Almost gave it three stars because of being rushed to finish our appetizers but more on that later. The outside of the restaurant isn't all that special looking, in fact one in our party walked right past while looking for it! Once inside, the feeling was a lot better. Not much in the way of art work on the walls, but still had a nice warm feeling. There were 3 of us and we did a lot of sharing. The Scallops in Shredded Filo was good but the Crab & Artichoke, with garlic aioli, parsley and capers was definitely "the winner". The Seafood Ceviche with scallops, halibut and shrimp was also delicious. While 2 of us were still enjoying our appetizers, our entrees were brought to the table and our plates moved to make room for them. I made the comment to no one in particular that I would try to eat faster as the seafood ceviche was pushed off to the side of the table. We had a 7 pm reservation and for the most part the restaurant was full by that time but we were not intentionally eating slowly. I could see if we might be taking up too much time eating and they had to move the tables but that was not the case as the restaurant was only half full by the time we left. For an establishment that is charging the prices that it is, Avg $18 for appetizers, high $30s for entrees, no one wants to feel rushed. The Halibut Almondine with Beurre Blank was good but not as good as we had hoped, with it being on the dry-side. The Dorado with Baby Vegetables was delicious as well as beautifully presented with "potato fish scales". A shared warm Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream completed our meal. Their menu is extensive making it an easy decision to return but I will mention that we would like a more leisurely experience this time around. read more

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The Choice is one of those restaurants that appears to be hiding in plain sight. When we first considered dining here, noting that it had received very positive reviews from a variety of sources, we were surprised to find that no one of our acquaintance had even heard of the place, let alone darkened the door. And yet... when our party of three arrived for a recent Wednesday evening reservation, we found the 50-seat dining room full and joyously overflowing. ... And, given the fact that the menu is awash with a host of French and Asian fusion innuendos, you would probably never suspect that the restaurant is owned by two Ukrainian families. But, since the well-traveled co-proprietor Volodymyr "Vlad" Hyvel served as sous-chef in London's Nobu and also put in time at Le Cirque, Alain Ducasse and Jean-Georges, his diverse culinary inclinations make impeccably perfect sense. Matters piscatorial - both preludes and main courses - play a major role in Mr. Hyvel's repertoire. His starters, for instance, range from cold items such as Yellowtail Sashimi, Tuna Tartare, and Lobster Ceviche to a comforting tomato-y Fish Soup awash with shrimp & scallops. Among his starters, however, the chef's magnum opus proved to be his extraordinary Scallops in Shredded Filo (pictured). The rich & meaty deep-fried bivalves arrived at table accompanied by a zippy wasabi cream sauce... and were simply irresistible. Entrées are pretty evenly divided between "Meat" and "Fish and Seafood." In addition to Filet Mignon, Short Ribs, and Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops with a spicy Peruvian sauce, the former category also included Chicken Teriyaki and Duck Canton splashed with a seductive caramel-coffee-orange sauce. Once again, however, for our party at least, seafood took center stage. My dining partners decided upon the Halibut and Branzino, respectively. The former was companioned by mushrooms and finished with a green pepper dressing; the latter was presented with creamy mushrooms, crisp potato balls, and a side of fennel dressing. My Wild Caught Striped Bass (pictured) was a particular treat, as the filet was wrapped in a crispy potato crust, served on a bed of creamy leeks, and splashed with a delicate red wine sauce. If The Choice has a weakness, it is their desserts. As noted above, appetizers & entrées are both delightfully innovative and cosmopolitan in scope. When it comes to sweet endings, however, options are exceedingly limited and creativity is conspicuous by its absence - Chocolate Meltdown with Vanilla Ice Cream... Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream... Warm Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream... Ice Cream. You get the picture. Given the quality of all that has gone before, you expect more... and it simply isn't forthcoming. Just be prepared... Dinner at The Choice is not a cheap date. Those aforementioned highly-touted Scallops in Shredded Filo, for instance, will set you back $18.00. Lobster Ceviche goes for $28.00; with appetizers topping out at $32.00 for the Pan-Seared Foie Gras. Entrée-wise, that Butter-Poached Lobster will put a sizeable $60.00 dent in your wallet, while all finny fare goes for either $35.00 or $40.00. Meats are $35.00 per, with Chicken Teriyaki occupying the menu's bottom rung at $28.00. Even those rather nondescript downhome desserts will set you back $12.00 per. Given the current state of economic affairs, I am not suggesting that these prices are outrageous by any means. However, given the restaurant's location - the western 'burbs - and the laidback atmosphere and service, they are a bit on the heady side. Not exactly a likely candidate for a last-minute inexpensive casual evening out... Fortunately, the fact that you may BYOB helps to soften the blow somewhat. read more

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Went here on valentine's day with boyfriend. First time coming the place was small but packed as expected. Me and my boyfriend are fairly young and most of the customers dining were older. I saw the tables look at us like we had three heads but whatever. The host quickly came as i stood there uncomfortably and she was super nice. The service was mostly attentive. We brought a bottle of wine and never received an ice bucket even though they asked if we wanted one and we said yes. Didn't really care about it to much but we order the crispy tuna as an appetizer. it was ok not really my cup of tea. For entrees my boyfriend got the chicken teriyaki and i got the saute lobster. both were delicious overall i would come again maybe on a less busy occasion. read more

Dinner was three tiny lamb chops and a tomato salad served on an inedible leaf. Fiancé's venison tasted mealy and the sauce burnt but at least she got a carb. The green salad was underdressed. Service was slow and inattentive. I will not be returning. read more

We had an amazing experience at this fine dining restaurant. The atmosphere was elegant, the service was attentive, and every dish was beautifully presented. The food was truly unforgettable -- perfectly balanced flavors and exceptional quality in every bite. We can't wait to come back. read more

Delicious food, great service. We went here parents weekend at Villanova. Amazing steaks, fresh salads and good desserts. Will definitely go back. read more

Our favorite restaurants are byobs as we love to bring our own wine, so The Choice seemed to fit the bill. Plus, we were going with friends who had been there before. The restaurant is located on Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, and we were able to find free parking in a nearby lot which beat city prices. The place itself is fairly nondescript and on the smaller side. On a Friday night in November, all the tables were occupied. The menu at The Choice is fairly extensive although I had a difficult time deciding what to order. We shared the burrata cheese salad which was good especially with the prosciutto. The dorado with baby vegetables was interesting with the potato fish scales but just ok as was the chicken teriyaki. Overall, the food was good, but I was longing for some ambience. We ended up walking to a cool restaurant/bar up the street which delivered just that. read more

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My partners had great meals I ordered the most expensive miso black cod. Menu said it came with bok choy. Small piece of fish with one piece of bok choy that measured one inch by one inch. No potatoes or vegetables like both the other plates. I left hungry and will never go back. read more

Excellent food in an unassuming location on Lancaster Ave. Our group had food from all over the menu and everything was spot on (especially the miso sea bass and filet). Friendly service too. Would love to return here. Highly recommended. read more

I went to The Choice for date night. The servers were friendly. For appetizers, we ordered the terrine of foie gras, pan seared foie gras, and the lobster ceviche. I thought the pan seared foie gras had too much sauce on it but otherwise, all apps were good. For the entree, we ordered the duck breast and Chilean seabass. Both were good as well. For a side, we ordered the cream of leeks. I wanted to try something I wouldn't normally try. It was ok but maybe next time I'll order a different side. I would come back again to try other items on the menu. Everything on the menu looked good and I was sad I couldn't order everything! read more

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We had a fantastic meal at The Choice. The food was equal to the best we have had anywhere, the service was impeccable, and the decor creates a perfect cozy atmosphere. Each course was given enough time to breathe, so we never felt rushed, but nor were there any long lulls. Special thanks to our server, Yulia, who was first class. Highly recommended! read more

It was ok. Average. 3 things I did not care for - waitress could hardly speak English so we had to point on the menu what we wanted , 2nd - gave an extremely generous tip , she did not even come back to say thank you !! - as a former service industry worker- no matter how little or big a tip is, ALWAYS return to your customers to say thank you !! - it's the polite thing to do. 3rd - very small portions for the high prices!! read more

Interesting menu and delicious food. BYOB. Reasonable price for the quality. My husband and I are small eaters so it was fine but others might want larger servings. I'm happy not to bring anything home. Lovely soft music. Highly recommended read more

A nice, upscale BYO. Great service. We had a large group for dinner. The appetizers were great, in particular the octopus was fantastic. My husband had a soup which was terrible - seafood soup had one scallop and one small shrimp and the rest was just broth that was too salty. I had the braised short ribs which were fantastic. My husband had the chicken which was just ok. The dessert was great. read more

Two of us recently had dinner at The Choice. For appetizers we tried the field green salad and the tuna tartare. Both were excellent. For mains we had the Chilean sea bass in miso and the 1/2 duck with orange-caramel-coffee sauce. And both of these were excellent. The plating was beautiful. The service was friendly and attentive. The decor is nice - cool lighting, art on the walls. Prices are appropriate. Chef is very creative. read more

The Choice - Chilean sea bass with miso - Modern European Near Me - Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

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The Choice is the perfect date night spot. We were able to get a reservation on a week night fairly easily, especially earlier in the evening. The hostess was friendly and the service was great. We started off with the scallops and octopus. The scallops were delicious although I think the dough, while fun, takes a little bit away from the lovely texture. The octopus was amazing and could have been a meal in itself. I could eat that dish all day. We shared a buratta salad which was very light and nice (see pictures). The halibut almondine was very light, which was quite nice after such a flavorful set of openers. Next time we come we will definitely be bringing a bottle of wine as they're BYOB. This is a fantastic place to go for date night or when parents come into town. ;-) read more

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It is a fabulous BYOB. Everything from the staff to every dish was top notch. We were a party of 2 and had the lobster ceviche, the tuna rice cakes, the wagyu dumplings and the Chilean sea bass with truffle. All of these were out of this world. Will definitely be back to try some more of the very interesting menu. read more

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For an early Monday evening, this cozy restaurant was thriving with plenty of filled tables. The food was surprisingly good and the portions sizeable. Service was friendly. While the menu says certain items like the Halibut Almondine can be prepared gluten free, the server explained that the chef would omit the sauce entirely to accommodate the food restriction instead of preparing it with the same flavors. I can't verify if this was lost in translation, but I was disappointed. Perhaps offering a gluten free version would have felt more inviting as I wasn't interested in eating plain halibut. Regardless, we enjoyed a decent meal and it's a reliable place to find a quiet moment. read more

This was our first visit to this upscale restaurant. They have a wonderfully full menu with lots of fish and meat entrees as will as an large assortment of saldas and appetizers. Service was prompt but not in the least bit pushy. The wait staff was obviously experienced. We are planning to return! read more

One of our favorite restaurants on Main Line. Great dishes, savory and well prepared, gracious service, and you can bring your own favorite vino! Can't go wrong with any choice on the menu. read more

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This review for this very fine restaurant is for takeout only. I discovered The Choice during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 as wonderful place for Interesting takeout options and also because I wanted to support local restaurants As they navigated that maze of COVID-19 in 2020. It soon became a weekly stop until the summer. I resumed takeout due to Covid-19 in January 2021 still wanting to support restaurants during this hard time. Like many before me I discovered The Choice offers fine European inspired appetizers and entrées with a Fusion flare. I've ordered takeout about 15 times since March 2020 and every time my apps or entrées have been securely, packaged in sturdy, compartmentalized takeout containers. These containers allow for a nice presentation and garnishments which certainly Isn't an expectation during Covid but it is a happy surprise. The Star of the Takeout Show for me has been the filet mignon. I love it ! Dumplings with beef and foie gras, Yellowtail Sashimi, Shrimp salad and duck confit salad Are on my list of faves too. One of the great things that The Choice has done has been to implement their $15 special weekly 3 course menu. Yesterday I had the crepes stuffed with chicken and creamy mushrooms delivered curbside. Once home i tasted tender crepes with finely shredded chicken accompanied by a creamy mushroom sauce. What a perfect duo. I know I was smiling with every bite. My side was mashed potatoes with very fresh potato flavors and asparagus grilled to perfection. The staff are warm and friendly and ensure that your takeout is carefully and securely packaged. The entire operation is well managed. One of these days I'll stop to actually dine in. Its a BYO !!! In the meantime rest assured I'll be ordering at least weekly for a long time to come. read more

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The choice is yours! And you'd be foolish not to choose The Choice! They have a nice section inside, which only holds a few parties with social distancing, I'd definitely. Call ahead if you want a table. I ordered to go and it was wonderful! They had a 3 course special for only 15. Soup, salad, entree. I went with a field green salad, chicken noodle soup, and chicken teriyaki. Mmm. All of it was delicious! The chicken teriyaki was amazing! Perfectly cooked with a delicious sauce. I don't believe I haven't been here before! It is dark from and kinda looks closed but don't let that fool you, just tinted glass! They can bring the food to the door if you don't want to go in. Check it out! read more

Pretentious. Overpriced. Not a single vegan or vegetarian entree--nothing I could eat except an absurb salad for $16. Yes, I should've done my due diligence, but not even offering a simple pasta dish with one dollar worth of ingredients that could've fetched $25 is absurd. 4 oz. "Waygu steak" (often counterfeited) that wouldn't satiate a child is $60. Bryn Mawr may be a hoity-toity college town, but it's not Manhattan. Huge disappointment. Lots of much better "choices" within 100 yards. read more

Took ourselves out for my wife's birthday Didn't mention to anyone on staff that it was her special day She ordered the halibut with side of mashed potatoes and said it was the best ever I had the Teriyaki chicken which was delicious What made the night special was dessert being brought out by wonderful staff and candle on it singing Happy Birthday Still wonder how they knew Rick R read more

I have Visited The Choice restaurant quite a few times over the last several years. I have given your restaurant a five star review several times. Last night was a terrible experience. We arrived for dinner at 6 PM and seated promptly. There were only two other tables that were eating dinner when we arrived. We ordered appetizers which were delicious. After our appetizers we awaited our main course. It took approximately 40 minutes until our main course arrived. Every table that arrived after our visit had already been served and were eating their main course. It got to the point where I actually asked our server if she could check on our meal. She did check and told us it would be there shortly. When our dinner arrived the food was lukewarm. The plates were were very hot which led me to believe that the waitstaff forgot our meal and put it in a microwave to reheat it. When our server asked how our meal was I replied that the food was not hot and we had to wait so long to receive it. Her response was that it was busy. My daughter mentioned that maybe she should not book so many reservations at one time. Her response was to look at us and " shrug her shoulders. And walk away. I might add that she is not a new server. I will end this review by stating that the food is five star quality, but the service last night was one star. I'll chalk up last night to an off night for the staff, but traveling 30 miles for dinner and paying a decent amount of money for our meal, I'm not sure we will return. I hope the server took our complaint to the chef. By the way, the "shoulder shrug" I felt was unnecessary. Thank you. read more

Food and service were excellent. I had halibut almondine. Partner had strip sea bass.

The food was really good -starters, main and deserts - all very tasty. 7 pm Tuesday night all the tables were filled - with retired folk. Not much of an ambience. read more

We're always so happy with our dining experience at The Choice! We'd some friends visiting from out of state and we knew this was the perfect spot! We all enjoyed our appetizers and entrees. The food was absolutely fresh and delicious, great service and being a BYOB is such a bonus! I'd the burrata salad with arugula, figs, & pine nuts. For my entree I ordered the short ribs with mashed potatoes and veggies. There was plenty of food to even share with my table. No one was disappointed in their food choices. The four of us all agreed that The Choice is the BEST choice of local Bryn Mawr restaurants! Since it's a small, intimate restaurant it's important to make reservations in advance, especially on a weekend. Plenty of parking in the area too. read more

This is the first time I walked out of a restaurant in the last 10 years. Came in with a reservation and watched others get served that came in after us. Asked for bread which never came but came to other tables who (again) came in after us. Did not feel welcome. Extremely disappointed as I was looking forward to trying this place. An apology did come from the staff, who offered to make it up to us. I believe this to be sincere, however, will dine elsewhere. read more

Neighborhood BYOB gem. Large menu range which impressed us all. Appetizers were great. Dinner entrees were all good. Service was attentive. Ambience was relaxed and cozy. Prices are set more like fine dining but the restaurant ambience doesn't match, hence my 4 stars. The chef definitely knows what he/she is doing. read more

What a fabulous restaurant! A friend recommended for me to try The Choice. It's a European / Asian Fusion Restaurant. The menu is large and has a nice variety of options to choose from. Family owned and operated. Reservations made on OpenTable. Every dish was sooo good that my husband and I skipped dessert and ordered another appetizer for after our meal! (We were in a more savory mood). Can you blame us? We ordered the Dumplings, Tuna Tartare, King Crab & Artichoke, Scallops Wrapped in Shredded Filo Dough, Snapper Ceviche, Chilean Seabass w/ Truffle Sauce, and Veal Tomahawk. I cannot wait to return. Hope to see you there! BYOB. Street Parking/Public Parking Lots near by. read more

The 2-stars merely is to get attention paid to shortcomings rather than a rebuke of the entire restaurant. First I thought the overall presentations of the mains suffered from a lack of sides. They could make the dishes look more generous and more appealing. This is especially in light of the prices that are charged in a restaurant that looks like a middle price restaurant not a high-priced one. I think the sides should be included---it's not a steakhouse!! My second grievance related to a few of the dishes being way over garlicky. I understand that Eastern European cooking uses a lot of garlic but I think it should be used sparingly in certain dishes particularly in what I had: the octopus appetizer and the fish soup. Certainly, the chef is very skilled and the wait staff attentive. But I would so like to see them come down to earth in terms of value, I.e. either serve fully augmented dishes or lower the tab! I'd become a very frequent visitor. read more

This is now my Go To restaurant on the Main Line. SO GOOD! We had the octopus appetizer and it was to die for. I may order it as my main course on my next visit. I asked for a little OJ to mix with my spirits and it turns out they hand squeeze their oranges on demand -so very worth waiting a couple extra minutes. Did I say the appetizer was to die for? My Wild Striped Bass even was even more so! The chef appreciates the subtle flavor of the fish and beautifully married the seasoning and the wine sauce to compliment and in no way overpower the star of the dish. Yummmm. OH. Then: the apple pie. Like nothing I'd ever had. Again, the subtlety was delectable. Our waiter Josh was so helpful and nice; he knew just when to check in with at just the right times. Could not have been better. Nothing could have been better!!! read more

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Absolutely amazing. A lot of Peruvian, French, and Asian influences. Everything that was ordered came out excellent. The flavors were amazing. The place is BYOB. read more

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Excellent food presentation and atmosphere! Great for date night or fun with friends--and it's BYOB! read more

What a find! Service was charming and professional. Food was incredible. Old cliche, but wanted to lick the plate. I had sea bass and it was perfect. Perfect portion, too! When we arrived no one was there, but by the time we left, full! On a Monday night! Byo! Love them. Just a very, very nice evening! read more

This is one of the best restaurants in the area, hands down. It's very unassuming on the outside but the dishes are spectacular. The Chilean sea bass was topped with the most Asian truffle/ soy sauce and was cooked to perfection. My family and I will definitely be going back. read more

The Choice - Sea bass - Modern European Near Me - Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

I had a less than great experience dining here on a Friday night. Ambiance: Their menu is priced $$$ but the ambiance is set for a $ restaurant. Better lighting and tablecloths would help a lot but beyond that, they could definitely benefit from hiring a decorator. Everything inside reminds me of a quick and cheap lunch spot. They have these nice lamps but they keep their fluorescent ceiling lights on, unfortunately. Service: Poor. The server wasn't rude, but she was very inexperienced. She knew nothing about the menu. When we asked what was popular she said "That miso fish and fish steak" So we had to look at the menu item's descriptions looking for any fish with miso on it (it was the cod) and we had to confirm that she meant the salmon steak (she did). We asked if the seafood soup is good, she said "Yes, it's very good." We asked if it's creamy or brothy and she responded, "I have no idea I never had it." ...How does she know it's really good?? Later it took us a long time to get our check even though the restaurant is small and wasn't too busy. For a $$$ tier restaurant, I expect better service. Food: We ordered the branzino and the lamb for our entrees, seafood soup as an app, asparagus, rice, and fries as sides. The lamb and asparagus was very tasty but that's about it. Soup and branzino was okay. Rice was mushy. Fries were hard and chewy. Everything had dill sprinkled on top as a garnish, including the rice and fries. I like dill so that's fine but just FYI to anyone else who might not like dill. It was literally on everything. Also another FYI - the branzino is a whole fish (not mentioned on the menu). Personally, I feel like this is something that should be mentioned either on the menu or by the server. Overall, I feel that the restaurant dropped the ball in all 3 areas and I felt that the ~$90 bill + our time spent there was such a waste. They are masquerading as a nice "fancy" restaurant with these prices but they are skimping on delivering a nice experience. I think with better decor and service, this place can get 3-4 stars. read more

One of the best meals I've had in years. Food was outstanding and service was superb. A hidden gem on the Main Line

Not bad, but not good either. Basically a place for baby boomer main liners to have not so great food and service . read more