Bistro 1888 - South Boston

During our visit to Virginia, we decided to dine at this restaurant, which had been acclaimed as the best in the state. We made reservations in advance. The service was slow from the start, but our server was working hard. I opted for the tasting menu, but was disappointed to find that my seafood chowder had only one small piece of seafood and was overly salty. When my scallops and shrimp finally arrived, they were delicious and perfectly cooked. The cheesecake with walnut crust for dessert was just alright. While our server apologized for the initial delay in serving us, we would have expected a manager to apologize for the overall slow service and check on our satisfaction with the food. It was clear that we had been waiting for a long time. We visit the area twice a year and were disappointed that this dining experience did not live up to its reputation.

Came here with some co-workers for a nice meal and that is exactly what we got. I ordered the crab cake and scallops and they were quite delicious. The beans seemed pretty basic and although the flavor of the potatoes was good, it could have been warmer as they seemed to be room temp. My co-workers ordered steak and they both they were amazing... with one saying they are going to be quite now and pretty much didn't say a word the entire rest of the meal : . I would highly suggest people come here and try it out.

It's a lovely spot in downtown South Boston Virginia. You are instantly transported back in time to old Americana as you walk Main street to the doors of Bistro 1888. I was promptly greeted by the hostess who seated me in the well decorated dining room. Smooth jazz played softly in the background as my waitress takes my drink order. I had read the Yelp reviews and looked at pictures so my tummy was ready for the chicken and Angel hair pasta. I decided to also have the portobello mushroom appetizer. The mushrooms were lightly battered and served with a smooth roquefort dipping sauce. Omg it's light but full of flavor. My salad was interrupted by my entree arriving early. The pasta was so light, the wild mushrooms were so crispy I could have just eaten them alone. You get pieces of sun dried tomatoes, slithers of onions and parmesean cheese to marry in with the moist chicken breast. It's always good when a picture matches taste. Sadly I didn't have any dessert this time but that means I will return soon. So glad I popped in....til next time:

Excellent. The setting is somewhat formal, but it wasn't overly so. That being said, I didn't feel comfortable opening my laptop while eating. Anyway, it's very nice and there is a small bar area. The steak was very good. There was slightly too much sauce on the filet, but still very good. A plain well-cooked steak can stand on its own. Good vegetables, too, BTW.

We visit VIR once or twice a year and always make sure to reserve a table at Bistro 1888. The food is consistently delicious and the service is excellent. Make sure to save room for dessert, as it is not to be missed. Every dish we have tried has been of exceptional quality and we highly recommend it to anyone in the area. Even though we stay in Danville, we always find it worth the drive to South Boston just to dine at Bistro 1888.