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Evolution Bistro & Bar, Manchester, NH

Evolution Bistro & Bar

4.5
4.5
71 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American

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2 people
23:30
Booked 33 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for business meals
Introducing Evolution Bistro & Bar, where modern American cuisine meets a European flair. This exciting new destination promises a dynamic menu, blending bold, contemporary flavors with timeless European influences. Whether you're seeking a sophisticated dining experience or a vibrant spot for cocktails, Evolution Bistro & Bar will elevate your nights out in downtown Manchester! Stay tuned for more details and sign up to be among the first to experience this culinary evolution!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, French, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 16:00–23:00 Happy Hour Wed–Fri 15:00–17:00
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Anthony Dispensa
Gift card

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What 71 people are saying

Evolution Bistro & Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • New Hampshire

    Innovative

  • New Hampshire

    Hot spot

  • New Hampshire

    Lively

  • New Hampshire

    Contemporary American

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Innovative

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Hot spot

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Romantic

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Evolution Bistro & Bar boasts a "fantastic atmosphere" and "amazing food" that keeps patrons returning. Known for its extensive bourbon selection and expertly crafted cocktails, the restaurant offers a "swanky" yet cozy setting. Standout dishes include beef ribs and "cauliflower three ways." Despite occasional wait times, the "attentive staff" ensures a delightful dining experience.

71 Reviews
  1. RockyS

    Greater Boston8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The food and service was quite nice. The cocktails were great too. It’s a bit expensive, so my standards are set a bit higher. The waiter was overly talkative but knowledgeable and pleasant. Food was served promptly. Superb cauliflower appetizer. My filet mignon was cooked to the correct temperature but it was not tender to my liking. But no complaints about the flavor. The sauces all around were exceptional. Truly. I will be pleased to return soon and I will update my review.

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  2. Melissa VIP

    Greater Boston114 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    It’s a beautiful space, from the wallpaper to the dining set options. The green room looks like a fun place for cocktails too. Staff was inviting and more than friendly. The house Prosecco was probably some of the best I’ve had and the food was amazing! I will be dreaming of the branzino with sauce and the 6 hour mashed potatoes for days! I can’t wait for another reason to visit Manchester and enjoy another dinner here. I will say our one complaint was we sat close to the door and froze every time it opened so a curtain or heat blower would definitely help with that.

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  3. Paul VIP

    Greater Boston8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, drinks, service, and ambiance. The Old Forrester Old Fashioned was amazing. Scallop Crudo and beef rib were both outstanding.

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  4. Peter VIP

    Greater Boston16 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    We were excited that Manchester might have an "urban bistro" again on the level of the dearly-missed MInt Bistro (e.g.) & and Evo has many good intentions, but we left disappointed. Nice touch to have the hostess ask to hang your coat, that set a "feeling special" tone - as did the furniture, table settings, and waitstaff uniforms - all very nice. But once at the NOISY table the service felt very much "in process" and lacking supervision. 1st came an awkward mention of how long our food might take to cook (which never came into play - if the point was to set timing expectations then it might have been good to wait until we put in our order and then assess if there might any time delay... just seemed out of correct order of things). Then little things came up, like confusion over which meal went to which diner, one entree arriving after the other three, and the awkward manner that drinks weren't set on the table but instead HANDED to each diner (even if right next to the server). OK, all minor stuff but the real issue was disappointment with the food. Limited menu (but that can be a good sign) but with a limited menu you kinda need to explain the dishes in great detail so diners can make good choices. Shrimp cocktail and garden salad were very good, but Caesar salad odd to say the least, with a poached egg on top... interesting but the point of the egg in caesar is to enhance the dressing, not turn the salad into a breakfast item. Very little anchovy flavor - again, a key element. No offer of pepper. Entrees seemed to have very good elements - fresh meat, fish and scallops - high quality. But beyond that either nothing special on one hand or surprising (as in disturbing) on the other: the "beef rib" was an embarrassment of a Fred Flinstone "brontosaurus" bone - HUGE, awkward, strange (but, yes, tasty). No offer of dessert, we had to ask (and only 3 unexciting items). Nice to try the new place in town but for the high price tag we expected better.

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  5. Justin VIP

    New Hampshire34 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Love the new menu! Much improved over our first visit. As long time customers of Blu Aqua, it’s great to see the return of the smash burger instead of menu items such as “beets three ways”.

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  6. ryan

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 7 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and signature drinks. We had the chicken schnitzle, gnocci and a side of brussel sprouts. All the food was excellent, only critique was that the brussel sprouts had a bit too much oil - by the bacon they were cooked with was excellent.

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  7. Stella

    New York City10 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 6 March 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our first time visiting this establishment. Great vibe, huge bar area. We were seated right away however it was about 15 minutes until our server came over. Our drinks took another 15. The drink selection was good. The gnocchi were simple/bland and chicken Milanese was heavily breaded but mashed potatoes were fantastic. Overall we could’ve had a better experience but willing to give it another try in the future.
    Evolution Bistro & BarResponded on 7 March 2025
    Hi Stella, Thank you for taking the time to review us. I apologize we fell short in certain areas, and we thank you acknowledging it so we can begin to make it right for you. I would feel the same exact way if this happened to me. We appreciate your willingness to give us another shot, and for that we will make sure you are absolutely taken care of. I'm going to follow up with you to faciltate this. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this for us. Brian Busa Director of Hospitality

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  8. VladimirS VIP

    Greater Boston37 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service were excellent. The wait time was long once again.

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  9. chris VIP

    Greater Boston6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Best bourbon selection in the state of NH, however prices border on absurd. Need to know your pricing before ordering very few border on reasonable pricing Saying that mixed drinks were great and food was actually great Mash potatoes are a must , beef ribs and cauliflower were very good.

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  10. JULIE

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was amazing and the staff was great. Bryan was very knowledgeable about the bourbons. Thank you

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FAQs

Evolution Bistro & Bar is rated 4.5 stars by 71 OpenTable diners.

Evolution Bistro & Bar does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
23:30
Booked 33 times today
Google Map for Evolution Bistro & Bar

930 Elm St, Manchester, NH 03101

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, French, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 16:00–23:00 Happy Hour Wed–Fri 15:00–17:00
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Anthony Dispensa
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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