9056397577+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Sun
4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Mon
4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Tue
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wed
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Thu
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Reserve a table

What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, International, Grill, Gastropub, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options
Does it mainly serve crepes / waffles?
Details
About
Small intimate bistro in the heart of downtown Burlington. Award winning cuisine that keeps our customers coming back. We have been serving Burlington for 14 years.
PRICE RANGE
$9.00 – $35.00
CUISINES
International, Grill, Gastropub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
Contribute
4.5
276 reviews
Excellent
183
Very good
68
Average
18
Poor
5
Terrible
2
Saucysavory
Brampton1825 contributions
Nov 2022 • couples
Cozy spot with a comfortable elegance indoors and outdoor seating also available. Enjoyed all dishes which were flavourful and beautifully plated. Service was excellent. Reservations are recommended and they take a credit card up front with a cancellation policy in place. A wise move in todays economy and I expect other top notch places to follow suit. The mussels were served in a curry sauce with tropical salsa. Best I have ever had and wise choice to combine this salsa. Seafood and chicken jambalaya was delicious and ample in serving size. The pecan crusted chicken is a must try. When we return I probably should try another dish but I may have to have it again,yum! Expect quality and excellence in your dining experience here.
Written November 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John
1 contribution
Jan 2025 • couples
Downtown Bistro & Grill is by far our favorite restaurant - period! Food is always prepared & presented perfectly with fresh ingredients. Plates & meals are hot & the serving staff are friendly, warm & inviting. The small venue offers a very nice intimate setting. Pricing is very reasonable for a dining experience of such high quality!
Written January 17, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy B
261 contributions
Nov 2024 • couples
The first thing you will notice when you enter this restaurant is the charming atmosphere. It is cozy with perfect lighting. Yes the tables are close together, but this was not an issue where we sat. The menu is extensive and includes dine unique items. My husband had the jambalaya and loved every bite. I had the shrimp pasta and it was perfection. The portions were generous. We also shared the calamari, which was the only disappointing part of our visit. The wine list is reasonably priced. After experiencing a rushed dining experience here in the past, I was pleasantly surprised to learn if you make reservations for the second seating, ours were for 7:15, you can have the table for as long as you would like to enjoy your meal. After the fabulous dinner we had here, we just might have found our new favourite restaurant in Burlington.
Written November 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M P
Oakville18 contributions
Sep 2022 • none
We chose this restaurant because of the great reviews. The service was courteous and friendly and the food quite good, although some parts of the meal were a little cold. We ordered a bottle of wine, finished our meal and were just receiving our coffee when we were politely asked to leave as the next party had arrived. We were not forewarned that there was a 2 hour dining limit and were quite surprised to be shuffled out the door after spending over $200 for our party of 3. To be honest, we ordered promptly but the meal did not come very quickly (the restaurant was getting busy and this was understandable).
I realize proprietors have to ensure brisk business to optimize profits but it soured our experience. We may have been 10 minutes longer to finish our drinks. In decades of dining out, this was the first time I have ever been asked to leave. Our visiting guest who travelled from Europe was quite surprised at this experience. I would not recommend this restaurant for business meals or special occasions.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy B
261 contributions
Jan 2023 • none
The first thing you will need to know about this cozy little place, is not to go here for a dinner that you will need to discuss anything that you don't want to share with the people sitting next to you. The tables are very close to each other. The other thing that you need to consider is if you would like to have a relaxing dinner? If the answer is yes, then you this is not the place for you. We felt rushed the moment we sat down. We were asked what we would like to drink within seconds even when it was clear that we hadn't looked at the wine list. This rushed feeling continued throughout our stay. In fact an hour and a half into our visit, we were told that we only had another 15 minutes. I understand that this is a small restaurant and that they would like to turn tables, but for the cost of the meal I would have like not to feel rushed out the door. If you would like a quick meal, by all means have dinner here. The food was really quite good. The service was friendly and dare I say a little too efficient.
Written February 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike L
Thank You for your review, if you could reach out to me via email at mike@downtownbistro.ca and give me the date and time of your disappointing experience . This is not how we operate and never intend to rush anybody.
Written February 2, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pashk
Burlington118 contributions
Nov 2023 • friends
Lovely cozy space and excellent service. Was there for lunch with a friend. I had the perch tacos which were delicious and came with a very crisp and fresh salad. My friend had the penne ala vodka and was very impressed. Bottles of wine were on sale and we were able to take the unfinished wine bottle home with us: something I was unaware of.
Written November 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen D
Burlington9 contributions
Nov 2022 • couples
Have been to this restaurant many times…it was a very special occasion..and we went on a Tuesday night..
I had requested a table but did not get it.there were only two other couples in the whole restaurant..
My meal was over spiced with powdered thyme, and was supposed to be Cajun pasta….hardly edible and I should have sent it back…
No eye contact from the server, and seemed like she would rather be somewhere else…
Will not return…
Written November 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
only1sinatra
Oakville19 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
We went to Downtown Bistro & Grill for my sons' 23rd birthday. He is a foodie and had been wanting to go for quite some time. From the time we arrived we knew we found a great spot. Mobina greeted us and led us to the table. Though we were a last minute show (no reservation) she fit us in and told us the table needed to be ready for a reservation which was 90 minutes later. We said we understood and from there is was perfect.
The appetizers chosen (grilled calamari was easily shareable and quite tasty with the roasted peppers. The crispy risotto ball (2) was quite good. The entre was the penne all vodka which my daughter loved. My son and I had the Louisiana linguine with blackened chicken and sautéed shrimp. It was dynamite!! Wine selection was good too and we had paired it with a nice white.
My son is rather quiet about his birthday, but when away from the table I asked Mobina (who I thought was the owner, as she takes pride in her team) said she would help and brought out a dessert discretely. That made the day.
The venue is a nice quaint home, small, but cozy and what I loved about it, was the fact Mobina treated us like family and we treated her like family.
Definitely going to make this a regular place to bring family and friends.
And, did I say it is in the heart of downtown Burlington and close to the lake for the much needed walk after a great meal.
Written August 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim F
Burlington37 contributions
Feb 2023 • friends
“Highly overrated”
We based our choice to celebrate an important anniversary on a recommendation. We now regret not doing our usual research before visiting this restaurant. First, the restaurant is small with too many tables wedged in to seat too many people. To extricate myself at the end of our meal, I had to enlist the help of a fellow patron to help me up! But I digress. The meals themselves were a mix of very good and “OK”. But our server was what turned a reasonably good dining experience to one we would like to forget! She bordered on rude the way she served and took away the dishes. Look out if you dared get in her way! Sorry Downtown Bistro, but we will not be returning any time soon.
Written February 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen
Burlington295 contributions
Mar 2022 • none
I'd read that this restaurant has the best burger in Burlington so as some former work colleagues were getting together for the first time since the pandemic, we thought we'd find out how good the burger was.
We arrived for our reservation on time and seated promptly. The restaurant was crowded surprisingly. You definitely need reservations. A fair selection of local craft beers and a lot of choices on the menu. Prices are mid to upper high.
All but 1 of us ordered the burger. Considering how busy the restaurant was, the food arrived relatively quickly. The one waitress on, was excellent. Managed the 15 tables like a pro.
The burger was very good. Ground sirloin and unlike my previous review for this restaurant 9 years ago, the food was not overly salty. The only critique was that the fries were bordering on cool and there wasn't that much of them.
The cost was nearly $60 for a burger, fries and 2 beers. Prices have gone up now with pandemic induced inflation. Was it worth it? Would I go back? Absolutely. The waitress's service, personality and sense of humour wants me to go back.
Written April 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katherine E C
Burlington1077 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
I have eaten at this restaurant literally dozens of times and it was always our favourite.
However, last night I dined on the rear terrace with a friend.
I waited alone while she parked the car and was seated on the terrace.
All around me, diners were being served and in one case, entertained by endless stories of birth order in the family. All I wanted was a glass of water.
I waved, I gave a look and then finally, after 15 minutes, I called out. "I'm not your server", came the reply from the endless story teller serving the next table.
My friend had still not arrived and finally another server arrived.
I asked for a glass of water (it was very hot) and what the specials were.
She brought me the water. I asked about the specials again. "I will wait to tell you when your friend arrives". I guess, as the lowly customer, my wishes didn't matter.
Then she called me "dear". I ignored this condescending title and waited.
My friend arrived and we were finally served.
Our server called me "dear" twice more and finally I asked her not to call me that.
she then proceeded to call my friend "darling" and "love".
I really wish I had asked her name. She will remember me, as I did not leave her a tip.
The meal was delicious as always- the service brutal.
It will take a lot of convincing to get me to return to my former Burlington favourite.
Train your staff. Teach them how to address people. Teach them to be polite and professional. Some of your staff are ruining your previously stellar reputation.
Written July 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravellerCKB
Lahaina6 contributions
Nov 2023 • couples
Downtown Bistro is a delight in the heart of downtown Burlington. Intimate dining with great atmosphere. Despite the fact that is was full on a Thursday evening, the service was excellent. Vishu was a gem of a waiter, attentive and helpful and fun. Food was outstanding from the calamari appetizer to the main courses of short ribs and the lamb special. The sticky toffee pudding desert was decadent. Well worth the visit,
Written November 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Junho K
Mississauga5 contributions
Jan 2024 • couples
Food is great and ambiance is fantastic. Server was really nice and friendly.
We go to this restaurant often and I find menu has great list and so far, appetizers, main dishes and desserts were fantastic.
Written March 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patrick B
Burlington2 contributions
Aug 2023 • couples
Great food, and Amazon if service! I had the beet salad. Pickled, proper acid, amazing fat levels added from the goat cheese, and a crunch from the walnut. Wife had calamari she’s loved it and happy. Mains gnocchi with lobster and shrimp with basil and cream…. Fantastic. Wife had short rib never fails. Always great. Lots of love for the Bistro. Must say tho, we booked late and our server Visho made everything perfect. From our walk in to the wait, perfect table. Amazing service. He tied in the front to the back of house. Good food = Good service! You nailed both. Thx Bistro. Nothing but love
Written August 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karrie L
67 contributions
Oct 2021 • family
Excellent dinner at the bistro. Really enjoyed our appetizers - baked Brie and garlic, bruschetta and truffle fries. The beef short ribs were amazing. Daughter really enjoyed her salmon and they accommodated her dairy restrictions without hesitation. French onion soup was really good as well. Good size portions and great friendly service.
Written October 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Showing results 1-15 of 274
Best moderately priced restaurants
See all
Best nearby
We rank these hotels, restaurants, and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Best nearby hotels
See all Best nearby restaurants
See all Is This Your Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Free Listing