Bistro 101

Excellent food and service. We shared the stuffed dates appetizer and they were delicious. Next was a cup of mushroom bisque. Also yummy. I had the Mediterranean chicken and loved it. The presentation was beautiful. My friend had the shrimp pasta and enjoyed it. We shared two Crème Brûlée for dessert. Outstanding. The drinks were great. House wine very nice. Service was prompt and top notch. Can’t wait to go again.

Very overpriced. Make the short trip to Madison for far better options, prices and experience.

My husband and I LOVE The Bistro! They have a small main menu but you go there for the specials. We have never been disappointed. And look forward to the appetizers sent out from the kitchen. We did gazpacho shooters tonight. What a treat! The Bistro is a definite must go!

Last night was my first visit to Bistro 101 and I’m definitely a fan! I don’t get to Mount Horeb very often, but I would absolutely go back, if only to eat there again! The service is great — enthusiastic and helpful — very passionate about their local food and their menu.
All 3 of my friends ordered the Halibut and they LOVED it! In fact, they barely spoke they were so focused on their delicious dinners. I was in a red meat mood so I ordered the Bistro Burger. Winning!!! It was a really fantastic burger! The meat is local and HIGH quality, it was cooked perfectly medium rare and the pretzel bun was magic. No kidding, best pretzel bun I’ve ever had! The potato wedges were good, nothing special, but a nice side. However, the burger was the star.
Let’s talk wine for a minute. I’m a big red girl. I love the big reds and typically, I go for a nice cabernet. We ordered a bottle of the 2011 Homefront Red by Murphy-​Goode (Santa Rosa, CA) and it was ideal. SUPER good! We all loved it! I’m going to try to find it locally so I can buy some bottles for home. Yes, that good! And a portion of each bottle sold goes to Operation Homefront so that’s one more thing to feel good about.

I’ve been to Bistro a few times since they opened. The food is good but do not justify the prices. Steaks are Market price, usually $ 45-​$ 55. Everything is ala carte, a caesar salad that was OK at best to start is another $ 8 and not worth it, no free bread, that is another $ 6-​$ 7. That is very high in my opinion, especially for the service you get. I’ve gone to nice steak restaurants in Chicago and paid those prices but you have what seems like a staff of 7 serving you. Here it is just one server, no crumb cleaning or anything I’ve had at places like Gene and Georgetti’s. They have a nice bar. Stop in for a few drinks but I cannot recommend staying for dinner.

I was so excited to have dinner at Bistro 101. And then…
They were out of all the dishes that I really wanted to try. As second choice, I got the Butternut Squash soup. No flavor. As second choice, I got the Greek Chicken. Absolutely nothing Greek about it. The bartender (Marco) knew the parties on both sides of me. He talked at length with them and gave them great service. I sat virtually ignored in between them, to the point of him probably not even realizing that I would have ordered more food and more drink if he had offered.
With a disappointed palette, I went across the street for good wine, good service, and good conversation with real people.
I love supporting local businesses. But Bistro 101 needs more competition to up their game and be deserving of their ‘great’ reputation.

When we go to Mt. Horeb, we make sure to dine at Bistro 101, which is by far the best restaurant around.
We always sit at a two-​top by the bar, because the bartender is very knowledgeable and outgoing, so we tend to learn a lot about different liquids when we are there. Plus, they tend to stock rare and unique spirits, so trying them is always a fun experience.
We ordered the mushroom bisque, the chilled trout appetizer, the Greek chicken, and the pesto pasta. The soup was perfect: creamy without overdoing it, and with a perfect mushroom taste. I could have eaten five more bowls (I didn’t). Of course, the trout was wonderful — served on baguette slices and topped with red onion, the combination of flavors was perfect.
I liked my pesto pasta, although I am not a big fan of zucchini in pasta, as it always seems like more of a filler than a vegetable that is actually enjoyable. But the pesto itself was very good. S. really liked his Greek chicken, although the potatoes and vegetables were his favorite parts.
The service at Bistro 101 can’t be beat. We chatted with the staff about the World Cup and unique brands of gin and whiskey, and we didn’t want for anything. It was definitely a highlight of our trip to Mt. Horeb.

My wife and I went here for drinks and a romantic dinner out. The burger was so great, the scotch was very good and the chocolate cake we had was quite delicious.
I would recommend this place and I will be back for drinks with my wife in the future.

Fantastic atmosphere! It’s an upscale bar and restaurant where you can feel comfortable in all attire.
Lisa and Tom are great about allergies and adapting their menu to meet your needs. Knowing that I am able to find this type of cuisine (and that I can alter it without dirty looks or annoyed sighs) in a smaller town is a wonderful feeling.
They also have a selective but delicious wine selection that pairs well with the food offered. Marco is great about working the entire bar and doesn’t ignore you but isn’t overbearing.
We had two of the features: chilled Asian salad and the baked trout. They were exceptional! We asked when they would be repeated again, Lisa mentioned that they would see what they can do at that time. Hopefully these two items will be repeated more often!

Worth the drive! Very friendly staff, fantastic steak (perhaps one of the best filet mignons I have ever had). Good bar.
My wife, who is not a carnivore at all, even opted to try a steak and raved about it!
Very sophisticated, upscale feel. Stellar service, fantastic food.
Can’t wait to go back on a date night!
Make sure to make reservations if you go on a weekend-I’m sure it gets busy.

When my parents asked me to meet them for dinner in Mount Horeb, I was skeptical. Both have discerning tastes that lead them to mostly eat in because they live at least 20 minutes from a good restaurant, and my mother is a very good cook. I guess sometimes your parents are right, because I’ve been coming back to Bistro 101 every time my parents are in town, or I have an excuse to eat in Mount Horeb.
First of all, the people who work there are wonderful. After one dinner, the next time I came in, Marco remembered my name and that I love seafood, so would I like to try the halibut tonight? (Yes, you want to try the halibut if it’s available) The bar features a limited wine list (but standard for the area), but Marco is generous with his pours, which is great for catching up with family over.
Bistro 101 is the only place outside of Madison that my father will order steak. Maybe this is in part because they let him choose the filet before they cook it. This is a restaurant that is about more than fantastic food — it’s also the friendly atmosphere cultivated by the staff.
I am partial to seafood so I usually order the halibut or crab cakes, though I know they plan to branch out into difference cuisine in 2014. The sides are a more standard pilaf, but the roasted vegetables served in the winter are a wonderful accompaniment to most of the dishes. My family is partial to sharing so I’ve had steak and it was perfect; I’ve tried it rare and medium well, since mom and dad differ on how they prefer steak cooked, and both ways are delicious. The wait staff and kitchen are accommodating to any special requests, and most of the menu can be made gluten free.
The aesthetics of the restaurant are such that you’d swear you were in Madison: heavy on wood and white tile accent which are reminiscent of a time past. The prices are Madisonian as well, but worth it.

Worth every penny. Paying for a good, well thought entrée is always so worth it! This is one of my favorite restaurants and im so glad its in mount horeb. Try any special they offer. The filet is tender and unlike anything I’ve had. The service is personable and genuine. I recommend the bistro to anyone who enjoys good fresh local food made to perfection.

Drinks: Phenomenal bar service from Marco the bartender.
Atmosphere: Can you believe we’re in Mount Horeb? Swanky bar and dining room for the troll town.
Food: Delish local cheese, meat, vegetables and other yummies.
$$$: I don’t mind paying extra for this type of food and service

We ate the flatbread pizza ~ WOW! Really, the best I’ve ever had.
The spinach salad was perfect ~ awesome combination of ingredients and dressing.
The mashed potatoes were comfort food at it’s best.
And…to top it off they make the perfect cosmo.
We were passing through town, stopped at a couple pubs
We looked at menus and atmosphere and landed here. We were so glad we did.
Great service as well.

When you think of Mount Horeb, WI you may not think of gourmet eateries but Bistro 101 is certainly a great place to get a very good meal with outstanding service. On our last visit my wife and I had a great red wine along with fresh baked bread and an outstanding mushroom soup — it was super delicious. The waitress recommended the hanger steak and it was so tender it could literally be cut with a fork. YUM Even though the prices are a bit on the high side I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a high quality gourmet experience.