Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro — Restaurant in Berlin

A bit disappointing, to be honest, and unquestionably overpriced. Two things to clarify: first, they raised the prices (quite considerably, really—something like 20-25%) between our booking and the actual evening of our meal; second, the food is impeccably prepared and presented, and some of the dishes were excellent. But as an experience, particularly given the recent Michelin star, it didn't come anywhere close to matching the cost, relative to other high-end/Michelin-starred dining experiences we've had over the years.

The service was generally friendly; two of the three servers we interacted with were lovely and helpful and conversational, although most of that interaction was just the descriptions of each course. We refilled our own water glasses; and, unlike every other restaurant anywhere even remotely close to this price point, we were sort of surprised to learn that our cutlery needed to be reused for each course (only the dessert course involved a new spoon). And the wait between courses was often really quite extreme. We love the experience of nice meals out, and we love savoring a course and taking our time with a meal ... but in this case we felt like we spent quite a lot of time just ... waiting. The pacing wasn't great—in fact it was pretty bad—though at least some of that was due to the tiny portions, more on which in a moment.

The space is nice enough—nothing particularly overwhelmingly well presented, but fine (summer bookings beware, it's not air conditioned, and we had to ask them to open the windows on a 27C evening)—but, again, for a restaurant at this price point, the toilets were really quite appallingly gross, reeking of sewage through the whole basement area. For a local neighborhood hangout restaurant they'd be totally fine; for €165 per person they most certainly weren't. At this price point you'd expect clean facilities, maybe some fancy hand soap, maybe some nice hand towels—but instead it was some plastic supermarket air fresheners and some used paper towels on the floor.

Given the recent ratings success, you'd expect the food to be excellent, and it was. The mushroom course was really quite distinctive, and was by some margin the best dish of the evening. The sauces for every course (in each case added to the plate directly at the table) were impeccably executed, and often supplied a (very crucial) bit of velvety mouthfeel that brought the dish together. The the parsnip dessert was similarly excellent (though the accompanying ice cream was a bit strangely medicinal, its minty-ness becoming a bit overwhelming and not particularly integrated). The kohlrabi dish was lovely, and as with most of the courses, there were lovely little touches and some interesting flavor profiles.

But, to be honest, the bread course did quite a lot of the heavy lifting to make sure we didn't go home hungry. We're used to fine dining experiences—one of the best things we ever ate was a single spoonful of cod cheek, as a course—but this really stretched the limits, particularly at this price, and particularly as a vegetarian restaurant with pretty limited protein. We were there for about three hours, and, other than the bread course, which included three slices each, plus various (admittedly excellent) spreads, most of the courses had vanished from our plates within a minute or two. The spargel course was—and I swear I'm not making this up—a single piece of thin asparagus. Tasty? sure. A 'dish'? ... not really. Again, without the recently jacked-up pricing (post-star?), this is probably just about justifiable. But for €18 per course? Neither of us are particularly big eaters. Still, we were happy to have our favorite ice cream place down the street to top off the evening.

We opted out of the drinks pairing. The per-glass wine options were fine, though pretty limited.

We live around the corner, and we loved the fact that this local spot earned the praise of a Michelin star. It was certainly worth trying. But, even for a special occasion meal—as this was—it really just didn't rise to...

Nestled in the heart of Berlin, Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro offers a unique dining experience that effortlessly blends cosiness with culinary excellence. From the moment you step inside, the warm and inviting atmosphere envelops you, making it the perfect spot for a relaxed yet refined evening.

The food at Bonvivant is nothing short of spectacular (vegan / vegetarian). Each dish bursts with flavour, showcasing a delightful fusion of innovative and classic techniques. The menu is thoughtfully curated, ensuring every bite is a delightful journey for the palate. The chefs clearly put a lot of passion and creativity into their work, resulting in an unforgettable dining experience. Think of "The Bear" - but no screaming heard from the kitchen ;-)

Service here is top-notch. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable, enhancing the overall dining experience with their friendly and professional demeanour. They go above and beyond to make sure every guest feels special, and their recommendations are spot-on, guiding you to the best food and drink pairings.

One of the standout features of Bonvivant is their impressive selection of alcohol-free accompaniments. These drinks are crafted with the same care and creativity as their alcoholic counterparts, providing a refreshing and sophisticated option for those who prefer non-alcoholic beverages. It’s a rare find and a true testament to the bistro’s commitment to inclusivity and quality.

The seating arrangements are perfect, offering comfort without sacrificing style. Despite the restaurant being full, it never felt overcrowded or busy. The layout is cleverly designed to provide an intimate and pleasant dining environment, allowing you to enjoy your meal and conversation without distraction.

In summary, Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro Berlin is an amazing place that promises a cozy, flavorful, and impeccably served dining experience. We were thoroughly impressed and can’t wait to return. If you’re looking for a memorable night out in Berlin, Bonvivant is the place to be.

Highlights:

• Cozy and inviting atmosphere • Delicious and flavorful food • Excellent service • Impressive alcohol-free drink options • Comfortable and well-arranged seating • Not overcrowded...

Sadly, it was a really disappointing experience.

The kitchen and/or service were really disorganised. During the dinner flight the order is cold dishes, bread, followed by warm dishes and then dessert. It took over 1 hour after the bread for the first warm dish to come out, it took another 45 minutes for the dish after and 30 minutes for the third dish. Waiting for over 1 hour made sure we were not even hungry anymore when the dishes came out. During this time the service asked us five times which dish we were waiting for, giving us the impression that they did not even know what dish we were waiting for. The cocktails are made ahead of time and come only with the dish. They refused to serve us our drinks early and at some point we could see around ten cocktails (some of which had carbonated ingredients) wait on the counter for 20-30 minutes before going to the table because the food for another table was not ready. I hope these tables were still able to enjoy their flat drinks. And when the dessert came out they asked us "Which one of you had the peanut allergy" to which we had to say "no one". They did not even remember which table had a peanut allergy. The disorganisation in this place is downright dangerous. If you have food allergies, definitely avoid them.

The quality of the food was okay, but not what you would expect when the bill is 250€ for two people. Granted, we need to account for the extremely long wait between dishes and how that experience can taint the taste of dishes, but even the first dishes before the long wait started were not really delicious and one of them even downright unpleasant. There are many great choices for exceptional food in Berlin but this one was just not that good. We were quite disappointed by many of the dishes and did not finish many of them.

Finally, they were pushing water on us the whole night that cost 6.5€ per 0.75L, when it was not even premium water. This water costs 80 cents at REWE. I understand that Gastro usually has a 3x Markup, but an 8x Markup? This added insult to injury when...