Great restaurant! Great food! Great people! We will go there again! I'm from Europe and having hard time finding good European food in Des Moines. Bistro is on the list of my favorites now!
(5)
Katie B.
Best place in the city. Classy, stylish, warm and cozy. Excellent wine list and cocktail menus. Constant new seasonal features. Knowledgable friendly wait staff. Everything made from scratch. I mean everything! Call for a reservation to make sure you get to experience this Des Moines gem!
(5)
Aaron P.
Selected Bistro Montage as the place for this year's Valentine's Day dinner. Reservations were made well in advance (mid-January). This spot tends to be popular for dine out holidays. (Word to the wise.) For those who have not been, expect an intimate but fun atmosphere. Quarters will be close, but it adds positively to the experience. Attire is on the more formal side of casual or better. (Translated, you might feel out of place in jeans and a t-shirt.) As a starter we enjoyed the sweat breads. They were excellent, flavorful, tender, and slightly crispy. The orange glaze that came on them was also very good. The couscous was a great compliment. Portion size was right on for two people. Dinner went very well also. All courses were spaced out nicely. We never felt rushed to finish. The main entrees were the Halibut, and Tournedos with Foie Gras. Both were cooked properly and tasted great. Either if on the menu should be considered. (As a third also consider the Duck L'Orange- also a personal favorite.) Overall, we had an outstanding experience here and I would recommend anyone keep this in mind for a quiet dinner out, or even a business dinner. The cocktails are fresh and the wine list has something for everyone. I will be back again.
(5)
Caroline M.
I dined here with my friend and we had a fabulous time! My friend snagged a LivingSocial deal and so we got the 4 course with wine pairings. I went with the fresh spring pea soup, risotto, braised beef & flourless chocolate cake. Each course was beautifully plated and paired with a wonderful wine. My favorite dish was the beef, as it was seasoned perfectly and truly hit the spot! It's a cute place on Ingersoll not to be missed!
(4)
Thomas M.
What a fantastic place to get a meal in Des Moines. Quality drinks, wonderful food, a nice (but not too-ritzy-for-you) atmosphere, and a wonderful waitstaff. A great place to go for a special night out - can't wait for the next one.
(5)
Alden G.
Excellent wine and cocktail selection, (try the Guillotine) cozy ambiance. Outstanding soup and seafood crepe, beet salad, poutine. A lovely spot!
(5)
Emily T.
I am not a huge french food fan, but I have been here on a few occasions to have their seafood crepes. These are so simple, yet the flavors are making my mouth water just writing this. Simple yet flavorful. I have had the soup of the day with my crepes and have not been disappointed there. I am giving this 3 stars as the service has always been, meh. Not horrible, but I don't believe a lunch date should take practically 2 hours and not due to our conversations. For a small place, they may need another server or just a better process, I am not sure. With that said, I would still like to come back and try out their dinner menu.
(3)
Kelly S.
I dined on a Thursday night with a last minute reservation. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Our waitress was knowledgable and attentive. We brought a bottle of wine, then ordered a bottle from the bar so they waived the $15 corkage fee. :) The presentation of the bread was sort of steakhouse-ish, but it was tasty. We ordered scallop ceviche and, although the scallops were cooked and not truly ceviche, it was WONDERFUL! I then had a veggie crepe that was delicious. My soup was also lovely and the portion was perfect. I was definitely intrigued enough to come back! The only reason I didn't give Bistro Montage 5 stars is because their salad dressings are all made with soy oil. When we voiced our concern the staff didn't offer to prepare an alternative. I hope with my next visit I can upgrade to 5!
(4)
Kris D.
Service was very good and attentive. Although this restaurant is not meant for a fast meal, so do not expect to be in and out in under an hour! We enjoyed the wine, and thought the tortellini and Brussels sprout appetizer was excellent. The desserts were also very good. Our biggest complaint was the noise level. The restaurant has concrete floors and no ceiling. It's a small place, but when full, the only way to hear each other is to yell. Not fun and definitely not romantic. We just weren't that excited about our main dishes. They were totally fine, just not very exciting or inventive. I've said this in reviews for other restaurants, but it rings true here as well: Des Moines has some really incredible restaurants, and this one, while good, just doesn't rise to the top of the pack for me.
(3)
Jennifer B.
I've been to Bistro Montage on many occasions and I've always had good service and excellent food. The dishes are very elegant and creatively prepared. The chef really understands how to combine the right flavors. I've never been disappointed in a meal. I notice some comments regarding the price and, though not cheap, the cost is comparable with other restaurant of similar quality in town such as Baru 66 or Proof. The restaurant does also have a good variety on it's menu so if cost is an issue you could order a salad or crepe and still get a good meal for less price. They do also offer a Prix Fixe which is a good value if you want to have multiple courses. I would recommend the Beef Tenderloin, Duck, Skate, or Salmon. I am also a big fan of the Nicoise Salad and their soup. Other than the food I would recommend the cocktails. These are a bit pricey but if you're in the mood to spurge they are worth it. They use top quality alcohol and fresh juices. They are the best cocktails in town. I would recommend the Corpse Reviver or Tour De France.
(5)
Bob R.
Best French style Bistro in Des Moines. Consistently good. Service always excellent. Best wines of anywhere in metro area.
(5)
Paul R.
I took my wife here on a Friday night to celebrate our anniversary and it was perfect! Very intimate setting and the perfect size. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. I will definitely be a repeat customer. The Poutine was incredible...
(5)
Melanie C.
Literally most overpriced Valentines dinner ever! This place was way overpriced for the portion sizes and quality of service. My husband and I are willing to pay for good food, but this place was just ridiculous. Also the menu was shrunken down for Valentines, which they neglected to tell you when you made the reservation or on their website. Whenever I go to a new restaurant I make it a point to have something that you wouldn't get somewhere else. I tried the $40 rabbit appetizer. I was surprised when only 1/2c of food showed up, for that price I was thinking at least a 2 person serving. I'd describe the taste as canned beef stew with Mexican Queso dip on top. Good, but can purchase in the canned food aisle at Hy-Vee for right around $5. I got the Monk fish as my entree and got a total of 3oz of fish. Guess how much....$50. Yes more than $16 an ounce of this fish that sells for $12 /lb. It came with celery 5 ways, but the pureed way was the only way it should have been done. Basically fish with crunchy dried out celery. My husband got a steak and it came with soggy fries. The steak was good, but nothing special. Montana Mike's steaks are way better. Don't get me wrong it isn't just a price thing, but if you are paying that price got to 801. The only thing more disappointing than the food was the service and atmosphere. We were sat next to a really loud trashy couple (not restaurants fault, but didn't make things any better). Also instead of getting us the check our waiter spent 15-20 minutes flirting with the women sitting at the bar. Because the obnoxious drunk people wanted to talk to us at that point, this was a very long wait. Basically after $120 + tip, we went to cheesecake factory still hungry and each got our own piece of cheesecake. Very disappointing, but we had fun because we always do!
(1)
Pat M.
I think Bistro Montage is one of Des Moines best kept secrets! I ate lunch there yesterday after Christmas shopping at Tandem Brick and it was such a treat! The food was excellent I had a seafood crepe that was perfect a glass of champagne and a small salad and where can you get a gourmet lunch for $12? The service was impeccable and I felt like I was allowed to Relax! When you feel overwhelmed or stressed during the Holiday rush stop in the Bistro. Namaste!
(5)
J C.
Food was okay I suppose, but for the money there are quite a few better options nearby. Valentines menu was very limited, perhaps to maximize profit on such a busy night. I'd skip the steak and rabbit options. The monk fish was better. Service was subpar.
(2)
Dennis T.
Service, food taste, and ambiance was good. BUT the value was just is not there. We had a table for 4 people with the 4 course meal selection...each portion was the size of my palm. Al total with each of us having 2 drinks our bill was $420.00 with tip. For this amount of money I would at the very least not like to feel hungry 2 hours later. Most any other high-end restaurant would be a better pick...
(2)
Miki B.
Food very good. Server AGAIN had attitude. He didn't keep up with coffees for all and when asked to bring coffee, he replied "I only have two hands...". Seriously!? as a result he lost ...we cut his tip down.
(3)
Kim W.
We were there Saturday night on a mother-daughter evening. We had a party of five and each ordered different things so we could each have a try of each others. From beginning appetizers to ending with dessert, each bite was amazing. Plan on a couple of hours not just for the wonderful food but for the experience of a great atmosphere and staff.
(5)
Katie F.
I have never received such poor service at a restaurant, or probably ever. In fact, I wasn't even allowed the opportunity to receive service at all. I received a Groupon to Bistro Montage as a gift, which the staff was aware of because after placing my reservation I received an email asking if I'd be using a Groupon. After arriving on time for my reservation and being seated by the hostess, my dining companion and I were ignored by the staff for nearly an hour. When I say "ignored," I mean that our water glasses were not even filled. The wait staff refused to make eye contact with us. Another party of two who were seated 30 minutes after us were served water, wine and first courses while our presence was not even acknowledged. It was clear that none of the wait staff wanted to take the "Groupon table." I can't think of any other possible explanation for the treatment that I received. This is a small restaurant, which only had around 10 other tables seated and at least three waiters on the floor at the time; this was not a situation where we could have been easily overlooked. For example, we were seated less than two feet away from another couple, whose waiter was quite attentive to them throughout our visit. Not once did anyone even speak to us. After 55 minutes without any service, we left. Apparently, my Groupon gift also came with the gift of invisibility, at least to the staff at Bistro Montage.
(1)
DeWayne K.
Went here for a memorable valentines day with my girlfriend and we had a great time together. Its very romantic atmosphere and the tables are quaint and small about what you would expect in a bistro setting. The menu is very limited, food is very over priced, wine menu is over priced, service is good, food is below average, and yes their bread does fall a little short. $91 dollars for two meals and two rum and cokes without tip. Pro: Romantic Setting Friendly Staff Good Service Con: Over Priced Terrible parking Limited menu Wine overpriced Below average food quality for French cuisine
(2)
Shyam V.
One of the worst restaurants I have eaten in Des Moines - which has a large selection of great restaurants. Overpriced, and really not French! More grease and Americanized French food. Dessert sampler was good though - especially the creme brulee and chocolate cake
(1)
Jim M.
My wife and I visit Bistro Montage often and have yet to come away disappointed. Chef Enosh Kelley and staff quite simply offer the best French cuisine in Iowa. This week I had the crispy duck and my wife had the scallops. Both were wonderfully prepared and served. If you live in central Iowa and haven't tried Bistro Montage yet, you're really missing out. If you're visiting Des Moines and want some great French cuisine, a fantastic wine selection and impeccable service (ask for Alejandro), give Bistro Montage a try. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Andrea T.
After multiple attempts to get a reservation here, we finally chose a day in the future and booked it for dinner. We came on a Thursday night around 7:00 pm and at first, the place was not very busy (we were one of three tables). By the time we left, over half the tables were filled. This is not a large place but it is very welcoming and nicely decorated. I was impressed with their use of technology in the restaurant. They use a laptop at the host and iPads to put in orders. Our waiter was very patient with us since this was our first time dining with them. He thoroughly explained all of their specials and even their house specialties on the menu. The only complaint is that he was hard to hear when he was looking towards my husband so I missed some of the details. The most shocking thing during his descriptions was the price of the specials. I mean $49 for a pork chop...that is insane! The waiter brought us bread that was amazing! I LOVED their bread! I ordered the house specialty, Pan Seared Skate Wing, while my husband ordered the Lamb Shank. We were not sure how much food to expect especially after the waiter made it seem odd that we did not order soup or salad first. When the entrees came, they had great presentation. The taste was equally good. My Skate Wing had great texture and the potatoes, carrots, green beans and asparagus were perfectly done. My husband's Lamb Shank was deliciously tender. We opted to order a dessert that had pistachio, cherry and chocolate cookies. It too was delicious but not sure it was really worth $8. A complaint I did have is due to the small restaurant, the restrooms are through the kitchen. Sure, you just pass the freezers/refrigerators and the bread prep area but it is still where the food is prepared! The restroom itself was fine although tiny. I just do not like entering the kitchen area! Overall, great food and service. A bit on the pricey side so not somewhere we will frequent often.
(4)
John J.
Wonderful dinner here with my wife. Perfect size portions packed with flavor. Nice ambience and god service.
(4)
jason w.
Whenever I have a date that I want to impress I take her to bistro montage. You don't have a lot of choices in des Moines for French food, but luckily because of this place you don't need any more choices. The small dining room is perfect for intimate dinners. Its about the only place in des Moines you can have a quiet dinner. The service is top notch and the menu is always evolving. Great all around. I'm not sure what the complaints are about. I don't know what a groupon is and I've always ordered off the main menu. I don't care for prix fixe menus, I'd rather come up with my own four courses. I guess if you can't afford the good stuff on the menu go to tgif's
(4)
Jessica K.
We had a great time at Bristo Montage. We used Groupon for the four course menu. The food was delicious, the salmon was amazing. Our waiter went above and beyond even when I couldn't pull up my groupon voucher, he went ahead and put the discount on our check. The atmosphere was, very dark lighting but enjoyable. Very intimate setting. I would definitely go here again, thanks Groupon!!
(4)
Tony H.
April 2, 2013 Update - The fact that the owner/manager has not even commented let alone reach out to all the complaints about this place says a lot. I strongly urge people to avoid this place. There are much better restaurants in DSM. NOTE TO THE OWNER - If you're going to offer a Groupon, you might want to think about giving your customer the best possible experience to ensure they come back instead of a mediocre one. Without the Groupon I would probably would not have tried this place for some time, now I probably won't go back. My wife and I went there a couple weeks ago. I read some reviews about people having bad experiences when they used a Groupon so we thought we would be smart and not mention it until after we ate. The Groupon was for a 4 course meal which sounded good but was far from what I would consider fine French cuisine. Basically, it was over cooked roast beef. Without us even saying a word about the food the waiter, he basically apologized for the food and told us the next time we come we should order a main and not the 4 course meal because the quality of the other dishes is much better. So basically what he was telling us that the food only sucks when you use a promotion. Probably not the best way to make a good impression for new customers. Oh well, there's another restaurant we won't be spending $150 per visit at. I'm beginning to realize there's a reason why so many restaurants are offering Groupons and it's not because they have great food.
(1)
Megan C.
A surprise! I am in Des Moines for work, and wanted a decent lunch, happened to drive past the sign announcing lunch. The food was fantastic, much better than I expected to find. I had an arugula and strawberry salad, the arugula was fresh, not wilty, and the companion steak slices were heavenly. Go! (one note: they don't appear to be good at maths, so, don't order the soup+salad combo, just order the soup, comma, and salad. Cheaper that way.)
(4)
Heather J.
Both my friend and I had high hopes for this place and unfortunately were disappointed. We went here for my pre-birthday dinner and though we had a great glass of wine the food was not anywhere close to what we had hope for. An order of the risotto and the bistro burgers...just ok and unfortunately the menu was so limited (much more limited than I expected) that there was nothing else that I wanted to order. Neither of us feel the need to give this place a second try.
(1)
S. W.
I travel every week for my job and rarely do I get impressed by local restaurants in the Midwest especially by those in DSM - Montage Bistro is truly the exception! My dining experience there this past Friday was one of the best I have had in my six years of traveling around the country. The food was as good as I had in France, the wine was amazing and service was exceptional. The owner and wait staff went above and beyond ensuring that my glasses were always full and that the food was prepared to my likening, which it was. Also, the desserts are a must do; while I was enjoying the crème brulee I actually felt like I was back in Paris! I have found my new favorite dining spot in DSM and doubt I will ever eat anywhere else while visiting. It is a DMS must do! Shanna W.
(5)
Christine T.
This place is wonderful. I have been there several times and each time it was amazing, unique food in a intimate romantic setting. There are very few places in DSM that you can get french cuisine. Wait a minute....where else CAN you get french cuisine in our city? We were there tonight and had a great time. I had the soup of the day which was roasted carrot soup as a starter and my husband had the amazing scallop appetizer. (He won.) I had lamb chops on forbidden rice with fava and mushrooms, lucky me. Where the hell else can you get food like this in Des Moines? My hubby had the salmon special and it was creative and very tasty as well. Our server was smart and attentive and recommended a great wine for our meal. Bistro Montage is a Des Moines treasure. Enjoy it. Also, for all those people who whine about expense: a three course Pre Fixe meal at $22? Get out of here!
I'm at a loss trying to understand the sort of person who would spend a long evening at Bistro Montage and doesn't come away enchanted. Every aspect of the meal was lovingly selected and prepared- you will not find a single slapdash item on the menu, from the delightful cocktails to the gateau marjolaine for desert. The menu you are offered changes frequently, from free range chicken to Alaskan King Salmon, seasonal morels to veal chops, sweetbreads and escargot to duck confit- only the freshest, highest quality fare is served. We have never, after dozens of visits, encountered a dish that wasn't excellent. There are other French restaurants in Iowa- I have been to them all. Most range from abysmal to mediocre. Even the truly outstanding French cuisine I have encountered at other restaurants- salmon tartar at Baru 66, duck confit at Django- is always accompanied by so-so ingredients, overseasoned or underdone meat (not to mention the attitude of the waitstaff)... but not at Bistro Montage. A modest establishment, cozy and inviting, where you can trust the good judgment of the Chef to bring you something worth eating. Discriminating customers will understand what a gem Bistro Montage is in the food landscape in Iowa.
(5)
Adam V.
Prices overpower a nice meal. Overall, Bistro Montage is a nice little restaurant with great service and good (not great) food. They are priced as though they are one of the top restaurants in the city, and they're not. The steak frites were tasty and very garlicky, but the steak had too much fat. My wife ordered the pasta du Jour, which had a little too much butter flavor and not enough clam juice. To stay affordable, skip the overpriced soup or salad offering. Stay away from the expensive martinis and go with a black current comet or similar.
(3)
Megan H.
I can only guess that Bistro Montage must REALLY be hit-or-miss based on the wide variety of reviews it's gotten on Yelp and elsewhere. I can only speak to my personal experience at Bistro Montage, which was mostly wonderful. We made a reservation on OpenTable and came here on a Saturday night with a party of four. Our server was fabulous and recommended an excellent bottle of wine, which we enjoyed immensely. The big windows overlooking Ingersoll provide a great view, and the decor is warm and inviting (I spotted a shelf lined with jars of house-canned vegetables). Bistro Montage offers a couple of really nice prix fixe options, including three courses for either $20 or $27 depending what dishes you choose. There were plenty of things on the menu that looked wonderful and I had a terrible time deciding - I especially love the emphasis on local ingredients - the menu tells you exactly which farm certain items are from. Mom ordered the tuna nicoise salad, which was probably the greatest salad I've ever had the delight of tasting. The house-canned ahi tuna was truly incredible and I would order this again in a heartbeat. Dad started with some kind of delicious pureed soup, then got the bistro burgers, which were good though they didn't exactly blow my mind (maybe elk is just not my favorite protein). I'll confess that I did steal more than my fair share of his hand-cut fries, mostly because the house-made ketchup was so amazing. Charlie ordered the cassoulet, which is actually a deconstructed cassoulet - very interesting and you do get to try a little bit of everything, but it might not be my favorite interpretation of the dish. I settled on french onion soup, which was somewhat forgettable, but all was forgiven when I got my Crispy Local Organic Peking Duck Breast. The name of the dish could use a little editing, but the dish itself was perfect. I don't know if I can even describe how good it was - I love a good crispy duck skin, and this was absolutely fantastic. I am salivating just thinking about it. The dinner took a little bit of a strange turn after we ordered dessert. Everything had been served in a warm, friendly, and timely fashion up until this point in the meal; suddenly, it was as if our server just completely forgot we existed. In a small restaurant, this should be hard to do. We probably waited twenty-five minutes for two creme brulees and a dish of sorbet - none of which should take a long time to prepare. OK, so the creme brulee was amazing and the sorbets were even better (pineapple, ginger, and raspberry - all delicious). But it was a little strange that after waiting so long for dessert, I actually had to go speak with the manager in order to get our check. The weirdest thing was that our server had been so attentive, helpful and friendly up until this point - and the restaurant was hardly full. It was as though he'd suddenly gotten a VIP table and couldn't be bothered with us anymore. Hmph! Regardless of our bizarre service issues, we all left the restaurant asking why we'd never been there before. I was really nervous after reading all the negative reviews on Yelp, but I have to say I would go back to Bistro Montage again in a heartbeat. The chef has put together some amazing dishes (there's a reason he has a James Beard Best Midwest Chef nomination) and regardless of service problems, for me, the food is worth it.
(4)
Ricky T.
Now I know this is one of those establishments that has received many rave reviews in the local paper but the evening I experienced was far from that wonderful experience. Truly the service was eh okay nothing to rave about. They kept our water glasses and wine filled through out the night. The real downer was the food. Starting with the bread they placed on the table. It pretty much tasted like card board. The others at our table were putting salt on there bread for flavor....that alone should have given us a clue but we continued on. Some ordered the fish that was on the menu some ordered the sliders and one person ordered a some sea food combo bowl which because of the smell and taste did not actually get eaten. And the real kicker was the price for everything. My 2 sliders and fries was 17 dollars!! Needless to say we had to go up the street to the Greenwood bar to wash the taste out of our mouths......will never go back!!
(1)
T M.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary expecting a 4- or 5-star experience. Besides being cramped to the point that a patron passing our table nearly cleared it of my wife's water and over-priced wine (the waiter must have experienced this before and stopped the patron in his tracks just as the accident was about to occur), a waiter managed to kick my chair throughout the meal - four times. Our waitress was courteous, but unfortunately failed to mention what wasn't available when she told us about the specials. Of course, what I ordered wasn't on the menu and the options are slim so I ordered the special, a lamb shank that was very bland and served with a single pearl onion and three pcs of asparagus with two tablespoons of mashed potatoes. The Mrs ordered the strip steak, which was tough and ordinary. The fries served with it were fine. The salads were fine; the sourdough bread tasted like what we get from the grocery store. For $110 (excluding wine and tip), the value was poor. Like others who posted reviews, this is our one and only visit. Better places here in DSM for less $$ and more variety.
(1)
Nicholas K.
Very good food, nice atmosphere. We did have a coupon, but total bill including tip was 100 for two people. Not a place i will frequent, but a nice one time place to eat. Waiter was very attentive and helpful, suggesting wine and dishes. Also cared well for my wife's food allergy.
(4)
Courtnee C.
I'd heard a lot of great things about Bistro Montage. And while it was fine, for the price, it should have been better. To start, the waiter seemed a little snooty. It was a Saturday night and I didn't have a reservation. It seemed like a big deal, and I felt kind of bad about it. He walked me around the corner where I saw that the place was kind of busy, but not jam packed or anything. I was shoved into a corner table that was approximately two feet apart from the table next to it. Sitting there by myself before my friend arrived, I was so close to the couple next to me, I felt like I was eavesdropping. Never during the evening was the whole place full, so I'm not sure why I got the eyeroll/sigh when I said I didn't have a reservation. The food was good for sure. But for how much it cost, I should have ran home and written a letter to my mother about it. We ordered a special for an appetizer. It was a cold salmon dish. It was quite tasty and the best dish of the night. For the entree I got the duck and my friend got the skate wing. Both were good, but again, I just wasn't blown away. In fact, I think the duck dish at Sbrocco is far better. For desert, the Gâteau Marjolaine was lovely, but not amazing. So, it was good. Not great. I'm not dying to go back. I've checked it off my 'places I wanna eat' list, and it didn't make it onto my 'places I'll go back to' list. Had it not been so expensive, and had the waiter not been a snob, maybe I'd be thinking differently about it.
(3)
Heather V.
Gosh, I have mixed reviews on this place! I loved the atmosphere, the food was good, the prices were too high and the service was shady so now I'll explain. For the most part, I had a great experience at the restaurant. It has a very original menu and the food was pretty good but the prices are just too high for Des Moines but luckily we had a LivingSocial coupon. The service was very attentive and perhaps too attentive. We both had a few drinks throughout dinner so when we gave them our coupon, they took longer than necessary to bring back our bill. My husband looked at the itemized bill and thought that she would take off the $50 when they ran his card but she didn't. Shame on us for not looking more closely at the final receipt. They failed to take it off our bill. Perhaps it was an honest mistake but our waitress was way too attentive throughout the night and she wanted to make sure she got a good tip...truly shady and bummer for the restaurant!
(2)
Hawk O.
Wonderful.Great waiter and fabulous food.
(5)
James Z.
Good service and good food. Loved the beet salad. The Salmon was great. I will go back.
(4)
David B.
I've never had a bad meal at Bistro Montage. Great French bistro food, nice people.
(5)
David J.
First bite of the $18, 2.5 scallop appetizer, I bit into what I thought was sand. Thought I would give it another bite. Grit again and now the taste of burnt scallop is invading my tongue. My husband's first and second bites were the same. We discretely told the waitress and asked for our bill for the beer and Pepsi we ordered. The waitress came back and said that we ate half so we would have to pay for that half. Our bill was $18. Why on earth would I have to pay for burnt food. Yes, 1 whole scallop from the 2.5 was gone. It was burnt. Didn't realize until to started to increase in taste. Will never go back again. BTW....the waitress still got a $6 tip, she was good.
(1)
Chuck M.
Not Our Favorite French Restaurant Carol and I had mixed feelings about our first dining experience at Bistro Montage. The service was not very attentive and the food was mediocre at best. The large dining room was nicely decorated, but very noisy, especially when people are moving chairs. And the bathrooms just couldn't be any smaller, although I liked that one could inspect the kitchen on the way. The table contained a small vase of flowers which were way past their prime. The bread came to us in a basket that contained large loaf slices and a dish of butter; where I was "lucky" enough to select a hard crusty heel. Carol ordered the salad with the citrus-vinaigrette dressing which was beautiful; very generous, fresh and colorful with two varieties of tomatoes. We also ordered soup and then I had to request a spoon. Carol thought her Broccoli soup was tasteless and greasy, and my French Onion was a little too sweet for my taste and was a little greasy as well. I ordered a glass of their Chardonnay which was delightful. I ordered their Fennel infused Salmon special with cut vegetables and small fingerling potatoes. The Salmon was very moist and flavorful. Carol had the Scallop and Shrimp special which contained three scallops and four small seasoned shrimp with green beans, carrots and asparagus with fingerling potatoes which she thought the scallops were a little gritty while the rest of her meal was good but not great. We finished up with dessert of the Passion Fruit Sorbet which was a great finish to our dinner.
(2)
Danny R.
My spouse and I just had our first lovely meal there. I'd even give the food 4 or 5 stars. Everything was SUPERB-until the check came, which included a $3.00 split plate charge because we shared a salad. Nice way to tarnish a lovely experience with a cheapo bill-hiking gimmick worthy of an inferior establishment. None of their competitors resort to such tacky measures.
(3)
Darien G.
Was back in Des Moines for Thanksgiving and went here. Sadly, I cannot keep the 4-star rating any longer, but it was mostly because our server was clueless. She had to have been fairly new, and it seemed she wasn't trained very well on their menu? Not sure how that happens at a place like this... but it's a sign they are slipping. It truly is the little things that can make a difference between good and great, and both my wife and I felt like the little things were missed this time around. Based on this last visit, I won't be craving this restaurant any longer and for all I know I may never go back. Sniff, Bistro Montage, you are perhaps dead to me now.
(3)
Clark S.
I am very surprised by the bad reviews. We have been to this restaurant many times. We have always had fabulous meals. I have been told they will be featured on a food network show which will say great things about them. If you like interesting food that you don't eat every day, you should give this a try.
(5)
Stephen J.
Ate dinner at Bistro Montage this past Saturday night. Our waiter, Mark, did a great job guiding us through the menu and really making the evening go well. He was a true professional and something missing from so many Iowa restaurants. The food was outstanding, I had the cassoulet and she had the crispy duck. Could not do much better in flavor and preperation. Desserts were incredible!
(4)
Stacy B.
So, it was my 30th birthday and I was VERY excited to celebrate by trying Bistro Montage. I had read multiple reviews raving about this place, so I was more than happy to splurge on supposedly the best French food in town. The night started off well, with a couple of glasses of wine and a decent (not amazing) salad. The bread was nast-astic. I then had sweetbreads, or calf brains. These were okay - again, decent, but not spectacular. I ordered a steak as my main dish. Gross. It tasted like rubber. No flavor. While I was knawing on my tire, I noticed that NO ONE at my table of nine like his/her food. What a disappointment. And, to make matters worse, the bill came. This meal was not worth $500. I will NEVER go to Bistro Montage again. Period.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : No Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Olesya H.
Great restaurant! Great food! Great people! We will go there again! I'm from Europe and having hard time finding good European food in Des Moines. Bistro is on the list of my favorites now!
(5)Katie B.
Best place in the city. Classy, stylish, warm and cozy. Excellent wine list and cocktail menus. Constant new seasonal features. Knowledgable friendly wait staff. Everything made from scratch. I mean everything! Call for a reservation to make sure you get to experience this Des Moines gem!
(5)Aaron P.
Selected Bistro Montage as the place for this year's Valentine's Day dinner. Reservations were made well in advance (mid-January). This spot tends to be popular for dine out holidays. (Word to the wise.) For those who have not been, expect an intimate but fun atmosphere. Quarters will be close, but it adds positively to the experience. Attire is on the more formal side of casual or better. (Translated, you might feel out of place in jeans and a t-shirt.) As a starter we enjoyed the sweat breads. They were excellent, flavorful, tender, and slightly crispy. The orange glaze that came on them was also very good. The couscous was a great compliment. Portion size was right on for two people. Dinner went very well also. All courses were spaced out nicely. We never felt rushed to finish. The main entrees were the Halibut, and Tournedos with Foie Gras. Both were cooked properly and tasted great. Either if on the menu should be considered. (As a third also consider the Duck L'Orange- also a personal favorite.) Overall, we had an outstanding experience here and I would recommend anyone keep this in mind for a quiet dinner out, or even a business dinner. The cocktails are fresh and the wine list has something for everyone. I will be back again.
(5)Caroline M.
I dined here with my friend and we had a fabulous time! My friend snagged a LivingSocial deal and so we got the 4 course with wine pairings. I went with the fresh spring pea soup, risotto, braised beef & flourless chocolate cake. Each course was beautifully plated and paired with a wonderful wine. My favorite dish was the beef, as it was seasoned perfectly and truly hit the spot! It's a cute place on Ingersoll not to be missed!
(4)Thomas M.
What a fantastic place to get a meal in Des Moines. Quality drinks, wonderful food, a nice (but not too-ritzy-for-you) atmosphere, and a wonderful waitstaff. A great place to go for a special night out - can't wait for the next one.
(5)Alden G.
Excellent wine and cocktail selection, (try the Guillotine) cozy ambiance. Outstanding soup and seafood crepe, beet salad, poutine. A lovely spot!
(5)Emily T.
I am not a huge french food fan, but I have been here on a few occasions to have their seafood crepes. These are so simple, yet the flavors are making my mouth water just writing this. Simple yet flavorful. I have had the soup of the day with my crepes and have not been disappointed there. I am giving this 3 stars as the service has always been, meh. Not horrible, but I don't believe a lunch date should take practically 2 hours and not due to our conversations. For a small place, they may need another server or just a better process, I am not sure. With that said, I would still like to come back and try out their dinner menu.
(3)Kelly S.
I dined on a Thursday night with a last minute reservation. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Our waitress was knowledgable and attentive. We brought a bottle of wine, then ordered a bottle from the bar so they waived the $15 corkage fee. :) The presentation of the bread was sort of steakhouse-ish, but it was tasty. We ordered scallop ceviche and, although the scallops were cooked and not truly ceviche, it was WONDERFUL! I then had a veggie crepe that was delicious. My soup was also lovely and the portion was perfect. I was definitely intrigued enough to come back! The only reason I didn't give Bistro Montage 5 stars is because their salad dressings are all made with soy oil. When we voiced our concern the staff didn't offer to prepare an alternative. I hope with my next visit I can upgrade to 5!
(4)Kris D.
Service was very good and attentive. Although this restaurant is not meant for a fast meal, so do not expect to be in and out in under an hour! We enjoyed the wine, and thought the tortellini and Brussels sprout appetizer was excellent. The desserts were also very good. Our biggest complaint was the noise level. The restaurant has concrete floors and no ceiling. It's a small place, but when full, the only way to hear each other is to yell. Not fun and definitely not romantic. We just weren't that excited about our main dishes. They were totally fine, just not very exciting or inventive. I've said this in reviews for other restaurants, but it rings true here as well: Des Moines has some really incredible restaurants, and this one, while good, just doesn't rise to the top of the pack for me.
(3)Jennifer B.
I've been to Bistro Montage on many occasions and I've always had good service and excellent food. The dishes are very elegant and creatively prepared. The chef really understands how to combine the right flavors. I've never been disappointed in a meal. I notice some comments regarding the price and, though not cheap, the cost is comparable with other restaurant of similar quality in town such as Baru 66 or Proof. The restaurant does also have a good variety on it's menu so if cost is an issue you could order a salad or crepe and still get a good meal for less price. They do also offer a Prix Fixe which is a good value if you want to have multiple courses. I would recommend the Beef Tenderloin, Duck, Skate, or Salmon. I am also a big fan of the Nicoise Salad and their soup. Other than the food I would recommend the cocktails. These are a bit pricey but if you're in the mood to spurge they are worth it. They use top quality alcohol and fresh juices. They are the best cocktails in town. I would recommend the Corpse Reviver or Tour De France.
(5)Bob R.
Best French style Bistro in Des Moines. Consistently good. Service always excellent. Best wines of anywhere in metro area.
(5)Paul R.
I took my wife here on a Friday night to celebrate our anniversary and it was perfect! Very intimate setting and the perfect size. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. I will definitely be a repeat customer. The Poutine was incredible...
(5)Melanie C.
Literally most overpriced Valentines dinner ever! This place was way overpriced for the portion sizes and quality of service. My husband and I are willing to pay for good food, but this place was just ridiculous. Also the menu was shrunken down for Valentines, which they neglected to tell you when you made the reservation or on their website. Whenever I go to a new restaurant I make it a point to have something that you wouldn't get somewhere else. I tried the $40 rabbit appetizer. I was surprised when only 1/2c of food showed up, for that price I was thinking at least a 2 person serving. I'd describe the taste as canned beef stew with Mexican Queso dip on top. Good, but can purchase in the canned food aisle at Hy-Vee for right around $5. I got the Monk fish as my entree and got a total of 3oz of fish. Guess how much....$50. Yes more than $16 an ounce of this fish that sells for $12 /lb. It came with celery 5 ways, but the pureed way was the only way it should have been done. Basically fish with crunchy dried out celery. My husband got a steak and it came with soggy fries. The steak was good, but nothing special. Montana Mike's steaks are way better. Don't get me wrong it isn't just a price thing, but if you are paying that price got to 801. The only thing more disappointing than the food was the service and atmosphere. We were sat next to a really loud trashy couple (not restaurants fault, but didn't make things any better). Also instead of getting us the check our waiter spent 15-20 minutes flirting with the women sitting at the bar. Because the obnoxious drunk people wanted to talk to us at that point, this was a very long wait. Basically after $120 + tip, we went to cheesecake factory still hungry and each got our own piece of cheesecake. Very disappointing, but we had fun because we always do!
(1)Pat M.
I think Bistro Montage is one of Des Moines best kept secrets! I ate lunch there yesterday after Christmas shopping at Tandem Brick and it was such a treat! The food was excellent I had a seafood crepe that was perfect a glass of champagne and a small salad and where can you get a gourmet lunch for $12? The service was impeccable and I felt like I was allowed to Relax! When you feel overwhelmed or stressed during the Holiday rush stop in the Bistro. Namaste!
(5)J C.
Food was okay I suppose, but for the money there are quite a few better options nearby. Valentines menu was very limited, perhaps to maximize profit on such a busy night. I'd skip the steak and rabbit options. The monk fish was better. Service was subpar.
(2)Dennis T.
Service, food taste, and ambiance was good. BUT the value was just is not there. We had a table for 4 people with the 4 course meal selection...each portion was the size of my palm. Al total with each of us having 2 drinks our bill was $420.00 with tip. For this amount of money I would at the very least not like to feel hungry 2 hours later. Most any other high-end restaurant would be a better pick...
(2)Miki B.
Food very good. Server AGAIN had attitude. He didn't keep up with coffees for all and when asked to bring coffee, he replied "I only have two hands...". Seriously!? as a result he lost ...we cut his tip down.
(3)Kim W.
We were there Saturday night on a mother-daughter evening. We had a party of five and each ordered different things so we could each have a try of each others. From beginning appetizers to ending with dessert, each bite was amazing. Plan on a couple of hours not just for the wonderful food but for the experience of a great atmosphere and staff.
(5)Katie F.
I have never received such poor service at a restaurant, or probably ever. In fact, I wasn't even allowed the opportunity to receive service at all. I received a Groupon to Bistro Montage as a gift, which the staff was aware of because after placing my reservation I received an email asking if I'd be using a Groupon. After arriving on time for my reservation and being seated by the hostess, my dining companion and I were ignored by the staff for nearly an hour. When I say "ignored," I mean that our water glasses were not even filled. The wait staff refused to make eye contact with us. Another party of two who were seated 30 minutes after us were served water, wine and first courses while our presence was not even acknowledged. It was clear that none of the wait staff wanted to take the "Groupon table." I can't think of any other possible explanation for the treatment that I received. This is a small restaurant, which only had around 10 other tables seated and at least three waiters on the floor at the time; this was not a situation where we could have been easily overlooked. For example, we were seated less than two feet away from another couple, whose waiter was quite attentive to them throughout our visit. Not once did anyone even speak to us. After 55 minutes without any service, we left. Apparently, my Groupon gift also came with the gift of invisibility, at least to the staff at Bistro Montage.
(1)DeWayne K.
Went here for a memorable valentines day with my girlfriend and we had a great time together. Its very romantic atmosphere and the tables are quaint and small about what you would expect in a bistro setting. The menu is very limited, food is very over priced, wine menu is over priced, service is good, food is below average, and yes their bread does fall a little short. $91 dollars for two meals and two rum and cokes without tip. Pro: Romantic Setting Friendly Staff Good Service Con: Over Priced Terrible parking Limited menu Wine overpriced Below average food quality for French cuisine
(2)Shyam V.
One of the worst restaurants I have eaten in Des Moines - which has a large selection of great restaurants. Overpriced, and really not French! More grease and Americanized French food. Dessert sampler was good though - especially the creme brulee and chocolate cake
(1)Jim M.
My wife and I visit Bistro Montage often and have yet to come away disappointed. Chef Enosh Kelley and staff quite simply offer the best French cuisine in Iowa. This week I had the crispy duck and my wife had the scallops. Both were wonderfully prepared and served. If you live in central Iowa and haven't tried Bistro Montage yet, you're really missing out. If you're visiting Des Moines and want some great French cuisine, a fantastic wine selection and impeccable service (ask for Alejandro), give Bistro Montage a try. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Andrea T.
After multiple attempts to get a reservation here, we finally chose a day in the future and booked it for dinner. We came on a Thursday night around 7:00 pm and at first, the place was not very busy (we were one of three tables). By the time we left, over half the tables were filled. This is not a large place but it is very welcoming and nicely decorated. I was impressed with their use of technology in the restaurant. They use a laptop at the host and iPads to put in orders. Our waiter was very patient with us since this was our first time dining with them. He thoroughly explained all of their specials and even their house specialties on the menu. The only complaint is that he was hard to hear when he was looking towards my husband so I missed some of the details. The most shocking thing during his descriptions was the price of the specials. I mean $49 for a pork chop...that is insane! The waiter brought us bread that was amazing! I LOVED their bread! I ordered the house specialty, Pan Seared Skate Wing, while my husband ordered the Lamb Shank. We were not sure how much food to expect especially after the waiter made it seem odd that we did not order soup or salad first. When the entrees came, they had great presentation. The taste was equally good. My Skate Wing had great texture and the potatoes, carrots, green beans and asparagus were perfectly done. My husband's Lamb Shank was deliciously tender. We opted to order a dessert that had pistachio, cherry and chocolate cookies. It too was delicious but not sure it was really worth $8. A complaint I did have is due to the small restaurant, the restrooms are through the kitchen. Sure, you just pass the freezers/refrigerators and the bread prep area but it is still where the food is prepared! The restroom itself was fine although tiny. I just do not like entering the kitchen area! Overall, great food and service. A bit on the pricey side so not somewhere we will frequent often.
(4)John J.
Wonderful dinner here with my wife. Perfect size portions packed with flavor. Nice ambience and god service.
(4)jason w.
Whenever I have a date that I want to impress I take her to bistro montage. You don't have a lot of choices in des Moines for French food, but luckily because of this place you don't need any more choices. The small dining room is perfect for intimate dinners. Its about the only place in des Moines you can have a quiet dinner. The service is top notch and the menu is always evolving. Great all around. I'm not sure what the complaints are about. I don't know what a groupon is and I've always ordered off the main menu. I don't care for prix fixe menus, I'd rather come up with my own four courses. I guess if you can't afford the good stuff on the menu go to tgif's
(4)Jessica K.
We had a great time at Bristo Montage. We used Groupon for the four course menu. The food was delicious, the salmon was amazing. Our waiter went above and beyond even when I couldn't pull up my groupon voucher, he went ahead and put the discount on our check. The atmosphere was, very dark lighting but enjoyable. Very intimate setting. I would definitely go here again, thanks Groupon!!
(4)Tony H.
April 2, 2013 Update - The fact that the owner/manager has not even commented let alone reach out to all the complaints about this place says a lot. I strongly urge people to avoid this place. There are much better restaurants in DSM. NOTE TO THE OWNER - If you're going to offer a Groupon, you might want to think about giving your customer the best possible experience to ensure they come back instead of a mediocre one. Without the Groupon I would probably would not have tried this place for some time, now I probably won't go back. My wife and I went there a couple weeks ago. I read some reviews about people having bad experiences when they used a Groupon so we thought we would be smart and not mention it until after we ate. The Groupon was for a 4 course meal which sounded good but was far from what I would consider fine French cuisine. Basically, it was over cooked roast beef. Without us even saying a word about the food the waiter, he basically apologized for the food and told us the next time we come we should order a main and not the 4 course meal because the quality of the other dishes is much better. So basically what he was telling us that the food only sucks when you use a promotion. Probably not the best way to make a good impression for new customers. Oh well, there's another restaurant we won't be spending $150 per visit at. I'm beginning to realize there's a reason why so many restaurants are offering Groupons and it's not because they have great food.
(1)Megan C.
A surprise! I am in Des Moines for work, and wanted a decent lunch, happened to drive past the sign announcing lunch. The food was fantastic, much better than I expected to find. I had an arugula and strawberry salad, the arugula was fresh, not wilty, and the companion steak slices were heavenly. Go! (one note: they don't appear to be good at maths, so, don't order the soup+salad combo, just order the soup, comma, and salad. Cheaper that way.)
(4)Heather J.
Both my friend and I had high hopes for this place and unfortunately were disappointed. We went here for my pre-birthday dinner and though we had a great glass of wine the food was not anywhere close to what we had hope for. An order of the risotto and the bistro burgers...just ok and unfortunately the menu was so limited (much more limited than I expected) that there was nothing else that I wanted to order. Neither of us feel the need to give this place a second try.
(1)S. W.
I travel every week for my job and rarely do I get impressed by local restaurants in the Midwest especially by those in DSM - Montage Bistro is truly the exception! My dining experience there this past Friday was one of the best I have had in my six years of traveling around the country. The food was as good as I had in France, the wine was amazing and service was exceptional. The owner and wait staff went above and beyond ensuring that my glasses were always full and that the food was prepared to my likening, which it was. Also, the desserts are a must do; while I was enjoying the crème brulee I actually felt like I was back in Paris! I have found my new favorite dining spot in DSM and doubt I will ever eat anywhere else while visiting. It is a DMS must do! Shanna W.
(5)Christine T.
This place is wonderful. I have been there several times and each time it was amazing, unique food in a intimate romantic setting. There are very few places in DSM that you can get french cuisine. Wait a minute....where else CAN you get french cuisine in our city? We were there tonight and had a great time. I had the soup of the day which was roasted carrot soup as a starter and my husband had the amazing scallop appetizer. (He won.) I had lamb chops on forbidden rice with fava and mushrooms, lucky me. Where the hell else can you get food like this in Des Moines? My hubby had the salmon special and it was creative and very tasty as well. Our server was smart and attentive and recommended a great wine for our meal. Bistro Montage is a Des Moines treasure. Enjoy it. Also, for all those people who whine about expense: a three course Pre Fixe meal at $22? Get out of here!
(5)Wes D.
The duck liver pâté was great. I ordered steak frites and the steak was small. Wanted medium rare but it was rare which I don't like. The aioli that accompanied it wasn't fresh or was poorly made. I'm a cook and I don't want to sound so nit picky but if I'm going to pay that price it needs to be done right.
(3)Martin P.
I'm at a loss trying to understand the sort of person who would spend a long evening at Bistro Montage and doesn't come away enchanted. Every aspect of the meal was lovingly selected and prepared- you will not find a single slapdash item on the menu, from the delightful cocktails to the gateau marjolaine for desert. The menu you are offered changes frequently, from free range chicken to Alaskan King Salmon, seasonal morels to veal chops, sweetbreads and escargot to duck confit- only the freshest, highest quality fare is served. We have never, after dozens of visits, encountered a dish that wasn't excellent. There are other French restaurants in Iowa- I have been to them all. Most range from abysmal to mediocre. Even the truly outstanding French cuisine I have encountered at other restaurants- salmon tartar at Baru 66, duck confit at Django- is always accompanied by so-so ingredients, overseasoned or underdone meat (not to mention the attitude of the waitstaff)... but not at Bistro Montage. A modest establishment, cozy and inviting, where you can trust the good judgment of the Chef to bring you something worth eating. Discriminating customers will understand what a gem Bistro Montage is in the food landscape in Iowa.
(5)Adam V.
Prices overpower a nice meal. Overall, Bistro Montage is a nice little restaurant with great service and good (not great) food. They are priced as though they are one of the top restaurants in the city, and they're not. The steak frites were tasty and very garlicky, but the steak had too much fat. My wife ordered the pasta du Jour, which had a little too much butter flavor and not enough clam juice. To stay affordable, skip the overpriced soup or salad offering. Stay away from the expensive martinis and go with a black current comet or similar.
(3)Megan H.
I can only guess that Bistro Montage must REALLY be hit-or-miss based on the wide variety of reviews it's gotten on Yelp and elsewhere. I can only speak to my personal experience at Bistro Montage, which was mostly wonderful. We made a reservation on OpenTable and came here on a Saturday night with a party of four. Our server was fabulous and recommended an excellent bottle of wine, which we enjoyed immensely. The big windows overlooking Ingersoll provide a great view, and the decor is warm and inviting (I spotted a shelf lined with jars of house-canned vegetables). Bistro Montage offers a couple of really nice prix fixe options, including three courses for either $20 or $27 depending what dishes you choose. There were plenty of things on the menu that looked wonderful and I had a terrible time deciding - I especially love the emphasis on local ingredients - the menu tells you exactly which farm certain items are from. Mom ordered the tuna nicoise salad, which was probably the greatest salad I've ever had the delight of tasting. The house-canned ahi tuna was truly incredible and I would order this again in a heartbeat. Dad started with some kind of delicious pureed soup, then got the bistro burgers, which were good though they didn't exactly blow my mind (maybe elk is just not my favorite protein). I'll confess that I did steal more than my fair share of his hand-cut fries, mostly because the house-made ketchup was so amazing. Charlie ordered the cassoulet, which is actually a deconstructed cassoulet - very interesting and you do get to try a little bit of everything, but it might not be my favorite interpretation of the dish. I settled on french onion soup, which was somewhat forgettable, but all was forgiven when I got my Crispy Local Organic Peking Duck Breast. The name of the dish could use a little editing, but the dish itself was perfect. I don't know if I can even describe how good it was - I love a good crispy duck skin, and this was absolutely fantastic. I am salivating just thinking about it. The dinner took a little bit of a strange turn after we ordered dessert. Everything had been served in a warm, friendly, and timely fashion up until this point in the meal; suddenly, it was as if our server just completely forgot we existed. In a small restaurant, this should be hard to do. We probably waited twenty-five minutes for two creme brulees and a dish of sorbet - none of which should take a long time to prepare. OK, so the creme brulee was amazing and the sorbets were even better (pineapple, ginger, and raspberry - all delicious). But it was a little strange that after waiting so long for dessert, I actually had to go speak with the manager in order to get our check. The weirdest thing was that our server had been so attentive, helpful and friendly up until this point - and the restaurant was hardly full. It was as though he'd suddenly gotten a VIP table and couldn't be bothered with us anymore. Hmph! Regardless of our bizarre service issues, we all left the restaurant asking why we'd never been there before. I was really nervous after reading all the negative reviews on Yelp, but I have to say I would go back to Bistro Montage again in a heartbeat. The chef has put together some amazing dishes (there's a reason he has a James Beard Best Midwest Chef nomination) and regardless of service problems, for me, the food is worth it.
(4)Ricky T.
Now I know this is one of those establishments that has received many rave reviews in the local paper but the evening I experienced was far from that wonderful experience. Truly the service was eh okay nothing to rave about. They kept our water glasses and wine filled through out the night. The real downer was the food. Starting with the bread they placed on the table. It pretty much tasted like card board. The others at our table were putting salt on there bread for flavor....that alone should have given us a clue but we continued on. Some ordered the fish that was on the menu some ordered the sliders and one person ordered a some sea food combo bowl which because of the smell and taste did not actually get eaten. And the real kicker was the price for everything. My 2 sliders and fries was 17 dollars!! Needless to say we had to go up the street to the Greenwood bar to wash the taste out of our mouths......will never go back!!
(1)T M.
My wife and I went here for our anniversary expecting a 4- or 5-star experience. Besides being cramped to the point that a patron passing our table nearly cleared it of my wife's water and over-priced wine (the waiter must have experienced this before and stopped the patron in his tracks just as the accident was about to occur), a waiter managed to kick my chair throughout the meal - four times. Our waitress was courteous, but unfortunately failed to mention what wasn't available when she told us about the specials. Of course, what I ordered wasn't on the menu and the options are slim so I ordered the special, a lamb shank that was very bland and served with a single pearl onion and three pcs of asparagus with two tablespoons of mashed potatoes. The Mrs ordered the strip steak, which was tough and ordinary. The fries served with it were fine. The salads were fine; the sourdough bread tasted like what we get from the grocery store. For $110 (excluding wine and tip), the value was poor. Like others who posted reviews, this is our one and only visit. Better places here in DSM for less $$ and more variety.
(1)Nicholas K.
Very good food, nice atmosphere. We did have a coupon, but total bill including tip was 100 for two people. Not a place i will frequent, but a nice one time place to eat. Waiter was very attentive and helpful, suggesting wine and dishes. Also cared well for my wife's food allergy.
(4)Courtnee C.
I'd heard a lot of great things about Bistro Montage. And while it was fine, for the price, it should have been better. To start, the waiter seemed a little snooty. It was a Saturday night and I didn't have a reservation. It seemed like a big deal, and I felt kind of bad about it. He walked me around the corner where I saw that the place was kind of busy, but not jam packed or anything. I was shoved into a corner table that was approximately two feet apart from the table next to it. Sitting there by myself before my friend arrived, I was so close to the couple next to me, I felt like I was eavesdropping. Never during the evening was the whole place full, so I'm not sure why I got the eyeroll/sigh when I said I didn't have a reservation. The food was good for sure. But for how much it cost, I should have ran home and written a letter to my mother about it. We ordered a special for an appetizer. It was a cold salmon dish. It was quite tasty and the best dish of the night. For the entree I got the duck and my friend got the skate wing. Both were good, but again, I just wasn't blown away. In fact, I think the duck dish at Sbrocco is far better. For desert, the Gâteau Marjolaine was lovely, but not amazing. So, it was good. Not great. I'm not dying to go back. I've checked it off my 'places I wanna eat' list, and it didn't make it onto my 'places I'll go back to' list. Had it not been so expensive, and had the waiter not been a snob, maybe I'd be thinking differently about it.
(3)Heather V.
Gosh, I have mixed reviews on this place! I loved the atmosphere, the food was good, the prices were too high and the service was shady so now I'll explain. For the most part, I had a great experience at the restaurant. It has a very original menu and the food was pretty good but the prices are just too high for Des Moines but luckily we had a LivingSocial coupon. The service was very attentive and perhaps too attentive. We both had a few drinks throughout dinner so when we gave them our coupon, they took longer than necessary to bring back our bill. My husband looked at the itemized bill and thought that she would take off the $50 when they ran his card but she didn't. Shame on us for not looking more closely at the final receipt. They failed to take it off our bill. Perhaps it was an honest mistake but our waitress was way too attentive throughout the night and she wanted to make sure she got a good tip...truly shady and bummer for the restaurant!
(2)Hawk O.
Wonderful.Great waiter and fabulous food.
(5)James Z.
Good service and good food. Loved the beet salad. The Salmon was great. I will go back.
(4)David B.
I've never had a bad meal at Bistro Montage. Great French bistro food, nice people.
(5)David J.
First bite of the $18, 2.5 scallop appetizer, I bit into what I thought was sand. Thought I would give it another bite. Grit again and now the taste of burnt scallop is invading my tongue. My husband's first and second bites were the same. We discretely told the waitress and asked for our bill for the beer and Pepsi we ordered. The waitress came back and said that we ate half so we would have to pay for that half. Our bill was $18. Why on earth would I have to pay for burnt food. Yes, 1 whole scallop from the 2.5 was gone. It was burnt. Didn't realize until to started to increase in taste. Will never go back again. BTW....the waitress still got a $6 tip, she was good.
(1)Chuck M.
Not Our Favorite French Restaurant Carol and I had mixed feelings about our first dining experience at Bistro Montage. The service was not very attentive and the food was mediocre at best. The large dining room was nicely decorated, but very noisy, especially when people are moving chairs. And the bathrooms just couldn't be any smaller, although I liked that one could inspect the kitchen on the way. The table contained a small vase of flowers which were way past their prime. The bread came to us in a basket that contained large loaf slices and a dish of butter; where I was "lucky" enough to select a hard crusty heel. Carol ordered the salad with the citrus-vinaigrette dressing which was beautiful; very generous, fresh and colorful with two varieties of tomatoes. We also ordered soup and then I had to request a spoon. Carol thought her Broccoli soup was tasteless and greasy, and my French Onion was a little too sweet for my taste and was a little greasy as well. I ordered a glass of their Chardonnay which was delightful. I ordered their Fennel infused Salmon special with cut vegetables and small fingerling potatoes. The Salmon was very moist and flavorful. Carol had the Scallop and Shrimp special which contained three scallops and four small seasoned shrimp with green beans, carrots and asparagus with fingerling potatoes which she thought the scallops were a little gritty while the rest of her meal was good but not great. We finished up with dessert of the Passion Fruit Sorbet which was a great finish to our dinner.
(2)Danny R.
My spouse and I just had our first lovely meal there. I'd even give the food 4 or 5 stars. Everything was SUPERB-until the check came, which included a $3.00 split plate charge because we shared a salad. Nice way to tarnish a lovely experience with a cheapo bill-hiking gimmick worthy of an inferior establishment. None of their competitors resort to such tacky measures.
(3)Darien G.
Was back in Des Moines for Thanksgiving and went here. Sadly, I cannot keep the 4-star rating any longer, but it was mostly because our server was clueless. She had to have been fairly new, and it seemed she wasn't trained very well on their menu? Not sure how that happens at a place like this... but it's a sign they are slipping. It truly is the little things that can make a difference between good and great, and both my wife and I felt like the little things were missed this time around. Based on this last visit, I won't be craving this restaurant any longer and for all I know I may never go back. Sniff, Bistro Montage, you are perhaps dead to me now.
(3)Clark S.
I am very surprised by the bad reviews. We have been to this restaurant many times. We have always had fabulous meals. I have been told they will be featured on a food network show which will say great things about them. If you like interesting food that you don't eat every day, you should give this a try.
(5)Stephen J.
Ate dinner at Bistro Montage this past Saturday night. Our waiter, Mark, did a great job guiding us through the menu and really making the evening go well. He was a true professional and something missing from so many Iowa restaurants. The food was outstanding, I had the cassoulet and she had the crispy duck. Could not do much better in flavor and preperation. Desserts were incredible!
(4)Stacy B.
So, it was my 30th birthday and I was VERY excited to celebrate by trying Bistro Montage. I had read multiple reviews raving about this place, so I was more than happy to splurge on supposedly the best French food in town. The night started off well, with a couple of glasses of wine and a decent (not amazing) salad. The bread was nast-astic. I then had sweetbreads, or calf brains. These were okay - again, decent, but not spectacular. I ordered a steak as my main dish. Gross. It tasted like rubber. No flavor. While I was knawing on my tire, I noticed that NO ONE at my table of nine like his/her food. What a disappointment. And, to make matters worse, the bill came. This meal was not worth $500. I will NEVER go to Bistro Montage again. Period.
(1)