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    Prima Bistro

    4.1 (538 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, French
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Prima Bistro Photos

    PRIMA BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Carolina A.

    Very disappointing visit to Prima Bistro last night. A couple people recommended this place and I made reservations in advance. It was a beautiful sunny evening in Langley and were seated promptly outside. We got there right before 6 pm and ordered a glass of wine and dinner: steak frites and lamb burger. It took almost 1 hr to get our meal. (53 minutes to be exact). I saw a table that came about 10-15 min after us, get their meal first. When we finally get our food, surprise! I ordered my steak medium and it was well done, didn't care to send it back because by then I was pretty hungry and didn't want to risk having to wait for another 53 minutes. The dish itself was not worth the price either ($38). The lamb burger was ok, it had very strong onions that were overpowering. I recommend you go downstairs to Saltwater instead. Much better experience and food.

    Pan roasted half chicken, vegetarian risotto
    Rebecca A.

    My partner and I had such a great time at this French inspired restaurant! We stopped by for dinner and luckily were able to get the latter end of a happy hour (3 pm - 5 pm) which had some of the most amazing happy hour drink prices I've seen in a while (ie $8 well drinks). The service was nothing to write home about but it was swift and decent despite the busy rush. The food was phenomenal, I got the vegetarian risotto and my partner received the pan roasted half chicken (which he was very impressed by). I recommend visiting this location for you're ever in Langley! There's fun, funky, French inspired posters and art hanging as well which was fun to peruse.

    Matt M.

    Excellent location with an amazing level of service and meal selection. Kayle provided superb service during the couple hours we spent enjoying cocktails and salads at the bar. We added some fried oysters which complimented the Caesar salad...location and food selection makes this an ever glowing spot to visit in Langley, WA.....

    Birthday celebrant enjoying a very large, delicious dessert.
    Donna S.

    We had a lovely table overlooking the water for a Saturday evening dinner with friends. The food was tasty. They have heaters out on the deck for those who might be a little chilly. Attentive server, providing everything you requested, and offering even more.

    Sea Biscuit bread and butter (complimentary), beef brochette, burgundy snails !  Could have used more bread for the sauce!
    Pat F.

    We wanted to go to wander shops and get a nice Saturday night dinner out and we chose to drive down to Langley. We made reservations for two that morning. We enjoy Langley and the lights and shops were great to visit. We showed up just before our 5 PM reservation and the hostess was standing at her computer. My wife asked about sitting on the heated outdoor area because it smelled odd in the dining room. She said it was full (it wasn't) but then still looking at her screen said if we could wait a bit they can make a table available. We gladly waited for a few minutes. There were three to four open tables both inside and outside and she sat us at a two top in the corner next to the door. My wife asked if we could get out of the corner but no go. Then she asked if we could just fit inside then? Now the hostess didn't want to accommodate that and when asked what happened to the table inside she intended to give us originally the hostess, in a rather snotty tone, said to my wife "you only made your reservation today!". That isn't the way to address my wife! She told her that we would just go somewhere else. Crickets from this hostess....no effort to please us so gone we were! We haven't been here for a year since the food was not that great last time and cannot compare at all to other better French restaurants on the east coast and our trips to France. We just thought we'd they it again for a nice holiday weekend meal. We went right across the street to a truly packed Village pizzeria, they kindly fit us in at a great bar seating and we got to watch the LA bowl and Huskies and enjoy our usual Village Pizza, caesar, and a couple of rounds of drinks. Excellent and friendly service! We won't be returning now recommending Prima Bistro again. We often tell guests and friends that it's likely a better choice than Saltwater next door. We are getting tired of the "finer" dining on Whidbey that is often overpriced, unreliable, and un accommodating compared to similar dining elsewhere. This was a good example. And at 7 PB appeared almost empty from our view from the street!

    Menu
    Jade G.

    Holy Beast of Gévaudan!!! I'm so glad I decided to go out tonight because I literally had the most delicious meal of my life. I had the hardest time choosing between the risotto with salmon and the Steak frites, as I really wanted the duck breast that they serve on Wednesday night. In the end I decided to go with a nice rare 12oz ribeye steak with pomme frites, bleu cheese aioli, and green peppercorn sauce. The flavors paired so beautifully together and the steak was cooked to perfection. The meat was this beautiful satin texture, juicy and then immediately melted in your mouth. I also ordered the Les fromages and got one cheese that comes with a few bread and cracker pieces. The cheese was delicious and I had the waitress surprise me. The cheese was similar to a manchego and had a beautiful wine colored rind. I couldn't hear my waitress, but that's because I'm basically deaf, but I think she ended up giving me the sheep's milk cheese. As for dessert, there was a little mixup, but I didn't correct it because I ended up having an amazing dessert anyway. I wanted to get the chocolate tart, but I ended up with the seasonal tart and again I could barely hear my waitress so I know it was some sort of pear tart. All I know was that it was fucking delicious, presentation very simple, but also very beautiful with slices of pear on the top fanned out. And confectioners sugar on the top dusted on the edges. I don't know if the tart was a pistachio or marzipan something that was very nutty and had a sweetness, but was not overpowering at all, the flavors complimented each other beautifully. Also I have no idea how, but the crust on the tart tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the most elevated way without it being sugary sweet, I mean in a European dessert kind of way. When I say this was the most stunning meal, not just by looks, but just how good it was, I am not lying. I've had steaks at some good places, but nothing beats this yet in my book. The ambience of the bar and main restaurant is very cozy & intimate as it is small. There is outdoor seating rooftop seating. My waitress was phenomenal, she knew the assignment for surprising me with the cheese and accidentally surprising me with dessert but again I am not mad. I will definitely be here again, and I will be dreaming of this place, lastly all of the servers were very, very nice and sweet. Thank you for a lovely freaking night.

    Risotto
    Vivian T.

    My experience here felt very "meh." There aren't many restaurants in the area so choices were minimal, but I was drawn here by the picture of the duck leg confit and that did not disappoint. The clams and chorizo were a little saltier than I expected. Clams were decent, but the chorizo felt a bit overcooked and the texture was almost a bit crispy? The risotto was what was a bit shocking here. It tasted a bit undercooked, and my partner and I expected it to be creamy and savory, but it felt more like a weird salad? There were bell peppers and corn in there along with a bunch of parmesan just dropped on top as if it would save the dish somehow. Definitely wouldn't get that again. The duck was good, but likely wouldn't come back.

    Matiz sardines (extra virgin olive oil, piquillo pepper, garlic, capers)
    Les V.

    The white Burgundy available by the glass was exceptional. I really enjoyed the matiz sardines (extra virgin olive oil, piquillo pepper, garlic, capers). I came bubbling and sopping up with bread was a highlight. Unfortunately, the fish and chips were not great. The semolina-crusted rockfish seemed fresh and pretty moist but the coating was aggressively salty. Not a winner.

    The Monday special

    A very casual place. Wouldn't say it's for date night - very bright and lots of families. Service was quick and helpful. Food was good but unfortunately they were out of a lot of things we wanted to order. Also, their french fries are very tiny and skinny! Not my preference.

    Lemon curd tart
    Melissa C.

    Went here with some friends who are local. We ate outside where there are views of the water. Cocktails were all delicious and unique. Amazing cheeses for the cheese board. All the food was spot on delicious. They even gave me gluten free crackers for the cheese. The burrata salad with grilled apricots and arugula was yummy. Amazing sauce on the 1/2 chicken. My 12 year old had the trout and absolutely loved it. Removed a star because multiple items we wanted to order were not available and our server was not aware and had to tell us after we ordered - we were also charged for one of the drinks we never received which we were told they no longer could make.

    French Onion Soup
    Jolie J.

    Casual French bistro located above a market. Our party of 7 was seated right away by a lovely hostess. There was a large patio, but it was definitely too cold to sit outside. We had a view of the water from our booth. The portions were huge. If you're ordering a soup appetizer and a sandwich, you can share and still be stuffed. Lunch prices were reasonable. Next time I will try the Penn Cove mussels and a cocktail for dinner. Close to 4, but not quite there

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    16 days ago

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    19 days ago

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    jenn j.

    Thanks for popping in and we hope to see you again very soon!

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    3 months ago

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    jenn j.

    Thank you for the great review Marcia!

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    jenn j.

    Hope to see you again soon so we can give you a 5 star experience!

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Very salty food. Not good for those on low salt diets. Hostess was unfriendly. Waitstaff are kind.

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    10 months ago

    Food was ok. We got the steak and it was very chewy. Service was slow. Would not come back here again.

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    6 months ago

    Everything could improve, but mostly the food and exorbitant prices. Nice staff and wine selections, though.

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    1 year ago

    Food is alright. Waiter not too personable. It felt like he did not want to be there. We won't be eating here again. Disappointment.

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    2 years ago

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    Thanks so much! Hope to see you again!

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Prima Bistro

    Is there a kids menu?

    We sure do! Choices include a cheeseburger, penn cove mussels, fish and chips, risotto, noodles and parm, or grilled cheese with sides of salad, veggies, fries, or fruit.

    Is this place dog friendly?

    Meaning, can you bring your dog inside? No. It's a restaurant. However if you would like to dine with or close to your friendly dog you might try Useless Bay Coffee.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Fresh Clams in creamy tomato broth
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    Inside
    Inside
    Charcuterie board
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    Wow what a great experience. Would go all the time if I lived closer. It's a must stop and…read moreexperience. Reservation required.

    On our first visit we found the food inconsistent. The coq au vin and the lamb were tough and…read moresalty. The salads and appetizers were quite good. The service was attentive. It was a decent experience but not very satisfying. While we weren't thrilled with our first visit, the atmosphere is lovely so we decided to try again when we had visitors from out of town. It didn't go well. We had horrible service on our second visit, though the food was much better the second time. First they got upset because I wanted an appetizer as my entree and had to get permission from the owner. We were a table of five and were ordering many drinks and appetizers for the whole table, plus a soup for myself in addition to my desired appetizer and the other four at the table all got entrees, so it wasn't like we weren't spending but I still needed to seek permission, like I wasn't an adult with agency. Our server was MIA for most of our meal after that. He rarely checked back. Apparently, the good service is saved for his regulars. This was specifically told to me by our server who made us wait for almost an hour after our meal before tending to us again as "he had been busy with his regulars". All five of us had wanted dessert and after dinner drinks, but we had waited so long we just went home. I guess they have enough "regulars" and don't need more as we won't be returning in the foreseeable future.

    Photos
    Views from the patio during dinner.
    Views from the patio during dinner.
    The Chalet Deep Cove
    The old restaurant building.

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    The old restaurant building.

    Prima Bistro - tradamerican - Updated June 2026

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