Review Bistrot St Jean - Geelong

It was a cold winters night when we entered into the cozy and understated Bistro St Jean on Moorabol st. The dimly lit room was surprisingly comforting and our table was nestled amongst other reverent diners. Our food was delightful and well matched with rich red wine. Service was friendly and attentive. The saussicon was very flavourful, although the slices were thin so I couldn't taste the fat globules that I usually enjoy. The duck cottage pie (pictured) was well done and a good size. The chicken blanquette was described as 'delicious...great'.

Awesome French cuisine around the neighborhood, nice food, good ambience, friendly services, recommended

Quite simply one of the best restaurants I have been to in years. So many places today feel like a fusion between a pub and restaurant, or a podium for chefs to beat their chests about how good they are, but this restaurant took me back to a time when restaurants were restaurants. From the moment we walked in the good vibes just kept coming. The atmosphere, enchanting. The service, attentive and welcoming. And the food? Classic, rich and memorable. It really was a great experience. Thanks you to all the staff for making two men smile. We will be back.

It was a lovely experience. Service was really good, I truly enjoys the staff and server friendliness. Food were a bit too seasoned for our taste but i think it was just our preference. The meat were cooked perfectly though. Presentation were all good, simple not too posh but pretty. Overall although the food was not much our taste, but we really enjoys their hospitality

My wife and I had a dinner just now. Very pleased with the food and service. Tony is very friendly. Thank you all!

An absolutely beautiful restaurant with exceptional food and service. Thank you Tony for making the experience on my first visit fantastic. I’ll definitely be back!

Fabulous restaurant - Perfect for any occasion. Amazing service, atmosphere and live music. Will definitely be back! Merci Bistrot St Jean!!!

Very polite wait staff and exquisite French cuisine with a menu that gets updated regularly. The ambiance is perfect for date night or an intimate dinner with friends.

Really delicious French food! Loved the coq au Vin and the steak is so good. The bruschetta is absolutely amazing.

4.5 Long lazy lunch. Excellent. Service, ambience, wine, food.....all above expectations. Attention to detail is noticeable with the chefs putting together really good dishes.

I have been to this restaurant numerous times & have thoroughly enjoyed every morsel of food. The staff are always very friendly, efficient and knowledgeable

Great staff, wine and food, can’t fault. Lighting a bit on the dark side, which makes it hard to enjoy the aesthetics of the dishes we’re served and to take good photos to upload here and social media.

Loved the atmosphere and the food. Hight quality, fresh and flavored, and well presented. Staff very professional, and the place cozy and decorated with amazing details. <br/>One of the best restaurant in geelong.<br/>Will definitely be back

Restaurant ambiance is quite nice, The food is avarage. <br/>I pay for a thin beef steak with overcooked french fries for $30.Disappointed for the food not the staff.. Staff is friendly.

Absolutely delicious little French restaurant on Moorabool! Just a short walk from CBD, really cute interior and music. <br/>I’d been there twice while living a few months in Geelong, and loved it both times. <br/><br/>Had the fish of the day, which was accompanied by a fennel and orange sauce, and asparagus. Delicious! :’) <br/>On my second run the grilled duck was also fantastic! Light and delicious sauce! And the chocolate dessert was amazing too! <br/><br/>Our waitress was also fantastic yesterday. 👍👍 Her Spanish and French were great! 🤣

Lovely décor and vibe to the place, very friendly staff and super delish bread while you're waiting for your meal. Maybe it's just me and French food, but I found everything had a super rich flavour was a little bit too overpowering (the fries and the gnocchi). Don't get me wrong, it was lovely, but it's not my fave cuisine so didn't love it.

You know, the simplest things are often the hardest. Creme caramel for instance, is often milky, bland, too cold or too sweet. Not this one. Perfect balance, just the right mix of syrupy sweetness, creme fraiche to cut through and thoughtful condiments. The same with the confit cassoulet- everything beautifully balanced but maintaining hearty goodness. I'll admit I'm a bit of a Francophile. I even drive a Renault. But thus was classic bistro cooking at its best. And with decor that made you feel like you were on Rue St Jacque rather than Geelong. Who would have thought? Go. You won't be disappointed.

Went here for dinner last night for my 30th birthday with my vegetarian girlfriend. The venue is small, but cute with low lighting and nice ambience. There was only one main that was suitable for my gf (Mushroom Gnocchi) but she enjoyed it. I had Pork wrapped in pastry served on a potato fritter with a bed 'zucchini coleslaw' and a thin gravy that likely contained juice from the pork and some red wine. We also ordered a side of buttered greens and chips.All meals come with complimentary baguette & butter.The pork was just how I like it - cooked through but not overdone, and the accompaniments were great as well. The chips were better than we expected and the buttered greens side contained beans, spinach leaves and brussel sprouts, they were nice too.The serving size was just right, and we felt full and satisfied and still had room for dessert and coffee. We had a chocolate tart served with creme fraiche. Unfortunately it was laid on a bed of raspberry sauce which was not advertised on the menu. I dislike fruit sauces, but it wasn't very strong so it was only a minor issue. The coffee was good, but not great.All in all a good meal and moderately priced (we paid $100 between two), we would consider coming back once when the seasonal menu changes again

I'm still tossing up on this one, on what score to give it.<br/><br/>It is either 3.5 out of 5 or 4 out of 5.<br/><br/>We will go with 4 because it is not as if they did anything wrong.<br/><br/>What I mean is, the atmosphere was lovely, the service was amazing, the prices were what we expected them to be. The food was very authentic, but I don't know it just seemed to be missing something.<br/><br/>Don't get me wrong the food was nice, but not amazing, as unfortunately, I was kind of expecting it would have been.<br/><br/>Sorry let me say that again, it had plenty of flavour, but was still just average.<br/><br/>I'm actually a bit disappointed in myself, as if I'm not happy then I like to give some bit of advice for the chef or manager in my reviews, but I don't really think there is much they can do here as I think they are trying to keep it very authentic and maybe that is what the issue is for me.<br/><br/>If I have to really nitpick the issues I'd say the steak I had was too tough and being on a bed of capsicums with juices going everywhere when I am trying to cut it was very annoying. But again, this might be the way they do it in France.<br/><br/>If you are still reading this and looking for a place to eat, then my advice is to give it a go, I know a lot of people that like it here, so I definitely would not say don't go there.<br/><br/>This is our second time here, first was lunch and this time was dinner. Both times we were not over the moon about the place, so we won't be going back.

Our fave restaurant in all of Geelong, delicious regularly changing French menu with plenty for all tastes, and the best service you'll find anywhere. Consistently amazing!

This place is awesome, the food is perfect, the atmosphere is amazing, the drinks sensational, couldn't fault it! Definitely recommend going there.

Perfect place for a dinner date, nice romantic feel with friendly knowledgeable staff. Twice baked cheese soufflé a must for any cheese lover

Great ambience and service. Felt really happy in this place. Lovely food and wine and the service is very attentive. Really get a feel of being in Europe here; definitely recommended.

Had a great experience here last week on a Thursday night. The whole ambience of the place is amazing. Staff were really friendly and attentive. Food was nice (cheese soufflé for entree was a highlight) although I think a little over priced for what it is. We had a great night and will definitely be going back.

One of Geelong's gems. Thoroughly enjoyed our dinner- need to book early though. Wanted a group of 6 on a Tuesday and they were already full!<br/>

Classic French Bistro, amazing food, ambience and service!!! We heard great things about this little gem and it truly lived up to all of our expectations.

We had an awful meal, none of us had a nice mesl. Porterhouse steak was so tough, although they have had many complaints they still have it on the menu. The duck was if it had been marinating in salt and the pork dish was bland. The appetisers weren't good, prawns not cooked properly. Very disappointing meal for $200

Love the French ambience and decor. Delicious food, good sized servings. Great service. Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. Would be coming back!<br/>

Really enjoyed my evening here, a piece of Paris in Geelong! <br/>Atmosphere spot on, however perhaps a fraction dark!<br/>Food was delicious and wait staff were great! Will be back for sure!

Had dinner here last week. The food was really nice - simple French food done well, with generous portions. The setting was great, mood lit and intimate feeling. It feels like a gem you'd stumble upon in a Melbourne laneway. I will be back soon!

Really lovely food and great atmosphere. Fantastic service. Their home made fries are delicious. I ordered Porterhouse steak, tarragon butter,green salad & chips. I wasn't disappointed. Steak was cooked to perfection and succulent. <br/>

Absolutely loved Bistrot St. Jean.  Was in a group of four & all meals were delicious.  The duck was beautifully done & the steak cooked precisely as requested.  Good wine selection & yummy desserts.  If it's lovely food you're after then give this restaurant a go.

Had a Beautiful dinner here a couple of weeks ago. Wonderful food, wine and service.<br/>The Tarte Tatin was my favourite, I wanted a second!<br/>The only negative for me was the glassware.<br/>Cant wait to go back!

Have been here 3 times now and the food, service and atmosphere is always great. Honest quality rustic style cooking and good value for money. The daily lunch special is always particularly good value and includes a glass of wine. Great coffee too!

My wife and I went with 4 friends and had a lovely dinner. I had the steak bernaise and my wife the slow cooked lamb. Both loved our meals. The bouillabaisse was loved by our friends. The the dark chocolate tart - great. All washed down with a lovely French Pinot. Good atmosphere too. Great night!

Great atmosphere, amazing and tasty food. Slow cooked lamb and warm chocolate dessert was great. The hosts were charming and very friendly. Don't bypass this restaurant in Geelong - you won't be disappointed!

A taste of Paris. Takes me back to when I was there. The setting is oh so french and the service is absolutely splendid. The waiters go above and beyond to make sure the customers are happy. The food is to die for. I highly recommend this place. Tres bien Bistrot st Jean!

Best restaurant in Geelong!. Our new favourite restaurant! Amazing, tasty food, and amazing service. So glad to see a restaurant of this quality in Geelong. We will be back!

Great food, great wine, great service. You step into Bistrot St Jean and you are transported to France. From it's friendly, professional maitre die (coupled with his accent), to it's authentic French food and as for the wine!!! Best restaurant experience I have had in a while. Cannot recommend it enough!!! My suggestion is to ask the waiter's for their recommendations - they know their food. Will definitely be returning on a regular basis.

Merde!. I'm very disappointed to have to give this place a bad review. It was my first visit which I was very much looking forward to and I had so hoped to be able to support a new Geelong business. However the experience we had could only really be compared with an episode of Fawlty Towers with all the jokes taken out. It was a hot night and boy did we swelter in this restaurant. There are no fans and we were seated far away from the small wall mounted a/c so had no relief. We hadn't even finished our entree and our mains were shoved in front of us, on the table that was only really big enough for two but they had squashed our party of 3 onto. My steak was cooked perfectly- can't fault that, but I wasn't offered a steak knife and the plate was far too small for the amount of food piled on it be able to successfully hack through the meat with the flimsy table cutlery. I just wasn't in the mood after the rushed service and ended up not finishing the meal. Drink service was very slow. I had to ask two different waiters for a wine list after the mains were already served and then had to flag someone down after about 10 minutes to actually place an order. After our mains were cleared we sat there for a good half hour with empty glasses, no offer of desserts or coffees. Eventually the bar lights were turned off and all the staff were standing around the counter talking, eating, texting & still ignoring us. We assumed that meant they wanted us to leave? However when we actually managed to ask for the bill it inexplicably took another 15 minutes to arrive. This establishment unfortunately lives up to the stereotype of the French being rude and arrogant, this is how our group felt we were treated and even the nice food cannot make up for that.

Bravo Bistro St Jean. Delicious cuisine, superb deserts, excellent service and extremely pleasant host.

Surprised and disappointed!. I was recently invited to attend a birthday dinner at Bistrot St Jean. Cute place, nice atmosphere, plenty of parking .... seemingly a good start. Imagine my surprise when handed the menu that there was no vegetarian options available. This is September 2014 in a trendy inner-city eatery and French cuisine has lots of fabulous vegetarian recipes, so I was a bit dismayed. In the last few lines at the bottom of the page, I noticed an entry of 'Goat Cheese Salad'. Eureka! I was going to get something to eat after all. Here's a warning to everyone out there who likes goat cheese salad. Don't order this one. When it arrived, I thought some one was playing a joke on me. There was a sprinkling of limp mixed salad leaves, you know the kind you can buy in bulk at the supermarket and these looked like they had been in the cool room for quite a few days, there was nothing crisp or inviting about them. There was 1 piece of dried baguette with a smear of goat cheese on the top, this was dropped in the center of the limp leaves. The other unpleasant surprise was a small cooked, and still hot, beetroot cut in 4 quarters also tossed around the plate. But wait ... there's more! Pushing aside the limp leaves, I discovered a very thick layer of over cooked mushy brown lentils covering the entire plate. Given that we had been waiting over an hour for the food to arrive, and I hadn't eaten since breakfast, I decided to dig in. YUK! Then the next trick was to keep a smile on my face and swallow as much as I could, and when I just couldn't take anymore, I lied and said that I had eaten a late lunch. Not normally a sweet-eater, I did decide on the cream caramel as everyone else was ordering dessert. Thank God I did, it was delicious and I nearly licked the plate. Lucky for me it took away the hideous taste of the goat cheese salad but sadly not the memory.

This is my favourite place in Geelong. Wow went here tonight and had so much fun. I would go back again and again. I think it is going to become my new Geelong regular and favourite.<br/><br/>We ordered the charcutterie board, the anchovie fillets as starters and then I had an amazing sashimi grade tuna that was perfectly cooked with beautiful carrots and oh gosh I don't even know what it was but it was amazing. The steak my partner had was the best we have had in Geelong, better than Parkers (and half the price). My other friends had the duck and I tried the lentils and they were so creamy and buttery and delicious!!<br/><br/>The service was a stand out. The host was genuinely warm and friendly and funny and was very attentive and helpful. Made some great recommendations and entertained us through the night. <br/><br/>The atmosphere and the decore are also fabulous. Makes you feel like you are actually in a little french bistrot. <br/><br/>This is my new favourite place for dinner in Geelong. I think it would be perfect for a romantic dinner, a fun dinner and drinks with a big group of friends or well anything where you want to have some amazing food and a fun time. The music was also fabulous and in my view not too loud (my partner is deaf in one ear so this is an important consideration!)

Review. I went there today for lunch, and I have to say I was a little disappointed in the menu. I had expected a menu that was quite French, but it was not as I had anticipated. The food came out quickly and the staff were terrific and very efficient, but the music was quite loud and I had to ask for it to be turned down a little as I could not hear the conversation at our table. I wouldn't choose to go back.

Love this place! Food, wine, ambience. Chocolate tart to die for!

Have been here for dinner a few times and for lunch. Service has always been excellent and knowledgeable. Food arrives promptly. Atmosphere is extremely pleasing and does take you back to a Paris bistrot!<br/>Food is excellent with a relatively small but pleasing menu. Wine list is brief but drinkable and it certainly won't break the bank. <br/>In general an overall excellent experience and highly recommended!<br/>Back to bistrot st Jean tonight. The two main courses were the best we have had there, slow roasted veal(special on the night) and pan roasted pork. Extremely good. The new menu looks delicious. <br/>The tart tartin remains spectacular. <br/>

Nicely done. This place has been open for about a couple of months now and seems to be busy every time I walk past, a good sign.The restaurant has been pleasantly decorated and is a nice place to sit. The waiters were fast, efficient and friendly, and knowledgeable. The food is rather good, a sort of cross between French and Modern Australian. We had the charcuterie as a starter between two and it would have done as a main, especially since the waiter brought more (free) sliced baguette and butter unasked when he saw the bowl was getting empty (you don't often see that in Geelong). We had charred rockling on mussels and pipis in a saffron sauce as a main, accompanied by some lovely green beans and saute potatoes. Rockling is not my favorite fish, but this is a nice dish, the mussels in particular. We were too full for puddings.<br/><br/>Wine list is not too expensive, around 30 bucks there is some drinkable stuff, and they've got some good bottled beers.