The Famous Bistro — Restaurant in Owensboro

PLEASE READ THE WHOLE REVIEW. I am new to Owensboro and this is my welcome. Let me start that the reuben sandwich was very good and I don’t know how my wife’s veggie grinder was, because she NEVER got it with the kitchen doing it wrong twice. Next, if I could have given no stars, that would be my rating.

My wife had been wanting me to eat here, so Friday night (9/29/17) we stop by at 6:00 or so. The place is packed and the manager, I believe, said there were booked until 8:30, because of the show. We left and came back at 8:30, being able to set outside. Promptly, menus and water were brought to the table. After drinking all the water and waiting over 20 minutes, the waiter comes to the table beside ours, seated well after us, and takes their order. Next, he comes and gets our order. The other table get their food. After about 15 minutes, I light up a cigarette, waiting for our food. Several staff saw me smoking and I was smoking when our food finally arrived, another 10 minutes. My wife’s veggie grinder isn’t right… The waiter responds promptly and states he will get it made right. Just as I finish my reuben (15 minutes), my wife get her sandwich which isn’t a veggie at all. This sandwich has meat! The waiter promptly addresses the SECOND WRONG sandwich. Offers to make it at no cost and offers us soup while we wait. My wife loves the soup. The soup is finished, still no grinder… I light up my second cigarette and am told that I can’t smoke at an outside table, because the owner doesn’t like it. Finally, feed up after more than an hour and a half with my wife not getting her food, and that I am told, now, I can’t smoke after already smoking being seen by the staff, I go inside to settle up. Understand, there are no “NO SMOKING” signs like next door. I AM DONE. We go inside and I request the check which comes for only my food. The waiter is and has been trying to do everything he can to salvage this experience for us. I mention the smoking and a co-work over hears. I assume this is the manager, because she never introduced herself. She says it is a city ordnance and states that’s that. Then, I explain about my experience, she states we should have been thankful to eat there that night at all… Her customer service skills were non existent, after the waiter was trying so hard. Now, this poor service is my fault! I paid my check leaving a 50% tip to waiter who was trying his hardest to get me to give them another shot at a later date. I have not had service and been treated this way as a customer in over a decade. I thought everyone should know how they feel about their customers. I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THIS...

We arrived for our reservation and were seated promptly. Our table was ready, including two menus, two appetizer plates, and our silverware all ready at the table for us.

To start, we ordered the Spanakopita Bites: Flakey Phyllo Dough stuffed with Spinach, Greens, Leeks, Scallions, Romano, and Feta. The phyllo was flaky and tender and the layers of filling were savory and delicious. A glass of Chimay accompanied this for me, making it a very nice appetizer. The fresh bread was soft and hot as well.

For my main course, I selected the Filet Mignon and opted for the Au Poivre. The salt and pepper crust was among the best I've had and was a perfect contrast to the buttery tender filet underneath. Accompanying the filet were roasted potatoes, crispy and delicious, as well as the sautéed Brussels sprouts I substituted in place of the asparagus. While the sprouts were perfectly cooked, the accompanying cooking liquid in the bowl was slightly too salty for my taste.

My wife chose the Slow Braised Pork Chop with a Rosemary-Peppercorn Gravy. The chop was thick cut. Abiut two inches to my estimation. Perfrctly cooked and fork tender. The silky gravy was a perfect complement. The Garlic Mashed Potatoes were heavy on the garlic, which was appreciated. She substituted haricot verts in place of the brocollini and was very satisfied.

For the dessert, we took a slice of the caramel chocolate brownie a la mode with us to go, as the dinner was too filling to be able to enjoy it before we left.

Atmosphere at the restaurant is cozy, the tables are close together, but they do offer an outside dining experience. The quality and presentation of the food lends itself to their "fine dining casual" theme, however the music was just loud enough to be a distraction and was the only complaint we had about our evening.

Overall, I'm very happy with our experience and we will...

Had reservations for 6:00pm. We were told multiple times while making the reservations and also when calling to confirm the reservations that they had another reservation at 7:30pm. We arrived a few minutes early and got seated immediately before 6pm!!!

As we were seated, as they took our drink orders, as they took our dinner order, while checking on us before our dinner arrived, as our dinner arrived, as they took our dessert and coffee order ( which they offered for us to take it to go ), they kept reminding us that the next group of 4 people will be arriving at 7:30pm for our table.

I kindly told our server that we’ve been waiting for our dinner since 6pm. We got our dinner a few minutes after 7pm and that he has told us each time he came to our table to rush! He even told us as we were swallowing our food quickly that he’s getting our check ready. I ended up not finishing my food.

They make you feel rushed for their lack of timelines in getting the food to the tables.

Food portions were generous however very pricy for the taste and lack of service you get.

Not a place I would...