Cafe Navarre

We came into town for a tennis match Saturday morning and had the absolute best dinner here Friday night! The service was spectacular. The food was absolutely delicious and completed my meal with chocolate gelato (forgot to take a photo because I couldn’t wait to eat it!). There was seven of us and we all tried something different and everybody loved their meal.

Great spot for drinks and a good meal. Our favorite was the pasta. Autumn was our server and was an absolute gem and made the evening amazing! Highly recommend if you are in the area

Autumn was great! It was a little warm upstairs for my liking and the food wasn't as "five star" as I remember it being. But Autumn really went out of her way to make us feel special and taken care of. If we go back, we will request Autumn.

If you’re looking for the best restaurant in SB, look no further it’s Cafe Navarre! We’ve been there twice and are blown away by the delicious food, service and amazing wine list! They won a Wine Spectator Award on 2024 and 2025! We loved the new Italian forward menu! Can’t wait to go back!

Dined for our first time at Cafe Navarre and it wont be our last. For the first course, we had oysters, the crab cake, and octopus. It was all delicious! Then, we shared the gnocchi, and the truffles were so yummy. For our main course, we had the filet and new york strip. Both cooked perfectly! The creme brulee for dessert was also delicious. Our server, Dalton, gave us 10/10 service! Thank you so much!

If you enjoy a calming presence with gorgeous Greco-Roman architecture and a phenomenal menu, then you must try Cafe Navarre. Our server John was just incredible! He was incredibly knowledgeable both about the history of the building itself and the seasonal menu. I would also highly recommend the chocolate oat cake, which was recommended by John and I must say it was the best dessert I’ve had in a while.

Came for my anniversary and Danielle made my partner and I feel so special! We went to the bar for a cocktail before hand and the bartenders were also so kind, we can’t wait to come back! This is our second time coming and the food was just as amazing as the first time. Highly recommend, especially for celebrations!!

Super friendly staff food is just okay! Ordered Branzino, filet mignon & chicken!

My mom and I stopped in for a couple drinks and appetizers after work. It's been quite a few years since I have been here. When we walked in the two ladies at the just stand were very kind. We sat at the bar where AJ took the best care of us. He happily answered all our questions, we very kind and attentive. I highly recommend anyone stopping in to sit at the bar with AJ, you will not regret it! He also helped reunite me with a rum I love but had forgotten the name of. Thanks so much AJ. Lastly the management that ran my good was super professional and made sure we were enjoy our expierence. The food was great as usual. I had the icecream with espresso and baileys for dessert and you have to try it! I will be going back more often.

Terrific dinner in South Bend, IN. Cafe Navarre offers a refined menu with many unique spins on more traditional dishes. Started with a cured Waygu plate with olives, roasted peppers, and fresh Parmesan. This dish checked all of the boxes. Fresh, unique, and not overly salty. Waygu was amazing. Then moved onto the Arrancini that was made with pumpkin, rice, Parmesan with a nice ragu and an apple parsnip puree. Really nice dish. Arrancini was savory with a touch of sweetness from the pumpkin. Puree was a perfect compliment. Next was wild mushroom soup. Creamy, savory and everything a soup should be. Exceptional. For my entree, went with beef medallion tips over green beans and a cauliflower puree. Tips were cooked perfectly and the puree was delightful. Fine dining ambiance and service. Very enjoyable dining experience. For those who enjoy libations, very good cocktail menu with many signature drinks to choose from. Two thumbs up!

WOW!!! My wife and I were treated here by my parents. They've been many times. This is our first time it won't be our last.Let's start with the service, absolutely fantastic couldn't have better service. So attentive. Now the food it was restaurant week. My mom and I both got the salmon. The best salmon I've ever had. My dad had the fillet also excellent. My wife had the pork tenderloin. She said it was the best ever. Melt in your mouth. Way to go Café Navarre!!!!

very lovely place with high ceilings and tasteful interior design. service was pretty good but not particularly memorable. the crab cake rangoon was a creative dish for sure. i loved the seabass. for dessert we got lavender earl grey cheesecake. it was soo good. i really don't think you could go wrong with any of the desserts to be honest

My colleague and I had dinner here June 13 and it was exceptional. The food was perfect. Best crab risotto I've ever had and the homemade Ragu and homemade noodles were wonderful-perfectly cooked. Autumn took care of us and she did an exceptional job. She took care of us like we were family. We never had to ask for refills or anything else for that matter. She made our dinner enjoyable and offered small plates so that we could try the things that struck our pallet. We would definitely come back. Restaurant is in an old bank and had wonderful history that she and several other of the people that work there shared with us even allow us to take a tour of the upstairs and look at the pictures. Sheri and Jason 10 stars

Stopped in with dinner with a coworker. Nice atmosphere there service was great. They kept on filling your water. Never had to wait for the refill. I ordered the meatballs as an app and pasta with bolognese sauce. Meatball was very good, you get 5, they had good flavor and crustini bread. The bolognese had veal in it and gave it a different flavor. I did enjoy it and the pasta was homemade. My coworker got the crab cake app 4oz piece and she got the cauliflower app which was a special of the night. I don't like cauliflower but tried it and the seasoning on oil on it gave it a unique flavor. I kinda liked it. If I had to eat it again it would be their way.

Rachel was warm and friendly. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and we took her recommendations. We will be telling friends and family and we will be back! Also, the host staff were outstanding about accommodating our seating needs. Thank you for hiring such poised young ladies.

Food - 5/5 Service - 5/5 Ambiance - 4.5/5 Value - 4/5 Came here for a birthday dinner and it was exactly what I imagined. There was mood lighting for dinner and all the tables were set. Guests were dressed nicely as well. The waiter gave great recommendations and came to our table multiple times asking if we needed anything. Then the food, wow. I got the osso bucco which was fall off the bone tender. We finished the evening with creme brûlée which was just as good as everything else.

Nice upscale spot- beautiful decor. Service was attentive and when I asked for recommendations the server was comfortable and familiar with the menu to give some favorites. I wasn't quite hungry enough to do a full entree so I had a "small plate" which was a crab cake and a bowl of mushroom soup. Both were packed with great flavor. Overall- i'd enjoy coming back to try more of the menu.

The most delicious meal we've had in a long time! Perfectly seasoned filet mignon, tasty dessert & attentive & friendly staff set within a clean and airy ambiance. We'll definitely return.

The place was recommended by my boss. I had scallops and octopus which was phenomenal. Wish the portion sizes were bigger which means I was wanting to lick the plates. The ale that I ordered was okay. I should've ordered Guinness. Overall great classy place. Friendly bartenders.

We absolutely love this place, most delicious mushroom soup we have ever had. Autumn took such great care of us on Valentine's Day, she's amazing. Also, Matt called me and got us an earlier reservation which we very much appreciate. You cannot go wrong with this romantic, high quality, beautiful, and charming place.

Cafe Navarre is a phenomenal restaurant in South Bend. The steak frites and pork chop were excellent entrees, and the Spanish octopus appetizer was tender and flavorful! Our waitress Autumn was pleasant and did a great job serving us during our dinner. She was very kind and stopped by my table often to make sure everything was good. I would definitely recommend coming here if you're looking for a high quality meal while you are in South Bend.

Wonderful anniversary dinner, their staff made it special with a card signed by the staff and a complimentary dessert. Cocktails were great, our server offered suggestions. Had the mushroom soup and Caesar salad to start. The soup was delicious. Entrees pork chop and the bolognese. The pork chop was excellent, wish I had ordered that instead but the Bolognese was very good. Mina, our server ensured that we had a wonderful anniversary dinner. Highly recommend dinner here, especially if you have a special occasion..

Food, drink, service and ambiance are all top-shelf. Consistently great experience when I stop in.

Really solid food. Only thing I'd like to see more is changes in the menu. This is a solid go-to date night or a meal at their beautiful bar. We've stopped going a bit because the menu has been pretty much the same for many years. That being said, we always love to go to Cafe - and if you've never been....It's a must-see!!!

Fantastic place to eat if you can even get in. The filet mignon is fork tender and the crème brûlée is perfect it has that glass crack crunch on top and the perfect creamy consistency don't even get me started on the best French onion soup in town and possibly anywhere I always order it

Fantastic restaurant! Came through town for a special occasion and decided to come to Cafe Navarre, we were seated at their beautiful patio dining. Started with soup and salad as starters, super tasty and refreshing! My partner had their sirloin frites and I myself had the lamb shank, both melt in the mouth tender. Finished the lovely meal with an expresso martini, and a butterscotch toffee cheesecake. Overall a 10/10 Our server Autumn went above and beyond, with such great presentation and table side manners. She didn't miss a beat! Ask for her!

From apps through finale, everything was beautifully made and presented. The lobster gnocchi was drool-worthy. I ate way too much bread with every course! Hello pesto butter that I didn't know I needed in my life! Can we talk about the mushroom soup? It might be the best thing I've ever had. Ever. The Amish chicken was perfection. Moist. Tender. Crusty skin. We forgot to ask what makes it Amish. We don't really care. If I had one complaint...and I don't because that mushroom soup makes up for everything that's wrong in the world...it would be that the romaine needed to be rinsed better because it tasted of the bitter, white sap that comes from rougher manhandling during shipping. It's not the restaurants fault, but a thorough rinse will make the taste more pleasant. The mule (euphoria) and the cranberry Prosecco (a few good dreams) were extremely tasty. Though, the latter gave me heartburn that burned with a fury hotter than the 13th layer of hell. That's a me problem, not a problem with the drink (but dose up beforehand if cranberry is your jam and heartburn your Achilles heel...it was definitely worth it)! And, again, mushroom soup. The restaurant is set in a beautiful space with large windows, an intricate ceiling, and each table was immaculately set. Our server was beyond reproach--knowledgeable, professional, witty, and adorable. She, alone, would shove the restaurant into ten of five stars range. Thank you for a wonderful meal and romantic date night!

The food was wonderful! Autumn was a very attentive server. And the Ambiance was so beautiful and relaxing.

Fine dining for an area severely lacking it. A nice change of pace from the other dining in the area when you want a nice night out. One of the best dirty martinis, octopus was tender, and delicious steak cuts. Upstairs seating lacks ambience reflective enough for the prices.

We had a wonderful Easter Brunch! The food was amazing. Our server Autumn was great! Family was very pleased with all their meals!

We came here for Easter Brunch. The food was amazing. It was such a great alternative to cooking a big dinner for just my daughter and I. Autumn was our server and she was so amazing. She was so kind and attentive. She was just the best. I'd go back for a holiday brunch again for sure!

Cafe Navarre is one of my favorite restaurants in South Bend. I've eaten there over half a dozen times throughout the past 6 years, and it is consistently amazing! They have very high quality food, drinks, and service. The last time I ate here, Autumn was our server, and she was delightful. My sister had the bolognese which is her favorite because it contains nutmeg which is fairly unusual (but very tasty), I had the pork chop which was so tender that it fell off the bone with little effort, and my husband had French onion soup and seared tempeh, which did not feel like a compromise as a vegetarian option. I highly recommend Cafe Navarre!

Great food and good people! The staff were friendly and made my family and I feel welcomed.

Ambiance was great, service was good as well. Order the steak and you will not be disappointed.

We stopped for an early dinner, at the end of a work week which included a number of very pleasant culinary experiences. This place did not disappoint. Heather was particularly attentive and informative. I personally seldom go against the recommendations of the server, and my method was rewarded. Heather offered some suggestions. I selected the Duck Confit with the pomegranate reduction and the most divine sweet potato puree, garnished with roasted broccoli. Exceptional. I'll be visiting again!

Words and pictures won't do justice to how great this place is but I'll give it a try. I picked this place when I was in South Bend for business after a long day on the road. I quickly picked something downtown while I was at my last break about an hour away. They have a reasonable but not overly complicated wine selection. I started with a glass of red before dinner. I ordered the duck and risotto which were exceptional. The skin was perfectly crisp and the meat fell off the bone as soon as the fork touched it. The risotto was very creamy and had a great texture. The locals at the bar were great to talk to and the service was exceptional from the staff. I will definitely be back and will bring some friends next time.

Celebrated my parents 62nd Anniversary here! This is definitely the perfect place in So. Bend for a special occasion! Based on the other reviews, we tried the mushroom soup. It was delicious! I had the beet salad. I like beets & I enjoyed it! Just know that there is no green leaves, just beets. Risotto fritters were probably the only thing I wouldn't order again. They were just ok. The sauce served under them was delicious. The main courses we ordered= salmon, filet mignon, and lamb skank. All 3 were perfect! Dessert- crème brûlée= outstanding! Service was on point! I would definitely recommend this restaurant!

Great food, wonderful service, very helpful managers and bar staff. The steak frites is my go-to meal here, though I'm partial to the lamb shank when it's in, and if I lived closer to South Bend I'd be here every payday.

Very friendly staff. Get the bone marrow for sure. I had the osso buco which was great except I would have preferred it without the black sesame seeds on the outside. I need to have the mushroom soup shipped to me at least once a week somehow

Great food (pork chops), awesome atmosphere (historical building), excellent service (bar). REPEAT.

The wife and I visited Cafe Navarre on a Friday evening and had a great experience. Ryan was awesome and had the most personable personality. He started and ended the evening, asking about our experience and ways to improve. I really appreciate this about top tier places wanting to constantly improve. The decor is dimly lit with ample light for each table, making the environment perfect for dates, meetings, celebrations or just a casual dinner. This is what fine dining in a downtown setting should look like. In regards to the food, it was excellent. I opted to sample several small plates rather than one entree. I endorse this decision for anyone visiting for the first time. I tried the octopus, crispy pork belly and butternut gnocchi. The octopus and gnocchi were, God honest, one of the best I've eaten anywhere. The pork belly was good but not knock your socks off. My one reservation would be the cocktails. They were terrible but I get the impression that their wine shines more. All in all, this is an awesome restaurant in the city that's worth checking out.

Mattie B was an awesome server. Great food, great night. Even got a free dessert for my birthday!

Eating as a single diner is a good opportunity to evaluating service - which was delightful. Morgan was my waitress and efficient, attentive - everything you could want, especially on a busy night. I took advantage of Restaurant Week, and for $38 I had a magnificent bowl of mushroom soup - dark and hearty, LOTS of mushrooms, elegant and rich taste - and the hot rolls with two kinds of butter emerged just in time. (The rolls were tasty but the crust was overdone, made them a little tough.) Lamb shank - I think the only reason they gave me a meat knife was to cut the carrots. The meat fell off the bone (as it should) rich taste, great mashed potato - a thoroughly wonderful dish, and generous portion. Dessert was a Creme Brulee that was the only disappointment of the night. I don't know when the crust had been made but THAT was where I could have used that meat knife. The creme was bland and neither warm nor cold. Eh. The bar has my favorite whiskey, Teeling, an Irish whisky, which was a pleasant surprise. I had a cabernet with the lamb - adequate but nothing special. But the evening was pleasant, two of the three dishes REALLY good, service top level - a delightful first experience.

We went here because we had a gift certificate. Food and service were both good...but seemed way over priced for what we got. The interior was so dark we saw several tables using their phone flashlights trying to read the menu. Overall a good experience, but not a place I anticipate returning to anytime soon.

Our server was fantastic and the support staff with him were prompt to clear plates, handle refills, etc. The food was just as fantastic as was the presentation and the surroundings. We were attending a show at the Morris which made the location perfect for a short walk to the theater.

There are not a lot of great food options in the bend, this is a great one. The food is fantastic, the service is reasonable, however, would not consider it a highlight. The decor is great, and merge of vintage and chic. Highly recommend!

Beautiful space and friendly staff. The food was pretty good. We had the Navarre salad, scallops, tenderloin medallions, and the walleye. Nothing was bad but it didn't blow me away either; the tenderloin medallions were a bit over for how they were ordered. The mains took quite a while after finishing the starter and salad. It's a nice place and good location though, especially for after shows at the Morris Performing Arts Center.

Even though we made a reservation,we were seated upstairs and it was pleasant enough but the walkway was narrow where the table was situated so right from the get go, we thought it was better downstairs. The cocktails were good the raspberry one was had by every one at the table and there not a drop left. The pork chop was good I got it medium but it was more well done and the veggie hash was good. The steak sliced could have been warmer my daughter told me it was cold she was thinking about seeing it back but in the end she ate it. It was good and so were the fries but maybe the trip Upstairs Delayed the food And it got cooler than we Are under to. Our server was good and it is nicely decorated. Not sure I will Go Back.

Came for a graduation dinner, it was very busy but the service was good, and the food was good. Had a reservation and still had a long wait. I gave only four stars because it seemed they raised their prices during busy times like graduation. I can't believe they can charge that much year around.

Great place and food! Server talked me in to the mushroom soup she said everybody comes Just for the soup. The soup I agree was very tasty. We ordered filet mignon which came with mashed potatoes, asparagus and two carrot slices. It was very tasty and cooked to perfection. The service was excellent and highly suggest reservations it is a very busy place.

I came here with my girlfriend for our anniversary and had a really nice time. The food was delicious - I got steak frites (mega yum) and my girlfriend got risotto (maybe even better my frites honestly). Also the drinks were very good and to be honest I'm a total baby when it comes to cocktails. Not a refined pallette here by any measure, and I thoroughly enjoyed. Pics below :)

The hotel manager recommended Cafe Navarre and it was excellent. We sat at the bar and had an amazing salad and also a lobster gnocchi, also delicious. Also had the crab cake and truffle fries. They don't skimp on the portions and the drinks were good. Atmosphere/vibe is enjoyable and architecture is stylish. When i return to South Bend, I will come back here.

Amazing cocktails, they change the menu up pretty often so I couldn't tell you the names but pretty much anything you pick will be great. The shrimp appetizer and the octopus appetizer, as well as some kind of stuffed pasta appetizer with a cream sauce and fried leeks- all of which were fantastic. Octopus was incredibly tender and paired quite well with the sweet orange and the peppery arugula. The real star of their menu (in my humble opinion) is always the scallop entree. They change it up every time I go, so I always get to try something new. Last time I went they paired the scallops with a lovely romesco sauce, a cauliflower purée and some crispy prosciutto. Absolutely fantastic. Another time they included some oyster mushrooms and broccolini, which was again, fantastic. The bottom line here is that this restaurant maintains a very high standard of quality in every aspect of your experience. Service, food, atmosphere, everything. Really a worthwhile experience.

Autumn was amazing and the food was delicious! We will be back to enjoy more wonderful food!

The food was great!! Autumn was amazing and gave us a delicious cake for our anniversary and provided the best service :)

We went to Cafe Navarre a handful of times when it was new and loved it. We moved away in 2011, though, and don't have many opportunities to get back for a nice dinner out. When we made the plans to come to town and take my in-laws out for their 45th wedding anniversary, Cafe Navarre was an easy choice for dinner. At the time I made the reservation, I wasn't aware it was Restaurant Week in South Bend. This worked to our advantage because the restaurant week menu was a highlight reel of Cafe Navarre's best dishes. I started with the French onion soup and could have made a meal of only that. The gruyere was perfectly melted across the dish and the soup was rich and flavorful. The onions are complemented by a hint of sherry; the bread in the soup is fresh and adds a really nice texture. My second course was a shaved Brussels sprouts salad with hard boiled egg and lardon in a green goddess dressing. It was excellent: the bright freshness of the sprouts with the salt of the lardon was a really nice balance and the egg almost served as a neutral place. My main was the filet medallions in a Roquefort cream sauce I'd been eyeing this on the menu for days and then it was on the restaurant week menu and then our server recommended it. OMG. Tender medallions of filet perfect cooked, lightly sauced and on a bed of Dijon and thyme crusted potatoes. It was all so good. We ended with two desserts, a cranberry walnut cheesecake and an apple creme brûlée. Both were really well done. The burnt sugar on the creme brûlée gave the dish a caramel apple flavor that I loved. Our server Cassandra was attentive and personable. She offered sweet attention to my in-laws, making their special night even more special.

I would give more than 5 stars if possible. From out of town and referred to go here and went back the next night too. Just an amazing experience each night...best food I have ever had!!!! Very professional service! Will go back if ever back in town - 10000%

Ok for a special night out but too pricey too add to the regular rotation. Beautiful place with top notch service.