Bloomsbury Bistro

When family came to town for my birthday, we went here and we all loved our meals. The chicken was like nothing I've ever had before. Great service, great wine list, lovely decor. more

That sums it up - excellent food - really. The service was great, nice - helpful people. That said - the restaurant needs to be redecorated. They have 1980's Chinese food restaurant black lacquer chairs, old carpet, blinds - no curtains (so the strip mall parking lot tends to show itself). The drop ceilings also give a cheap lighting. \r \r I realize this sounds snotty - I am not trying to be so - in fact - this place has great possibility - they just need to close on the ambiance and it could well be the triangle's best meal.\r \r Another oddball comment. The serving sizes could be 60% of what they were. I felt like i overate - as did my wife. \r \r Again - we loved the food and service - maybe the best food in the triangle. more

The food is fabulous and the service is top-notch. Last time we went, I forgot to ask them to hold the bacon on the app and the waitress took it back graciously without my even asking. The wine suggestion was outstanding and well-educated. Perfect for the ultimate date night! Pros: Service and food Cons: Only con is close tables more

Every time I recommend Bloomsbury Bistro to friends and/or coworkers, I hear nothing but rave reviews and thank-yous from those who enjoyed their wonderful dining experience. The food has been absolutely amazing every time I eat there and as the menu changes so frequently, I always look forward to seeing what Chef John Toler has put together for my next visit. I am from Chicago. lived in NYC, and Miami and I would put Bloomsbury up against any fancy big city restaurant. The service is impeccable, the portions perfect, and the price just right if you realize that expertly prepared food and fresh ingredients are going to cost more than your chain restaurant. As I see many of the same people over and over again, I know I am not the only one coming back for more! more

My friends and I do an ""Ethnic Dinner Night"" once a month. This month's theme was French. Though Bloomsbury Bistro isn't entirely ""french"" it is French inspired cuisine. It is a bit pricy, but the food was delicious! You can savor the flavors. I had the Normandy Chicken with bacon and apples along with the blue cheese gnocci. Wowzer! Who knew bacon and apples together could be so good! \r \r Pros: Food, YUM!\r Cons: Somewhat slow service, over priced, $10 wine corking fee Pros: Food YUM, appetizers, good for groups Cons: price, somewhat slow service, $10 wine corking fee more

We have eaten (and lived) all over the World and rarely comment on a good meal or local restaurant except time and time again the Bloomsbury Bistro is the place, the ONLY place in Raleigh we can count on for a good meal at a decent price. The portions are perfect, the food always perfect and we have never had a complaint except we can't always fit in desert. What a shame! It is amazing to compare our little Raleigh restaurant with others so well known and we consider this our best kept secret. Compared to most recommended restaurants in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, Bloomsbury is by far the best. We would love to see the restaurant completely smoke free as inhaling smoke (near the little bar area) can really ruin the fabulous food. We think since New York and Miami can be smoke free, the upper class Raleigh restaurants surely can spare patrons from second-hand smoke, especially when the smoke fouls the air so miserably and ruins the true flavor of expertly prepared food (not to mention contributing to lung disease - just ask the many Dr's frequenting the restaurant). Until Raleigh can manage dining without smoke, we will hope to still dine at Bloomsbury in only the separate dining room but have to save the best experiences for smoke-free restaurants in other cities/countries (Italy!!). Pros: Absolutely the best meals in Raleigh Cons: Not completely smoke free which ruins the taste and aromas of the meals more

We entertained guests from San Fran all last week and dined out many times. They are used to great meals so we felt that we should show them the best that Raleigh has to offer. Bloomsbury was hands down the most awesome! Our guests didn't stop talking about the BLT appetizer, the pork with the Wild Turkey mashed sweet potatoes and the chocolate torture cake. We shared and tried many different things and all were remarkable. The coctails we got in the bar were perfect and the wine that our waitress recommended was wonderful. She was also efficient and knowledgeable. Our guests couldn't believe that a restaurant of Bloomsbury's caliber didn't have a month waiting list for reservations. If it was in San Fran it certainly would. Other Raleigh restaurants are good, but Bloomsbury is above the rest! Pros: inventive menu, ambiance, service more

We had a wonderful meal this evening and since so many of the reviews here are years old, I thought I'd add a new one. The food was fresh and the flavor combinations were delightful. Service was very good. We each had an excellent glass of wine, which was nice since so often wines by the glass seem as if the bottle has been open for days. The glasses themselves were huge, so I don't understand the old complaint below about it being ""half-full."" I like to cook and insist that on our rare ""date nights"" my husband and I eat flavor combinations and foods I couldn't prepare at home. We have an infant and a toddler, so our nights out are rare and precious. This was a good choice for a very pleasant break. Pros: Food quality, Wine Selection, Service Cons: View of parking lot more

My husband and I are fine dining freaks. We live in North Raleigh. Our new neighbors, relocated from five points, told us about their favorite restaurant. Two days later we had dinner there. We were blown away. The meal was oustanding, we shared different appetizers with an amazing bottle of pinot called Bindi. Next time we were back for the full experience. We had the best, and biggest, martinis we've ever had in the bar. We both had a fish called corvina served with corn chowder, I'm here to tell you that it is the best thing we have ever eaten. Then we took our new neighbors with us, we were treated like royalty. I read a lot of magazine articles hung on the wall there. How can a man with that much press remain so under the radar in a town the size of Raleigh? We have good neighbors! Pros: highly innovative foo, great martinis, great service Cons: smoking in the bar, "strip mall exterior more

This is a fantastic restaurant with an exceptional chef. Lovely every time you go. more

I have dined at Bloomsbury for many years and still recommend it as one of my favorite restaurants. The service is always polished and the food is incredibly delicious. The menu is so inventive that assumptions of how food is ""supposed"" to be prepared should be thrown out the window. Don't let negative reviews stop you from trying this place. The creme brulee, for instance, is served chilled there and many items purposedly have hot and cold ingredients. This is not average restaurant food, so open your mind when ordering. The cocktails are some of the best; taste and size-wise. The wine list is well rounded and priced better than anywhere else I dine. The glasses are oversized, so don't be fooled by the portions, you aren't getting cheated! The menu changes often so there is always something new to try. This place is tops! Pros: best food, great drinks, French ambiance more

I've heard so much about this place? Good wine and beer selection, though my wife ordered a glass of wine which came out hardly half full (did they not want to open another bottle?). We got an appetizer, a brie-center filled risotto cake which was somewhat lacking of flavor and luke-warm at the most...this is inexcusable for a Wednesday night with only 1/2 to 3/4 capacity in the place. The entrees were decent and hot. We split creme brulee and had to send it back because it was cold and the brulee'd top had turned to mush from refrigerator storage I am guessing. The quick whack in the oven did nothing but barely warm the dish the dessert was in. We sent it back and got the chocolate torte, which was good. Too bad, the restaurant is in a nice area and is a cozy little place with potential. Pros: Good Service, Wine and beer selecti, Good menu choices Cons: Cold Food more

I recently revisited this restaurant after not thinking much of it the first time I visited it some years back. It is still overrated. Our food was not prepared well. I had mushroom parmigiana, the mushroom was overcooked and the artichokes were so hard they could not be eaten. The service was adequate if you consider it your job to pour the wine. We won't be going back. The best thing I can say about the place is they had nice artwork on the wall. Pros: Nice Artwork, Good Location Cons: Overpriced, Poor food preparation, Poor service more

Although the menu is small, it offers wide variety, and makes it hard to choose - everything looks so good! We enjoyed all of our choices and find the restaurant to be a calming, romantic spot to share a fine meal. We will be back. Pros: Romantic, Fine food, Good wine list Cons: Expensive more

The food here is so flavorful that you will savor every bite and wish for more. The most perfect food I've ever eaten. Even if it is a bit pricy you're paying for more than just the food. Your paying for a truly exquisite dining experience. more

I have eaten here several times as it came highly recommended to me. I have never had a bad meal and have been extremely impressed each time I have visited. It is great for celebrating special occasions or for a special night out. The food will not disappoint. Yes, privacy is limited but if your goal is to discover wonderful gourmet food then you will find it there! Pros: delicious, outstanding more

Why Bloomsburgy Bistro often gets overlooked in favor of spots like Magnolia Grill beats me. Dishes are fresh, well executed and creative. Dessert is divine and should not be missed. Great for a special occasion or when you just want to live a little. more