Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Bloomington

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Bloomington? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Janko's Little Zagreb

4.8

4.8 (3909)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Open since 1973, Janko's Little Zagreb has become one of Bloomington's finest dining traditions as one of the best steakhouses in the Midwest. Perfect for large groups as well as small intimate celebrations, Janko's has been providing exceptional food and service in a casual, family friendly atmosphere for more than 40 years!

Come enjoy our famous spicy meatballs or one of our USDA Choice steaks, hand cut daily and grilled to perfection. We also have delicious seafood entrees as well as vegetarian options available.

Find the perfect wine pairing for your meal from Janko's extensive bottled wine list. We have over 100 wines by the bottle and more than a dozen house wines by the glass to choose from.

We accept reservations every evening as well as walk-in tables based on our availability. You can make reservations online or over the phone. Once you're here you'll see what makes Janko's Little Zagreb such a uniquely special dining experience!

Top review

Lori

Dined on 13 Dec 2024

It is always outstanding food and service. A consistent place to get the best steak in Bloomington. The garlic rolls are delicious and the meatballs are a must!

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4.8

4.8 (1055)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

C3….Next door, next level. What does that mean? We’re your neighbors. We live next door and we want to invite you into our home to give you a “next level” customer experience while you enjoy our “next level” design in our sophisticated, comfortable, eclectic atmosphere. We want to impress your palate with our hand-crafted cocktails and innovative, farm to table cuisine. We’ll learn your name, become your good friends and give you some of the best hospitality and service you’ve ever experienced. Let’s meet at C3.

Please note:
All reservations are subject to a 2 hour time limit.
We do not reserve tables on our patio.

Top review

SamanthaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Amazing food, great atmosphere, and service! Highly recommend

Lennie's

4.8

4.8 (384)

$30 and under

Italian

Bloomington

About the restaurant

At Lennie's, you'll likely find IU professors enjoying pints after class, groups catching a bite after an IU Auditorium performance, or couples enjoying a first date. Lennie's friendly, cozy environment, and great food attract a diverse crowd. Lennie's supports local farmers and believes in sustainably sourced ingredients. We're also proud to serve Bloomington Brewing Company's unfiltered, artisan ales, fresh from the source.

Top review

Chris

Dined on 7 Dec 2024

Friendly and professional service. We had a reserved table that was ready when we arrived, waitress was accommodating and taking our family photo restaurant was busy, but our food arrived timely and was delicious waitress checked on us several times.

Osteria Rago

4.8

4.8 (68)

$30 and under

Italian

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Bloomington's most authentic Italian cuisine. Open lunch and dinner 5 days a week Tuesday - Saturday 11am-9pm. Owned by Nick's English Hut Inc. Reservations are highly encouraged. Walk-in availability is not always guaranteed.

Top review

George

Dined 3 days ago

Great ambiance, food, service and wine! Highly recommend!

BRU Burger Bar - Bloomington

4.8

4.8 (51)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

BRU IS AN ODE TO OUR LOVE, THE BURGER. It’s a classic, purely American, and an icon. The hamburger is the people’s sandwich, everyman’s food. Paired with a beer, we can't imagine what could be much better. Bru is an ode to our love... the Burger. Our goal is to bring you great burgers made from the best local meats, topped with the freshest ingredients and placed in our freshly baked buns.

Top review

Haley

Dined 2 days ago

Great food and amazing service! Will be back for sure!

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Experience

Give More to Get More this Holiday Season!

Experience

Happy Hour

FARMbloomington

4.6

4.6 (2042)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

FARMbloomington celebrates the best of the heartland and Indiana. Products and produce utilized in dynamic, innovative and flavorful dishes translate into “real food for real people!”

Top review

kevin

Dined 4 days ago

Great service , even better food . Thanks for partnering with Constellation

Upland Brewing Co - Bloomington

4.6

4.6 (50)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Our headquarters in beautiful Bloomington, Indiana is not just a restaurant & bar. It’s a throwback to pubs of old, where friends & neighbors gather to share old stories & create new ones. We’ve been brewing local beer here since 1998. And just like our beer, we’ve continued to innovate & reimagine over the years.

Pair your pint with a carefully crafted menu featuring locally sourced ingredients & plenty of creative options for vegetarians. Spring through Fall, cozy up on our patio where both human & dog children are welcome.

Top review

Danita

Dined on 8 Dec 2024

We were seated quietly. All our meals were great. I recommend burgers.

Truffles

4.4

4.4 (357)

$31 to $50

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Truffles Restaurant is a fine dining establishment in Bloomington, Indiana serving Modern American cuisine. Guests can look forward to a menu featuring a variety of creative dishes prepared by Executive Chef Robert Adkins and his talented staff; as well as an eclectic offering of specials that change nightly. Truffles is well known for its impressive wine list that is as diverse as it is extensive. The 56 Degree Bar is another notable feature showcasing a lavish selection of spirits and innovative specialty libations. Other offerings include handmade desserts that rotate regularly and periodic wine tasting events. Whether guests are seeking a formal or casual dining experience, a friendly and knowledgeable waitstaff is here to accommodate!

Top review

AmandaVIP

Dined on 1 Dec 2024

Great food, service, amazing wine and made my daughter's birthday special.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Bloomington

4.0

4 (97)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Time counts at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. Since our humble beginnings back in 1978, we've continued to refine our brewhouse experience to make BJ's a place where you can make the most of any meal. We want BJ's to be a place where the moment you leave is the moment you plan on coming back. We pride ourselves in our craft and attention to detail. Our guests come here for our award-winning handcrafted beer. They come here for the Southern California twist we've put on the Chicago-style deep dish pizza. And they come here for our Pizookies®, our world-renowned dessert. But above all we know people come here to make their good times better. So in many ways we haven't just crafted a brand, but a mindset. And our guests are the reason for this. And it's because of them we're continually striving to make sure every moment they choose to spend with us counts. Welcome to BJ's, a restaurant with a Brewhouse soul.

Top review

Harold

Dined on 6 Dec 2024

The host was very welcoming. They were quick to greet us and get us sat for dinner.

Coopers Alley

3.7

3.7 (162)

$31 to $50

Regional American (Southern)

Nashville

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

Anthony

Dined on 29 Nov 2024

Absolutely gorgeous place, my wife and I arrived early, apparently they were not open yet. They led us too the most warm welcoming table, which had sitting room chairs, throw blankets, pillows and a beautiful view of downtown Nashville. The ambiance, smells and tastes were amazing. The four course meal was very good and the waitress was very accommodating and quite attentive. Id give this place a 5 star rating

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