ilo bistro

Every dish was absolutely outstanding, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. The atmosphere had a refined touch, making it a perfect spot for a date. The food did take a little while to come out, but it was truly worth the wait—it was delicious!

Best halibut I’ve ever had in my life. Lovely and inviting atmosphere, super helpful and friendly staff. One of the most beautiful and delicious nights out I’ve had in ages, I can’t wait to come back!

Pricy but worth it! The chicken is literally the best chicken I’ve had in my life. The yuzu, mint, and cilantro gave it a unique and complex flavor. TRY THE CHICKEN. The Tuna crudo was also great. I will definitely be coming here again.

I went here with my family for my wife's birthday. We loved Voila, the restaurant that was here before so we were very eager to try Ilo. We walk past it all the time and notice it is almost always packed! The interior is excellent. It is definitely a small space but it they make it feel spacious. You never feel too close to the other tables. Very cozy and light vibe. The food was incredible! I had the crab spaghetti. I could tell right off the bat that the noodles were homemade. The tomatoes, huge chunks of crabmeat, and breadcrumbs on top really made the dish complex from a texture perspective and delicious. My wife had the chicken and, as others have said, it's possibly the best chicken in existence. I have no clue how they get it so tender while the outside is so deliciously crispy! Would definitely recommend making a reservation!

Update: Jackson provided excellent customer service, and I love the new menu items. The tuna crudo was fantastic so was the chickpea salad. I also LOVED the matcha cream puff. Love the new items keep it up! Talk about phenomenal. William displays upmost professionalism, knowledge, and treats his mixology as a true craft. The oysters were perfectly juicy and salty, the sourdough bread! I wish I could buy a loaf. Softened butter made the appetizer perfection. Cocktails were beautifully displayed and were beyond delicious. OH and the decor and ambiance?! Fine dinning to the highest level, the nicest place I have been to in Norfolk so far. Only comment was the pappardelle was overly salty lacking flavor other than salt, I would have preferrer more seasoning and less salt since the ricotta salata is already salty. Besides that everything was to perfection, thank you Chef, thank you William and all staff.

So this was hands down one of the best dinners I’ve had in a very long time. My boyfriend and I love to go out to eat but the food scene at the ocean front has become over priced and the food is underwhelming so I’ve been apprehension to go out to eat anymore (we live in vb not Norfolk) but ILO made me excited to go out again. The restaurant is small but charming and decorated beautifully. The bartender made us delicious espresso martinis that he recommended we use rum instead of vodka and *chefs kiss*. The service was phenomenal, and the food…omg the food!!! That was the best meal I’ve had in such a long time we devoured everything on our plates. Every single thing we ate was phenomenal and perfectly cooked! Not to mention my boyfriend doesn’t like dessert much and he loved what he got. We will definitely be back and this is without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Hampton roads. Although it is a little far from home we would gladly do the drive to eat there regularly.

It’s taken quite a while to write this review because it’s both great and a let down. The food was great, and some of the best cooked fish I’ve had in the area but the front of house left a lot to be desired. To start, our reservation was pushed back by 20 minutes due to the previous table running over (which we later found out was because of the time to get our food). After being seated, we were quickly greeted by friendly staff and were informed that roughly half of the menu items were unavailable and a number of others were in limited quantities. It took exactly 30 mins from being sat to receiving our round of drinks with an old fashioned having to be reordered because it was never made. It took another 15 minutes for our appetizers to arrive (45 mins) and again, only half of the appetizers initially appeared. Although our waiter was apologetic and remembered the order, it still took another 10 minutes for the rest to come out between managing his other tables. I would highly recommend the tartare for any starter and this one did not disappoint. After our appetizers, it took another 45 minutes for our entrees to come out (90 minutes from seating) which although frustrating was worth the wait. Overall, the food is excellent, and we certainly plan to try again in the near future; however, the front of house left a lot to be desired and was frustrating to experience at that price point.

I absolutely loved this restaurant. The food, beverages, service, and atmosphere were phenomenal and deliberately perfect. The depth of flavor and creativity in Chef Zack’s dishes are amazing. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious and super intriguing. The wine and cocktail programs are brilliant. The service was impeccable, and the restaurant itself has been designed to create a cozy but sophisticated ambiance. Ilo has my absolute highest recommendation. Absolutely go here. We can’t wait to go back. Big thanks to Chef and his all-star team! The Freemason neighborhood and the city of Norfolk is so lucky to have this place.