Bistro at the Bijou

The Bistro at the Bijou offers a charming and romantic atmosphere, perfect for a calm evening out in the heart of downtown Knoxville. The setting feels cozy yet elegant, with soft lighting and a relaxed vibe that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy your meal. We started with their warm, flaky biscuits served with butter and sweet jelly, a simple but comforting appetizer that set a nice tone for the meal. For the entrée, we had the carbonara and decided to add Andouille sausage, which gave the dish a hearty touch. The pasta was creamy and satisfying, though I felt everything could have used just a bit more seasoning to really bring out the flavors. Overall, it’s a lovely spot to unwind and enjoy good food in a welcoming, intimate environment, especially if you appreciate great ambiance and a taste of Knoxville’s local charm.

Amazing atmosphere! We were greeted right away and felt welcome from the moment we walked in. This was our first time dining here, and it absolutely will not be our last! The food was phenomenal — so good that I didn’t even have time to snap a photo before digging in. Every bite was delicious, and the service was just as impressive. Highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for great food, great vibes, and an all-around fantastic experience.

I really like the vibe of this place—good music, cool atmosphere, and not too crowded when we came. The food was solid, but the onion rings were overly greasy (looked good at first but there was a ton of grease). The burger was well-cooked and tasted great, and my wife enjoyed her tofu scampi. They also have a solid vegetarian/vegan menu, which is a plus. Service was a bit off—I had to go up to the bar to get another drink because our server wasn’t checking in much. There was some confusion with the drink order, but they did adjust the bill when I brought it up, which I appreciated. Overall, I do like this place and plan to come back. Hoping for a better service experience next time!

We loved this restaurant! We stopped in before going to a concert at the theatre. Davis was our waiter. He had a great personality. He told us about the specials and made sure that we had everything that we needed. The food was so delicious! Loved the Brussels and grilled salmon. Can’t wait to come back and try other things on the menu!

I work downtown and am always searching for a good lunch deal. A coworker recommended this spot! For $10 (+ $2 tip) I got a large turkey sandwich and a cup of vegan chili (soup of the day). The chili is very flavorful, especially to be vegan! The sandwich is nothing too special, but the value is hard to beat. The combo also comes with a side- I chose fruit. I’ll have to come back to dine in. The staff was very kind, and the atmosphere was cozy and old-world feeling. I loved the large oil painting behind the bar. Overall a really great spot.

Wonderful eve!!! Work trip delight. Live Jam with UT students. D’Ambre was excellent. Asked their faves and was blown away by the meat loaf recommendation. Did not disappoint. Not sure I would have had as much luck choosing on my own. Super thankful!!!

We had quite a bit of time to kill before seeing a show and happened upon this restaurant. The service was fast and friendly and very accommodating. Even when business picked up and they started to get really busy the servers were still attentive to us. 10/10 highly recommend

Great little place to eat before a show at the Bijou. Kale artichoke dip with pita bread was awesome. The veggie burger with fig jam and goat cheese add on was great with a side of truffle fries. Had a couple of local draft (decent price during happy hour). Great service and a great atmosphere. 12-8-25: had another great meal here before the Squirrel Nut Zippers show next door. My classic burger with fig jam and goat cheese add on, rare, was excellent. My wife had the Tofu Scampi that she really liked as well, be warned that it has a lot of garlic. Had a couple of local drafts that were good as well. Our server, Coltrain was very good...he had a large section of the restaurant but made sure to check on everyone often.

Enjoyed the food and the good service. People were friendly Visiting my here in Knoxville. It was the day before the game somit was really busy but service was still good I would def revisit

I absolutely loved my Saturday night at Bistro at the Bijou! I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of vegan options on the menu, along with some seriously great burgers. The highlight of the evening, though, was the live jazz band playing--it created such a lovely and relaxing atmosphere. It was a truly enjoyable experience, and I'm already looking forward to going back to try more from their menu. If you're in Knoxville, this spot is definitely worth a visit for some food & vibes!

I was so sad we did not find this gem until our last evening in Knoxville. Wow! We were in town for the Big Ears music festival and even though I thought we got there early, it was packed and there was a good long wait. Generally a sign that good food abounds. So after waiting for sometime, I was able to snag a seat at the bar and my cousin stood. Our bartender/server was so personable and attentive even though the place was packed. He was like an octopus slinging drinks and food with ease. So due to the wait I was not going to be able to get a dinner in time for the show we planned to attend. So I improvised and got a cup of soup and a dessert with a wine. I enjoyed both of my selections. I was very jealous of all the meals landing on tables around us and we made a pact to put this at the top of our list for 2024.

Exceptional service (tho it was practically empty) server was very nice and promptly recommended specials which were great. Daily specials, so something new to always try.

My husband and I have been here many times and usually enjoy. But after last night we will not be visiting this place again!! We found out by our server after being seated at our table at 7:15pm that We would be getting charged $5 each to stay. So a total of $10 would be added to our bill because they were having a jazz band that started at 8pm. We didn't chose this place for the jazz band. We drove over 30 minutes to get downtown, park and walk to this restaurant. It would of been nice to have known this before we left the house. I looked at the website before deciding where to go for the evening. Seems like a good idea would have been to mention this on the website or put a sign up on the door. Don't wait until your customers are seated and then make them feel obligated. Very rude. Needless to say we left immediately after eating at approximately 8:15. I guess we paid for 15 minutes. If you cant afford to have a band then dont have one. Dont depend upon customers to pay them. We would have probably tipped the band on our own. The restaurant was only about 40% full. Pretty sure this is not helping business. I also watched the host( who seemed high) seat another couple and wipe their table down with the actual roller up silverware he was giving them to use. The ladies restroom was out of soap. No to go sauce lids were available. These are only a few of the things I witnessed.

We won a dinner here from the radio station for Monday Jazz night. Since I've had great lunches here, I was equally as excited to try out their dinner menu. Upon entering, we were told to seat ourselves and someone will tend to us. They weren't kidding. It seemed like there were only a couple of servers tending to everyone in the whole place, but they were zipping by and getting it all done! I saw my server literally running to his tables to make sure they were taken care of! We were impressed, the food was outstanding as always, and the live jazz set the mood. Honestly, the creamy gravy on the chicken and mashed potatoes is the best I ever had. I love Bistro and I love their employees. I have yet to have a subpar experience there.

Amazing service and good ambience and they have a lots of vegetarian food options and love their black bean burger, Overall it's a good place to hang out and chill!

For starters they could have done better with the appetizers. Please don't give me a bowl of goat cheese mousse and 8 crackers when the menu says flatbread. And if you give me 8 crackers don't upcharge me if u need more to eat the goat cheese. we order a $32 ribeye and 50% was fat AND we had to send it back twice because it was undercooked and never got it right. Not once did the manager come or anyone offer us a discount. The lemon drop martini was good but a $4 up charge for grey goose? Really and you couldn't sugar coat the rim?? Loved the music and the ambiance.

We love Bistro At The Bijou--it has great food and we always love the specials. The live music offerings are next level and the vibe makes you feel like you've been transported to a different place! Service can be hectic but that is just because the place gets so, so busy! If you are going here before a concert or show at the Bijou or TN Theatre, make sure you adjust your schedule accordingly to have ample time to truly enjoy your food before you go! Accessibility: My main tip as a disabled patron is to be prepared. While the space is accessible, how crowded it gets can make things hard and a little bit stressful. It is a historic building and the servers/hosts always do their best to help you navigate, but don't be overwhelmed if you have to take a funky route to get to your table due to large crowds. If there is a wait, there isn't much of a waiting area so be prepared to wait outside or under the Bijou's entrance until your table is ready. I have not yet used the bathrooms at the Bistro but I will update when I do regarding their accessibility!

Visiting my aunt who lives here, she brought me here. She is a regular and my son had been here with her before. The menu is a good size, but my son was disappointed the pasta he had when he was here in December isn't on the summer menu. He enjoyed the antipasto wrap instead. My aunt and I both bit the turkey and avocado club and it was good. I tried the tomato basil soup and it was good too. Their craft cocktails were good too. The service was friendly and prompt. I liked the ambiance OK. It's an open area. I didn't like the walk to the restroom because it is narrow, going past the bar where the wait staff would have a station and they are close to the kitchen. But not a big deal, but could be a high traffic area. They are also PRIDE friendly.

Stopped in before a show at the Bijou theatre! Service was fast and the food was great. We had the truffle fries. They were not too rich or greasy, like some truffle fries can be. I even stepped them up in richness by dipping in blue cheese, they were amazing! The burger was cooked perfect, with a beautiful fresh red tomato. The onion rings were just ok. Lots of batter in some that held onto the grease, while others had little batter that flaked off. All in all a great burger and delicious fries!!

Perfect place for enjoying Friday night live jazz and a cozy dinner. This timeless, classic spot is a must-see local's secret if visiting downtown.

I'm so disappointed. We came in from Georgia and staying in Knoxville for the night and chose this place because the fig and goat cheese appetizer combined my two favorite things and it was in a good spot. The hostess was nice but our waitress treated us like shit the whole time, like she had something against us? Waited over 15 minutes for her to come over, ordered the appetizer, she "forgot" it. Plopped our food down and basically ran off and wouldn't even look in our direction. We had to ask the hostess to get her for our check. Super super bad service. Tall skinny blonde girl. The food itself was okay, nothing to write home about. Maybe because we didn't order alcohol? That's my best guess. We just ordered food.

It's on the smaller side with low lighting & has the feel of an older establishment; however, it creates the most intimate & lovely atmosphere. We lucked up on a night with live music. It added to the experience & made for the best evening. The food, in all honesty, was good. Not the best I've had but no complaints; however, the carrot cake was worth the splurge.

Awesome service, I liked the vibe, the ambience had a neat contemporary feel. My country fried steak was a little over seasoned but still tasted good and the truffle fries are probably my favorite dish. My dad got a sandwich but it tasted funny so he didn't eat it the meat might have been spoiled. Overall it's a great place for a night out with friends.

The ambience of the restaurant was cool. It had the vibe of a cool Irish speakeasy and the place was decorated with the musicians that have performed at the theatre. My friend and I went in for lunch and ordered off of the lunch menu. I got the BLT sandwich and it was probably the most lackluster BLT I have ever seen. There was very little bacon, no Mayo was added (I requested some to add on), the bread tasted slightly stale, and it all seemed so sadly put together. Our server seemed nice enough, but looked like he was overwhelmed with how busy it was. Bummed a good start ended with an subpar meal.

Came here for fam dinner. Loved the atmosphere. It has a low lit locals vibe. The food came out quickly. Our server was attentive. Most of us got the ginger salmon and were pleased but felt we may have cooked better at home, but it was good food after a long trip nonetheless.

Returning back to the South, I expected so much more from Bistro at the Bijou. I read on their website that the Bistro had a separate vegan menu, but when we came requesting vegan options, they were limited. We stuck to what we could get for the evening. We ordered the White Truffle Fries (YES, they have a vegan option) and the Bourbon Glazed Boneless Pork Chops with a side of the Green Beans. The Pork Chops should have had more flavor due to the bourbon glaze, but instead, all I could taste was the salt. The White Truffle Fries are more like steak fries. You can taste the hint of the truffle and parmesan, but since these were thicker cut, you really only taste the potato.

Downtown Knox vegan spot PLUS everything else. Black eyed peas & collards that make you wanna slap yo momma! True enough it's a bar/theater setup but it's down-he southern hospitality is thick; making this the perfect spot for lunch, dinner, happy hour, date night even lady's night. Catch live music, get a hewrty meal and a stiff drink in the heart of Knoxville. Plenty of seating at the full bar or grab a table in the dimly lit dining area. Parking lot adjacent Bijou for easy access. I've been dr among about the Brussels & Black eyed peas since my visit. ~Christy

Wonderful food for New Years Eve! I had the pork chop and the others had steaks. Everything was fantastic and we will definitely be back!

Food and service was very good. Unfortunately we were seated adjacent to a table of very loud, boisterous (shall I say cackling) folks who made conversation at our table nearly impossible and we just rushed to get out before another member of my group made a scene with the noisy party. We will go back but our next table over party goes elsewhere that night.

My wife and I came here for the first time with another couple that had suggested it. It was (thankfully) an "off" night, with no performances scheduled next door. We were seated immediately and received excellent service throughout our meal. More than one server ensured we had everything we needed. I enjoyed the butternut squash ravioli. I though it was the right size for a single serving. It was very good, just firm enough on the outside and a little sweet to the taste. I also liked my side Cesar salad that I had prior to my meal. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal as well. We all found something we liked on the wine list, but that list is fairly limited. We would return without hesitation.

First off, I want to state that we went with good friends and I was there to have a good time and a good meal. My experience I did not want to have expressed to the manager because of that and didn't want to make a scene. Ambience was great. Was excited to dine. Service was great. Our waiter was nearly perfect. Food I try to order the most highly recommended items as I know they will be fresh. We ordered the Brussel Sprouts and they were burned. Waitress even apologized without us saying anything. We let it go and ate them. I ordered the daily special of Blackened Tuna Tacos. Figured they would be fresh. They came in flour tortillas. The tortillas were never heated and when flour tortillas are never warmed the are stiff and not pliable. Simple rule with flour tortillas is to warm so they turn soft and pliable. The Blackened Tuna was cold as if they were blackened this morning and sat in the fridge to throw in some tacos. The first bite I knew was going to be a bad experience. The tuna was so tough I could not chew it. I had to pull the meat out of my mouth and quietly put on my plate. Next couple bites were the same. I ended up not eating any of the tuna from the tacos. Most inedible meat I have ever been served in a restaurant. It was terrible. I was then left to eat cold unpliable tortillas with the cabbage, corn and sauce. The filling was ok but the tortilla and meat were embarrassing. Peanut Butter pie was awesome. With tip, I walked away paying $77 for the worst meal I have ever had for my wife and I. We went there as a recommendation from our friends we were there with. I feel cheated. Would like to think it was just one bad experience and another try salvage this bad one.

I have always loved this place. I love the dark lighting, the speak easy bar, the decor that reminds me of an old timey saloon. I love that the menu changes seasonally, the tables in little nooks and crannies. The menu always has new and interesting options, the staff is always pleasant and friendly. It's proximity to the Tennessee Theatre makes it a perfect place to stop before going to a show. I went for brunch with a friend, I had andouille sausage and biscuits and gravy with cheese grits and a morning mule. All yum, and the gravy was vegetarian and I had no idea until the owner was nearby and mentioned it!

Doesn't get much better than the Bistro. We love checking out the daily special .

I love the ambience, the history, the vibe. We had a party of eight so we were brought upstairs and pretty much had our own little private dining area. The hostess was very welcoming. There were some really awesome sounding specials but I wanted to try the fried goat cheese with fig jam, yum!! I ordered the white truffle fries for the table. The fried goat cheese with fig jam was absolutely delicious and did not disappoint. The truffle fries had excellent truffle flavor but they were a bit too oily for my taste. Then I ordered a small Caesar salad with medium rare salmon. The Cesar dressing was delish and my salmon was cooked perfectly. Most of the rest of our table had burgers, everyone very much enjoyed their food. My sister got a side of beets with her order and I have to say they were really good, delicious flavors. Our server was very nice, but I sort of feel like we were forgotten because we were upstairs and out of the regular dining area.

This place never lets you down!!! Always fresh and innovative food. Their desserts are amazing. Great place to have Lunch if you are in the downtown area of Knoxville.

The restaurant is beautiful and they have amazing music playing. Their bloody mary's are just what you need to perk up a morning. I had the fire on the mountain burger and it was delicious! The peppers on top really made the burger. They also had a long list of daily specials that all sounded so good!

Came to see Louise Black, at the Bijou we parked, and walked a few hours before the show started. Dang, little did we know Garth Brooks had an outdoor event! Everywhere was packed, and there was a 2 hour wait where we wanted to go eat, so we ventured closer to the Theater, since it's our first time for this venue we did not know this place was attached...YAY We were told 20 minutes we said okay, was actually about 10. Seating is tight, and the place was packed,and extremely LOUD. I was told it use to be a brothel? Since I am a west coast person I did not know. Gonna research. (the energy was thick and dark, but intriguing!) We had Buffalo Trace to sip, an appetizer truffle fries, good, and ribs...ribs were flavorful, but not very meaty. Server was nice, but kept apoligizing for service, saying kitchen was slow. The flow was not smooth...And we began to worry we were going to cut it close, but it ended okay. Our conclusion was to try it again on a slow night...the Goo Goo dolls were across the street also, it was a very very busy night in the Knoxville village.

We had dinner before a concert so our experience probably wasn't at its best since they were really busy. Our server was nice and attentive. The food was good! Our table had the springer chicken, which was a huge portion with 3 thighs. They were really flavorful and tender. The roasted beets were disappointing. They were supposed to come with goat cheese and they had nothing on them. Hamburger salad took forever to come out. Not sure what the hold up was but we were all done eating before it finally came out. Brussel sprouts were really good! The salmon was ordered and it was cooked perfectly. One of the specials was lobster bisque and it was great but lacking on the lobster. The wine selections weren't great.

If you're looking for quality food in downtown Knoxville, there's all the hip, new places. Then there's Bistro At The Bijou, which has quietly been serving delicious, quality food for many, many a year. It's a little off the beaten path. I feel like it's more of a place that locals, and frequenters of the Bijou Theatre, mostly know about. I love it, and it's local gem-ness. Martha and co. usually have something interesting on the daily special menu. For the most part that's what I lean towards. On a recent visit, I got the salmon that was absolutely phenomenal. Then there's the standards. The bacon pimento cheese burger is savory and delicious!

The atmosphere of this restaurant is immaculate. The service could not have been better! Immediately upon entering, we were promptly seated and had 3 separate servers approach us taking drink, appetizer, and entree order. The steak frites was to die for and the bourbon street pasta was fantastic. This place will always been on my list whenever I visit Knoxville.

The atmosphere was nice, wait staff was fantastic. We were a party of four and each got something different, salmon cakes, pasta, jambalaya, and salmon. We also had wings and onion dip for appetizers. I would say the prices were fair, however the food was mediocre. We won't be back. There are too many other restaurants downtown that have superb food.

Came here for brunch to check out the live band on a Sunday for brunch. I never do repeats, especially if I gave them a bad rating but I had to check out this band and I can't say people actually pay attention to them which is a real shame. I love the concept of live music but if people come here to have a conversation, it's really hard to hear them and appreciate the music. Had the deep fried pimento balls served with salsa and sliced pickles - this was a first and it was surprisingly good! It was so runny and melted in the middle and the pickles really gave it a different kick. If you want biscuits, it's on the house but you have to ask for it. Not sure why they do that though. The biscuits were yummy. Very soft on the inside and a nice crusty layer surrounding it. The berry jam is fresh! I loved that there were chunks of berries in it. I had the smoked salmon benedict and it was on a potato patty. The poached eggs were overcooked - it was basically a boiled egg. That was extremely disappointing.. The smoked salmon didn't taste smoked. I appreciated the creamy hollandaise sauce. It also came with a side of fruits and I chose cheesy grits. The grits were up to par and you can't really go wrong with fruits. I was stuffed! I couldn't even finish half of my dish. This could be because I've been training my stomach to consume less before I binge at home next week.

Convenient since it next door to the Bijou. The service was B+ and they were very nice. The food was okay for the rest of my family, ranging from a burger to salmon, however, I ordered a steak. They informed me the New York wasn't available and would I kind a rib-eye. I ordered it "medium". It was rare when arrived so I sent it back. It came back medium and was a large steak with over a third being fat and grisly. I hadn't eaten n almost 10 hours and my family was almost done with their meals when I finally got my steak after returning it, so I just ate what I could (which was less than half and I don't leave food on the table) it was like chewing on a tire. It was the worse steak I've ever had. The table across from us complained and got 1/2 their entree removed from their bill. I just paid my bill and always leave a nice tip, but my god, if this is happening to more than one table, shame on the owner or chef for thinking these steaks were good for human consumption.

Found it!! I finally found a place where the vegetarian, vegan and the carnivore can dine together. But it goes beyond Nice selection. This wonderful place is a farm to table restaurant! The food is made from scratch, seasonal and absolutely delicious. The staff is kind, considerate and attentive. There was a lovely feel, energy to this place filled with history. This restaurant has everything I look for in a delicious meal. The servings are large, we were not able to finish ours. however; (here comes a bonus star...) The Takeaway containers are biodegradable! No plastic, no Styrofoam this place just bumped up to the top of my list. I would absolutely suggest this fantastic restaurant. Oh how I hope other Knoxville restaurant owners would dine here, be influenced by the made from scratch, fresh ingredients delight. Aloha!

I guess 2 out of 5 isn't bad? I don't know. I mean, ugh. I was wishing and hoping and praying for a culinary miracle. But yeah, NO. Let's get to it: Brunch is good. Love the cheesy grits. And the bacon is hardcore yum. I love that they have specials and something different every time. The risotto with benton's ham is absolutely disgusting. Offensive and revolting. The risotto in my dish was way undercooked and very starchy. And the glob of something, the meat I guess? was just 100% terrible. I wish I could describe what it tasted like but every time I put my fork to my mouth I grimaced with torture. I don't know what gave off that terrible stench but I think something was dearly amiss with the meat. In a word: Pungent. The grouper was fantastic. So delicious. Breaded just right and perfectly golden crisp. Beautiful color. Beautiful taste. I'm mightly impressed since this is the best fish I have had in town since... Well, ever. Literally - I cleared my plate it was so good. The fried goat cheese is on track. The fig jam could use a little more moisture. This appetizer is plated just fine but I think it could use a zap of citrus or a punch of ___ to round it out. Hoppin' John is meh. The collard greens are redeeming; they taste pretty good. But the rice is just meh and the black eyed peas are just meh and then you wonder ..hmm...why did I order this dish? The pickled flavor is not something I'm feeling I guess. Service is good. The bartenders work as quickly as possibly to accommodate super busy nights. There is often a wait if you don't come early. The decor is so hip and cool and isn't it awesome to dine in this historic downtown spot? I just wish I could stomach the food. I just don't know. It's a gamble every time. And never once - did they have jazz playing any time I came in.

I visited here for lunch with my colleagues. We recently moved our office downtown so I finally got to the try the Bistro. It was fairly crowded when we arrived. Service was friendly and helpful, but not speedy, per se. I had a veggie burger, patty melt style and it was excellent. It was flavorful and filling. I also upgraded and tried the truffle fries. Also excellent. Most of my party really enjoyed their lunches. I look forward to going back to try more things. They have lots of veggie friendly dishes and an intriguing brunch menu.

The food here is great and I love the atmosphere of this place. The service is awesome and the servers are friendly and they got my order correct. The price is perfect, not too cheap, not too expensive and for what you get is most definitely worth it. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good place to eat and relax.

The Bistro is one of our favorite spots in downtown Knoxville. It's casual, but classy, and their food is truly excellent. Plus they have live jazz! It's really an awesome place to go just for drinks and socializing after work, or having a delicious dinner and relaxing to their jazz. Love this place!

I really wanted to give 3.5: We really liked the atmosphere and the live jazz music. Great feel for a night out with friends. The vegan label for the restaurant was misleading as the wait staff was clueless as to if something had dairy. We struggled with choices at that point since no one knew and didn't bother asking the kitchen. One at our table had a severe dairy allergy so this was concerning. The food was really good, I loved the chimichurri chicken. We had four different wait staff throughout which was odd. They all seemed to be a little frazzled. Would like to see more food knowledge in the staff.

Great food, great service. They really are "Bliss " potatoes. Nice jazz; great place.

Atmosphere is great. Had first dinner since relocating to knoxville. Really wanted the warm Brussels sprout salad instead just got kale. Don't recall waiter informing of no sprouts. Would hv changed order to ravioli. I was hungry and ate kale without the sprouts salad but realized after getting home I was charged for warm brussels salad. Wished waiter, who was nice, had given me oppty to decide...

They have great Brunch! We have been a few times on Sunday and have always enjoyed it. They serve it until 3:00,which is nice if you are having a slower Sunday. They had live music this Sunday. It's is not a huge space, and when busy it can feel a little cramped. It is located towards the end of Gay street close to a parking lot and parking Garage.

Crazy busy before a (not sold out) show and service is whomever you happen to grab as they go by, had three different servers, never saw the same one twice. Menu was 'eh' and if it were not for the location, I don't think it would survive. I'd think long and hard before I were to visit again.

I came here for a birthday dinner about a week ago. And well, Bistro at the Bijou wasn't too bad. None of the dishes that they had really took to my liking or pop out as something I was truly craving for. So, I settled for something simplistic. I ordered the Big Dino sandwich. It wasn't bad, nothing amazing either. What else can I say? It was just a sandwich. Now, the ambiance at the Bistro was interesting. Their coasters were really neat, it's the small details you know? The seating and service was actually really good considering our group was so big. We split the party up into three tables, but overall it was still fun because the birthday girl got toasty during and after the dinner. I think I'll have to give Bistro another look, but I don't really have high hopes for this place for my tastes. Also, note: My friend tried the Benton's Ham Risotto dish. It wasn't good. She basically salted and added flavor for herself in order to have any sort of taste to it. I don't think they used any seasoning. Maybe some butter? But other than that, it lacked all flavor. And also, for it to be the main ingredient in the dish and $16 getting a flavorless risotto dish isn't a good look.

Bistro At the Bijou is a unique restaurant inside of the historical Bijou theater. The venue is dimly lit and it has a casual feel. We walked in on a Saturday for lunch and we were seated right away. Our waitress was attentive and the service was good on our visit. Their menu is vegetarian-friendly although they have plenty of meat options as well. Although this is tagged as an American food restaurant a lot of their choices have a Mediterranean flair (i.e. falafel wrap, yogurt and feta dip, etc.) On any burger/vegetarian burger you can choose one of their suggested pairings of toppings to complete it. I got the vegetarian black bean burger then got it Caprese-style with heirloom tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and pesto spread on a Kaiser roll and served with house-made chips. I am glad I ordered this because it was filling and satisfying yet the veggie burger wasn't oily/greasy and didn't make me feel too full afterwards. Although I was pretty hungry when I came here the portion of the burger was pretty big so I ended up leaving a few bites left on my plate that I just couldn't finish. My companion got a ham sandwich with a side of fruit and she said it was good as well. We were glad we stopped here as it was a nice break from the Summer heat and it was a good experience. I will remember this place if we are ever back in town!

It was even better than we expected - The decor was vintage and upscale; our waiter was very attentive for such a crowded night; and the food was delicious! And the food is very healthy (Grass-fed Beef, No-Antibiotic Chicken, farm-to-table Veggies). This and Tupelo Honey's will be our go-to when we dine downtown!

One of the best, most authentic eateries in Knoxville. Food is consistently good. Great place for a meal before a show at the Bijou or the TN Theatre. Classic bar and restaurant. Great place for jazz evenings. Regular clientele.