Great restaurant. We were surprised to find such a charming place in the middle of the desert. The interior is exquisite and the service impeccable. We had game and it was fabulous. Full of flavor, tender and juicy. Highly recommended!
(5)
justin p.
Disclaimer: I have not been here since June 2004. It has since changed hands (the old restaurant appears to be defunct and a previously exisiting restaurant from town moved out here to take over the space)- so this review is about the actual physical space, not the restaurant itself. also, the above information notwithstanding, the address is now 1266 North Highway 191 and it sits about a mile north of town (but just south of the river bridge). and the website is desertbistro.com . That being said, it is in a beautiful old farmhouse and the outdoor seating sprawls out across the lawn. Very pleasant and clement on a summer night. I also remember one of the cats came up, jumped on a chair and joined us for dinner. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I got a kick out of it.
(4)
Cindy L.
Excellent! The best meal in Moab and really excellent by any standard. Better than Buck's Grill. A bit pricey but worth it if you are used to finer dining. We had the pork tenderloin and a scallop appetizer and the quinoa salad. All were fantastic! Would definitely go back.
(5)
Kevin K.
My family likes good food. Unfortunately, Moab is lacking in great dinner places (good breakfasts though, see my review of Love Muffin). The Desert Bistro is the exception and actually ranks with some of the best restaurants we've eaten at anywhere. The food was original, yet familiar. Artfully presented and flavored just right. Portions were not too big, not too small. Everything we ordered was excellent and the service was prompt and very friendly. We sat in the "Wine Cellar" room and it was really cozy an romantic! It reminds me of wonderful places we've been to in Italy. My kids loved it too. It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny. Had a great bottle of wine too, the Ondalån Rioja Crianza 2006.
(5)
Benjamin L.
What an amazing menu and staff. I ate there at least once a month and couldn't get enough of their amazing food. The bison and elk was prepared perfectly. The owner Michelle came out and made sure our meals were perfect and was very polite. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a classy place to eat.
(5)
Rochelle P.
We were SO happy to find a place with great ambiance, great service, and great food in Moab. The setting is lovely, with nice romantic tables both outdoors and inside. They were quite busy on a Friday night, but the service was impeccable and the food was delicious. We've dined all over the world and in some very fine restaurants, and this was a very pleasant find in the southeastern corner of Utah.
(5)
Wendy N.
My husband and I enjoy this restaurant for our anniversary and other special occasions. It is one of the few local restaurants that I consistently recommend to visitors. The owners, chefs, and servers put a lot of love into this place. The atmosphere is cozy and quiet...perfect for a romantic dinner. The food is always fresh and perfectly prepared. The gorgonzola encrusted tenderloin is my favorite. Save room for desert!
(5)
Lydia V.
Beautiful, classy, gourmet food in an breathtaking setting. One of the most creative menus I have seen anywhere. Excellent service and accommodating staff. The ground pork in phyllo appetizer was to die for. Great game specials with inventive sauces. Don't miss this place.
(5)
Muriel P.
Smoked elk tenderloin. And that was one year ago, and i remember what i had. Yep was that good. Missing one star because desert was just ok, but if you're in Moab, and you have money for dinner, go there
(4)
Nick D.
A high quality, fairly new eatery with the usual bistro items on the menu. I've eaten here a couple of times and the food is always fresh and tasty. The staff is considerate and prices are on par with the rest of town (on the expensive side). They have some great desert decor too!
(4)
Sarah S.
I know my record will show that I give out 5 stars to restaurants, without coercion. But this place....you must try it. It is top of the line -- as the other bevy of Yelpers raving about it, would suggest. We swung by late on a Thursday for drinks and appetizers, while passing through Moab. Seated on the patio and served by the most charming and gracious waitress I have ever encountered. I wish I had caught her name -- she was a gem! Green salad, citrus salad, ahi tartare and the bacon-wrapped dates were our portion and we were beyond delighted. Quality of food was impeccable and presentation made you forget you are in the middle of the desert in southeastern Utah!
(5)
John K.
My wife and I had an amazing dinner at Desert Bistro in Moab on 7/20. First, it is a beautiful little restaurant in a historic building with both indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of artful southwest/desert theme paintings, photos and other decor. The ambience is wonderful & romantic. The tables are spaced apart so even though the indoor space is cozy, you don't feel crowded at all. Being in Moab, the dress code here is really forgiving. No need to get really dressed up unless you just want to. The drink list includes craft beer, wines and cocktails. I had the best Mojito I've ever had at Desert Bistro. The wines by the glass options were also complete, and, included half-glass options which is a very good thing for those who have to drive after dinner! The food is on par with other great restaurants we've been to in Napa, San Francisco, New Orleans, and St Louis. We thoroughly enjoyed the Tuna appetizer, mixed green salads and steaks. The chef made a special salad for my wife. The menu here is quite varied and includes fish and game specials. I had a bison filet wrapped in bacon, while my wife had a beef fillet with Gorgonzola melted on top. Both were delicious. Presentations/plating of all dishes was creative and beautiful as well. Finally, a great meal is never satisfying without great service. Our server was fast, very friendly, and extremely knowledgable about the menu and food in general. Prices here for appetizers ranged from $8to 16 and about the same for salads. Entrees were about $32 to 45. Sometimes at nicer restaurants we find that the portions can be a little small, but I am happy to say that the portions sizes here are just right! Drinks/Wine were about the same as other nice restaurants we'd been to. 5 stars all the way! Highly recommended!
(5)
David B.
First the upsides. Very friendly and terrific staff. The setting is peaceful and off the main track so it is very quaint. The wine list and the rest are very well thought out. The plating of the food is very nice and borderline artistic..... But the food was a letdown. My guests and I did not even discuss this until after the meal since our server was so nice and attentive it was hard to put into words the disappointment we all felt. We had several dishes and each time they looked great but lacked any oomph. Lava Lake lamb was cooked oddly and parts that are usually tender were a little tough. The yam that came with it was a one bite and done mess. The sauce was just..a sauce. One guest had the veggie cups and literally was dousing them with my bland sauce to revive them. Then she resorted to asking for salt. The pork app went untouched after all had a taste and the Caesar salad had no tang to it at all. By the time I could ask for a slice of lemon the next dishes arrived. I gave up. The guest who had the fish moved it around the plate and did not say much even when I prompted. I can see this as an Oasis in the middle of nowhere and I don't fault the effort, but when we were walking away it was summed up as bland and an overall disappointment.
(3)
Ron E.
What a gem. Off the beaten path is a culinary delight that would please any aficionado. This small restaurant was welcoming and the cuisine was creative and delicious. We had the bison which was properly prepared and perfectly seasoned. You would be pleasantly surprised to find this restaurant in a large city much less in rural Utah.
(5)
Carolyn O.
This restaurant is fantastic. The service was wonderful. Our waitress was attentive and was very informative about everything on the menu. The bison filet was done perfectly. It came with an amazing fresh basil sauce, fingerling potatoes and a fresh veggie medley. My husband had pork tenderloin with homemade chutney. That was also outstanding. Everything is made in house. The combinations of sauces are creative and delicious. The prevention of salads and entrees was creative and artistic. The restaurant shows an owner that truly cares. The original Moab art and attention to detail is praiseworthy. This is the place to eat in Moab!
(5)
Scott L.
Hard to see how anyone could rate this place less than five star - everything was perfect. Pleasant atmosphere sitting outside at 8:00 even though it had been 102 during the day! Great waiter. Food was fantastic - salad, special of bison steak, great veggetables. outstanding wine list and good cocktails. We were treating ourselves after a rough day of RV breakdown, tow, etc. - it was a wonderful treat. The chef is not French but he ought to be - the food as well prepared and presented as you would find in any restaurant anywhere. Pricey, but you get what you pay for - a great place to celebrate a special evening or just treat yourself while on vacation.
(5)
Nirmal D.
I'm a little surprised at the love given to this place. This place is just "Okay." If the prices were 30% lower, I'd say a 3-4 star average might be more warrated. We started with the butter lettuce, pear, and jicama salad. The dressing was tasty, but the ingredients lacked flavor - the pear was unripe, leaving its consistency roughly the same as the jicama. The NY strip was just fine - tasting mostly of butter, and not so much of anything else The Pork Tenderloin was under salted, though the apple and chipotle sauce was quite nice - tangy and spicy. I'm happy to pay for quality, but the nearly $200 bill for a bottle of wine, two entrees and a shared salad was a little absurd. My advice is to save your money and enjoy the cheaper, more rugged fare around town.
(2)
Laurie N.
We spend time in Moab each summer and The Desert Bistro is a highlight. The menu constantly surprises us with the amazingly creative items and gorgeous presentation. The staff shows a professional quality one would expect from a high end restaurant in an elite hotel. To find food and service of this quality in a small town like Moab is wonderful!
(5)
Mayte E.
Stopped by last week after I read the reviews and saw their website. I am glad I checked them out! I made a reservation the day before and when we got there it was nice and quaint from the outside the inside had its own personality very clean and simple but with character. My family and I really enjoyed the ambiance and were greeted once we walked through the door. Our waitress B was on top of letting us know all the appetizers and market items for entrees. She really knew the menu and showed pride in the food. I was in the mood for a sweet cocktail and she recommended the lemon drop it was to die for! I had to order 2 my mother in law had their margarita and she loved it she said it tasted very fresh. I had the chicken mole with the risotto cake and it was simply breath taking it was a very beautiful presentation and it made my taste buds dance. Surely this is a high end bistro and the prices are reasonable to give you the quality of food you ingest which takes you and teleports you to a different realm. We each ordered something different and shared it, my husband had the pheasant sausage with macaroni and Gouda cheese, father in law had the beef loin and mother in law had the pork. Each protein had a different corresponding starch which really brought the whole experience together. Each one was also garnished differently and they each mimicked a landscape among the beautiful Utah country. Since we got back to Arizona we haven't been able to shake off the taste and amazement that the food brought upon us. It took us back that the bread was served with 3 sides a rosemary butter, olive oil mix, and a tapenade. The chef even gave us a small spoonful of mozzarella cucumber and tomato mixture which really set us off on the right foot to enjoy this amazing mix of food. If I'm ever in the Moab area I will definitely stop by again the only regret I have is not having any room for desert!
(5)
Trina L.
I can't write a real review since we weren't able to eat here at 530 since we didn't have a reservation. Earliest walk-in was at 9pm. We have a youngster so normally we have no problem getting in at 5. Very disappointed that this place over books reservations to the point it doesn't allow walk-ins. Plus there weren't more than 5 cars in the parking lot. Instead we went 2 blocks down to Jeffries Steakhouse which immediately got us in on the patio and was fabulous.
(1)
Bob D.
We had dinner on Saturday night. The server to table ratio was almost 1:1, incredible service! Our waiter described all the specials in detail and everything tasted as good as described. From the fresh baked bread, the ice cold Moscow Mule to the fresh Monchong, the fish was as tasty and fresh as we've had in Hawaii. The entree portions were delicious and quite filling. The restaurant is small and fills up quickly and the noise level can get a bit loud. A wonderful gem in Moab.
(4)
Sun B.
I was pleasantly surprised how delicious everything was for a small town. The portions were very big and the presentations were more of a vegas style restaurant. The filet was cooked perfect and the sauce it came with had so much flavor. I could not finish my steak although I wanted to because it tasted so good. The service was also.very good.
(5)
Charlie B.
Rather than repeat the well-deserved accolades of other reviews, I will focus on my experience as a vegetarian. It was a revelation to find two appetizers, two entrees, and several salads that are either vegan or vegetarian. What I've learned about restaurants in Arizona and Utah is that they have two rules: if it's liquid add chicken stock; if it's solid add bacon. And if it's Mexican, cook it with lard. So this was a very pleasant surprise. I had the gyoza appetizer and the agnolotti pasta. Both delicious, as was our shared desert, a key lime tart. My only tiny complaint is the noise! level in the dining room, the result of bare floors and walls. Update 5/22: We ate here again this evening, our last in Moab. My five-star evaluation still stands, augmented by a terrific dessert, a chocolate cheesecake with Oreo crust that was really special. This restaurant aspires to world-class performance, and there are a few small changes that would help it in that quest: - Great chefs season their food properly, as this one does. Having the waiters run around with giant pepper grinders is a middle-brow affectation, and kind of silly. - The waitstaff does their job very well, but they seem to be soliciting compliments rather than checking that all is well. "Is everything satisfactory?" is fine; "Does everything taste wonderful?" not so much. - The check should be presented when it is requested, not plunked down with a "I'll take that whenever you're ready." These are very minor quibbles, but fine-tuning is all this excellent restaurant needs.
(5)
Dave W.
What a flavor explosion! The most delicious meal we've have in a year! Every item in the meal was exceptional. The service was attentive, gracious and highly professional. While not a cheap meal, it was worth every dollar. What a wonderful meal. And in Moab, of all places. :-)
(5)
David J.
We eat here on a regular basis and look forward to it. Clearly one of Utah's best restaurants and gem in Moab. The restaurant is relaxing and service outstanding. The dishes are uniformly excellent. I'm addicted to their southwest ceasar salad. The elk is always hard to resist as is the burger.
(5)
Daniel B.
The sign of a good restaurant is when they can make dishes that you cannot make in your own home. That said, this is a very good restaurant. In a very good setting. The wait staff are excellent, and truly know the nuances between the seemingly spectacular offerings on the well curated menu. A great place to eat before exploring the natural beauty around you in the morning.
(4)
Dieter E. Z.
Absolutely fantastic. After days of terrible dining options in the desert, we were very pleased to find this restaurant in Moab. The restaurant really qualifies as fine dining, and could well be run in any of the big cities with success. The menu is extensive and quite innovative, and in addition to that there are also several daily specials. The service is professional, and very attentive. The wine list is not very extensive, and unfortunately you cannot get champagne or sparkling wine by glass (only a small bottle). That should be changed, since in a restaurant of this quality one expects an aperitif by glass at the beginning of the meal. The pricing is European, but worth it, since the food is really delicious. Highly recommended!
(5)
Juanita C.
I was very excited to take the CFO, CEO and their spouses here. As a chef I did my homework, read reviews, and talked with others that have been here. Lets just say the presentations were great! The bacon wrapped figs were wonderful and the apple salads were also good. The salads were too large for an al cart menu but just right for that person who was having a salad for thier main course. The amuse bouce was fun and tasty. The scallops they were juicy, tender perfectly cooked with the perfect amount of heat, but lacked seasoning, the same for the Ahi Tuna it was great but lacked seasoning. That is how the meals were, food needs to be seasoned during the cooking process fine dining should never be bland in flavor, which was most of the entrees. My duck was perfect, but the mac & cheese was nothing, little cheese not creamy at all, and no flavor two bites and I was done. The risotto looked more like a simple rice dish, again not creamy and lacked flavor, as did the cous cous. As for the wife's of my bosses they said their food was okay! Just okay..... Dessert okay niw we were talking everyone loved the desserts, my daughters was way too much for one, but it was good. I really did have high expectations, but end the end was disappointed. SEASONING! A simple addition of salt and pepper would have taken it from bland... just okay to over the top! Six of us dined, and we paid around $550.00 before the tip. Mind you no alcoholic drinks were included in the cost. In the end I was sad to see these important people eat food that did not meet expectations. As a chef I believe it is not just about presentations but the passion and love we poor into our food, I want to serve only the best and feel incomplete where it lacks the key ingredients! Passion.... it is the look on the guest face that either makes or breaks that feeling of success. I believe if the chef would have seen our faces, he/she would have apologised. Always, always taste every dish prior to leaving the kitchen.
(3)
Cindy S.
We were thrilled to stumble upon this restaurant while in Moab to celebrate my husband's 50th birthday. The atmosphere was casual & intimate but the food very upscale. I had the fish special, a blue snapper, and it was really good. My husband had the buffalo special and really enjoyed it as well. The presentation on both dishes was beautiful! They served warm bread before the meal with a rosemary butter, olive tepenade and a dipping oil with pumpkin seed and lavender - all three were delicious! We opted out on dessert but the choices looked great! Definitely a restaurant I would come back to! Thank you Desert Bistro for special evening!
(5)
Nat T.
Astoundingly good. World class in any city. We had the Gyoza starters. Big portion for a starter and even if you have never heard of tempeh you will be in heaven. The variation on a Caesar salad was excellent. Clean and simple. The garlic soup was subtle, rich, incredible. The mushroom stuffed pasta was incredibly complex. We didn't have room for all we wanted to eat! Hands down the best meal in Moab by a country mile.
A gem of a find in Moab. The host (the owner) and service was off the charts and the food creative and delicious. As the $$$ indicates, this is a splurge, but well worth it, especially if celebrating an occasion. There is no rush from the staff, so sit back, relax and enjoy the experience. Reservations recommended.
(5)
Princess O.
An incredible find. New York/San Fran quality food and service. Really.... One of the best meals I've had. I was shocked to find this level of food quality in Moab! The chef flies in fresh fish. This night Make a reservation this small restaurant is booked 48 hours in advance in peak season.
(5)
Anastasiya G.
Hands down the best restaurant and gourmet food experience in Moab! It's more A-Class menu and it's understandable that some people who wrote poor reviews simply can not possibly appreciate the food that is served here. I guess they should stick with Mc Donalds burgers, and it would be more delicious for them. Big love goes to the 3 mixed game burger, Agnolotti with mixed mushrooms. For desert- don't leave this place till you try a signature Chocolate Mousse! Although we noticed at the neighboring table the other desserts looked amazing and tasty as well. Thank you very much Karl and Kelley!
(5)
John C.
I came here with high expectations and they were exceeded by far. The service, the food, & the patio all were part of a fantastic meal & night. Definitely coming back.
(5)
Kayla H.
This is by far the best place in moab! The service the food and the attention to every aspect of our meal was perfect! We will definitely be coming back here.
(5)
Susan T.
Fine dining. Unique entrees. Wonderful service. Great flavors. I was so happy to have a good solid meal. Come as you are; this is Moab. Reservations would be a good idea, but we showed up and the only reason we got in right away is because we sat at the booth. My only recommendation would be to get rid of that mirror by the booth table. Nobody wants to look at themselves eating.
(5)
Cass K.
Desert Bistro is a very nice upscale restaurant and we were happy to have found it for our dinner. Reservations are highly recommended due to the small dining room. I would have liked to have given Desert Bistro a 5 because the wait staff was very professional, the quality of ingredients were top notch and local when possible, and the food presentation was very nicely done. However this is an expensive restaurant for the area, and therefore I expect everything to be over-the-top amazing, and it wasn't. Some of the bites and flavors were just "ok" and the potatoes in my dish were slightly undercooked. Everything was very very good, sometimes even great, but it was not consistently amazing. Appetizer: Seared Ahi Tuna - be sure to break into the bundle of sticky rice to dip in the sauce that comes with this dish. The sauce has an amazing flavor, but doesn't really stick to the shredded daikon nor the ahi, so the only way to truly appreciate it is to use the sticky rice to soak it up. Main: Bacon wrapped buffalo steak with mushroom sauce, potatoes cutely cut and assembled to resemble mushrooms, and grilled veggies. The buffalo, sauce, and veggies were all very nice. The potatoes as mushrooms presently nicely on the plate. I just wish the potatoes had been cooked a little bit longer. (Look for attached picture; even the buffalo steak was presented to look like another mushroom.) Dessert: Key Lime tartlet - super intense lime flavor, great graham cracker crust. It is completely worth the extra calories to have dessert.
(4)
Steve G.
Located off Main Street behind Best Western Resort plenty of parking, restaurant seating available inside and on outdoor patio, great service, excellent food.
(5)
Larry H.
This is one of those "must visit" places. If Desert Bistro were located in San Francisco, it would rank among the city's finest restaurants.
(4)
Gini T.
We reserved a table several weeks in advance. When I called I told the person who took my reservation I thought it might be nice to sit outside not knowing it would be super hot, windy and that there would be debris in the air. I also let them know it was our anniversary. When we arrived, she asked if we wanted to sit in the front where it was very windy with weeds blowing or in the back where it was very hot. We said we'd prefer a table inside if that would be possible. She said no. Not for two hours. We were actually really taken aback as it is obvious that most restaurants do a lot to accommodate people, especially on special occasions. We were offered a tiny, uncomfortable bar where a very nice wait person did a good job of helping us. We've dined in great places all over the world and we would both say there was no compassion and no hospitality at Desert Bistro. While the food may be good, that is only part of the experience. People walked in their shorts and flip flops for two hours after us with no special dining needs and got what they wanted and it would not have been any big deal for this hostess/owner to put us in her first nice table and make an anniversary couple happy.
(4)
Wayne P.
In a word fabulous. Ambience,service,food,everything was spectacular. definitely worth a stop.
(5)
Zoya N.
What an amazing surprise! Stopped in for a glass of wine and appetizers and was not disappointed. Incredible food, presentation (I actually took a photo which I never, ever do!) and service. A must-stop in Moab.
(5)
Peter C.
This just wasn't worth the extraordinarily high entree prices. A 24 dollar burger? And the 24 dollar chicken entree that I got? And boy was that chicken bland. And everything that came with it was equally bland. I don't know if this place has ever heard of salt and/or seasoning food, but it was clearly not there. My chicken came on the side with a mole sauce, which was equally bland, but when I couldn't finish the entree and wanted to take the rest to go, they forgot to package up that sauce, rendering my next day chicken dry and tasteless :( In summary the food wasn't terrible, but at this price point I have high expectations. When searching in Moab for a fine meal, you'd best be served by visiting the other restaurant that I've reviewed.
(2)
Mindy H.
I have had a tough time framing this review in mind. I have leaned back and forth between 4 and 5 stars. This restaurant is trying to be a upscale white tablecloth gastro establishment in the midst of Moab, Utah. I think that some of the pretentiousness took away from the overall atmosphere. There is a small dining area inside, and lovely spacious outdoor terrace. The staff were incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. The menu was highly creative and focused on using local products as much as possible and organic meat. They had a good selection of wines to choose from as well. I had the vegan dish, and my friend ordered the bison. The food was good, but not as amazing as the prices or the service set your expectations to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, largely in part because the seating on the terrace was so delightful.
(4)
Heather L.
Desert Bistro definitely offers more than just a meal. Its an experience! B was my server and added to the night. I told her that I was in no rush. She did an excellent job of spacing all my orders, knowing when to bring me another glass of wine, and knowing when to engage in some very genuine, personable chatter. She was flawless! The Chef led off with a complimentary tasty treat to wet my appetite. I had the smoked rabbit with roasted goat cheese as an appetizer. One word: Amazing! It exceeded all expectations. I even used the Frangelico sauce on some of my bread. I had the bacon wrapped Bison filet Mignon for dinner. I took my time to savor every bite. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. I was talking to the next table about a recent back country trip, and another couple was comfortable enough to walk up and join in with some questions. Had I kept to myself, that would have been fine too. Money has been tight lately, but I am saving up for my next trip to Moab and that will always include one special night at the Desert Bistro - hopefully with B!
(5)
Maryam B.
Delicious! Great selection of wines. My husband and I ordered the 3 F's. The citrus Salad was amazing. I wasn't a huge fan of the springrolls (felt it needed grilled tofu or some more flavor besides chickpeas). We both ordered the special, bison wrapped in bacon, which was cooked to perfection! For dessert we had Michelle's Napoleon....it was so good, that we ordered two. The service was good and my husband and I ended up purchasing one of the beautiful Navajo tapestries on display. Definitely would recommend and will come again.
(5)
Christina Z.
We roll into town circa 9:30pm on a chilly Thursday in November and I am the only hungry one as there is not much to eat for us veggies on the way from Breck to Moab other than Chick Fil A waffle fries. Call up this place to see if they do take out (it says on Yelp they do not) and Michelle sweetly informs me that they usually do not, but I need to eat and she'll be happy to take care of me. Since it's pretty late and their entire menu looks amazing, veggie or not, I debate for a few minutes between pasta, salads, and the quinoa app and end up going with the latter for the late-night-appropriate-size + nutrition factor. It was PERFECT for my needs and Michelle also hooked me up with a half loaf of their melts-in-your-mouth bread. Go. You won't be disappointed. Wish we were in town longer, so I could actually go for dinner! Loved the ambiance in their cozy dining room when I picked up my order. Thanks for saving my night!
(5)
Helen C.
My boyfriend and I dined here and didn't find Desert Bistro to be anything special. The ambiance is nice, the small house that this restaurant resides in is very quaint. FOH staff are all very friendly. However the food...portions are generous, but like another reviewer said, the flavors are mostly flat and bland. The crab cake muffin was the only dish that we found to be acceptable for the price point. It was crispy on the outside and packs good flavors. We also ordered the ahi tuna appetizer special, which was good, but lacked flavor/just a sprinkle of salt. The tuna itself is of great quality but I felt as though I'm just putting a slice of completely tasteless meat through my palette (outside of the dressing that came with the dish, I did not get any fresh fish seafood sweetness at all). The quail quesadilla tasted good, but again, flat flavors. My boyfriend said they could've put chicken in there instead of quail and he wouldn't have been able to notice. If the dish is titled quail quesadilla, I'd imagine the quail to be more of a star than it was in that dish. We shared the rack of lamb for entree. The cook on the lamb was perfect, but once again, needed salt. It does come with a sweeter spread as a sauce, but even with that, the lamb itself definitely needed a little boost. It is true that there are salt and pepper shakers on the table for people who find the food to be bland. But, my boyfriend and I both think that in a restaurant where entrees are priced from $22 up to $50 ,the food should come out tasting as delicious as the chef had envisioned without any additional flavoring on the patron's end. And in fine dining restaurants in general, salt and pepper shakers are not typically offered on the table unless requested. Diners are where condiments live on the table. For a $45 rack of lamb, it is disappointing to have to "fix" it to our liking as if we're at a diner. Another good thing I wanted to mention is that our server Alli was very kind. There was a problem with one of the dishes we ordered. We ate everything but the problematic part of the dish, and then told her about the problem--just to let her know about it and not expecting anything compensation at all. But Alli was kind enough to take that dish off of our bill. That was a very generous and unexpected gesture. That alone shows you how much they care about hospitality. All in all, Desert Bistro is a nice restaurant with a great location, attentive staff, and great concepts for their menu. But the execution on the dishes is not quite perfect. I don't think we will return just because of the price point and food perfection mismatch.
(3)
Zelma S.
As this was our first meal the day we arrived in MOAB we were not sure what to expect, boy, were we ever SURPRISED !! Living 4 years in UTAH....the dining options have been a let down - then - low and behold - the Desert Bistro... the food was absolutely delicious the service was professional. Well worth the $$ spent !! A dining destination for sure !!!
(5)
Bruce J.
Wonderful atmosphere, knowledgable staff and amazing food. If you are in town don't miss the opportunity to eat some of the most amazing food ever!
(5)
David G.
Easily among the best restaurants in the country. Being close to Napa and San Francisco, this is where I would go if it were local. It's so good, in fact, that I'm going back to Moab just to dine here. Absolutely fantastic in every single way.
(5)
Stephen L.
Excellent food and service. Our waitress, Tatyana, knew every facet of the entire menu, and specials, listing and describing the choices in exquisite detail. We had the lamb chops and beef tenderloin, as well as a chocolate mocha mousse dessert. Everything was delectable.
(5)
esther j.
Visiting from Los Angeles and sought a good meal. What a great experience! Yummy homemade bread and spread (olive tapenade and butter is great!), salad was great!, and the market fresh fish and mushroom anagotti pasta was to die for! Excellent dining at Moab!
(5)
Rocio W.
Five stars all the way. Gorgonzola encrusted filet is amazing. Everything I tried was delicious: The chipotle Cesar, corn bread croutons, lemon sorbet. And our server was delightful. One of my favorites places for sure.
(5)
Michele S.
Too sweet for a savory girl. Although my steak was IMPECCABLY cooked, I have to give Desert Bistro 3 stars. Most items were just a little too rich and a little too sweet. Even the lemon sorbet was too rich. My friends enjoyed their dishes, aside from the too rich/too sweet observations and thought the duck and the eggplant were lovely. The meat and game were great cuts and wonderfully cooked -- I'd suggest asking them to put the sauce (for everything) on the side. The crab cake special appetizer was one of the items I really loved. The bread and the accouterments were delicious. Mixed reviews on the rabbit sausage -- I wasn't a big fan. Great wine list. The service was WONDERFUL -- our waitress was thoroughly knowledgeable about the wines and the menu, and incredibly sweet. Ambiance: very cool local artwork on the walls -- not your typical small town restaurant art. BUT the place was STIFLING hot (in November) -- made me want to leave as quickly as possible.
(3)
Philippe S.
Pretentious food ,without interest . Meat over cooked ,scallops over spicy ,and all over rated and over priced.
(2)
Bruce C.
Deliciousness in the desert. Starting with the gorgonzola salad. Yeah, many make a variation of this them, but the one here was especially good. They have game meats here and i was convinced to try a bison steak @ medium-rare. Wow, really tender and flavorful. The fish dish was equally as good. Normally, we like to share our dishes, i.e. eat half then eat half of the other plate. This time, each ate all of our own. Dessert was nice, though a little more standard. Service very friendly, and place is casually welcoming.
(4)
C H.
Great service but really bland food with flat flavors and poor texture. We had salads and multiple apps but no entrees. Crab cake muffins and soba noodle salad were very good. Caesar ok. Goya flat. Pheasant quesadillas muddled. Rabbit sausage extremely bland. Overall food 2 stars but has take a star off given the prices. Perhaps entrees are better but apps usually seem to be leading indicator. I wanted to like it especially give the good service.
(1)
Gretchen S.
Wonderful food and value! We had the mushroom pasta, gorgonzola beef tenderloin and mahi app-all were amazing!
(5)
Mika J.
After researching multiple restaurants in Moab, we stumbled upon Desert Bistro. The food was exceptional and the back patio was beautiful allowing for an unexpected romantic dinner. Our waitress, Tatyanna, was wonderful and added to the already great experience. They pride themselves for having the freshest ingredients, keeping it local and using farm-raised sources. It Is evident they stand behind this, the chef is wonderful and puts a nice personal touch in the presentation. I would recommend making reservations as you won't want to miss out on an amazing dinner with Jazz music playing lightly in the background. Desert Bistro is by far the best restaurant in Moab! We hope you enjoy as much as we did.
(5)
Denise S.
Very impressed, food and service was wonderful. This is definitely a place you want to add to your list when visiting Moab!
(4)
Barbara L.
The food is five stars, but the hostess nearly caused us to walk out. We asked for an outside table, but she first said we would need to vacate it in an hour, then she said there were actually no outside tables available. We elected to sit inside. We asked if they served liquor, and she said only if you order food. We were dressed casual,but so were most of the people walking around Moab. She must have thought we were indigent, and only looking for a local pub. Once inside, we were warmly welcomed by our server and enjoyed two eloquently prepared appetizers, with a cocktail and wine. Halfway through our meal, the server said there was a table outside, should we care to move. We declined, and noticed as we left that there was more than one table available outside. We would really like to go back to enjoy some of their other dishes, but don't care to approach the hostess again.
I ate here with the fam visiting Arches Nat'l Park. We were all blown away, from the inventive amuse bouche to the Andes mints that came with the check. The delicious bread basket here is baked by the owner, served with honey butter and two dipping oils. For appetizers, we shared an order of smoked tofu gyoza, and a rabbit sausage medallion with goat cheese, fennel, and frangelico. Both highly recommended. I had the elk special with pesto potatoes, tomatoes and a rich sauce, cooked perfectly medium rare. Had I not been told it was elk, I would've taken it for filet mignon. Not gamey and with great flavor. My group also ordered the Hawaiian walu special and the venison burger which were also excellent. For dessert, we shared eclairs shaped like swans, a key lime tart, and sorbet duo. The lime tart was the best of the three, but all were delicious. Service was excellent--informative, yet friendly. The space is very attractive, and I recommend sitting under the covered outdoor patio. Price-wise, this place was pretty expensive and more than I originally anticipated. Yet, for what we received I'd say it was worth every penny (plus, I didn't even pick up the check this time around). If you are traveling to Moab and are looking to have a special meal, I doubt you'd find a place better than this.
(5)
Anna H.
Really great food if you want a nice dinner in Moab. Caesar salad, cold soba noodle salad and ahi appetizer were delicious.
(5)
Monica T.
The last time I was in Moab was about five years ago, and I had a particularly memorable meal at the Desert Bistro. In planning our summer road trip, I decided it was time to come back. The place is in a new location now, just behind the relative hustle-bustle of downtown in a quiet little area. We showed up at 8pm, as the temperature began to cool, so even though we'd spent the afternoon hiking in the hot weather, the patio still seemed inviting. We shared some pinot grigio as we checked out the menu. After much deliberation, I settled upon one of the specials of the night: the bacon wrapped elk tenderloin. My fiance got the Gorgonzola topped beef tenderloin (I guess it was a tenderloin night). We also got the rabbit sausage appetizer. The appetizer was rather unique, with the sausage complemented by goat cheese and a fruity sauce. Sounds like an odd combination, but it worked rather well. The entrees were both almost perfect with wonderful, rich flavors and fresh ingredients. Both had potatoes of various types, and I also got a vegetable medley. I ended my meal with a late harvest moscato as we watched the cars go by on a quiet night. Just as wonderful as last time. Now I have to find an excuse to come back to Moab again. Maybe next time it won't be five years...
(5)
Tim P.
What a gem in the desert! again, yelp comes through. We did a Yelp search and this fine establishment popped up. Admittedly, we did not notice the high end dollar signs or we might have passed. But once committed, after a look at the menu, we stayed and had a wonderful evening. this was a very fine dinning experience remimniscent of our experiences in finer restaurants in Europe. Well informed wait staff gave clear elaborate explanations of the dishes. They were able to answer questions and have dialogs about the specials and what we liked and didn't like. Each dish was well prepared, tasted great and gave great presentations. Again, the greatest surprise was the level of quality for a tourist town such as Moab. Wonderful Surprise.
(5)
Pete M.
We were tired of the Moab tourist fare. Surely Moab had something more to offer than stereotypical bar food. It was imperative we end our long weekend on a good note. The Desert Bistro more than satisfied our demands. It is not bold to state the impeccable service and equally tasty food of the Desert Bistro is far, far above and beyond cuisine found in larger metro areas. It may be a bold statement claiming the Desert Bistro may be the best meal I've had; and that includes high end Vegas eateries like Andres of the Monte Carlo, Thomas Keller, and Jose Andres. I have never got goosebumps from food before, does that make me a novice, inexperienced? Who cares, the foods is that good. If you claim to have a palate, are a foodie, or enjoy good food and matching service, just go and see for yourself; you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Cristina G.
Delicious! We tried Desert Bistro three years ago in their old location and loved it then. Three years later we still do....but their new location needs a little bit of charm. But hey, they just moved in there...plus who cares about the decorations...I want good food. Desert Bistro has a great menu and fabulous food. Highly recommend it to all who travel to Moab if you want a classy but unpretentious meal. The atmosphere is such that you don't have to dress up to eat there. The service is very good as well.
(5)
Teresa L.
What a surprise to find such a gem of a restaurant! My husband and I only wish that this place was close to our home in SLC. The food was phenomenal! Our appetizer was bacon-wrapped dates with pomegranate sauce and it was truly delicious. My husband ordered the Bison Steak with the sweet onion jam, and it was very tender, wonderfully tasty, and expertly prepared. (The onion jam was killer! Where can I buy some)? I had a very tender whitefish that was fresh from Hawaii that was so very well prepared. The bread is home-baked daily by one of the owners and it was so good that I ordered a loaf to take home, which I enjoyed for several more days. But the dessert! Oh the dessert! The Chocolate Mousse was hands-down the best Mousse I've ever had. Our waitress B was also phenomenal. She was very well versed on the menu, and made very helpful suggestions. We never had to wait for anything, and she was such a lovely person that I wish I could have gotten to know her better. The Desert Bistro is truly a lovely restaurant, and we will be coming back often.
(5)
Aaryn P.
We had a truly exceptional experience tonight at the Desert Bistro. We were turned away last night due to the fact they were booked, but we made reservations for tonight and were not disappointed in the slightest. I highly recommend reservations. The hostess even remembered us and our last name upon entering, and offered us a cozy inside table with a charming view of the front lawn and herb garden, where we were able to watch kitchen staff harvest herbs while we waited for our meals. For drinks, I had the lemon drop and the iced tea, both very good. My husband ordered a local red which he very much enjoyed. We nibbled on the freshly baked honey wheat bread with light oil, pumpkin oil and lavender dipping sauce...all incredibly wonderful! For our appetizer, we chose the quail quesadilla and it was very good. The dipping sauce and avocado salsa provided with it were very interesting. We continued our meal by ordering the tortilla encrusted chicken for myself, and the bacon wrapped elk for my husband. My tortilla crusted chicken was very good, although a little dry in some spots. The outer crust was amazing and the goat cheese filling added a nice zip to the entree. Also on my plate, was a cold corn salsa that had a great smoky flavor to it. I also had a bean-tortilla pastry that was unique and very interesting along with peas and salty little radish halves that were delightful. The mole sauce was quite interesting, especially as paired with the crusted chicken and quite enjoyable. My husband said his elk was fantastic, along with his potatoes and candied root vegetables in a great sweet huckleberry port wine sauce. He said it was incredibly good, but there was a lot of sauce on his plate that sort of overwhelmed the elk and sides. We ended our meal with the raspberry sorbet and the chocolate cheesecake - both elegant and decadent desserts that were a fantastic finish to a great meal. Our server as well as the hostess were spot on with their service and made us feel incredibly pampered and welcomed. Their timing for everything throughout the evening was perfect! We really enjoyed our evening here, and have already made reservations to return on Saturday before we leave town. We wanted another chance to try the unique and creative dishes at this wonderful gem in the desert!
(5)
Mike D.
My wife and I really enjoyed our experience here. Friendly greeter, great server and the food was top notch. We had our option of inside or outside, we went with outside. At first we were a little put off as the best view outside is the parking lot, but after a while that was fine. Our salads were really well presented and good, the main courses were even better. My wife had the rack of lamb and she said it equaled any she has ever had. I had beef tenderloin and said the same thing about it. All-in-all a really enjoyable experience. We will be back, absolutely.
(5)
Luke G.
One of the best dinners I have ever had at a restaurant. We were in town for a about two weeks and couldn't help but to go back multiple times. They even had rabbit on Easter which made my day! Better believe we will be back! Don't forget to compliment the chefs work. Also the owners were always there and very friendly. Good people.
(5)
Allison W.
Worth every penny! This is hands down the best place for dinner in Moab. Fresh ingredients, creative chef. We loved everything we ordered: Quail quesadilla; Caesar salad; agnolotti stuffed with mushrooms and cheese; and, venison/mushroom burger. The cayote & cactus cut-outs that garnished the mashed potatoes earned the restaurant my undying affection. Such talent paired with such whimsy is rare in a chef! What an absolute treat, everything was beautifully prepared with a surprisingly perfect balance of flavors.
(5)
Ken H.
amazing hidden gem in moab. must order the lamb. tatyana is also the best server ever!
(5)
Laura S.
Best restaurant in Moab!
(5)
michele c.
My husband and I had dinner last night at Desert Bistro. The food was excellent, and we had very good service. Tatyiana took very good care of us, was very knowledgeable about the food and the wine list. We ate outside on the patio, which was delightful. The wrought iron chairs are comfortable- only suggestion would be to offer a small pillow for the depth of the chair to the back for shorter people. The chef prepares high quality food, with great sauces and vegetable complements. The sweet potatoes with my rack of lamb were really good. If you are looking for very high quality food with a personable host and wait staff, be sure and make a dinner reservation. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Dena S.
We found this restaurant in the Moab Menu Guide in our hotel. When my husband saw Elk on the menu, he had to go. It was exquisite as was my pasta dish. We also had dessert and the key lime tart was the best. The wait staff was very informed on the menu and the service was exceptional! A bit on the expensive side but well worth every penny!
(5)
Susan M.
Go! But make reservations. We tried to get in Friday night but they were booked until late. Now I know why. I left a message with my preferred time for a reservation for tonight. They called back to confirm. The staff and owners are super nice and professional. They serve half bottles of wine, which is great since my husband doesn't drink wine. I had the gyoza and he had the ceviche special. He wanted 3 more! Said it was so good! The gyoza are vegetarian and served with a chipotle pepper. I wanted 3 more of the pepper! So good (gyoza was too, but the pepper is amazing). I had the acorn squash and husband had buffalo special (wrapped in bacon with garlic mashed potatoes). We were both so happy and full! Desserts sounded great but we couldn't eve think about it. Fantastic food, service and experience. Will gladly go back.
(5)
Keith W.
There is nothing special about this place. The decor is beautiful and the service is fine, but the food is very average at best. The appetizer (pastry filled with sausage) was nice, but nothing special. My husband had the pork chop which was very good. I had a fish special which had almost no flavor and the nut crust was soggy. I just expected much more creativity and taste based on the price and the other reviews. Maybe it is good for Moab, but not for any other city with competitive restaurants.
(2)
Kevin L.
Service was incredibly friendly, helpful and never left us needing anything. The best. Food was absolutely delicious, interestingly (in a great way) prepared, locally sourced where possible, and flawlessly executed. Had an elk steak special that was done perfectly (not a hint of gaminess) and the rabbit sausage appetizer which was outstanding. Others at our table had the Gorgonzola crusted beef entree, again perfectly cooked, pork tenderloin that my son crushed, a vegetarian option that was well imagined and not your standard pasta, mushrooms or potato heavy entree. Everything was spot on and well exceeded our expectations. I can't imagine there is a better restaurant for fine food in Moab. Only thing I'd like to see improved is the kids menu fare...have options that reflect your "adult" menu. I get it, I understand it's probably something that restaurants have to do (bc of the dumbing down of our kids culinary expectations these days), but that doesn't mean it has to only be pasta and pizza. Can't recommend this restaurant highly enough.
(5)
Deborah K.
This place was great! We had a small mistake with the reservation, but the owner/host got us a table immediately anyways. The food was delicious and presented very nicely. This is a very small restaurant, maybe 8 tables total inside, which created a very personal, catered experience. Would recommend to anyone visiting town!
(5)
Kay B.
Great food, wonderful service. A little "game heavy" on the menu. Bring your checkbook - it is NOT cheap. New building - very nice- could use some serious landscaping so you don't look at the parking lot across the street.
(5)
Alyce P.
We had dinner last night at the Desert Bistro. I'd seen the menu and thought it was right up our alley. Interesting food, and different from the Southwest cuisine we'd been eating for well over a week. I had somehow confused the monthly Moab Art Walk and thought it was Friday, and had made reservations for 8:30. However when we realized the Art Walk was Saturday (today), I called and asked if we could come earlier. Our hostess, the wife of the chef, as I found out later, said we could come then, which was a bit earlier than we normally dine but we both were tired from wandering around mountains, mesas, buttes and other stone formations. It's a lovely venue, just off the main drag. There were three tables on the front lawn. Since the back patio faced west, it was still quite sunny and hot there, so we chose to sit in one of the front tables. Our server, Esther, brought us menus and a wine/beer/spirit list. She took our beverage order. I asked for the Francis Coppola rose. I hadn't had it before but I am a fan of his wines, and was sure it wouldn't disappoint, since I know what kind of food I usually order. Tom ordered a dark beer, as he usually does. When she brought the wine she remarked that all the servers were wondering how it might taste. I was surprised to learn that a restaurant whose entrees run up into the $40 range wouldn't educate their servers about the wines but I offered her a taste of our bottle. I ordered the wahoo special, with a mango beurre blanc (well, sort of) and a very nice strawberry-kiwi-pineapple salsa. It came with wild rice and asparagus. The fish was more than a tad overcooked. Tom ordered the (I'm quoting from memory since this wasn't on the website menu) Kobe-style New York strip. He asked for medium rare. It came sliced rather than as a full steak, and was cooked far more than medium rare. Good thing: he had another beer and Esther brought a fresh frosted glass. Another good thing: we were brought a lovely basket of freshly baked wheat bread with a dipping sauce, a mild oil with a splash or toasty roasted pumpkin oil with sprinkling of lavender blossoms. Oh yum. Bad thing: we were beset by flies. All over.A lot of them. I don't know if Utah flies are different from Tennessee flies, but I know that at home, a little breeze will keep those flies away. Mostly. A low profile floor fan at each end of the front patio could have made our experience a far better one. We both agreed that our experience was good for one with entrees in the $20 range. I know they have almost no competition in Moab in the fine dining category...but that's no excuse to let the small details, especially for us the overcooked entrees, stand between them and really great food!
(3)
Nathan M.
Best spot in Moab, and possibly all of Southern Utah for a nice dinner (at least between Zion and Arches). Despite the never ending rain that cut short a hike in Arches and the previous day of rain, snow, slush, and bomb shelter gas stops, Desert Bistro came through to brighten up the trip. The restaurant is in a cute converted house and has a nice patio, which obviously was not in use, and a homey and understated interior. The service was excellent and our waitress never missed a beat. As an added bonus, our waitress did not make us feel like prison escapees when we ordered from their nicely put together wine list. The quail quesadilla was too interesting to pass up, but the quail itself was a little more gamey than I expected, but still quite good. The chilled quinoa was fantastic and a very unexpected item. The real winner was the bison wrapped in bacon. Of course bacon makes everything better, but the bison was simply amazing. Very tender and lean. If you want shower off the red dirt and get out for a nice dinner in Moab, this is a great choice.
(4)
J. L.
The buffalo tenderloin special in a balsamic reduction was the single best red meat preparation I have ever had--and I've had hundreds. I ordered it rare, and it came both rare and fork tender. There was no fat. It was wrapped in applewood smoked bacon and came with garlic mashed potatoes and deliciously spiced roasted veggies. I enjoyed this with a decent pinot noir from Clos du Bois. My husband had perfectly cooked fresh miro (a type of Hawaiian sea bass) with a watermelon and fennel salad. He also enjoyed his Pinot. Service was flawless, timely, and courteous. The atmosphere was magnificent out on the front porch of a historic old house with fairy lights and candles. This is THE place to take a date (or be taken) in Moab.
(5)
Ron g.
Not only is Moab an amazing place to bike and run, hike and spend time with nature, the Dessert Bistro allowed for fine wine, food and service after an already wonderful day. Our family ate on the patio while viewing the read rocks and blue skies. We had seafood and vegetarian options and the eclectic menu offered creative dishes one could find in New York or San Fran. Service was wonderful and we ate three courses in a beautiful relaxing atmosphere. The beer and wine list were nice and based on Utah laws, one can take their own wine for a corkage fee. When we return to Moab, we will dine at Desert Bistro and look forward to it as much as we look forward to returning to the national parks.
(4)
Nieke T.
We decided to eat here just because the romantic setting of their out door sitting. But boy we were really surprise when we saw the menu. It was over priced. We ordered: Ground tenderloin burger with ciabata bread and sweet potato fries: Just okay. Not memorable at all. I had to add salt and pepper due to lacked of seasoning. Grilled bacon wrapped buffalo with chipotle sauce: Nothing special. My husband bit something that was extremely spicy and he proceeded eating with extra careful not to eat anything that he wasn't sure about. Curly pasta with butter and cheese: Super bland. Have nothing more to say about it. Cesar salad: Plain. super nothing special. One thing that made us WILL NOT come back again is that we had to wait for 1,5 hours for our food. The waiter informed us that our order came after they took order from a big group (I saw it was group of 5 people).
(1)
Joyce K.
What to say. Fabulous food, hands down! We were big fans of Center Street restaurant in Moab when it was still operating. It was a pleasure, then, to see that Desert Bistro had moved "downtown" Moab in a charming renovated historic building--an old dance hall--on 100 West. In other words, walking distance from our motel. Each of our three courses was spectacular and interesting. The service (Ed) was stellar. Yes, it is pricey. Our dinner plus bottle of wine and gratuity was $150, but that was our choice. It's possible to eat there and enjoy the experience without doing three courses. A big thumbs up for fine dining in Moab.
(5)
Aaron J.
Don't miss this place. We ate here during a weekend stay for the Moab Half Marathon in late March and the staff, service, food and interior/exterior was exquisite. We had a party of seven. With three kids, the waitress did a nice job of moving things along, but didn't miss a beat. We had steak, chicken and seafood and all were amazing. Try the Pork Tenderloin in a Peach Glaze. Really! This will now be a tradition to eat here during our visits to Moab. Must try.
(5)
g t.
We went there for my birthday and it was such a nice night! The service was gracious and the food delightful. We were too full for dessert and the waiter insisted on bringing us sorbet with a candle! We had elk and bunny and beef. All was well prepared and yummy. The waiter was charming and full of information about Moab - he even commented on my "Moab leg" (road rash from mountain biking). My boyfriend says "I concur - best place in Moab. If you are going to pick a place to sit - the porch is best. The sun porch is good, but the porch is amazing. The organic bunny rabbit with goat cheese was yummy, yummy, yummy. The elk was outstanding - suggest medium medium well. Rare is... just too rare... should have booked 2 nights in a row. Loved it! Raspberry sorbet was good. WIne was not cheap but very good."
(5)
John H.
Absolutely fabulous! A Loire Valley bistro with a Southwestern flair. So understated in everything but the food and service. Truly worth the journey!
(5)
Won Jun H.
Buffalo tenderloin steak was amazing. A great little restaurant in Moab!
(5)
Robert P.
Excellent food and service. I had the vegetarian dishes which were delicious and my wife had the buffallo - great too. Desserts especially awesome!
(5)
Peter B.
Well, Moab has a lot of restaurants and most of them suck. Not this one. We had a great meal--creative, well prepared, reasonable/tho not cheap, with good service. Our only complaint was our waitress, Ivana I think, who rattled off the specials in a way that was practiced but hard to understand and lacked any real interest in what she was serving. Still... I would go back to this place in a heartbeat. And if you're serious about food, it's about the only game in town.
(4)
David C.
The food was great! The buscuits were to die for. There were seats inside the cute house but I prefered to sit out on the garden patio area. Although it was next to the main road, it didn't distract us from the romantic dinner. Great place to end the evening after a long day's adventure.
(5)
Jon F.
Good food, beautiful presentation, and decent portion sizes, but it is pricey. The homemade bread comes piping hot to your table and melts in your mouth. Also, there were so many great options on the menu we just kept ordering! Although, the chocolate mousse for dessert nearly did us in, as it is made for two people, so if you have room left definitely share this.
(4)
Don V.
Outstanding creative American cuisine that would be right at home in LA, NYC, or Chicago (with matching $$$$). Casual, yet classy, Western theme ambiance. Waitress extremely friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful in accommodating my son's food allergies. Elk steak was fantastic, not gamey but mild-tasting, melt-in-your-mouth tender. Locally raised rack of lamb one of the best we've ever had, topped by the eclectic mashed sweet potatoes. Chocolate Mocha Mousse (chocoholic heaven) better than the more ordinary Chocolate Cheesecake. Homemade bread was really, really good. Caesar salad was only so-so.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Basia K.
Great restaurant. We were surprised to find such a charming place in the middle of the desert. The interior is exquisite and the service impeccable. We had game and it was fabulous. Full of flavor, tender and juicy. Highly recommended!
(5)justin p.
Disclaimer: I have not been here since June 2004. It has since changed hands (the old restaurant appears to be defunct and a previously exisiting restaurant from town moved out here to take over the space)- so this review is about the actual physical space, not the restaurant itself. also, the above information notwithstanding, the address is now 1266 North Highway 191 and it sits about a mile north of town (but just south of the river bridge). and the website is desertbistro.com . That being said, it is in a beautiful old farmhouse and the outdoor seating sprawls out across the lawn. Very pleasant and clement on a summer night. I also remember one of the cats came up, jumped on a chair and joined us for dinner. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I got a kick out of it.
(4)Cindy L.
Excellent! The best meal in Moab and really excellent by any standard. Better than Buck's Grill. A bit pricey but worth it if you are used to finer dining. We had the pork tenderloin and a scallop appetizer and the quinoa salad. All were fantastic! Would definitely go back.
(5)Kevin K.
My family likes good food. Unfortunately, Moab is lacking in great dinner places (good breakfasts though, see my review of Love Muffin). The Desert Bistro is the exception and actually ranks with some of the best restaurants we've eaten at anywhere. The food was original, yet familiar. Artfully presented and flavored just right. Portions were not too big, not too small. Everything we ordered was excellent and the service was prompt and very friendly. We sat in the "Wine Cellar" room and it was really cozy an romantic! It reminds me of wonderful places we've been to in Italy. My kids loved it too. It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny. Had a great bottle of wine too, the Ondalån Rioja Crianza 2006.
(5)Benjamin L.
What an amazing menu and staff. I ate there at least once a month and couldn't get enough of their amazing food. The bison and elk was prepared perfectly. The owner Michelle came out and made sure our meals were perfect and was very polite. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a classy place to eat.
(5)Rochelle P.
We were SO happy to find a place with great ambiance, great service, and great food in Moab. The setting is lovely, with nice romantic tables both outdoors and inside. They were quite busy on a Friday night, but the service was impeccable and the food was delicious. We've dined all over the world and in some very fine restaurants, and this was a very pleasant find in the southeastern corner of Utah.
(5)Wendy N.
My husband and I enjoy this restaurant for our anniversary and other special occasions. It is one of the few local restaurants that I consistently recommend to visitors. The owners, chefs, and servers put a lot of love into this place. The atmosphere is cozy and quiet...perfect for a romantic dinner. The food is always fresh and perfectly prepared. The gorgonzola encrusted tenderloin is my favorite. Save room for desert!
(5)Lydia V.
Beautiful, classy, gourmet food in an breathtaking setting. One of the most creative menus I have seen anywhere. Excellent service and accommodating staff. The ground pork in phyllo appetizer was to die for. Great game specials with inventive sauces. Don't miss this place.
(5)Muriel P.
Smoked elk tenderloin. And that was one year ago, and i remember what i had. Yep was that good. Missing one star because desert was just ok, but if you're in Moab, and you have money for dinner, go there
(4)Nick D.
A high quality, fairly new eatery with the usual bistro items on the menu. I've eaten here a couple of times and the food is always fresh and tasty. The staff is considerate and prices are on par with the rest of town (on the expensive side). They have some great desert decor too!
(4)Sarah S.
I know my record will show that I give out 5 stars to restaurants, without coercion. But this place....you must try it. It is top of the line -- as the other bevy of Yelpers raving about it, would suggest. We swung by late on a Thursday for drinks and appetizers, while passing through Moab. Seated on the patio and served by the most charming and gracious waitress I have ever encountered. I wish I had caught her name -- she was a gem! Green salad, citrus salad, ahi tartare and the bacon-wrapped dates were our portion and we were beyond delighted. Quality of food was impeccable and presentation made you forget you are in the middle of the desert in southeastern Utah!
(5)John K.
My wife and I had an amazing dinner at Desert Bistro in Moab on 7/20. First, it is a beautiful little restaurant in a historic building with both indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of artful southwest/desert theme paintings, photos and other decor. The ambience is wonderful & romantic. The tables are spaced apart so even though the indoor space is cozy, you don't feel crowded at all. Being in Moab, the dress code here is really forgiving. No need to get really dressed up unless you just want to. The drink list includes craft beer, wines and cocktails. I had the best Mojito I've ever had at Desert Bistro. The wines by the glass options were also complete, and, included half-glass options which is a very good thing for those who have to drive after dinner! The food is on par with other great restaurants we've been to in Napa, San Francisco, New Orleans, and St Louis. We thoroughly enjoyed the Tuna appetizer, mixed green salads and steaks. The chef made a special salad for my wife. The menu here is quite varied and includes fish and game specials. I had a bison filet wrapped in bacon, while my wife had a beef fillet with Gorgonzola melted on top. Both were delicious. Presentations/plating of all dishes was creative and beautiful as well. Finally, a great meal is never satisfying without great service. Our server was fast, very friendly, and extremely knowledgable about the menu and food in general. Prices here for appetizers ranged from $8to 16 and about the same for salads. Entrees were about $32 to 45. Sometimes at nicer restaurants we find that the portions can be a little small, but I am happy to say that the portions sizes here are just right! Drinks/Wine were about the same as other nice restaurants we'd been to. 5 stars all the way! Highly recommended!
(5)David B.
First the upsides. Very friendly and terrific staff. The setting is peaceful and off the main track so it is very quaint. The wine list and the rest are very well thought out. The plating of the food is very nice and borderline artistic..... But the food was a letdown. My guests and I did not even discuss this until after the meal since our server was so nice and attentive it was hard to put into words the disappointment we all felt. We had several dishes and each time they looked great but lacked any oomph. Lava Lake lamb was cooked oddly and parts that are usually tender were a little tough. The yam that came with it was a one bite and done mess. The sauce was just..a sauce. One guest had the veggie cups and literally was dousing them with my bland sauce to revive them. Then she resorted to asking for salt. The pork app went untouched after all had a taste and the Caesar salad had no tang to it at all. By the time I could ask for a slice of lemon the next dishes arrived. I gave up. The guest who had the fish moved it around the plate and did not say much even when I prompted. I can see this as an Oasis in the middle of nowhere and I don't fault the effort, but when we were walking away it was summed up as bland and an overall disappointment.
(3)Ron E.
What a gem. Off the beaten path is a culinary delight that would please any aficionado. This small restaurant was welcoming and the cuisine was creative and delicious. We had the bison which was properly prepared and perfectly seasoned. You would be pleasantly surprised to find this restaurant in a large city much less in rural Utah.
(5)Carolyn O.
This restaurant is fantastic. The service was wonderful. Our waitress was attentive and was very informative about everything on the menu. The bison filet was done perfectly. It came with an amazing fresh basil sauce, fingerling potatoes and a fresh veggie medley. My husband had pork tenderloin with homemade chutney. That was also outstanding. Everything is made in house. The combinations of sauces are creative and delicious. The prevention of salads and entrees was creative and artistic. The restaurant shows an owner that truly cares. The original Moab art and attention to detail is praiseworthy. This is the place to eat in Moab!
(5)Scott L.
Hard to see how anyone could rate this place less than five star - everything was perfect. Pleasant atmosphere sitting outside at 8:00 even though it had been 102 during the day! Great waiter. Food was fantastic - salad, special of bison steak, great veggetables. outstanding wine list and good cocktails. We were treating ourselves after a rough day of RV breakdown, tow, etc. - it was a wonderful treat. The chef is not French but he ought to be - the food as well prepared and presented as you would find in any restaurant anywhere. Pricey, but you get what you pay for - a great place to celebrate a special evening or just treat yourself while on vacation.
(5)Nirmal D.
I'm a little surprised at the love given to this place. This place is just "Okay." If the prices were 30% lower, I'd say a 3-4 star average might be more warrated. We started with the butter lettuce, pear, and jicama salad. The dressing was tasty, but the ingredients lacked flavor - the pear was unripe, leaving its consistency roughly the same as the jicama. The NY strip was just fine - tasting mostly of butter, and not so much of anything else The Pork Tenderloin was under salted, though the apple and chipotle sauce was quite nice - tangy and spicy. I'm happy to pay for quality, but the nearly $200 bill for a bottle of wine, two entrees and a shared salad was a little absurd. My advice is to save your money and enjoy the cheaper, more rugged fare around town.
(2)Laurie N.
We spend time in Moab each summer and The Desert Bistro is a highlight. The menu constantly surprises us with the amazingly creative items and gorgeous presentation. The staff shows a professional quality one would expect from a high end restaurant in an elite hotel. To find food and service of this quality in a small town like Moab is wonderful!
(5)Mayte E.
Stopped by last week after I read the reviews and saw their website. I am glad I checked them out! I made a reservation the day before and when we got there it was nice and quaint from the outside the inside had its own personality very clean and simple but with character. My family and I really enjoyed the ambiance and were greeted once we walked through the door. Our waitress B was on top of letting us know all the appetizers and market items for entrees. She really knew the menu and showed pride in the food. I was in the mood for a sweet cocktail and she recommended the lemon drop it was to die for! I had to order 2 my mother in law had their margarita and she loved it she said it tasted very fresh. I had the chicken mole with the risotto cake and it was simply breath taking it was a very beautiful presentation and it made my taste buds dance. Surely this is a high end bistro and the prices are reasonable to give you the quality of food you ingest which takes you and teleports you to a different realm. We each ordered something different and shared it, my husband had the pheasant sausage with macaroni and Gouda cheese, father in law had the beef loin and mother in law had the pork. Each protein had a different corresponding starch which really brought the whole experience together. Each one was also garnished differently and they each mimicked a landscape among the beautiful Utah country. Since we got back to Arizona we haven't been able to shake off the taste and amazement that the food brought upon us. It took us back that the bread was served with 3 sides a rosemary butter, olive oil mix, and a tapenade. The chef even gave us a small spoonful of mozzarella cucumber and tomato mixture which really set us off on the right foot to enjoy this amazing mix of food. If I'm ever in the Moab area I will definitely stop by again the only regret I have is not having any room for desert!
(5)Trina L.
I can't write a real review since we weren't able to eat here at 530 since we didn't have a reservation. Earliest walk-in was at 9pm. We have a youngster so normally we have no problem getting in at 5. Very disappointed that this place over books reservations to the point it doesn't allow walk-ins. Plus there weren't more than 5 cars in the parking lot. Instead we went 2 blocks down to Jeffries Steakhouse which immediately got us in on the patio and was fabulous.
(1)Bob D.
We had dinner on Saturday night. The server to table ratio was almost 1:1, incredible service! Our waiter described all the specials in detail and everything tasted as good as described. From the fresh baked bread, the ice cold Moscow Mule to the fresh Monchong, the fish was as tasty and fresh as we've had in Hawaii. The entree portions were delicious and quite filling. The restaurant is small and fills up quickly and the noise level can get a bit loud. A wonderful gem in Moab.
(4)Sun B.
I was pleasantly surprised how delicious everything was for a small town. The portions were very big and the presentations were more of a vegas style restaurant. The filet was cooked perfect and the sauce it came with had so much flavor. I could not finish my steak although I wanted to because it tasted so good. The service was also.very good.
(5)Charlie B.
Rather than repeat the well-deserved accolades of other reviews, I will focus on my experience as a vegetarian. It was a revelation to find two appetizers, two entrees, and several salads that are either vegan or vegetarian. What I've learned about restaurants in Arizona and Utah is that they have two rules: if it's liquid add chicken stock; if it's solid add bacon. And if it's Mexican, cook it with lard. So this was a very pleasant surprise. I had the gyoza appetizer and the agnolotti pasta. Both delicious, as was our shared desert, a key lime tart. My only tiny complaint is the noise! level in the dining room, the result of bare floors and walls. Update 5/22: We ate here again this evening, our last in Moab. My five-star evaluation still stands, augmented by a terrific dessert, a chocolate cheesecake with Oreo crust that was really special. This restaurant aspires to world-class performance, and there are a few small changes that would help it in that quest: - Great chefs season their food properly, as this one does. Having the waiters run around with giant pepper grinders is a middle-brow affectation, and kind of silly. - The waitstaff does their job very well, but they seem to be soliciting compliments rather than checking that all is well. "Is everything satisfactory?" is fine; "Does everything taste wonderful?" not so much. - The check should be presented when it is requested, not plunked down with a "I'll take that whenever you're ready." These are very minor quibbles, but fine-tuning is all this excellent restaurant needs.
(5)Dave W.
What a flavor explosion! The most delicious meal we've have in a year! Every item in the meal was exceptional. The service was attentive, gracious and highly professional. While not a cheap meal, it was worth every dollar. What a wonderful meal. And in Moab, of all places. :-)
(5)David J.
We eat here on a regular basis and look forward to it. Clearly one of Utah's best restaurants and gem in Moab. The restaurant is relaxing and service outstanding. The dishes are uniformly excellent. I'm addicted to their southwest ceasar salad. The elk is always hard to resist as is the burger.
(5)Daniel B.
The sign of a good restaurant is when they can make dishes that you cannot make in your own home. That said, this is a very good restaurant. In a very good setting. The wait staff are excellent, and truly know the nuances between the seemingly spectacular offerings on the well curated menu. A great place to eat before exploring the natural beauty around you in the morning.
(4)Dieter E. Z.
Absolutely fantastic. After days of terrible dining options in the desert, we were very pleased to find this restaurant in Moab. The restaurant really qualifies as fine dining, and could well be run in any of the big cities with success. The menu is extensive and quite innovative, and in addition to that there are also several daily specials. The service is professional, and very attentive. The wine list is not very extensive, and unfortunately you cannot get champagne or sparkling wine by glass (only a small bottle). That should be changed, since in a restaurant of this quality one expects an aperitif by glass at the beginning of the meal. The pricing is European, but worth it, since the food is really delicious. Highly recommended!
(5)Juanita C.
I was very excited to take the CFO, CEO and their spouses here. As a chef I did my homework, read reviews, and talked with others that have been here. Lets just say the presentations were great! The bacon wrapped figs were wonderful and the apple salads were also good. The salads were too large for an al cart menu but just right for that person who was having a salad for thier main course. The amuse bouce was fun and tasty. The scallops they were juicy, tender perfectly cooked with the perfect amount of heat, but lacked seasoning, the same for the Ahi Tuna it was great but lacked seasoning. That is how the meals were, food needs to be seasoned during the cooking process fine dining should never be bland in flavor, which was most of the entrees. My duck was perfect, but the mac & cheese was nothing, little cheese not creamy at all, and no flavor two bites and I was done. The risotto looked more like a simple rice dish, again not creamy and lacked flavor, as did the cous cous. As for the wife's of my bosses they said their food was okay! Just okay..... Dessert okay niw we were talking everyone loved the desserts, my daughters was way too much for one, but it was good. I really did have high expectations, but end the end was disappointed. SEASONING! A simple addition of salt and pepper would have taken it from bland... just okay to over the top! Six of us dined, and we paid around $550.00 before the tip. Mind you no alcoholic drinks were included in the cost. In the end I was sad to see these important people eat food that did not meet expectations. As a chef I believe it is not just about presentations but the passion and love we poor into our food, I want to serve only the best and feel incomplete where it lacks the key ingredients! Passion.... it is the look on the guest face that either makes or breaks that feeling of success. I believe if the chef would have seen our faces, he/she would have apologised. Always, always taste every dish prior to leaving the kitchen.
(3)Cindy S.
We were thrilled to stumble upon this restaurant while in Moab to celebrate my husband's 50th birthday. The atmosphere was casual & intimate but the food very upscale. I had the fish special, a blue snapper, and it was really good. My husband had the buffalo special and really enjoyed it as well. The presentation on both dishes was beautiful! They served warm bread before the meal with a rosemary butter, olive tepenade and a dipping oil with pumpkin seed and lavender - all three were delicious! We opted out on dessert but the choices looked great! Definitely a restaurant I would come back to! Thank you Desert Bistro for special evening!
(5)Nat T.
Astoundingly good. World class in any city. We had the Gyoza starters. Big portion for a starter and even if you have never heard of tempeh you will be in heaven. The variation on a Caesar salad was excellent. Clean and simple. The garlic soup was subtle, rich, incredible. The mushroom stuffed pasta was incredibly complex. We didn't have room for all we wanted to eat! Hands down the best meal in Moab by a country mile.
(5)Kellee K.
We had reservations at Desert Bistro. I was ecstatic to finally enjoy a meal. We were given the option to dine on the patio or indoors. They made the patio sound lovely so we opted for that, but we should've chose indoor dining. Flies were again an annoyance. Drips of water fell from the misters and the chairs were metal with no cushions about 20 minutes in we were already terrible uncomfortable. We started with Gyozas filled with tofu and other goodies. We also split the Chipotle Chili Caesar salad. We favored the Gyozas they pack a lot of flavor into a small bite. I expected the salad to have some kick, but it lacked any spice. I found it pretty unmemorable. Though it was crisp and fresh. The husband ordered lamb chops for his entrée. The preparation was fine. He didn't care for the sweet potato stack, but I enjoyed it. I opted for the homemade Agnolotti Pasta filled with cheese and mushrooms. It was well executed and the best thing I ate all week in Utah. However, it didn't measure up to pastas I've had here at home. We couldn't stand to sit any longer so we skipped dessert and begged for the check. $120 later, we were free from those awful chairs.
(3)Rebecca H.
A gem of a find in Moab. The host (the owner) and service was off the charts and the food creative and delicious. As the $$$ indicates, this is a splurge, but well worth it, especially if celebrating an occasion. There is no rush from the staff, so sit back, relax and enjoy the experience. Reservations recommended.
(5)Princess O.
An incredible find. New York/San Fran quality food and service. Really.... One of the best meals I've had. I was shocked to find this level of food quality in Moab! The chef flies in fresh fish. This night Make a reservation this small restaurant is booked 48 hours in advance in peak season.
(5)Anastasiya G.
Hands down the best restaurant and gourmet food experience in Moab! It's more A-Class menu and it's understandable that some people who wrote poor reviews simply can not possibly appreciate the food that is served here. I guess they should stick with Mc Donalds burgers, and it would be more delicious for them. Big love goes to the 3 mixed game burger, Agnolotti with mixed mushrooms. For desert- don't leave this place till you try a signature Chocolate Mousse! Although we noticed at the neighboring table the other desserts looked amazing and tasty as well. Thank you very much Karl and Kelley!
(5)John C.
I came here with high expectations and they were exceeded by far. The service, the food, & the patio all were part of a fantastic meal & night. Definitely coming back.
(5)Kayla H.
This is by far the best place in moab! The service the food and the attention to every aspect of our meal was perfect! We will definitely be coming back here.
(5)Susan T.
Fine dining. Unique entrees. Wonderful service. Great flavors. I was so happy to have a good solid meal. Come as you are; this is Moab. Reservations would be a good idea, but we showed up and the only reason we got in right away is because we sat at the booth. My only recommendation would be to get rid of that mirror by the booth table. Nobody wants to look at themselves eating.
(5)Cass K.
Desert Bistro is a very nice upscale restaurant and we were happy to have found it for our dinner. Reservations are highly recommended due to the small dining room. I would have liked to have given Desert Bistro a 5 because the wait staff was very professional, the quality of ingredients were top notch and local when possible, and the food presentation was very nicely done. However this is an expensive restaurant for the area, and therefore I expect everything to be over-the-top amazing, and it wasn't. Some of the bites and flavors were just "ok" and the potatoes in my dish were slightly undercooked. Everything was very very good, sometimes even great, but it was not consistently amazing. Appetizer: Seared Ahi Tuna - be sure to break into the bundle of sticky rice to dip in the sauce that comes with this dish. The sauce has an amazing flavor, but doesn't really stick to the shredded daikon nor the ahi, so the only way to truly appreciate it is to use the sticky rice to soak it up. Main: Bacon wrapped buffalo steak with mushroom sauce, potatoes cutely cut and assembled to resemble mushrooms, and grilled veggies. The buffalo, sauce, and veggies were all very nice. The potatoes as mushrooms presently nicely on the plate. I just wish the potatoes had been cooked a little bit longer. (Look for attached picture; even the buffalo steak was presented to look like another mushroom.) Dessert: Key Lime tartlet - super intense lime flavor, great graham cracker crust. It is completely worth the extra calories to have dessert.
(4)Steve G.
Located off Main Street behind Best Western Resort plenty of parking, restaurant seating available inside and on outdoor patio, great service, excellent food.
(5)Larry H.
This is one of those "must visit" places. If Desert Bistro were located in San Francisco, it would rank among the city's finest restaurants.
(4)Gini T.
We reserved a table several weeks in advance. When I called I told the person who took my reservation I thought it might be nice to sit outside not knowing it would be super hot, windy and that there would be debris in the air. I also let them know it was our anniversary. When we arrived, she asked if we wanted to sit in the front where it was very windy with weeds blowing or in the back where it was very hot. We said we'd prefer a table inside if that would be possible. She said no. Not for two hours. We were actually really taken aback as it is obvious that most restaurants do a lot to accommodate people, especially on special occasions. We were offered a tiny, uncomfortable bar where a very nice wait person did a good job of helping us. We've dined in great places all over the world and we would both say there was no compassion and no hospitality at Desert Bistro. While the food may be good, that is only part of the experience. People walked in their shorts and flip flops for two hours after us with no special dining needs and got what they wanted and it would not have been any big deal for this hostess/owner to put us in her first nice table and make an anniversary couple happy.
(4)Wayne P.
In a word fabulous. Ambience,service,food,everything was spectacular. definitely worth a stop.
(5)Zoya N.
What an amazing surprise! Stopped in for a glass of wine and appetizers and was not disappointed. Incredible food, presentation (I actually took a photo which I never, ever do!) and service. A must-stop in Moab.
(5)Peter C.
This just wasn't worth the extraordinarily high entree prices. A 24 dollar burger? And the 24 dollar chicken entree that I got? And boy was that chicken bland. And everything that came with it was equally bland. I don't know if this place has ever heard of salt and/or seasoning food, but it was clearly not there. My chicken came on the side with a mole sauce, which was equally bland, but when I couldn't finish the entree and wanted to take the rest to go, they forgot to package up that sauce, rendering my next day chicken dry and tasteless :( In summary the food wasn't terrible, but at this price point I have high expectations. When searching in Moab for a fine meal, you'd best be served by visiting the other restaurant that I've reviewed.
(2)Mindy H.
I have had a tough time framing this review in mind. I have leaned back and forth between 4 and 5 stars. This restaurant is trying to be a upscale white tablecloth gastro establishment in the midst of Moab, Utah. I think that some of the pretentiousness took away from the overall atmosphere. There is a small dining area inside, and lovely spacious outdoor terrace. The staff were incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. The menu was highly creative and focused on using local products as much as possible and organic meat. They had a good selection of wines to choose from as well. I had the vegan dish, and my friend ordered the bison. The food was good, but not as amazing as the prices or the service set your expectations to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, largely in part because the seating on the terrace was so delightful.
(4)Heather L.
Desert Bistro definitely offers more than just a meal. Its an experience! B was my server and added to the night. I told her that I was in no rush. She did an excellent job of spacing all my orders, knowing when to bring me another glass of wine, and knowing when to engage in some very genuine, personable chatter. She was flawless! The Chef led off with a complimentary tasty treat to wet my appetite. I had the smoked rabbit with roasted goat cheese as an appetizer. One word: Amazing! It exceeded all expectations. I even used the Frangelico sauce on some of my bread. I had the bacon wrapped Bison filet Mignon for dinner. I took my time to savor every bite. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. I was talking to the next table about a recent back country trip, and another couple was comfortable enough to walk up and join in with some questions. Had I kept to myself, that would have been fine too. Money has been tight lately, but I am saving up for my next trip to Moab and that will always include one special night at the Desert Bistro - hopefully with B!
(5)Maryam B.
Delicious! Great selection of wines. My husband and I ordered the 3 F's. The citrus Salad was amazing. I wasn't a huge fan of the springrolls (felt it needed grilled tofu or some more flavor besides chickpeas). We both ordered the special, bison wrapped in bacon, which was cooked to perfection! For dessert we had Michelle's Napoleon....it was so good, that we ordered two. The service was good and my husband and I ended up purchasing one of the beautiful Navajo tapestries on display. Definitely would recommend and will come again.
(5)Christina Z.
We roll into town circa 9:30pm on a chilly Thursday in November and I am the only hungry one as there is not much to eat for us veggies on the way from Breck to Moab other than Chick Fil A waffle fries. Call up this place to see if they do take out (it says on Yelp they do not) and Michelle sweetly informs me that they usually do not, but I need to eat and she'll be happy to take care of me. Since it's pretty late and their entire menu looks amazing, veggie or not, I debate for a few minutes between pasta, salads, and the quinoa app and end up going with the latter for the late-night-appropriate-size + nutrition factor. It was PERFECT for my needs and Michelle also hooked me up with a half loaf of their melts-in-your-mouth bread. Go. You won't be disappointed. Wish we were in town longer, so I could actually go for dinner! Loved the ambiance in their cozy dining room when I picked up my order. Thanks for saving my night!
(5)Helen C.
My boyfriend and I dined here and didn't find Desert Bistro to be anything special. The ambiance is nice, the small house that this restaurant resides in is very quaint. FOH staff are all very friendly. However the food...portions are generous, but like another reviewer said, the flavors are mostly flat and bland. The crab cake muffin was the only dish that we found to be acceptable for the price point. It was crispy on the outside and packs good flavors. We also ordered the ahi tuna appetizer special, which was good, but lacked flavor/just a sprinkle of salt. The tuna itself is of great quality but I felt as though I'm just putting a slice of completely tasteless meat through my palette (outside of the dressing that came with the dish, I did not get any fresh fish seafood sweetness at all). The quail quesadilla tasted good, but again, flat flavors. My boyfriend said they could've put chicken in there instead of quail and he wouldn't have been able to notice. If the dish is titled quail quesadilla, I'd imagine the quail to be more of a star than it was in that dish. We shared the rack of lamb for entree. The cook on the lamb was perfect, but once again, needed salt. It does come with a sweeter spread as a sauce, but even with that, the lamb itself definitely needed a little boost. It is true that there are salt and pepper shakers on the table for people who find the food to be bland. But, my boyfriend and I both think that in a restaurant where entrees are priced from $22 up to $50 ,the food should come out tasting as delicious as the chef had envisioned without any additional flavoring on the patron's end. And in fine dining restaurants in general, salt and pepper shakers are not typically offered on the table unless requested. Diners are where condiments live on the table. For a $45 rack of lamb, it is disappointing to have to "fix" it to our liking as if we're at a diner. Another good thing I wanted to mention is that our server Alli was very kind. There was a problem with one of the dishes we ordered. We ate everything but the problematic part of the dish, and then told her about the problem--just to let her know about it and not expecting anything compensation at all. But Alli was kind enough to take that dish off of our bill. That was a very generous and unexpected gesture. That alone shows you how much they care about hospitality. All in all, Desert Bistro is a nice restaurant with a great location, attentive staff, and great concepts for their menu. But the execution on the dishes is not quite perfect. I don't think we will return just because of the price point and food perfection mismatch.
(3)Zelma S.
As this was our first meal the day we arrived in MOAB we were not sure what to expect, boy, were we ever SURPRISED !! Living 4 years in UTAH....the dining options have been a let down - then - low and behold - the Desert Bistro... the food was absolutely delicious the service was professional. Well worth the $$ spent !! A dining destination for sure !!!
(5)Bruce J.
Wonderful atmosphere, knowledgable staff and amazing food. If you are in town don't miss the opportunity to eat some of the most amazing food ever!
(5)David G.
Easily among the best restaurants in the country. Being close to Napa and San Francisco, this is where I would go if it were local. It's so good, in fact, that I'm going back to Moab just to dine here. Absolutely fantastic in every single way.
(5)Stephen L.
Excellent food and service. Our waitress, Tatyana, knew every facet of the entire menu, and specials, listing and describing the choices in exquisite detail. We had the lamb chops and beef tenderloin, as well as a chocolate mocha mousse dessert. Everything was delectable.
(5)esther j.
Visiting from Los Angeles and sought a good meal. What a great experience! Yummy homemade bread and spread (olive tapenade and butter is great!), salad was great!, and the market fresh fish and mushroom anagotti pasta was to die for! Excellent dining at Moab!
(5)Rocio W.
Five stars all the way. Gorgonzola encrusted filet is amazing. Everything I tried was delicious: The chipotle Cesar, corn bread croutons, lemon sorbet. And our server was delightful. One of my favorites places for sure.
(5)Michele S.
Too sweet for a savory girl. Although my steak was IMPECCABLY cooked, I have to give Desert Bistro 3 stars. Most items were just a little too rich and a little too sweet. Even the lemon sorbet was too rich. My friends enjoyed their dishes, aside from the too rich/too sweet observations and thought the duck and the eggplant were lovely. The meat and game were great cuts and wonderfully cooked -- I'd suggest asking them to put the sauce (for everything) on the side. The crab cake special appetizer was one of the items I really loved. The bread and the accouterments were delicious. Mixed reviews on the rabbit sausage -- I wasn't a big fan. Great wine list. The service was WONDERFUL -- our waitress was thoroughly knowledgeable about the wines and the menu, and incredibly sweet. Ambiance: very cool local artwork on the walls -- not your typical small town restaurant art. BUT the place was STIFLING hot (in November) -- made me want to leave as quickly as possible.
(3)Philippe S.
Pretentious food ,without interest . Meat over cooked ,scallops over spicy ,and all over rated and over priced.
(2)Bruce C.
Deliciousness in the desert. Starting with the gorgonzola salad. Yeah, many make a variation of this them, but the one here was especially good. They have game meats here and i was convinced to try a bison steak @ medium-rare. Wow, really tender and flavorful. The fish dish was equally as good. Normally, we like to share our dishes, i.e. eat half then eat half of the other plate. This time, each ate all of our own. Dessert was nice, though a little more standard. Service very friendly, and place is casually welcoming.
(4)C H.
Great service but really bland food with flat flavors and poor texture. We had salads and multiple apps but no entrees. Crab cake muffins and soba noodle salad were very good. Caesar ok. Goya flat. Pheasant quesadillas muddled. Rabbit sausage extremely bland. Overall food 2 stars but has take a star off given the prices. Perhaps entrees are better but apps usually seem to be leading indicator. I wanted to like it especially give the good service.
(1)Gretchen S.
Wonderful food and value! We had the mushroom pasta, gorgonzola beef tenderloin and mahi app-all were amazing!
(5)Mika J.
After researching multiple restaurants in Moab, we stumbled upon Desert Bistro. The food was exceptional and the back patio was beautiful allowing for an unexpected romantic dinner. Our waitress, Tatyanna, was wonderful and added to the already great experience. They pride themselves for having the freshest ingredients, keeping it local and using farm-raised sources. It Is evident they stand behind this, the chef is wonderful and puts a nice personal touch in the presentation. I would recommend making reservations as you won't want to miss out on an amazing dinner with Jazz music playing lightly in the background. Desert Bistro is by far the best restaurant in Moab! We hope you enjoy as much as we did.
(5)Denise S.
Very impressed, food and service was wonderful. This is definitely a place you want to add to your list when visiting Moab!
(4)Barbara L.
The food is five stars, but the hostess nearly caused us to walk out. We asked for an outside table, but she first said we would need to vacate it in an hour, then she said there were actually no outside tables available. We elected to sit inside. We asked if they served liquor, and she said only if you order food. We were dressed casual,but so were most of the people walking around Moab. She must have thought we were indigent, and only looking for a local pub. Once inside, we were warmly welcomed by our server and enjoyed two eloquently prepared appetizers, with a cocktail and wine. Halfway through our meal, the server said there was a table outside, should we care to move. We declined, and noticed as we left that there was more than one table available outside. We would really like to go back to enjoy some of their other dishes, but don't care to approach the hostess again.
(3)Dan R.
After reading the other reviews we arrived at the 5:30 PM opening and boy are we glad we did! Since it was a beautiful April evening we elected to dine on the patio and missed the gathering crowd in the restaurant when we left. Our server, Karissa, was very knowledgeable and accommodating. Just to preface the below, the presentation of the dishes is spectacular!! In our personal opinion, dining at Desert Bistro is on par with any foodie restaurant you may find in California's Sonoma or Napa Counties. If only the Bistro had a wine and food paring selection for dinner! The starter for the evenings dining was a warm and delicious bread loaf served with a trifecta of olive oil infused with herbs, a delicious olive tapenade and an herb infused butter. For an appetizer we selected the evening special, seared Ahi-Tuna rolled in black and white sesame seeds, served stacked between crispy flour tortillas with a side of wasabi, shredded radish and a sauce mixture that I cannot remember the ingredients of. All just delicious! My wife and I split the Chipotle Cesar salad with cornbread croutons. We found the salad more than enough for two when you order an appetizer too. The cornbread croutons were a different but wonderful twist to an already great tasting Cesar salad. Entrée's; for my wife it was the pork tenderloin in a reduction sauce, accompanied by mashed potatoes with a shredded potato garnish. Both of our entrée's came with their own individual vegetable medley. Not always the case when you dine out! I selected one of the "game" specials, a smoked and bacon wrapped Bison tenderloin (medium rare) served on a bed of mashed potatoes surrounded by a reduction sauce and accompanied by a grilled vegetable medley. The Bison was yummy and a change from beef. Overall, the dining experience this night was memorable and I would recommend this restaurant to those that are willing to spend a bit more for great food.
(5)Thomas U.
I ate here with the fam visiting Arches Nat'l Park. We were all blown away, from the inventive amuse bouche to the Andes mints that came with the check. The delicious bread basket here is baked by the owner, served with honey butter and two dipping oils. For appetizers, we shared an order of smoked tofu gyoza, and a rabbit sausage medallion with goat cheese, fennel, and frangelico. Both highly recommended. I had the elk special with pesto potatoes, tomatoes and a rich sauce, cooked perfectly medium rare. Had I not been told it was elk, I would've taken it for filet mignon. Not gamey and with great flavor. My group also ordered the Hawaiian walu special and the venison burger which were also excellent. For dessert, we shared eclairs shaped like swans, a key lime tart, and sorbet duo. The lime tart was the best of the three, but all were delicious. Service was excellent--informative, yet friendly. The space is very attractive, and I recommend sitting under the covered outdoor patio. Price-wise, this place was pretty expensive and more than I originally anticipated. Yet, for what we received I'd say it was worth every penny (plus, I didn't even pick up the check this time around). If you are traveling to Moab and are looking to have a special meal, I doubt you'd find a place better than this.
(5)Anna H.
Really great food if you want a nice dinner in Moab. Caesar salad, cold soba noodle salad and ahi appetizer were delicious.
(5)Monica T.
The last time I was in Moab was about five years ago, and I had a particularly memorable meal at the Desert Bistro. In planning our summer road trip, I decided it was time to come back. The place is in a new location now, just behind the relative hustle-bustle of downtown in a quiet little area. We showed up at 8pm, as the temperature began to cool, so even though we'd spent the afternoon hiking in the hot weather, the patio still seemed inviting. We shared some pinot grigio as we checked out the menu. After much deliberation, I settled upon one of the specials of the night: the bacon wrapped elk tenderloin. My fiance got the Gorgonzola topped beef tenderloin (I guess it was a tenderloin night). We also got the rabbit sausage appetizer. The appetizer was rather unique, with the sausage complemented by goat cheese and a fruity sauce. Sounds like an odd combination, but it worked rather well. The entrees were both almost perfect with wonderful, rich flavors and fresh ingredients. Both had potatoes of various types, and I also got a vegetable medley. I ended my meal with a late harvest moscato as we watched the cars go by on a quiet night. Just as wonderful as last time. Now I have to find an excuse to come back to Moab again. Maybe next time it won't be five years...
(5)Tim P.
What a gem in the desert! again, yelp comes through. We did a Yelp search and this fine establishment popped up. Admittedly, we did not notice the high end dollar signs or we might have passed. But once committed, after a look at the menu, we stayed and had a wonderful evening. this was a very fine dinning experience remimniscent of our experiences in finer restaurants in Europe. Well informed wait staff gave clear elaborate explanations of the dishes. They were able to answer questions and have dialogs about the specials and what we liked and didn't like. Each dish was well prepared, tasted great and gave great presentations. Again, the greatest surprise was the level of quality for a tourist town such as Moab. Wonderful Surprise.
(5)Pete M.
We were tired of the Moab tourist fare. Surely Moab had something more to offer than stereotypical bar food. It was imperative we end our long weekend on a good note. The Desert Bistro more than satisfied our demands. It is not bold to state the impeccable service and equally tasty food of the Desert Bistro is far, far above and beyond cuisine found in larger metro areas. It may be a bold statement claiming the Desert Bistro may be the best meal I've had; and that includes high end Vegas eateries like Andres of the Monte Carlo, Thomas Keller, and Jose Andres. I have never got goosebumps from food before, does that make me a novice, inexperienced? Who cares, the foods is that good. If you claim to have a palate, are a foodie, or enjoy good food and matching service, just go and see for yourself; you will not be disappointed.
(5)Cristina G.
Delicious! We tried Desert Bistro three years ago in their old location and loved it then. Three years later we still do....but their new location needs a little bit of charm. But hey, they just moved in there...plus who cares about the decorations...I want good food. Desert Bistro has a great menu and fabulous food. Highly recommend it to all who travel to Moab if you want a classy but unpretentious meal. The atmosphere is such that you don't have to dress up to eat there. The service is very good as well.
(5)Teresa L.
What a surprise to find such a gem of a restaurant! My husband and I only wish that this place was close to our home in SLC. The food was phenomenal! Our appetizer was bacon-wrapped dates with pomegranate sauce and it was truly delicious. My husband ordered the Bison Steak with the sweet onion jam, and it was very tender, wonderfully tasty, and expertly prepared. (The onion jam was killer! Where can I buy some)? I had a very tender whitefish that was fresh from Hawaii that was so very well prepared. The bread is home-baked daily by one of the owners and it was so good that I ordered a loaf to take home, which I enjoyed for several more days. But the dessert! Oh the dessert! The Chocolate Mousse was hands-down the best Mousse I've ever had. Our waitress B was also phenomenal. She was very well versed on the menu, and made very helpful suggestions. We never had to wait for anything, and she was such a lovely person that I wish I could have gotten to know her better. The Desert Bistro is truly a lovely restaurant, and we will be coming back often.
(5)Aaryn P.
We had a truly exceptional experience tonight at the Desert Bistro. We were turned away last night due to the fact they were booked, but we made reservations for tonight and were not disappointed in the slightest. I highly recommend reservations. The hostess even remembered us and our last name upon entering, and offered us a cozy inside table with a charming view of the front lawn and herb garden, where we were able to watch kitchen staff harvest herbs while we waited for our meals. For drinks, I had the lemon drop and the iced tea, both very good. My husband ordered a local red which he very much enjoyed. We nibbled on the freshly baked honey wheat bread with light oil, pumpkin oil and lavender dipping sauce...all incredibly wonderful! For our appetizer, we chose the quail quesadilla and it was very good. The dipping sauce and avocado salsa provided with it were very interesting. We continued our meal by ordering the tortilla encrusted chicken for myself, and the bacon wrapped elk for my husband. My tortilla crusted chicken was very good, although a little dry in some spots. The outer crust was amazing and the goat cheese filling added a nice zip to the entree. Also on my plate, was a cold corn salsa that had a great smoky flavor to it. I also had a bean-tortilla pastry that was unique and very interesting along with peas and salty little radish halves that were delightful. The mole sauce was quite interesting, especially as paired with the crusted chicken and quite enjoyable. My husband said his elk was fantastic, along with his potatoes and candied root vegetables in a great sweet huckleberry port wine sauce. He said it was incredibly good, but there was a lot of sauce on his plate that sort of overwhelmed the elk and sides. We ended our meal with the raspberry sorbet and the chocolate cheesecake - both elegant and decadent desserts that were a fantastic finish to a great meal. Our server as well as the hostess were spot on with their service and made us feel incredibly pampered and welcomed. Their timing for everything throughout the evening was perfect! We really enjoyed our evening here, and have already made reservations to return on Saturday before we leave town. We wanted another chance to try the unique and creative dishes at this wonderful gem in the desert!
(5)Mike D.
My wife and I really enjoyed our experience here. Friendly greeter, great server and the food was top notch. We had our option of inside or outside, we went with outside. At first we were a little put off as the best view outside is the parking lot, but after a while that was fine. Our salads were really well presented and good, the main courses were even better. My wife had the rack of lamb and she said it equaled any she has ever had. I had beef tenderloin and said the same thing about it. All-in-all a really enjoyable experience. We will be back, absolutely.
(5)Luke G.
One of the best dinners I have ever had at a restaurant. We were in town for a about two weeks and couldn't help but to go back multiple times. They even had rabbit on Easter which made my day! Better believe we will be back! Don't forget to compliment the chefs work. Also the owners were always there and very friendly. Good people.
(5)Allison W.
Worth every penny! This is hands down the best place for dinner in Moab. Fresh ingredients, creative chef. We loved everything we ordered: Quail quesadilla; Caesar salad; agnolotti stuffed with mushrooms and cheese; and, venison/mushroom burger. The cayote & cactus cut-outs that garnished the mashed potatoes earned the restaurant my undying affection. Such talent paired with such whimsy is rare in a chef! What an absolute treat, everything was beautifully prepared with a surprisingly perfect balance of flavors.
(5)Ken H.
amazing hidden gem in moab. must order the lamb. tatyana is also the best server ever!
(5)Laura S.
Best restaurant in Moab!
(5)michele c.
My husband and I had dinner last night at Desert Bistro. The food was excellent, and we had very good service. Tatyiana took very good care of us, was very knowledgeable about the food and the wine list. We ate outside on the patio, which was delightful. The wrought iron chairs are comfortable- only suggestion would be to offer a small pillow for the depth of the chair to the back for shorter people. The chef prepares high quality food, with great sauces and vegetable complements. The sweet potatoes with my rack of lamb were really good. If you are looking for very high quality food with a personable host and wait staff, be sure and make a dinner reservation. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Dena S.
We found this restaurant in the Moab Menu Guide in our hotel. When my husband saw Elk on the menu, he had to go. It was exquisite as was my pasta dish. We also had dessert and the key lime tart was the best. The wait staff was very informed on the menu and the service was exceptional! A bit on the expensive side but well worth every penny!
(5)Susan M.
Go! But make reservations. We tried to get in Friday night but they were booked until late. Now I know why. I left a message with my preferred time for a reservation for tonight. They called back to confirm. The staff and owners are super nice and professional. They serve half bottles of wine, which is great since my husband doesn't drink wine. I had the gyoza and he had the ceviche special. He wanted 3 more! Said it was so good! The gyoza are vegetarian and served with a chipotle pepper. I wanted 3 more of the pepper! So good (gyoza was too, but the pepper is amazing). I had the acorn squash and husband had buffalo special (wrapped in bacon with garlic mashed potatoes). We were both so happy and full! Desserts sounded great but we couldn't eve think about it. Fantastic food, service and experience. Will gladly go back.
(5)Keith W.
There is nothing special about this place. The decor is beautiful and the service is fine, but the food is very average at best. The appetizer (pastry filled with sausage) was nice, but nothing special. My husband had the pork chop which was very good. I had a fish special which had almost no flavor and the nut crust was soggy. I just expected much more creativity and taste based on the price and the other reviews. Maybe it is good for Moab, but not for any other city with competitive restaurants.
(2)Kevin L.
Service was incredibly friendly, helpful and never left us needing anything. The best. Food was absolutely delicious, interestingly (in a great way) prepared, locally sourced where possible, and flawlessly executed. Had an elk steak special that was done perfectly (not a hint of gaminess) and the rabbit sausage appetizer which was outstanding. Others at our table had the Gorgonzola crusted beef entree, again perfectly cooked, pork tenderloin that my son crushed, a vegetarian option that was well imagined and not your standard pasta, mushrooms or potato heavy entree. Everything was spot on and well exceeded our expectations. I can't imagine there is a better restaurant for fine food in Moab. Only thing I'd like to see improved is the kids menu fare...have options that reflect your "adult" menu. I get it, I understand it's probably something that restaurants have to do (bc of the dumbing down of our kids culinary expectations these days), but that doesn't mean it has to only be pasta and pizza. Can't recommend this restaurant highly enough.
(5)Deborah K.
This place was great! We had a small mistake with the reservation, but the owner/host got us a table immediately anyways. The food was delicious and presented very nicely. This is a very small restaurant, maybe 8 tables total inside, which created a very personal, catered experience. Would recommend to anyone visiting town!
(5)Kay B.
Great food, wonderful service. A little "game heavy" on the menu. Bring your checkbook - it is NOT cheap. New building - very nice- could use some serious landscaping so you don't look at the parking lot across the street.
(5)Alyce P.
We had dinner last night at the Desert Bistro. I'd seen the menu and thought it was right up our alley. Interesting food, and different from the Southwest cuisine we'd been eating for well over a week. I had somehow confused the monthly Moab Art Walk and thought it was Friday, and had made reservations for 8:30. However when we realized the Art Walk was Saturday (today), I called and asked if we could come earlier. Our hostess, the wife of the chef, as I found out later, said we could come then, which was a bit earlier than we normally dine but we both were tired from wandering around mountains, mesas, buttes and other stone formations. It's a lovely venue, just off the main drag. There were three tables on the front lawn. Since the back patio faced west, it was still quite sunny and hot there, so we chose to sit in one of the front tables. Our server, Esther, brought us menus and a wine/beer/spirit list. She took our beverage order. I asked for the Francis Coppola rose. I hadn't had it before but I am a fan of his wines, and was sure it wouldn't disappoint, since I know what kind of food I usually order. Tom ordered a dark beer, as he usually does. When she brought the wine she remarked that all the servers were wondering how it might taste. I was surprised to learn that a restaurant whose entrees run up into the $40 range wouldn't educate their servers about the wines but I offered her a taste of our bottle. I ordered the wahoo special, with a mango beurre blanc (well, sort of) and a very nice strawberry-kiwi-pineapple salsa. It came with wild rice and asparagus. The fish was more than a tad overcooked. Tom ordered the (I'm quoting from memory since this wasn't on the website menu) Kobe-style New York strip. He asked for medium rare. It came sliced rather than as a full steak, and was cooked far more than medium rare. Good thing: he had another beer and Esther brought a fresh frosted glass. Another good thing: we were brought a lovely basket of freshly baked wheat bread with a dipping sauce, a mild oil with a splash or toasty roasted pumpkin oil with sprinkling of lavender blossoms. Oh yum. Bad thing: we were beset by flies. All over.A lot of them. I don't know if Utah flies are different from Tennessee flies, but I know that at home, a little breeze will keep those flies away. Mostly. A low profile floor fan at each end of the front patio could have made our experience a far better one. We both agreed that our experience was good for one with entrees in the $20 range. I know they have almost no competition in Moab in the fine dining category...but that's no excuse to let the small details, especially for us the overcooked entrees, stand between them and really great food!
(3)Nathan M.
Best spot in Moab, and possibly all of Southern Utah for a nice dinner (at least between Zion and Arches). Despite the never ending rain that cut short a hike in Arches and the previous day of rain, snow, slush, and bomb shelter gas stops, Desert Bistro came through to brighten up the trip. The restaurant is in a cute converted house and has a nice patio, which obviously was not in use, and a homey and understated interior. The service was excellent and our waitress never missed a beat. As an added bonus, our waitress did not make us feel like prison escapees when we ordered from their nicely put together wine list. The quail quesadilla was too interesting to pass up, but the quail itself was a little more gamey than I expected, but still quite good. The chilled quinoa was fantastic and a very unexpected item. The real winner was the bison wrapped in bacon. Of course bacon makes everything better, but the bison was simply amazing. Very tender and lean. If you want shower off the red dirt and get out for a nice dinner in Moab, this is a great choice.
(4)J. L.
The buffalo tenderloin special in a balsamic reduction was the single best red meat preparation I have ever had--and I've had hundreds. I ordered it rare, and it came both rare and fork tender. There was no fat. It was wrapped in applewood smoked bacon and came with garlic mashed potatoes and deliciously spiced roasted veggies. I enjoyed this with a decent pinot noir from Clos du Bois. My husband had perfectly cooked fresh miro (a type of Hawaiian sea bass) with a watermelon and fennel salad. He also enjoyed his Pinot. Service was flawless, timely, and courteous. The atmosphere was magnificent out on the front porch of a historic old house with fairy lights and candles. This is THE place to take a date (or be taken) in Moab.
(5)Ron g.
Not only is Moab an amazing place to bike and run, hike and spend time with nature, the Dessert Bistro allowed for fine wine, food and service after an already wonderful day. Our family ate on the patio while viewing the read rocks and blue skies. We had seafood and vegetarian options and the eclectic menu offered creative dishes one could find in New York or San Fran. Service was wonderful and we ate three courses in a beautiful relaxing atmosphere. The beer and wine list were nice and based on Utah laws, one can take their own wine for a corkage fee. When we return to Moab, we will dine at Desert Bistro and look forward to it as much as we look forward to returning to the national parks.
(4)Nieke T.
We decided to eat here just because the romantic setting of their out door sitting. But boy we were really surprise when we saw the menu. It was over priced. We ordered: Ground tenderloin burger with ciabata bread and sweet potato fries: Just okay. Not memorable at all. I had to add salt and pepper due to lacked of seasoning. Grilled bacon wrapped buffalo with chipotle sauce: Nothing special. My husband bit something that was extremely spicy and he proceeded eating with extra careful not to eat anything that he wasn't sure about. Curly pasta with butter and cheese: Super bland. Have nothing more to say about it. Cesar salad: Plain. super nothing special. One thing that made us WILL NOT come back again is that we had to wait for 1,5 hours for our food. The waiter informed us that our order came after they took order from a big group (I saw it was group of 5 people).
(1)Joyce K.
What to say. Fabulous food, hands down! We were big fans of Center Street restaurant in Moab when it was still operating. It was a pleasure, then, to see that Desert Bistro had moved "downtown" Moab in a charming renovated historic building--an old dance hall--on 100 West. In other words, walking distance from our motel. Each of our three courses was spectacular and interesting. The service (Ed) was stellar. Yes, it is pricey. Our dinner plus bottle of wine and gratuity was $150, but that was our choice. It's possible to eat there and enjoy the experience without doing three courses. A big thumbs up for fine dining in Moab.
(5)Aaron J.
Don't miss this place. We ate here during a weekend stay for the Moab Half Marathon in late March and the staff, service, food and interior/exterior was exquisite. We had a party of seven. With three kids, the waitress did a nice job of moving things along, but didn't miss a beat. We had steak, chicken and seafood and all were amazing. Try the Pork Tenderloin in a Peach Glaze. Really! This will now be a tradition to eat here during our visits to Moab. Must try.
(5)g t.
We went there for my birthday and it was such a nice night! The service was gracious and the food delightful. We were too full for dessert and the waiter insisted on bringing us sorbet with a candle! We had elk and bunny and beef. All was well prepared and yummy. The waiter was charming and full of information about Moab - he even commented on my "Moab leg" (road rash from mountain biking). My boyfriend says "I concur - best place in Moab. If you are going to pick a place to sit - the porch is best. The sun porch is good, but the porch is amazing. The organic bunny rabbit with goat cheese was yummy, yummy, yummy. The elk was outstanding - suggest medium medium well. Rare is... just too rare... should have booked 2 nights in a row. Loved it! Raspberry sorbet was good. WIne was not cheap but very good."
(5)John H.
Absolutely fabulous! A Loire Valley bistro with a Southwestern flair. So understated in everything but the food and service. Truly worth the journey!
(5)Won Jun H.
Buffalo tenderloin steak was amazing. A great little restaurant in Moab!
(5)Robert P.
Excellent food and service. I had the vegetarian dishes which were delicious and my wife had the buffallo - great too. Desserts especially awesome!
(5)Peter B.
Well, Moab has a lot of restaurants and most of them suck. Not this one. We had a great meal--creative, well prepared, reasonable/tho not cheap, with good service. Our only complaint was our waitress, Ivana I think, who rattled off the specials in a way that was practiced but hard to understand and lacked any real interest in what she was serving. Still... I would go back to this place in a heartbeat. And if you're serious about food, it's about the only game in town.
(4)David C.
The food was great! The buscuits were to die for. There were seats inside the cute house but I prefered to sit out on the garden patio area. Although it was next to the main road, it didn't distract us from the romantic dinner. Great place to end the evening after a long day's adventure.
(5)Jon F.
Good food, beautiful presentation, and decent portion sizes, but it is pricey. The homemade bread comes piping hot to your table and melts in your mouth. Also, there were so many great options on the menu we just kept ordering! Although, the chocolate mousse for dessert nearly did us in, as it is made for two people, so if you have room left definitely share this.
(4)Don V.
Outstanding creative American cuisine that would be right at home in LA, NYC, or Chicago (with matching $$$$). Casual, yet classy, Western theme ambiance. Waitress extremely friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful in accommodating my son's food allergies. Elk steak was fantastic, not gamey but mild-tasting, melt-in-your-mouth tender. Locally raised rack of lamb one of the best we've ever had, topped by the eclectic mashed sweet potatoes. Chocolate Mocha Mousse (chocoholic heaven) better than the more ordinary Chocolate Cheesecake. Homemade bread was really, really good. Caesar salad was only so-so.
(5)