Bistro 71

The best part of my experience here was the mixed drinks, very very good. Our server was also the bartender and he was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. I had the crab cake entrée it was nicely made. They had a martini special that I’ll have to hit next time.

Wanted to try the bistro for about a year. Finally made it here on a Friday night and was surprised that I alone could get a table. I ordered the duck breast and in short it was amazing. Robust duck flavor, both sweet and succulent, the thought of additional sauce would ruin the delicate flavors that emirate from this unassuming dish. I was told that you can’t lose on this menu, which makes me a the more curious what the other selections will be like. Will visit again.

Surprisingly good little place. Went there for lunch. Had the Caprese salad and Lamb Lollipops (disappointed they ran out of Gazpacho). Service was quick and friendly. Will return next time I’m driving through.

A lovely little gem in a town full of big chain restaurants. The owners are so friendly and a delight to chat with. The atmosphere is great and food is always delicious. This is easily our favorite restaurant in Chambersburg!

The Bistro was sold last year, and it’s not the same restaurant. I ordered duck with a blueberry compote. The duck was bland and chewy. The compote tasted like warm blueberry jam. I couldn’t taste the gin in my gin and tonic and had to send it back for the bartender. There used to be amazing, chic local art on the walls. Now there are tacky wall stickers. The servers and entertainment, however, were very good.

Really unbelievable. This place must have changed owners or something. You get nothing close to what you’re actually paying for, and the customer service is nonexistent. Honestly better off going literally anywhere else (including McDonald’s).

My wife and I were spending the night in Chambersburg passing through on I81. We looking for an alternative to the fast food/​chain fare offered at the exits. Bistro 71 was an excellent alternative. We had a really enjoyable meal. It’s in the center of Chambersburg, only a short drive off the highway.
We had the lamb lollipop appetizer and the lump crab and scallops entrees. It was all excellent, particularly the lump crab cake.

Plates are huge! The food is very good. I was passing through town for a meeting and happened to stop here. I was impressed’

My wife and I had an excellent meal after a bitter cold day at the Icefest. The restaurant was crowded and, since we didn’t have reservations, we sat at the bar. We both had the excellent French onion soup; perfect for a cold night. The broth was rich, the onions tender, and there were generous pieces of beef in the broth. My wife had the shrimp po’boy with sriracha mayonnaise. She said it was well prepared and just the right amount of spiciness. I had the skewered filet of beef on risotto. The beef was tender and flavorful. The risotto was outstanding and wonderfully creamy.
We were comfortable eating at the bar. The bartender and server were pleasant. Every aspect of our dinner was as good as you can find anywhere.

Rarely do I find a restaurant that I didn’t have anything good to say about it, but my recent trip to bistro 71 was such an occasion. I had there special which sounded pretty good, sausage tomato with a garlic sauce over fettuccine noodles. There were about six tiny slices of some nondescript sausage, about six sliced cherry tomatoes and a pile of overcooked noodles that stuck in a clump to the plate. To top that off I ordered a knob creek bourbon on ice of which was a very meager amount in the glass. I ordered a second one and got the same amount. To add insult to injury they charged me four dollars for the ice in my drink.

The Unilocal reviews had my mouth watering by the time I arrived … but they are closed! Sign in the window explained the restaurant has been sold to the Norland Pub, a nearby competitor. No indication of when it will reopen. Will it be as good as «Barb & Larry’s Place»? Stay tuned to Unilocal …

When traveling through the area, YOU MUST DRIVE 5 minutes off I-​81 and stop to dine at this wonderful bistro or you will be missing something special and the gem of Chambersburg! Food is creative, well prepared and the flavors are outstanding.
Lamb Lollipops, Crab Mound, Southwestern Salad and Oyster special were are amazing in quality and taste. THEN WE HAD THE MOCHA CRUMBLE which was the perfect end to a great meal! Larry and Barb who own this place are visible and wonderful hosts, engaging the patrons and they get what customer service is all about. We are foodies and will be back. Might even come for the weekend just to dine here again.

NOTE: My reviews were for the previous ownership. Apparently the restaurant has changed hands since then, and I have no knowledge of the current food. Old review follows.
I went back last week with my daughter, and the «tapas style» ordering was no longer on the menu, nor were the bacon wrapped figs. Their menu is seasonal, and like all things, it must change. The food, however, was as equally delicious. The hamburger may very well have been the best I’ve ever had, and my daughter’s salmon was prepared expertly. I can’t say enough good things about this place, and I’ll definitely be back, even without having business in the area. I’ll do the 90 minute drive; it’s that enjoyable.

Thank goodness for Unilocal or we may never have stumbled onto this place! Had a great experience with their pri fixe menu for Valentine’s Day and all of the courses were great!
I had the shrimp appetizer, the spinach salad, the sea bass entrée and the strawberry cups and honestly I loved it all!
The ambience is pretty and although the seating arrangements are somewhat tight, our new friends who sat next to us could not have been more delightful.
The owner is very attentive and truly glad you have visited his restaurant :)
The ONLY recommendation I would make is to have a wine list to choose from so I could have reviewed my choices.
We will certainly go back to this great little bistro!

What a delightful find! Excellent food preparation, personable service, high visibility management and fun upscale bistro ambiance! Wow! We WILL be back!
Bistro 71 in Chambersburg PA.

Suzy K, your rating is very unfair! Just because of noisy ladies you gave Bistro 71 2 stars! That’s just not fair. They have very good and gourmet food and the owners are the nicest people who make you feel welcome at their establishment. Someone will look at your two stars and decide not to try this place! Next time please be considerate about your opinion it can effect someone’s lively hood.

One of our favorite local places! Owners are very friendly, we haven’t been in yet that they haven’t stopped by the table to say «hello.» Food tastes fresh and different from all the big box restaurants. Great «date-​night» place.

Nice!
Mussels were really good! More bread please!
I don’t have more food reviews yet. Just walked in for a drink.

You know what? It was my fault that I didn’t love Bistro 71. (I think.)
The lady and I stumbled in after a lovely dinner elsewhere. We were already tispy and giggly. We just wanted dessert (and more drinks) before we walked back to Wilson’s campus.
So we plopped down at the bar, ordered sweet things, and made quiet conversation. We ignored the other patrons, and they ignored us. We ignored the bar staff, and they ignored us. All is right with the world.
Then the owner-​lady sidled up. I made a really stupid mistake and admitted that I went to Wilson, which started her on a major sales pitch: «Oh, we want to be a town-​and-​gown dining stop! You should bring friends, pass out these flyers, get us publicity, tell your professors!!!» On and on and on! Drinks come. She keeps pitching. Dessert comes. She keeps pitching. This crazy woman has inserted herself between me and my sweetie in the middle of an otherwise very nice date and will not SHUT UP!
I get it. I should bring business to your restaurant because you have no clue how to get the Wilson crowd through your doors. But really, should that be my problem, as a customer? No, I don’t think so.
Months later, I don’t remember what I ate or drank because I was too busy trying to end a sales pitch for a restaurant I was already eating in. Maybe the owner-​lady is less pushy now. Maybe she’s figured out how to get the Wilson crowd through the doors. (Dubious.) Maybe she’s realized it’s a lost cause. All I know is that I have no interest in visiting again.

Amazing. Go there — NOW!
This place looks like a glam bar /​restaurant in New York City but with the friendliest, most lovely atmosphere. It’s relaxed, it’s comfortable, it’s cool as hell. Larz and Barbara who own/​run the place are so nice. So welcoming and friendly and they’ve done a such a superb job of this place. Ok… here we go…
Food. The BEST. BEST! And I’m a Brit who gets to go to Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver restaurants back in London…
1. Crab cakes — phenomenal. Like no other. Meaty, next to no breadcrumbs. Taste incredible. I get them every time.
2. Lamb lollipops — equally great. Tender, fall off the bone and presented in a zesty, tangy glaze. I could eat them all day!
3. Rack of lamb. I’m salivating as I think about it…
4. Bread pudding, cheesecake… all of the deserts are incredible.
5. Brunch — go now, people — now now now!
6. All of the above, have them together — TWICE!