Diners' Choice: Good for special occasions restaurants in Bloomington

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best special occasion restaurants in Bloomington? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

C3 Bar

4.8

4.8 (1140)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

C3….Next door, next level. What does that mean? We’re your neighbors. We live next door and we want to invite you into our home to give you a “next level” customer experience while you enjoy our “next level” design in our sophisticated, comfortable, eclectic atmosphere. We want to impress your palate with our hand-crafted cocktails and innovative, farm to table cuisine. We’ll learn your name, become your good friends and give you some of the best hospitality and service you’ve ever experienced. Let’s meet at C3.

Please note:
All reservations are subject to a 2 hour time limit.
We do not reserve tables on our patio.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 4 days ago

First time there, with friends and wife. Love the place. great food, excellent drinks, super friendly, really enjoyed our meal!

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Popular dish

C3 Burger

Osteria Rago

4.8

4.8 (139)

$30 and under

Italian

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Bloomington's most authentic Italian cuisine. Open lunch and dinner 5 days a week Tuesday - Saturday 11am-9pm. Owned by Nick's English Hut Inc. Reservations are highly encouraged. Walk-in availability is not always guaranteed.

Top review

Richard

Dined 6 days ago

Clara was an absolute fantastic server and made great suggestions.

Janko's Little Zagreb

4.7

4.7 (3978)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Open since 1973, Janko's Little Zagreb has become one of Bloomington's finest dining traditions as one of the best steakhouses in the Midwest. Perfect for large groups as well as small intimate celebrations, Janko's has been providing exceptional food and service in a casual, family friendly atmosphere for more than 40 years!

Come enjoy our famous spicy meatballs or one of our USDA Choice steaks, hand cut daily and grilled to perfection. We also have delicious seafood entrees as well as vegetarian options available.

Find the perfect wine pairing for your meal from Janko's extensive bottled wine list. We have over 100 wines by the bottle and more than a dozen house wines by the glass to choose from.

We accept reservations every evening as well as walk-in tables based on our availability. You can make reservations online or over the phone. Once you're here you'll see what makes Janko's Little Zagreb such a uniquely special dining experience!

Top review

Dined 5 days ago

What a fun place! The Croatian meatballs were great: spicy, soft and full of great flavor. Steak was rare as ordered and came with some super grilled asparagus. Nice char from the grill. Our server, Sophie, was amazing. We had a big party and she was attentive, friendly and really helpful. Everyone was sweet and helpful.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Bloomington

4.6

4.6 (118)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Time counts at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. Since our humble beginnings back in 1978, we've continued to refine our brewhouse experience to make BJ's a place where you can make the most of any meal. We want BJ's to be a place where the moment you leave is the moment you plan on coming back. We pride ourselves in our craft and attention to detail. Our guests come here for our award-winning handcrafted beer. They come here for the Southern California twist we've put on the Chicago-style deep dish pizza. And they come here for our Pizookies®, our world-renowned dessert. But above all we know people come here to make their good times better. So in many ways we haven't just crafted a brand, but a mindset. And our guests are the reason for this. And it's because of them we're continually striving to make sure every moment they choose to spend with us counts. Welcome to BJ's, a restaurant with a Brewhouse soul.

Top review

Brooklyn

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

10/10 recommend! Service was great and so was the fun!

Lennie's

4.6

4.6 (443)

$30 and under

Italian

Bloomington

About the restaurant

At Lennie's, you'll likely find IU professors enjoying pints after class, groups catching a bite after an IU Auditorium performance, or couples enjoying a first date. Lennie's friendly, cozy environment, and great food attract a diverse crowd. Lennie's supports local farmers and believes in sustainably sourced ingredients. We're also proud to serve Bloomington Brewing Company's unfiltered, artisan ales, fresh from the source.

Top review

Seth

Dined 7 days ago

Excellent pizza (traditional crust; red sauce), classic Bloomington-style, similar to Mother Bear's. I've lived in Bloomington for 35 years and Lennie's has had the best pizza in town for most of that time. (I grew up and went to college in New England; Lennie's reminds me of the medium-crust, generously sauced pizza you could find in a locally-owned place in every small small town in central Connecticut and southern Massachusetts in the 1970s and 80's.) Wonderful beer on tap. Very efficient and friendly service. Just a nice experience all around.

Truffles

4.6

4.6 (374)

$31 to $50

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Truffles Restaurant is a fine dining establishment in Bloomington, Indiana serving Modern American cuisine. Guests can look forward to a menu featuring a variety of creative dishes prepared by Executive Chef Robert Adkins and his talented staff; as well as an eclectic offering of specials that change nightly. Truffles is well known for its impressive wine list that is as diverse as it is extensive. The 56 Degree Bar is another notable feature showcasing a lavish selection of spirits and innovative specialty libations. Other offerings include handmade desserts that rotate regularly and periodic wine tasting events. Whether guests are seeking a formal or casual dining experience, a friendly and knowledgeable waitstaff is here to accommodate!

Top review

Stephen

Dined 7 days ago

Top service, excellent food at a more reasonable price than a lot of "fancy" high-end chain steakhouses. Best pork chop I've ever had, anywhere. My date's chicken was tender, juicy, flavorful. Waitstaff accommodating, not overbearing or pretentious.

FARMbloomington

4.5

4.5 (2106)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

FARMbloomington celebrates the best of the heartland and Indiana. Products and produce utilized in dynamic, innovative and flavorful dishes translate into “real food for real people!”

Top review

JulieVIP

Dined 4 days ago

We at at this charming little restaurant on a trip to Bloomington. The food was very good with vegetarian options that we enjoy. The staff was friendly and efficient and the ambiance perfect for an afternoon meal.

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Popular dish

Carmelized Brussel's Sprouts

Popular dish

Caramelized Brussel's Sprouts

Popular dish

Lugar Burger

55 Southern Stone

3.9

3.9 (13)

$30 and under

Southern

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Coming Soon55 Southern Stone Kitchen and Bar offers a casual yet elevated dining experience, specializing in sustainable seafood, locally sourced steaks, and incredible cocktails.

Top review

Kyle

Dined on Jun 11, 2025

Went for our anniversary, service was outstanding, food arrived quickly. Had the jambalaya and crab cakes, both were sensational. Will definitely go back.

Dave & Buster's - Bloomington

3.9

3.9 (21)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Each Dave & Buster’s has more state-of-the-art games than ever, more mouth-watering menu items and the most innovative drinks anywhere. From wings to steaks, we’ve got whatever suits your appetite and our premium bar assures we’re stocked to satisfy! Plus, you can watch your game on one of our massive HDTVs with epic stadium sound.

Top review

Treina

Dined on Jun 13, 2025

This was our first time coming to Dave and Buster's. Didn't know what to expect. The food was so so good, chicken Parmesan was the best. Me and my husband brought out 17 year old twin boys and 18 year old daughter. They all had fun. Will definitely be back. Servers were so friendly and the lady who seated is was awesome as well

Feast Market & Cellar

2.9

2.9 (294)

$30 and under

American

Bloomington

About the restaurant

Feast local. Feast organic. Feast Often. Serving the freshest ingredients from local vendors.

Top review

Tammy

Dined on Apr 29, 2025

Burger was really good. Super cute place and the service was great!