The Tulip Bistro & Bar

I've had the pleasure of calling Lexington home for nearly a decade, and I'm thrilled to have just discovered this hidden gem! Despite working in Chevy Chase for years and frequenting this road, I never knew this restaurant existed. The food and dessert were exceptional, and our waitress provided top-notch service with a smile. We can't wait to go back and highly recommend it to everyone!

My first time at the restaraunt was awesome! Emma provided fantastic service and food was great as well. This will be a frequent stop from now on when in Lex!

I was pleasantly surprised. We have never been here before and wanted to try a new place to eat. Very small and cozy atmosphere. Food is delicious! I think we found a new place to frequent.

The Tulip Bistro & Bar was an absolute pleasure to eat at even on a packed Saturday night. Our food was amazing. The waitress was extremely positive and upbeat and on top of everything. My pork chop was ridiculously good and that may have been the best potato cake that I have ever had. I ordered dessert first and their creme brulee was out of this world, even better than I had hoped. I cannot recommend The Tulip enough.

Honestly this is now one of our top three restaurants. Timothy was our server and did a wonderful job. I ordered the steak cooked to medium and it was amazingly tender and melt in your mouth good! Wifey had the salmon which was so moist and flavorful! To finish it off we had their creme brûlée topped with blueberries that was magnifique! Seriously recommend this place for a nice date!

Such an amazing restaurant. We were visiting Lexington for a wedding and picked this place randomly the night we got into town. I am so glad that we did. The braised short ribs and salmon were magnificent. And the creme brulee topped off a wonderful meal. Finally, our server, Dana, was so nice and accommodating.

Went to Tulip Bistro and Bar for the first to celebrate our 26th Anniversary. Couldn’t have been more pleased. Food was fantastic and everything was so fresh and tasty. Definitely going back and highly recommend!

The food was really good, salmon was incredible. Best onion rings we ever had. The most bizarre place i’ve ever sat down at. We were in these weird tiny tables by closed windows above head level, directly next to some couple and their kids. I got a cocktail and was promptly plastered off half of it - I have a high alcohol tolerance and just wanted a martini (so very strong drinks, good if that’s what you’re looking for). Our waiter shakily handed me my drink after we watched him drop and pretended nothing happened. This was right after spilling water everywhere trying to fill my glass. Really nice guy though. Strange, uncomfortable vibe, great food.

Four friends and I had an early dinner here on a Friday night. Great experience. I hadn't been in a dozen years or more. Just as good as I recall back then. Comfortable booths, table seating if you prefer. Large outdoor patio, as well. Our server, Austin, kept us in drinks and treated us well. Their menu features several full bar with good cocktails, appetizers, salads, bar fare, and fine entrees. Our table ordered the smoked deviled eggs (5 to an order). They were delightful with the right amount of smokey flavor and bacon. Two of us ordered the Cioppino, myself being one. Lots of seafood and flavor. Others had the Grouper, the Chicken Scallopini, and the Tuna Bowl. Everyone raved about their meals. The Tulip is a neighborhood favorite. You won't find them on Open Table, so seek them out thru their website and get yourself in there! https://www.thetulipbistroandbar.com

Date night with my wife and she said this was in her Top 3 Date night restaurants in Lexington. We had never been here before so didn't know what to expect. It looked like a lot of the local neighborhood people were packing in. We sat inside and had a great server, Kyle. We started with cocktails of the Kentucky Ruby for my wife and I had the Luxury Manhattan. For appetizers we had the Cajun Shrimp Corn Dip and Smoked Deviled Eggs. Both were delicious. For entree, my wife had the Crab Cakes and I had the Pan Fried Grouper. They were both excellent dishes. I also tried their Old Fashioned with Bulleit Rye which was perfect. We were so full from apps and dinner, we didn't get to try their desserts. I thought everything was very reasonably priced. It has a nice quaint atmosphere. I liked the horse racing memorabilia on the walls.

This place is great! The seafood dip was unreal and the burger bowl was solid, even though the burger was a tad dry. The wedge could have been a little crunchier. The steak and asparagus were excellent, cocktails were great and had shaved ice. Solid place to have UK lose

Meh. Food is just okay...so-so. Older crowd. No vibes at all. The entire experience was blah. Much better options at price point. Parking is terrible.

Food was excellent, our service was top notch and the overall vibe was elevated but not too over the top. We loved the beer cheese fries and smoked deviled eggs. The Carolina BBQ fried chicken sliders were a hit and so was the fish and chips! Diet Coke was CRISPY - 10/10

Delicious! Fabulous specials and the best bartender ever! We got there at 9:05pm and the kitchen was so kind to make us a fabulous meal on a Monday evening. The Pinot Noir wine options are average but the bourbon selection was enjoyable. We stared with the stuffed mushrooms which were rich, creamy and full of flavor. The salmon special looked amazing so we both went for it. The portion was huge! Cooked to order, raw and medium and it was perfect. The sides were delicious And I hated for the evening to end but it was late. This local place is a cozy environment that makes you almost feel like a speak easy when sitting at the bar. Another fantastic meal at the Tulip and I will definitely be back.

Delicious food and plenty of choices to select from Perfect Martini and delicious wines to pair with your dinner

Service was top notch...everyone loved their meals, I had the grouper & it might have been the best I've ever had! The veggies were good @ and the risotto was fantastic.

We have a great hookup at the Tulip. This is a great spot for dinner and drinks. Porkchop and seafood pasta - yes, please. Great bourbon seleciton, and the service is excellent. Oh, the ONION RINGS, order them! Definitely would recommend and will return.

Very good food and drink. Nice patio when weather is nice. Very good service. Loud inside when crowded.

I really love this local, neighborhood restaurant with an excellent chef and wonderful atmosphere. We have been there 4 or 5 times and we always enjoy it. Outside or inside, both are quaint and great. It's off the beaten path, in a way, but right in the middle of a great old neighborhood. There is plenty of parking and it is consistently busy on the weekends. Tonight Iris was our server and was fantastic. She was busy as can be but attentive and even made drinks to decrease the wait time when the bartender was busy. She also was bold enough to offer her favorites and recommendations with confidence which I really appreciated. My wife had the short rib sliders and I had the short rib special with mashed potatoes, green beans and fried onions. They were both excellent! My wife had the cheddar broccoli soup and I had the grilled Caesar and we weren't that impressed, but our entrees made up for it for sure! Can't wait to go back.

Delicious food and ambiance! Great service. We will be back to try other entrees in the future. It's always a plus for me when bread is included . I got a quinoa and vegetable dish and added chicken. My boyfriend got a seafood pasta dish. Both were excellent. We didn't try seafood or appetizers this date because I wasn't feeling great but I would love to try at our next visit.

The food and service both exceeding our expectations. The grouper was fantastic and our server made us feel very comfortable the entire evening.

Usually a place we like to visit. However, I was surprised I could get a reservation for Friday night in the afternoon. There were openings at all times. They are usually booked. When we arrived, things started well, but unfortunately they never brought out our food order. After waiting 45 minutes and seeing two tables served their orders that arrived after we placed our order we ask where our order was. No real explanation, they did offer a free desert. We left. Really sad. This was a nice place to eat in Lexington. Apparently they are having problems.

outstanding food and service! This place is quite the gem! I had the shrimp and grits that was flavorful and plentiful. My husband had the chicken roulade and loved it, The dessert of fried apples was good but not as stellar as the entrees--removing the apple skin and dusting with cinnamon and sugar would have elevated it to the top. The service was exceptiona!

Most of the four star rating is due to the atmosphere and the hard working staff. We ate here with a party of six. We all ended up in a booth, which was a little uncomfortable, but it was doable. The place gets pretty loud; I'm not sure whether they could improve their acoustics or not. You often have to shout to the people sitting with you. Food was ok. I got the tulip pasta, which was over cooked--not even close to Al dente, but that may have been an issue with the dish sitting under the heat lamp too long, waiting to be delivered. The flavors were pretty good though. One of our party had the barbacoa tacos, which, whatever they were, were not barbacoa tacos. She had no complaints, however. Another member had the shrimp and grits with Gouda and another had the salmon. They both really liked their dishes. The other two in our party had oysters, and they enjoyed them. We all had a variety of drinks: aperol spritzes, martinis, a couple of gin and vodka based drinks. None were amazing cocktails, but all refreshing and enjoyable. The reason I would try this restaurant again is because of the service and the ambiance. Though the restaurant was clearly understaffed, the servers worked hard and efficiently, and everyone was taken care of. I think our server's name was Allison. The other thing I liked is the mix of populations inside. Some were dressed up, some semi-casual, some in sweats. But everyone was treated well and enjoyed their meals. I would come back and try this place again, probably on a weeknight when it's quieter, and hopefully on a night where they are better staffed.

The food was wonderful! Perfect outside dining! Delicious dining with excellent pricing. Our server was attentive but not intrusive. Highly recommend!!

Consistently good food and service. Chef does a nice job with seafood. Also excellent cocktails. Very good Old Fashion made with Bulleit Rye and my wife really enjoyed her

We came for the goat cheese salad but also had the low country dip and sausage crostini! Our waitress was fabulous and very knowledgeable about the menu. The food was exceptionally done!! We WILL be back! Edited: she was so great, I asked her name - Iris!

Our meal was excellent and the service was very good. Our group of 8 enjoyed the Tulip!

The food was so good that I ran into a wall and the service was okay the owner was okay

Really wanted to love this restaurant and was excited for the ossobuco. This is a moderate to higher priced restaurant. The appetizers were good the salad was good. My wife's entree was good but my ossobuco not so great. Service was overall good and very friendly. It's a nice environment but for the price I can't say it will be a repeat for me. Nothing really met the price point expectation. Every other bite of the ossobuco was dry. I would overall rate this a good restaurant but for the price would have enjoyed Olive Garden just as well.

Excellent service and great food!! Highly recommend. Definitely be back! party of 6 and we all loved it!

Our very favorite! Great menu, lots of variety and super friendly service. A must go!

Can't figure out why we can get reservations here easily. It's great food and great service. Reasonable prices for the quality. The patio is easily one of the best places to people watch in town. Service is perfect - dedicated without being stuffy. Don't get the mussels if sitting outside -they attract all sorts of winged friends. From the seafood angelhair pasta, fish and chips, poke bowl, steak - the food hits the mark.

Delicious food, nice variety on the menu. Nice ambiance with enough room between tables to be comfortable. My only complaint is that they took my favorite cocktail off their menu- the Ruby. Our server told us other customers had complained also so why not put it back on the menu ?

We had an excellent experience at The Tulip tonight. The cocktails were tasty, The deviled eggs and onion rings were excellent. The entrees were all very good. The service was outstanding. We definitely will return. Thank you for a great evening.

An unexpected, lovely bistro tucked away in a cute neighborhood. It was very much unplanned how we stumbled upon this restaurant, but I'm glad we did. The menu is a mix of everyday dishes and creative plates, which makes it a perfect place for a group as foodies and picky eaters will both be happy here. I love the dishes you can't get anywhere else, like the chorizo ravioli - absolutely phenomenal! Prices lean to the higher side, and that's probably the only reason we don't visit more often.

So happy to have tried Tulip. The staff was great. Our waiter was there when needed, friendly and very helpful answering questions. The inside is nice with a little darker atmosphere. The cocktail and wine list are nice and fairly priced. Our food was all very good and everyone was really happy with their meal. The menu seems to have a southern flair. My Georgia shrimp and gouda grits with andouille was very tasty and perfectly cooked. We started with the Tomato Bruschetta that disappeared rapidly, a real hit. Will definitely have on my list of a restaurant to return to next time we are in town.

They open at 4 but don't serve the full menu until 5 and seemed aggravated they we showed up at 4:15. They literally said let us see if we can fit you in, the place was empty except for the drunk at the bar. My wife ordered the burger with a little side of mornay sauce for her fries and I ordered the bourbon chicken sandwich. We both asked for our fries extra crispy, which the waitress then said they are always extra crispy. After 45 minutes we got our food, we're the only people there. When my wife asked for her mornay sauce the waitress said the chef won't do it because it doesn't come with that dish, it was a burger, and we would've have paid for it if had to. My chicken sandwich is cooked with a boneless skin on breast, that's right, skin on. Very first bite I get the whole piece of skin, not crispy either, it just grossed me out . I've never in my 60 years had a chicken sandwich cooked with the skin on. Then the fries. Oh, those limp pale tan fries served in a julep cup with a part of their old menu as a liner. We're hoping that the old menu was just a copy. Either way it was really strange. The whole experience was like an expensive comedy show, and we didn't laugh.

Stay away from that place, the owner/ manager wants to have his friends over and act like he was entertaining in his backyard... they were loud, and disrespectful. I felt like I was at a fraternity party with a bunch of anxious 80 years old. Food took forever and nothing special, for God's sake the prosciutto was fried...the waitress was the only one with manners at that place. That place is NOT a restaurant is a sport bar with a bunch of old people that don't know what that act.

Won a gift card for Tulip at a silent auction recently. Asked people if they'd heard of the place and got blank stares. Nestled within a neighborhood in Chevy Chase, this restaurant was a great find and an excellent Friday night for us. We had 6:00 reservations and the place started getting busy soon after. At no time was it loud. We had the grille cauliflower Parmesan to start with the short Rib dish and the Cioppino with pasta as our mains. Perfect portions and delicious. Service was excellent. Not rushed but made sure we had what we needed. Make sure you try this gem in Lexington!

My husband and I went to The Tulip for the first time yesterday. We love to go out for nice dinners and wanted to try out a new restaurant to add to our rotation. We had a reservation and we were quickly seated. We waited 20 mins for our server to acknowledge us, but we could feel the restaurant was a bit understaffed, so we were patient and understanding of this. We put in our drink order for a bottle of wine. We wanted to order an appetizer at the same time, but our waiter left before we were able to order. It took over 30 mins to get our bottle of wine. When our wine arrived at the table, there was another server to open the bottle and show our server how to open the bottle. It became clear that our wine took so long because our server had to find someone who knew how to open a bottle of wine before he could bring it to our table. We ordered our appetizer, which was a seafood dip, and it was fabulous. The dip and the chips and flatbread were delicious. Our server took our order for our dinner, we both ordered the ribeye special. When our entrees came to the table, I was given the ribeye, and my husband was given salmon. We told the food runner that this was not correct, we both ordered the ribeye. They apologized and said they would prepare the correct entree. Our server came to the table shortly after that, and apologized, saying he misunderstood my husband's order. He then stated that he would give us both free desserts. 20 mins later, the correct entree was served to us. The ribeye was was delicious, as were the sides served with it. Our waiter came to the table and gave us the bill. The second ribeye entree was comped, which we appreciated. There was no further offer or mention of the dessert. The waiter came back and offered us boxes for the remainder of our entrees. Every other table had their entrees boxed for them, but he just dropped off boxes (without a bag) and left. I usually do not leave a written review, but the service that we received at this upscale restaurant was so horrible, that I wanted others to be aware. The food made up for the service, but I have to say, if you pay over $200 for a meal, the service should be on par with the price. This server was not adequately trained for this level of service. He should still be shadowing a more experienced server until he is prepared. My husband and I spent almost three hours at this restaurant because our server was clueless as to how to appropriately do his job. Due to this experience, we will not visit The Tulip again.

It was an overall weird experience. The female waitstaff are in low cut, V-neck shirts. As a diner, seeing so much cleavage was uncomfortable. The creme brûlée was good, the beer was bad, the Prosecco was okay.

I am a bit late posting this review. We visited The Tulip a couple of weeks ago before flying out for vacation. This is a super cool little place off the beaten path and of course we found it on Yelp! Aside from a few small hiccups the place is great and we are hoping maybe it was just an off night because we see potential here. We started with the fried oysters and crab dip. The oysters were fantastic and so was the dip, but a major faux pas --they served us stale chips. We asked for extra bread for this reason (even pointing out to the server the chips were stale) and she forgot to bring them!! For dinner we had the shrimp and clams with angel hair pasta- for this I will forgive the stale chips scenario because this is quite possibly the best pasta dish I have had in the last couple of years. It was made perfectly and the sauce is just heavenly!! I do not remember the name of the chicken dish that we ordered, seems like it was a rosemary sauce but the chicken was over cooked and just lackluster compared to the pasta and the broccolini had a lightly charred flavor. So, as you can see the restaurant has some issues to overcome but they have some promising redeeming qualities so we would definitely go back! Give them a try, can't wait to see what you think!

I absolutely love this place. It is a neighborhood staple and one of the best restaurants in Lexington. The service is always friendly and the food always good. The menu does change seasonally but some constant favorites are the She Crab Soup (beat I have EVER had) and Vito's Sausage Crostini (made on the delicious bread they fly in from New York). The short ribs are always delicious (the preparation changes seasonally). I recently had the pork chop (pictured) and it was excellent. This place is a Lexington must! Great and affordable wine list. Nice cocktail selection. NB: The restaurant is not the best acoustically, though, so it can get a little loud on a busy night.

Fabulous food and service! Supporting local for my friend's Birthday was perfect! Love The Tulip!

AMAZING shrimp and grits! Wonderful hospitality in this neighborhood gem. A must-visit :-)

My wife and I dined here for the first time last weekend and we were well pleased. Our waiter Matt was terrific! I had the Daily Special of Salmon and veggies, and my wife had the Short Ribs, and we were well satisfied. Our cocktails and deserts were wonderful as well. We look forward to dining here again!

We have always loved The Tulip but were very disappointed this visit. We showed up at 8:00 Saturday night without a reservation and were quickly seated. Although there was a home football game that night that still should have been a clue to us. Only two other tables were seated in the dining room which is pretty odd in Lexington on a Saturday night. It took several minutes for us to be greeted (despite the lack of customers.). Our server was friendly and shared the specials with us quickly. We ordered our cocktails (which were fine) and the mussels as an appetizer. Let me say that we both love mussels. These, however, had not been washed properly and were full of grit. My teeth still hurt. I was unable to eat them and told our server. She didn't have much to say but she knew we weren't happy. We put in the rest of our order but were clear we wanted time between courses. Our salads were fine and the bread was amazing. Honestly the bread was the best part of the meal, crispy outside and soft inside with a buttery flavor. Half-way through our salads our meals arrived. The food runner seemed unclear what to do and basically tried to sit our meals on the table without clearing our salads. The entrees were lackluster. He had steak frites (the fries were good) and said the steak was flavorless. I had the salmon special which was just odd. A bowl of oriecchiette pasta in a watery sauce with whole baby carrots and frisée lettuce with seared salmon on top surrounded by more gritty mussels. The flavors did not meld and it really seemed like a pile of whatever they had left in the kitchen. At this point the manager did stop by and apologize for our food coming out at the same time. He gave us a coupon for an appetizer or dessert which was a nice offer but I doubt we will be back soon. Sad to lose one of our "go-to" options.

This place is great - nice indoor and outdoor seating. I ordered the steak filet and my husband ordered the pork and both were absolutely delicious! They also had a "bar fare" section on their menu with lower priced items, so it doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive night out. Overall, loved the food and the ambience and we'll definitely be back!

What an awesome place! Iris, our server, was so friendly and fun that we wished she could have just pulled up a chair and hung out with us. The food was wonderful and highly recommend the sausage crostini, low country dip and the mussels. Will definitely be back!

A generous pour of wine is the Tulips claim to fame. Great food and great service. !

i went with a large group of friends. i got the chicken pot pie. the food was so delicious that we were offering each other samples, so i got a taste of a few appetizers, entrees, and desserts (not to mention some espresso martini). despite the reasonable pricing, everything i ate or drank was brag worthy. the staff was amazing and accommodating. they didn't flinch when our table kept growing, they wrote the date on the to-go containers, and were included in our group photo. i will definitely be going back. this place is a hidden gem.

Excellent food, ambiance and service. Wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Great for dine in or pick up

This was our second visit to Tulips. It was very good. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. It was a party of four. We had the mussels in garlic cream sauce. OMG they were great. Three of our party had one of there specials. Presentation was beautiful and very tasty. I had the shrimp and angel hair pasta and it was very good. We will be back.

Great food, great service, super seasonal menu and all in a relaxed atmosphere. This is my families place for both a random Tuesday dinner when soccer runs too late AND a fancy anniversary dinner! This place is the best. Ask for Candace, she's a doll!

We had the pappardelle with mushrooms and it was very good. The service is good. All the seats by the window had cold air blowing on the customer. The grilled Caesar Salad tasted good but I had sand in two bites. The butter served with the bread was too cold to spread. My wife would like to return to the Tulip but I wouldnt go back except at her urging.

My partner and I had dinner at the Tulip Bistro for the first time last Friday, and we loved it. We are relatively new to Lexington and are still in the process of trying out new restaurants, but we will definitely be back. I had the she crab soup and the braised lamb shank. He had the grilled oysters and the salmon special. Everything we tried was delicious. I will say, though, that au jus served with the lamb was very rich and very tick. I think the dish would have been more balanced with a slightly more delicate jus. Tulip Bistro also has a great wine selection. The only reason that I am not giving a 5-star review is that I was pretty disappointed in the cocktail I ordered before dinner. I ordered to tuxedo which according to the menu is made with gin, orange bitters, and a SPLASH of lime juice. As a former bartender, I admit I'm pretty picky about my cocktails. The tuxedo clearly had well more than a splash of lime juice, and I'm pretty sure it was Rose's sweetened lime juice and not fresh lime juice. More importantly, I had about two sips of the drink before ordering a glass of wine and left the cocktail sitting on the table for the remainder of dinner. Our server never asked how I liked the cocktail which was a little disheartening. Overall, we had a great time. I highly recommend The Tulip Bistro!