Rancho Santa Fe Bistro

I waited until til the second time I ate here to write a review. Now that I've eaten here twice, and have read some of the constructive comments, my thoughts are this:If you are wanting to eat in Rancho Santa Fe, and would like honest fare served with love in a unique setting this is a great place. Is it super-high-end gourmet? No. Is it perfectly delicious, simple food made with quality ingredients in a non pretentious environment, that provides a lovely night out? Yes.The servers know what is in each dish, how it's prepared, and what's good that day. The outside patio is enchanting in a quaint, backyard patio-style, and inside is festooned with the owner's personal collection of photos and ephemera. It's not corporate or dripping with Rancho snobbery.

Solid all the way around! Love it here! The menu is one where you could close your eyes and point to an item and always be happy with your selection.Ambiance is like a cozy courtyard and the service is consistently solid.

Reservations recommended, especially as a group of 7 tonight. Street parking only. Upscale classy restaurant, popular on a Saturday night, indoor and patio seating. Staff friendly and professional. We started with appetizers Baked Brie and Margarita flatbread. These came out right away. It was about a 45 minute wait for our entrees once we ordered them. The appetizers were flavorful-- I could see why people are raving about the baked brie--the sweetness of grapes with the melted brie on a thin slice of crisp crusty toast. All the entrees were seasoned well, with memorable sides of asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes. I appreciated how tender the chicken kabobs turned out. A very satisfying meal with no room for dessert.

I have been here twice, once for lunch and again for dinner. Both experiences were great! Food was delicious and service was exceptional. Nick is awesome and friendly and I liked the relaxed atmosphere. Looking forwarding to going back soon!

Absolutely charming and lovely! Water fountains and bird cages on the patio which make for such a peaceful setting. Our waiter Gregory made the experience so great as well with his smiling attitude and recommendations. My chicken piccata was very tasty and my fiancé loved his turkey wrap. Perfect lunch, good wine list, and reasonably priced for RSF. We will definitely be returning!

This was such a nice surprise! We were in town for a soccer tournament and wandered into the restaurant after a long day. We had a party of 9 and arrived around 8:15 pm. The owner greeted us at the door and we sat in the patio. So much charm! The lights, flowers and the birds! Gregory waited on us and was possibly the nicest waiter we have ever had! We had a relaxing dinner with amazing food, ambiance and service! As we were wrapping up and paying the check, we realized the restaurant closed at 8:30 (it was almost 10)! Never once did we feel rushed or unwanted. We loved it so much, we went back a second time for lunch. Amazing! We will be back! Food highlights : Shrimp Saute app, lamb chops, cherries jubilee

This place looked very charming. I was intrigued by the sound of song birds singing so loudly when we walked by. I looked everywhere for the birds and decided it must be a recording. We sat down for lunch, and I discovered where the birds were. They were all trapped in small cages. It was heartbreaking. If I wasn't with my mom, I would have tried to release them. If the owners read this, please do the right thing and set them free. The birds are trapped in nets made of glue and then sold to live as prisoners. Horrible. There is absolutely no excuse that can justify this. They deserve better.

The food was great , our server was very attentive, took care of us well, and of course the nice outdoor seating with nice people around . I think most of them were locals ..

Great food and Service ! The guy with the accent is great and then there's some mafioso guy that hangs out of the background that's really nice too but doesn't talk much!

Nice pleasant patio to enjoy good service and food. Reasonably priced for being in the heart of Rancho Santa Fe. The pork chop entree was excellent and the shrimp appetizer was also very good. Friendly service too. We will be back soon!