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IL Bistro, Brighton, East Sussex

IL Bistro

4.5
4.5
352 Reviews
£25 and under
Steakhouse

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 2 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • 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.

49 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:
We ask for a £10 per person deposit which gets deducted from your final bill.
One of our team will be in touch to take your deposit, bookings will only be confirmed once the deposit is paid

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Italian, Mediterranean
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 17:00–22:00 Sat, 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 352 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
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Brighton

    Best Ambience

  • Brighton

    Good for business meals

  • Brighton

    Child-friendly

  • Brighton

    Great for fine wines

  • Brighton

    Romantic

  • Brighton

    Best Ambience

  • Brighton

    Good for business meals

  • Brighton

    Child-friendly

  • Brighton

    Great for fine wines

  • Brighton

    Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
IL Bistro offers a delightful dining experience in a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Known for "great service" and "delicious food," it stands out with its varied menu and attentive staff. Patrons praise the "superb steak" and "amazing cocktails." Despite minor critiques, many find it a "hidden gem" worth revisiting.

352 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We had the best service but slightly disappointed about being seated upstairs. Food was delicious

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  2. Clare

    Brighton13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Very enjoyable dinner at Il Bistro. I feel the upstairs part of the restaurant doesn't have the same atmosphere as downstairs which is more buzzy and good.

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  3. Paul

    Essex2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ate before a show, absolutely perfect food and wine, with great service. Highly recommend

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  4. Chris VIP

    Brighton25 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time at Il Bistro for my wife and I to celebrate my birthday. Wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Had contacted Abe to say that I might have difficulty with steep stairs, he immediately got back to me with a solution. So glad we went ahead and booked. We were welcomed on arrival, thoroughly enjoyed our lunch, wine and cocktails. Service was attentive and helpful, ambience special, a nice place to be. Highly recommend, looking forward to our next visit.

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  5. Geoff

    London3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    The atmosphere downstairs seemed far nicer than up in the loft area Waitress bought up chips we didn’t order and totally forgot an extra glass of wine ordered before main course. Plates were very mildly warm

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  6. Benjamin

    Brighton4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service!! Food and wine catered for all different tastes!!

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  7. Marc

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic place, staff were more than friendly, and the food was amazing, loved our visit here and would definitely go back.

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  8. Jack

    Brighton5 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Dined her for Valentine's Day based on reviews. I found the food okay but nothing special, seafood portions twere iny, and the pasta was average, not blown away. Service was fairly good, although the table and seating were pretty cramped. Didn't get offered water and some things came very quickly and some things didn't. Price-wise it probably reflected the food & service so can't complain too much on that part. Guess it has a loyal following who continue to rate it highly.

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  9. Hannah

    Brighton2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great Valentines meal. Service was brilliant. lovely food. Thank you

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  10. Ken

    London15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was our first time at Il Bistro but we had a lovely evening with excellent service great food and a superb bottle of red wine

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

IL Bistro is rated 4.5 stars by 352 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
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–Fri 17:00–22:00 Sat, 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
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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