Reviews of Bistro Two Eighteen (Restaurant)

Rebecca Ethridge

First time here. It was recommended by friends. The crab cakes were great! The tenderloin medallions and gulf shrimp were equally as good. I did think the sauce for the medallions was a bit salty though. Orange cake with Olive oil ice cream was amazing! Staff were all friendly and helpful. Loved the atmosphere. Will definitely come back!

Michelle Crumpton

I didn't think I would like this fancy smancy food, but I eat so much I didnt think I'd be able to get up and walk to my car. It was incredible!!

erin edwards

So delicious and doesn't break the bank. I had the West Indies Salad at lunch. Will most definitely be back!

Caywood Yamnik

What a great place!!! It’s a beautiful restaurant with both a casual bar area and formal dining room. Our server was very knowledge, service was excellent, and the food was so delicious. I highly recommend.

Wes Christie

Really good food and service! Valet available too

Keith Jackson

Excellent service, great food. Would go again.

Brian Bonds

Amazing food, great staff that seem to be able to answer any questions.

Howard Day

Excellent French restaurant. The duck confit was fantastic. Nice vibe.

Jennifer Otwell

One of her favorite downtown spots the food is always impeccable

alexis f

Amazing food and wonderful service!

Michele Your Not So Southern Bell Moore

Absolutely perfect! Amazing service and food was 10/10

Nicholas Parks

Hands down, best restaurant in Bham! Always perfect.

Christopher Musso

Loved it!! gr8 food, Richard and Rolondo were very knowledgeable about the menu and steered us very nicely.....Will come back, soon......Thanks for an awesome evening.....C. Musso

Samuel (Sam) Rier

Amazing experience, Tom Saab was super accommodating with my gluten sensitive guest and the food was awesome. I recommend the Beef Wellington with the savory Filet Mignon inside

Avonlea hartmann

This was an amazing experience. I loved the food, the drinks and the service. All in all phenomenal.

Joye Hehn

Warm atmosphere with a deletable menu! Service is top-notch. Well worth the drive downtown!

Hayden Hilt

The food was awesome and the wine selection went along well with the entrees offered. Service was great and we even got to meet the chef as he walked around to each table making sure everything was to our liking.

Kelly Thames

Always delicious and unique! Staff is fabulous, especially Richard.

Susan Silvernail

Just did a pre-theatre party at Bistro 218; both food & service was wonderful! They're great people.

Form Process Eng LLC

(Translated by Google) Best creme brulle in town !! (Original) Best creme brulle in town!!

khanh calvin

Amazzing dinning experience. The service was fast and professional. I highly recommend the duck confit and my husband loved the vegetarian squash dish.

daniel self

The best restaurant in Birmingham, hands down. I love to eat at Bistro 218.

Alissa K.

Delicious options. Fresh soups--including vegetarian options. Great service.

Abe Tau

I was very excited about this place, decor, food, and wine pairings. Every time I asked the waiter for a wine suggestion for the food, they've never disappointed me. The waiting staff is extremely helpful and I'm glad they taste the food too in order to give recommendations. I was slightly disappointed when the bread service arrived a little close to my order. The appetizer was ok, but the entree was surprising in its flavors. The portions aren't large (as with any fine dining), which gives me room for dessert. In short, they provide a very well-paced gastronomical journey. I'm glad they finally have their coffee machine in place so I can order an espresso in the end.

Adam Robinett

Never had a bad meal here. Best kept secret

Collin Hall

Great place to relax and unwind. Incredible food and drink.

Shawn Bilak

Some of the best flavors I have experienced in a long time. What a wonderful experience.

Stefan

Excellent location, outstanding service, best wine card in Birmingham, perfect food. I'd love to be back as soon as possible. Bye to Jessica. <3

Pugfam

My new favorite restaurant. Every detail was impeccable. Truly divine experience and ambience. The chef is cordial and personal . He cares that you leave better than you came. I can’t say enough good. Thank you to all who served us this evening.

D. Chase Rosenbaum-Callahan

Staff were all friendly, super nice and accommodating considering reservations had not been made in advance - when that is generally the preference. My dinner and companion and I had a few drinks and a delicious dinner. I had the red snapper and it was delicious. And while I'm giving them 5 Stars, the place is a bit pricey at dinner time. I am told the lunch menu and the bar menu, however, have offerings that are just as delicious but with slightly more affordable prices for those who are on a budget. Over all, I will be back. There are a few other things on their menu that I would like to try. *** Return Visit *** Came in for lunch at 1PM, had a reservation, so I was seated immediately. Since I have already reviewed the menu online, I was able to order right away. I have the Chicken Palliard with Vegetable Risotto, and it was absolutely delicious! And service was FAST! I was still getting adjusted in my seat and unwrapping the flatware when my food was brought to the table.

Michael Marvin

Can’t say enough great things about this place, we came for lunch. We had the muscles and the pork belly and it was the beat meal we had while we were in Birmingham. The staff was super friendly and relaxed. We never felt rushed but always felt attended to. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Susan Harnish

Amazing!

Gabriel Rodríguez

Delicious and very nice workers

Tiffanie Storey

This place was terrific! Beautiful wine list. Knowledgable wait staff. And the food!!!! OMG! Don't wait to experience this place!

Patrick Duke

I have been here twice in the last two weeks. Superb from top to bottom. The Octopus dish was just sublime. Our table also had the Pork Belly which was wonderfully prepared. Excellent craft drinks from the bar and wine list is manageable because it is not a novel and great quality. For entrees we had Duck Confit, Blackened Louisiana Redfish and Shrimp Risotto. All perfect. The second visit had the Gumbo and Filet. Everything about the food is top notch and excellent in taste and preparation. I am from VA and travel the country and parts of the world eating at some great restaurants. The food here rivals and beats some places with more notoriety. If you are in Birmingham you are missing a great experience if you do not seek this place out.

Paul Franklin

Very nice meal; lovely dining area. Chef Saab made us feel very much at home and our meals were quite good..

Anthony Cornelius

9k

Craig Winn

This is our second year celebrating our company with Great chef designed food in a quite atmosphere. they comfortably accommodated 18 people in our group. Tom, the Owner and head chef, made his way around the room greeting guests and making sure everything was in order. If I had the means I would eat here often but unfortunately that bit about having lots of money may not have been very truthful. Very great place to be wined and dined and they have been in business for about 6 years so they have worked out all the kinks.

Kelly Fuller

Perfect evening! Great food and service was impecable!

Nathan Taylor Robinson

Wonderful food, drinks and service

Bambi Darnell

The food was good but not worth the price

Adam Elliott

Best food in town. Gumbo was outstanding. Can’t go wrong with the lobster bisque. Duck and red fish were fabulous. Really anything on this menu is sure to please.

Danny Mcclanahan

Loved this place! Lovely staff, elegant atmosphere and superb food!

Christie Renfro

Hands down one of the best meals I’ve eaten in Birmingham! Service was spot on and was seated 20mins early when we arrived! We had the crab cakes for an appetizer and it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!! My husband had the beef Wellington for his main course which was so exciting bc it’s so hard to find. Cooked to perfection and the steak was melt in your mouth tender. I had the French cioppino which was so yummy. Halibut, shrimp, muscles, clams in red sauce with grilled bread. Apple tart with homemade cinnamon ice cream that I wanted to lick the plate for, lol! The chef came to our table and knew our name and even made sure himself our valet was ready when we left. Can’t say enough great things about this place and can’t wait to go back!!!!

ALBERT THOR HARSTVEDT

Very nice and cozy place

Frank Lomax

Fantastic Food excellent Service and very Generous Staff!!!

Jeffrey Cowgill

FABULOUS! Great service and delicious entrees at the bar. Matt is awesome! This is our 5th visit and everything we’ve had has been great. It’s so surprising to have this talent downtown Bham. Look for new Italian offerings from this same group in January in the old Rogue Tavern location. Rumors have it that it will be “sexy” !! Wow Urban Cowgill August 2019

Sallie Gunter

This place never disappoints! Superb food, service, great cocktail and wine selection.

Lorraine Eaton

Sean was an amazing server and had great recommendations

John Lovoy

WOW !!! Had the Red Fish for lunch and Oh my goodness. It was INCREDIBLE!!. It tasted better than it looked. No need to go to Florida to get great fish.

Jeff Jones

This is the perfect secret dining experience for someone visiting from out of town and looking for Birmingham's famous high cuisine. Even better if you are headed to the Lyric or Alabama Theater downtown! The atmosphere, and the quality of the food is amazing. I love the seasonal specialty drinks and fish dishes. It's farm-to-table - always lots of local ingredients and even local art. Call ahead for reservations. On a Friday or Saturday night, there are lots of folks who also want a table!

Edward DeMellier

Great service wonderful food. Nice wine list and a full bar. The venue is quite attractive.

Paul Cipollone

One of the best restaurants in town. Excellent food and service, but not snooty. Always feel welcome.

Steve Blubaugh

Went for dinner tonight. Fantastic appetizer (escargot), salad (the one with crab meat), and main course (the amberjack one with oysters). Fantastic presentation and the taste was amazing. Highly recommended

Justin Rose

Unbelievable food. Professional and super staff.

Michael Morais

Very classy restaurant without the snobbiness! Bartender, Hostess and wait staff were great. Cold beer, tasty food and really cool spot. The prices are more 3 star so have your wallet ready. Nice place to try!!

Joshua Hinson

Great food and excellent service. Kevin gave great recommendations and Chef Tom greeted us at the door. This was one of the best meals that I have had in Birmingham. Bistro 218 is nice without being pretentious. Excellent.

John Bergquist

Gumbo, Red Fish and Beignets! Power lunch! Excellent service from Waite staff that no how to do it correctly!

Bryan g

Service was very, very slow on a not busy Friday night. Food had good flavor but was cold. Way too expensive for a mediocre meal. Will not return.

Zibido Avery

I'd say it rivals the most famous restaurants in town and, in terms of food, pulls off some crazy things that I've never seen. Drinks are good but mellow tasting, meant to go with dinner instead of drown it. And the wines I had there were some of my favorites! The duck, rabbit, crab cakes, and fried fish are fantastic.

Ryan Renfro

Everything was expertly done. Wait staff was amazing and very personable. Owner/chef asked how we were enjoying the meal. Will definitely be back soon.

John Putnam

Excellent evening. From drinks, to appetizers to our main dishes it was a great night. Will definitely be back!

Dan White

My wife and I stumbled across this restaurant for an anniversary celebration and it was an amazing experience. The service was terrific and the food was absolutely delicious. It’s definitely a place that we’ll visit again.

Khem Green

European atmosphere, light, airy, comfortable. Service is great, not rushed. Great semi private dining area upstairs overlooking restaurant for groups up to 20. Mixologist offers great cocktails, attentive service and ever-changing wines to compliment daily features.

James Moore

The food, the service, the atmosphere - all outstanding. My wife and I have been here multiple times and have never been disappointed. A gem!

Kelli Collins

Great service and fantastic food.

Terri Goode Parker

Shrimp / Veg on Risotto with a French Martini. Best risottto I've ever had. Probably not the place you want to go if you're in a hurry. But the food is enough to overcome that.

Dr Boyer

Drove around Birmingham looking for a good spot, front desk person at Marriott suggested this restaurant, wife had lemon chicken with capers and risotto and I had the bistro burger. Both meals were fantastic and service was great. Seated right away and the waiter came back 3 times to check on our meal

Feliks Yamnik

Really good all around. Birmingham Dining Week meal, all three courses were the best so far. Had the blacken red fish, most popular dish I was told, and it was good. Service was great too. Great place for a romantic dinner.

Mary-Meighan Riley Warren

I went for my birthday and the overall experience was just so so. It is beautiful and I think there was a lot to say for the atmosphere. When it came to the food, it was, eh...ok. I wouldn't categorize it as special in any way other than presentation. Everything was over salted and the calamari appetizer was barely edible. I couldn't finish my steak and shrimp dinner because the potatoes had no flavor and the wilted bed of spinach was way over salted. The steak was prepared at the right temp and was good. The Lobster bisque was ok, but again over salted (which in turn, made it over priced). The plum tart I had for dessert was wet on the bottom and the crust tasted older. It came with a lemon verbena ice cream that tasted like vanilla out of a box. I tried other things my friends got, and I wasn't very impressed with those either. The french fries were great but I also don't feel like the plate was worth as much as I paid. There weren't enough fries for that much money. Lastly, I will probably not come here again as I paid $118.00 (tip included) for a meal I thought was so so. The drinks were fantastic though so props to the bartender and our server was wonderful!

Levi Gershkowitz

Great service, food, drink and atmosphere. What else could yippy ask for.

Joel Blackstock

Really interesting place. The atmosphere is cool and the food is great. Portions are very small though.

Jasmine Ninja

The food was amazing! I thought they had gone to a culanary school or some thing! The just opened for lunch and dinner. I got the chicken and mushroom crepes they were to die for!!!!

Mary Arme

I visited Bistro 218 with three other ladies on our first night in Birmingham. I enjoyed the shrimp and vegetable risotto - perfect texture and great flavor. Others at the table had the scallops, grouper, and redfish. We're sharers, so everyone tried a little of everything, and it was all wonderful. I'm hoping we make it back again before we leave town!

Elizabeth Crooks

A lovely room, sophisticated but accessible menu, beautifully prepared food and cocktails, good pricepoint, and attentive but unobtrusive service. I could not find a single thing that wasn't excellent.

Joe Limbaugh

One of the jewels in Birmingham's crown. Cozy setting close to the major venues. Diverse menu and flavorful dishes. Impeccable service. And don't worry about parking, use the valet!

J. R. Sikes

My new Fav in downtown BHam! Steak au Poivre was delicious: perfectly seasoned, tender, and cooked with a lovely crust (and people say the duck confit is amazing). Adjoining sides were spot on. House Sommelier was great, had perfect wine pairing (nice selection too). Very friendly bartender and pleasant surroundings. Food and wine selections were wonderful for higher end French Bistro cuisine. Well priced and ample portions. Definitely a place for the foodie and wine lover!

Michael Brown

When the beef Wellington is on the menu, get it!

Kyle Brown

Grade A plus. Had my Bday dinner here. They gave me a free dessert. My chicken was awesome and my wife's steak perfect. The staff was very friendly. They are expanding the building and will be offering lunch soon.

John Custy

Fabulous meal, good service, nice atmosphere

Tunalic

I didn't want much going in. The server was rather abrasive, smug and dickish. He insisted he knew the guests' tastes without ever meeting them. He said he would bring 3 samples of wine, but brought only two glasses to choose from and claimed the one he touted was what she liked... seemed schemish and a reach. Again, I didn't want much so I kept it super simple and ordered the burger with frites (burger n' fries). I can excuse the sweet pickle, which was the most awful thing ever, and remove it from the bun. But the meat tasted like it was old. Like it had sat there for several days. It's one thing to use aged meat, it's another to use rancid beef. The fries were alright. Actually cut from potatoes and not frozen, but still under-whelming. They come with catsup/ketchup which I only ever like on onion rings. so I had to douse them with a lot of salt and pepper before I could even think about enjoying them. I should have gone to Paramount, two doors down, with their consistently amazing rosemary fries and burger that needs nothing but a hungry patron. Thinking about it, I'm going to have to go there in the next few days to get this experience out of my mouth.

Damian Deavall

Exceptionally good service and excellent food.

JC Anderson

Very good food. Accoustics can be loud.

Keith Splawn

One of the best places in town.

Danielle Bentley

Phillis was our server and she was great! Very sweet and polite :) we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. We had the bistro burger and the chicken and mushroom crepes which were absolutely fantastically delicious. If I ever come back to Birmingham i will definitely be stopping by there again.

Rufie Lewis

My Husband & I had lunch today at Bistro Two Eighteen. It was perfection! Everything, food, wait staff, interior decor was just wonderful. We started out with the Gumbo File-fantastic--better than NOLA! My husband had the Chicken Paillaird (sp.) it was delicious. I had the Ribeye w/pomme frittes, & small salad, absolutely wonderful. If you want to try a new, creative and delicious new restaurant-please go to Bistro Two Eighteen. I think that you will be amazed :)

Paul Cyr

Nicely executed and clean classical style of food. Service was fantastic. Wine list a bit pricey but quality throughout

Thomas G

Our first time the experience was not as a white tablecloth level. I am not sure over the past year what has changed but twice now we have had outstanding service and incredible food!

Al Johnson

The soups!!! A chef friend of many years told me that the best way to judge a restaurant was by their soups. Attention to detail, originality, consistency - all show with this simple insightful tip. And, they pass with flying colors.

Cars Well LLC

Shrimp&vegetable risotto is delicious! Thank you.

Greg Keller

Good food and service!

Christan Brannon

Go to dine and enjoy your company. Best for date night or intimate group. Servers are on point with recommendations. Valet available.

Brenda Perry

This was only my second time ever eating anything remotely French (minus french fries of course!), and I have to say this may be my new favorite restaurant and type of food. Service was amazing from our sweet waitress that was super knowledgeable of all menu items to the kind valet (and only one working I think) who had to stand in the cold all night! The appetizer portions were huge with the fritto misto and steak tartare being what we chose to share. The fritto misto was more shrimp and calamari compared to amberjack which was good for me since I personally don't like fish. It was served with a delicious remoulade for dipping. The steak tartare takes home the gold though! I had only learned maybe a year ago that people EAT beef completely uncooked! But after today, I can say that I'm a fan! I think steak tartare may actually be almost as good as a regular steak, the capers and raw egg served atop of it made it just perfect. As for my entree, I ordered the free range chicken paliards which was some of the most tender and perfectly cooked chicken I had ever had. It was served with the lemon butter caper sauce and creamy risotto. There were SO many menu options that appealed to me though so seeing rissoto really helped me decide, and it was the best decision ever! I had a piece of the duck confit my friend ordered, and I have to say it was a little tough for me. It tasted more like the dark meat of turkey, which I'm not a big fan of. The only time I've had duck before tonight was when I was in China, and I guess Chinese ducks must be 70% body fat because they are so much more juicier and have much more delicious fat on them. Overall I had a great five star experience, and can't wait to be back!

T CL

I enjoyed this place.

Marcus Kirby

Try the red fish for lunch. Great service, great atmosphere!

Jamie Mizzell

Would be 5 if every dish did not have scallions or onions

Chris Rigoni

Great food and service.

Bard Constantine

Excellent food and service

TheLance3185

Meh.

William Thompson

Easy to get to… Valet parking… Ignore the dumpster in front… They are renovating the place next-door for extra room. Incredible attention to detail… Nothing was overlooked. I had the Sazarac, West Indies salad, and blackened amberjack… Awesome! Great Decore, great service, great food… Need I say more.

Wesley Lawley

This was our 2nd visit, but will not be our last. We had the octopus for our app. It was very tender and the chorizo was amazing. I had the blackened redfish and did not leave a speck on my plate. Wonderful evening and friendly service again.