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IL Bistro, Brighton, East Sussex

IL Bistro

4.5
4.5
335 Reviews
£25 and under
Steakhouse

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2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
19:00

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Booked 2 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 335 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
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
IL Bistro offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, ideal for a delightful dining experience. Guests praise its "fresh food, beautifully cooked" and "great service." The restaurant is known for its "very tasty food" and "friendly staff." While some dishes have room for improvement, the charming ambiance and attentive service make it a cherished spot.
335 Reviews
  1. Lisa

    Brighton

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 13 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Squashed in a walkway next to the wall to the route for waiters to get cutlery, bread etc Constant Flickering lights to the low hanging fittings throughout the section of the restaurant we were placed in. An attempt was made to stop the flickering by a member of staff but it continued We left before we would have because of this Waitress was very friendly and apologetic tho.

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  2. Jean

    Leicestershire

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 12 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food served by friendly staff in a lovely atmosphere

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  3. Lynne

    London

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on 28 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Have been coming here for years. Good food and service top notch. Always a friendly welcome. Highly recommend.well done Abe.

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  4. Anthony

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 23 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely restaurant. Food was amazing. The staff really welcoming and a lovely lively atmosphere. Thoroughly recommend.

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  5. 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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  6. 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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  7. James

    London

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 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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  8. 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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  9. 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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  10. 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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FAQs

IL Bistro is rated 4.5 stars by 335 OpenTable diners.

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

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Booked 2 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.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
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