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Bistro 5, Medford, MA

Bistro 5

4.6
4.6
2016 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
Top Tags:
Bistro 5 is located in Medford, MA just minutes from downtown Boston. "A quintessential neighborhood spot" boasts The Boston Globe.
Chef/Owner Vittorio Ettore and his team serve the finest Italian fare with French and Spanish influences while focusing on farm-fresh local ingredients. The ever changing Chef's Tasting Menu keeps Boston's most distinguished palates returning time and again for seasonally fresh dishes that embody the warmth and richness of Chef Vittorio's own hospitality.
Bistro 5 also offers a full bar and extensive cocktail and wine list featuring unique wines at exceptional values.
The restaurants 2 dining rooms are richly appointed and can accommodate parties of up to 100 guests, making Bistro 5 the perfect venue for your next office party, family gathering, or special event.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 18 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Cuisines
    Italian, European, French
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (781) 395-7464
  • Website
    http://www.bistro5.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Vittorio Ettore
  • Catering
    Bistro 5 caters to a spectrum of events from casual cocktail parties to formal sit down dinners. We provide innovative cuisine to please any palate using the freshest, local ingredients, and professional service. For more information, complete the form on the private dining page at www.bistro5.com or call to speak to our event coordinator.
  • Private party facilities
    At Bistro 5, our personal service approach ensures we execute every detail of your event beyond your expectation. Bistro 5 has the heart and personality of a local favorite but also boasts the sophisticated Northern Italian fare found in a destination dining experience.
  • Private party contact
    Jodi DiFrummolo: (781) 395-7464
  • Location
    5 Playstead Road, Medford, MA 02155
  • Neighborhood
    Medford
  • Cross street
    High Street
  • Parking details
    There are several places to park your vehicle. 1. On High Street in West Medford Square, meters until 7pm 2. Along the commuter rail on Playstead Road, metered until 7pm. 3. Municipal parking lot behind Bargain Spot Liquor Store; in West Medford Square on the opposite side of High Street.
  • Public transit
    From North Station you can take the commuter rail on the Lowell Line outbound one (1) stop to West Medford. We are directly across Playstead Road from the train platform to the right of the bank. It is approximately 11 minutes from North Station.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • $1.50 Oysters every Tuesday

    Multiple dates available
    Tue - Thu - 5:00 PM - 8:45 PM,Fri - Sat - 5:00 PM - 9:45 PM
    Enjoy $1.50 local oysters every Tuesday, while supplies last only!

What 2,016 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

2,016 Reviews

  1. ChristineB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Bistro 5 never fails to be delicious. We took my parents here for a nice dinner on a Friday evening, and the food and service were nearly perfect. Such a yummy, interesting menu, and a very welcoming place. Look forward to our next visit

    Is this helpful?

  2. JenniferS

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was Fantastic as were the Interesting House Cocktails. The people there are very nice. yet not too formal. It's not cheap, but worth it.

    Is this helpful?

  3. AnitaC

    Greater Boston

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on September 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Bistro 5 is always a lovely place to go for dinner. We started with oysters - always delicious and at only $1.50 because it was Tuesday night an extra special treat! Then beef carpaccio which is sublime. Venison for me and salmon for my dinner partner. Followed up with chocolate dessert for him and olive oil cake with basil yogurt gelato - fantastic!

    Is this helpful?

  4. ScottP

    Greater Boston

    45 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    45 reviews

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful dining experience and great service. A+!

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    The food was ok. Good service and food came at just the right time. Great ambience.

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  6. DanG

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food, great service, really cute space. Definitely recommend

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always a wonderful meal and great service too! Look forward to our next visit!

    Is this helpful?

  8. SamK

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 12, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    Bistro 5 was great, the food was creative and tasty, we really enjoyed a night out from the kiddos, will definitely head back soon!!

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  9. Dale

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Always delicious. Haven’t disliked a single thing from their menu yet!

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  10. JenniferH

    Chicago

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 6, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Lovely staff and cozy option in Medford. The food was tasty, however the portions were bit on the small side so if you are hungry it's best to get a starter along with your main course.

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  11. LindaS

    Greater Boston

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on September 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We went to try the chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings. It was outstanding. Service was cordial and helpful and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

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  12. Dirck

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on August 30, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Very good and lots of fun. Especially the Food Tasting.

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  13. NoraM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Friendly and knowledgeable service and delicious food -perfect for our anniversary dinner

    Is this helpful?

  14. PeterL

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great flavors, attractive plating, and attentive service. Look forward to returning many times

    Is this helpful?

  15. CandaceJ

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This is one of our favorite restaurants. The Chef's Tasting Menu is our go-to choice as it is always tasty, creative, and beautifully displayed. This restaurant, its chef owner and wait staff are a real treasure.

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  16. purrformer

    Greater Boston

    34 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    34 reviews

    Dined on August 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our favorite place to bring out of town guests, and boy were they impressed.

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  17. MeaganB

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on August 18, 2023

    overall5food4service4ambience4
    Great dinner at a great restaurant! We love Bistro 5!!

    Is this helpful?

  18. Suze

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 17, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Went for Boston dine out. Calamari and salad were excellent, desserts too. The only thing that keeps from being a regular is that it is just too loud.

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  19. JessF

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My husband and I went here for Dine Out Boston week and had a great 3-course meal with wine pairings. My husband really enjoyed his pasta dish, and my crab raviolis were excellent.

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  20. gaila

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on August 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Love love Bistro 5. It's not an inexpensive place, but the food is delicious and thoughtfully crafted and the service is excellent. Great place for date night or any night!

    Is this helpful?

  21. HarleyM

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on August 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We have been to Bistro 5 fairly often over the years. It is always a great experience. This week we went there because of Dine Out Boston. We had wonderful meals and I also had the wine pairings, which were terrific.

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  22. KarenO

    Tampa

    21 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on August 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    New restaurant for us, tried it for Dine Out Boston. Very good food. Our standout selections were the gnocchi, the calamari, and the profiteroles. Friendky, efficient service. We will be back!

    Is this helpful?

  23. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on August 9, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
     we love the bar here; the gym time is my favorite and go to drink and my husband loves to try their rotating cocktails. 

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  24. PamelaMc

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We loved our very patient server, Hallie. She was extremely sweet and very knowledgeable about the menu including the cocktail list. A few of us were late delaying ordering and we were loud and the last to leave but she was exceptionally kind with us as I'm sure we must have gotten on her nerves. Thank you to Bistro 5 for a fantastic dining experience.

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  25. Binky1979

    Greater Boston

    51 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    51 reviews

    Dined on August 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We ordered the lobster fritter special and beef carpaccio for appetizers. Both were amazing! The bartender also made tasty cucumber gimlets. For dinner we both had the veal which was perfectly cooked. Such a cute local restaurant. We will be back!

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  26. SteveF

    London

    39 reviews

    5.0

    39 reviews

    Dined on July 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Beet Salad and Halibut Ceviche apps were excellent. Spaghetti Tuna Chitarra was excellent. Surprisingly quiet on a stormy summer Saturday night. Always feels slightly pricey for a neighborhood restaurant, but no complaints about the food and service!

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  27. Bean

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The food is amazing and much better than a lot of well known, high end, pricey places around. This is definitely our go to place for quiet special occasions. I have been there three times and all three times everything was wonderful. As someone who loves mushrooms, I especially love the gnocchi!

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  28. KateO

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We always enjoy our trips to Bistro 5. We often go for family celebrations. The food is excellent.

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  29. PeteInNH

    New York Area

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on July 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Friendly and efficient staff. The ricotta plate was delicious, as were our meals: Bistro Burger and the Salmon. The Affogato to end the meal was also delicious.

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  30. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on July 6, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience3
    Food was exceptional. My gin cocktail was delightful. We loved the carpaccio. Server was great. We arrived late on a Tuesday. It was quiet, but in a great way. Room is dark with just enough light. What a hidden gem. Very unassuming from the outside.

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  31. GwendolynC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food! Great atmosphere. If I lived in area would go often.

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  32. AnitaC

    Greater Boston

    31 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on June 20, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Very full restaurant on a Tuesday night! Lots of fun!

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  33. CapeCod22

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 17, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience4
    Food was very good: tasty shared plates to start and the house focaccia bread was outstanding. Salmon, bolognese were choices at our table of 3 for entrees. Wish I'd chosen salmon over bolognese and other party eating bolognese would make a different choice next time too...it was good but nothing amazing like other reviews might suggest. Profiteroles were perfect ending to an enjoyable meal in a hip neighborhood setting. Service was not what we read about: took quite sometime for drink order, then server pressed to take dinner/entree order immediately, but left when we asked for more time after ordering starters and drinks...I didn't want to make my dinner order before I'd had a drink which seemed reasonable to me. Just felt rushed to order, other than that the server was friendly and responsive. Would go back and would also try other local restaurants too.

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  34. StephenS

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 15, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    The food and service were outstanding. However, if you are near a table with noisy people, it can be a bit unpleasant.

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  35. TeetotalingMe

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    I found this restaurant online as we were going to a concert nearby, and it was a magnificent surprise! Service was impeccable and the food was amazing - I had roasted chicken and fingerlings with a rhubarb and orange vinaigrette. My friend had pasta with octopus. Her profiteroles were top-notch. The only disappointment was my olive oil cake with basil yogurt gelato - the cake was scorched along the edges and bitter. The dining room was quite lively - clearly there are plenty of people in the know. I highly recommend.

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  36. CandiceD

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on June 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a wonderful experience at Bistro 5 to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. They greeted us with glasses of prosecco and our waitress, Hallie, was a joy (she didn't judge us when we ordered a second plate of foccacia!). The whipped ricotta small plate was so yummy with the foccacia. The steak dish came out perfectly medium rare as ordered. It's rare to find gnocchi on a menu without red sauce and the mushroom medley in this dish was amazing (I have a tomato allergy). We were so stuffed from dinner that we couldn't order dessert. We sat in the side room away from the bar and it was very nice. Great wine list choices and overall a fantastic experience. Thank you, Hallie!

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  37. ElizabethC

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We always go here for our anniversary. Food is excellent and service is great

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  38. RandM

    Greater Boston

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We were very excited to find a restaurant with an adventurous menu. We tried the octopus shared plate, very different very tender Spanish octopus where all flavors melded for a perfect bite. My wife’s calamari was the best she had ever had. Lightly battered with spicy tomato chutney. The veal Milanese lightly breaded tender with flavorful arugula salad. The spaghetti chitari was aldente, smokey with a dried black olive crumble. Very unusual dish and would order over and over again. The olive oil and basil gelato with a sherry was the perfect finish. Can’t wait to go back and try the rest on the menu. Looking forward to chef’s tasting.

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Lovely place! The servers were efficient and friendly, and the food was delicious.

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  40. DudefromConcord

    Greater Boston

    7 reviews

    3.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    overall3food2service4ambience3
    Went for the lobster rolls. Mine was mainly roll. It took forever for our food to come out. Waiter was nice. A salad that we split, two glasses of wine, two lobster rolls and tip came to over $160. Restaurant got increasingly noisy while we were there to the point that we could not hear each other over the table. We are long time fans of Bistro 5 but this is the second time in a row that it was disappointing.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

  • Physical distancing

    • Limited number of seated diners
    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables

  • Protective equipment

    • Waitstaff wear masks
    • Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Bistro 5 using the Order Online button. Bistro 5 also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (781) 395-7464.

Bistro 5 is rated 4.6 stars by 2016 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 18 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Bistro 5

5 Playstead Road, Medford, MA 02155

Additional information

  • Cross street
    High Street
  • Neighborhood
    Medford
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Italian, European, French
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    There are several places to park your vehicle. 1. On High Street in West Medford Square, meters until 7pm 2. Along the commuter rail on Playstead Road, metered until 7pm. 3. Municipal parking lot behind Bargain Spot Liquor Store; in West Medford Square on the opposite side of High Street.
  • Public transit
    From North Station you can take the commuter rail on the Lowell Line outbound one (1) stop to West Medford. We are directly across Playstead Road from the train platform to the right of the bank. It is approximately 11 minutes from North Station.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Vittorio Ettore
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.bistro5.com/
  • Phone number
    (781) 395-7464
  • Catering
    Bistro 5 caters to a spectrum of events from casual cocktail parties to formal sit down dinners. We provide innovative cuisine to please any palate using the freshest, local ingredients, and professional service. For more information, complete the form on the private dining page at www.bistro5.com or call to speak to our event coordinator.
  • Private party facilities
    At Bistro 5, our personal service approach ensures we execute every detail of your event beyond your expectation. Bistro 5 has the heart and personality of a local favorite but also boasts the sophisticated Northern Italian fare found in a destination dining experience.
  • Private party contact
    Jodi DiFrummolo: (781) 395-7464
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