Bay Street Bistro offers an amazing experience with wonderful service and a great atmosphere- food is also very good!
Greg Skeen
Bay Street Bistro is one of the best kept secrets in Lakeland FL. The food and service is top notch. We have been a few times and every time we go we are more than 100% satisfied.
Robin
Great place to celebrate love! It was a rainy night, so the restaurants ambience was wonderful, cozy, & friendly.
Robert
Despite a less than satisfactory experience at the 2025 Valentine's Day event, we decided to try Bay Street Bistro again (emailed the restaurant directly about Valentine's Day, never received a reply). There was one group of six already there who were a little on the loud side. We and another couple were the only others there. It's a small restaurant so the noise level of the one table spoiled the ambiance for us. Fresh rolls with seasoned butter started the meal. Our appetizer was escargot served with two pieces of phyllo pastry and a lot of cream with fresh whole garlic cloves. Next, we enjoyed a Caeser salad and the poached pear salad which was supposed to be served w/ bruschetta. Since it wasn't, I asked the server about it. She brought out a small dish of chopped tomato, olive oil, and seasoning. No toast even though the bruschetta appetizer shown on the menu is served on toast points. This was the first time I had ever seen bruschetta served w/o toast points. Our server must have thought it unusual because she offered to bring two more rolls to the table. My impression was that the chef was annoyed that I asked about the missing bruschetta and dumped the bruschetta topping into a small dish: "You want bruschetta - here's your bruschetta." We both ordered the Mediterranean salmon. It was served with lots of whole garlic cloves, fresh vegetables, and risotto. It was very good but also very rich from the butter. After enjoying more rich food than I normally eat, I was unable to finish the salmon and took most of it home. That left room for the rum cake with strawberries and whipped cream for us to split. It was also good. Our first two experiences here were the best. Since then, not so much. Because of that and the fact that we don't tolerate rich food very well, we will not return to Bay Street Bistro. I have a feeling this restaurant doesn't handle criticism very well so they will probably appreciate that.
Kris
Service was over the top. Warm, welcoming and genuine. Food? Huge portions and so delicious. Not a cheap place but I'd have paid even more for the evening they gave me.
Lori
Bay Street Bistro is my favorite Lakeland restaurant for special occasions or for times when you just want somewhere excellent to dine. The food is consistently and deliciously prepared and the service is perfect and unpretentious. Sydney (like Australia 😉) was our delightful server and added to the fun of our evening. For dinner, I had the Wild Salmon Bronzed. The orange beurre was incredible and was a perfect complement to the savory herbs on the salmon. The others I was with equally enjoyed their choices of Chilean Sea Bass and the Rack of Lamb. I can't wait to go back!
Kyle
The food is always incredible. The atmosphere is perfect. The service marries it all together for a great experience every time.
Wes
The lobster ravioli was an outstanding dish beautifully presented. I ordered Bronzed Sea Bass but got bronzed salmon instead, which I do happen to love. The service was not up to par because there were only two servers and the restaurant was continually filled. I had to cask for my wine to be refilled and I saw an elderly gentleman taking menus back to the service desk. Amy, the hostess was run ragged all evening due to having only two servers. There were several new customers there. I do hope they weren't disappointed.
Lenora Fairbank
The food and the service were superb!
Debra
We love dining here when in the area. Always a great experience. Recently enjoyed the stuffed mushrooms, tomatoe bisque, butternut squash soup, beef bourguignon, and my husband claims one of the best ribeyes ever! We ended with delicious chocolate layer cake. Our server Lauren was wonderful. Highly recommend this quant cafe!
This restaraunt used to be one of our absolute favorites. But this last experience left much to be desired. It is supposed to be a FINE DINING establishment complete with “Fine dining” prices. But for a restaurant that charges $60 for a salmon plate one would think the Salmon would be cooked perfectly. Mine was undercooked, and it inedible. Because the restaurant was cold, I didn't want to wait while they re-fired it, prolonging my stay. Another small pet-peeve is when I ask a server for something and they forget to bring it. I asked my server for more butter for our bread and it never came. I did mention it and she apologized, since she pawned the request off to another server who took our extra butter to another table. For the HIGH PRICE the service and the food should have matched, and frankly it didn't. I don't think we'll be back. I don't mind paying extra if I'm getting what I pay for, but I can no longer trust that's what I'll be getting here. This was our 22nd anniversary dinner so it was a special occasion for us and tho this experience can never ruin the blessing that we have. It will leave a lasting impression.
Opentable Diner
Fantastic food and wonderful service. A bit pricey but worth it for the quality of food and preparation!
Mikayla
Amazing service and staffing. A great place for any anniversary or celebration. Our server was so kind and assisted us in deciding what to get and even what wine to pair with the entree! Our first time dining with them and won't be our last!
Robert Baum
My wife and I had dinner there last week. In our opinion it is the best restaurant in town and we have eaten at most of them. I had the Shrimp Scampi with Angle Hair pasta and my wife had one of the two duck entrees. Both were ample as was the chocolate cake and we took home enough of each for lunch the next day. James goes out of his way to ensure a great meal. One think I love about the Bay Street Bistro is it is quiet enough to have a conversation. It is not cheap but the impeccable service and the quality of the food is worth the slightly higher prices of most downtown restaurants with often long lines and elbow to elbow seating. We had celebrated our anniversary last month and hope to come again soon.
Parking: There is restricted parking for clients only (business not indicated) during working hours weekdays at the lot adjacent to the west side of the restaurant. We have never had a problem parking there on weekend evenings.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Two Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Roast Duck, Pear Salad
Chris Linke
We go to Bay Street Bistro whenever we are in Lakeland. The food is always excellent. I highly recommend Muscles La Creme. I've tried well over half the menu and haven't been disappointed on any of them.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Caesar Salad, Beef Wellington, Baked Brie, Escargot
Bay Street Bistro offers an amazing experience with wonderful service and a great atmosphere- food is also very good!
Bay Street Bistro is one of the best kept secrets in Lakeland FL. The food and service is top notch. We have been a few times and every time we go we are more than 100% satisfied.
Great place to celebrate love! It was a rainy night, so the restaurants ambience was wonderful, cozy, & friendly.
Despite a less than satisfactory experience at the 2025 Valentine's Day event, we decided to try Bay Street Bistro again (emailed the restaurant directly about Valentine's Day, never received a reply). There was one group of six already there who were a little on the loud side. We and another couple were the only others there. It's a small restaurant so the noise level of the one table spoiled the ambiance for us. Fresh rolls with seasoned butter started the meal. Our appetizer was escargot served with two pieces of phyllo pastry and a lot of cream with fresh whole garlic cloves. Next, we enjoyed a Caeser salad and the poached pear salad which was supposed to be served w/ bruschetta. Since it wasn't, I asked the server about it. She brought out a small dish of chopped tomato, olive oil, and seasoning. No toast even though the bruschetta appetizer shown on the menu is served on toast points. This was the first time I had ever seen bruschetta served w/o toast points. Our server must have thought it unusual because she offered to bring two more rolls to the table. My impression was that the chef was annoyed that I asked about the missing bruschetta and dumped the bruschetta topping into a small dish: "You want bruschetta - here's your bruschetta." We both ordered the Mediterranean salmon. It was served with lots of whole garlic cloves, fresh vegetables, and risotto. It was very good but also very rich from the butter. After enjoying more rich food than I normally eat, I was unable to finish the salmon and took most of it home. That left room for the rum cake with strawberries and whipped cream for us to split. It was also good. Our first two experiences here were the best. Since then, not so much. Because of that and the fact that we don't tolerate rich food very well, we will not return to Bay Street Bistro. I have a feeling this restaurant doesn't handle criticism very well so they will probably appreciate that.
Service was over the top. Warm, welcoming and genuine. Food? Huge portions and so delicious. Not a cheap place but I'd have paid even more for the evening they gave me.
Bay Street Bistro is my favorite Lakeland restaurant for special occasions or for times when you just want somewhere excellent to dine. The food is consistently and deliciously prepared and the service is perfect and unpretentious. Sydney (like Australia 😉) was our delightful server and added to the fun of our evening. For dinner, I had the Wild Salmon Bronzed. The orange beurre was incredible and was a perfect complement to the savory herbs on the salmon. The others I was with equally enjoyed their choices of Chilean Sea Bass and the Rack of Lamb. I can't wait to go back!
The food is always incredible. The atmosphere is perfect. The service marries it all together for a great experience every time.
The lobster ravioli was an outstanding dish beautifully presented. I ordered Bronzed Sea Bass but got bronzed salmon instead, which I do happen to love. The service was not up to par because there were only two servers and the restaurant was continually filled. I had to cask for my wine to be refilled and I saw an elderly gentleman taking menus back to the service desk. Amy, the hostess was run ragged all evening due to having only two servers. There were several new customers there. I do hope they weren't disappointed.
The food and the service were superb!
We love dining here when in the area. Always a great experience. Recently enjoyed the stuffed mushrooms, tomatoe bisque, butternut squash soup, beef bourguignon, and my husband claims one of the best ribeyes ever! We ended with delicious chocolate layer cake. Our server Lauren was wonderful. Highly recommend this quant cafe!
Restaurantji Recommends
This restaraunt used to be one of our absolute favorites. But this last experience left much to be desired. It is supposed to be a FINE DINING establishment complete with “Fine dining” prices. But for a restaurant that charges $60 for a salmon plate one would think the Salmon would be cooked perfectly. Mine was undercooked, and it inedible. Because the restaurant was cold, I didn't want to wait while they re-fired it, prolonging my stay. Another small pet-peeve is when I ask a server for something and they forget to bring it. I asked my server for more butter for our bread and it never came. I did mention it and she apologized, since she pawned the request off to another server who took our extra butter to another table. For the HIGH PRICE the service and the food should have matched, and frankly it didn't. I don't think we'll be back. I don't mind paying extra if I'm getting what I pay for, but I can no longer trust that's what I'll be getting here. This was our 22nd anniversary dinner so it was a special occasion for us and tho this experience can never ruin the blessing that we have. It will leave a lasting impression.
Fantastic food and wonderful service. A bit pricey but worth it for the quality of food and preparation!
Amazing service and staffing. A great place for any anniversary or celebration. Our server was so kind and assisted us in deciding what to get and even what wine to pair with the entree! Our first time dining with them and won't be our last!
My wife and I had dinner there last week. In our opinion it is the best restaurant in town and we have eaten at most of them. I had the Shrimp Scampi with Angle Hair pasta and my wife had one of the two duck entrees. Both were ample as was the chocolate cake and we took home enough of each for lunch the next day. James goes out of his way to ensure a great meal. One think I love about the Bay Street Bistro is it is quiet enough to have a conversation. It is not cheap but the impeccable service and the quality of the food is worth the slightly higher prices of most downtown restaurants with often long lines and elbow to elbow seating. We had celebrated our anniversary last month and hope to come again soon.
Parking: There is restricted parking for clients only (business not indicated) during working hours weekdays at the lot adjacent to the west side of the restaurant. We have never had a problem parking there on weekend evenings.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Two Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Roast Duck, Pear Salad
We go to Bay Street Bistro whenever we are in Lakeland. The food is always excellent. I highly recommend Muscles La Creme. I've tried well over half the menu and haven't been disappointed on any of them.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Caesar Salad, Beef Wellington, Baked Brie, Escargot
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