. It may be slightly run down but not yet to the point where it's concerning. I liked the…read morecolourful atmosphere with the painted walls and stained glass decoration in the windows, and I thought my seat was very cozy. The food is diner-style but very good so far. I visited twice for a breakfast and a lunch. Lunch: I had a Black Russian sandwich and a pot of Emperor's Pride tea. The sandwich, which is a vegetarian version of a Reuben with roasted veggies instead of meat, was delicious. They really piled on the veggies. Some fell out of the sandwich, but I just ate them with the home fries. The home fries also were nicely seasoned. The tea was a little off. It's possible it was the tea itself that didn't taste how I expected, but it kind of tasted like I was getting the flavour of a different tea in the pot. Breakfast: Apple pancake and bouquet latte (seasonal special - lavender Ceylon tea latte with honey and rose syrup). The bouquet latte was wonderful and had this beautiful red swirl latte art. The pancake was nice and fluffy. One pancake is something like $5, but one is enough for a complete meal, maybe with a protein side if you're especially hungry. The staff is very friendly and makes you feel welcome. The food didn't take very long even though they seemed busy.

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    Half Bottle Bistro - salad - Updated May 2026

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