Testimonial Archive - Downtown Bistro & Grill

AngelVBr – Stoney Creek

2017/02/12 chyz

Took our daughter to Downtown Bistro for her birthday. Chose it from A Taste of Burlington list. Not a restaurant we’ve been to before. What a find!!!!!! The Winter soup, Thai shrimp cakes, Beef tenderloin, Pecan crusted chicken, Scallops, Creme Brûlée & Sticky Toffee pudding were all excellent. The sauces and creams accompanying each were […]

drtodd_10 – Niagara on the Lake

2017/02/12 chyz

The food was excellent especially the pecan encrusted chicken, and the scallops. However the snapper was just soaked in Soy sauce and left a lot to be desired. Good wine list, and the wait staff was attentive.

goodexperiencesplz – Burlington

2017/02/12 chyz

I’ve been here several times over the years and was reminded last week during Taste of Burlington Winter dinner how great it is! Great taste, great value, what more could you ask for in a restaurant? This is a great spot to visit as a couple, with a girlfriend or with family. The quality and […]

Sonya2015 – Burlington

2017/02/12 chyz

We love everything about the Bistro – waiters, food, wine… As busy parents, we do not go out often, but when we do – about twice a month, we would always pick the Bistro, as the food is so delightful, and delicious, that there is no way we could go somewhere else ( we tried […]

funrun Toronto

2017/02/12 chyz

Had yet another great experience at this little gem by the lake..I come here from Toronto . The scallops are nothing short of brilliant, giant sized & done to perfection. We love the atmosphere as it feels like we are in a friends home for a spectacular meal. Will be back as it is worth […]

J F – Burlington

2017/02/12 chyz

Food was excellent, and the service was great! Also, the patio is excellent and the location is right downtown in Burlington. I enjoyed the entire experience, and would highly recommend this place to anyone I know that is looking for fresh delicious food with family or friends.

Wendy Wilshaw – Exeter, UK

2017/02/12 chyz

My daughter and I ate at this Bistro in May 2014. At the recommendation of the waiter I ordered the curried chicken and coconut soup and it was gorgeous. A decent sized dish and plenty of fresh bread to go with it. Also had a lovely smoked chicken caesar salad which was great too.

Downtown Bistro & Grill | Casual Fine Dining

4.6

Based on 256 reviews

Stephen Duncan

04:03 19 Feb 22

The food was excellent and our server was fantastic. I wish we had tried this place sooner. It is a small restaurant (maybe a dozen tables) and a nice date night spot.

Jason Spradley

16:44 01 Dec 21

First time visiting this restaurant, as I was in town for business. Great little place, with excellent food. Staff was friendly and helpful. It is a very quaint dining room, so I highly recommend making reservations. The holiday lights along the lakeshore was also a nice plus!

Sharon Grover

12:29 05 Nov 21

Lovely lunch with my mother and a first visit for both of us. The restaurant was not busy on a Thursday at 1pm. The waitress was lovely and the food was wonderful. I had the smoked salmon crepe and my mother had the shrimp linguine. The flavor and portion size was perfect. Will definitely return.

ash cruikshank

14:01 30 Oct 21

Went here for the first time last night to celebrate our anniversary. Quaint little place, with nice ambience on a miserable rainy night. Our meals were amazing (penne a la vodka, charred calamari, truffle fries, schnitzel with mushroom sauce, dessert) and drinks plentiful. Our server Andrea was also a complete joy, sweet, bubbly and funny. Our food, and drinks all arrived perfectly timed with no wait, hot and fresh. I can't wait to go back and enjoy all over again. Thank you Andrea and Downtown Bistro for making our night even more special!

Carl DeMunck

11:33 22 Oct 21

How have we not been here before?Wife and I went last week for our first time and were really pleased.Great location with tons of parking in the municipal lot right across the street.Service was friendly and our server {I'm sorry I have forgotten your name) was very pleasant even though we almost immediately spilled a drink! She was very sweet "happens all the time".Short rib was amazing, great bottle of wine and a great evening.In fact we are taking friends for dinner again tonight!

Karrie LeBlanc

11:27 22 Oct 21

Great dinner Wednesday night. Had bruschetta, baked Brie and truffle fries for appetizers. Beef short ribs, salmon and French onion soup for mains. All were delicious, good sized portions and excellent service. We really enjoyed our evening.

Samantha Tarenzo

03:58 06 Oct 21

Best food in downtown Burlington (we’ve been to all of the hot spots at this point). Delicious food, hearty portions, and great service. We went back again and it was just as great as the first time!

David Gregory

00:56 11 Sep 21

Initial greeting by the host was rude. I had walked into the restaurant and explained I was meeting my parents. Was told “Not in here. No one is seated inside.” Which is fine, but then where are they?Our server was pleasant and attentive. I ordered the Penne Alla Vodka. Chicken was totally dry and the pasta bland. However, the rest of our party enjoyed their meals.My drink was heavily watered down.Dessert was good.Overall, not a terrible experience but definitely started on the wrong foot.

Norman Kearney

19:32 08 Sep 21

I took one of my best friends here for dinner — to celebrate his recent wedding. The food, drinks, and service were superb. Everyone in our party seemed pleased. I enjoyed the crab cakes, which, while seemingly small, proved to be quite filling. The staff are lovely. Predictions are risky business, but I foresee a bright future for this charming restaurant.

Julia Therriault

12:09 04 Sep 21

First, for those people that had an issue with the dog. KEEP THE DOG AT HOME. Not fair to other customers or to your dog. And good to the waitress for checking on your pet being left in a car.Second: Hadn't been to this restaurant for a while. Food wasn't great and service was so so. Yesterday we thought we would give it another try. Kim, our server, is irreplaceable. Her personality and genuine caring makes her a star in our books. Mike, don't ever let her go. We enjoyed and shared the baked brie and the carrot cake. And a drink of course! WONDERFUL. We will return, but only if Kim is there. Keep up the good work and you won't have much competition.

Diane Beard

01:12 21 Aug 21

First time here.. awesome meal. I had the orgnanic blackened salmon. Kate was wonderful. Everyone had something different and everyone enjoyed their meal. Cosy back patio. Wine prices bit high comparibly, but staff, patio and food was all excellent!!

TJ “Spruce Moose”

14:48 11 Jul 21

Awful experience here. Didn't even have a chance to try the food, the staff member that seated us was incredibly rude and berated us over a simple misunderstanding. Recommend avoiding, there are much better places just around the corner. Love the response from the owner because your staff was more than a little concerned considering she continued to yell at us over leaving a dog in an air conditioned vehicle. There are ways to talk to people and I suppose we just expected more than basic human decency

Madisynne Harris

12:54 11 Jul 21

Long story short, horrible service. I don't care to watch my friend get accused and screamed at for no reason.Had a reservation made for lunch. The couple we were meeting had a dog, so we asked if the dog could come on the patio. We were told no, which wasn't an issue. The couple said they would return the dog back to the vehicle and leave it running, therefore, the AC being on. Three of us sat down and the waitress comes rushing back to our table. She starts yelling how she isn't comfortable with us putting a dog in a vehicle we couldn't see. And tells us we HAVE to move the vehicle to the back parking and sit back there as well, so we can see the vehicle. We corrected her to let her know we could indeed see the vehicle, so it wouldn't be a problem. She continued to berate us how it was wrong to leave a dog in a vehicle on a warm day. We again said that the vehicle was running, so the AC was on. She said "oh, ok" and walked back into the restaurant. Another server brought us our menus and left. We did the same shortly after. Left.I understand being worried about animals, but there is a way to go about it. Yelling at people, especially your customers, is the wrong way. The waitress could have come over and talked out her concerns instead. If she would have, we would have probably never left.We ended up going to the place right down the road called The Dickens which had phenomenal service and food.On a plus we were also able to bring the dog on the patio. He was given his own water bowl, snacks and love.

shruti shivnarayan

02:50 07 Jul 21

We were in burlington and decided to try this place. Food was great. The weather was perfect. Tried crab cake , creamy chicken pasta and parmesan fries. Everything was delicious. Will definitely go back to have that crab cake again

Akemi

18:53 01 Jul 21

One of my favourite places in downtown Burlington. Great food, excellent service and I really appreciate the expansion of the patio.

kay lewis

19:11 16 Jun 21

cute bistro,lovely decor and fab lunch specials.great service. my go to place with friends..fab patio which took reservations which is much appriciated

Paul Rubano

18:48 01 Apr 21

Quaint place but my dish, though not bad, was nothing special. Ordered the Seafood Linguine that had lots of average marinara type sauce. My partner had the Louisiana Linguine that was supposed to have blackened chicken...which was everyday chicken cubes. We've had blackened chicken before and this was not blackened chicken.

Douglas Anderson

21:06 30 Mar 21

When we moved to Burlington recently I was surprised by the number of fine dining choices in the downtown area. I'm glad we tried the Downtown Bistro because it certainly exceeded my expectations. The server suggested the daily special which was beef tacos. Nice beef tenderloin with salad or fries. We chose the salads and both the tacos and salad were excellent. Excellent presentation and a great server who made us feel very welcome. The rear patio is a great addition. Very relaxing. Well certainly be back soon .

Diana T

00:43 19 Feb 21

Just had a delicious meal from Downtown Bistro! The food was fresh and well wrapped. I appreciate the reduced use of plastic packaging too. Thanks!

Fel007 ETI

11:43 07 Feb 21

Just had take out from here last evening and it was all simply delicious. Highly recommend the jumbo shrimp linguine and grilled vegetable salad. My hubby enjoyed his breaded schnitzel and Caesar salad too. Owner even brought it out to us curbside. Was still piping hot by the time we got it home. So nice to be able to still take out high quality food to eat at home during the pandemic. Highly recommend!

Alex Mounsteven

01:16 10 Dec 20

it's a charming restaurant near the lake in burlington - more like a bistro than a grill... the food was superb and the service excellent... we lingered after lunch and never felt rushed... it was a great afternoon and I would definitely go back...

sherry munslow

03:34 04 Dec 20

Food is great. Excellent quality and consistent. Good prices since you are getting quality cuts. Cooked to perfection. It's a treat as my budget can't take it regularly however I've never been disappointed. Great staff cater to what ever you need. Friendly and attentive. Following really good protocols so felt very safe.

Jeff Kent

18:36 06 Nov 20

We had a wonderful time there sitting outside in their heated "COVID" tent. It was very quiet, but it was a Wednesday evening. The food was excellent as was the service. A very small and quaint place. Will gladly return.

Miss Fitz

12:25 15 Oct 20

October 15th 2020 update. Another fantastic meal last night! All in the heated comfort of the tented front patio. Candles, string lights, ambiance..........The Taste of Burlington Menu is new, original, unique and delicious. It was difficult to narrow down our choices. Thank you Mike and Andrea and team for making our first dinner out in almost 8 months so memorable.

Patrick Beatty

15:40 06 Oct 20

I really wish I could remember my servers name from last night.... For that I am sorry. This was my second time dinning with the Downtown Bistro, and once again I was not let down. The service was on point, the food came out perfectly timed for the pace we choose to dine at. I find the menu to be well laid out. The ingredients, plating, and taste all have a touch of flare. I really like this Bistro and I am happy to have a place like this in our downtown core. The prices are more then fair. I would highly recommend the Bistro as a great choice for an upscale dinning experience. Once again amazing service, great taste, nice presentation on the plates. I have to mention it was very noticeable that the establishment has gone to great lengths and measures to keep the guest as safe as possible with the updates for COVID. I also just wanted to add to anyone who sees this review..... If you do have an issue with a restaurant call them directly rather then write a negative review. Lets do our part to keep home grown well established business safe and thriving in these hard times. Cheers to the Bistro we will see you again!

Carol “l” Tomlin

02:29 11 Sep 20

First visit but it won't be the last. The restaurant had all necessary Covid protections in place and we barely noticed. We were there for lunch. The lunch menu is expansive and affordable with entrees under $20. I had Shrimp Linguine and my two friends both opted for the Salmon Crepe. Excellent presentation, very flavorful, and suitable portion size. Great dessert selections too. All made in-house. Speaking of house, the restaurant is located in an old downtown house which certainly adds to the interest and ambience. Covered patio on the porch.

Christina DeClerico

16:57 30 Aug 20

Excellent experience all 'round. Service was above and beyond especially considering the times we are in. Lovely patio out back with servers who were "on" both technically and personally. The meal was terrific with generous portions and beautifully presented. A full house so reso is a must but well worth planning ahead!I believe this owner and/or chef have got it right.

Ares Cio

22:40 25 Aug 20

Was walking downtown looking for somewhere to eat and saw downtown bistro patio pretty much empty so went in and sat down for a few minutes before a server came out and said they are fully booked and no space at all tonight.

David Moloney

14:36 10 Aug 20

Top-notch in every respect: menu, design and preparation of every dish, wine list, service, service, service and overall vibe.Their street-side porch is perfectly set up for social-distancing and every staffer was not only unfailingly helpful and polite but was wearing a mask at all times (unlike the mostly mask-free staff witnessed outside at their neighbour restaurant!).A first visit to their porch/patio but it won't be our last!

Kevin Ernst

10:02 09 Aug 20

Excellent service, and deliciously prepared food, made for an exquisite dining experience. We've been a few times and have never been disappointed.

Scott O'Donnell

22:29 05 Jun 20

Got takeout tonight. Contactless they just place it in the trunk. Food was fantastic. Deal on the wine was amazing. Would highly recommend!

Mirella's Ladies Boutique

20:45 30 Mar 20

I enjoy downtown bistro because of its amazing homemade taste and feel. Every time I dine in, I feel comfortable and relaxed. The staff is amazing and I highly recommend the grilled calamari and the mussels are exquisite.

02:31 03 Mar 20

This was my first time, and will not be my last! Great food, decent wine list that covered the grounds. Amazing prices 50% off wine on Mondays... Can you go wrong? No you can’t! Taste of Burlington menu $40.00 plus a few bottles of vino less then $200 how can you do better? Not fine dinning but who needed that? Bistro right? Well it was all done RIGHT upscale, clean, tasty, well presented, amazing service. Thank you Courtney amazing server, great product knowledge, made us feel welcome from the get go. Super chill crowd, the dinning room brought me to a place of happiness! What an experience keep doing your thing. Bravo to the Bistro

Dawn Earnshaw

22:22 01 Mar 20

Lovely little restaurant, great decor and ambience. Food was delicious and portions good size. Staff were very pleasant and service very good other than we felt we were being rushed. We asked to slow it down a little which they did. Also dishes were removed before everyone at the table had finished. Much better to wait til everyone had finished eating.Would recommend it though!

Alexis Lakey

02:39 26 Feb 20

Loved the smoked salmon rosti, although the rosti is missing something, lemon perhaps? The lamb ragout was just ok but would be fabulous if it was New Zealand lamb, unfortunately Ontario lamb is void of any lamb flavour. The pear sticky toffee cake is good... the "custard" is so sweet it I took the cake out of the bowl - adding sweet really does not enhance any flavour it just makes things sweet!

Haley Borden

18:40 16 Feb 20

One of the best restaurants I have ever been in , in burlington. Food is amazing , service was great. Would definitely come back.

Terry Wheeler

18:32 05 Feb 20

Cost atmosphere, wonderful staff. Mussels were divine, arctic char to die for. My wife had three cheese ravioli, also amazing. Creme brulee, the perfect finish.

Bev Gaudet

15:38 28 Jan 20

We went here to celebrate a birthday . It was our first time at this establishment and certainly won’t be our last . It is the cutest restaurant in a lovely area of Burlington . We were there early so it was really quiet. The server was so friendly and efficient . The menu had a nice variety of food . We particularly loved the warm Brie as an appetizer . This is now one of my favorite restaurants. I highly recommend it!

Lee andrews

04:16 01 Jan 20

Went to the downtown bistro in Burlington for a New Year’s Eve dinner (2019) and it did not disappoint!Most places for New Years dinner rush you in and out and serve you some over priced slop.....not this place, we had amazing scallops topped with a bacon jam appetizer followed by a rare treat, a perfectly cooked beef Wellington on mashed potatoes with some carrots and turnips, the server poured the piping hot gravy at the table and it was all delicious!For desert we had the the house made cheesecake, maybe not the best, but certainly very good, it was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.Service was well paced, leaving just the right amount of time between courses, my water was always topped up and she made sure we were enjoying our meal.The restaurant is small and intimate, great for a date night out, not really for kids or families.Parking is located behind the house or across the street at the municipal lot. It’s also within walking distance of lakeshore, the park and walkways for a stroll after or before your meal!Will definitely come back, the location is great, the atmosphere cozy and the food top notch!

Christopher Watson

00:51 19 Dec 19

This restaurant is my favorite restaurant. Of all restaurants I know I love it most. I never miss an opportunity to go to this restaurant. Whenever I I need a superb lunch, this restaurant comes straight to my head. superb and varied food and a large menu.well mannered staff members, and great mood. Also, the expence is affordable. I recommend this restaurant with no hesitation.

Heather Elsley

21:07 23 Oct 19

YUM E . Really nice small bistro. Parking out back. Patio. Maybe accessible for stroller wheelchair not sure. Delicious fresh lunch and lovely waitress.

Donna Ledo

18:36 26 May 19

Went with a friend/colleague and had a lovely meal. We shared the brie baked in a pastry and the berry salad. The salad comes with blue cheese which we both didn't care for so they replaced it with goat cheese. Both plates were amazing. We both had the blacken Salmon which was equally amazing. All dishes were served at a nice temperature and the staff was really nice and accommodating. I've eaten here before and have never been disappointed. It's a small place though so it can get loud. Our reservations were for 715pm and the place was packed and loud but definitely would recommend this restaurant!

Andrew Marck

03:15 28 Feb 17

The food here is absolutely fantastic. Fresh ingredients and meticulously crafted. The wait for your food in unnecessarily long but well worth it. Excellent date - night location. Very small and cozy location.

Les Pierce

01:29 19 Feb 17

Great little bistro! Intimate and cozy atmosphere. Wonderful menu and friendly staff. Well priced and generous portions, we particularly enjoyed the toast trio appetizer.

Colin Lobo

23:28 13 Feb 17

New England crab cakes were the best thing I ate this year!!!

Karolina P

00:21 22 Dec 16

We love eating at the Bistro. Food is delicious, cozy atmosphere, great service! Never disappointed...we are frequent eaters here for the past 6 years since we've lived in Burlington and have celebrated many milestones here. Love!

Justin Drury

00:17 31 Aug 16

Always enjoy the food and ambience at this place

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