We went to Bistro VG for our 22nd anniversary on recommendations from several friends. We were not disappointed. My wife had the bouillabaisse. It was cooked to perfection with a delicious mix of seafood including Chilean sea bass, which was one of the tempting daily specials. I had the Moroccan Spiced Seared Duck. I find many restaurants do not know how to properly cook duck, especially medium. The chef is to be commended for perfectly cooking the duck as well. This was one of the best duck meals I've ever had. We shared a cheese plate to start, allowing our waiter, Ben, select his favorites. (I was just slightly disappointed that there was not a daily 'Chef's Selection' for cheese plates), however Ben did an excellent job. It was difficult to select from the desserts. My wife choose the brown butter tart do jour and I the chocolate tart from the menu. Both were tasty. The brown butter tart was reminiscent of many trips to France years ago. While my dessert was very chocolaty, and I'd order it again, it was not traditional French, so order it because it is delicious, but don't expect it to match anything you may find in France.
(5)
Alessandro N.
Very nice restaurant with a cool atmosphere and decor. The food: Was really well prepared and met my expectations. I had the North Carolina brook trout and it was delicious. There were 4 of us at the table and everyone was pleased with their dish! This is important to state because there was seafood, local fish, and meat and all of them were very well done and each one had great taste and presentation. The food is on the pricy side but you pay for the fine-dininig experience. The drinks: Were amazing and the wine list was a tier above most other fine dining restaurants in the area. The location is a bit out of the way but if you are near it and or want a nice "Date night" I would definitely recommend coming here.
(4)
Anita L.
Very inconsistent. Sometimes the food is good; sometimes it is not. Sometimes the service is good; sometimes it is not. Pricey when you don't know what you're going to get......
(2)
Kevin P.
First time at Bistro VG. I received a gift card for the restaurant group they belong to so thought we would check it out. The atmosphere was laid back yet seemed upscale. They recommended reservations but had very few tables when we arrived for our reservation. Inside is a clean white with tablecloths and cloth napkins. They would definitely be a $$$ restaurant based on menu price. The wine selection is minimal and a little over priced. Most of the wine list is under three years old but carry an aged wine price. The meal started with a crab cake that was a little undercooked. The two of us ate Filet Mignon as our main dish. While they were cooked to temperature and tender they had little flavor. Anyway, for the price point ($28) we have had better but have had worse too. The mashed which come with the steak were your basic plain potatoes and both noted they were only slightly warm. So the overall food left us feeling it was just an average meal. Overall we wouldn't rush back again but they aren't completely off the list and we would probably try them again. We thought it had a nice atmosphere overall and the waitress was very attentive and seemed to care about her customers.
(3)
Gabriel B.
There is nothing not to love in this place. Spotless settings, inventive and consistent food and cool polite staff. The decor is only rivalled by Canoe- and with that I'm taking in consideration their river view, which is not fair. But hey, thats life!- with beautiful white stained walls and comfortable furniture. Food is exquisite french nouvelle cuisine, with some very welcomed adaptations (eg. portion sizes). I usually go for the crab cakes- soft and with a balanced mustard sauce, the daily special flat bread (today was a chorizo, fuji apple and pecorino cheese with balsamic reduction), finishing with a delicious banana crepe. Highly recommended, from the sunday brunch to a romantic duo's friday night of.
(5)
Dietmar D.
I've only sat at the bar for appetizers, never tried dinner. I've tried all their app.'s and all are fantastic. Service: Bar service is fantastic. Atmosphere: great place to mingle at the bar and from what I've seen in the main restaurant a nice place for dinner. Not a place for the family/with kids unless the kids are well disciplined. Great for a date night.
(4)
Nancy R.
Great food for the older scene. Bar area is a little loud. Even tho' we came for a late dinner, it was still busy. We had great service! FOOD: Complimentary bread is dry and not very good. For starters, we had split the Butter Lettuce Salad with red onion, cucumber, and herb-mustard vinaigrette. It was refreshingly delicious! For dinner, I had the Seared Atlantic Salmon(cooked medium) with herbed organic quinoa, Tuscan kale, and Fava beans. Delicious!!! I'd come back with older ppl for their great food!
(4)
Nan B.
I took two teenagers there for dinner last night-we sat outside and had outstanding service. My duck was excellent, one girl liked her pizza and ate some cold for breakfast this morning and the other had chicken which went into her scrambled eggs this AM! But the chicken was on a base of over charred mess and the server said this was not a new complaint. I can certainly recommend the French 75 cocktail. It is not far from the trendy part of Roswell but has all kinds of free parking virtually at the door and has been a reliable refuge for many years.
(4)
Ghada E.
I'm really torn about how many stars to give this place. It has the potential of receiving 5 stars, I just can't do it based on our meal/experience tonight. The architecture and modern decor of the restaurant is beautiful! It has really nice lighting fixtures. I don't know what it is about the structure, but the sounds echo really bad in there, the noise level in the back room is unbearable. It is a date night type of restaurant, mostly for an older crowd. So you go there to have conversation. But the acoustics make it hard to carry on conversation. The staff is extremely friendly and very attentive. The food is where I'm torn. It's definitely gourmet, but I thought the pairing of some ingredients were not very complimentary. My husband ordered soup de jour, lentils with curry and coconut milk. Three strong flavors in one was a little too confusing for the palate. I ordered the beats salad. I've had better. The dressing is made of some sort of a heavy oil. The cheese was too bland for the sweet beats. It would have been nice if the cheese was more salty. My husband ordered the scallops served on mashed potatoes. Again, there was a little too much competing flavors in how the scallops were prepared and how the mashed potatoes were prepared. I ordered the duck. The breast was perfect. The drumstick was too gamy. I don't even remember what the duck was served with, but it was heavy and the flavor too strong and competed with the duck. For desert we ordered the beignets with chocolate. The beignets are served hot and covered with sugar and cinnamon and would have been great served along with a complimentary flavored ice cream. Instead it was served with chocolate. I would never pair cinnamon with chocolate. The chef needs to figure out a way to compliment flavors not have them compete against each other.
This review is dedicated to Rich form Atlanta. As this grandmother from Roswell climbs out of her wheel chair (HA), I need to dispel your ignorance regarding seniors and restaurants. While we often drive to Atlanta to dine, go to concerts, sports events and theater in the city, why drive when a restaurant like Bistro VG is available? The food is excellent, the service has always been exceptional, and as for the the wine list, I always find that is a problem for those who are determined to make it a problem so they can bring their own. The restaurant is in business to make money. Corkage fees are charged everywhere, particularly Buckhead. The good news is the next time I visit this wonderful restaurant, I know you won't be there. As a side note, Friday night most of the diners were not seniors!
(5)
Roberta L.
Spoke with the restaurant about booking a private event, not to sound crass but money is no object for this special party. What a snotty attitude they had...and questioning if we would meet their minimum. With so many excellent restaurants in Atlanta we will go elsewhere, likely Canoe which was our first choice anyway. I've spoken with many restaurants that did not offer service for the type of event we wanted but every one of them was very customer-service oriented without attitude.
(1)
Rich V.
This is a great place to take Nana for Grandmothers' Day...well, I'm getting a little ahead of myself, and frankly I'm assuming your Nana doesn't fancy wine. Let me back up by saying that on Yelp I'm the "duke" of this place, so I've been here a lot over a great deal of time. During that time I've watched this restaurant get worse and worse, mostly with poor management decisions. It's been about six months since I was last up at Bistro VG for dinner, and we took some friends who had never been. We are seated on-time in the back room, and we ordered cocktails for some and opened the wine I'd brought (an '07 Novy Syrah from Page Nord I've been holding for about four years now). Unfortunately Bistro VG has changed their cocktail list and got rid of the Basil Cucumber that was great. Also, you still can't get a decent bit of ice; they use the old time cubed ice rather than hand cutting the ice to your glass like most places at this price point. As we were enjoying our conversation, the waitress (Kelly) came over and asked us if we could lend her back our menus, because they "ran out". Unfortunately, the service had been pretty slow up until then, so we were not actually keen to do this. (Who doesn't print enough menus?) Eventually, we order and the service comes out all messed up. My friend -- in fact all of us -- has misunderstood the specials and what came with what, so he didn't get what he wanted. Two of us ordered the hanger steak which was not nearly as good as it has been in the past. The steak was quite sinewy and tough. The cauliflower was not crunchy at all, but had been rendered nearly mush. Too bad. Around this time, one of my friends looks around and notices that literally every patron that we can see looks past retirement age. He joked, "what are they doing out this late?" Well, I think this actually explains a fair bit. Looking at the crowd, this is the not crowd who are going to good restaurants in Historic Roswell and certainly not Midtown or Buckhead restaurants. Bistro VG is catering to an audience that lives out in the hinterlands and has little interest in dealing with driving more than five minutes away from their house at night. This is a captive audience by the logistics of failed night vision and lack of culinary exploration. Resolute on having a good time, we dealt with the bad service and the poorly executed dishes, so we asked Kelly to open our second bottle of wine. She then informs me that corkage is $25/bottle. TWENTY FIVE dollars a bottle? Oftentimes places will charge for one bottle if you bring two, but they certainly don't charge you for both, especially when everyone (except me) had a cocktail and one of the ladies ordered multiple glasses of white wine. In other words we had spent money on drinks. It wasn't like we were cheaping out. I brought wine because Bistro VG has a restricted, young and terribly over-priced wine list. There are few red wines on the base wine list that are older than three years. Most are present releases; I don't think they are laying anything down in reserve. So if you like a wine to have matured to the point it is meant to be drunk, then you need to bring wine, but Bistro VG charges you $25 for each bottle, with no consideration to what else you might be ordering. After the manager left, I told the waitress that this policy must be something they can get away with because Bistro VG is up in the burbs and the people don't know any better. She said that her grandmother doesn't like to drive so she "stays in her bubble". I looked around and realized that everyone was in their bubble, and then it dawned on me. Cafeterias are busy all week, and the locals are looking for a nice place out. Seriously, if your Nana doesn't like wine, take her to Bistro VG. For those of you who do like wine, oenophiles of Roswell listen up: YOU CAN DO BETTER!!! I keep a list of places with less corkage (PM me for it, if you want). Here are a few suggestions to free yourself from places overcharging you to open a bottle of wine. Go try Truffles on Lennox with NO CORKAGE and great food! Check out Concentrics restaurants, such as One Midtown Kitchen, Two Urban Licks (going tonight) or the Spence. You can have a chef like Richard Blaise and they won't charge you for your first bottle and the second is something like $15. Much, much better.
(1)
Scot Q.
Great food - much like their sister restaurants... very good service. Overall very good experience here.
(4)
C. P.
One of my favorites in Roswell. I really love the ambiance and decor. Date night, catch up with friends night, it's always good and the best place to go. Food is terrific! While I have ordered one or two things that are not my favorite, there are so many yummy things on the menu, it's hard to choose. By far the happiest discovery of restaurants in Roswell. Did I mention the service is always terrific as well? I will be back, again and again.
(5)
Julia S.
Delicious seafood dishes and great wines make for a perfect night out. We love sitting at the bar and enjoy a casual dinner. The interior is very nice and inviting. Date night perfect!
(5)
Will C.
We ate here for the first time on a Friday evening with a group of four. We got a table inside since it was a little cool for the porch, which looked very nice. The mostly white interior and dim lighting provide a great ambiance. We were almost immediately greeted by our server to take drink orders and bread and water was brought out right away. He helped me choose a French beer that was very good and patiently helped the ladies choose a mixed cocktail from their impressive list. Their menu is really well done with options that appeal to the more adventurous eater as well as the standard affair type diners. We started with tuna tartar and gnocchi - both were excellent. For the main course, I ordered the seared duck which I couldn't stop talking about. Others were equally pleased with their choices of the ricotta lasagna, margherita pizza, and pork tips (one of the specials that evening). The entree portions are very generous so, regrettably, we committed the ultimate French dining faux paus and skipped dessert. All around positive experience with delicious food and an attentive staff. Not sure how often we will be able to return since it was a bit of a drive for us, but I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area.
(5)
Mark W.
Dined here tonight after a long hiatus. Sat at the bar and had a bottle of wine for some light dining about 6PM. Bar area is loud, and hasn't changed since they remodeled in 2006. I wish they would put some sound deadening in there since it gets so loud. Service was great and restaurant and bar were crowded. Good to see the place busy. Wine selection is good as usual. Many wines by the glass, so we could taste a couple before we settled on the Cliff Lede Sav Blanc. Tuna tartare is top notch - period. Love it. Had a specialty flatbread with lobster that was OK but not fantastic. We split a salad that was fresh.
(4)
Jeff T.
Very interesting, daring operation that probably should not exist across the street from an appliance repair shop. Yet it does -- and discerning diners in the area are probably very happy about that. First thing that struck me is that the space is a free standing building in the middle of a strip ville. I'd judge it early 80s vintage, but very nicely updated. Once inside the outside melts away and you are in a soothing off-white cocoon that does its best to deliver top flight service and cuisine and mostly succeeds. The menu is not extensive -- figure 15 entrees and 15 app/tapas options, max -- including some finger foody, shareable wood fired pie options. And that does not include cheese/sausage noshing offerings which seem to be pretty popular and well thought out. Three cheeses for $13 in particular seems to be a popular choice. But we opted to roll with the tuna tartare ($15) as a quick, bright blast of protein -- and were not disappointed. Served with crispy potato waffles, just a nice, sharp starter. It helped a great deal that Bistro VG has some great draft beer offerings. Palm Belgian Ale ($6) on draft is an all-time great multi-purpose food beer and Delirium Tremens ($9) a rare treat to find on tap -- wonderful hearty strong pale ale. As for wines by the glass, less thrilling, just functional with the Lunatic white blend ($11) an enjoyable partner to a night of lighter fare. The full wine list -- including some premium offerings -- was thoughtful, but not essential unless you really want to splurge. (And I mean splurge. Some of the bottle prices seemed above the standard 3X retail. Oh well.) Salads revealed a hint of strain in execution. The butter lettuce salad ($8) was a nice, simple take on a vinaigrette and some fresh leaves. Nicely done. But the beet salad ($9) despite some great base flavors was undone by some rushed plating that left watery beet juice in its wake. These types of salads work best when the strong ingredients are held in a sort of suspension -- away from each other. Beet juice leaking into the goat's milk ricotta kinda defeats that -- but still a very nice salad. Entrees were great, but not without room for improvement given the price point and the high standards that are clearly a target. The trout almondine ($20) was wonderfully seasoned and a big portion, with an arresting parsnip puree dollop -- very nice. But the fish was fired at too low a temperature to evaporate most of the liquid and/or maybe plated too quickly, resulting in a slightly mushy presentation. Truly great flavor nicked by a tad imperfect texture. Maybe it was a rushed kitchen that night. Similarly the duck breast confit ($23) was among the best duck entrees I've had -- rich, slightly unctuous, and deep -- but not gamey or unduly salty. In fact, I think the balance of the duck undid the lentil and mushroom bed it rode upon -- the nice woody, earthy flavors that seemed to expect a harsh salty duck pairing that was not there, which left me with what tasted like under seasoned mushrooms and lentils under duck. A little letdown, but still a great dish that would be wonderful with a big French red. Dessert meant the crepe of the day ($7) -- a goat cheese, raspberry deal that was just perfect for splitting. Very well done and unique. Great coffee and espresso brought down the curtain on a great meal. In sum, Bistro VG seems worth a try if you are in the environs and looking for an adult, slightly upmarket venue that is still casual, approachable, and appeals to a pretty wide-ranging crowd. And if the execution nits are hammered out, it might be tough to beat the rush.
(4)
Jack S.
Dined here for a special occasion with my in-laws and Bistro VG was reasonably up to the task. We used to come here years ago when it was Van Goghs and have crab cakes and martinis. Good memories. So we tried to relive it only Bostro VG's crab cakes don't have the kick that Van Goghs had, so we ask them to try and they did a good job. Martini's were a little watery but that was OK, they paid close attention on our requests regards to type of fruit (no olives for me) "very dry" and "well shaken and bruised" etc. so it they got most of it right - sometimes when the liquor is warm and you shake it a long time it comes out a little watery - it happens, so they get a pass on this one. Anyhow, there were 5 of us and we each ordered something different. All of us enjoyed our apps and meals and we thought the service was right on target. When no one in a group of 5 complains, that's worth 4 stars.
(4)
Mandy S.
This place came recommended by a local after our move from KY. It was FANTASTIC food! Reasonably priced and great service! It felt like a wonderfully romantic date place. We were super pleased with our first big date night around Atlanta. This is a quaint place with an upscale feel to it. The only bizarre thing for us was they kept asking our last name for the reservation we made. Apparently they got us mixed up and asked about 3 times during our dinner what the last name for the reservation was but other then that, it was absolutely wonderful! Thumbs up!
(4)
Tony G.
Everything about this place is great. The food, the service, the ambience all combine for a great experience whenever you're at the Bistro VG.
(5)
Staci W.
I can't wait to go back here with friends for lunch or dinner. The inside is gorgeous. Light, airy, modern, but cozy. And there it is on Crossville Road (which isn't bad), but because the outdoor landscaping is so nice, you even get great views by the windows. On to the food: We weren't with adventurous eaters, but everything we had was excellent. Marghuerita Pizza, lasagne, arugala salad. Oh, and the bread was amazing. Plus the service -- very attentive, but not too attentive. Just right. Friendly greeting at the door, great wait service, and a friendly hello from the manager. It's perfectly fine for kids, too (they have a kids menu), although it's not geared to impressing your kids. I just have no criticisms and absolutely loved it!
(5)
Be G.
Outstanding meal. Attentive, but not pesky, service, and killer food. We tried the octopus, crab cake, and scallop appetizers, and the scallop, pork chop, trout and red grouper (??) entrees. And 3 desserts. And cocktails. And champagne. We left full and completely satisfied.
(5)
Ellen M.
Love the room off the bar! Great menu & specials. Had the onion soup which was full of onions and not too salty. Also had the delicious mussels & frites The Meritage was a great choice with my meal. The lady next to me heard it had Merlot in it & declined, she definitely missed out on a great wine. My son's burger was perfect. Great service too.
(4)
Debbie B.
Last night it took 20 minutes to get drinks. There were 6 of us dining. Four of our meals arrived cold. My med rare steak was cold, and it came back hot but well done. At that point I gave up and told them to keep it. We were offered complimentary desserts which was nice, but again the crepes arrived cold. They did manage to come back with hot crepes. The restaurant was definitely struggling last night. We will not return
(1)
Ramona W.
Excellent food! We love going to Theo's bakery and were excited to try Bistro VG though we had low expectations just because it wasn't in the city. We were quite impressed with their food! We split the tuna tartare and octopus appetizers. The octopus was surprisingly tender (very difficult to achieve, often it is chewy) and had a nice spice seasoning and sauce. The tuna was very good but could have used more acid. We split the lasagna entree with a side of hen of the woods mushrooms (my favorite mushrooms!). The lasagna was amazingly light which is perfect for summer. For dessert we had a triamasu and creme brulee. The triamasu was good but not the best (lacked depth of flavor) and creme brulee was slightly over cooked. My husband had a Manhattan that was delicious and I enjoyed a glass of wine. The big issue why this almost was a 3 star review was the horrible service. We luckily sat next to a lady who has been going to this restaurant for 20 years and assured us this was the worst service she has ever encountered! Also we spoke to the manager and she immediately fixed the issue by speaking with our server and our server did apologize to us! They also took care of dessert :-) The issues we had were numerous (mainly lack of attention) but because the manager & server remedied we are willing to try again since the food is some of the best North of Atlanta!!! I hope to update this review later reflecting better service.
(4)
Jana S.
The first thing I thought when I walked in the door at Bistro VG is "Man, I really want that light fixture in my living room." I was really digging the decor. It is very white on the inside, but that adds to the atmosphere, I think. One of my fellow diners had been here multiple times and suggested to skip the "traditional" dishes and instead go with the more "Modern American" dishes. So, she mentioned she didn't care for the steak frites, but their fish dishes are excellent. Nearly our entire table had the beet salad... it was so tasty! I love golden beets. I would have preferred a little bit more dressing on the frise salad, but other than that, it was amazing. We had a sampling of the flat breads for appetizers... I could've done without those. They weren't bad, but just didn't wow me. The bread is GREAT! It's got a very crunchy crust. I know many people don't like that, but to me that makes the bread. Entrees... I had the sea scallops with risotto. One of my biggest pet peeves with scallops is that most restaurants don't clean them properly and you end up crunching on grit... yuck! Not in this case... perfectly cooked and perfectly prepared. Risotto was nice and al dente. Really a fantastic dish!! We also sampled a variety of deserts. I didn't care too much for their tiramisu, but the tarts/pastries were all delicious! I left Bistro VG waddling more than walking after being overly stuffed. All in all, my experience was fantastic. The staff was very attentive and service was impeccable. Price wasn't cheap... I think about $90 per person, including drinks. But we also had a LOT of nice wine (we had a hobby sommelier with us who requested the "other" wine list).
(5)
Gromici G.
For OTP it was nice, but for ITP this would be a loser. The service was attentive; NICE. The ambiance was, NICE. The food was; over cooked (muscles), greasy calamari, too small drinks, and too little for the prices paid.
(3)
Bill M.
What a treat. Ambiance, service and food is oh so delish. Put this place on your agenda. This place is culinary bliss!
(5)
Meghan g.
Decent menu and wine selection; service and atmosphere are subpar. For a last-minute Friday night dinner reservation, we were pleased that Bistro VG had availability. Having not been since the days of Van Gogh's (has it been that long?!?), we were also interested to see what was new. Our reservations were for 6:30pm, and we arrived right on time, to an impressively decorated, comfortable, and pleasingly quiet restaurant. After a brief pause as the hostess hurried off to tend to someone else, we were seated by a trendy teenager in a quiet spot toward the back of the restaurant. Our server, Erin, arrived shortly thereafter, and read beautifully to us the specials from the card inside her little book. Beverages - I had the st. germaine cocktail, he had the amber pashmina - were inventive and delicious. Starters - we selected the flatbread starter (with spicy sausage, pinto beans, other deliciousness that now escapes me), along with the gnocchi small plate. These were the high point of our meal. We had ordered wine to go with our entrees, and there seemed to be a slight delay in those arriving once our entrees were delivered. Entrees included the sea scallops (me - very good. Cooked perfectly and the risotto and accompaniments were scrumptious) and the halibut special (him - "it was okay. not the greatest; slightly bland."). At this point the restaurant had started to fill up considerably, and the noise level increased almost to the point of not being able to hear one another (believe it or not, I am a soft-spoken one). Still, I was really excited to see if the tiramisu was still as wonderful as always (and it WAS), so we stuck around for dessert. Erin was a little weeded by this point in the evening, and there was a noticeable delay this time for our rustic apple something and my beloved tiramisu. When dessert was finally brought to us, the rustic apple (meant to be served warm, with pumpkin ice cream) was colder than room temperature. Tiramisu was delightful, but the apple dessert was really disappointing. When Erin finally stopped by to get us on our way, we mentioned that the dessert was unsatisfactory (well, that it was cold, really), and she apologized and told us that she "felt badly" about that. Overall, it was an OK meal but we probably won't be returning anytime soon. It was too loud, our server was a little phony, and the meal just wasn't that fantastic. Glad we checked it out, now we know, and maybe we'll check it out the next time it's been reinvented, in about ten years or so.
(3)
Sophia J.
Beautiful, chic interior, not at all what I expected in the burbs. Modern and cozy at the same time. Several different rooms all with nice ambiance for date night or a friendly gathering. Love the padded white vinyl back room and giant white chandeliers. Extravagantly priced wine list, so we skipped wine, (corkage is $25) and ordered perfect and nicely dirty martinis with 3 bleu cheese olives, very smooth. Humboldt Fog cheese was excellent paired with crusty bread and pear mustard seed relish. Butter lettuce salad was a little bland. Ordered the red snapper with gnocci and didn't care for it, but excellent server and friendly management were happy to replace with the salmon which was perfectly prepared and amazing.
(4)
Angie C.
All I can say is White Truffle Parmesan Frittes. Best fries I ever had. Oh, and the mashed potatoes were amazing too. Really enjoyed this place. **Update** Ate here again for my Birthday and the frittes did not disappoint. Skip the salad - just lettuce and cheese - not good, but they did comp for us. The scallops with rock shrimp risotto was amazing. Great service, enjoyable dinner.
(4)
Shawn M.
The decor and ambience give you the impression that you are in for a fine dining experience, but looks can deceiving. Everything about this place is woefully mediocre, not bad per se, just void of any "wow" factor. Our waiter was friendly, but lacked attention to detail, and was, well, mediocre. With all of the great choices in nearby downtown Roswell, I don't feel the need to return.
(3)
Jason W.
I have frequented Bistro VG many times over the past 10 years and I can honestly say I've never had a less than excellent experience. The food is amazing, service is excellent, the dining area is clean and that's the reason why I go back time and time again. Yes, the downtown Roswell scene is vibrant and that's great for the surrounding area, but don't forget about Bistro VG for not only special occasions, but also just for a Friday or Saturday night meal with your spouse. During my most recent visit my wife had the crab cakes, father-in-law the roasted chicken, and my mother-in-law the braised ribs. I had the burger. Everything was fabulous! And the tiramisu and creme brulee were out of this world.
(5)
Matt B.
I'm not entirely sure why the menu at a French restaurant named after a Dutch painter includes items like pizza and lasagna, but theme confusion aside, our dining experience at Bistro VG was a good one. As usual, we came with a large party and a late reservation, but the staff was very accommodating and didn't complain a bit when we finally ambled out their doors two hours past closing time. Bistro VG is neither kid-friendly nor cheap, but if you're looking for an elegant dining experience in Roswell (and you won't find many) then you might consider giving this place a try. They have a very nice bar, make a great butternut squash soup, and offer a wide variety of meats with some exotic side dishes including duck confit, caramelized cauliflower, and apple & sour cherry compote.
(3)
Jenny L.
aww i love this place! I don't typically RAVE about many OTP restaurants as they normally don't compare to restaurants in the city but this place impressed me! I've been twice for lunch and the food was delicious both times. They seem to be using fresh ingredients. i could eat the beet salad and quiche 3x a week! The service has always been great too - always a friendly face greeting you at the door. The server gave great recommendations. Oh and i love love love the decor. i want my house to look like that! I'm hoping I can give this place a 5 once I go there for dinner.
First of all, what a pretty restaurant this is! Then add to it the fact that the food is amazing. The service was impressive (almost too attentive) too. I really liked this place. I'll be back. Often.
(5)
Buddy L.
Came for lunch. Can't say enough to compliment the food or flavors or service. Nice spot for a leisurely lunch. We plan to come back for dinner very soon.
(4)
Kevin S.
I had lunch here recently and I'm thinking maybe the 'B Team" was working. I ordered linguine with clam sauce but they were out of it. The lobster bisque was pretty much inedible - over salted and very fishy tasting - and the lamb sandwich was very tough and chewy.Our server disappeared for at least fifteen minutes towards the end of the meal when we were ready to leave, which has never happened before. I'll give them another chance next time I'm in Atlanta, because this is one of my favorite spots. So now you know what NOT to order. The mussels are fantastic as is the roast chicken. The staff is also great and when I called a few days later to let them know I was disappointed they sent my mom a $20 coupon.
(4)
Monica S.
Really great Valentine's Day dinner date! We frequent this restaurant, and usually sit in the beautiful bar, or in the cozy table in by the fireplace. But for Valentine's Day, we chose to make the reservation in one of super cool rooms of the restaurant. So glad Fois grois was on the menu! Pate is wonderful. Ribeye and scallop/risotto very tasty! Skip the escargo... Our server, Cindy was fantastic! Even during busiest night at the busiest time, her timing was perfect, and service was great! Only downfall of the night.... We wanted to order another bottle of champagne... But they were out. Oh well.... Probably due to all the yucky snow days!
(4)
Luanne S.
I used to like this place, have been back when it was Van Gogh's. Maybe they need a new chef. The last two times, the food was flat, dry and over cooked. This time we ordered the lobster flat bread pizza. It was thickly charred black around the edges, dried out, not enough ingredients on top. Also, the filet. They are such a treat when properly cooked. You may say it was my fault for ordering it medium well, but I have ordered that way at other restaurants and they were perfect. Instead, this was charred, far past well done and (gasp!) chewy. No hint of the soft velvety texture of a fillet. NO excuse for that. So sad and disappointed. Previous time last month was the same. (It is close by). Will not go back :( Other: Staff nice, but he did not notice we did not like our food. Building updated. They should consider more cloth items on the walls to prevent the echo-i-eness. that bothers my friends, but for me i is about the food.
(2)
Matthew D.
I was leaving for the airport on a Sunday night and I felt like grabbing a bite to eat out and about before my trip. A friend of mine spoke highly of Bistro VG recently so I set out to see for myself. It is sort of hidden next to a strip mall off of the corner of Crossville and Crabapple. When I walked inside I felt like I had stumbled into a Stanley Kubric film, all white interior (sans any Bowler Hats or monoliths). I was solo, so I sat at the bar. The bartender did a nice job walking me through the menu, the specials and even had a few recommendations. I started with the White Bean Soup : truffle oil and brioche croutons (which I held off on). It was good, it didn't stand out to me either way good or bad, but it was warm which is what I wanted to help with the chill of the evening. I was trying to decide between the duck and the pork chop and was told in no uncertain terms the pork chop was the choice du jour. Being one that always caves into peer pressure (thank you parachute pants), I went with the pork chop which was: roasted peaches, stone ground grits and herb jus. When they brought it out, I felt the gravitational shift of the swine and the three moons it dragged along with it. It was the biggest hunk of pork I have ever seen. It was as advertised, very good, much, much to big to finish and since I was heading to the airport, a good portion wasted. When the bill came it hit me like a Mac Truck though. I had two glasses of wine with dinner and the tab was a little higher than I thought. I blame no one but my Third Grade Math Teacher and myself, but I will be much more careful there next time. To Recap The Good: Sitting at the bar can create some spotty service, but Bistro VG handled it with perfect aplomb. The menu was interesting and diverse, I walked away satisfied. The Bad: The price was a little shocking and perhaps toning down the white just a tad would be nice. The Band This Restaurant Most Resembles: Like I had a choice, Cream.
(3)
Carrie S.
The wait staff in this place are terrific. I went with an out of state friend and the staff doted on us, patiently bringing one delicious small plate after another while we debated how much we could eat. Great food, impeccable service, fun menu, good wine selection.
(4)
Melissa M.
Excellent wine menu here, elegant lighting and decor, one of my favorite restaurants! The crab cakes are my first choice, husband's fav is the braised short rib. The tuna tartare is also a delicious appetizer. We had a large group here recently and the service was amazing! Brittany was our server and was outstanding. She went above and beyond to take great care of all of us. I would recommend Bistro Vg for any occasion - romantic, girls nights, and even group parties.
(5)
Jeff M.
Bistro VG is a bistro, perhaps slightly more upscale than your usual bistro, up in Roswell. It was very spacious and relaxed inside, albeit it's very ... white. As in that's the decor. White everywhere. I finally understand it now when people talk about snow blindness. The lunch menu is actually pretty extensive. I imagine dinner is that much more so. My meal consisted of what seemed to be endless fresh bread, gnocchi with cremini mushrooms, and a salmon BLT, which were all very good. I can't say I was disappointed, but at the same time, I wasn't blown away either. It was very pleasant though. Bring sunglasses though.
(3)
Mary Kay T.
Many years ago I was treated to dinner at Van Gogh's. When I moved to Atlanta last year I saw VG's and thought " is it the same folks"? I'm not sure, but I will say that I have had three good experiences there. One was a full on dinner with out of town guests. We were treated very well, menu awesome, wine list very nice, the food was great, we were happy that we took our guests there. (You know how embarrassing it is when you treat out of town friends and it isn't good?) Then we tried a wine tasting - also very good, excellent value, good service, great wine and food pairing. Last night we tried the $10 Burger/Beer/Bar menu on Tuesday. I figured they would come up with a way to run the bill up, but nope, it was $22.00 with tax for my husband and me. The burger was great, the beer selection great - not Bud Lite, etc, but real imported/craft brewery beer, and they didn't charge extra when I asked for veggies instead of fries! Very good service from the moment you walk in the door, they act like they are glad to have you there - and they keep coming around to check to see if you're happy. We were! Going to VG's again for certain! Lovely atmosphere, classy place. Someone knows how to manage a restaurant in this location. Will try the others in the Sedgewick group because of this.
(5)
Paul H.
Great place. Had the soft shell crab dinner. Substituted the potatoes for risotto. Wasn't an issue. Also had the cheese and smoked meats. GREAT! The steak tartare was good, but too much caper for me. Tuna tartar was good, but nothing spectacular. Everything was very good. Will definitely return.
(4)
Jenny Y.
We really enjoyed this place. Food was great and the atmosphere was very European. The wine list was very carefully selected. Try the grilled octopus and the lasagna. The pizza was also really good. Overall great place and we will definitely be back.
(5)
Catherine B.
My boyfriend and I went here for the first time for our anniversary and we had a fabulous time! We were welcomed very warmly by the hostesses, and our service was excellent! Terry was our server and he was very knowlegable! The food was awesome! Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Nikki K.
Van Gogh's, or what is now called, Bistro VG is a great place to go. If you live in the suburbs and want a fancy meal without going into town. I went here one day when I had family in town, and it was nice. I can't get any more descriptive than nice. Once again, fancy restaurant= no vegetarian food. So if you are not veg, ignore this rant and go onto the next paragraph. Still here? okay. When my dad said there were two vegetarians and a vegan at the table the waiter looked like he had seen a ghost. He said he would find out what the chef could whip up and came back assuring that he would make a great veggie meal for us. We got salty mushroom broth and some rice chucked into it. It was by far the nastiest thing I have ever attempted to eat. How can a chef not know how to make steamed veggies and rice, at the very, very least? Okay, meat eaters, read on! My family had a lovely meal and enjoyed everything they ordered immensely and felt it was worth the money. They ended up not charging for the veggie food because we all took one bite and couldn't force any more down. But my parents continue to go there with their friends and have never had any complaints unless they have to bring us there. Again. And the complaint is with us, not the restaurant! Hopefully, now that the name has changed, the veggie food sitch has as well. It can only get better, right? Right?? I am deducting one star for non-veg friendly experience but I would give it five stars if I ate meat!
(4)
brian s.
Visiting from California for a family gathering. Heard ATL had become a foodie town and BVG was proof-positive. Bistro VG stands up to some of the best San Francisco bistros - fish dish cooked perfectly crisped on outside, flaky within. Calamari batter perfection (which isnt easy). Scallops braised and savory over risotto with shitake mushrooms. The waiter was fun, knowledgeable and kept the conversation light. Only possible downside was the 'white room' decor . I felt like I was in an ad for Pottery Barn or a feminine products commercial, my retinas burned from the white on every surface, a mediterranean oasis in a mall parking lot. That said the table was comfortable. Great find!
(5)
Brandy L.
Gr8 food friendly service even whn i came in between menus & starving they still made a fantastic quiche it was on there menu crab cakes tuna not 2 mention the beautiful decor sexy lounge music! I will b bk wished they had brunch!
(4)
Justin B.
We went with a few friends one night, and WOW was this place great. Everything from the pizza appetizer, to the sea bass and even the dessert was out of this world. Do yourself a favor and try this place out. It's def worth the high prices.
(5)
Stephanie F.
The menu is very unique and the waiter was wonderful! Everything was absolutely cooked perfectly, flavorful! The decor is beautiful and romantic. white truffle parmesan frites,sea scallops - rock shrimp risotto - wild mushrooms - peppercorn sauce - lobster oil was A-Mazing! You simply must eat here!!
(5)
Gina S.
An explosion of delight for your taste buds! -sighs- Oh how I miss this place... It was my favorite part of living in Roswell & I used to eat here every chance I got. I'm jealous of all you folks who still live in Roswell that you get to eat here! This place was originally called "Van Gogh's" & as the other reviews mentioned, it really does feel as though you've stepped into Tuscany for this meal. Soft jazz in the background, perfect ambiance... The wine list is expansive; I've garnered most of my favorite wines from their list. For starters, you cannot go wrong with any of the following: goat cheese ravioli, heart of romaine salad with buttermilk fried onion rings, cold-smoked chicken salad, simple arugula salad with lemon & shaved parmesan, butter lettuce salad with herb mustard vinaigrette (yes, I'm a fan of salads) but you simply MUST try the crab cakes if you don't plan on having them as an entree! Generally the menu changes often & the crab cake recipe changes too, depending on the whim of the chef, but they are always delicious & always chock full of lump crab meat. My favorite of their crab cake recipes included caramelized pineapple. I'm not a fan of foie gras - just cannot bring myself to eat goose liver - but I've been told this restaurant has some of the best. I have had the ribeye, the filet mignon, the simple roast chicken, the double cut pork chop, the salmon, the scallops, the diver scallops, the crab cakes & the lamb chops. All are succulent & flavorful in their own way - all are divine & I assume that all their other entrees are wonderful too. It just depends upon what you are in the mood for. I have never tried the pizza; I don't go to a restaurant of this magnitude so I can eat pizza. Anything with gnocchi or potato puree is wonderful here also. The white truffle parmesan frites are great! For dessert, if they have the Grand Marnier Souffle, go for it! If not, try the tiramisu - trust me! They used to bake a wonderful sour dough bread here & serve it with your choice of fresh butter or hummus spread with olive oil. If they have it you will want to order extra to take home.
(5)
Jonathan G.
I went to Bistro VG on a Saturday night with my wife and two other couples. We had an 8:15 reservation and when we arrived, we were seated within 5 minutes. Another reviewer mentioned mandatory valet parking - I did not experience this - I parked without interference from any valet service, which I appreciated. I have never been comfortable with valet parking but that is a story for another day. I ordered the sea bass special and it was delicious. I have had some so-so sea bass in the past and I almost passed on the dish here, but it was truly delicious. There was some sort of orange and white vegetable served with the sea bass. It had very little taste and did not complement the meal very well. My wife and one of our dinner companions ordered the scallops. My wife reports that her dish was good but not great and my friend Mark (who normally orders meat but did not this night) did not think much of the scallop dish. Another in our party ordered the salmon which she said was good but not great. Someone else ordered the wood oven fired pizza and a salad which he seemed to enjoy. Before dinner we ordered appetizers - a roasted vegetable ratatouille with chick pea fries, gnocchi and crab cakes. All very good. Our friends are also knowledgeable about wines and as I am not, I rely on their expertise when we eat out together. They reported that the wine list was fair and in fact asked the waiter if there were other bottles. It turns out that there is a second wine list which apparently has a bit more variety. We ended up with two bottles - one red and one white. The white was a French wine that I liked. The red was a California wine from the reserve collection that the red wine drinkers enjoyed as well. The cost of the wine was just over $100. Our waiter was attentive and friendly and offered helpful advice. With wine, the tally + tip for six of us was over $400, which is a bit pricey for a Saturday evening. All in all, this was a good meal at an attractive and comfortable restaurant. The food was very good but not out of this world good. The waiter suggested that some of the beef dishes were specialties of the house - no one in our party ordered beef, which may have been a mistake.
(4)
Aanal P.
When you walk inside it really feels like you are in an Italian restaurant in Tuscany! I love this restaurant's ambiance and decor inside and outside. The food, wine and service is complimented just as well. Started out with a bottle of Nora which was perfect, along with some calamari, goat cheese ravioli, and crab cake. The crab cake left me speechless. So tender, tasty and filled with actual crab meat :) I was in heaven. (I found out after I attacked the appetizer version that you can get a Crab Cake platter for dinner which comes with a side of spinach and mashed potatoes). Next time I will be having that for sure. Since it was just my friend and I, we filled ourselves up with appetizers :( But the menu offers excellent dishes. I will be back for more. I heard their steaks are awesome. I can't wait to go back. For dessert we had the chocolate crepe with fresh strawberries and whip cream and a side of vanilla bean. It was warm and tasty. Definitely an excellent date place.
(5)
T C.
Terrible......AVOID. The food on New Years Eve was poorly prepared, ninety minute wait coming out, rude and inexperienced wait staff and clueless management.
(1)
Scott L.
I initially went to Bistro VG when it was called Van Goghs, and I really like what they done to the place since the renovation. The first time around, it seemed stuffy, but white washing all the interiors walls has left it feeling open and more relaxed, like me! Sitting in the bar waiting for friends I noticed the outdoor seating, which I'm pretty sure is new. Unlike a past review, there was no valet outside, which probably goes along with the more relaxed atmosphere. We all shared a "fromage frites" for a starter, also known as cheese fries, but this was a shaved cheese on french fires standing in a cylinder and was very enjoyable. I had one of the specials, a red snapper and really enjoyed it. The meal wasn't cheap, but was enjoyable. I look forward to going back again.
(4)
Boris Y.
Pretty good food. However the prices are like it's great food. Good crab cakes (many better in the area), decent lamb sammich, subpar fries served with aioli that tasted like Kraft. Been to both VG and Bistro VG. Better and cheaper food can be had elsewhere.
(2)
Ton K.
Food and service was great. Had the salmon blt sandwich, quinoa with salmon and trout for 5 people. All good highly recommended coming from a foodie and food critic.
(5)
Pat R.
Back again for another meal at Bistro VG and I'm sorry to say that the service is slipping. As Rich V. pointed out below, it's clear they're catering to a captive audience of octogenarians. I grabbed a drink at the bar to start and the bartender was not engaging with any of the people seated there. She was very robotic and disconnected (and for god's sake, please don't shake a Manhattan). Afterwards I was seated at a table and the waiter came out. To say that this guy reminded me of Rick Moranis doesn't do him justice. Seriously, go watch Ghostbusters and then go eat here. The personalities, appearance, and delivery are uncanny. I had the tilefish, which was okay, but not as good as I've had here before. Basically, there are so many better choices just down the street in historic Roswell that I'm surprised this place survives. Some suggestions for the owners: Don't put two chatty girls on the hostess stand who would rather talk to each other than acknowledge guests. Get a bartender who knows how to talk to people. And hire wait staff who have at least an inkling of personality.
(2)
Dave M.
My wife and I went for lunch today and I will just get the only complaint out of the way: Service was initially a little slow because of a shortage of wait staff and the heater could have been turned up a little on this rare cold day in Atlanta. That's it... that wasn't so bad, was it? Our experience at this gorgeous interior restaurant was remarkably good. Starting with the lobster bisque (a unique twist on it, as it was more broth like, and less traditional creamy). This soup of the day was outstanding! Served very warm, but not excessively hot, it was the perfect starter course. As for the entrees, my wife had the sea scallop/shrimp salad and I enjoyed the squash ravioli. Both dishes were outstanding and I could have eaten more and more. Perfectly prepared and very very delicious to the taste buds. I did not order wine, but wished that I would have in retrospect. If you are in this area of Roswell, I doubt you will find better quality. We will definitely return.
(4)
Kristen D.
Bistro VG is a very interesting restaurant. If you don't eat out a lot, you'll love it. Because of where it's situated, you'll feel like you strolled into Napa right off the main drag in Suburbia. It's beautiful inside... white and airy like an HGTV special. I strongly feel, however, that just because your restaurant is pretty, doesn't mean you can provide mediocre service. The first time I went to Bistro VG I loved it. I had the mussels, which were prepped in a light garlic saffron broth. My date had scallops which were served with citrus risotto. Delicious. It's a pretty solid drive for us, so we waited until a night when we'd be in the area, and looked forward to eating there again. Our recent experience was exasperating. Sunday night and the bar area is super quiet. Football is on, which I noticed because the two bartenders were glued to the TV (major pet peeve.) They were also very vocal about wanting to leave early (it was like 7 pm). We ordered martinis, and the bartender poured them out so unevenly - my date's was literally half full (or half empty, I like to say..) Anyway, that's a drinking foul in my book, and as a bartender, you need to see stuff like that. We order dinner. He orders the hangar steak, on recommendation of the waiter. He says "no less than medium..." Bartender says "I like it medium rare." He reiterates: "No, medium is great, thanks." (I had the mussels again.) The food comes out and the steak is RAW. Bartender has now left early and the other bartender is chatting with the hostess. My date eats around the meat, which was sliced on the plate - so the chef had to have seen it. It's also served with a very vinegar-y sauce... overall just a disaster meal. He eats about 1/3 of the meat and leaves the nasty vinegar soaked veggies. When the bartender comes over and asks if we want a box, my date lets him know that the steak was really undercooked, noting that it would have been nice if someone had checked on us after the food was brought out. He says "Oh. Yeah, that's really raw. Do you want to order dessert?" He abruptly handed us the bill. We paid it and left. If you are that disinterested in the satisfaction of your guests, especially on a slow night - prepare to have many more slow nights.
(2)
Marci L.
The restaurant is beautiful inside, nice decor. The wine list was nice. Unfortunately, our waitress was just ok. We ordered our drinks and sat for almost 15 minutes waiting for her to return. We were in the bar area so we could see them sitting up there. That kind of set the tone for the evening with her. The white bean soup was delicious as was the pizza! I will definitely return, but will hopefully get a better server!
(3)
Diana A.
I have now been here twice and I love it. First of all the atmosphere is refreshing, and spacious. There is a lot of white in the decor and it just sets the tone for openness, both towards the food and your comfort. The food is amazing. Both times I went, we tried a lot of the apps and small plates, and after having my entrees I think the apps and small plates are the best. I love experiencing many flavours. This option gives you that opportunity. All the dishes tried were delightful. It is also a great place to sit outside. They have a small, beautiful patio, which is a perfect setting for a dinner on a warm evening.
(5)
Lauren O.
Visiting from CA and trying to hit the best places in Roswell, GA. This is probably one of them. Walked into Bistro Vg and was struck by the decor. The interior is a love child between country french and minimal modern. Everything is in shades of off white- quite ethereal. The table linens and chair backs are this interesting faux flour sack material, and fancy chandeliers are shrouded with white shades. TRE-NDY. Took a while to get used to, but I eventually enjoyed it. The menu had a lot to offer, and I had mixed results. I'm sure I ordered the wrong thing- I got the braised short rib (huge, undersalted, bland) and spicy mac and cheese (perfect!), The table bread was crusty and good; the butter was excellent. I was business-budget-limited and wasn't able to try the cheeses or the desserts. I'd go back here and try more things if I had the time...I'm sure you could have a 5 star experience.
(4)
Colleen K.
Enjoyed a delicious lunch at Bistro VG today with a friend. The atmosphere is beautiful; french country chic, but mostly chic, bright and warm. It felt like an urban restaurant that you might find in Midtown. On the way to our table in the back room we passed a lovely fireplace that was lit and cozy. Almost all the decor is white, but not sterile or stiff feeling. Our drinks were served quickly with crusty bread and butter. My friend had a margarita that looked delicious. She ordered a second one, so they must have been good. For lunch I ordered the Steak Frites with caramelized onions. I upgraded my fries to the white truffle parmesan variety listed on the menu. My friend got the burger and upgraded her fries, as well. The meat was cooked perfectly and we were both very happy with our choices. For dessert we had the beignets which were better than I anticipated. Four beignets were served covered in cinnamon sugar alongside chocolate pots de creme. What a lovely dessert! Not your typical slice of cake. I almost never go to this part of town, but my friend lives close by, so I might have the occasion to try it again. I definitely recommend it!
(4)
P R.
The decor and vibe was as several people have described - for the good and bad. It has a "California" feel that's the good, but in the eating areas there is mostly hard surfaces so all the noise reflects back and is very loud. The food didn't live up expectations. Had the mussels - a bit dry. Service was okay.
(3)
Sara R.
Bistro VG is one of my favorite restaurants and I'm lucky to live so close. Definitely one of the best in the Atlanta suburbs. I've been going for years and everything that I've tried is good. Among the appetizers: the white bean soup is delicious. The truffle flavor is definitely apparent but not overwhelming. The mussels are also delicious. The portion is generous and they provide plenty of bread for dipping the delicious broth. Every salad here is delicious. I myself have become a huge fan of the recent addition to the menu, the shrimp and scallop salad. It's served with a warm vinaigrette. The scallops are cooked perfectly, and the mango and blackberry complement the seafood perfectly well. I think the goat cheese round that tops the salad is superfluous but that's the only complaint I have. Our favorite pizza to get off the regular menu is the spinach, caramelized onion, and fontina pizza. I ask for it without the prosciutto, but for those who like prosciutto it goes well with the pizza. The fontina is the true star of this pizza, the crust is always crisp. I really have no complaints about any of the pizzas. They usually have a flatbread special that shows the chef's creativity and spotlights local/seasonal ingredients. Of the main entrees, the simple roast chicken is absolutely delicious. The chicken is prepared extremely well, with crisp skin and very juicy meat. The accompanying mushrooms are loaded with flavor and the ethereally smooth mashed potatoes round out this modern twist on a classic comfort food dish. The diver scallops are also excellent, although the butternut squash risotto that it comes with is not really year-round appropriate. With the exception of the crepes (which I found uninspiring and boring), all of the desserts shine here. The pastry chef does a good job of incorporating seasonal fruits into the desserts, especially in the tarte tatin (a round of puff pastry under sauteed seasonal fruit like peaches or plums) and ice cream flavors. I typically like to order the dessert special (one can only have the tarte tatin so often, after all). Memorable specials include a fantastic pumpkin bread pudding and marcona almond cake. Also, if you see an ice cream or sorbet flavor that sounds delicious (and trust me, they all are) but doesn't come with your preferred dessert, I've asked to substitute and the kitchen is perfectly accommodating. Bistro VG is simply one of the best restaurants. I think it's a great value for the food you get, and the service is always wonderful. I like to sit in the back room (past the bar) at one of the corner tables. If you go later in the day, the restaurant is nearly empty. You'll get the late lunch menu, which is a bit more limited than the regular lunch menu but that still features plenty of delicious small (although they are actually quite large) plates, which are perfect for sharing. The environment at that time is a lot more relaxing and wonderful for lingering into the early evening.
(5)
Gary D.
Great place to eat if you have money to burn and don't really want to hear your fellow diners. The brick walls reflect the sound which encourages people to speak loudly. Wait staff, who wear jeans, seem businesslike.
(2)
Shannon V.
Another fabulous night at Bistro VG! You have to check out their Tuesday night $10 Burger and a Beer deal. I went with a friend and we sat at the bar tables and had great service.
(4)
Kelly B.
We had my sister's bridesmaid luncheon at Bistro VG, and I loved the place! We had our own room, though we only had about fifteen people in our party, and the server (and manager/owner) were very attentive. The decor is fascinating and shows a lot of attention to detail. It's kind of a modern with a bit of shabby chic approach including white patent leather walls in a private booth to the rusted gate and wheel mounted on a wall. The walls are mostly white so the whole place has a very clean and warm feeling. There's nothing stark or too overdone about the decor. The food was good. I especially liked the salads and the fact they were happy to modify the recipe just a bit (no onions, etc). They served the food family style at my sister's request, so we also had the pizza as an appetizer, then goat-cheese ravioli (really rich, though I suppose that's par for the goat cheese, no?), roast chicken (delicious!!), and roast mushrooms. The dessert was BY FAR the highlight. The creme brulee was delicious, as were the beignets. The beignets were absolutely to die for and covered in sugar. The tiramisu and rum-flavored chocolate pudding were a bit much for me, though. I can't wait to visit again and try their dinner service...and have a few more beignets.
(5)
Grace M.
Had a business dinner there and loved it. Everyone loved their food. So pretty inside! Service was great too.
(4)
Reed J.
Quick review: Great service. Salmon was cooked perfectly. Great flavors with the lentils, greens, and mustard. Others at the table had crab cakes, short ribs, goat cheese ravioli, and deserts including the beignets with chocolate. Rave reviews from all.
(4)
Andrea S.
Great experience for my birthday dinner w/my boyfriend. For an appetizer we had the escargot and a cheese plate both awesome. The sauce the escargot came in was very good. We had a great bottle of red zin that part of the proceeds went to our troops which was a great sell for us. Entree I had the seared salmon w/couscous and my boyfriend had the scallops w/rissotto....awesome night overall and can't wait to go again!
(4)
Nick D.
I was soured on this place a while back when I ordered an obviously vinegared bottle of wine that they refused to refund or exchange. They decanted it and thought that was enough. I let it sit there, untouched. Anyway, the food is not bad and the atmosphere tries too hard after the remodeling but it's an alright place to grab some dinner, maybe just not for me.
(2)
Brandon G.
For an "OTP" (outside the perimeter) restaurant, I will say that this little gem is worth going out of your way for! The ambiance was incredible -- one that I will remember! The staff was very professional, clean, attentive & personable. We sat in the back room where my guest and I were able to relax against the pillowed benches and enjoy our dirty blue cheese stuffed olive martini ((YUM!)) and meat and cheese plates. I left the restaurant wanting more and adamant about my return; however, my belly was far too full for a dinner entree so that experience will just have to wait until my next visit. I recommend this to anyone and ESPECIALLY those that live in the area!!
(5)
Brandon D.
The food was good and the atmosphere was really nice. If this was in the $$ price range I would be rate it higher. I am not opposed to eating at $$$ restaurants, however I didn't feel that the quality of the food and service made this one quite worth it.
(3)
Catherine P.
This restauarant has undergone a transformation and is now Bistro VG. It is really cool inside...especially the bar area. I don't like the food quite as much, but still recommend you give it a try. -------------------------------------- Just had a great experience here for my dad's 72nd birthday. We had reservations for 6 and were promptly seated. Strangely, the hostess starts taking the folded white napkins off the table and putting down black ones instead when she is giving out the menus. But then she only changed half of them to black. Really weird! Our waiter was a bit of a character, but he took good care of us. I think my dad was a little annoyed how he kept trying to take the cork away (my dad has something of a crazy cork collection). I had a good mandarin cosmopolitan and others had dirty gin martinis that were well crafted. I pretty much enjoyed all the food. My dad had the crab cake as an appetizer, and that tasted fabulous. Also, my cousin generously shared her arugula salad, also delish. I had a special for the evening as my entree: skate. I have had it before, but this presentation was a bit different. It was braised (I think) so brown all over. A bit chewier and saltier than I would have liked, but still enjoyed it. The red snapper I sampled tasted great. My boyfriend had the lamb and it was a bit disappointing. It was basically just chunks of lamb on top of couscous. Flavor was good, but could have been much more exciting. Entrees are all in the $20s to $30s, and salads/appetizers are $8 and up, so save this one for a special occasion (if you're poor like me at any rate).
(3)
Scott W.
Went here last night for a work dinner. The staff was very friendly and the food was great. I ordered the short ribs which was amazingly tender and spicy mac and cheese. The restaurant has a nice wine selection as well. The only thing that was not amazing was the desserts which were both on the dry side. I would recommend this place to any one looking for a nice night out.
(5)
Julie J.
I was only here for a light lunch but I think I had one of the best crab cakes I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Oh--and not to forget the scallop salad: it was absolutely perfectly prepared. A glass of wine from the out-of-the-ordinary ( thank goodness) list and I was completely happy. Another pleasant note on Bistro VG---it's very lunch friendly: a festival of light and artful decor. So many restaurants are set up with lighting and colors that only work at night. Delicious lunch in a vibrant spot.
(5)
Monica H.
We love this place for our date nights. The short ribs absolutely melt in your mouth, the service is good and ambiance perfect. It is very comfortable yet a bit hip -- you don't feel like you are in the suburbs. I have also met a few girlfriends here for dinner and it is great for that as well. They have some very tempting martinis to recommend.
(5)
Jay S.
The only bad thing I can say about this is the valet parking is annoying. The entire parking lot at the restaurant is valet. You have to park on the side parking lot, even during off peak hours. Its crazy. The food was very good, and the atmosphere was very unique and pulled off the French Bistro look.
(4)
Garrett F.
Excellent! Went in for a casual date, sat in the bar and the bartender' were fantastic. Good wine knowledge (enjoyed the Fleur de Lys and Connundrum whites) and the food was magnificent. We shared the steak tartare (which I have a hard time finding) and a wood fired pizza. I will definitely be back for the Short Rib!
(5)
Jane Q.
I ordered the mint fava bean ravioli, which was listed for $15 and under the dinner portion of the menu. What arrived on my plate was THREE PIECES of ravioli. For dinner. My boyfriend ordered the pizza, which was $13 and enough for two people (mind boggling.) Even the server made a comment to me, "I bet you're going to have some of his, huh?" I was very angry and left the restaurant unfulfilled. Be prepared to spend an arm and a leg (most of their entrees are $28). The food was delicious, but when you go into a place hungry and walk out hungry, this is not a good sign. I did not appreciate the waiter's rude comment. If he knows the portions are small, then maybe he should let you know while ordering, instead of making a condescending comment when it's placed in front of you. The immaculate decor didn't do much for me at that point. The portions are too expensive and too small. Will not be returning.
(1)
Troy T.
Excellent food and great service at this suburban restaurant. We called for reservations a day ahead and were able to get in. The dining room was full but not overly so on a holiday weekend. I assume many locals were not around. Service 4 stars, food quality 5 stars for the price, menu selection 4 stars, desserts were a solid 5 for price/quality. Mostly American food blended with a bit of French Bistro style. Presentation is nice and ambiance is nice for a casual dinner or a special occasion. Wine list is superb!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Phil N.
We went to Bistro VG for our 22nd anniversary on recommendations from several friends. We were not disappointed. My wife had the bouillabaisse. It was cooked to perfection with a delicious mix of seafood including Chilean sea bass, which was one of the tempting daily specials. I had the Moroccan Spiced Seared Duck. I find many restaurants do not know how to properly cook duck, especially medium. The chef is to be commended for perfectly cooking the duck as well. This was one of the best duck meals I've ever had. We shared a cheese plate to start, allowing our waiter, Ben, select his favorites. (I was just slightly disappointed that there was not a daily 'Chef's Selection' for cheese plates), however Ben did an excellent job. It was difficult to select from the desserts. My wife choose the brown butter tart do jour and I the chocolate tart from the menu. Both were tasty. The brown butter tart was reminiscent of many trips to France years ago. While my dessert was very chocolaty, and I'd order it again, it was not traditional French, so order it because it is delicious, but don't expect it to match anything you may find in France.
(5)Alessandro N.
Very nice restaurant with a cool atmosphere and decor. The food: Was really well prepared and met my expectations. I had the North Carolina brook trout and it was delicious. There were 4 of us at the table and everyone was pleased with their dish! This is important to state because there was seafood, local fish, and meat and all of them were very well done and each one had great taste and presentation. The food is on the pricy side but you pay for the fine-dininig experience. The drinks: Were amazing and the wine list was a tier above most other fine dining restaurants in the area. The location is a bit out of the way but if you are near it and or want a nice "Date night" I would definitely recommend coming here.
(4)Anita L.
Very inconsistent. Sometimes the food is good; sometimes it is not. Sometimes the service is good; sometimes it is not. Pricey when you don't know what you're going to get......
(2)Kevin P.
First time at Bistro VG. I received a gift card for the restaurant group they belong to so thought we would check it out. The atmosphere was laid back yet seemed upscale. They recommended reservations but had very few tables when we arrived for our reservation. Inside is a clean white with tablecloths and cloth napkins. They would definitely be a $$$ restaurant based on menu price. The wine selection is minimal and a little over priced. Most of the wine list is under three years old but carry an aged wine price. The meal started with a crab cake that was a little undercooked. The two of us ate Filet Mignon as our main dish. While they were cooked to temperature and tender they had little flavor. Anyway, for the price point ($28) we have had better but have had worse too. The mashed which come with the steak were your basic plain potatoes and both noted they were only slightly warm. So the overall food left us feeling it was just an average meal. Overall we wouldn't rush back again but they aren't completely off the list and we would probably try them again. We thought it had a nice atmosphere overall and the waitress was very attentive and seemed to care about her customers.
(3)Gabriel B.
There is nothing not to love in this place. Spotless settings, inventive and consistent food and cool polite staff. The decor is only rivalled by Canoe- and with that I'm taking in consideration their river view, which is not fair. But hey, thats life!- with beautiful white stained walls and comfortable furniture. Food is exquisite french nouvelle cuisine, with some very welcomed adaptations (eg. portion sizes). I usually go for the crab cakes- soft and with a balanced mustard sauce, the daily special flat bread (today was a chorizo, fuji apple and pecorino cheese with balsamic reduction), finishing with a delicious banana crepe. Highly recommended, from the sunday brunch to a romantic duo's friday night of.
(5)Dietmar D.
I've only sat at the bar for appetizers, never tried dinner. I've tried all their app.'s and all are fantastic. Service: Bar service is fantastic. Atmosphere: great place to mingle at the bar and from what I've seen in the main restaurant a nice place for dinner. Not a place for the family/with kids unless the kids are well disciplined. Great for a date night.
(4)Nancy R.
Great food for the older scene. Bar area is a little loud. Even tho' we came for a late dinner, it was still busy. We had great service! FOOD: Complimentary bread is dry and not very good. For starters, we had split the Butter Lettuce Salad with red onion, cucumber, and herb-mustard vinaigrette. It was refreshingly delicious! For dinner, I had the Seared Atlantic Salmon(cooked medium) with herbed organic quinoa, Tuscan kale, and Fava beans. Delicious!!! I'd come back with older ppl for their great food!
(4)Nan B.
I took two teenagers there for dinner last night-we sat outside and had outstanding service. My duck was excellent, one girl liked her pizza and ate some cold for breakfast this morning and the other had chicken which went into her scrambled eggs this AM! But the chicken was on a base of over charred mess and the server said this was not a new complaint. I can certainly recommend the French 75 cocktail. It is not far from the trendy part of Roswell but has all kinds of free parking virtually at the door and has been a reliable refuge for many years.
(4)Ghada E.
I'm really torn about how many stars to give this place. It has the potential of receiving 5 stars, I just can't do it based on our meal/experience tonight. The architecture and modern decor of the restaurant is beautiful! It has really nice lighting fixtures. I don't know what it is about the structure, but the sounds echo really bad in there, the noise level in the back room is unbearable. It is a date night type of restaurant, mostly for an older crowd. So you go there to have conversation. But the acoustics make it hard to carry on conversation. The staff is extremely friendly and very attentive. The food is where I'm torn. It's definitely gourmet, but I thought the pairing of some ingredients were not very complimentary. My husband ordered soup de jour, lentils with curry and coconut milk. Three strong flavors in one was a little too confusing for the palate. I ordered the beats salad. I've had better. The dressing is made of some sort of a heavy oil. The cheese was too bland for the sweet beats. It would have been nice if the cheese was more salty. My husband ordered the scallops served on mashed potatoes. Again, there was a little too much competing flavors in how the scallops were prepared and how the mashed potatoes were prepared. I ordered the duck. The breast was perfect. The drumstick was too gamy. I don't even remember what the duck was served with, but it was heavy and the flavor too strong and competed with the duck. For desert we ordered the beignets with chocolate. The beignets are served hot and covered with sugar and cinnamon and would have been great served along with a complimentary flavored ice cream. Instead it was served with chocolate. I would never pair cinnamon with chocolate. The chef needs to figure out a way to compliment flavors not have them compete against each other.
(3)Mark B.
My wife and I came here with a large party for a holiday event. The place has a wonderful ambiance especially in the bar area. Looks good for OTP. We ordered drinks which were average. Ordered the grilled mediterranean octopus. This was very good and tender. I ordered sauted chicken livers with carmelized onions, this is a french place right? They were terrible. Just bad, no favor at all. Ordered duck beast moroccan spiced and a duck confit leg for entrée. Wife ordered trout almondine. My wife's fish was very moist with a good sauce. My duck breast came out cold rare. I had ordered medium rare. It was so busy and service so slow I just at around it. I did have the waiter show the chef the cold rare piece I left on the plate and they took half off the price. It was just not the best for food although I did like the decor and feel of the place. I probably would not go back though, there are just too many other better restaurants for the price. I guesss if I lived close by I might just go in for a drink and get the octopus app. 2 stars food. 3 stars ambiance.
(3)Margaret B.
This review is dedicated to Rich form Atlanta. As this grandmother from Roswell climbs out of her wheel chair (HA), I need to dispel your ignorance regarding seniors and restaurants. While we often drive to Atlanta to dine, go to concerts, sports events and theater in the city, why drive when a restaurant like Bistro VG is available? The food is excellent, the service has always been exceptional, and as for the the wine list, I always find that is a problem for those who are determined to make it a problem so they can bring their own. The restaurant is in business to make money. Corkage fees are charged everywhere, particularly Buckhead. The good news is the next time I visit this wonderful restaurant, I know you won't be there. As a side note, Friday night most of the diners were not seniors!
(5)Roberta L.
Spoke with the restaurant about booking a private event, not to sound crass but money is no object for this special party. What a snotty attitude they had...and questioning if we would meet their minimum. With so many excellent restaurants in Atlanta we will go elsewhere, likely Canoe which was our first choice anyway. I've spoken with many restaurants that did not offer service for the type of event we wanted but every one of them was very customer-service oriented without attitude.
(1)Rich V.
This is a great place to take Nana for Grandmothers' Day...well, I'm getting a little ahead of myself, and frankly I'm assuming your Nana doesn't fancy wine. Let me back up by saying that on Yelp I'm the "duke" of this place, so I've been here a lot over a great deal of time. During that time I've watched this restaurant get worse and worse, mostly with poor management decisions. It's been about six months since I was last up at Bistro VG for dinner, and we took some friends who had never been. We are seated on-time in the back room, and we ordered cocktails for some and opened the wine I'd brought (an '07 Novy Syrah from Page Nord I've been holding for about four years now). Unfortunately Bistro VG has changed their cocktail list and got rid of the Basil Cucumber that was great. Also, you still can't get a decent bit of ice; they use the old time cubed ice rather than hand cutting the ice to your glass like most places at this price point. As we were enjoying our conversation, the waitress (Kelly) came over and asked us if we could lend her back our menus, because they "ran out". Unfortunately, the service had been pretty slow up until then, so we were not actually keen to do this. (Who doesn't print enough menus?) Eventually, we order and the service comes out all messed up. My friend -- in fact all of us -- has misunderstood the specials and what came with what, so he didn't get what he wanted. Two of us ordered the hanger steak which was not nearly as good as it has been in the past. The steak was quite sinewy and tough. The cauliflower was not crunchy at all, but had been rendered nearly mush. Too bad. Around this time, one of my friends looks around and notices that literally every patron that we can see looks past retirement age. He joked, "what are they doing out this late?" Well, I think this actually explains a fair bit. Looking at the crowd, this is the not crowd who are going to good restaurants in Historic Roswell and certainly not Midtown or Buckhead restaurants. Bistro VG is catering to an audience that lives out in the hinterlands and has little interest in dealing with driving more than five minutes away from their house at night. This is a captive audience by the logistics of failed night vision and lack of culinary exploration. Resolute on having a good time, we dealt with the bad service and the poorly executed dishes, so we asked Kelly to open our second bottle of wine. She then informs me that corkage is $25/bottle. TWENTY FIVE dollars a bottle? Oftentimes places will charge for one bottle if you bring two, but they certainly don't charge you for both, especially when everyone (except me) had a cocktail and one of the ladies ordered multiple glasses of white wine. In other words we had spent money on drinks. It wasn't like we were cheaping out. I brought wine because Bistro VG has a restricted, young and terribly over-priced wine list. There are few red wines on the base wine list that are older than three years. Most are present releases; I don't think they are laying anything down in reserve. So if you like a wine to have matured to the point it is meant to be drunk, then you need to bring wine, but Bistro VG charges you $25 for each bottle, with no consideration to what else you might be ordering. After the manager left, I told the waitress that this policy must be something they can get away with because Bistro VG is up in the burbs and the people don't know any better. She said that her grandmother doesn't like to drive so she "stays in her bubble". I looked around and realized that everyone was in their bubble, and then it dawned on me. Cafeterias are busy all week, and the locals are looking for a nice place out. Seriously, if your Nana doesn't like wine, take her to Bistro VG. For those of you who do like wine, oenophiles of Roswell listen up: YOU CAN DO BETTER!!! I keep a list of places with less corkage (PM me for it, if you want). Here are a few suggestions to free yourself from places overcharging you to open a bottle of wine. Go try Truffles on Lennox with NO CORKAGE and great food! Check out Concentrics restaurants, such as One Midtown Kitchen, Two Urban Licks (going tonight) or the Spence. You can have a chef like Richard Blaise and they won't charge you for your first bottle and the second is something like $15. Much, much better.
(1)Scot Q.
Great food - much like their sister restaurants... very good service. Overall very good experience here.
(4)C. P.
One of my favorites in Roswell. I really love the ambiance and decor. Date night, catch up with friends night, it's always good and the best place to go. Food is terrific! While I have ordered one or two things that are not my favorite, there are so many yummy things on the menu, it's hard to choose. By far the happiest discovery of restaurants in Roswell. Did I mention the service is always terrific as well? I will be back, again and again.
(5)Julia S.
Delicious seafood dishes and great wines make for a perfect night out. We love sitting at the bar and enjoy a casual dinner. The interior is very nice and inviting. Date night perfect!
(5)Will C.
We ate here for the first time on a Friday evening with a group of four. We got a table inside since it was a little cool for the porch, which looked very nice. The mostly white interior and dim lighting provide a great ambiance. We were almost immediately greeted by our server to take drink orders and bread and water was brought out right away. He helped me choose a French beer that was very good and patiently helped the ladies choose a mixed cocktail from their impressive list. Their menu is really well done with options that appeal to the more adventurous eater as well as the standard affair type diners. We started with tuna tartar and gnocchi - both were excellent. For the main course, I ordered the seared duck which I couldn't stop talking about. Others were equally pleased with their choices of the ricotta lasagna, margherita pizza, and pork tips (one of the specials that evening). The entree portions are very generous so, regrettably, we committed the ultimate French dining faux paus and skipped dessert. All around positive experience with delicious food and an attentive staff. Not sure how often we will be able to return since it was a bit of a drive for us, but I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area.
(5)Mark W.
Dined here tonight after a long hiatus. Sat at the bar and had a bottle of wine for some light dining about 6PM. Bar area is loud, and hasn't changed since they remodeled in 2006. I wish they would put some sound deadening in there since it gets so loud. Service was great and restaurant and bar were crowded. Good to see the place busy. Wine selection is good as usual. Many wines by the glass, so we could taste a couple before we settled on the Cliff Lede Sav Blanc. Tuna tartare is top notch - period. Love it. Had a specialty flatbread with lobster that was OK but not fantastic. We split a salad that was fresh.
(4)Jeff T.
Very interesting, daring operation that probably should not exist across the street from an appliance repair shop. Yet it does -- and discerning diners in the area are probably very happy about that. First thing that struck me is that the space is a free standing building in the middle of a strip ville. I'd judge it early 80s vintage, but very nicely updated. Once inside the outside melts away and you are in a soothing off-white cocoon that does its best to deliver top flight service and cuisine and mostly succeeds. The menu is not extensive -- figure 15 entrees and 15 app/tapas options, max -- including some finger foody, shareable wood fired pie options. And that does not include cheese/sausage noshing offerings which seem to be pretty popular and well thought out. Three cheeses for $13 in particular seems to be a popular choice. But we opted to roll with the tuna tartare ($15) as a quick, bright blast of protein -- and were not disappointed. Served with crispy potato waffles, just a nice, sharp starter. It helped a great deal that Bistro VG has some great draft beer offerings. Palm Belgian Ale ($6) on draft is an all-time great multi-purpose food beer and Delirium Tremens ($9) a rare treat to find on tap -- wonderful hearty strong pale ale. As for wines by the glass, less thrilling, just functional with the Lunatic white blend ($11) an enjoyable partner to a night of lighter fare. The full wine list -- including some premium offerings -- was thoughtful, but not essential unless you really want to splurge. (And I mean splurge. Some of the bottle prices seemed above the standard 3X retail. Oh well.) Salads revealed a hint of strain in execution. The butter lettuce salad ($8) was a nice, simple take on a vinaigrette and some fresh leaves. Nicely done. But the beet salad ($9) despite some great base flavors was undone by some rushed plating that left watery beet juice in its wake. These types of salads work best when the strong ingredients are held in a sort of suspension -- away from each other. Beet juice leaking into the goat's milk ricotta kinda defeats that -- but still a very nice salad. Entrees were great, but not without room for improvement given the price point and the high standards that are clearly a target. The trout almondine ($20) was wonderfully seasoned and a big portion, with an arresting parsnip puree dollop -- very nice. But the fish was fired at too low a temperature to evaporate most of the liquid and/or maybe plated too quickly, resulting in a slightly mushy presentation. Truly great flavor nicked by a tad imperfect texture. Maybe it was a rushed kitchen that night. Similarly the duck breast confit ($23) was among the best duck entrees I've had -- rich, slightly unctuous, and deep -- but not gamey or unduly salty. In fact, I think the balance of the duck undid the lentil and mushroom bed it rode upon -- the nice woody, earthy flavors that seemed to expect a harsh salty duck pairing that was not there, which left me with what tasted like under seasoned mushrooms and lentils under duck. A little letdown, but still a great dish that would be wonderful with a big French red. Dessert meant the crepe of the day ($7) -- a goat cheese, raspberry deal that was just perfect for splitting. Very well done and unique. Great coffee and espresso brought down the curtain on a great meal. In sum, Bistro VG seems worth a try if you are in the environs and looking for an adult, slightly upmarket venue that is still casual, approachable, and appeals to a pretty wide-ranging crowd. And if the execution nits are hammered out, it might be tough to beat the rush.
(4)Jack S.
Dined here for a special occasion with my in-laws and Bistro VG was reasonably up to the task. We used to come here years ago when it was Van Goghs and have crab cakes and martinis. Good memories. So we tried to relive it only Bostro VG's crab cakes don't have the kick that Van Goghs had, so we ask them to try and they did a good job. Martini's were a little watery but that was OK, they paid close attention on our requests regards to type of fruit (no olives for me) "very dry" and "well shaken and bruised" etc. so it they got most of it right - sometimes when the liquor is warm and you shake it a long time it comes out a little watery - it happens, so they get a pass on this one. Anyhow, there were 5 of us and we each ordered something different. All of us enjoyed our apps and meals and we thought the service was right on target. When no one in a group of 5 complains, that's worth 4 stars.
(4)Mandy S.
This place came recommended by a local after our move from KY. It was FANTASTIC food! Reasonably priced and great service! It felt like a wonderfully romantic date place. We were super pleased with our first big date night around Atlanta. This is a quaint place with an upscale feel to it. The only bizarre thing for us was they kept asking our last name for the reservation we made. Apparently they got us mixed up and asked about 3 times during our dinner what the last name for the reservation was but other then that, it was absolutely wonderful! Thumbs up!
(4)Tony G.
Everything about this place is great. The food, the service, the ambience all combine for a great experience whenever you're at the Bistro VG.
(5)Staci W.
I can't wait to go back here with friends for lunch or dinner. The inside is gorgeous. Light, airy, modern, but cozy. And there it is on Crossville Road (which isn't bad), but because the outdoor landscaping is so nice, you even get great views by the windows. On to the food: We weren't with adventurous eaters, but everything we had was excellent. Marghuerita Pizza, lasagne, arugala salad. Oh, and the bread was amazing. Plus the service -- very attentive, but not too attentive. Just right. Friendly greeting at the door, great wait service, and a friendly hello from the manager. It's perfectly fine for kids, too (they have a kids menu), although it's not geared to impressing your kids. I just have no criticisms and absolutely loved it!
(5)Be G.
Outstanding meal. Attentive, but not pesky, service, and killer food. We tried the octopus, crab cake, and scallop appetizers, and the scallop, pork chop, trout and red grouper (??) entrees. And 3 desserts. And cocktails. And champagne. We left full and completely satisfied.
(5)Ellen M.
Love the room off the bar! Great menu & specials. Had the onion soup which was full of onions and not too salty. Also had the delicious mussels & frites The Meritage was a great choice with my meal. The lady next to me heard it had Merlot in it & declined, she definitely missed out on a great wine. My son's burger was perfect. Great service too.
(4)Debbie B.
Last night it took 20 minutes to get drinks. There were 6 of us dining. Four of our meals arrived cold. My med rare steak was cold, and it came back hot but well done. At that point I gave up and told them to keep it. We were offered complimentary desserts which was nice, but again the crepes arrived cold. They did manage to come back with hot crepes. The restaurant was definitely struggling last night. We will not return
(1)Ramona W.
Excellent food! We love going to Theo's bakery and were excited to try Bistro VG though we had low expectations just because it wasn't in the city. We were quite impressed with their food! We split the tuna tartare and octopus appetizers. The octopus was surprisingly tender (very difficult to achieve, often it is chewy) and had a nice spice seasoning and sauce. The tuna was very good but could have used more acid. We split the lasagna entree with a side of hen of the woods mushrooms (my favorite mushrooms!). The lasagna was amazingly light which is perfect for summer. For dessert we had a triamasu and creme brulee. The triamasu was good but not the best (lacked depth of flavor) and creme brulee was slightly over cooked. My husband had a Manhattan that was delicious and I enjoyed a glass of wine. The big issue why this almost was a 3 star review was the horrible service. We luckily sat next to a lady who has been going to this restaurant for 20 years and assured us this was the worst service she has ever encountered! Also we spoke to the manager and she immediately fixed the issue by speaking with our server and our server did apologize to us! They also took care of dessert :-) The issues we had were numerous (mainly lack of attention) but because the manager & server remedied we are willing to try again since the food is some of the best North of Atlanta!!! I hope to update this review later reflecting better service.
(4)Jana S.
The first thing I thought when I walked in the door at Bistro VG is "Man, I really want that light fixture in my living room." I was really digging the decor. It is very white on the inside, but that adds to the atmosphere, I think. One of my fellow diners had been here multiple times and suggested to skip the "traditional" dishes and instead go with the more "Modern American" dishes. So, she mentioned she didn't care for the steak frites, but their fish dishes are excellent. Nearly our entire table had the beet salad... it was so tasty! I love golden beets. I would have preferred a little bit more dressing on the frise salad, but other than that, it was amazing. We had a sampling of the flat breads for appetizers... I could've done without those. They weren't bad, but just didn't wow me. The bread is GREAT! It's got a very crunchy crust. I know many people don't like that, but to me that makes the bread. Entrees... I had the sea scallops with risotto. One of my biggest pet peeves with scallops is that most restaurants don't clean them properly and you end up crunching on grit... yuck! Not in this case... perfectly cooked and perfectly prepared. Risotto was nice and al dente. Really a fantastic dish!! We also sampled a variety of deserts. I didn't care too much for their tiramisu, but the tarts/pastries were all delicious! I left Bistro VG waddling more than walking after being overly stuffed. All in all, my experience was fantastic. The staff was very attentive and service was impeccable. Price wasn't cheap... I think about $90 per person, including drinks. But we also had a LOT of nice wine (we had a hobby sommelier with us who requested the "other" wine list).
(5)Gromici G.
For OTP it was nice, but for ITP this would be a loser. The service was attentive; NICE. The ambiance was, NICE. The food was; over cooked (muscles), greasy calamari, too small drinks, and too little for the prices paid.
(3)Bill M.
What a treat. Ambiance, service and food is oh so delish. Put this place on your agenda. This place is culinary bliss!
(5)Meghan g.
Decent menu and wine selection; service and atmosphere are subpar. For a last-minute Friday night dinner reservation, we were pleased that Bistro VG had availability. Having not been since the days of Van Gogh's (has it been that long?!?), we were also interested to see what was new. Our reservations were for 6:30pm, and we arrived right on time, to an impressively decorated, comfortable, and pleasingly quiet restaurant. After a brief pause as the hostess hurried off to tend to someone else, we were seated by a trendy teenager in a quiet spot toward the back of the restaurant. Our server, Erin, arrived shortly thereafter, and read beautifully to us the specials from the card inside her little book. Beverages - I had the st. germaine cocktail, he had the amber pashmina - were inventive and delicious. Starters - we selected the flatbread starter (with spicy sausage, pinto beans, other deliciousness that now escapes me), along with the gnocchi small plate. These were the high point of our meal. We had ordered wine to go with our entrees, and there seemed to be a slight delay in those arriving once our entrees were delivered. Entrees included the sea scallops (me - very good. Cooked perfectly and the risotto and accompaniments were scrumptious) and the halibut special (him - "it was okay. not the greatest; slightly bland."). At this point the restaurant had started to fill up considerably, and the noise level increased almost to the point of not being able to hear one another (believe it or not, I am a soft-spoken one). Still, I was really excited to see if the tiramisu was still as wonderful as always (and it WAS), so we stuck around for dessert. Erin was a little weeded by this point in the evening, and there was a noticeable delay this time for our rustic apple something and my beloved tiramisu. When dessert was finally brought to us, the rustic apple (meant to be served warm, with pumpkin ice cream) was colder than room temperature. Tiramisu was delightful, but the apple dessert was really disappointing. When Erin finally stopped by to get us on our way, we mentioned that the dessert was unsatisfactory (well, that it was cold, really), and she apologized and told us that she "felt badly" about that. Overall, it was an OK meal but we probably won't be returning anytime soon. It was too loud, our server was a little phony, and the meal just wasn't that fantastic. Glad we checked it out, now we know, and maybe we'll check it out the next time it's been reinvented, in about ten years or so.
(3)Sophia J.
Beautiful, chic interior, not at all what I expected in the burbs. Modern and cozy at the same time. Several different rooms all with nice ambiance for date night or a friendly gathering. Love the padded white vinyl back room and giant white chandeliers. Extravagantly priced wine list, so we skipped wine, (corkage is $25) and ordered perfect and nicely dirty martinis with 3 bleu cheese olives, very smooth. Humboldt Fog cheese was excellent paired with crusty bread and pear mustard seed relish. Butter lettuce salad was a little bland. Ordered the red snapper with gnocci and didn't care for it, but excellent server and friendly management were happy to replace with the salmon which was perfectly prepared and amazing.
(4)Angie C.
All I can say is White Truffle Parmesan Frittes. Best fries I ever had. Oh, and the mashed potatoes were amazing too. Really enjoyed this place. **Update** Ate here again for my Birthday and the frittes did not disappoint. Skip the salad - just lettuce and cheese - not good, but they did comp for us. The scallops with rock shrimp risotto was amazing. Great service, enjoyable dinner.
(4)Shawn M.
The decor and ambience give you the impression that you are in for a fine dining experience, but looks can deceiving. Everything about this place is woefully mediocre, not bad per se, just void of any "wow" factor. Our waiter was friendly, but lacked attention to detail, and was, well, mediocre. With all of the great choices in nearby downtown Roswell, I don't feel the need to return.
(3)Jason W.
I have frequented Bistro VG many times over the past 10 years and I can honestly say I've never had a less than excellent experience. The food is amazing, service is excellent, the dining area is clean and that's the reason why I go back time and time again. Yes, the downtown Roswell scene is vibrant and that's great for the surrounding area, but don't forget about Bistro VG for not only special occasions, but also just for a Friday or Saturday night meal with your spouse. During my most recent visit my wife had the crab cakes, father-in-law the roasted chicken, and my mother-in-law the braised ribs. I had the burger. Everything was fabulous! And the tiramisu and creme brulee were out of this world.
(5)Matt B.
I'm not entirely sure why the menu at a French restaurant named after a Dutch painter includes items like pizza and lasagna, but theme confusion aside, our dining experience at Bistro VG was a good one. As usual, we came with a large party and a late reservation, but the staff was very accommodating and didn't complain a bit when we finally ambled out their doors two hours past closing time. Bistro VG is neither kid-friendly nor cheap, but if you're looking for an elegant dining experience in Roswell (and you won't find many) then you might consider giving this place a try. They have a very nice bar, make a great butternut squash soup, and offer a wide variety of meats with some exotic side dishes including duck confit, caramelized cauliflower, and apple & sour cherry compote.
(3)Jenny L.
aww i love this place! I don't typically RAVE about many OTP restaurants as they normally don't compare to restaurants in the city but this place impressed me! I've been twice for lunch and the food was delicious both times. They seem to be using fresh ingredients. i could eat the beet salad and quiche 3x a week! The service has always been great too - always a friendly face greeting you at the door. The server gave great recommendations. Oh and i love love love the decor. i want my house to look like that! I'm hoping I can give this place a 5 once I go there for dinner.
(4)Anita C.
Among all of our friends we ordered: spare ribs, scallops, filet mignon, crab cakes, and Pâté. The spare ribs were AWESOME. The scallops were average. Although, they do say that is their best dish. But perhaps I'm not much of a scallops fan. The filet mignon was great! The crab cakes were awesome as well! I had much better pate. I would highly recommend ordering the spare ribs or the filet mignon. The crab cakes is a must for an appetizer!! The venue is very cute and cozy. It looks like a house inside. The building is a bit hard to find. It's part of a shopping plaza but everything else in the plaza is completely dead, so just look for where are all the cars are and drive towards it.
(4)Wendy D.
First of all, what a pretty restaurant this is! Then add to it the fact that the food is amazing. The service was impressive (almost too attentive) too. I really liked this place. I'll be back. Often.
(5)Buddy L.
Came for lunch. Can't say enough to compliment the food or flavors or service. Nice spot for a leisurely lunch. We plan to come back for dinner very soon.
(4)Kevin S.
I had lunch here recently and I'm thinking maybe the 'B Team" was working. I ordered linguine with clam sauce but they were out of it. The lobster bisque was pretty much inedible - over salted and very fishy tasting - and the lamb sandwich was very tough and chewy.Our server disappeared for at least fifteen minutes towards the end of the meal when we were ready to leave, which has never happened before. I'll give them another chance next time I'm in Atlanta, because this is one of my favorite spots. So now you know what NOT to order. The mussels are fantastic as is the roast chicken. The staff is also great and when I called a few days later to let them know I was disappointed they sent my mom a $20 coupon.
(4)Monica S.
Really great Valentine's Day dinner date! We frequent this restaurant, and usually sit in the beautiful bar, or in the cozy table in by the fireplace. But for Valentine's Day, we chose to make the reservation in one of super cool rooms of the restaurant. So glad Fois grois was on the menu! Pate is wonderful. Ribeye and scallop/risotto very tasty! Skip the escargo... Our server, Cindy was fantastic! Even during busiest night at the busiest time, her timing was perfect, and service was great! Only downfall of the night.... We wanted to order another bottle of champagne... But they were out. Oh well.... Probably due to all the yucky snow days!
(4)Luanne S.
I used to like this place, have been back when it was Van Gogh's. Maybe they need a new chef. The last two times, the food was flat, dry and over cooked. This time we ordered the lobster flat bread pizza. It was thickly charred black around the edges, dried out, not enough ingredients on top. Also, the filet. They are such a treat when properly cooked. You may say it was my fault for ordering it medium well, but I have ordered that way at other restaurants and they were perfect. Instead, this was charred, far past well done and (gasp!) chewy. No hint of the soft velvety texture of a fillet. NO excuse for that. So sad and disappointed. Previous time last month was the same. (It is close by). Will not go back :( Other: Staff nice, but he did not notice we did not like our food. Building updated. They should consider more cloth items on the walls to prevent the echo-i-eness. that bothers my friends, but for me i is about the food.
(2)Matthew D.
I was leaving for the airport on a Sunday night and I felt like grabbing a bite to eat out and about before my trip. A friend of mine spoke highly of Bistro VG recently so I set out to see for myself. It is sort of hidden next to a strip mall off of the corner of Crossville and Crabapple. When I walked inside I felt like I had stumbled into a Stanley Kubric film, all white interior (sans any Bowler Hats or monoliths). I was solo, so I sat at the bar. The bartender did a nice job walking me through the menu, the specials and even had a few recommendations. I started with the White Bean Soup : truffle oil and brioche croutons (which I held off on). It was good, it didn't stand out to me either way good or bad, but it was warm which is what I wanted to help with the chill of the evening. I was trying to decide between the duck and the pork chop and was told in no uncertain terms the pork chop was the choice du jour. Being one that always caves into peer pressure (thank you parachute pants), I went with the pork chop which was: roasted peaches, stone ground grits and herb jus. When they brought it out, I felt the gravitational shift of the swine and the three moons it dragged along with it. It was the biggest hunk of pork I have ever seen. It was as advertised, very good, much, much to big to finish and since I was heading to the airport, a good portion wasted. When the bill came it hit me like a Mac Truck though. I had two glasses of wine with dinner and the tab was a little higher than I thought. I blame no one but my Third Grade Math Teacher and myself, but I will be much more careful there next time. To Recap The Good: Sitting at the bar can create some spotty service, but Bistro VG handled it with perfect aplomb. The menu was interesting and diverse, I walked away satisfied. The Bad: The price was a little shocking and perhaps toning down the white just a tad would be nice. The Band This Restaurant Most Resembles: Like I had a choice, Cream.
(3)Carrie S.
The wait staff in this place are terrific. I went with an out of state friend and the staff doted on us, patiently bringing one delicious small plate after another while we debated how much we could eat. Great food, impeccable service, fun menu, good wine selection.
(4)Melissa M.
Excellent wine menu here, elegant lighting and decor, one of my favorite restaurants! The crab cakes are my first choice, husband's fav is the braised short rib. The tuna tartare is also a delicious appetizer. We had a large group here recently and the service was amazing! Brittany was our server and was outstanding. She went above and beyond to take great care of all of us. I would recommend Bistro Vg for any occasion - romantic, girls nights, and even group parties.
(5)Jeff M.
Bistro VG is a bistro, perhaps slightly more upscale than your usual bistro, up in Roswell. It was very spacious and relaxed inside, albeit it's very ... white. As in that's the decor. White everywhere. I finally understand it now when people talk about snow blindness. The lunch menu is actually pretty extensive. I imagine dinner is that much more so. My meal consisted of what seemed to be endless fresh bread, gnocchi with cremini mushrooms, and a salmon BLT, which were all very good. I can't say I was disappointed, but at the same time, I wasn't blown away either. It was very pleasant though. Bring sunglasses though.
(3)Mary Kay T.
Many years ago I was treated to dinner at Van Gogh's. When I moved to Atlanta last year I saw VG's and thought " is it the same folks"? I'm not sure, but I will say that I have had three good experiences there. One was a full on dinner with out of town guests. We were treated very well, menu awesome, wine list very nice, the food was great, we were happy that we took our guests there. (You know how embarrassing it is when you treat out of town friends and it isn't good?) Then we tried a wine tasting - also very good, excellent value, good service, great wine and food pairing. Last night we tried the $10 Burger/Beer/Bar menu on Tuesday. I figured they would come up with a way to run the bill up, but nope, it was $22.00 with tax for my husband and me. The burger was great, the beer selection great - not Bud Lite, etc, but real imported/craft brewery beer, and they didn't charge extra when I asked for veggies instead of fries! Very good service from the moment you walk in the door, they act like they are glad to have you there - and they keep coming around to check to see if you're happy. We were! Going to VG's again for certain! Lovely atmosphere, classy place. Someone knows how to manage a restaurant in this location. Will try the others in the Sedgewick group because of this.
(5)Paul H.
Great place. Had the soft shell crab dinner. Substituted the potatoes for risotto. Wasn't an issue. Also had the cheese and smoked meats. GREAT! The steak tartare was good, but too much caper for me. Tuna tartar was good, but nothing spectacular. Everything was very good. Will definitely return.
(4)Jenny Y.
We really enjoyed this place. Food was great and the atmosphere was very European. The wine list was very carefully selected. Try the grilled octopus and the lasagna. The pizza was also really good. Overall great place and we will definitely be back.
(5)Catherine B.
My boyfriend and I went here for the first time for our anniversary and we had a fabulous time! We were welcomed very warmly by the hostesses, and our service was excellent! Terry was our server and he was very knowlegable! The food was awesome! Can't wait to go back!
(5)Nikki K.
Van Gogh's, or what is now called, Bistro VG is a great place to go. If you live in the suburbs and want a fancy meal without going into town. I went here one day when I had family in town, and it was nice. I can't get any more descriptive than nice. Once again, fancy restaurant= no vegetarian food. So if you are not veg, ignore this rant and go onto the next paragraph. Still here? okay. When my dad said there were two vegetarians and a vegan at the table the waiter looked like he had seen a ghost. He said he would find out what the chef could whip up and came back assuring that he would make a great veggie meal for us. We got salty mushroom broth and some rice chucked into it. It was by far the nastiest thing I have ever attempted to eat. How can a chef not know how to make steamed veggies and rice, at the very, very least? Okay, meat eaters, read on! My family had a lovely meal and enjoyed everything they ordered immensely and felt it was worth the money. They ended up not charging for the veggie food because we all took one bite and couldn't force any more down. But my parents continue to go there with their friends and have never had any complaints unless they have to bring us there. Again. And the complaint is with us, not the restaurant! Hopefully, now that the name has changed, the veggie food sitch has as well. It can only get better, right? Right?? I am deducting one star for non-veg friendly experience but I would give it five stars if I ate meat!
(4)brian s.
Visiting from California for a family gathering. Heard ATL had become a foodie town and BVG was proof-positive. Bistro VG stands up to some of the best San Francisco bistros - fish dish cooked perfectly crisped on outside, flaky within. Calamari batter perfection (which isnt easy). Scallops braised and savory over risotto with shitake mushrooms. The waiter was fun, knowledgeable and kept the conversation light. Only possible downside was the 'white room' decor . I felt like I was in an ad for Pottery Barn or a feminine products commercial, my retinas burned from the white on every surface, a mediterranean oasis in a mall parking lot. That said the table was comfortable. Great find!
(5)Brandy L.
Gr8 food friendly service even whn i came in between menus & starving they still made a fantastic quiche it was on there menu crab cakes tuna not 2 mention the beautiful decor sexy lounge music! I will b bk wished they had brunch!
(4)Justin B.
We went with a few friends one night, and WOW was this place great. Everything from the pizza appetizer, to the sea bass and even the dessert was out of this world. Do yourself a favor and try this place out. It's def worth the high prices.
(5)Stephanie F.
The menu is very unique and the waiter was wonderful! Everything was absolutely cooked perfectly, flavorful! The decor is beautiful and romantic. white truffle parmesan frites,sea scallops - rock shrimp risotto - wild mushrooms - peppercorn sauce - lobster oil was A-Mazing! You simply must eat here!!
(5)Gina S.
An explosion of delight for your taste buds! -sighs- Oh how I miss this place... It was my favorite part of living in Roswell & I used to eat here every chance I got. I'm jealous of all you folks who still live in Roswell that you get to eat here! This place was originally called "Van Gogh's" & as the other reviews mentioned, it really does feel as though you've stepped into Tuscany for this meal. Soft jazz in the background, perfect ambiance... The wine list is expansive; I've garnered most of my favorite wines from their list. For starters, you cannot go wrong with any of the following: goat cheese ravioli, heart of romaine salad with buttermilk fried onion rings, cold-smoked chicken salad, simple arugula salad with lemon & shaved parmesan, butter lettuce salad with herb mustard vinaigrette (yes, I'm a fan of salads) but you simply MUST try the crab cakes if you don't plan on having them as an entree! Generally the menu changes often & the crab cake recipe changes too, depending on the whim of the chef, but they are always delicious & always chock full of lump crab meat. My favorite of their crab cake recipes included caramelized pineapple. I'm not a fan of foie gras - just cannot bring myself to eat goose liver - but I've been told this restaurant has some of the best. I have had the ribeye, the filet mignon, the simple roast chicken, the double cut pork chop, the salmon, the scallops, the diver scallops, the crab cakes & the lamb chops. All are succulent & flavorful in their own way - all are divine & I assume that all their other entrees are wonderful too. It just depends upon what you are in the mood for. I have never tried the pizza; I don't go to a restaurant of this magnitude so I can eat pizza. Anything with gnocchi or potato puree is wonderful here also. The white truffle parmesan frites are great! For dessert, if they have the Grand Marnier Souffle, go for it! If not, try the tiramisu - trust me! They used to bake a wonderful sour dough bread here & serve it with your choice of fresh butter or hummus spread with olive oil. If they have it you will want to order extra to take home.
(5)Jonathan G.
I went to Bistro VG on a Saturday night with my wife and two other couples. We had an 8:15 reservation and when we arrived, we were seated within 5 minutes. Another reviewer mentioned mandatory valet parking - I did not experience this - I parked without interference from any valet service, which I appreciated. I have never been comfortable with valet parking but that is a story for another day. I ordered the sea bass special and it was delicious. I have had some so-so sea bass in the past and I almost passed on the dish here, but it was truly delicious. There was some sort of orange and white vegetable served with the sea bass. It had very little taste and did not complement the meal very well. My wife and one of our dinner companions ordered the scallops. My wife reports that her dish was good but not great and my friend Mark (who normally orders meat but did not this night) did not think much of the scallop dish. Another in our party ordered the salmon which she said was good but not great. Someone else ordered the wood oven fired pizza and a salad which he seemed to enjoy. Before dinner we ordered appetizers - a roasted vegetable ratatouille with chick pea fries, gnocchi and crab cakes. All very good. Our friends are also knowledgeable about wines and as I am not, I rely on their expertise when we eat out together. They reported that the wine list was fair and in fact asked the waiter if there were other bottles. It turns out that there is a second wine list which apparently has a bit more variety. We ended up with two bottles - one red and one white. The white was a French wine that I liked. The red was a California wine from the reserve collection that the red wine drinkers enjoyed as well. The cost of the wine was just over $100. Our waiter was attentive and friendly and offered helpful advice. With wine, the tally + tip for six of us was over $400, which is a bit pricey for a Saturday evening. All in all, this was a good meal at an attractive and comfortable restaurant. The food was very good but not out of this world good. The waiter suggested that some of the beef dishes were specialties of the house - no one in our party ordered beef, which may have been a mistake.
(4)Aanal P.
When you walk inside it really feels like you are in an Italian restaurant in Tuscany! I love this restaurant's ambiance and decor inside and outside. The food, wine and service is complimented just as well. Started out with a bottle of Nora which was perfect, along with some calamari, goat cheese ravioli, and crab cake. The crab cake left me speechless. So tender, tasty and filled with actual crab meat :) I was in heaven. (I found out after I attacked the appetizer version that you can get a Crab Cake platter for dinner which comes with a side of spinach and mashed potatoes). Next time I will be having that for sure. Since it was just my friend and I, we filled ourselves up with appetizers :( But the menu offers excellent dishes. I will be back for more. I heard their steaks are awesome. I can't wait to go back. For dessert we had the chocolate crepe with fresh strawberries and whip cream and a side of vanilla bean. It was warm and tasty. Definitely an excellent date place.
(5)T C.
Terrible......AVOID. The food on New Years Eve was poorly prepared, ninety minute wait coming out, rude and inexperienced wait staff and clueless management.
(1)Scott L.
I initially went to Bistro VG when it was called Van Goghs, and I really like what they done to the place since the renovation. The first time around, it seemed stuffy, but white washing all the interiors walls has left it feeling open and more relaxed, like me! Sitting in the bar waiting for friends I noticed the outdoor seating, which I'm pretty sure is new. Unlike a past review, there was no valet outside, which probably goes along with the more relaxed atmosphere. We all shared a "fromage frites" for a starter, also known as cheese fries, but this was a shaved cheese on french fires standing in a cylinder and was very enjoyable. I had one of the specials, a red snapper and really enjoyed it. The meal wasn't cheap, but was enjoyable. I look forward to going back again.
(4)Boris Y.
Pretty good food. However the prices are like it's great food. Good crab cakes (many better in the area), decent lamb sammich, subpar fries served with aioli that tasted like Kraft. Been to both VG and Bistro VG. Better and cheaper food can be had elsewhere.
(2)Ton K.
Food and service was great. Had the salmon blt sandwich, quinoa with salmon and trout for 5 people. All good highly recommended coming from a foodie and food critic.
(5)Pat R.
Back again for another meal at Bistro VG and I'm sorry to say that the service is slipping. As Rich V. pointed out below, it's clear they're catering to a captive audience of octogenarians. I grabbed a drink at the bar to start and the bartender was not engaging with any of the people seated there. She was very robotic and disconnected (and for god's sake, please don't shake a Manhattan). Afterwards I was seated at a table and the waiter came out. To say that this guy reminded me of Rick Moranis doesn't do him justice. Seriously, go watch Ghostbusters and then go eat here. The personalities, appearance, and delivery are uncanny. I had the tilefish, which was okay, but not as good as I've had here before. Basically, there are so many better choices just down the street in historic Roswell that I'm surprised this place survives. Some suggestions for the owners: Don't put two chatty girls on the hostess stand who would rather talk to each other than acknowledge guests. Get a bartender who knows how to talk to people. And hire wait staff who have at least an inkling of personality.
(2)Dave M.
My wife and I went for lunch today and I will just get the only complaint out of the way: Service was initially a little slow because of a shortage of wait staff and the heater could have been turned up a little on this rare cold day in Atlanta. That's it... that wasn't so bad, was it? Our experience at this gorgeous interior restaurant was remarkably good. Starting with the lobster bisque (a unique twist on it, as it was more broth like, and less traditional creamy). This soup of the day was outstanding! Served very warm, but not excessively hot, it was the perfect starter course. As for the entrees, my wife had the sea scallop/shrimp salad and I enjoyed the squash ravioli. Both dishes were outstanding and I could have eaten more and more. Perfectly prepared and very very delicious to the taste buds. I did not order wine, but wished that I would have in retrospect. If you are in this area of Roswell, I doubt you will find better quality. We will definitely return.
(4)Kristen D.
Bistro VG is a very interesting restaurant. If you don't eat out a lot, you'll love it. Because of where it's situated, you'll feel like you strolled into Napa right off the main drag in Suburbia. It's beautiful inside... white and airy like an HGTV special. I strongly feel, however, that just because your restaurant is pretty, doesn't mean you can provide mediocre service. The first time I went to Bistro VG I loved it. I had the mussels, which were prepped in a light garlic saffron broth. My date had scallops which were served with citrus risotto. Delicious. It's a pretty solid drive for us, so we waited until a night when we'd be in the area, and looked forward to eating there again. Our recent experience was exasperating. Sunday night and the bar area is super quiet. Football is on, which I noticed because the two bartenders were glued to the TV (major pet peeve.) They were also very vocal about wanting to leave early (it was like 7 pm). We ordered martinis, and the bartender poured them out so unevenly - my date's was literally half full (or half empty, I like to say..) Anyway, that's a drinking foul in my book, and as a bartender, you need to see stuff like that. We order dinner. He orders the hangar steak, on recommendation of the waiter. He says "no less than medium..." Bartender says "I like it medium rare." He reiterates: "No, medium is great, thanks." (I had the mussels again.) The food comes out and the steak is RAW. Bartender has now left early and the other bartender is chatting with the hostess. My date eats around the meat, which was sliced on the plate - so the chef had to have seen it. It's also served with a very vinegar-y sauce... overall just a disaster meal. He eats about 1/3 of the meat and leaves the nasty vinegar soaked veggies. When the bartender comes over and asks if we want a box, my date lets him know that the steak was really undercooked, noting that it would have been nice if someone had checked on us after the food was brought out. He says "Oh. Yeah, that's really raw. Do you want to order dessert?" He abruptly handed us the bill. We paid it and left. If you are that disinterested in the satisfaction of your guests, especially on a slow night - prepare to have many more slow nights.
(2)Marci L.
The restaurant is beautiful inside, nice decor. The wine list was nice. Unfortunately, our waitress was just ok. We ordered our drinks and sat for almost 15 minutes waiting for her to return. We were in the bar area so we could see them sitting up there. That kind of set the tone for the evening with her. The white bean soup was delicious as was the pizza! I will definitely return, but will hopefully get a better server!
(3)Diana A.
I have now been here twice and I love it. First of all the atmosphere is refreshing, and spacious. There is a lot of white in the decor and it just sets the tone for openness, both towards the food and your comfort. The food is amazing. Both times I went, we tried a lot of the apps and small plates, and after having my entrees I think the apps and small plates are the best. I love experiencing many flavours. This option gives you that opportunity. All the dishes tried were delightful. It is also a great place to sit outside. They have a small, beautiful patio, which is a perfect setting for a dinner on a warm evening.
(5)Lauren O.
Visiting from CA and trying to hit the best places in Roswell, GA. This is probably one of them. Walked into Bistro Vg and was struck by the decor. The interior is a love child between country french and minimal modern. Everything is in shades of off white- quite ethereal. The table linens and chair backs are this interesting faux flour sack material, and fancy chandeliers are shrouded with white shades. TRE-NDY. Took a while to get used to, but I eventually enjoyed it. The menu had a lot to offer, and I had mixed results. I'm sure I ordered the wrong thing- I got the braised short rib (huge, undersalted, bland) and spicy mac and cheese (perfect!), The table bread was crusty and good; the butter was excellent. I was business-budget-limited and wasn't able to try the cheeses or the desserts. I'd go back here and try more things if I had the time...I'm sure you could have a 5 star experience.
(4)Colleen K.
Enjoyed a delicious lunch at Bistro VG today with a friend. The atmosphere is beautiful; french country chic, but mostly chic, bright and warm. It felt like an urban restaurant that you might find in Midtown. On the way to our table in the back room we passed a lovely fireplace that was lit and cozy. Almost all the decor is white, but not sterile or stiff feeling. Our drinks were served quickly with crusty bread and butter. My friend had a margarita that looked delicious. She ordered a second one, so they must have been good. For lunch I ordered the Steak Frites with caramelized onions. I upgraded my fries to the white truffle parmesan variety listed on the menu. My friend got the burger and upgraded her fries, as well. The meat was cooked perfectly and we were both very happy with our choices. For dessert we had the beignets which were better than I anticipated. Four beignets were served covered in cinnamon sugar alongside chocolate pots de creme. What a lovely dessert! Not your typical slice of cake. I almost never go to this part of town, but my friend lives close by, so I might have the occasion to try it again. I definitely recommend it!
(4)P R.
The decor and vibe was as several people have described - for the good and bad. It has a "California" feel that's the good, but in the eating areas there is mostly hard surfaces so all the noise reflects back and is very loud. The food didn't live up expectations. Had the mussels - a bit dry. Service was okay.
(3)Sara R.
Bistro VG is one of my favorite restaurants and I'm lucky to live so close. Definitely one of the best in the Atlanta suburbs. I've been going for years and everything that I've tried is good. Among the appetizers: the white bean soup is delicious. The truffle flavor is definitely apparent but not overwhelming. The mussels are also delicious. The portion is generous and they provide plenty of bread for dipping the delicious broth. Every salad here is delicious. I myself have become a huge fan of the recent addition to the menu, the shrimp and scallop salad. It's served with a warm vinaigrette. The scallops are cooked perfectly, and the mango and blackberry complement the seafood perfectly well. I think the goat cheese round that tops the salad is superfluous but that's the only complaint I have. Our favorite pizza to get off the regular menu is the spinach, caramelized onion, and fontina pizza. I ask for it without the prosciutto, but for those who like prosciutto it goes well with the pizza. The fontina is the true star of this pizza, the crust is always crisp. I really have no complaints about any of the pizzas. They usually have a flatbread special that shows the chef's creativity and spotlights local/seasonal ingredients. Of the main entrees, the simple roast chicken is absolutely delicious. The chicken is prepared extremely well, with crisp skin and very juicy meat. The accompanying mushrooms are loaded with flavor and the ethereally smooth mashed potatoes round out this modern twist on a classic comfort food dish. The diver scallops are also excellent, although the butternut squash risotto that it comes with is not really year-round appropriate. With the exception of the crepes (which I found uninspiring and boring), all of the desserts shine here. The pastry chef does a good job of incorporating seasonal fruits into the desserts, especially in the tarte tatin (a round of puff pastry under sauteed seasonal fruit like peaches or plums) and ice cream flavors. I typically like to order the dessert special (one can only have the tarte tatin so often, after all). Memorable specials include a fantastic pumpkin bread pudding and marcona almond cake. Also, if you see an ice cream or sorbet flavor that sounds delicious (and trust me, they all are) but doesn't come with your preferred dessert, I've asked to substitute and the kitchen is perfectly accommodating. Bistro VG is simply one of the best restaurants. I think it's a great value for the food you get, and the service is always wonderful. I like to sit in the back room (past the bar) at one of the corner tables. If you go later in the day, the restaurant is nearly empty. You'll get the late lunch menu, which is a bit more limited than the regular lunch menu but that still features plenty of delicious small (although they are actually quite large) plates, which are perfect for sharing. The environment at that time is a lot more relaxing and wonderful for lingering into the early evening.
(5)Gary D.
Great place to eat if you have money to burn and don't really want to hear your fellow diners. The brick walls reflect the sound which encourages people to speak loudly. Wait staff, who wear jeans, seem businesslike.
(2)Shannon V.
Another fabulous night at Bistro VG! You have to check out their Tuesday night $10 Burger and a Beer deal. I went with a friend and we sat at the bar tables and had great service.
(4)Kelly B.
We had my sister's bridesmaid luncheon at Bistro VG, and I loved the place! We had our own room, though we only had about fifteen people in our party, and the server (and manager/owner) were very attentive. The decor is fascinating and shows a lot of attention to detail. It's kind of a modern with a bit of shabby chic approach including white patent leather walls in a private booth to the rusted gate and wheel mounted on a wall. The walls are mostly white so the whole place has a very clean and warm feeling. There's nothing stark or too overdone about the decor. The food was good. I especially liked the salads and the fact they were happy to modify the recipe just a bit (no onions, etc). They served the food family style at my sister's request, so we also had the pizza as an appetizer, then goat-cheese ravioli (really rich, though I suppose that's par for the goat cheese, no?), roast chicken (delicious!!), and roast mushrooms. The dessert was BY FAR the highlight. The creme brulee was delicious, as were the beignets. The beignets were absolutely to die for and covered in sugar. The tiramisu and rum-flavored chocolate pudding were a bit much for me, though. I can't wait to visit again and try their dinner service...and have a few more beignets.
(5)Grace M.
Had a business dinner there and loved it. Everyone loved their food. So pretty inside! Service was great too.
(4)Reed J.
Quick review: Great service. Salmon was cooked perfectly. Great flavors with the lentils, greens, and mustard. Others at the table had crab cakes, short ribs, goat cheese ravioli, and deserts including the beignets with chocolate. Rave reviews from all.
(4)Andrea S.
Great experience for my birthday dinner w/my boyfriend. For an appetizer we had the escargot and a cheese plate both awesome. The sauce the escargot came in was very good. We had a great bottle of red zin that part of the proceeds went to our troops which was a great sell for us. Entree I had the seared salmon w/couscous and my boyfriend had the scallops w/rissotto....awesome night overall and can't wait to go again!
(4)Nick D.
I was soured on this place a while back when I ordered an obviously vinegared bottle of wine that they refused to refund or exchange. They decanted it and thought that was enough. I let it sit there, untouched. Anyway, the food is not bad and the atmosphere tries too hard after the remodeling but it's an alright place to grab some dinner, maybe just not for me.
(2)Brandon G.
For an "OTP" (outside the perimeter) restaurant, I will say that this little gem is worth going out of your way for! The ambiance was incredible -- one that I will remember! The staff was very professional, clean, attentive & personable. We sat in the back room where my guest and I were able to relax against the pillowed benches and enjoy our dirty blue cheese stuffed olive martini ((YUM!)) and meat and cheese plates. I left the restaurant wanting more and adamant about my return; however, my belly was far too full for a dinner entree so that experience will just have to wait until my next visit. I recommend this to anyone and ESPECIALLY those that live in the area!!
(5)Brandon D.
The food was good and the atmosphere was really nice. If this was in the $$ price range I would be rate it higher. I am not opposed to eating at $$$ restaurants, however I didn't feel that the quality of the food and service made this one quite worth it.
(3)Catherine P.
This restauarant has undergone a transformation and is now Bistro VG. It is really cool inside...especially the bar area. I don't like the food quite as much, but still recommend you give it a try. -------------------------------------- Just had a great experience here for my dad's 72nd birthday. We had reservations for 6 and were promptly seated. Strangely, the hostess starts taking the folded white napkins off the table and putting down black ones instead when she is giving out the menus. But then she only changed half of them to black. Really weird! Our waiter was a bit of a character, but he took good care of us. I think my dad was a little annoyed how he kept trying to take the cork away (my dad has something of a crazy cork collection). I had a good mandarin cosmopolitan and others had dirty gin martinis that were well crafted. I pretty much enjoyed all the food. My dad had the crab cake as an appetizer, and that tasted fabulous. Also, my cousin generously shared her arugula salad, also delish. I had a special for the evening as my entree: skate. I have had it before, but this presentation was a bit different. It was braised (I think) so brown all over. A bit chewier and saltier than I would have liked, but still enjoyed it. The red snapper I sampled tasted great. My boyfriend had the lamb and it was a bit disappointing. It was basically just chunks of lamb on top of couscous. Flavor was good, but could have been much more exciting. Entrees are all in the $20s to $30s, and salads/appetizers are $8 and up, so save this one for a special occasion (if you're poor like me at any rate).
(3)Scott W.
Went here last night for a work dinner. The staff was very friendly and the food was great. I ordered the short ribs which was amazingly tender and spicy mac and cheese. The restaurant has a nice wine selection as well. The only thing that was not amazing was the desserts which were both on the dry side. I would recommend this place to any one looking for a nice night out.
(5)Julie J.
I was only here for a light lunch but I think I had one of the best crab cakes I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Oh--and not to forget the scallop salad: it was absolutely perfectly prepared. A glass of wine from the out-of-the-ordinary ( thank goodness) list and I was completely happy. Another pleasant note on Bistro VG---it's very lunch friendly: a festival of light and artful decor. So many restaurants are set up with lighting and colors that only work at night. Delicious lunch in a vibrant spot.
(5)Monica H.
We love this place for our date nights. The short ribs absolutely melt in your mouth, the service is good and ambiance perfect. It is very comfortable yet a bit hip -- you don't feel like you are in the suburbs. I have also met a few girlfriends here for dinner and it is great for that as well. They have some very tempting martinis to recommend.
(5)Jay S.
The only bad thing I can say about this is the valet parking is annoying. The entire parking lot at the restaurant is valet. You have to park on the side parking lot, even during off peak hours. Its crazy. The food was very good, and the atmosphere was very unique and pulled off the French Bistro look.
(4)Garrett F.
Excellent! Went in for a casual date, sat in the bar and the bartender' were fantastic. Good wine knowledge (enjoyed the Fleur de Lys and Connundrum whites) and the food was magnificent. We shared the steak tartare (which I have a hard time finding) and a wood fired pizza. I will definitely be back for the Short Rib!
(5)Jane Q.
I ordered the mint fava bean ravioli, which was listed for $15 and under the dinner portion of the menu. What arrived on my plate was THREE PIECES of ravioli. For dinner. My boyfriend ordered the pizza, which was $13 and enough for two people (mind boggling.) Even the server made a comment to me, "I bet you're going to have some of his, huh?" I was very angry and left the restaurant unfulfilled. Be prepared to spend an arm and a leg (most of their entrees are $28). The food was delicious, but when you go into a place hungry and walk out hungry, this is not a good sign. I did not appreciate the waiter's rude comment. If he knows the portions are small, then maybe he should let you know while ordering, instead of making a condescending comment when it's placed in front of you. The immaculate decor didn't do much for me at that point. The portions are too expensive and too small. Will not be returning.
(1)Troy T.
Excellent food and great service at this suburban restaurant. We called for reservations a day ahead and were able to get in. The dining room was full but not overly so on a holiday weekend. I assume many locals were not around. Service 4 stars, food quality 5 stars for the price, menu selection 4 stars, desserts were a solid 5 for price/quality. Mostly American food blended with a bit of French Bistro style. Presentation is nice and ambiance is nice for a casual dinner or a special occasion. Wine list is superb!
(4)