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IL Bistro, Brighton, East Sussex

IL Bistro

4.5
4.5
332 Reviews
£25 and under
Steakhouse

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 4 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
In 1976 Michael Garman returned to Brighton and opened IL Bistro
after being inspired by the Italian and French culture and cuisine
during his travels to the Provence and the western coast of Italy.
His goal was to open Brighton’s first Mediterranean steakhouse.
For the first time, Brightonians were able to order fresh pasta,
arancini, dry aged beef, tiramisu and negronis.

47 years later and now being operated by Michael's son Abe,
IL Bistro still stands by the same principles, using local suppliers
and produce, fresh ingredients and the best available dry
aged British beef. The restaurant is situated in an 18th century
fisherman’s cottage which we find rather fitting after Michael
spent years in Portofino, Livorno and Saint-Tropez, Europe’s
most famous fishing villages.

Booking info:
Since reopening from covid we ask for a £10 per person deposit in our busier times which gets deducted from your bill at the end of your meal.
One of our team will be in touch after your bookings made.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Italian, Mediterranean
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 17:00–22:00 Thu 12:00–22:00 Fri–Sun 10:00–22:00
  • Phone number
    01273 324584
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    We have two party rooms on the first floor. One room can accommodate 18 people and the other 10.

What 332 people are saying

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
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Brighton

    Best Ambience

  • Brighton

    Good for business meals

  • Brighton

    Good for groups

  • Brighton

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Brighton

    Healthy

  • Brighton

    Great for fine wines

  • Brighton

    Good for special occasions

  • Brighton

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Brighton

    Best Ambience

  • Brighton

    Good for business meals

  • Brighton

    Good for groups

  • Brighton

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Brighton

    Healthy

  • Brighton

    Great for fine wines

  • Brighton

    Good for special occasions

  • Brighton

    Vegetarian-friendly

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
IL Bistro offers a charming dining experience in a converted fisherman's cottage, exuding a "cracking good" atmosphere. With a varied menu of fresh and beautifully cooked dishes, it consistently delights guests. The restaurant is praised for its "very friendly staff" and cozy, quaint setting, making it a "hidden gem" in Brighton.

332 Reviews
  1. Gary

    Brighton

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 12 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely place, people really nice, food was great, didn’t have to wait for each starter, main or dessert, always asked if we were good, we had a good night and wish we had found it earlier!! Definetly go again when in Brighton!👍

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  2. Clare

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 28 September 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love this place! Such fresh food, beautifully cooked x

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  3. James

    London

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 28 September 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely restaurant, good service, quaint and cosy. Good menu choices.

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  4. Jack

    Brighton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 16 September 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I was able to get a great table last minute and this place was a hidden gem. The food is incredible and exactly what I wanted, the service was great, the food came quickly and was presented well. Honestly everything about this place was great, but the food tops it all off, highly recommend!

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  5. David

    London

    21 reviews

    3.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on 14 September 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    It didn’t quite hit the mark unfortunately. The waitress had an odd attitude, the food was only average, the price on the other hand was well above average. It’s a pity, I can see it’s been around for decades and probably has a loyal following, but compared to other places we ate that weekend in Brighton, this was disappointing.

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  6. Ines

    London

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 25 August 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The staff were polite and friendly, nice atmosphere. however the food was not good - arancini didn't taste good, very dry and hard. garlic bread with cheese was not melted, but the taste was good. We had 2 sirloin steak as a main, both not cooked as requested, not rested, meat tasteless, we had to send them back for further cooking 3 times, we ate few bits and left the rest on the plate, but they still charged for full price. Discounted only once i requested not to pay for them as we didn't even eat them. This should have been noticed.

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  7. John

    London

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 2 August 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good meal but oddly very quiet. Service was super, and helpful but odd start to pride weekend.

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  8. EmreK

    Brighton

    4 reviews

    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 31 July 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    I ordered ribeye medium but received almost burnt. Side Chips was not delicious. Not an expected taste from a steak/meat restaurant. Sorry.

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Dublin

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 30 July 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Plats manquant d’assaisonnement à notre goût. Service sympathique mais lent.

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  10. PaulB

    Birmingham

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 24 July 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Again we thoroughly enjoyed our evening at your restaurant. Very tasty food, well priced and served in delightful surroundings. Great location and good atmosphere.

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FAQs

IL Bistro is rated 4.5 stars by 332 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 4 times today
Google Map for IL Bistro

6 - a Market Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HH

Additional information

  • Area
    Brighton
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 17:00–22:00 Thu 12:00–22:00 Fri–Sun 10:00–22:00
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Italian, Mediterranean
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wine
  • Phone number
    01273 324584
  • Private party facilities
    We have two party rooms on the first floor. One room can accommodate 18 people and the other 10.
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