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Hours
Sun
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Tue
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wed
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thu
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Fri
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sat
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
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Details
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PRICE RANGE
$9.00 – $24.00
CUISINES
American, Bar
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Does this restaurant serve Bar / Pub food?
Details
About
Recipient of the Best Restaurant Milton and Outstanding Business of the Year: Mainstreet Florida awards. It is owned and operated by a Navy Lt. Commander. The food is creative with a fantastic appetizer Artichoke Cheesecake and their entrees are great. Favorites include the Beef Wellington and Shrimp and Gouda Grits. Full bar available, with beer, wine, delicious hand crafted cocktails.
PRICE RANGE
$9.00 – $24.00
CUISINES
American, Bar
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Discover, Table Service, Live Music
Contribute
4.0
312 reviews
Excellent
181
Very good
71
Average
30
Poor
15
Terrible
15
Cheryl W
Lakeville226 contributions
Mar 2024 • couples
We were looking for a restaurant that serves corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day weekend. After an exhaustive search, Blackwater Bistro was the only restaurant offering the dish in Pace or Milton, Florida.
This was our first visit to this restaurant and we really enjoyed the experience. Yes, this was a memorable dining experience, not just a meal out. The 100+ year old building is comfortable with an interesting charm. There's a small bar area where live music is offered several times a week.
We were here for the corned beef and cabbage... and we'll be back for this dish and many others that looked so interesting on the menu. The corned beef and cabbage was great. The meat was lean, and so tender and tasty. I'm not sure what the flavors were, but the chefs prepared it with sweet and heat flavors combined that were just perfect. I usually don't go for heat, but this was just enough heat to add a savory delight, not so much as to burn on the tongue... perfection. The corned beef and cabbage was not your usual boiled to death meat, cabbage and potatoes, but each component was delightful. The cabbage was chopped and grilled with just the right spices to bring out it's best flavor and texture. The potatoes were served with carrot fingerlings and also had a unique, excellent flavor. I've been dining out for corned beef and cabbage for over 40 years and this was by far the best I've ever had.
Our server, Madison, was friendly and very helpful. She took time to acclimate us to the building and the menu after we told her this was our first visit.
The restaurant offers both inside and outside dining. Next time, we will try the outdoor dining. Dining inside this beautiful historic restaurant was a bit loud with all the customers' chatter.
We will return to experience other items on the eclectic menu at Blackwater Bistro. The chefs here truly know how to prepare, season, and serve a fine meal that is unforgettable.
Written March 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bob6347
Sedalia17 contributions
Feb 2023 • couples
When we are in Milton, we always stop at the Blackwater Bistro at least once. The food is always expertly prepared and the wait staff is always friendly and attentive. You have to try their gouda grits. My wife raves about them every time we eat there. As usual I had the shrimp and grits which are made with the gouda grits and topped with a wonderful gouda mushroom sauce. You should make reservations if you are going on Friday or Saturday evening. This is one our favorite restaurants anywhere.
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim L
2 contributions
Jun 2023 • couples
This place delivers on their mantra “The little place with big taste”. This is a great restaurant off the beaten trail! Not only was the food excellent but the waitress, Josie, was one of a kind. She was very informative on the menu, funny , and such a pleasure to have. No complaints whatsoever! The food was AWESOME. We ordered the BBQ bacon cheeseburger, it came out hot fresh and juicy. We had salads and both were fresh, the salad dressing was homemade and tasted like what your grandmother would make. This is the best down home restaurant that makes you feel like you are having a home cooked meal. Highly recommend if in the area. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of food you get. Highly recommend and ask for Josie, you won’t be disappointed!! Will return next visit. P.S. Order the chocolate cake you won’t regret it.
Written June 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenn H
1 contribution
Jan 2023 • none
My wife and I are residents of milton. Have been coming to this restaurant since it opened., Tonight, January 31st, 2023., went here for her birthday. Only 4-6 other diners. Had drinks, appetizers. Waited an hour for our food. Was told by the manager that the delay was due to the cook burning the chicken. Waited a little longer, decided to get it to go. Upon checkout, manager gave us a 3.00 dollar discount on a 68.00 bill. Told us it was because the food was fine. What? It was late because of the cook burning the food. Absolutely disgusted by the management and leadership of this restaurant. Sent the owner a message. Doubt he will reply, even though a retired navy commander. Just awful
Written January 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tonya A
26 contributions
May 2023 • couples
Was looking for a restaurant that wasn’t a chain. Seen this had 4 stars so decided to try it. The best thing about the restaurant was the wait staff. Because the food was cold and had a very weird taste to it. I ordered meatloaf, Lima beans and mash potatoes. The meat loaf was hard like it had been microwaved, the Lima beans tasted like they were sour from being left out . My boyfriend ordered the chicken pot pie and once again it was sour like spoiled tasting from the heat. I asked for 2 different things on the menu but they were out. I think they need to step up their game if they are trying to be a high end restaurant. Because what we tried made us never want to go back again.
Written May 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LibraryChick2
92 contributions
Mar 2023 • couples
Quirky Little Place near the River
Great menu, live music, fun drink choices and amazing staff. I enjoyed the “Angry Balls” cocktail before our burgers arrived. Steven (best service we’ve enjoyed in a long time) recommended the sweet potato fries with cinnamon glaze (YUM!) as a side.
Highly recommend
Written March 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shack2015
Milton1 contribution
Oct 2022 • none
From customers who has frequented the Bistro, I was disappointed in several ways on our last visit. Let me first say our server was fabulous! Very pleasant and accommodating. However, when our meal arrived, I had requested my meat be prepared medium rare. It arrived rare. Our server returned 2 minutes later with meat that was apparently microwaved to a somewhat medium burger. Half of it was medium, the other half rare. Did I tell you I'm a chef? lol. I managed to eat the medium side of the burger and left the remaining rare side. My sister and I have come here often. She is a smoker. We always sit outside at the same table. She was smoking when out of the door comes who we believe to be the manager. Stood at our table and very loudly said. There is no smoking. You will have to go out to the sidewalk for that. That was not the problem. The problem with this is that on all of our previous visits she would smoke there. We did not know this since all of our other visits she smoked at our outdoor table on the ground. If she would have known not to smoke there and go to a sidewalk, she would have or not have smoked at all. The fact that this woman loudly stated this for all to hear in the outdoor seating area, upstairs and on the ground, embarrassed us. Quietly coming up to our table to let us know she must smoke elsewhere would have been more appropriate. We are done eating here.
Written October 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dewayne S
Poplar Bluff149 contributions
Apr 2021 • couples
Slept in on a Sunday and decided to try the Sunday brunch here and we loved the place. Indoor and outdoor seating. Friendly staff and good service. Food was delicious and they offered bottomless mimosas for 8.99. 🥂cheers!
Written April 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HeatherH
Gulf Breeze20 contributions
Apr 2021 • none
In the past I have eaten at the Blackwater Bistro and had lovely food for dinner. But this past week we visited for lunch and had subpar food. Our waitress was nice and friendly and the food came out hot but that is where the positives ended. I ordered the chicken pot pie and the side salad. The salad was fine but at first look I was suspicious of the pie. The pie mixture was very yellow and I knew before I tasted it I would be disappointed. Not sure if the cook accidentally dumped the whole jar of chicken bouillon but it was way too salty and artificially chicken flavored and had an unnatural yellow color.It was horrible. I little chicken bouillon paste goes a long way. May want to add some cream and tarragon to your recipe. Just scrap your whole recipe altogether. My husband ordered the burger and it was missing the flavor of quality beef. Our waitress then completely disappeared and not sure if her shift ended but she never let us know. We just sat there forever looking at our sad plates of food and our empty tea glasses. Eventually, another waitress felt bad for us and cleared our plates and gave us our bill. It will be a long while til we attempt another try. It is so sad because the Blackwater Bistro could be so much more.
Written April 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mgalmo
38 contributions
Sep 2021 • couples
We celebrated our 40th Anniversary here and it was a fantastic experience! My husband called in the early morning and spoke with Jennifer the Manager.  She was able to arrange a table with Champagne and Flowers ( The Purple Tulip Florist) to make it a perfect moment for us.
We started off with their coconut shrimp and fried artichoke hearts...both were delicious and highly recommended.  For dinner we ordered the Ahi Tuna which was cooked to perfection and the Creole Grouper with Shrimp.  For sides we had the broccoli, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries (out of this world), green beans and the Gouda Grits (that were legit)! To round off our evening we had to try their chocolate cake!  Totally yummy!  Lizzie, our server, made our evening extra special by being very prompt but not rushing us either.  Keeping our drinks topped-off and providing fantastic service.
We live in the North East and will tell our friends about this gem in Milton FL.  We will certainly be back on our next trip down!
Written September 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bobby31225
Bullhead City1946 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
My girlfriend and I stopped in here for lunch while I was in Milton. We got seated inside where it was nice and cool. Pretty good service and a nice atmosphere. We both had the homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes, gravy and a nice salad along with it. It was very good!! She ordered a hard boiled egg for her salad and they charged her $2.00 for the egg! My goodness you can buy a dozen eggs for less than that!! Another case of the nickel and dime you to death scheme!! Horrible, I think!
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pamela K
Port Saint Lucie15 contributions
Jan 2024 • family
Blackwater Bistro was a great find. The gumbo soup was thick and tasty and the shrimp and grits were uniquely prepared. Loved the historical significance of the house turned restaurant. All in all an enjoyable experience.
Written January 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helena Akiwumi
London55 contributions
Dec 2023 • friends
Excellent main course, but sadly, the cobbler was undercooked. Wine pours were generous, the live music was good, the service was very attentive, and our server was happy to remove the cost of dessert from the bill. Would go back again.
Written December 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lori T
Milton40 contributions
Nov 2020 • none
For the last two years my family has eaten Thanksgiving dinner here. It's always been very good. This year we were one of the first families to make reservations. We won't be returning!! They planned poorly. The manager came to our table of four and said they only had enough mashed potatoes for three plates. They could do double dressing or anything else someone wanted. A huge silence at the table so I spoke up and said I would take double dressing. I took one for the team! The plates arrived and you could barely see the turkey and ham on all four plates, Just little bits that were left in the pan. Not even slices. Remember this meal is very expensive! I asked for some brown gravy to go on my 2/3 covered plate of dressing and dry chips of ham and turkey. The waitress said they were out. What?! She said she would bring me some turkey gravy. (Now, remember gravy is thick!) What she brought and called turkey gravy was turkey broth. I even had to ask for butter for my roll. So no mashed potatoes, no gravy, no cranberry sauce, no slices of turkey or ham! The green bean casserole and the bread pudding were good. So for a family of four we spent $150 for green beans and bread pudding! We won't be back next year! Very disappointed!! When cooking for a lot of people, you need to plan accordingly! Obviously, you didn't or you gave our food to someone else.
Written November 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K&J_California
Placerville70 contributions
Mar 2021 • none
Great staff and nice ambiance. However, we ordered two filet mignon and a hamburger. All were overcooked. No moisture left in the meat. Our waitress was more than willing to make it right, but sometimes you don’t want to send it back because you’ll get your meal after everyone else is finished. This could be a five star restaurant with this situation fixed. You may want to order medium rare if you want medium, etc.
Written March 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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