Bay Street Bistro

A true HIDDEN GEM! went here yesterday for my 3rd anniversary, and this place was absolutely AMAZING! the waitress was super nice. The owner came and talked to us. And the Thai chili sauce that came with the ribeye was hands down the best sauce I have ever had in my life!! The steak was so tender and even the broccoli was the best tasting broccoli I've ever had. If you are thinking about coming here... DO IT! by far the best place I've ever been to

Delightful bistro. Definitely French inspired, I'm not sure I would call it an actual French restaurant. But definitely worth the visit. The menu is well thought out and the dishes true to the menu descriptions. I had the escargot. A personal favorite. I've had this dish countless times. So I have a very good idea of how this dish should taste. I think the snails, themselves, were just on the edge of being overcooked. But the dish didn't suffer. I think the lemon seasoning is a mistake on the part of the chef. Otherwise I think it was nicely executed. I'll skip the Caesar salad, not much to say but properly prepared. My lamb was quite good, however the lollipops were very small on the amount of meat. They tried to compensate by proving 8. I think they should have provided fewer but meatier choices. Beyond that, the seasoning was quite nice. Darian was our waiter, and did a very nice job of explaining the offering and executing the service. I would definitely come back.

Bay Street Bistro is by far one of my favorite restaurants to go to when I celebrate passing a semester of school or just when I'm feeling fancy! The food is divine and the wait staff is quick and friendly. My absolute favorite dish is the sea bass special, but the lamb is to die for, and you can never go wrong with a sweet treat after dinner, with the amazing dessert options they have! I have a wonderful experience every time I go and can't wait to go back again.

Wonderful! The atmosphere at Bay Street Bistro is relaxed and gracious leaving everyone feeling comfortable. The food is exquisite and the chef doesn't miss a detail. We had the escargot, cream mussels, beef wellington and orange scallops over parmesan risotto. The attention to every flavor and every vegetable is impressive. It is honestly one of the finest restaurants in Lakeland and we have been here for 25 years. To top it off our waitress, Ileana, was delightful. She made it a cheerful and enjoyable experience. Had she not recommended it, I would never have tasted the joy of a poached pear salad with brie and balsamic. And her wine recommendations were spot on. We will be coming back soon with family and bringing them to her section! And if the Outrageously Talented Chef needs criticism to improve...it is this; More Risotto, More Risotto, More Risotto!!!

The food was fresh and delicious. The escargot was perfection. We split beef Wellington and with the splitting charge they doubled the sides. Crème brûlée for dessert was the best I’ve had outside of France. Loved it. Will be back next Sunday n Fun!!

This wonderful little place is about half a block West of the main downtown but well worth the short walk! It has a true bistro feel with many visual pleasures including Cuban tile floors and beautiful stained glass panels. The service was very attentive and pleasant along with helpful suggestions. First was a tasty Tomato Bisque soup followed by Poached Pear Salad of poached pears, goat cheese, bruschetta, spiced walnuts and balsamic glaze on a bed of organic mixed greens which was delicious. Then, a hard to find, Roast Duck with crispy duck medallions served with a cherry gran marnier balsamic sauce. Finally, a super rich and moist dessert- Chocolate cake with a fudge like chocolate frosting covered with milk, dark and white chocolate pieces! Heaven on a plate! See photos! Yes I did take a bite or two before photographing some things. Can you blame me?

I was very disappointed with my dinner! The service was great, the bread and pesto were fresh and delicious, and our server was knowledgeable and kind. However, I ordered the Seafood Vol au vent and it was served burnt. I didn't even recognize my plate when it was brought to me. I didn't complain at the time because I thought that it wouldn't effect the taste too much. Well it did! I can't believe their chef was happy with putting that on the plate. I can't believe the expediter didn't say, hey, we shouldn't serve this. I know at least two hands touched my plate before I received it and no one thought that it was a bad idea. I should have returned the plate and requested a refund but it was date night and I didn't want to ruin a great night out with my hubby. See pics...

Tried this place for the first time during Valentine's day weekend and it will not be our last. We had the tomato bruschetta as an appetizer followed by the tomato bisque soup, and, the cesar salad before our meal. I ordered the beef wellington, and he ordered the ribeye dish and let me tell you what, the food was super hot and delicious!! I have not had a hot meal like that from any kitchen ever and I would highly recommend checking out this local gem. We ended up with the Crème Brulee dessert and the double blueberry lemon cake. Best steaks in town! You will not be disappointed.

Food is excellent, atmosphere is great, service is exceptional. All around great place for special occasions. We have had many great times here.

Small European style bistro on the north end of downtown lakeland, there can't be much more than dozen tables. Reservations are essential on busy days. The menu is french inspired but portions are over the top even by american standards. The cordon blue must have used two chicken breasts as it was easily 10" long and at least 3" across. Honestly, it's enough for dinner, lunch, and dinner again the next day and that's coming from a guy. The cooking was well prepared, chicken and fish were cooked to the correct doneness, but there's a few places for improvement. Too many things were overly salty and the chef seems to favor garlic to the point that it impairs the flavors of the rest of the food. I would never have described the brussel sprouts as "pan fried", they were boiled and then hit a pan for like 30 seconds. One of the heavily salted items, between the texture and the salt, they were nearly inedible. One quick side rant - do restaurants not understand that we all have cell phones and can google the retail price of a bottle of wine? I'm not paying $10/glass for a wine that is $11/bottle (and probably not buying $11 wine anyway). Cut your prices in half and you'll actually sell so much more that you'll make up the profit in volume. Win-win. For a french menu, I didn't see a single french wine on the list. Hmmm Desserts sounded great, the only one we had was the creme brulee. The custard was perfect with a strong vanilla flavor and you could see the beans in it. The caramelized sugar was too thick. You should be able to crack it by tapping it with your spoon, not have to stab it to force it to break. Anything more than 1 mm is too thick. Getting all frenchie and metric on you. Still, a respectable place. I'd like to see a wider variety of herbs and spices used and tone down the the salt and garlic. This place has michelin potential, but is held back by Food Prep 101 mistakes.

Excellent service and wine off the chart It is a destination place for a good meal and a great experience

High quality food, fine service, limited menu, small, quiet, but pricey during last visit about three years ago.

Food is average and way overpriced despite great location downtown & fine dining ambiance. Server was nice and attentive but definitely need to step up food game based on what they charge.

Lackluster experience. Waitress couldn't have been nicer, but service in general was very slow. The table next to us came in ten minutes after us and had their drinks, appetizers, and food (they also got steak) before us. Food is not on par for the price point, and quality and plating were not up to a fine dining standard. My husband got Beef Wellington, and said flavor didn't blow him away, it had too much salt, and the puff pastry wasn't browned. I had the filet mignon, which was pretty tasty, but a bit dried out on the top. The Cabernet reduction was ok, but I didn't like that with the plating, my steak was swimming in it. Garlic mashed potatoes were flavorful and had a good texture. The vegetables consisted of mushy cooked spinach with a couple soggy pieces of yellow squash, which was very disappointing. My husband got the tomato bisque and we both described it as canned soup mixed with too much sour cream--and a little garnish on it would've maybe helped the flavor and presentation (it was just a bare bowl of soup). Caesar salad was actually awful. Like the taste of wet lawn clippings mixed with anchovy mayonnaise chunks. Bread that came with the meal was hot and soft in the middle--great garlic butter. Hard to hear my husband right across from me because it's tiny in there and a lot of people, so a bit loud. The art on the wall really wasn't in line with what you'd expect from a higher-end restaurant. We're not planning to return unless we hear about significant changes being made. So disappointed. We really wanted to like this place, in fact, we went here about two years ago and had a similar experience and wanted to give it another chance.

Delicious food! Friendly Service, romantic , we loved their escargot , we been there twice already and every single time. We were very impressed.

Horrible food poisoning and a rude owner. My boyfriend and I had dinner here last night to celebrate our 3 year anniversary. We hadn't eaten that day in anticipation of enjoying a nice meal. The wait staff was lovely. My sea bass was very good. My boyfriend had the rib eye, which he also enjoyed, and we shared a creme brûlée for dessert. We left after dinner and went straight home to relax. A few hours later my poor boyfriend became violently ill with the worst food poisoning of his life - vomiting in the bathroom for several hours. Needless to say our anniversary was ruined. We called today to let the restaurant know of our experience to hopefully avoid others getting sick, and to ask for a refund of my boyfriend's entree. To our shock, when we called the restaurant the next day, the owner took our call and interrupted my boyfriend's report to him. As he informed the owner that a serious food poisoning incident happened as a result of eating at his restaurant, the owner reacted with incredible rudeness and disrespect toward him. I called back to try to speak with the owner myself, hoping he would listen and take it seriously. He told me to kiss his ass and hung up on me. I called back to let him know that due to his rudeness and lack of regard or remedy for a customer getting sick, I'll be asking my bank for a refund. Needless to say we will not be returning to support a local business that treats its customers this way and doesn't take health and safety reports seriously.

The menu is first rate. Tomato Bisque was very flavorful and smooth. Beef Wellington was large portion, tasty and well prepared. Cesar Salad bland and dry. Chilean Sea Bass presentation was first rate and nicely prepared. Seafood Vol-A-Ventwas exceptionally well presented and full of flavor! Unfortunately the Crispy duck medallions were somewhat underwhelming. Staff were busy yet service was inconsistent. I suspect due to a full house, however, for the price of dinner one expects better. The real damper on what was to be a fun enjoyable evening was the noise level. Difficult to have a conversation due to the volume and echo chamber of the dining room.

I've never been told, "I'm not sure where the confusion lies but the server was not wrong. We can make you another dish, however we will charge you for both." I'm a Lakeland local, and was so excited to finally dine here! My friend to my right ordered the sea bass with cumin, curry, and coriander vanilla burre-blanc sauce. I ordered the sea bass with lemon butter piccata sauce but they brought us both the vanilla sea bass. Risotto was over cooked, pair that with a vanilla sauce, it was a little more like rice pudding with fish. (It tasted as bad as it sounds) I will not be willing to try dining here again, the food was not fine dining quality, the prices were very high and I'm still shocked about the attitude.

Food was good. Not great. Service was very slow. Very noisy. Impossible to have a conversation with others at the table. Surprised at other reviews that praised service and quiet

My wife and I visited Bay Street Bistro for a date night dinner yesterday and had a nice experience. We started the meal with the Escargot. A generous portion of rich tender escargots were marinated in a tangy garlic and white wine butter sauce and sandwiched between airy flakey pastries. Next I had the Tomato Bisque which was creamy and had a rich tomato flavor. I had the Rack of Lamb as my entrée. The tender meat had a light crispiness on the outside and was drizzled with rich balsamic glaze and paired with creamy goat cheese. The side of mashed potatoes was creamy and savory. Finally we finished dinner with Lemon Blueberry Cake. The cake was rich and moist with a creamy lemony frosting and filled with flavorful juicy blueberries. Overall, Bay Street Bistro is a good choice for a nice dinner in downtown Lakeland.

The prices are high for Lakeland, especially considering that the food is slightly above average. The waitress that served me was very good and polite, really on top of things. The rest of the staff, could not be bothered. The ambiance is fine, but again, average. I do not think I would go back for a meal.

Went there with my daughter on a Sunday night... just arriving from New York. Food is very average, service so-so; garlic bread had no garlic, I spilled wine on the table and had to call and ask the waiter for a replacement clean napkin... had salad and my knife disappeared along with the plate leaving without knife. And again had to call the waiter...Nothing " French " about this restaurant (if only the price, that by the way are up to 20% more than advertised online on the restaurant web site.) Will not be returning...

Very average food at a very high price. Lack luster atmosphere and food. Service was excellent. Will not be returning.

I was going to hold off on this, but since the owner decided it wasn't worth his time to call me back, I will update those planning for a party. 2021 Christmas, we had a decent time; staff was slow and not as it had been the year before. Drink glasses were left empty for 10 min or more. The appetizers were good but sparse for the size of group. Food was good again quality not what we had before. Now to the real concern I paid $500 for the room (they are closed on Mondays). When it came to paying the bill I based my tip off of the service (better than what they deserved) and a waitress came to me as I was with one of my guest (interrupting me as well) to inform me that I didn't leave a good tip... I went 18% on the bill for service! Again the bill had the $500 room fee as well! I paid a extra to avoid stirring the pot and left. The next day I called to have owner James call me. I even called again since I know people get busy; he couldn't be bothered. BEWARE and make sure service and room fees are separated!! I've been more than fair and for what I paid I could and WILL go elsewhere.

We met another couple who live downtown and frequent Bay Street Bistro, for dinner. Cozy place with great ambiance. Lighting was just right as was the level of music. Our meals were amazing and the wine list is extensive. A little on the pricey side, but a perfect place to treat yourself or go for a special occasion.

Pear salad- drowned in balsamic. Eggplant entree- drowned in balsamic. If you need to drown your entrees in such a pungent sauce, you're not seasoning your food well. Super expensive and not worth it.

Great food! Just around the corner from the hotel! Service was excellent great wine selection

really disappointing not being able to order food as they don't do carry out. I have never heard of a restaurant that does not do carry out.

Very cute small local bistro. Parking available behind the next door building on corner. Scallops are wonderful. Cute decor and great service. One of the better high end cuisine restaurants in downtown.

A wonderful local bistro that constantly surprises us with their food, service, and deserts. They have been remarkably consistent year after year and we strongly recommend spending a evening with them.

Food was all great. I had scallops and risotto. Tasted the duck and a few others and it was all good. Dessert good also. Weird atmosphere, doesn't fit the price range. Waitress seemed annoyed, but still did a good job.

This was my first time visiting this quant restaurant. The service was phenomenal and the food was amazing. I think there was salt and pepper on the table but I can't be for sure, but I surely didn't need it. I would definitely recommend it.

One of my favorite local places to eat. The quiet upscale atmosphere is conducive for conversation and meals shared with friends or that special loved ones. The service is friendly, and you can tell that the Chef takes time, love, and effort in the menu planning, food preparation, and presentation of the meals. French inspired the flavor profiles that go into each dish is purposeful and delicious, and I enjoy introducing friends to this quiet gem in downtown Lakeland. I highly recommend it.

Menu, service-- everything!! It's simply the best in Lakeland, Florida. Give it a try. .

Dinner is always top notched. Megan was awesome and answered all our questions and had great suggestions. Great little quaint setting for a nice quiet dinner.

Let me begin by saying the menu pricing was 10% higher on entrees and 20% higher on appetizers than posted on their website. Front of house was nice and inviting and back of house needed work and a cleaning crew. The bathroom was located behind the kitchen where you walked by a cluttered office and table filled with clutter. Sorry you shouldn't expect your patrons paying $100/person for dinner to experience this. While the food was better than average, the portions were small and expect to pay $60 an entree. Service was good. They seemed to have a much older, loyal patron but for younger to middle age customers that are willing to explore and get out of the neighborhood this is not a go to place. One expects more for this price range of restaurant.

Visited 5/09/23 with 3 friends. Each appetizer (escargot), soup (butternut squash) and salad (caprese) we shared was great. Entrees including roast duck, salmon and scallops were all very enjoyable. And dessert (blueberry lemon cake) was also delightful. Service (including owner & waitstaff) was excellent. Ambiance was quiet and small city elegant. Highly recommend this bistro for dining in Lakeland.

Great little place!! We went because they had beef wellington. It did not disappoint! We also are escargot and baked brie. Everything was so good. The atmosphere was great. They also had risotto. The last place I had risotto almost turned me off for good. Bay street Bistro brought me back. Great experience!

I have been dying to go to the Bistro for the Wellington! It is a very intimate place and the staff is amazing!!! We had two appetizers the stuff mushrooms and the Brie. The stuffed mushroom was amazing, the Brie was ok. Then came the tomato bisque, super light and creamy. The disappointment of the night was Wellington it had a sea of Demi glacé that pretty overwhelmed the dish! The pastry was over done on the bottom and mushy on the top. The potatoes had to much garlic and I couldn't eat those. My fiancé had the ribeye that was awesome! So we would go back for a yearly special occasion because it's expensive (320) for four people with a bottle of wine, but I won't get the Wellington.

Very comfortable setting with art on the bright yellow walls. This establishment was recommended to us by a server at another fine dining restaurant, and it didn't disappoint. The creme brûlée was easily one of the best I've ever had. The only reason for 4 stars, my husband's chicken entree was not warm. We will be back, though.

We so wanted to like this place, but the food was just simply bad in most cases. I've been looking for a good Beef Wellington in area so figured we'd make the drive and try this place. Area was dead on a Friday night. Place is small but nice atmosphere. We ordered Escargots and Caprese salad, followed by Obviously Beef Wellington and my wife had Filet mignon, both cooked medium rare with brown sugar mashed potatoes and Parmesan Risotto. Also came with a tomato bisque soup. Things started off well. Bread they brought to table was fresh, Caprese salad was good but nothing special, but the star of the night was the bisque soup. That was unbelievable! The Escargots were a little weird. Sauce was seasoned with way too much garlic which took everything over, but Escargots were well cooked. The filet mignon was perfectly cooked, but again, sauce was a bit too strong, taking away from the seasoning of the steak. Mashed potatoes were horrible! Tasted like a can of salt fell in the pot. Risotto was blend and slightly over cooked. Wellington was a disaster. Brought on a dirty plate and cooked medium well to well done (See photos. Even put a piece of filet next to it to show the comparison). They wrapped it in prosciutto which gave it a weird crunchy texture. Pastry was soggy. Out of all the places in Tampa bay I've had it, this was by far the worst. This place is expensive for the quality you get. Far from worth it. We definitely will not be back.

Two words: Mind-blowing This was the best meal I've had in the city of Lakeland. Husband had beef Wellington and I wish I had ordered that, it was delicious. I ordered the shrimp scampi and it was so full of flavor. So delicious!

My bff to me out for my birthday. I really wanted to try the beef Wellington but got a little nervous. I ended up getting actually both of us got New York shrimp scampi. This was by far the best steak I have ever had. The shrimp was cooked perfect. We got escargot which good. Pricey but well worth a treat.

AMAZING. That's what we said after every dish. Highly recommend! So much care is put into every dish and it shows. Melt in your mouth from start to finish!

Overpriced, small portions, food cold. I didn't get what I ordered. The manager or owner was extremely rude from the start and I wish we would have just left before we even ordered. If you like paying $54 for a cold TV then you might like this snobby place.

Made reservation for 4 on Valentines Day. Received our entree at 8:45. When one person in our party complained and refused their food, they insisted we take it home. We asked for the one meal to be taken off the bill and the manager/chef standing at our table said "you are paying for it or I'm calling the cops"! Worse service ever and most aggressive management ever. He stated it was Valentines Day as to why it took 1hr and 45 mins to get our food. $210 and left hungry!!! Side note...the waitress was very sweet and it was not her fault at all!

Great food and exceptional service! Loved the more eclectic choices...no rush so had lots of time to chat.

Phenomenal dining located in downtown Lakeland - upset that we didn't visit sooner while being so close. We began with the baked brie, which was great - it's a simple dish, but many places overheat the brie, or combine with a fruit that doesn't match up well. We then both opted for soups; she having the butternut squash, while I chose the tomato bisque - both were fantastic. Wish I kept a piece of the fresh bread to dip into the bisque. For the main course, she had the beef Wellington, and I the filet - both were cooked perfectly medium rare. The sides (starch being mashed potatoes, vegetables being a carrot-squash medley) were perfect compliments. For dessert, we split the creme brulee, which perhaps is the best we've ever had (and that's our go-to dessert). Highly recommend Bay Street Bistro; from the food, service, and ambiance - you won't be disappointed!

Staff was amazing as well as the the owner. (who was extremely kind) The food was amazing and came out hot and well paced. We will definitely be back

Clearly, this is one if Lakeland's finest dining venues! Ate the Beef Wellington Friday night - another SUPERB meal and wonderful service! From the salad through the desserts, each course was perfect.

Wife and I tried Bay Street Bistro for Valentines dinner last night. The atmosphere, menu selection and food quality were spot on, as in five stars. The waiter's rush to turn the table by insisting we order all the way thru entree upon being seated was not a proper greeting. It was obvious we irritated her by providing our appetizer selection and asking for a little more time to decide. Additionally, we asked one of the runners for more bread and received a curt reply "we are backed up so it might not be possible". Clearly, ownership/ management needs to counsel staff on proper customer interaction for a restaurant of this caliber. Unfortunately, the service attitudes ruined an otherwise stellar experience.

First of all, I am not a disgruntled employee!! What a horrifying experience, especially for my server Skylar. We ordered Seabass and 20oz Ribeye, bottle of wine, and Bruschetta appetizer. I'll leave the best for last. The Bruschetta had good flavor but ver salty and the presentation left much to be desired. Looked like bagged Parmesan on top as well as bagged greens underneath. Next was the Chilean Sea Bass, my girlfriend's favorite. What a disappointment. The topping called Bronze was like a jelly and the Sea Bass was mushy atop of a bland risotto. Here's the best, we dine out often and at nice places. I have never sent a steak back if it was cooked at least close to what I ordered. I had the 20oz Ribeye with liquid horseradish atop of my steak, ordered it Medium rare and received medium well. Whether it sat in the window waiting for the sea bass or was just cooked wrong, I don't know. I cut into it twice looking for some hint of pink even though it should be a warm red center. When I sent it back, "Chef" and I repeat in quotes, "Chef" Kevin refused to recook what I had ordered. The best part is he sent the poor server to the table to tell me. What a coward. I tipped Skylar $35. No manager or owner ever visited! $160 with tip and I left without eating! Shame on me for not reading similar reviews. This place will not last long. Highly recommend 1961 in Lakeland for a consistent and quality dining experience. I'm not a chain diner, but Applebees would put this "Bistro" to shame!

With 3 people working in their kitchen, this place rocks. My wife and I returned tonight after last visiting about a month ago. This is quickly becoming our favorite in Lakeland. The food and service are exemplary. We started tonight with delicious roasted butternut squash soup and a Caesar salad. Both were outstanding. The wine paring was a Meiomi Pinot Noir Sonoma. My wife had the Chilean sea bass ("bronzed" with a cumin, curry, and coriander rub with an pear burre-blanc sauce) on a bed of risotto. My pork shank osso buco was an incredible 6-inch long segment that was melt-in-your-mouth tender and served with potato mash and a medley of roasted vegetables. We finished this fabulous meal with an extremely generous slice of apple cake made in-house. Nothing could have been better. Awesome. If you've never been, you should give them a call for an immediate reservation. Bay Street Bistro will not disappoint.

The Bay Street Bistro is without a doubt the best restaurant in Lakeland, Florida. It would also stand up against the best small bistros is New York, San Francisco or Paris. This is a true gem in downtown Lakeland, FL! They have a great selection of food. Really amazing considering the small size. Everything is perfectly prepared to order. The wait staff is attentive but not intrusive. The wine selection is very nice. The owner and chef will most likely come and ask you if you enjoyed your meal. The ambiance is wonderful! Unlike most restaurants where you almost have to shout to the person next to you, this is a place where you can enjoy a great meal and have a nice conversation. If you live in Lakeland or anywhere near Lakeland I would highly recommend this amazing bistro! Actually if you live in Paris I'd recommend you visit Lakeland just to check out this great bistro!

Great meal. Great service. Lamb was great choice. The lemon blueberry cake is incredible.

This restaurant is a little know treasure in downtown Lakeland. Food is delicious and the service is impeccable.

We set dinner reservations through opentable and when we arrived at the restaurant the owner met us at the door. We gave him our name and he said we didn't have a reservation. We explained that we had set it up several days ago and very rudely he asked if we could show him. Because of his attitude I didn't want to stay at this point, but I returned with my phone and showed him our reservation. He looked at it then said, "I'm not sure what you want me to do I don't have any openings". He may be a good chief but has no people skills. I recommend him stay in the kitchen and hire someone to greet customers.