Bay Street Bistro in Lakeland - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Had dinner here this evening. Let me start by telling you my husband and I have eaten here several times before, and enjoyed it. This evening I ordered Scampi with capellini, which was a $52 meal. What I received was 3 medium shrimp swimming in a large bowl of capellini. I felt taken advantage of and will never go back. Not only was it disappointing, but I was still hungry when we left the restaurant $186 later (we had a $50 bottle of wine).

The best filet I've ever had. It was perfectly cooked, soft on the inside and seared on the outside. The glaze was unique and delicious. They accommodated my girlfriend who is vegan, she got the eggplant dish without cheese. That was tasty and refreshing too.

Well, now I know why you can usually get a reservation here. I have been pushing my wife to give this place a chance for quite some time. As Lakeland residents for our 39 years of marriage and regular high end foodies, we haven’t eaten here in several years so I pushed tonight to try it. Unfortunately we were disappointed. My wife got the Shrimp & Cappellini which was the biggest disappointment of all. The dish was delivered with only three overcooked shrimp and a pile of soggy over done pasta. When she mentioned this to the waiter, she shrugged it off as normal. On top of this their website said this dish was $44, but the actual price was $55 for overcooked shrimp and soggy pasta. My Osso Bucco was average with an ample portion. The poached pear salad was the best dish and very tasty. When we mentioned our disappointment regarding my wife’s dish when paying, our unprofessional, untrained waitress said she would send someone out. However, a different waitress simply came out to drop off the bill without even a word. I was hopeful that the Bay Street Bistro would shine and become one of our regular dining options in Lakeland, but unfortunately this experience ensured that we won’t be back. You can get better food and value elsewhere.

We have dine at this establishment many times over the past 15 years and always had a great experience. We will not return again. The entire experience was very disappointing to say the least! We arrived early on a Friday night and were the only table seated in the restaurant. I ordered the Shrimp Capellini which came highly recommended by our young server. (Very pricey for Lakeland at $50+, but, hey….inflation is high). The entree arrived with a huge amount of overcooked, mushy Angel hair pasta floating in a pile of water. But the worst part was the Shrimp or lack of Shrimp! 3 rubbery Shrimp! I asked the server if this was the usual amount of protein for the dish and her comment was “I guess.” $55.00 for 3 rubbery Shrimp? When she finally returned to inquire about dessert and my entire dish of soggy pasta remained uneaten, I said, “ this was a bit disappointing! “. She said she would send someone to speak with us. No one came!!! No one cared! Terrible quality food and customer service!

A true HIDDEN GEM! went here yesterday for my 3rd anniversary, and this place was absolutely AMAZING! the waitress was super nice. The owner came and talked to us. And the Thai chili sauce that came with the ribeye was hands down the best sauce I have ever had in my life!! The steak was so tender and even the broccoli was the best tasting broccoli I've ever had. If you are thinking about coming here... DO IT! by far the best place I've ever been to

We just left the restaurant and we were so excited to try this place and I had to come and say, it was not a great experience. The bruschetta appetizer and tomato bisque were great starters but the main course, was absolutely inedible. We ordered the sea bass piccata style with capers and the Mediterranean salmon, both having the veggies and Parmesan risotto. They brought out the wrong sea bass, which was a coriander crusted. We told them this is not what we ordered and they said “we can remake it to correct one but you will have to pay for it because it was not an error on the server but what you ordered”, which was not the case because we chatted with our dinner guests about getting the same meal. We decided to keep it because we weren’t going to spend another $65. The sea bass was terrible with a capital T. It was bland and whatever sauce they put on it tasted like vanilla…which brings me to the “Parmesan” risotto, which was so overcooked and had the vanilla sauce, it tasted like rice pudding. No Parmesan in sight. The Mediterranean salmon had some good qualities after a tad of salt but was overcooked and the “Parmesan” risotto tasted like porridge. I will not be returning.

Delightful bistro. Definitely French inspired, I'm not sure I would call it an actual French restaurant. But definitely worth the visit. The menu is well thought out and the dishes true to the menu descriptions. I had the escargot. A personal favorite. I've had this dish countless times. So I have a very good idea of how this dish should taste. I think the snails, themselves, were just on the edge of being overcooked. But the dish didn't suffer. I think the lemon seasoning is a mistake on the part of the chef. Otherwise I think it was nicely executed. I'll skip the Caesar salad, not much to say but properly prepared. My lamb was quite good, however the lollipops were very small on the amount of meat. They tried to compensate by proving 8. I think they should have provided fewer but meatier choices. Beyond that, the seasoning was quite nice. Darian was our waiter, and did a very nice job of explaining the offering and executing the service. I would definitely come back.

Absolutely fantastic place to eat. I had the Pork ossabuco, and it was amazing.

We had a great date night at this Bistro. It was cozy and lively, with a very welcoming staff. We met the owner who was very helpful with wine and the menu. I would definitely recommend the herb crusted rack lamb as it was delicious. I am excited to go and try out many more of their menu items in the future.

Way over priced for bad food. Over cooked starch Stale salad Over seasoned protein They do not know how to serve wine Desert average

We visit Bay Street Bistro every time we visit Virginia Beach. We love their food, especially the tots. Great atmosphere, kind staff, and lovely atmosphere. Always a good time here.

Amazing food, chill but nice environment, and one of the greatest date night restaurants in Lakeland

Amazing sea bass the best I had hands down! Not a lot of fine dining in Polk county so this place is definitely a gem!

So I'm going to be a little harder on this place than usual. The restaurant is very small and crowded. To the point that it's uncomfortable. The food is pretty expensive for the quality and the location. I had the pork shank and it was good, but not $55 good. Let's be honest pork isn't very expensive. My friend had the beef Wellington that's $75. It was hardly touched. The bill for two dinners and 4 drinks was over $200. You could go to Eddie vs or the council oaks steak house in Tampa and eat for that price. You could eat at 1961 a better restaurant in my opinion, you could feed 3 or 4 at Harry's which is easily as good for that price. That's my biggest issue with the place. It was only worth about $100. But there were a lot of servers and support staff to tend to the customers. Which is really nice. Also I don't believe they had cocktails. But I may be wrong.

Sweet and savory in every way! Not from the area and OMG! This restaurant is a place you don’t want to miss! You’re worth it’

This is one of my favorite places. One of the few places to order beef Wellington. Food is always delicious. Staff is super friendly and attentive. Make sure to make reservations as they usually book up quickly.

Hidden gem in downtown Lakeland; everything exceeded our expatations.

The food was delicious, and service was perfect. We drove in for the night to go to a concert and were worried about leaving leftovers in the car during the show. Our server filled a bag with ice and wrapped everything up for us - above and beyond! We will definitely return.

excellent food and great service. As always, a very enjoyable evening.

This is our go to special occasion place. We love the atmosphere and the food. Service is always perfect. I cannot wait until our next chance to visit.

My husband and I had one of the best meals here last night. From the wine to the dessert, every sip and every bite was impeccable! U must visit, worth every penny.

Went with my wife for Valentine weekend and we were not disappointed. I am not an expert, but I do have culinary training and experience. This place is special. It was one of the best dining experiences we have had. Service was great, everyone was friendly and knowledgeable. Food was outstanding! There are some touches and techniques that show mastery of a craft, only skilled individual would appreciate. Throughout our dinner there were many moments like that. For instance, the bread... perfect crust, but once cracked open exposes a fluffy warm interior. The butter, fluffy and flavorful. Not hard and salty. The mussels, giving a hint of seafood but perfectly complementing the umami in the creamy garlic sauce. Filet precisely cooked to temp still maintaining a crust.... and fluffy little creamy nuggets of lobster, without being rubbery. Asparagus, cooked through but still snappy with velvety mashed potatoes. Only thing I regret is not leaving room for dessert. Next time. "Perfection is many little things all done correctly." - Marco P. White

The food was delicious. Great flavors and presentation. The service is always spectacular. It is always a pleasure to dine there.

Great food Had Filet,Scampi and Duck All were excellent and great desert. Busy night but service and food were excellent. We will be back

I recently dined at this restaurant, and unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. While the service was satisfactory, the offerings were severely lacking. Let's start with the bread—only two measly pieces were provided, which hardly felt sufficient. Moving on to the appetizer, we opted for oysters, expecting a delightful start to our meal. However, to our dismay, we were served only one oyster per person. This was a major disappointment. Next, the soup or salad option was presented, but if you have a strawberry allergy, tough luck—soup it is. And let me tell you, the soup tasted like it came straight from a can, lacking any semblance of freshness or flavor. Finally, onto the main course—the lobster Thermidor. Imagine our surprise when we were each served a mere half of a lobster. All this for the exorbitant price tag of $250.00 plus tax, this was utterly unacceptable. This supposed "Valentine's Day special" was anything but romantic. Save your money and look elsewhere for a memorable dining experience. I'm generously awarding this establishment 5 stars—for what I consider the worst Valentine's Day dinner I've ever had the misfortune of enduring.

If I could give a Zero I would. The supervisors take no criticism. The food was awful and tried to explain what was wrong with both me and my partners food. They forced us to pay 217 dollars just for bread/butter a salad and a soup. They only took off 50 dollars from the original 267 price. Not helpful what do ever and were demeaning

Bay Street Bistro is romantic and charming! The perfect place for an anniversary or romantic evening. Food is superb!! Top notch gourmet, and service is perfect! Everything you'd want in a French restaurant

There are too many things and not enough space. We were very disappointed in the experience. The food tasted good but came out cold. The cost was really high for the lack of detail. When we mentioned the cold food we were blown off and no one apologized for it. The owner was too busy with one table the entire time we were there. Must have been someone important. We have eaten there many times in the past but this may be the last.

My family and I love the Bay Street Bistro. We will be back again and again

The best restaurant in Lakeland. Always a treat to be able to experience. The filet was insane.

For a small place it is very very efficient & attentive & unlike any other place we have recently visited. Management obviously made good decisions hiring. We loved our meals -- the Beef Wellington & the filet Oscar special. Tried a glass of a new wine (to me.) It was accurately described to me. Appreciate the meal comes with a soup or salad & just enough accompaniments -- we still took home leftovers !

We went for our anniversary and found the service to be amazing! This restaurant lives up to its reviews in every category. We highly recommend it for any special occasion.

Perfect place for date night! My wife and I had a great time. The food was amazing, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere was perfect.

We celebrated my husband’s birthday here. It was a great choice! Amazing sea bass! Cooked perfectly and chef even added our favorite sauce. Wonderful service! Also loved the wine selection and homemade dessert! It’s been a while since we’ve eaten here. Not sure why. Will definitely be back soon!

I ordered the ribeye. Medium rare, It came extremely rare. I sent it back and all they tried to do was warm it up a little bit and send it back and it was extremely rare, still. Nobody from the back ever came out to talk to us. I told Our waitress, that I was done with the steak. And I did not want it. The house salad was very bland with no real flavor. I was kind of disappointed. The fact that a stick cost $75, If it was sent back, all they did was try to warm it up a little more.. I was very disappointed. I have been to a number of steakhouses around the Bay area. And if I ever had a problem, they always gave me a new stake. Freshly cooked, I'm not really sure why they did it this way. No one ever came out and talked to us, very disappointed.

The salmon mediterranean was very fresh and plentiful. Loved the peach salad. Dessert we shared was the lemon and blueberry cake.

Food, service, wine list are all way above average. There is no other that does seafood as well. The servers are attentive and friendly. We feel at home there. That is not typical of a fine dining restaurant. We take guests there without hesitation and always receive raves. Bay Street has been our go to spot for over a decade.

We really enjoyed coming back and appreciate the high standards. The food was very good and service great! Nice to see James and that he is still making his great homemade desserts.

Food was great. The service was very prompt and helpful.

The food was awesome. Best ribeye I've ever eaten. Emily is an awesome server and made our evening special. We're coming back!!

Tried this place for the first time last night. I had the pear salad and sea bass and they were both amazing. The filet was large and cooked to perfection. My husband had a ceasar salad and the ribeye. He gave me the first bit of the ribeye and it was delicious. Tender and buttery like a filet with the flavor of a ribeye. Fantastic. Great service from Emily. We will be back. Make a reservation.

From the appetizers to desserts the meal was outstanding. Fresh, flavorful and prepared to perfection. Staff was attentive, helpful and very pleasant. If there is a negative it would be the noise level is over the top. If you come early enough you can have a pleasant conversation although once the restaurant fills up it is very difficult. Our appetizers we enjoyed: baked brie and escargot (so tender and flavorful). The entrees: we had: Beef Wellington; Eggplant dish; puff pastry with seafood; filet mignon. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals and time together.

The food was excellent. We had escargot as our appetizer and beef wellington, which was cooked perfectly. The server was efficient and pleasant. It's a little loud but lots of fun energy.

Pear salad, scallops & Chilean sea bass special were phenomenal!

A lovely place tucked in a small street, easy to miss but, you shouldn’t! This place has a loyal following for a reason. A now, a Cordon Bleu trained chef is creating the dishes. Only open evenings Tuesday through Saturday.

For my 60th Birthday we went. Had the mussels for an ap. They were amazingly delicious. Tried the Beef Welington for the first time it was Excellent. Mt wife had the Filet Mignon. Melts in your mouth tender. And the Deserts were Outstanding. Our waitress Ellen was Great. We had a wonderful experience. Going back for the Scallops. Soon. And the owner was very friendly.

Food is kind of pricey but delicious: it is all cooked and seasoned very well, as far as the ambience it was a little bright at first, but when the lights were dimmed the elegance of the restaurant really showed.

excellent food and service. A most pleasant evenng out.

Yes, a 5 star expensive restaurant, but it was like going to a an artsy desolate creepy town. Restaurant itself was amazing although lighting was uninviting and rather dark. Food -shrimp & cappellini was excellent and the pear salad was amazing with all the different flavors. Service was a solid 5 stars; she was informative, attentive and very friendly. Dessert was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had in my life full of icing and chocolate chips. Minuses: annoying table near entrance across from us with a baby walking around,then watching tv at the table, then crying, walking around again with parents chasing her, going to the door. You get the picture. Parents going in and out creating a draft; loud and ridiculous. Not sure a restaurant can control these things, but it dampened the ambience and mood. Why do people take infants and toddlers out to fancy restaurants after 7pm? I have three children and would never put myself or others in that situation. Alas a mixed review. Almost a 3 star rating as the disturbance ruined the excellent dinner. But changed it to 4 since the food and waitress were top notch. Figure it out new parents. Find a babysitter. Or don’t go. Lastly, we spotted an old guy with a beard across street peering at us with a light in background and it looked like a reflection either from restaurant or building next door. Then he disappeared and returned again. We walked out and there was no reflection, no light, building across street empty and dark and the building next to restaurant dark and closed. Yes creepy neighborhood indeed.

Our server was new and didn’t seem to have timing quite down yet; the owner and a different server had to clear plates and bring us items a few times. But the food was impeccable as always and it was a slower night, so it was a quiet and perfect atmosphere.

Great time as usual always good love this place!!!

There were three of us, my wife n stepdaughter. We throughly enjoyed the rolls and charcuterie for 2. It was enough for 3. They both had different wines n loved them. My wife had pear salad(excellent), stepdaughter had Ceasar salad (good), I had house salad (disappointing,95% lettuce, little else) wife had Sea Bass special, (excellent) severed hot. Stepdaughter had menu sea bass,(good but barely warm. I had beef wellington ( it was just ok and gravy salty) I ordered broccoli which came when I had finished eating. I have never had broccoli served smothered in garlic. We brought dessert home which was the Blueberry lemon cream (great). The last time we ate here was 3 or more yrs ago. To this day it was the best meal I've ever had. Not this time.

Always our go to restaurant for enjoyable atmosphere, incredible food, awesome service and a truly relaxing culinary experience.

No doubt THE best dinner you will eat in Lakeland. Great service. You will want to come back again and again to work your way through the menu.

I love Bay Street Bistro every time I go there it is a great meal, wonderful service and the owner always says hello.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had the pleasure of dining at Bay Street Bistro this evening and the food and service were incredible. We started off with their featured soups - Butternut Squash and the Lentil Soup. Both were delicious. I had the Sea Bass special and my husband had the Osso Buco while our daughter enjoyed the Beef Wellington. All were amazing. Enjoyed with some wine and ended with yummy desserts. This restaurant never disappoints! Thank you for a great evening 😊

Will go back! Best meal I’ve had since moving here 5 years ago.

We had our office Christmas party there 12-15-2023 and the food, atmosphere and service were top notch. Thank you, Bay Street Bistro, for making our holiday party special and memorable.

This restaurant is AMAZING. Every aspect from the staff, service, food, and ambiance makes this place perfect for a special night out. Wish I could find words that would describe how flavourful and delicious the food is. This quaint place is special place.

The baked brie appetizer and duck confit entree were both absolutely astounding! Our waiter could have been a bit more attentive, but the food and atmosphere made up for it. The venue is beautiful, but it’s a small space so it can get loud when busy.

I have eaten at Bay Street Bistro many times and have never had anything negative about any visit. Every dish has been excellent, the service is always very prompt, the ambiance is amazing. I always get the Mussels La Creme, it is by far their best appetizer. I have tried many of their entrees and have never been disappointed.

Amazing, friendly service. Nice intimate dining area. Food was wonderful. Will definitely be back!

The food was absolutely disgusting. The chef was rude. And the waiters and waitress were no better. The food was expensive and inedible. Very sad. I do not recommend do not waste your time or money on this place as they only care about the money and nothing else.

What a gem! I don't know how I didn't know about this amazing place before now. Our dinner was amazing. The beef bourguignon was like comfort food kicked up to a whole other level. Great wine list as well! Absolutely going back!

Lovely & quaint environment. Amazing service. Food was delicious: scallops, sea bass, scampi & coqauvin. Loved the mushrooms and pear salad. Good wine options. The deserts were outstanding: cherry almond butter cake, chocolate layer cake, & chocolate mousse. We are from Iowa, this was our second visit this year and will definitely come back.

This is the perfect intimate restaurant in Lakeland...the food is amazing especially the escargot and Lamb dishes...

Romantic last minute dinner decision gone right! Tucked away from the main congestion of downtown, this small french style restaurant is a must visit. Servers were very friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. We had pear salad, tomato bisque, beef bourguignon, beef wellington, garlic potatoes, lemon blue berry cake, and creme brûlée. If I had any critique, is that I would have liked to see the puff pastry on the wellington cooked through a bit more and golden. And the lovely music complimented the ambiance well. We will definitely be returning.

We were not happy with our experience. Very loud, service spotty but our server was very nice. Very disappointed in my shrimp pasta dish. I have not been here in a long while. I probably won’t go back anytime soon. 

Had an amazing birthday dinner here! The food was impeccable! Sydney took care of us & couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

You will NOT find better food or service than here. You do get alot of food for the price, and fine food at that. Last night we had scallops over risotto and asparagus. The scallops were perfectly seared. Husband had sea bass topped with a huge grilled shrimp with champagne cream sauce. You should be hungry just reading about it. Service is very attractive. You will enjoy dinner at Bay Street.

Great server. Food was good, and it is a pleasure to eat there.

I've dined at Bay Street multiple times before, but I was alone. This time, I was finally able to bring my wife. I told her she would love it, and I'm pretty sure that was an understatement. My favorite hors d'oeuvre is Mussels la Creme, I have ordered every time I've been there, it is amazing. I can't wait to take her again.

Lovely elegant downtown restaurant, relaxing atmosphere, excellent service. Will return.

Cordon blue was way better than wellington was overcooked and a bit burnt Good wine selection Pretty good service Price: 150 dinner for 2

Ambience was terrific. Service was very very good. The dishes are too smothered in sauce. Our starter and my entree (really disappointing) were just not well thought out. Someone tell the chef less is more.

Bay Street Bistro is our favorite place for date night or special occasion. The mussels in garlic cream sauce are always delicious and very shareable. We’ve had mussels in other restaurants but none are as generous as this one. The bread was crunchy and delicious and the garlic butter made it even better. My husband always orders the duck breast. It was delicious. Tried the beef bourguignon this time. It was very good. I like my filet medium rare in this dish but the meat was very tender. Topped off dinner with the warm apple strudel with vanilla ice cream. Again, very shareable. Wonderful fine dining experience.

The food was amazing the service was outstanding a remarkable experience.

Absolutely love the menu choices and how great everything tasted.

Bay Street Bistro was the perfect place to celebrate our anniversary. :-)

Not what I expected. Tasted like home cooked food, combined together. Not really worth the price in my opinion. There was no actual art or differential flavors. Just food that has 1 flavor per plate.

Outstanding meal and excellent service. Our server was Jackson and he was superb.

Not a chain but yet a small, locally owned place with THE most wonderful French influenced food, especially the sauces. GREAT service also. Very detailed in every dish. Fish, steak, a good variety on the menu for everyone. The price may seem a bit pricey to some, but you get a lot of food! A salad as well as a starch and veggie come with every entree. So really you get more for the money than most places. You will want to return again and again!

Met friends for dinner. We are never disappointed. There was a large party there at same time but we were not ignored. Dinner came in timely manner.

Jackson was great, very attentive, he knew the menu very well and his suggestions were fantastic. The food was delicious and the portions were great. We did not leave hungry We will be back.

Best kept secret in Polk County. Fine dining at its best.

Food, service, and atmosphere were excellent. Jackson, our server, was on point. We are looking forward to going back.

A perfect place to celebrate any special occasion!

Amazing food and service. Quiet, relaxing setting. Will absolutely be returning

We've been coming here for years. The food is grand and the service is excellent. For a quiet dinner or a group of friends, this is the place.

Bay Street Bistro was absolutely outstanding!! It is perhaps one of the finest French restaurants I’ve ever been to…beyond delicious and the service from Jackson was exceptional! Anytime I’m back in Lakeland, I’ll be heading back to this awesome restaurant!!

I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed my experience. The service was great, The wine selection was diverse. The food was beautiful. I will return soon.

We were a party of three and we all ordered the sea bass. All three dinners were done to perfection and accompanied by a luscious Chardonnay recommended by the proprietor James. My sister -in law was with us and she said it was the best seafood dish she’s ever had. (For us it was just Kevin delivering as usual.)

Celebrated a birthday there. Our server Jackson was knowledgeable about the food, asked about food allergies and remembered the birthday lady name. He was attentive along with his coworker. The food was excellent and the birthday dessert was fantastic. This was my second time eating there and won’t be my last.

Wonderful food and Service was top notch. Very comfortable and got to meet all the staff. They are truly great folks. We’ll be back again and again.

It was wonderful. The food, the service and the atmosphere was all 5*****

Wonderfully crafted food and deserts. The menu has something for everyone from 4 salad choices to 6 ways to have Sea Bass. We had the blue cake for desert which was spectacular and so large that we split the desert.

It was not a bad restaurant in Lakeland. My food was over salted. I ordered escargot and beef Wellington. But didn’t get to enjoy my dinner fully. It’s a nice place for kids but not for toddles. They don’t have highchair for my daughter. We ended up Togo ours food.

Food was great and the service was excellent. Ava was our server and she is outstanding.

Entertained a friend from out of state. Everything was wonderful.

The meal was excellent. The service was slow. there were only 2 servers in the dining room, one regular and 1 trainee.