Bistro 197 - Oswego

The new atmosphere and layout of the restaurant are lovely. The oyster Mignonette sauce was the best I've ever tasted, with pieces of cucumber adding a unique twist. They had a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and bitters, making it easy to create any cocktail imaginable. However, I was disappointed that there was no WIFI available for customers, especially since there was limited cell service for Verizon in the restaurant. Additionally, all three available networks for the Bistro were locked, making it frustrating for patrons. It seems illogical not to offer WIFI to customers in this day and age.

The restaurant was very busy during dinner time. The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly. The dinner menu had a variety of great options. They did run out of some specials. The dine-in service was rated 4 out of 5, with the atmosphere receiving a 5 out of 5. The price per person was $50–100. Highly recommended dishes include the Onion Soup, The Bistro Smash Burger, and Grilled Octopus.

I went to this restaurant for a late lunch and it was not crowded. They were out of a few menu items, but the selection was so well curated that I still had a hard time deciding what to order. I usually steer clear of bars, but the food was so good that it was worth it. There wasn't much bar activity at that time of day. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. The only downside for me was that the music was a bit loud, but I have unique preferences when it comes to music. For vegetarian options, there was a sandwich on the menu that would be a delight for most vegetarians. Some other items could also be easily modified to be vegetarian-friendly.

My friend and I visited this establishment today, August 17, 2023. We were told where we could sit, rather than actually seated. The farmer's market was hot and busy so we went in to take a break from the heat and have a drink and appetizer- or so we thought. We sat for just over 20 minutes waiting, watching the servers move all around us without a word said. They waited on people that were already there, obviously, but then they also began serving people that had come in after us as well...? We finally got tired of not even being offered water or menus, or being spoken to during our time after being seated, and so we decided we'd be better off going elsewhere. The only difference between my friend and I and the other customers was the way we looked, the other customers all seemed to be white with expensive jewelry and clothing to indicate middle to upper-middle class; my friend in jeans and a t-shirt and I in a Walmart dress and sandals. I am a brown person, with black and lilac colored hair, and my friend was wearing a sign of their faith and had their hair clipped back and a little messy from shopping. We were definitely treated differently from the other patrons that came in. I'm not sure if our appearance had anything to do with the service we received, but I do know I probably won't stop in again.

We went on a Froday night and sat at the bar. There was live music and the place had a very cozy and warm atmosphere. The bartender was busy but not too busy. Long story short, the service was friendly but slow and not intuitive at all. We waited a solid 30 minutes for 2 oysters (which were fantastic). Waited quite a while for Drinks and our entrée. The food was absolutely delightful. The grilled octopus and clams were on the regular menu and it was fantastic. Just hoping this was an off night for the FOH crew, again friendly enough, but slow and upsetting or suggesting anything.... We still tipped 25%....