Dan’s Bistro

It’s disappointing that Dan’s is closed, as we had a great dining experience here on a recent trip to Sedona. The restaurant is small but comfortable, and the service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The food was simple, but extremely well-​prepared, well-​seasoned, and just delicious. The menu is a bit eclectic, but in a good way.
For a starter, my dining companion and I shared the humus and tapenade plate, which was quite good. I had the bone in rib eye, which was done to perfection, with a great char on the outside and medium rare in the middle. My dining companion had the filet, which he also thought was delicious.

This Restaurant is now CLOSED

Yesterday afternoon we spent a little time chatting w/​Eileen and Dan at Trailhead Tea, drinking their delicious iced teas. Alan asked them for restaurant recommendations and Dan’s Bistro was among them. It’s BYOB, which was very nice, since I had an open bottle of Shiraz and Alan had three beers. We brought the wine and one of the beers. Corkage is $ 6 per bottle or six pack. Dan’s is located in a tiny strip mall next to Tortas de Fuego. At first we thought the space had housed Fournos, but the hostess said Fournos had been further down the road, that this space had housed New York Bagels before they moved to their current location. She confirmed our sense that the bagel quality had changed for the worse.
The restaurant is divided into two rooms. The room where you enter has cement floors and I think the floors in the adjacent room are carpeted. Alan gave them our bottles. I found the dining room lovely. The walls and ceiling are the colors of a Provençal tablecloth, three walls warm, mustardy yellow, the 4^th a rich tomato red and the ceiling a dark blue. The light fixtures on the walls were graceful and unusual, w/​multiple lights suspended downward from each sconce. Lighting overhead is provided by modern stacked glass lights attached to ceiling fans. The lighting was dim enough to require an iPhone flashlight to read the menu, but certainly no worse than any other restaurant I’ve been in in the past several years.
We were seated and given menus. Almost immediately we were brought an amuse bouche of half a deviled egg which was delicious. We ordered crab stuffed mushrooms to start. Alan ordered the beef bourguignon en croûte, I ordered the bouillabaisse and Jim ordered the baked penne pasta w/​shrimp added. Jim ordered a classic Caesar salad and Alan and I shared the tossed chopped salad to share. We were brought a basket of half croissants and a bit of grilled onion butter. Obviously house made and lovely. The mushrooms were delicious. The tossed salad was an enormous portion for $ 9, a mixture of chopped romaine, tomatoes, peas, red onions, celery, avocado and blue cheese crumbles. We ordered it w/​blue cheese dressing, which turned out to be delicate and tasty. The avocado was perfectly ripe and the salad was excellent. Jim liked his Caesar. The taste I had of Alan’s beef bourguignon was rich and delicious. My bouillabaisse was wonderful, w/​a delicious broth that was absorbed by three thin croutons and full of fresh and flavorful seafood. Jim enjoyed his pasta, which was a heaping portion. We had no room for dessert. Service was attentive, w/​silverware swapped out when used.
Paying the bill was complicated, as we had a Visa for sitting through a presentation. Jim had the last vestige of his Visa and then he needed to use a credit card for the remainder. First the waitress made a mistake on the bill, which Alan caught and she immediately recognized. Then, once we sorted out all the various payment mechanisms we made a mistake on the credit card bill which would have given her a $ 112 trip or something. She caught it before we left the parking lot, followed us out to the car and brought it to our attention, for which we were very grateful. We told her the amount we wanted to tip and she corrected it. It was excellent service to complement the excellent food.

Fun place, good service, and food is above average quality and presentation. BYOW establishment, but we didn’t have wine as we had flown all night from Alaska and wanted a nice meal without the alcohol. Seated without reservation, but reservations are recommended. Food is served Bistro style over a period of 1 to 2 hours depending on you. No rush, and the service is excellent! Food presentation and flavors very good. Portions are on the large side, so order carefully. Everything on the menu looked great. $ 85 for two including a 20% tip, so about average value for what we ordered… appetizer, salads, and entrée. Could have done without the appetizer as it was quite filling and left us little room for the entrée… our problem, not theirs. Would recommend, and would go again packing a bottle of wine.

This was a weird experience. The food was good (sauteed trout, as well as a different take on weiner schnitzel), even if the blend of influences are a bit bizarre and discordant. The décor is very boxy, the lighting uncomfortably dim, and our waitress, though professional, was unnecessarily loud and «in control», and in a place where the acoustics are harsh, it was too much. Finally, with our reservation for 7:15 PM, I was not happy to find out they had already run out of their signature dish (beef bourgouignon en croute). What the heck?
3.5 stars for the food, 2.5 for the ambiance.

Average food at tourist prices. We had the ribeye steak, which was undercooked and tough. Baked potato was too cold to melt butter. Creamed spinach was the consistency of soup and quite bland. Veal schnitzel had a good flavor but was heavily breaded and tough as well. Caesar salads were average. Service was attentive and leisurely. You can bring your own wine, which is a plus if you live in town and have a nice wine cellar. Overall, I wouldn’t rush back.

My fiancé and I just came back from a week I Sedona. We loved Dan’s much that we ate there twice!!! Both meals were incredible! I never had smoked trout and it was incredibly delish. Steak great. Croissants to die for. Really sweet and fabulous service. Make a reservation and come here. You will be so very glad that you did. We are still full from last night!

An excellent place in Sedona! In fact, this seems to be THE PLACE to go at least one night while you are there. You should definitely make reservations, they are a relatively small, intimate venue, and the chef can only cook a certain amount of food at any given time.
***They DO NOT have a liquor license, so they allow you to bring your own wine or beer with you. They charge $ 6.00 to open a bottle and $ 6.00 per six-​pack of beer***
The menu changes frequently and offers you mouth watering selections of Duck, Lamb, Steak, Fish, Pâté, and more. There are a couple of other places in Sedona that I would say are comparable in food quality and variety, however they are about twice the cost of this cozy establishment.
Food 5
Prices 5
Environment 4

YUM! I was recently in Sedona with my family and only found Dan’s Bistro because of Unilocal — and I’m so glad that I did! My family and I enjoyed eating here so much that we came back again for another dinner the following night.
When we were first seated, we were not given menus right away — which I thought was odd at first, but then realized that they were trying to give us a relaxed dining experience which I really appreciated. They immediately served us a little amuse bouche, different each night, which was delicious. After that, we were given menus, and after we ordered we were given not boring french bread, but DELICIOUS, warm, fresh-​out-​of-​the-​oven croissants with this amazing merlot butter that was reason enough to come back for a second night.
Our entrees were all amazing. Over the course of two nights we tried —
–stuffed mushrooms with sausage (perhaps the only thing that I wasn’t wowed by, but I’m not a big sausage fan)
–black bean soup with bacon (YUMMY!!!)
–beef bourguignon (complete with a flaky puff pastry crust — incredibly rich but so worth it!)
–trout (flaky and perfectly cooked)
–strip steak (fabulous!)
–seafood something — this was a stew type dish and while I can’t recall the exact name, it was very nice
–petite filet — one of the best I’ve ever tasted, no joke!
–spinach salad with chicken added
–chocolate explosion dessert (chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, cheesecake bites — YUM!)
–irish cream cheesecake
It sounds like we seriously pigged out, but there were four of us, so it evened out. Be warned, though — their portions are BIG and while their service is not lightening fast, it is well worth the wait. I also think that this restaurant is very reasonably priced and the servers are just delightful — very kind, willing to be flexible with special allergy requests, and ready to offer info about Sedona if you ask.
AND, as others have mentioned, this is a BYOB restaurant which I actually love as it severely cuts down on the cost of a night out. The corkage fee is just $ 5 per bottle or six pack.
If you’re going to be in the Sedona area, don’t waste time eating at tourist traps with overpriced mediocre food. Stick with hidden-​gem Dan’s — I know I will.

We recently had a great dinner here that deserves mention. We found this place thanks to Unilocal.As a side note, the two 1 star ratings are from people who did not actually eat at Dan’s Bistro! Really? This really annoys the bejesus out of me. It is like giving a movie a bad review because the tickets were sold out and the theater wouldn’t give you a complementary bucket of popcorn to drown your sorrows in.
The restaurant is in a strip mall, but the décor is attractive and the atmosphere is pleasant. Easy parking. Best yet, it is BYOB with $ 5 corkage fee
I particularly liked the fact that our server, Michele, recognized that interrupting a conversation with inane comments like «Is everything great?» is the antithesis of attentive service. She was professional, personal, well informed, and very nice.
The food is eclectic with mid Eastern, German, Portuguese, French and other influences.
We started with the carpaccio which was very good. The plate with homemade hummus and olive tapenade was good, and there was more than enough for the three of us. The chopped salad was adequate, but nothing special.
Veal Schnitzel had a nicely browned, crunchy, crust that surrounded tender veal. The mushroom sauce was very flavorful.
Beef bourguignon en croute is a house special. I would like a little less pastry, but the beef and and the sauce were great. There was a tremendous depth of flavor and perfectly balanced wine flavors.
The Seafood Portuguesa is something I normally would never order in a restaurant; there are just too many ways to be disappointed. Our server, recommended it so I bit. The broth was a little bit salty but the flavor was absolutely fantastic; Concentrated fresh sea flavors and rich without being cloying. There were plenty of scallops, shrimp, fish, and mussels all of which were perfectly cooked. Slices of a remarkably good linguica added even more flavor and texture.
Dan is clearly an accomplished chef who understands what it takes to make a great sauce. The fact that we were able to drink really good wine without going broke is an enormous positive. I would definitely go back on a regular basis.

i am normally against reviewing a restaurant that I didn’t actually eat at, but after our experience with Dan’s I felt compelled to. We should have taken the advice of the folks at our hotel who said that their chef doesn’t recommend it, but it was just up the road and the reviews here were so positive we decided to give it a try. We walked in at 8:10 and there were maybe 3 tables that weren’t empty. One of the waitstaff came out of the kitchen and walked right past us without even acknowledging us. She went to one of the three tables and delivered their food and then informed us that their last seating is at 8:00. Did I mention it was 8:10 and the place was almost empty? They obviously don’t really care about business.
I was also surprised by the description of this restaurant as being classy. It is in a strip mall and you walk in and it looks like it’s in a strip mall. It had no ambiance at all. Just a bunch of tables in a wide open room. Nothing about this experience made us want to go back.

Great unpretentious European dining hidden in a strip mall, BYOB only ($ 5 fee), excellent beef bourguignon.
This is an easy to miss spot on the main drag in a strip mall in West Sedona. On the couple of nights we have been in, there’s only one or two servers and it’s pretty easy for them to go from no business to very busy quickly. You may have to wait a bit to until the server returns to the front. It’s a small place there is no hostess and sometimes no busser.
Once seated the server will uncork your wine or pour your beer ($ 5 fee for either of these). After ordering you’ll may get a surprise small appetizer from the kitchen. The bread and butter served changes, but usually includes mini croissants. Hoard these and hide them from your fellow diners. Dole them out as prizes or keep them for yourself. They are great! I’ve had the carpaccio plate but didn’t like it, too fatty. The chop salad is really good though. For dinner, you really need to try the beef bourguignon. This is the reason we go to Dan’s! The desert selection changes often but the chocolate pie-​type thing we had was excellent.

Dan’s Bistro is the perfect choice in Sedona if you are looking for a quality dinner without the steep price that usually accompanies quality in Sedona.
The dishes are well prepared and being able to bring in your own wine is a huge plus.

AMAZING! My husband and I went here for our one year wedding anniversary and we were not disappointed at all. Having run into some bad restaurants in this area, we looked for hours for a good place to go. We are so happy we found Dan’s Bistro. As we waited, instead of french bread, they gave us warm croissants, which were delicious. That kind of set the mood for the dinner we were about to have. I got the Petite Filet Mignon, and my husband got the veal. Holy moly, both were SPECTACULAR! I would go back there just to have these meals again.
It is a little pricey, but totally worth it. Casual atmosphere, nice setting minus wilting carnations.
They don’t have a liquor license, so you can bring your own wine. Corking fee is only $ 5.
Food is amazing. You have to try it out.

RIP Dan’s Bistro, a fantastic small restaurant. On the very short list of restaurants that we ate at TWICE on a vacation/​trip.
Best wishes to Dan who closed due to health issues.
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BEST dinner of a week of good food in Sedona. Vince, another serious foodie formerly from the Bay Area, at Alcantara mentioned it and it checked out HERE on Unilocal.
$ 5 BYOB!
Very low key strip location, across from Red Planet Diner.
Inside– quiet, understated simple décor, white tablecloth. WONDERFUL.
Richard was our server and his recommendations were so good we almost came back and had the same exact meal… Beef Bourguignon, Seafood Linguistica, Spinach salad, Side Asparagus…
We went late and had the place to ourselves after awhile and had a wonderful time
and conversation with the guitar player whose name is John Dz. If you talk to him you know from his voice that he SINGS too, and we bought a couple of his CD’s and played
«Is As Does» ALL week driving around the red rocks, Phoenix and Jerome.
His classical music in the restaurant was magic. Say Hello.
I almost NEVER give a restaurant 5 stars on a first visit. Can’t wait to come BACK.

I was looking for another restaurant under the same address. But I was still open-​minded to going in and checking it out.
After looking at the menu, the waitress said that reservations were needed — even though most of the tables were empty. I walked out. Why stay if my business isn’t wanted? Bad service.

I went here recently for a bachelorette party. They have a private room in the back that easily seats roughly 20. I must say I was a big fan of the BYOB status of this restaurant and the corkage fee is reasonable at $ 5/​bottle. I had the Moroccan Shrimp and I was very pleased with the meal. The shrimp were large and well cooked, not rubbery, and the rice pilaf was spot on. The portions are good to split in case that’s something you’re looking to do. The servers were very personable and attentive. I’d come back the next time I’m in Sedona.

I really wanted to like this place more, but it was lack luster. Went there on a weekend trip from the Bay Area and after much of the reviews, we decided this would be the spot. Sounded like they had a range and nothing too heavy, so I was game.
Food: For starters, we had the Carpaccio. That was VERY good. The complimentary bread was no ordinary bread, they were warm crossants and it came with this garlic-​like butter. I ordered their special Duck with Rice Pilaf. The duck was a bit overcooked and just tough. It was tasty and flavorful but it just didn’t hit the spot. My friend had the Seafood Portuguesa and the presentation was good, but I wish it tasted as good as it looks. The seafood thrown in this broth according to my friend and myself wasn’t much. For him it was somewhat bland and for me, it was just too salty. It wasn’t savory at all and it just didn’t do it.
Drinks: BYOB. They charge corkage, but for only $ 5 a bottle.
Service: Our waitress came to check on us infrequently. The busers did come by often to check on our water. The service is mediocre.
Atmosphere: There is a calming ambiance and it’s a bit on the dim side. We sat in one of the rooms in the back with 3 other tables there. It can be a bit loud since there seems to be an echo in the room. I liked that they had live music playing, so it set a nice tone to the restaurant.
Bottom line: For this price, I expected a little more. If I’m back to visit, I might consider again, but I would definitely explore other options too.

I decided to try Dans bistro after reading reviews on Unilocal.I visited for lunch. I ordered the greek salad and the hummus plate.
The salad consisted of romaine, some olives and some semi sliced tomatoes feta and a pepperocini. It wasn’t chopped or mixed. Honestly, it was pretty boring. Even wildflower down the street has a Greek salad that is much more interesting.
If you are a small owner operated bistro, I would think that you would make more effort to make each offering special.
My suggestion would be add some cucumber or garbanzos, red peppers etc. Slice the tomatoes and peperocini’s…and mix the salad and toss the salad. It’s impossible to do it yourself because the salad is on a plate, not in a bowl.
The service was good, and I will try it again, maybe for dinner.

This place is awesome. We went to dinner and had such a good experience, that we returned for lunch the next day with my wife’s family in tow.
For dinner we had the filet and rib eye. But before that we had the portobello fries and steak carpaccio (special of the evening). Both were excellent, but if you are a fan or mushrooms, the portobello fries are a must.
We dined in the back room and there was no one else seated there. It was very intimate and calm… for a while. The only reasons I deducted a star, was that a group came in for the front room part way through dinner and since the walls were so thin and there was no real door, just a curtain, I could hear almost every word of their exuberant conversations. And our lunchtime visitor (explained later) was a little of a downer.
Now for our steaks. Minimally seasoned, but cooked perfectly. I could not believe it. With our luck lately, I was sure we were going to be sending, at least, one back. But that was not to be. They got the meat right the first time. The steaks were tender and flavorful.
We were so happy with the quality of the food, that we brought my wife’s grandfather and wife back there the next day. The menu was a little different. I we had the, turkey montecristo, mortadella and rainbow trout, but when we asked if they could make the steak and portobello fries from the dinner menu, they acquiesced.
Not only did the steak and fries come out perfect again, but the sandwiches and trout were also excellent. The only drawback to lunch, was one, pesky, irritating fly. For all the Buddhist, please stop reading now… at the end of lunch I finally downed the buzzing bug, smacking him with a cloth napkin thanks to the dinner items. But I would have thought they would have a little better pest control there.
Other than the 2 minor negatives, this place is fantastic. If you are ever in Sedona, this place warrants a try.