Bistro Nautile

Bistro Nautile holds a special place in our hearts. We were regulars back when it was known as Fish, and the owner and staff have always been incredibly warm and welcoming. And the food? Absolutely TOP shelf. It’s the only place I consistently choose for a solid dinner in Fort Collins. The prices are more than fair for the exceptional quality you receive. Every dish reflects care, creativity, and a commitment to fresh, sustainable ingredients. But what truly sets this place apart is the sense of community created by the Bistro team. Full disclosure—we’re a little partial now, because our son works there! That said, we were loyal patrons long before he joined the team. Watching him become part of such a thoughtful, tight-knit, LOCAL restaurant family has only made our connection stronger. The owner has cultivated something truly special: a place where staff, guests, and food all feel like they belong. Great food, great people, great atmosphere. Bistro Nautile is the first place I recommend to anyone visiting or living in Fort Collins. There’s simply no better spot in town. My wife and I celebrated 18 years of marriage last night and enjoyed the included pics as part of our order. Along with everything we ordered, the oysters were outstanding and the Flounder was amazing!

This place is so delicious and accommodating. We came in a little late for a light dinner. The drinks were imaginative and refreshing. Had the wedge salad and goat cheese croquette. 100% recommend. Janna was very helpful with recommendations and so welcoming!

Kat, our server and cofounder, was so nice and welcoming! Super informative about the menu and accommodated special requests generously. Food was top notch out of this world!! Definitely would recommend to anyone wanting a nice French spot to eat excellent food :) Photo is of the bison short rib!

This place is quaint and homely. We were greeted by the owner and treated like regulars, though it was the first time me and my wife had been here (her parents had been before, but it had been quite a while since they'd been in). The food was excellent. Bright fresh flavors brought out the nuance of the seafood nicely. Every course was well executed and full of flavor. The clam chowder was some of the best I've had. The portions were generous. It was a fun touch to have the tables covered in paper and each table had a cup of crayons to doodle as you wait (though we never had to wait long for anything). Though it doesn't feel as fancy or "date night" as some of the other places in town for the price, the food tasted the part and I would recommend giving Bistro Nautile a try!

One of the best spots for a meal out in Fort Collins. Everything they make is special & delicious. Very accommodating for gluten-free. The menu changes regularly & the service is sarcastic, attentive & professional. Come here!

Absolutely delicious. Came here for a birthday and our waitress was so accommodating and kind. We had the Friday special and I’ve never tasted anything like it. The broth was delicious and it was stuffed with seafood. The caramel addition to the key lime pie was 10/10 Cocktails were also extremely good, looking forward to coming back for happy hour in the near future!

My wife and I had the special fall five course dinner with the wine pairing option. What a treat! Every course was delicious and a work of art. The wine was perfectly matched to the particular dish we were eating. Our server was very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. I would highly recommend this place for a special occasion or a fun night out.

Ok, one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Fort Collins. I’ve been to France, have cooked some delicious food, but let me tell you about the depth of flavor here. We had some parents in town and shared a bunch of things. Fried hazel dell mushrooms - fantastic start and you wouldn’t think mushrooms could taste this savory. Small dish, but great bites. Bistro has a knack for nailing dishes that balance acid, crunch, creamy, savory. Lemongrass & coconut milk mussels - we straight up drank the sauce, which was simultaneously smoky, tomatoey, coconut, spiced. Dip your bread and then get more bread to dip. French onion gratinee - it’s French onion soup, super hot and savory, cheesy. Hints of mustard and Worcestershire? Smoked tomato soup - best tomato soup I’ve ever had. Thick, smoky, deeply creamy. It’s like nothing I’ve had. Wild flounder à la anglaise - great breaded flounder and a rich sauce to go along with it. The simple vegetables were the star. I couldn’t understand how sliced peas could be so well seasoned, charred, and flavored. I was scratching my head just examining them. Anyway, come here. Bring a loved one. It’s expensive so just know it’s probably for special occasions unless you’re that type of person. Enjoy!

Truly amazing place-- one of the best dinner experiences we've had in years! One of the owners, Kat, who is wacky & wonderful in the best ways possible, sat us and was our waiter as well. Her culinary knowledge was clear, and pointed us in the right direction in regards to cocktails & wine selections-- what a great way to start the meal off. The food was beyond incredible. We started with "Clam Chowd'ah". Let me mention that I grew up in the Northeast, vacationing in New England my entire life, and this soup is spot on to the real thing-- a true MUST order, along with some delicious French bread & butter was all a wonderful starter. For dinner, our table ordered the "Hazel Dell Mushroom Wellington," a vegetarian magnum opus to be sure-- crispy & decadent, yet delicate pastry filled will savory mushrooms, yum! We also ordered the "Braised Colorado Short Rib" that fell apart with a fork only, no knives needed it was so tender! And finally, we ordered the "Maine Scallop Risotto." Tender, delicate scallops, not tough in the slightest gently placed on perfectly cooked risotto the way it's supposed to be, slightly loose, and not gluey-- the flavor was rich & tasty! Utter perfection, and my favorite dish of the night if its even possible to pick one from the incredible cornucopia of masterful dishes. Finally, we ended with sharing the Flourless Chocolate Torte (a la mode)-- a lovely, perfect way to end this perfect meal. Rarely do ALL the elements of a meal come together. Amazing, warm service with knowledgeable staff, and every single dish, every single bite was unforgettable. My highest recommendation I have given in quite some time-- what a treat indeed!

Divine! Lovely evening at Bistro Nautile with my daughter. We were greeted with a "first timers" pubic announcement and offered enticing menus. I had the Goutte de Citron cocktail with St Germaine, daughter had Pinot Gris. We were going to share entrees but I had a hard time letting go of my belper knoll gnocchi for her West African lamb tbone chops. We resisted the highly touted key lime pie and chose the chocolate cake. No regrets--it was so rich and, well... divine, just like every other bite. Can't wait to return! I'm eyeing the lunch menu right now! (Sorry I don't have more pictures, but we did have fun with the crayons!)

Disappointing experience here for dinner. The best part was the butter served with the half baguette. The clam chowder was decent. However, the scallops main included gritty mussels, some of which arrived unopened. The pasta base was so bland that I tried to add some of the yummy baguette butter, but even that couldn't save it. Scallops were well cooked but there were other components on the plate and none of them worked. Service was blase. My companion said that his onion soup tasted bitter and vinegary. Not what we expected.

This is one of my absolutely favorite places on Earth. The food is spectacular (Chef is the best) but it's the staff that makes the icing on the cake. Definitely the best restaurant in Fort Collins!

I found this place on Google, as I am visiting from out of town. I was looking for a French or influenced local spot. Looked like it had great reviews! I booked a reservation. I sat at the bar and had a gentleman greet me and serve me, as well. Great wine list. I ordered a bottle. I found out later it was 25% off Wednesday for full bottles. I ordered oysters to start with & half baguette. The herbed butter was fabulous with the warmed bread. Oysters fresh and popping with flavor. I love horseradish so that was a bonus. I'm not into crackers, lemon, cocktail sauce or minionette but they had all the stuff. I ordered a fall style salad with bitter greens, apples, sesame seeds, candied giuanciale and candied pecans with white balsamic viniagrette and red onion. Balance was elusive though. Too many sweet elements. The pecans were halved overly sugar crusted and clunky. Just not necessary. Everything else worked fab together. Next I had a greens wrapped pork tenderloin over homemade spaetzel. The plate came and was SO messy. A pile of sliced meat over a pile of dumplings and a dollop of some kind of balsamic gel The overwhelming smell of garlic was a bit disconcerting and the micro greens atop wilted before arriving. Once I had a few bites the garlic moved aside for a more mustard note. The dish, albeit cooked properly, was a mess to look at, too rich and just not cohesive. It needed more balance! I also ordered a flan dessert to take home. It had great flavor but a clunky undercooked dough. Yuk. My server was pleasant and we exchanged funny quips and discussed music. He seemed to enjoy working there. I left a 20% tip on the total before the wine discount. I got a cold reaction from the server upon leaving. Not sure if it was a reaction to my tip or just lack of courtesy, but did not get a Thank You for coming in or any acknowledgement. Lame! Lack of balance in the dishes was my biggest observation and portions were over sized.

We have dined at several places in FoCo and Bistro Nautile stands well above the rest. Service is exceptional. Knowledgeable and informative on pairings and best selections. Food quality is also exceptional. When you're debating whether the scallops are 4 star or five, life is pretty damn good. We had the oysters, salad, and swordfish. All extremely good. I saw a one star review on Yelp and wondered what planet the reviewer came from. We've eaten at several 4 and 5 star places in Denver and Bistro Nautile crushes all of them.

I tried Bistro Nautile for lunch today. One of the owners, Kat, was our server. She was very friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the kabocha squash & carrot kinpira soup and the crown & hazel dell mushroom tartine. Both were delicious!

Everything was so pleasant. Loved our waitress. We had a secluded back corner table that we enjoyed. Had scallop crudo, the best. Blackened Trout, super tasty and the side salad was so good with beets. Crispy Gnudni had delicious sauce and veggies. I loved that Kat "recommends" wines on the menu. Helps us decide between all the numerous choices. Will definitely be back.

Food and service were both great. We had the king salmon and the scallops entrees. Yum yum yum!!! Makes me drool just thinking about them. We were celebrating a special occasion and the vibe was quiet, which is what we were looking for. We played hangman and tic tac toe on the paper table cloths, which just added to the fun evening . Will definitely be back!

This is a very unassuming place tucked on Oak street. Why did it take me two years to get here! Cocktails avg $15 but are excellent. The appetizers are easily shareable and we got the Potato/Goat Cheese Beignets and the crabcake. Both were excellent and shareable about $10/ea. we then split the special which was a bison short rib stroganoff which was also shared easily. $38. Rain, our server was a simple joy full of passion and education. It isn't a large space and even though the weather was inclement, the restaurant was full. It wasn't a cheap night. 4 cocktails 2 appetizer and a split entree and dessert was $140 w/tip. It was excellent. I will definitely return to try their scallops. They also have a wine/pairing menu which requires reservations and run $155 pp. This is a special place. Truly. I can't wait to come back. It is t cheap, but the entire experience was casual and excellent. I found no issue with the price with the excellent fare and service.

Felt very welcome when entering, great fresh elegant seafood, not pretentious, great service, best flounder as described by my east coast wife.

Amazing food and service! This is a great place for happy hour or a date night. The staff is friendly and the chef takes special care preparing each dish.

Although we dined at several other places in Ft Collins, I am not rating any other restaurant than Bistro Nautile. Owner and service were exceptional. The PEI oysters were fresh, scallop dish, ocean trout and hanger steak were all well prepared. Drinks were enjoyed. I loved that they had a white port option for after dinner that reminded me of Portugal. This was the only restaurant that actually had an adult bar tender and cooks/chef that I saw. Don't forget the rest, but this was hands done the best.

We came here for our 22nd anniversary. This is the former "Fish" restaurant. Same owners, just rebooted with a new theme that focuses on sustainability. We had an excellent meal, with generous portions, and great service with character. We liked everything we ate. Good wine list too.

Came in for dinner and Janna was amazing, would definitely come again and request her!

We had an absolutely amazing experience tonight. everything we ate was beyond 5 stars. The crab cakes were full of fresh meat and had an amazing sauce to complete the dish, the tuna special was so unique and perfectly prepared, scallops were beyond perfect! We don't often eat our but will be back again soon!

A lot of interesting things on the menu! Our server was also so funny and attentive, it was a pleasant experience overall. The oysters here were some of the best I've had, for a decent price too! My pasta and clam chowder were good, but I heard that the trout was the best which I regret not getting! My fiancé loved his dish which was the special for the night, and as much as my fiancé could gobble his food, he had a good chunk of leftovers due to how massive the food was. Definitely want to come back for oysters and to try other items on the menu!

It was okay, but didn't live up to the rating. Firstly, it's classified as French cuisine so I expected some lamb on the menu-- there wasn't. That wasn't a deal breaker, just disappointing. I ordered the steak and asked for medium rare-- it was cooked pretty decently but there just wasn't much flavor. I'm writing my review 2 months later so I don't recall what else was ordered at the table, but that kinds of sums it up-- nothing memorable. I would like to try this place again and give them the benefit of a doubt, but they're not exactly priced for a mediocre meal.

I ate at the bar and was served by a man who goes by "Meet Sauce". He was quite witty and had some wry jokes. He served me two drinks that I've never had before - a 'Frisco and "fun with ball and chains". Both were tasty. I had the pate for an appetizer. This was my favorite dish of the three that I ordered. The pate was silky and very tasty. There was a compound butter that was like gilding the lily. There were two delicious house-made pieces of bread that were very fresh. With some cornichons and some micro-greens, it was a well-rounded dish. I had the beet salad next. I found the dressing very sour; adding beet to the bite helped cut through the sourness. The sesame seeds didn't seem to add anything to the salad. The third dish was the sea bass nage. The fish was perfectly crispy. The standout part of this dish was the fish fume; it was full of flavor and I couldn't stop drinking it.

Unfortunately we were very disappointed. We got the crab cake, poke and ahi tuna egg roll for starters. The poke didn't seem very fresh and wasn't very flavorful. The crab cake was very salty. The egg roll was awful. I love ahi tuna but this must have been bad ahi as it tasted very fishy and had an off flavor. We could hardly digest our bite. We also got the lamb which was good but not outstanding. Very salty as well. Unfortunately won't be coming back

The food and service are French at their foundation with an American Global influence. We love the creativity and beverage offerings. Happy hour provides a great "get acquainted" value.

can I give negative stars. I don't usually go to this effort. I mean a meal out -- it's good or not. but this place was a nightmare. the service was bad. we ended up sick on bad oysters. they made no effort to pull those bad oysters. we contacted them telling them we. Were quite sick and got a bad oyster. They said well that can happen!!

went there last night.excellent.clam chowder was superb.trout was excellent.great service.highly recommend!

Perfection at it's finest! Raw oysters on the 1/2 shell to take out, delicious and just like we love them. They even went a few steps beyond and added lemons, cocktail sauce & mignonette! Forget the rest! You found the best!

No pictures for this review because it quickly became apparent it would be like a picture of the Grand Canyon at sunset--just wouldn't do it justice. The vibe is quaint. The service was perfect. Yes, perfect. "Meatsauce" was our server, which initially seemed to be like a stripper's stage name, but for fine food. He knew everything on the menu, including wine, and had perfect recommendations. Better yet, he and the sous chef timed every dish so we weren't rushed but never had to wait--damn rare in any restaurant. Then, the food. God, the food. Oysters and PEI mussels, the latter in a sauce that I would have lapped like a rabid dog if it were socially acceptable. Meatsauce understood the look-i bet its common-and brought us a fresh loaf of bread to dip it. The trout entree was excelletn-fresh and perfectly cooked. The chicken was incredible and was half a damn chicken in a skillet with veggies and a flavor bouquet light sauce. I rarely get full at restaurants and certainly not with French quisine. Had to take a good portion of our entrees home. We were both stuffed. There are many great places in FoCo we have dined at over the years, but none better than Bistro Nautile.

If you can't decide what to order, definitely get the mussels! They are served in the creamiest, most flavorful white wine broth that I dream about. I also love their chicory salad, mushroom pasta and scallop entree. For the quality, their prices are extremely reasonable and they are still offering happy hour despite the pandemic. Their patio feels very safe with a few spaced tables, 2 of which are inside individual tents. The tables that are not inside tents have propane heaters to keep you warm on chilly nights! And service is always friendly and prompt.

10/10 every single time we come here. The mussels and French onion soup are our favorite items on the menu currently!

I love the French way of cooking and when I saw Bistro Nautile's menu I knew I'd be going there. We (two of us) were greeted by a funny and jolly fellow who took us to our table. Love the ambience of the place. Rachel was our server and she was attentive and knew how to accommodate our needs just at the right time. We started with two very cold gin martinis. They use a local gin for their well, and it is very good. We split a very large order of mussels baked in a wine, lemon, creme sauce. Lovely crusted baguette was for dipping into said sauce. We both could have stopped right there. But, of course we couldn't, and we didn't. We ordered a delightful bottle of Sauv Blanc from the Loir Valley in France. So delicious! Rachel brought a sleek wine chiller to keep it nice and cold. We had French Onion Soup which was very rich and good. I didn't finish it only because I wanted to leave room for the entree, which we also split: Scallops and potatoes with greens in a sumptuous sauce. Everything we ate was top notch delicious. This is a high end, but not snooty, bistro. Expect to pay more than your average restaurant, because this place exceeds average by far. We were too stuffed to enjoy a dessert, so the plan next time is to eat lighter and leave room for dessert - or perhaps a glass of Ruby Red Port. This is my new favourite fine dining restaurant in our fair town of Fort Collins. I'll be going back very soon!

I was really excited to try Bistro Nautile after seeing Katherine Heigl share that she dined here. All of the food was wonderful. The owner was our server and she was lovely. We will definitely return.

I'm not usually a reviewer, but for Bistro Nautile I have nothing but praise. This place has never disappointed, always surpassing standards. We come here every special occasion and today the mushroom and leek soup paired with the scallops for an entree amazed me. The service was absolutely impeccable and it's beautiful as always in house. If you have a chance, give this place a visit!

Happy to see Bistro Nautile adapting to the new regulations so well. Beautiful outdoor patio space, and they were great about spacing out tables. So much is different, it was nice to have a wonderful happy hour break. The Steamburgers were delicious! I had the Goutte De Citron in the sugar-rimmed glass, which was wonderfully balanced with St Germain elderflower liqueur. My partner ordered the Anévrisme Al' Orange, which he liked but found a bit too tart. 2 for 1 cocktails with the Passport program. Great way to try out a new place - we'll be back!

Quaint atmosphere, personable staff, delicious and unique entrées. Highly recommend!

Where do I begin! The food was amazing ! Please get the muscles and French onion soup! We had a party of 8, they were so attentive and no one was disappointed! The owner Kat, her personality made me feel at home! She is amazing! At the end of the night Meatsauce, entertained us with his limericks! You will not be disappointed! Annie was amazing! Hi!

I had been wanting to try this place out. I want to start with the service. It was absolutely impeccable. They were so accommodating and very pleasant. The atmosphere is eh, not romantic not big and needs a little more modern or French flair to it. It was cozy. We started with the crab cakes and mussels. The mussels were pretty good. The sauce and bread is what made this pretty good. The crib cakes were good, but the sauce it cane with tasted like it had a lot of Mexican or Spanish spices . I don't feel as tho this complimented the crab st all. It would have been great with a citrus cream sauce. We also got the French onion soup with extra Grueyer cheese. I thought it was good but had too many onions. My husband thought it was great. For our entrees, my husband got the scallops with potatoes, and i got the tiger shrimp with bucattini pasta and a poached. The seafood on both of ours was cooked perfectly. My husband really liked his. Mine was very bland and did nothing for me. I certainly did not think it was worth the $42.00 we paid for it. My husband's meal was $48. We also tried the white raspberry cheesecake. That was sooooo good! For a French inspired restaurant, I was really disappointed there was not really any bread(except what came with our mussels) or pastries. The restaurant does have an in house chef that can pretty much accommodate most dietary or pteferentialneeds I would say my overall feeling about this place is that I would come back and give it a shot if our bill wouldn't have 189.00 for the 2 of us without tip and the kitchen fee.They change out their menu by season and have daily special. I probably would try something again at a more reasonable price.

We couldn't wait to try Bistro Nautile, the reviews were great and the idea of eating bouillabaisse was inviting. This is a smaller restaurant and we looked forward to the quaintness that comes with that. There were good things about our dinner which included the view of the fish tank and the raclette, but this night felt like a miss. The bouillabaisse looked beautiful, but had very little flavor. One of the salads that came with it had not been dressed with the lemon oil and it was just lettuce and Parmesan. A bite from each other's plate verified that even though they were the same salad, they were different. When our bottle of water ran out, it was never filled and we had to ask for additional drinks even though there were only a few other guests. We never felt like "guests" here. Restaurants have had a hard time this past year and we want them to succeed, which is why the saddest part was hearing two male employees degrade a local band and then begin to loudly share stories of customers in a negative light, this was right in the middle of the dining area and a few others also seemed surprised by the lack of social awareness. This kind of negativity left us feeling like we wished we had spent our money somewhere else.

One of the best restaurants we have enjoyed in Fort Collins. Service and Food were excellent. Will go back...

I wish I could give 5 stars to this place. However, the food and drinks are mediocre. Also it's pretty loud, specially if you are sitting close to the kitchen window and people in the kitchen are constantly yelling the orders. I ordered duck and it was cold. Key lime pie was delicious and our server was nice too. Probably this was are first and last time at this place.

Welcoming and warm staff. I went when there was an appetizer special during happy hour. The food was more than enough and absolutely delicious! Our bartender was pleasant, engaging and prompt with everything that we needed. Absolutely will come back, but will bring more people next time.

One of a tiny group of restaurants vying for the very best of FoCo dining. Whether they take 1st, 2nd, or 3rd for me at any given time might depend on my mood more than anything, but I can't imagine them ever disappointing. The food is always fabulous, the staff always knowledgeable, and the ambience is upscale comfortable. I'm grateful our town has this place.

We were a party of 4, on a Sunday night, looking for a special spot to celebrate our son's recent engagement. We were not disappointed. We began with a cheerful greeting at the door, with the owner remembering our reason for being there and congratulating the couple. We chose the bread board...Wow, amazing garlicky butter. Chose a Malbec bottle of wine and continued on to enjoy a salad of greens, delicious chowder, the trout, fettucine with shrimp, mussels and beef short rib, finishing it with a pecan praline dessert. All of us were delighted with the presentation, the flavors, and the ambiance. Thank you, BISTRO NAUTILE, for knocking it out of the park

This was one of the best meals I've had in Fort Collins! We've been here for about 20 years, and the food and service was excellent. We started with duck confit eggroll and the scallop special Crudo, both were excellent. This was paired with a cheap but surprisingly good Chenin blanc from South Africa. Entrees were Seared wild grouper and Maitake tartufo risotto with added scallops. Both were great. We finished with the keylime pie(best outside of Florida) and vermouth di Torino. Great ambiance! We will definitely be back!

Great fresh food and menu. Engaging wait staff. Quiet and comfortable. We will retur.

Accidentally had an amazing dinner...we were driving around looking for somewhere to eat...and literally parked almost right in front. So went in without a reservation. It was 4:50p...late lunch early dinner. They were booked starting at six, so we were ok. Very warm inside and our server was simply amazing. Very funny and welcoming. Even with our weekend work close on. We ordered a bottle of Jordan and started with the steak tartare...both were amazing. I then ordered the Burgundy coq au vin and my girlfriend ordered the steelhead salmon. Also went with an upgrade on the sides. I had the French onion soup and she had the child's serving of macaroni and cheese . The French onion was sooo good. Loved it and the Mac and cheese looked great. Not heavy at all The coq au vin was fall off the bone incredible... However, the breast may have been a tad dry. The flavors were rich and memorable. The steelhead salmon was served skin up very crispy... I was extremely jealous. My girlfriend told me it literally melted in her mouth. Which was confirmed when she fed me a bite after staring at it for as long as I did. This restaurant is very much about the experience and the incredible care they put into their artistic serving of the food. I highly recommend them and can't wait to return.

This is a must try! The food is fantastic. The shrimp pasta was excellent. The oysters and muscles were fresh and so good! Desserts are amazing. Everything was fantastic.

We really wish we could give this place more stars and we wanted to like this place because of the great reviews but the food fell so flat. Very friendly staff and unpretentious atmosphere. Appetizer and chicory salad was decent. But the positives don't go much further... I ordered a drink with cachaca rum, passionfruit nectar, and mint. I could only taste cachaca. So, it was strong but not a tasty nor balanced drink.  Clam chowder was so disappointing. Reminded us of a cheap watery diner chowder. Scallops entree and risotto entree both very bland. When the owner stopped at our table I kindly express how the dishes lacked flavor. She brought out a dish of parmesan which helped a bit with the risotto but the dishes couldn't be salvaged.  They lacked any sort of depth or layered flavors we would expect from French cuisine. For over $100 dinner we just expected much more. We are very confused about the 5 star reviews...Maybe they had a substitute chef for the evening? Not their regular? We enjoyed the staff but the food didn't match the quality of service and we just can't see ourselves ever returning.

Great food & good service. We've been there several times & are never disappointed. We take special guests there too.

It was a great place and had a long run. But, now it is permanently closed and has been replaced by the owners with a new French restaurant. Check it out.

The service and food here is always excellent. This is our favorite restaurant in Fort Collins so far.

Pleasant and accommodating staff that know their food well. The entrees were delicious and portions were generous to have leftovers to take home.