Retro Bistro - Crystal Lake

Came here on a Saturday night and we were seated right away. While they had plenty of seating in the dining room we opted to sit at the bar. The bar was cozy, the bartender/waitress was very nice and attentive. We weren't rushed at all and felt very comfortable. We started with a few drinks which were a little pricey but very good. We ordered the braised beef wontons. The sauce was delicious and most of the filling was equally delicious. The only thing that wasn't my favorite was the goat cheese but that is a personal preference. I ordered the wild mushroom soup as well. It was rich, smooth and amazing. I loved every bite. For our main dishes I ordered the herb chicken with mashed potatoes and my hubby ordered the rack of lamb and they both did not disappoint. The food was brought out promptly. We did not have to wait very long at all. It was a very enjoyable evening. The atmosphere was great, food was prepared perfectly, waitress/ bartender very personable. We will definitely come back.

I went for Sunday brunch. Being celiac, I have to eat Gluten Free and Retro Bistro is very accommodating. I could have almost anything on the menu, even crab cakes, which is unheard of because they usually contain bread crumbs. I had a delicious Croquet Madam with a salad and a cheese pizza that I ended up taking home. I even had GF bread at the table for no charge! There were so many yummy options that I was almost overwhelmed with choices. It 's been a long time since I had this many options at a nice restaurant. I moved to the area from the city, and this place is on par with the nicer restaurants in the city. The prices are VERY reasonable. I ordered a kid 's hamburger and it was literally a regular (HUGE) hamburger and fries at $8 for my toddler. Needless to say, we took a lot of food home. I would love to go back for dinner some time soon!

Our second visit to Retro Bistro because our first visit was so enjoyable. The atmosphere, service, and food are all excellent. We will return for a third visit.

Great French bistro food. The duck was absolutely amazing.

If you're looking for a quiet romantic spot this is not the place. It felt more like a sports bar with loud patrons disturbing the other diners as they watched a game. In my opinion not the type of ambiance for French bistro. Certainly a casual atmosphere including the employees. Appetizers the duck pate is excellent and I must try if you stop in. The escargot is also excellent, baked with a lite flaky bread blanked over the top for dipping, nice touch! The Baked Onion soup was pretty good just a little bit on the sweet side. Main Course loved the Duck leg and Duck sausage both were excellent prepared to protection. Note the sides were so so. Green beans were over cooked as were the carrots. The peppered steak was a bit chewy but seasoned well. The portions are large with reasonable pricing a bit unusual for French food. Give this one a try...no need to get dressed up jeans work!