Alpin Bistro

"On a friend’s recommendation I decided to visit this restaurant with my boyfriend. The Croque Forestier was so delicious. The abundance of cheese, umami mushrooms, and caramelized onions was well-enough to warrant a return. The happy hour sampler left much to be desired and kind of soured the rest of the experience. The platter was one strawberry cut in half, two thin orange slices, some walnuts, a few pickled onion slivers, mustard, a bit of bread and their delicious house butter. There was no cheese on the platter and just one protein so it was a bit disappointing to say the least? I would rather have at least a couple slices of cheese than the fruit, I feel like it would make a stronger impression. The wine was ok, we didn’t like it but I’m sure that’s a matter of taste not quality. The service was meh, our server seemed new since they thought the butter was the cheese and they didn’t seem very genuinely attentive or amicable. I tried to wave down an employee to ask for a bit of help but he just waved back and kept working lol :P. I am of French descent so I was really excited to discover this little bistro and was left feeling like something was missing. I hope it’s better next time."

"Friendly service. Food was delicious! Really cool little Bistro. Parking garage available across the street."

"Do *NOT* go here for brunch on a Saturday — especially if you are in a group of more than 2 people and you expect to get out in less than 2 hours! I invited 5 friends for brunch on a Saturday to celebrate my birthday. It was a horrible experience in terms of the service we received. 1. The service was incredibly SLOW and UNEVEN. It took 20+ minutes just to get our beverages, which came out 1 or 2 at a time. 2. They got our order wrong. One friend ordered a latte and specifically requested 1/2 shot of espresso. She received an iced tea with milk. She ordered a salmon quiche, and they brought out a salmon crepe — and insisted that we didn’t know what we ordered. 3. Our food came out 1 or 2 at a time. Three of us ordered quiches is based on my recommendation from a previous visit. The other 3 people were served when 2 quiches came out. I insisted repeatedly that my friends go ahead and eat (who wants to eat cold eggs?) It was nearly 25 minutes before my quiche finally came out. It arrived, I went to the manager and asked to have it boxed to go. It was brought to the table plated, and I had to box it up myself. 4. This whole fiasco took more than two hours. One of my friends had to leave before my quiche even arrived! The manager was mildly apologetic, explaining that brunch was “more chaotic,” unlike dinner (why should it be?), that they could only make 2 quiches at a time, and that the server was relatively new. She took the beverages off our bill and didn’t have me pay for my (late) quiche. She gave us a free chocolate mousse to split among 5 people (small, it serves 2). Overall, it is THE MOST disappointing experience that I have ever had at a restaurant. Although the vegetarian quiche is delicious, I will NEVER go back to Alpin Bistro again. Quelle horreur! P.S. Parking is a nightmare."

"I love this place, but for the location. Downtown Gainesville is ... difficult at times. BUT, if you want truly excellent French food this is the place. I've spent significant time in France and Paris and I would put Alpin up against them. Kind of a hidden gem....so stay away so that I can get a table easier."

"This restaurant is wonderful. Truly wonderful. The food quality is fantastic and the ingredients are well sourced, the staff are kind and attentive, and the restaurant has a unique feel to it. It stems from the care from employees and management and the want to convey this to customers. It’s a true mini piece of France in the heart of downtown Gainesville! The restaurant has a blended laid back yet chic feel to it, with low priced and higher priced items— catering to everyone! The appetizers are great, there are vegetarian and vegan friendly options, and the meat options are delicious too. I am a big fan of the soup du jour and the savory tarte, which change regularly. I came here while I was employed and I’ll continue returning any time I am back in Gainesville. I love Alpin bistro!"