$100 for a steak and plastic salt and pepper shakers on the table. Where am I? I ended up with short ribs, which had a rich Demi glaze sauce with mashed potatoes. Probably would not return read more

The Bistro - $100 for a steak ? !! Where am I ? - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

Spent Saturday morning enjoying brunch here for my sister's birthday. It's been several years since I've dined at this restaurant but I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food, drinks, and overall service. Brunch/breakfast options are limited here in Bowling Green so I'm glad that The Bistro is offering something that's much needed. read more

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The Bistro turned out to be a nice place to visit; the food was a bit unusual, with everything looking and sounding high-end. Everything we tried on that first visit was quite tasty with decent portion sizes. My only real complaint was the fact that the service was almost paintfully slow... That said, the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting, so given the quality of the food I'm definitely going to return another time and maybe even upgrade my review if the service problem is resolved by then :-) read more

It's a pretty restaurant and they always do a nice job with special occasions by putting a sign on the table and providing a free dessert. Staff is attentive clearing dishes promptly and checking in frequently but not too much. Fried calamari, banana peppers, and pickles was very good but a little salty. We asked for a few lemon wedges to squeeze on it and that did the trick. We did like the variety of having the pickles and peppers mixed in. Crab meat beignets were very doughy and I would not get them again. They have some good cocktail and wine options! Entree pastas were delicious! read more

Disappointed... Rat under the table... Hair in my cold food. Mean servers who yelled.. stunk like cigarettes. Bright lights. Ew just ew

The ribeye and fish special was absolutely wonderful. The service was very polite. Great parking across the street read more

great atmosphere plus good food, services and excellent staff. We arrived in a cold winter evening and were blessed with a warm cozy inside

Love to go here for brunch! Very tasty food. Cool atmosphere (an old historic feeling house). Service is generally good. Sometimes the wait can be long. read more

Beet feta etc salad with chicken, $16, was filling and tasty. Chicken Marsala, $22, the same. It was a bit dark and almost hard to see my food well, but I get they want to create a 'mood'. The service was okay, if slightly awkward at times. I liked the nineties music, and the old songs no one ever plays anymore. The atmosphere is strangely one that seems to lend itself to getting drunk, lol, and we saw women dancing/swaying at their table while eating, and men in suits walking slowly to the exit, alone, while smiling serenely. If you're looking for a good date spot, this is it. They even had fun looking nonalcoholic cocktails too. There was a smell of that nasty bathroom cleaner insensible business managers love to use, but it was *just* at a tolerable level. Tip: park a couple of blocks away so you will have a nice walk back to the car after. : ) read more

This restaurant can get really loud in the dining room. When were sat, it was so deafening that I decided to get up to leave. Fortunately, there was an available table in the quiet area near the bar. The drinks were passable. The food portions were huge and satisfying, but not memorable. They cook with heavy ingredients and plenty of butter. I felt distended after only eating half the food on my plate. read more

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Service was great, all the meals were very well prepared. The atmosphere here is always relaxing!! read more

The Bistro - Ribeye steak special!!! - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

We were visiting town since we have a few tours scheduled to see Mammoth Cave. We came to The Bistro for a dinner on a Saturday night - we loved it! The service was great and the food even better. Our favorite dish was the slow roasted pork risotto. I also recommend the cocktails as they were also delicious and perfectly garnished. The restraint gives off a homey vibe that is still very nice! read more

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This is my first time here and we will definitely be back! I didn't take pictures but we ordered: Crab beignets, charcuterie board, Mediterranean Cod, shrimp and grits, braised ribs, chicken Parmesan, coconut creme brûlée and 7 cocktails. I will say everything was so amazing! You could tell the chef really put his soul into the food! Wayne, our server, was very attentive and not once did we have to ask for anything; he just knew. All that food, apps, drinks and desserts were $233 before tip. I'd pay it again for sure! One of the few places in Bowling Green that actually has good quality food. read more

The food was delicious; the cocktails were spot on; and the service impeccable. The main dining room was beautiful; the secondary dining room has a TV--so if that suits you, fine--but that's not my thing. Dessert very good too. read more

Great place, great food, awesome drinks!! Wonderful atmosphere. Can't wait to go back!

Excellent food choices, delicious food, wonderful atmosphere! I ate there 3 nights in a row while in town on business.

Saturday night at The Bistro was filled with happy people eating and drinking delicious food. We made a reservation only a couple hours before going. The guy on the phone was friendly but seemed to be doing 5 things at once. We were seated at a table in the main room. I thought about requesting outside but I liked the atmosphere inside. The waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. I remembered years ago they had fresh bread with olive oil & balsamic vinegar... she said they still have it! It's not on the menu but for less than $5 you can still get it. It was as delicious as I remember. The drink menu was hard to choose from, so many great options. I had the bourbon cherry cordial, phenomenal cocktail, had 2. We split the Matilda salad. Pears, beets, goat cheese..great combo. I had the salmon. The chef decides how he's going to cook it and tonight it was delectable. My guy had a steak and said it was better than the expensive restaurant in town. Next time you want a evening with special drinks and food definitely go to The Bistro. read more

The Bistro - Bourbon Cherry Cordial Cocktail - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

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We have had dinner at The Bistro twice in the past month. Both times were satisfying. Pleasant and bustling staff. Nice selection of appetizers, good specials. Smallish wine list but decent selection. Really enjoy the old, exposed-brick dining room. One of our favorite Bowling Green restaurants. read more

The Bistro - Calamari, artichoke fritters, Sangria, Pino Gris. - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

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We visited The Bistro in historic downtown Bowling Green two days ago and I would drive eight hours to eat there again. I thoroughly enjoyed my Charred Orange Old Fashioned; it was perfectly made and not too sweet or smoky. We shared the Crab Beignets as a starter and let me tell you, they were better than the best crab Rangoon I ever had. Light, flaky and beautifully savory. After a lovely house salad, my husband had the Short Ribs Risotto. He loved the fork-tender meat, the savory, well seasoned gravy and the perfectly cooked risotto. My entree was the Mediterranean Cod, with a lovely white wine and butter sauce, over asparagus and roasted potatoes and topped with tomato, capers, and artichokes. It was divine! Flaky, tender fish and an amazing medley of flavors that burst on my tongue in a happy dance. Our server was impeccable, ensuring we had our drinks topped off, our food was paced well, and we never felt rushed. The Bistro is located in an historic building and every room is carefully curated to give the diner a calm and comfortable feeling. I'd give this place 10 stars. read more

Excelkent service, gracious and professional. Food was wonderful. Enjoyed the space I hope to return read more

The Bistro - Classic cocktail - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

Food and atmosphere were great! Service was a bit off. One of our guests with us ordered an iced tea and was told they'd be right back. The server came back to let us know they were out and they were brewing more, which was fine. Our apps came out and then our food. Still no word on the iced tea. After finally asking about the iced tea the server was apologetic and went to get it. When the server returned they were apologetic again as the server was told they were not making anymore iced tea that day. Not a huge deal by no means, just frustrating to ask for it and then discover actually they are deciding not to make it. Food was really tasty and the sunroom is a wonderful place to dine!! read more

Delicious food. Great specials with lots of fresh innovative dishes. The setting is unique - quaint older house with eclectic art on the walls. It's a great place for a special occasion. read more

I took my wife for Valentine's Day. The restaurant was romantic and the server was extremely kind. While we did have a late reservation, they were out of almost everything. No steaks, no risotto, out of salmon, when I felt like I had no other options, I ended up getting the Blueberry Mushroom Lasagna. It was good, but way too much mushroom in the last 2 bites. My wife got the burger, and it was caked in whatever sauce the chef had put together (tasted a lot like mustard). But we were specifically told it was not mustard. read more

Fantastic! I could eat the Matilda salad all day every day. Followed that with the short rib risotto, which was equally great. Would have had dessert but was too full. Server was friendly and prompt. Nice casual atmosphere in a cool old building. We need more places like this! I was in town from St. Louis and travel often with my work. This was a great find and will become a regular for me. read more

I found The Bistro through a Groupon offer after I decided to visit the area. I highly recommend. The food was amazing! I had the Cod (see pic). The flavors were perfect. Our server, Heather was attentive and helpful in choosing our meals. The outdoor patio had perfect ambience. read more

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Delicious food in a beautiful space! A very special place! You won't find this cuisine just anywhere!

The Bistro is one of the best restaurants in Bowling Green without a doubt. This was our third visit which was not great as the last two visits but still good. Will return. There was an error with my dish where they forgot the short rib in a short rib dish. The mistake was handled professionally and properly. The service was good as usual but the metal in the face of the server was distracting and not something I would allow as a restaurant owner. My wife loved her pork chop dish however we would both return to our previous meal choices which were both excellent. The Mediterranean Cod and Chicken Parmesan. Easy to recommend the Bistro..! read more

The Bistro - Short Rib Noodles - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

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By the time you read this it may already be too late...I apologize for the taunting. Grilled octopus over potato purée is amazing. The octopus is tender and flavorful. A large tentacle grilled and seasoned to perfection on a bed of potatoes. The picture does not do it justice. read more

The Bistro - Grilled octopus - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

Only been there once (so far) but I was very impressed. The service (at the bar, where I usually sit when I'm alone) was good. Bartender and other guests made me feel welcome. The charcuterie plate was more than I could finish, the prices reasonable and service good. Not more you can ask. read more

A side trip from Nashville to do some bourbon hunting and we ended up at the Bistro for lunch. I now know why it's rated so high in Yelp! We got there right at opening for lunch and right from the get go it was a good pick. The decor and ambiance is very cool. We were seated and immediately ordered Sunset Fizz's which was very nice and a good brunch drink. I ordered the Philly Cheesesteak Risotto and my wife had the Panko Crusted Chicken BLT. Both were incredible but the real star was the house made chips that came with the BLT! Not sure what the seasoning is they put on them but they were awesome! All in all, a really nice experience. Thanks Bistro for making our quick trip more enjoyable! read more

The best restaurant in Bowling Green. Been going here on special occasions for over a decade and I've never been disappointed. The filet mignon is perfect. The salmon impeccable. Service is top notch. All in a cool atmosphere. read more

The Bistro - Salmon - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

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I'm waffling between three and four stars on this place; there are elements I really liked, but some notable misses as well. Hit: Really excellent cocktails. Seriously good barkeep. So, happy there. Miss: poor wine list. Hit: engaging and attentive server, polite seating hostess. Miss: server was vegetarian and had no direct knowledge of most dishes. Her (curiously verbose) recommendations were based on what she heard other people say about the food. Hit: beef tip risotto and veal saltimbocca mains, and harvest salad were scrumptious! Asparagus soup was decent too. Very well balanced. Miss: crab beignets were bland, doughy and in need of sauce, and they had bits of shell. Brûlée dessert was terrible, tepid and lumpy. Hit: dessert was replaced with a spectacular Irish cream cake. Miss: too much disappointment/mediocrity to justify a two c-note bill. So yeah, I'm waffling. I might go back for cocktails, and try some other dishes, but I'm not sure I'd trust them for special occasions or important dinners, especially at this price point: I expect better value. Are they good? Sure. But they're not consistent. Recommended, with caveats. read more

We had a very nice experience at The Bistro. The outdoor covered patio was very comfortable with fans going to keep us cool. The inside of the restaurant was very cute too. We started with wine and bacon wrapped dates- both on happy hour- and a smoked orange old fashioned. Dinner was delicious. We had the salmon crab cake and the Mediterranean cod. Both cooked to perfection. We hope to come back soon- there were many more items on the menu we wanted to try! read more

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The Bistro is one of our favorite restaurants in Bowling Green. We ate there tonight. The wait staff is always super helpful, informative and friendly. We were seated in a section to the right of the bar tonight. It was the first time sitting in this area. The seating was perfect. Plenty of windows and a nice view of the redbud trees blooming across the road. As an appetizer, we had the bacon wrapped dates which were excellent! It's our favorite appetizer. For cocktails, I had a spring/summer special, called Rum Thyme, a mixture of Bacardi, blueberry thyme syrup, cream of coconut, lime and pineapple juice. It's a really refreshing cocktail. My husband got the smoked orange old fashioned and Bourbon Thyme which were great. We both got the same entree, their special catfish over white cheese grits with a creole mustard sauce topped with blackened shrimp. This was the BEST meal I've had here. For dessert we had a white chocolate crème brûlée! Yum-O! If you're in the Bowling Green, KY area, I highly recommend The Bistro. read more

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In the middle of Bowling Green is a hidden gem of a restaurant! The atmosphere, service, and food are unbeatable. 5 stars! read more

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Amazing quaint place! Upscale with a casual feel. Kellan made us some wonderful adult beverages and made our night! The rabbit was INCREDIBLE! Highly recommended. read more

Took 30+ minutes to get our drinks. Do you really want to wait 30 minutes for a cocktail before dinner? Service was very slow. Took 30 minutes to refill an iced tea. Better late than never? Salmon was like eating a block of salt. Want bread with your dinner? That'll cost you $4 and comes with canola "dipping oil" (not olive oil). Don't worry about having to tip, they added 20% to the bill. But, you have the option of adding an "Additional tip" when you sign your credit card receipt. Atmosphere is ok but very loud even though it was not busy on a Friday night. read more

Great food, full menu, great service, never especially crowded, privacy and great ambiance.

I have traveled the country experiencing culinary delights but The Bistro of Bowling Green has the best brunch I have ever eaten. The shrimp & grits with jalapeño smoked butter and the pork tortellini carbonara with house smoked pork belly and pecorino cream is a mouth Olympics! You need to try the various mimosa drinks they offer as well as hand crafted cocktails, and huge wine cellar selection. The calamari with roasted garlic romesco is the best starter, also recommend the Brussel sprouts with remoulade and garlic aioli. YOU MUST EAT THERE!! read more

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I'll list my least favorite things about the Bistro first, then finish with the positives. Negatives: Our waitress stumbled her way through the specials menu, having a hard time pronouncing many things and reading directly off of her notepad. The entire restaurant exclusively uses the Papyrus typeface (ugh.). The restaurant is a little difficult to find in the dark evening because it's in an old house and they don't have a lit sign in front. They do have a neon open sign in the window which doesn't fit with the aesthetic they're trying to achieve. The cocktail I ordered, the Berry Mule, was good but not spectacular. I was disappointed how little of it I was served. The copper mug was given to me about half full. At least put more ice in it to make it look fuller! Positives: The restaurant is well decorated, our waitress was very kind despite the things listed above. The meal was good, I had the Matilda salad with salmon. The salmon was so delicious, the salad could've been a little better (the pears were so underripe). I was impressed with the creativity of the menu items and specials. Lots of unique culinary combinations that seem unusual in Bowling Green. Many restaurants in small cities stick to the basics that people will love, but they really did make an effort to be creative and off the beaten path. My hopes for The Bistro are that they'll get a graphic designer, buy a nice sign for the front of the building, and continue being creative with their food/drink. Bowling Green needs it! It's a gem in the city and I recommend going if you want something good and out of the ordinary. read more

The Bistro - American Near Me - Bowling Green, Kentucky

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