Registry Bistro - Toledo, Ohio

David Szady

Came during happy hour. Opens at 4 but you can't order food until 5. So I ordered a smoked maple Manhattan drink. One of the easiest Manhattan drinks to consume. The maple makes it very smooth. Then ordered sweet bulgogi fries as an appetizer while waiting for the entree. Excellent. Don't let their small size fool you. Then ordered the Oak smoked ohio raised pork shank with grilled apples. It appears to be a small portion but I couldn't finish. The meat fell off the bone. Grits were great. The greens and grilled apples added new taste and texture which I appreciated. This restaurant isn't afraid to try new things which I love.

Stacy Primack

Date night Saturday night. Our reservation was for 7pm, but we were falling asleep, so luckily they were able to accommodate at 6:15. 🙂 Only a few tables were occupied. Tall ceilings, nice ambiance, would have maybe liked some additional lighting such as candle light (or faux candle light). The weather outside was lovely and they opened the doors which gave way to French doors with iron railing. they were pretty!

Our server mentions that the menu changes pretty frequently so we may not see on the menu what we read online. Fine by me, as you know from my reviews, I'm always up for a food adventure. I had a gin based cocktail which tasted balanced.

Spring Mushroom Mousseline, Pistachio and Drunken Fruit with Date & Pecan bread. - Mousseline served in a glass votive like ramekin (much like you'd see foie), was tasty, creamy, albeit a little gritty from the pistachios. The bread came like a small loaf, almost precut (could have been sliced all the way through), with macerated cherry/cranberry compote. For a vegetarian option like foie, we were pleased and ate the entire portion.

Scotch Olives with Saffron Aioli. These olives were HOT. No joke. A bit of, could you please blow on this before I burn my tongue? But, they were briny on the inside, with a perfectly coated fried crunch outside, and so yum once the heat dissipated. Nice touch on the aioli. Only 4 of them unfortunately... that's 2.25 each!

Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops with Seedy Broccolini Salad with Cherries. Wood grilled carrots and pomegranate molasses. $39. Nice presentation. Crunchy but soft carrots, broccolini cooked perfectly. Seemed a bit on the small side as far as meat goes. Two double lollipops. Cooked perfect, and beautiful gamey taste, just not too much bang for the buck.

Grilled Sturgeon, warm rice salad, fiddlehead ferns, snap peas. Not a fan of the glaze ontop, the fish portion was fine, but lackluster. I'm a huge sucker for fiddlehead ferns, and I also know that they can be overcooked within seconds, which these were just slightly overcooked, lacked the snap in your teeth you get from a bright green cooked correctly one. Oh well. With everything in one bite, it was good, just not amazing.

We shared the Mexican hot chocolate warm brownie/cake in a cup. The foam was nice, but the inside really reminded me of a fudgy cake you can buy in the grocery store, add water, and nuke in the microwave. Next time, happy to go back just for drinks and apps. Skip the more expensive "main" courses on their menu.

MRV

Our dinner club recently visited the Registry Bistro in downtown Toledo. Our experience started off poorly but improved over the course of the evening.

Upon arrival, my friends were seated around 7 PM and placed their drink orders. We arrived about 10-15 minutes later, but our waitress didn’t take our drink orders until around 7:30 PM. It then took an additional 5-10 minutes for our beers to arrive. Despite this rocky start, service improved significantly afterward, with drinks being served promptly.

For appetizers, I had the walleye dip, which, while flavorful, seemed a bit skimpy with only four small turnovers and some cucumbers. My bud enjoyed his deep-fried olives stuffed with sausage, a dish I surprisingly found delicious despite not being a sausage fan. J & L’s cheese board was decent but, at $20, not something I’d likely order again.

Moving on to the main courses, J & L were underwhelmed by their pork shank and filet. The filet was visually appealing, accompanied by a unique potato dish resembling a bone with bone marrow. The pork shank had a nice smoked flavor but was distinctly “porky.” Bud and I both had the meatloaf burger on brioche with bacon jam and coleslaw. While bud loved it, I found it good but not to my taste as I’m not a fan of meatloaf. However, the accompanying fries were phenomenal. I also had a wedge salad, which was excellent with crispy onions and a tasty dressing.

The atmosphere of the Bistro is a highlight, with a charming view of the street from elevated seating and an old-timey vibe. The dessert was a standout; my lemon pudding, though small for $8.50, was delightful.

Overall, the meal cost $93, including drinks, appetizers, and main courses, which I found reasonable. While the ingredients and menu items were thoughtfully prepared, the variety might not appeal to everyone. Despite the good aspects, I probably wouldn’t return unless recommended by someone else. As a dinner club, we rated the food 6.67 out of 10.

In summary, Registry Bistro offers a unique dining experience with a hit-or-miss menu. The atmosphere is inviting, but the food may not be worth a repeat visit.

David Abron

Fine dining doesn't get much better than Registry Bistro. Friendly expedited courteous staff and bartender. Everything on the menu is delicious & reasonably priced offering a wide variety of wine and liquor choices. By far my favorite Bistro in town. If you haven't tried this restaurant you simply must add it to your bucket list. They don't disappoint.

Brad Andonian

While on a brief visit to Toledo, we booked dinner here and boy--it surpassed all expectations! Gorgeous space, terrific waitstaff and really tasty food. We enjoyed the pheasant [sublime] and the lake fish with pop overs. The wine list is well constructed and the pricing very fair. Highly recommend!

Michael Dopson

Recently visited Registry Bistro as a group for a friend's birthday dinner. Our server, Chase was attentive and provided great personal recommendations on items he actually tried for himself. I ordered their Bourbon Old Fashioned - and it was perfectly executed! For my starter, I had their Mixed Spring Green Salad with Blueberries & Fresh Goat Cheese - which was delicious! As for the main, I ordered the Butter Roasted Game Hen with Herb Vin Blanc - which was beautifully presented, but I probably would not order on my next visit. If ever in the area again, I would definitely visit again for drinks and appetizers!

Tony Brown

Great food nice atmosphere. Great place for a date night. Unique menu. I have been here a few times and they are under staffed. Had reservations for 7:30 arrived a little early stood waiting for the maitre d' until 7:45 before we were greeted. There were open tables in the dining area. Apparently the maitre d' is also the fill in buss person and thee bartender is the fill in waitstaff. This has been similar situations the last two times that I’ve been here. Great food so I’ll be back but definitely need to bring your patience.

Catherine N

It's a very open and modern design, so with only a couple other parties there it was a little loud for my taste. The doors that open out to the street however are beautiful, especially for the summer. The filet was amazing and just melted in your mouth, while the carbonara was rich and exciting. The naan pizza we had for an appetizer was crispy and unique, really delightful. The cocktails were all amazing, and so many to choose from!
Our waitress was Lizzy and she was very sweet and helpful with any questions we had. Parking was hard to find, but there was a ball game so that's understandable. We'll definitely be back!