Been here with my boyfriend a couple times. Atmosphere is dark which isn't much to Cain about but can get loud since it's such a small place, and the tables are quite close to each other. We always order about 3 plates to share, which have all been delicious. I recommended the ceviche, which has huge pieces of fish and avocado. Can't go wrong with bruschetta either. As for martinis, I was a big fan of the lollipop drink. Extremely sweet and was hard to finish but it's topped with a real sucker so I had to try.
(4)
Riley C.
Great daily specials, great staff, reasonable prices. Never had a bad experience, just make sure to get a reservation!
(5)
Pete R.
We love this place. From management on down, from the tap and small plate rotation to the entries, friendly staff with attention to detail...we like 'Inch', we dig this place....to steal some cliches...he 'does it right' and 'keeps it fresh'!
(4)
JC L.
I love their food!
(5)
Kristi S.
Reality and service both bite here. We were shocked that it took them 45 minutes (and tracking someone down) to get 3 small plates of cold appetizers. Hummus, caprese skewers and cold chicken "sliders." The food was tasty, but by the time it finally came, we were in no mood to enjoy it. Also, if you sit outside - avoid the corner table near the street, or you may be joined by a surly guy reaching across your table to get at his mailbox on the wall, and standing there reading his mail while you try to eat.
(2)
Ashley D.
Planned on eating a full dinner here last night but only made it through appetizers before jumping ship to another place. The food was good (bacon wrapped dates and tiger shrimp appetizers) but the environment, service and pricing were less than okay. Our waitress seemed pained to deal with us at all, the tables are placed so close together, I could've eaten off of our neighbor's plates and joined their conversation...and the pricing was a tad high for Bloomington IL. (had the service and environment been better, I wouldn't be mentioning the prices.) All in all, don't waste your time.
(2)
Jim C.
Has a neat inside atmosphere and a patio area that I wasn't able to personally take advantage of because it was a tad cold the evening I went. Waitress was very friendly and offered suggestions and her personal favorites because it was our first time there. Had the sriracha chicken salad sliders and they were good. My date had fish tacos and they were average, nothing too special. I ordered the chicken bruschetta and it was very good, the breading on the chicken was great. Only real problem I had with the place is the pricing. A bit out of my price range to visit often.
(4)
Kimberly S.
Excellent food, great service, nice ambiance. First time customer who will definitely be returning!
(5)
Jen B.
Very cute and Chicago-esque eatery! Lots of fun specialty drinks and martinis, the Lollipop came with one in it! They have equal numbers of of small plates and normal dinner choices. I went with (too many) of the small plates to try out as much as I could! Sweet potato fries were delicious but didn't come with any special type of dipping sauce. Ketchup was too sweet for an already sweet food so I asked for any kind of spicy or horseradish dip. She gave me something chipolte which was too smoky tasting to be complementary. A good dip would really elevate this item! I also tried the cucumber boat which was a hollowed out half of a cucumber filled with feta cheese, red peppers, onions and pine nuts. The description had fresh basil listed but I couldn't see or taste it. This dish fell a little flat because not enough of the cucumber had been hollowed out. That made it really difficult to bite into and also meant less toppings could fit. Also needed a sauce or drizzle on it to giveit some added flavor. Kind of reminded me of a salad without a dressing. For $9, not a good deal for my wallet or my taste buds. The salmon over asparagus withbalsamic glaze was the best of the bunch. A full dinner size piece of fish was drizzled with a thick balsamic glaze and same over 6 pieces of asparagus. I think this one was $12 and really worth it. The other winner at the table was the pork tacos and they did look amazing so I will be returning for those and also for the nice ambiance. Dark and cozy with 2 levels, outdoor seating and a private looking backroom.
(3)
Sean K.
Hippest place in Bloomington so far. Great service, good cocktails, and tasty food. The menu is fairly unassuming but is great compared to most pub food. I recommend stopping in.
(5)
Zach N.
Went to Reality Bites for the second time a few nights ago. I love the interior of this restaurant. They've got a nice bar, great lighting, and you certainly don't feel like you're in a BloNo restaurant when you're inside. My date and I got drinks to start. I didn't want beer and all the cocktails looked like chick drinks, so I ordered an old fashioned. It was alright, but I could tell that the bar staff didn't have much practice making one. My date's sangria was excellent, according to her. For the meal, we went with a host of small plates. Goat cheese balls: They were different from the last time I had them. Much bigger. Some people might think this is a good thing, but I thought there was way too much goat cheese in each bite. The raspberry(?) sauce an honey weren't enough to match up to the goat cheese. Tiger shrimp: Good dish. The white wine butter sauce is excellent. Not enough shrimp on the plate. I could have ordered four of these. Crab cakes: I thought these were the best part of the meal. They were really, really good. I liked the chipotle sauce, but the best bite was with chipotle sauce and the bearnaise they had on the side. Chicken caprese salad: This was interesting. It was a special and consisted pretty much of a caprese salad with grilled chicken on top. The balsamic they used was really good, and I liked the dish in general. It could have used more mozzarella and juicier tomatoes, though. Sweet potato fries: Holy cow... amazing. The perfect cut. They're super thin and crispy. I tend to not like sweet potato fries because I think they're too sweet. (Sounds dumb, I know). But when cut super thin like this, you get just enough sweetness. The best fries in Bloomington, hands down. All in all, a good meal. We were stuffed. A few dishes could use some tweaks, but all in all, pretty good. We'll be back to explore more of the menu.
(3)
Ethan H.
This is one of our favorite restaurants in Bloomington. The small plates are good as well as their entrees. They have a great drink menu and a rotating beer selection. I would recommend this for a nice night out for dinner and a few drinks.
(4)
Katie B.
The thing I like least about this place is that it is inconsistent. a few dishes are really good but there are also many that fall flat. I also believe it is overpriced for what it is. The tapas have eclectic choices that don't always pay off. I think this place is overrated.
(3)
Tara L.
This was our first Tapas experience. We did the Caprese Skewers and the Seared Ahi Tuna, they were both amazing! I had the Drunken Chicken and the boy had Bruschetta Chicken, both entrees were great!! I had 3 Martinis, they were phenom!! The atmosphere was great with great ambiance and low lighting, made for a perfect romantic dinner! We will def be back! The only reason they didn't get 5 stars, our waitress was a bit of a snob at a few points. She would pay a lot of attention to me because I was drinking but my guy was drinking iced tea and I had to ask for a refill.
(4)
Amber F.
Visited reality bites for my first time tonight. Being from champaign I've been wanting to go there for quite some time now but just never had the chance whether it being closed or just going some place else. We started off with the goat cheese bites. They were great! I'm a huge goat cheese fan but I would recommend them adding an additional cup or dipping sauce for them as the decorative sauces on the side of the bowl isn't nearly enough for the balls. Fish tacos were really good...fresh and lots of taste. The pork tacos needed a little extra something...definitely tasted as if something was missing. Bland. I ordered the Greek salad. As it arrived at the table it was definitely not what I expected... Literally about 5 bites worth of lettuce. The rest consisted of feta cheese (my fav), kalamata olives (also my fav), tomatoes and onions. I was pretty bummed about the lack of lettuce in my salad but as I continued to eat, the dish turned out to be very tasteful. The veggies had a lot of flavor & just all around good. Just still wish there was a little more lettuce! All in all it was a good first visit for me. The waitress was really friendly and we will definitely be back!!
(5)
Maureen C.
Great spot for a double date dinner. Plenty of options for small plates or full size entrees, and a great drinks menu - excellent beer choices! We made reservations for 7:30 on a Friday night - and they were definitely needed. This place gets busy! Service was good, but not great, so that's the only knock. We'll definitely be back - it is a great option, with a very Chicago feel.
(4)
Kristen G.
The goat cheese balls are to die for. SO good.
(5)
Amanda B.
I was thrilled when someone suggested we go here before a concert. Upon further inspection, yes it is tapas, and it does have some traditional dishes, like bacon-wrapped dates and goat cheese balls (Tradicional pintxo dishes from northern Spain). They also have some Mexican-focused tapas, like tacos. Remember people! Tapas are meant to be shared, so don't be selfish! We shared the baked goat cheese (Big bowl with the baked goat cheese surrounded by marinara sauce, eaten with crostini), chicken skewers (Three skewers of teriyaki chicken, onions and green peppers atop mashed potatoes) and bacon-wrapped dates (Eight of them plus a little field greens salad) which ended up being a lot of food. I lived in Spain, know a thing or two about tapas, so the portion size was excellent compared to other tapas places in Chicagoland. All of it was delicious but I would have been satisfied with one less dish. I paired the dishes with the house Chardonnay which was surprisingly good. I was itching to try one of the flights (They have beer, martini, wine and reds) but I'll save that for another time. We had excellent service so I'm confused when I read some of the other reviews. The server was very sweet and attentive. Small place, romantic with candles on the table. Four beers on tap. Wooden decor, which, if you read my Medici review, you'd know I absolutely love! Overall a nice place in BloNo and I hope to be back!
(5)
Mike N.
I have to give another 5 star review. Reality Bites was very accommodating considering I made reservations via email. We had to exchange emails twice to get a seating time of 6:15PM on Saturday night for two. However, we were going to be well more than an hour late but I was able to once again send them an email prior to our seating to let them know to release our reservations. Thankfully they replied to let them know when we were on the way and they'd fit us in. That's exceptional service in my book. With about 20 minutes notice I emailed them again telling them we were on our way. When we walked in the Manager / Door Man asked, "are you the email guy" :-). I smiled and apologized for the tardiness, etc. The manager was able to seat us at a table in the window without a wait. The place was pretty busy at 8:30PM but I really loved the atmosphere. We actually stopped by Eleven just before for some tapas and cocktails, then had to try Reality Bites. I've been meaning to come here for several years. We ordered tacos but the server was able to give us one of each: One Pork,m One Fish, and One Salmon. They were very good and filling. My wife had Pomegranate based martini. She loved it. I had another craft beer from Chicago. It was okay but I'm not a big fan of wheat beers (like BlueMoon which is what this one tasted like). We very much enjoyed Reality Bites and I plan to go again.
(5)
Michael M.
A taste of urban dinning in a central Illinois town, YES! Reality Bites was an excellent surprise on my visit to Bloomington. I shared the Tiger Shrimp Risotto with a friend and indulged in the flight of draft beers. The risotto was delicious, the risotto was not mushy and the shrimp were plump. The flight of drafts were excellent, it was four beers almost a full pint of each Anchor Steam, 312, Smithwicks Irish Ale, and Octoberfest. Reality Bites is going to become a regular stop for me each time I am back in Bloomington.
(4)
Holly H.
This place had so much potential. Great atmosphere. Cozy and cool feeling... But the food and service just fell short for me. I'm not the type that enjoys my waitstaff TOO friendly/familiar... But our waitress barely spoke to us at all... and when she did, it was anything but friendly. I was turned off by this right away, and even though tapas are usually one of my favorite kinds of restaurants... I guess I was just not having fun. The "Warm Bites" that we ordered were pretty good... Though I don't think goat cheese balls, and bacon wrapped dates can ever be BAD. I also enjoyed my 9 dollar Greek side salad... Though for 9 dollars, I expected it to be a bit larger. The mistake we made, though... was ordering from the "Bigger Bites" entree section. Both entrees were just lacking. They were sloppy in the preparation. My husband got the scallop risotto. It definitely needed salt, but also the scallops were broken and lacked a proper sear. I ordered the "Bites Chicken". It was just... weird. With bacon, apples, swiss, and pesto... You'd think it would have tons of flavor, but somehow it managed to be bland even with all of that going on. The chicken was dry, and the bacon was burnt. Even the asparagus that came with it was disappointing. I left wishing we'd gone somewhere else.
(2)
Kyla B.
We go here all the time. Very good food and awesome martinis of all flavors. Good prices with perfect portions. Should make reservations during the weekend if you're going after 5pm. The ceviche is amazing.
(4)
Zed N.
While lost in Illinois we found gold! Who would have thought we'd stumble on excellent cuisine in the middle of corn country?
(5)
Erica L.
I have been here several times and the food is always excellent. The service varies widely though, and I have had less than desirable service more than once. I had a waitress with zero bar knowledge and each time I asked a basic question about whether or not they had a specific alcohol she had to go ask the bartender. While they are technically a "tapas" restaurant, they do not serve their food like traditional tapas. They expect people to order like a traditional restaurant, and they don't really handle the tapas atmosphere properly. My friend and I ordered several tapas items and they were all brought out at once, instead of as they were prepared. This made for a very crowded table.
(3)
Azsure D.
Very nice experience. Charming appearance and trendy decor with good ambiance. Wait staff was fine. Not exceptional service, but just fine. I love the Drunken Chicken. The sauce is divine. You can eat tapas here, or full entrees. Nice cocktail selection. Desert selection is a little boring compared to the food menu.
(4)
Elisabeth H.
A friend has been telling me to try this place for months now, but since I moved out of town I never had an opportunity. Last Saturday, an opportunity finally arrived. Two friends and I were visiting Bloomington and I suggested we try Reality Bites. I was quite impressed by the interior, modern menu design, and the wine selection. Our server was very accommodating but never overwhelming. I had the pork tacos, which were some of the best tacos I've ever eaten. Very nice restaurant and pretty affordable.
(4)
Jessica S.
heard great things about their dinner menu, so finally checked it out. Verdict? I want to try again. It was good but not great. I think I might have gotten the wrong thing is all. Except for Goat Cheese balls. that is not the wrong thing. it's oh so right. Beer choices... ok but i think i was spoiled by Flingers so still going through good beer option withdrawal. Goat Cheese balls... interesting. tasty. gooey. get again. Mashed Potato tower that came with the hubby's dinner.... i couldn't stop reaching across the table to devour it despite being full. Scallops and Risotto... scallops were PERFECT. Risotto needed salt which is so weird to say in a restaurant, usually its the opposite. I need to try something else, the risotto just didn't blow me away like I hoped. Was I disappointed? No, I just think my standards are too high, however I will absolutely try again since the Baja Fish Tacos I had there for lunch once were amazing... so I think its a case of finding what they are best at. Service was good. Waitress was attentive, everything came out hot and on time... but she didn't seem happy. Not sure if she was having a bad day, but got the sense she didn't want to be there. Atmosphere is awesome. Love the old downtown feel, we sat up top which was nice and intimate despite the place being pretty full. Love the big bar when you walk in, and ladies the bathroom is quite nice, because we all know that does in fact matter.
(3)
Shanna F.
Beware, this establishment is extremely homophobic and will very rudely kick you out of the bar if they realize you are gay. I went there with a group of friends and we were all kicked out when two girls simply kissed. They support discrimination and do not believe in equal rights. We tried to speak calmly to the owner to figure out what the problem was and he called the police. The police said they couldn't do anything because the bar owner has the right to refuse service to anyone. I would suggest NOT giving this place your money, and instead spend it somewhere that believes in equality.
(1)
Gemma B.
Beautiful place, but there are some things to work out here. One Friday night on a whim [my husband and I] decided to check out the place under its new management. The host did not acknowledge us immediately, in favor of his cell phone. (Ooh, this grinds my gears.) When we were seated, we were given a table right next to the entrance (I was very cold all through the meal) despite at least seven other tables that were completely vacant for all of the time we were there. The specialty drink served in a martini glass (not to be confused with a martini) was fine. While I was happy to see a small menu, I decided to order the chicken special. Chicken was overcooked, and the crispy potatoes were served standing up in the sauce, which almost completely negated the crispy preparation. Husband's risotto was overcooked. He suspects it was also made with something other than arborio rice. Service, outside of the host, was nice, but I don't think we'll go back anytime soon. Really miss the chocolate braised short ribs they did for Tour de Chocolat once, under the old management. Also can't recall if those excellent fish tacos were still on the menu.
(2)
Ash L.
Friends and coworkers have been raving about this place for a couple of months, so we decided we would give it a go. I made the reservation on-line (email) about a month ago because there were going to be 10 of us in our party and it was before a concert. We had no problem getting the reservation and when we got to the restaurant last night the hostess was very accommodating. Our table was upstairs in the cozy sized restaurant. It was a bit warm up there (and once you add a drink or two it gets warmer) and I didn't like sitting in the "booth" side of the table. The ledge of the shelf behind was wider than the back of the seat so you either had to A. Sit up really straight and not lean back, or B. Lean back and deal with the protrusion all evening. We started out with the house red blend, it was a good wine and a good price. We also got the bacon-wrapped dates as an appetizer and another couple in the group got the ceviche and baked brie. The dates were really good and the bacon was crispy. I would definitely order those again. The brie was OK, a bit on the greasy side. I'm glad that wasn't on my bill. The ceviche was apparently really good (not a fan no matter where it comes from) but the others in the party said they would recommend it and definitely order it again. They bring you their house bread with Parmesan cheese and olive oil to dip it in. Both of the bread types were amazingly delicious. I could have eaten just the bread for dinner and been fine. So, on to the main course. I ordered the filet for dinner (Reality Steak). It was topped with blue cheese, balsamic caramelized onions and a balsamic glaze. It was really good, but a bit on the small size for the price. It came with what looked like potato wedges. I think they were supposed to be fingerling potatoes. They were good when you added some of the glaze from the steak on them. Other than that, they were pretty dry and nothing to rave about. That was all that was to the plate, a petite filet and potatoes at the tune of 28.00. The atmosphere was great (beyond the warmth of the restaurant) and the food was good. I would definitely go back but order something else. I was checking out the dinners of the rest of the party and they seemed to be pleased with their meal and the size and taste of it.
(4)
Mike V.
Had dinner Friday night. Excellent time. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. Can't miss with the bacon wrapped dates or the hummus, they're both excellent. also had the fish tacos that are really fresh. Add in some excellent beverages and everyone had a great time.
(5)
Julie O.
I tried to like Reality Bites. It gets two stars for convenient location and the table bread being quite tasty. What bit? I ordered a Southern Manhattan. I was told the bar was out of both sweet vermouth and bitters. How can that happen in a bar, really? A Manhattan is really not that unusual of a drink, so I am not very forgiving. The food? I ordered The Bites Salad, thinking it was a signature item. I got a poorly dressed heap of lettuce without half the ingredients listed on the menu. Maybe the salad guy was off that day. I can't see myself heading back in for a second shot, there are just too many other places in the area.
(2)
Nathan O.
This used to be my favorite restaurant in BloNo. Unfortunately it has declined in every category. Service lacks,food quality is poor and I'm dissatisfied. This will be my last trip until they make major changes.
(2)
Natalie B.
It got two stars because the ambiance is fabulous. However, if you have food allergies, go somewhere else. You WILL get sick, because their staff are not courteous or trained in handling dietary restrictions. I informed my waitress I was allergic to wheat and asked her to tell the chef. She was a bit flippant, which worried me. Our tapas came, covered in soy sauce and bread. I asked her if anything was safe for me to eat, and she looked at me like I had three heads, and said, "So wait, are you allergic to gluten or wheat?" Someone who has been trained to handle food would not need to ask this question. Actually, anyone with half a brain knows that bread and soy sauce are made from wheat. We had to send the food back. It was embarrassing and uncomfortable. I still got sick from the food. ***********UPDATE************* The manager contacted me with a heartfelt apology and informed me that they are in the middle of changing their policies and updating their menu to more gluten free options. I've given them another star because his reply was within hours, and very thoughtful and consoling. I will give them another shot, because the food is very good.
(3)
Darrell S.
We had a party of 4 and everyone tried something different and no one was disappointed. To start the menu selection is awesome with so many good choices. We had the tuna tartar and chips to start and the mixture was fresh and excellent tasting. Most of the menu items are small plate however there are items with larger portions. I had the crab cakes and arugola and and the sauce and dressing were tasty and I was sufficiently filled by the time I finished the 4 small cakes. Others in our party had the salmon tacos, pork tacos, and drunken chicken. Salmon tacos had excellent seasoning and fillings. The pork tacos were raved over as well tender pork with excellent flavor. Drunken Chicken came with some kick ass mashed potatoes with a garlic influence, fresh green beens and a tender appeared to be grilled chicken breast. Great tap beer selection as well and drink menu looked interesting.Was not able to try dessert as we had birthday cake post meal but we will be back for sure.
(5)
Tom F.
Nice downtown location. Good service and menu is unique. Appetizers are always good and easy to share with a group. One of the best options in downtown Bloomington.
(3)
David D.
Service was great. The food was better than expected and we were expecting at least a good quality. The ambience was very nice and the wine list above average. All in all a great choice!
(5)
Lindsey D.
A friend of mine took me here for the first time for sangria and tapas. It was great!! Our server was friendly and helpful. By far the best part was the bacon wrapped dates!!!!! Also the goat cheese balls were good. This is a nice place to go out with friends or on a date night. Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time. The wait can be ridiculous sometimes.
(4)
Scott N.
I should probably not be reviewing this, but as an almost customer who was really looking forward to having a drink and a few small plates at Reality Bites, I feel I have to. This will be short. We drove in from Cincinnati to see Rickie Lee Jones. As usual, I looked on line to find places to eat / drink / hang before the concert. Reality Bites really caught my attention. Their food and drink menus get three stars. We arrived at @ 5:30. We were out of luck. They did not have an opening until 8:00. I suppose locals know better, but being from out of town I never dreamt we would need a reservation and there is nothing on the website that alludes to or suggests reservations. Not giving us a head's up equals minus one star. If this really is the place to be on the weekends and one needs a reservation to get in at dinner time, please consider mentioning this fact on the website. I would gladly have made reservations. Perhaps another concert will bring us to Bloomington, Il. If so, I will make reservations in advance. I definitely want to give this place a fair shake.
(2)
Tristan B.
New owners seem to have improved a lot of the problems I complained of last time. They weren't out of anything and the service was fantastic. The beer selection had also improved. The menu has changed a bit (for the better). Mostly it seems like they have made it smaller. This may explain why they hadn't run out of anything. Prices remain a little steep, but outrageous. Portions sizes for the entrees are good, but the appetizers are a little small. Previously they called themselves a tapas place. That seems to be completely gone now. A fairly eclectic selection of food, from tacos to roasted chicken. The pork tacos haven't changed much in two years and are still excellent. The bacon wrapped dates remain a favorite. The mixed drinks are excellent and the dessert looked amazing. I wish I'd saved room.
(4)
Liz M.
Only thing I really liked were the bacon wrapped dated. Fish tacos were disappointing.
(3)
Liren C.
Came here with a friend for dinner. We're both from out of town and thought this place looked like one of the better choices in town. The atmosphere is quite nice with a huge exposed brick wall to add warmth on a chilly night. Our waiter was especially friendly and attentive. He came by at all the right times to take our orders, check on our dishes and getting refills and drinks. The baked brie wasn't anything to write home about. I normally don't get pork chops because they are always dry. For some reason we both decided to give it a try since it was the special for the night. Our dishes didn't come with one but TWO thick pork chops. Presentation looked pretty good. As soon as I cut into the meat I was shocked at how juicy and tender it was. I was truly impressed (and that's a rare event worthy of its own celebration). I'd certain come back to the restaurant again to try a few other things.
(4)
Kelly F.
Seems like a great place for a "girls night out". Noticed a lot of bigger groups having a blast. It was pretty loud, so I would recommend it for an intimate date night. Food was pretty good. The salmon tacos were something different and I really enjoyed them. They were out of half of their desserts, which was a bit frustrating.
(3)
Ed C.
We visited as invitees to someone else's party. We were a group of 8 or so, and were seated in the elevated section to the rear. To start with the positive, the atmosphere is dark and woody. I thought it looked great. Now, let the criticism begin... 1) After making a single margarita, our waiter told us that the bar couldn't make any more because they were out of something or other ... at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday. They were also out of lamb chops. Really? Supply chain, much? 2) The drinks were gratuitously overpriced. This is not Chicago, thanks. 3) The food prices wouldn't have been so bad had the food not been remarkably mediocre. The spinach artichoke dip was dry and chalky. The nachos looked like something you'd make at home with a bag of Tostitos and a few slices of cheese. To be fair, whoever got the crab-stuffed salmon said it was good. 4) We were there on an August evening and the temperature inside was unforgivably hot. I'm not one of those guys who's oversensitive to heat ... this place was just plain hot inside. My wife had to get up and walk downstairs (where it was a few degrees cooler) to make it through the meal. Fully half of our party complained about the heat. I realize that the elevated section is situated directly above the downstairs kitchen, ... but you need to account for that when you're air-conditioning the place. In the end, we ate, paid, and left to go somewhere else with a tolerable climate and drinks that were almost half as much. Give it a shot if you like, but we probably won't be back.
(1)
Becky F.
I have been trying different restaurants in Blo/No since moving here 2 1/2 mos. ago. So far this is the best we have found. The service was good, no problems. We went on a Friday night and made a reservation in advance. The atmosphere is nice, bricks and wood, small space hence the need for reservations. The food was unique and very flavorful, a quality meal. They have a regular menu and then a few specials. Portions are more than adequate. Mixed drinks were good. Price is average for a nice dinner. We will definitely go back!
This place continues to impress. Lively, comfortable atmosphere, friendly and attentive service, and amazing food. Fresh, flavorful, and thoughtful cuisine with both comfort food as well as healthy selections to keep everyone satisfied. The BEST of Bloomington. Recommended!!
(5)
Chris H.
Very confused by some of the reviews. I have NEVER had bad or slow service here. I've tried several things on the menu & have never had a bad, or bland, meal. The pork & fish tacos are amazing, the mussels & lamb chops are fantastic and extremely well priced. In fact, for the quality of the good, I feel the entire menu is well priced. And this is a laid back place, so the European style pace of the kitchen is highly welcomed. If you want a chain style quick meal head to one of the over abundant chains in town where the like to coral you in and out.
(5)
Jesse T.
Last night my girlfriend and I were looking for some late night grub and after some quick yelping discovered Reality Bites. We had been out at an a Capella performance at the nearby university which went a bit longer than expected so with its description of being open till 2 AM and handful of good reviews we ventured to the restaurant. Upon entering the place I was immediately looking forward to ordering because it had that small bar vibe that promised a great dining experience and we were not disappointed. We arrived around 11:40 only to find out from the man who appeared to be the owner that the kitchen was in fact closed. He greeted us with open arms and proceeded to grab the guy sitting next to him at the bar and inform us that he was one of his chefs and that they would do whatever they could to get us food. Wow! So even with a closed kitchen we were welcomed into the environment and continue on with our night amazed at how hospitable the service was. It only improved from there once we ordered the goat cheese balls, spinach and artichoke dip which the girlfriend said was yummy except for a little too much garlic and my delicious pork tacos. Overall, the service by Matt, willingness to help fill our bellies from the other Matt and friendly nature of the restaurant captured our hearts and our stomachs. We will be back again whenever we are in the area. I can promise you that.
(5)
Shaun B.
Food was OK but the service was HORRIBLE. Just plain awful. Won't be back...ever.
(1)
Julia S.
Great wine list and awesome atmosphere. Just a cozy place that you can have some drinks with friends or an intimate dinner with that special someone. Thurs/Fri/Saturdays make sure you make reservations! There goat cheese balls used to be better. They used to be a bit bigger...ha ha bigger balls and they had more honey...who doesn't like more honey drizzled over there goat cheese balls. Okay enough ball talk. Bacon wrapped dates are a must! Chicken kabobs are super yummy as well! Spinach artichoke is okay...kind of looked/tasted like shaker parm and not fresh. Oh ya and throw some veggies on the hummus for dipping! Enough with just pita bread, add carrot and celery sticks and more olives, red onion, cucumbers and tomatoes...if you do this I will bump this baby up to five stars.
(4)
Norm A.
Love it, great warm and cold bites. Five people $125.00 including desert and a bottle of wine. Especially liked the salmon deviled eggs.
(5)
Geert B.
There are nÃce places in this icy town, and most of them seem to be on the same stretch of Main Street. This one has a cozy bar and friendly service with a menu that consists of cold or warm (American style) tapas. I had crab cakes, and though not of the quality of those I ate in Princeton - they were quite passable. The beer came from a brewery I had never heard of before: Boulevard, but their tripel (is there tripel outside Belgium?) was really good. My colleague had lamb chops and some ceviche of shrimp or crab (the lamb chops did look better than the ceviche which looked rather messy). It looks like you need to make reservations here if you want to have a table. Not sure if I'd want this: the bar looked good enought to me, but even that one was pretty full..
(3)
Ryan W.
I have been to Reality Bites twice now and each time my experience has just been okay. I am fan of having a restaurant that offers something different than the typical bar food that you find in most of the establishments in downtown, but I wish it did more to impress me. On my most recent visit I ordered the Baja Fish Tacos, which were very good. The rest of my group ordered the pork tacos, a pasta dish, and the crab cakes. The pork tacos seemed to be a hit with the person who ordered them, but the pasta and crab cakes were not quite as successful. When the crab cakes came out I couldn't believe what you got for the price. Four cakes smaller around than a quarter and very thin. The dish was overpriced for what you received and they were not even that good. The restaurant is located in downtown Bloomington, which is a plus if you plan on going out for a few drinks after dinner. The service could have been better. The waiter seemed friendly, but was hardly ever around. Just an FYI - if you are going on a Friday or Saturday night, I would recommend call ahead for reservations unless you don't have a problem with waiting. It got busy as we finished our meal and a couple of groups that came in were not able to get seated because they did not have reservations.
(2)
Meghan B.
Heads up if you plan to go on a Saturday! We have tried two recent Saturdays to go for dinner, but were told no tables were available and needed a reservation. This despite it looking PRETTY empty inside (although I do know it is a smaller space and they may have needed to save those tables for a later crowd). Still, it's surprising. And worth knowing if you plan to just swing by on a weekend night!
(3)
Julie K.
Believe they are undergoing change and have new ownership soon. Hopefully they will be back to 5 star after a cleaning and refurbishing-can't wait!!!
(3)
Mike K.
This place has great food and the service is outstanding...Took the family after my daughters graduation and it was perfect...
(5)
EM C.
Great food, great drinks, and wait staff. But... A bit pricey on the food and way pricey on wine/bar drinks. Beer selection is thin with 4 or 5 beers on tap (cant remember) and wine is overpriced for the quality. Our server guy was great and checked in as he should and hopefully liked his big tip :-). Host was gracious and very pleasant, bar tender was soso on the friendly side. I think the new owners have had a talk with wait staff to be more friendly because previous visits last year were not as nice. I love going here when its not over crowded. Bacon wrapped dates and pork tacos are the bomb! I give it a 4.
(4)
Alex P.
Didn't like the calamari. Too greasy. Spent a lot of money for not a whole lot.
(1)
John B.
Reality Bites....I really really REALLY want to like you, but you make it so hard sometimes. Your food is good but overpriced for what you get, your service can be hit or miss (and food can take forever to get out....don't go if you have to be somewhere within an hour), and you're not open for brunch on Sundays....for those of us absolutely dying for a good brunch downtown (aka NOT Michael's!). Now to the positives. Reality Bites is an absolutely beautiful space owned by young entrepeneurs who I think originally hailed from the Chicago area. It's NOT a chain...plus in my book. The staff is absolute eye candy but I think a lot of the time Reality Bites serves as more of hangout for their pretty friends than an actual restaurant. I definitely enjoy Reality Bites as more of a light night hangout or a mid afternoon appetizer place than the full dinner experience. I don't think anyone will be truly disappointed by Reality Bites, but I don't know many who leave saying WOW! either. It's a great space that is an oasis in the middle of chain restaurant hell (Bloomington-Normal.....why are you so in love with Chili's?) and I encourage you to visit to form your own opinion.
(3)
Russ C.
Upscale local bar and grill. Nice atmosphere and decor. Good martini and beer list. Service is friendly but a bit slow when busy. The food is excellent and not your average fare. Two plates per person should fill everyone up and are $8 each so not sure why some reviews say it's expensive. I recommend the Bites salad, Tuna Tartare, Ribeye Nachos and Apricot Salad. The filet medallions are amazing when they have it on special. The filet would be a welcome addition to the regular menu along with the recently added Ribeye nachos and Ribeye. On the down side, they aren't open on Sunday and Monday, which is odd since they are packed every night even on a Tuesday. Also, the kitchen is only open to 9, which is a pain for a hopping bar and grill that you would expect to be open later.
(4)
Elaine N.
My friend and I had a very good experience here tonight. We stopped in around 8 and they were able to seat us right away and were very friendly and professional. Our server was very attentive and he stopped by multiple times to check in on how we were liking the food and to suggest other items. Nicely done! Atmosphere: The place is dark and cool and a great night out! I am from out of town and was impressed. Food: We had the apricot salad, hummus, calamari and crab cakes. Everything was fresh and tasty. In particular we really enjoyed the apricot salad for its surprising and sweet dressing..delish...and the crisp and awesome crabcakes. Great drinks too...we had wine and a martini. Everyone has a different measure on expensive and we found the price to be reasonable for the high quality of the food. Try it!
(4)
Keith A.
The Dos Gringos Enchiladas were dee-lish, and just the right portion size, too. The service, though, was . . . I'm gonna go value-neutral and say "inattentive," especially when I was ready to leave and settle up my check. Dining outside was nice, but it doesn't make it OK for the waitstaff to forget about you.
(4)
Matthew T.
As a student at IWU I am at Reality Bites A LOT. Bloomington/Normal is filled with chains and so I gravitated toward Reality Bites from the start. I'll just organize this from when you walk in to when you leave... Don't show up there on a Sunday or Monday! Not open. Hostess- she could be smarter/more inviting Being seated- make a reservation if you plan to go on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. The restaurant is small, and frankly a little bit cramped. There's one semi-private table available on the main level, but aside from that the tables seem really close together. Overall a cute place, decorated to enhance the natural brick wall...I don't know if the multi-colored icicle lights add to the ambiance or not...but they're there, nonetheless :P Everyone in the restaurant is good-looking, which I do appreciate...although some let their good looks get in the way of the fact that they're working in a restaurant and not walking a runway. The service could be A LOT better, but I've had decent service there as well. It depends on where you sit and who is working that section. Apparently IWU marketing students did a re-vamp of the restaurant concept maybe 3 years ago and I think that ultimately helped. I heard the owner was hesitant to suggestions and ideas from college students but hey, it's not like he has a restaurant in the middle of a town heavily populated by college students....or wait.... But, the menu is well diversified offering tapas-inspired choices created to be shared among the entire table. That way if everyone orders one or two dishes, they can easily be shared and you can try several dishes during one night. By far, the best dish on the menu is the "drunken chicken." I substitute the green beans with sauteed spinach, I think it's better for the dish...but just a suggestion. Make sure however, all of the alcohol has been cooked out of the dish as once it wasn't...I'm all for rum but not mixed with mashed potatoes. Apparently the restaurant always sells out of the braised short ribs, which I did have once but was less than impressed. Spinach and artichoke dip is always an order staple, and the fried calamari is probably the best I've had in Central Illinois. Some other favorites are the baked brie with fruit preserves as well as their caprese salad. If I am ever entertaining a guest in Bloomington the first place I will try to bring them to is Reality Bites. Luckily my first few impressions of the restaurant have been good ones and although service isn't always the best, it's probably the most consistent restaurant I have been to in the area that is not a chain.
(4)
Jim A.
These guys try hard. And they get it right 90% of the time. Good solid B-. I applaud their effort in giving Bloomingon-Normal an alternative to Applebees. There regular menu shines. When there are problems, its with the specials. Don't try too hard guys! Good wine list too.
(3)
Meredith H.
i like that reality bites is trying to break away from the "bloomington-normal, world capital for chain restaurants" scene. i've been here for a birthday party with a large group - we had the top floor area reserved. service was a little spotty, but the group was big and the server made up for it by splitting checks. the menu is very diverse, almost confusing. i had the chicken enchiladas and loved them. the beer flight is fun and makes for a fun way to start a meal. i'd go back to check out the rest of the menu and enjoy the atmosphere.
(4)
Shawn E.
Reality Bites is under new ownership and Thank God! I have been going there for a couple years and the food has always been great. But nearing the end of the last owners reign there was an obvious lack of care and consideration given to the restaurant. The last couple times I went prior to the ownership change they were out of bread, certain appetizers, alcohols, etc. The shelves were bare. Since being under new ownership I have eaten dinner at Reality Bites 4 times, lunch once, and went in for drinks/appetizers/desserts once. All of my experiences have been 5 stars. The presentation of the food has increased drastically, the shelves are fully stocked with a multitude of wines, tequilas, liquors, etc. and the food/service has been amazing. For anyone that has never been to Reality BItes I would describe it as a truly unique dining experience for Bloomington/Normal. There is a cozy and upscale atmosphere coupled with a lively upbeat feel. Something you just don't find here. Reality BItes has surpassed my expectations in every way for the area. You would have to travel to Chicago to rival the experience. It will be difficult for me to ever decide to go out for a nice dinner in Blm/Normal and not go to Reality Bites. Now I just wish that it would be summertime already so I could take advantage of the outdoor patio!
(5)
Chef B.
pork tacos? yes please. fish tacos? yes please. bacon-wrapped dates? yes please. Good bar and wine list. I look forward to going there more often.
(4)
Bryan H.
Good, but not great. Nothing about Reality Bites really blew me away. The goat cheese balls were pretty good but a little too sweet. The tuna tartar was bland, meh! Pros - Service was great, Outside seating is a plus. Cons - Bland flavors, Sold out of 5 different items.
(3)
Audrey H.
If you haven't tried Reality Bites recently, you should! I had dinner there before and the service was terrible...I just was not a fan. However, I visited again last night with a larger group. The service was amazing and the pork tacos were awesome. The server went out of his way to get us a bottle of wine we had great memories of. My husband and I will definitely be back.
(4)
Kevin K.
Despite living here, this was our first time going there. We had dinner with a couple of friends who had been there before. Thanks to other reviews and checking out their website in advance, I had prepared myself, as it is a bit pricey. The bar and the decor was nice and they kept it fairly dark and intimate. We had the goat cheese and the tiger shrimp appetizers. The goat cheese was pretty good and the tiger shrimp was excellent. As for the main meal, I had the fish tacos and my wife had the steak sanny. My meal came with 3 fish tacos which were pretty good and of OK size. My said the steak sanny was good as well. We didn't see the waitress very much, but we didn't mind this night because we were chatting with our friends. All in all it was a nice atmosphere with pretty good food. As others have stated, just be prepared to pay a bit more than other places in town.
(3)
Ethan H.
Good food. A little noisy, but worth it.
(4)
Patrick M.
Been here a few times, have not been disappointed by any thing except the wait time to get in. As has been said before - if you go on Friday or Saturday, call ahead well in advance (called on a Saturday afternoon, earliest reservation time was 8:30). Usually get the risotto (not many places in town serve it!) which is delicious and hearty for what you pay. Have been with a group of friends ordering a variety of tapas, excellent choice. Don't know what the final price was for everyone as I had to leave early and just left 20$, but this is a great place to go with a group of friends for a fun meal! Overall, the atmosphere is excellent for small groups or a date, the food is unique and it won't break your bank. I haven't had a problem with the quality of the food but then again I have usually stuck to only a few menu items. My only complaint about service is they forgot to bring out bread, but overall I would highly recommend!
(4)
Vicki T.
Reality Bites is fun and fabulous! They have great wines and the food never never misses!! We were glad to see the short ribs aka "shorties" back on the menu recently and I cannot tell you how incredible the pork and fish tacos both are!! They make a great hummus too! So excited that warm weather is just around the corner so we can sit outside and chill!! Love the owners and all the staff are great! Don't miss Reality next time you are in downtown Bloomington!
(5)
Tom H.
By far the best service out of the downtown Bloomington bars. Staff is extremely welcoming and speedy. Not much of a college bar, so if you're looking to party, avoid this place. Good place to sit down and have some drinks. Never tried the food, but it looks and smells pretty good.
(4)
Troy S.
Bloomington is a culinary disaster for the most part. There are a few good Asian restaurants, a couple steak houses and a decent italian place or two, other than that it is all chain restaurants. Reality Bites tries to bust out of tradition with a very interesting menu. The menu is, if nothing else, fun to read. We got a couple appetizers, a dip of some sort and hummus. I really liked the hummus, it came garnished with veggies too, not just pita bread, kudos for that. I got fish tacos for my entree, and they were great. Grilled fish lightly seasoned on a tortilla with some spiced guac, and of course I had a Rogue dead guy ale, always nice seeing Rogue on a beer menu. So no complaints about the food, family and friends were all happy too, except the mashed potatoes were a little bland, I was told. We sat upstairs, and although a neat atmosphere, it was hotter than the blazes of hell up there. And I would know, I've been to Yuma. Fix the AC and start serving martinis in more spill resistant receptacles, and we'd have a 4 star'r.
(3)
Sergei S.
Came here after graduation for a few drinks. Delicious drinks and a friendly staff Next time I'm in the area I'll definitely stop by.
(5)
Nate G.
This is a great place to go when you tire of the seemingly endless parade of chain restaurants in B-N. A fairly eclectic menu that is moderately priced. This is more of a meet and socialize place due to the noise and small size. As mentioned several times previously, it gets very crowded Thursday-Saturday so definitely make a reservation. The drinks were well priced and the martinis were excellent.
(4)
Claire C.
I've only been here once, but it was a mostly positive experience. For a late lunch on a weekday with mostly senior citizens present, their musical taste was rather loud and offensive. And their vegetarian options are limited, but in B-N that's to be expected. I had the risotto and it was delicious. Friends enjoyed the Caesar salad. Great environment with a unique menu for the area.
(4)
Kristi R.
I'm afraid my two visits there do not warrant another return trip. While the food I had was ok to pretty good, it's horribly overpriced, and the drinks are weak. My family has had some terrible experiences with it taking over an hour to get the food. Once when they took so long that we had to leave for a theater event, we sent back a plate they brought out an hour and a half after we ordered. They actually had the nerve to argue with us and try to charge us. We refused. Then we saw them try to serve that same plate to another customer. Tapas should not cost $7 or $8, and drinks that cost $7 should taste like the actually have alcohol in them. The concept is great, but execution and customer service are poor.
(2)
J M.
On the way to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, we decided to stop in Normal-Bloomington to get a look at ISU. Reality Bites is a bar in downtown Bloomington with good--though un-cheap-- food. David's tuna melt and fries were on special, but my apricot salad and a bowl of lentil soup ran us $12. We also shared hummus and pita. All in all, the food was good, but the total was around $28 without tip. The bar has a chic atmosphere (French posters on the wall even, one with my favorite French word, "parapluie"). If you visit, I suggest checking out the Mexican deli and grocery directly across the street. They have cookies.
(4)
Kelly M.
Baked goat cheese is an all time fav!! Great for a later dinner...ambiance at night is wonderful!! Go hungry; you will be full when you leave!
(4)
dan m.
Great atmosphere, good service, excellent food and low cost. Why can't Peoria have one?
(4)
Stephanie Z.
I don't know if I had too high of hopes or what, but I will never put myself or anyone else through that again. All seemed fine until we were seated and then the time clicked away...no water, no waiter...no nothing. FINALLY we got water and the waiter introduced himself, then again he was gone for at least 15 minutes...FINALLY order has been taken...food was horribly overpriced for what you get. It took another 20 minutes for the food to arrive, the food arrived in shifts. Sure the seared tuna was alright, but don't charge me ten bucks for that, are you serious? I can get that cheaper at Hyashi and get more on the plate. The chipolte shrimp was very disappointing, it seemed like something out of a lean cuisine box. Overall a highly disappointing experience where twice we almost got up and left, but the waiter 'caught' us just in time. Service was awful, food is overpriced. It really has the environment to be something great, but they are not executing correctly..something is obviously wrong there.
(1)
Nancy W.
I really like the non-chain experience. This spot has taken an old building in downtown Bloomington and brought out its best features. The food is quite good. Tapas style. Make a meal of something ... or order this and that to share. Pork Tacos are great. Tiger Shrimp Risotto is special. I've heard several raves about the Drunken Chicken.
(4)
Eric F.
One of the better places to take a date if you go to ISU or Wesleyan. Nice atmosphere, diverse tapas menu, friendly staff. This place has character; something the B-N area seems to lack.
(4)
John T.
In my brief time in Central Illinois, I have to give Reality Bites a lot of credit. They have an interesting, flavorful menu; food prepared well; decent service; and quality ingredients. They have a nice bar with a great selection of drinks. In most other towns, they'd get a three star rating for being a solid, interesting, workmanlike dining choice, but in Bloomington-Normal they deserve four stars for doing most things well, with creativity and flavor.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Wendy S.
Been here with my boyfriend a couple times. Atmosphere is dark which isn't much to Cain about but can get loud since it's such a small place, and the tables are quite close to each other. We always order about 3 plates to share, which have all been delicious. I recommended the ceviche, which has huge pieces of fish and avocado. Can't go wrong with bruschetta either. As for martinis, I was a big fan of the lollipop drink. Extremely sweet and was hard to finish but it's topped with a real sucker so I had to try.
(4)Riley C.
Great daily specials, great staff, reasonable prices. Never had a bad experience, just make sure to get a reservation!
(5)Pete R.
We love this place. From management on down, from the tap and small plate rotation to the entries, friendly staff with attention to detail...we like 'Inch', we dig this place....to steal some cliches...he 'does it right' and 'keeps it fresh'!
(4)JC L.
I love their food!
(5)Kristi S.
Reality and service both bite here. We were shocked that it took them 45 minutes (and tracking someone down) to get 3 small plates of cold appetizers. Hummus, caprese skewers and cold chicken "sliders." The food was tasty, but by the time it finally came, we were in no mood to enjoy it. Also, if you sit outside - avoid the corner table near the street, or you may be joined by a surly guy reaching across your table to get at his mailbox on the wall, and standing there reading his mail while you try to eat.
(2)Ashley D.
Planned on eating a full dinner here last night but only made it through appetizers before jumping ship to another place. The food was good (bacon wrapped dates and tiger shrimp appetizers) but the environment, service and pricing were less than okay. Our waitress seemed pained to deal with us at all, the tables are placed so close together, I could've eaten off of our neighbor's plates and joined their conversation...and the pricing was a tad high for Bloomington IL. (had the service and environment been better, I wouldn't be mentioning the prices.) All in all, don't waste your time.
(2)Jim C.
Has a neat inside atmosphere and a patio area that I wasn't able to personally take advantage of because it was a tad cold the evening I went. Waitress was very friendly and offered suggestions and her personal favorites because it was our first time there. Had the sriracha chicken salad sliders and they were good. My date had fish tacos and they were average, nothing too special. I ordered the chicken bruschetta and it was very good, the breading on the chicken was great. Only real problem I had with the place is the pricing. A bit out of my price range to visit often.
(4)Kimberly S.
Excellent food, great service, nice ambiance. First time customer who will definitely be returning!
(5)Jen B.
Very cute and Chicago-esque eatery! Lots of fun specialty drinks and martinis, the Lollipop came with one in it! They have equal numbers of of small plates and normal dinner choices. I went with (too many) of the small plates to try out as much as I could! Sweet potato fries were delicious but didn't come with any special type of dipping sauce. Ketchup was too sweet for an already sweet food so I asked for any kind of spicy or horseradish dip. She gave me something chipolte which was too smoky tasting to be complementary. A good dip would really elevate this item! I also tried the cucumber boat which was a hollowed out half of a cucumber filled with feta cheese, red peppers, onions and pine nuts. The description had fresh basil listed but I couldn't see or taste it. This dish fell a little flat because not enough of the cucumber had been hollowed out. That made it really difficult to bite into and also meant less toppings could fit. Also needed a sauce or drizzle on it to giveit some added flavor. Kind of reminded me of a salad without a dressing. For $9, not a good deal for my wallet or my taste buds. The salmon over asparagus withbalsamic glaze was the best of the bunch. A full dinner size piece of fish was drizzled with a thick balsamic glaze and same over 6 pieces of asparagus. I think this one was $12 and really worth it. The other winner at the table was the pork tacos and they did look amazing so I will be returning for those and also for the nice ambiance. Dark and cozy with 2 levels, outdoor seating and a private looking backroom.
(3)Sean K.
Hippest place in Bloomington so far. Great service, good cocktails, and tasty food. The menu is fairly unassuming but is great compared to most pub food. I recommend stopping in.
(5)Zach N.
Went to Reality Bites for the second time a few nights ago. I love the interior of this restaurant. They've got a nice bar, great lighting, and you certainly don't feel like you're in a BloNo restaurant when you're inside. My date and I got drinks to start. I didn't want beer and all the cocktails looked like chick drinks, so I ordered an old fashioned. It was alright, but I could tell that the bar staff didn't have much practice making one. My date's sangria was excellent, according to her. For the meal, we went with a host of small plates. Goat cheese balls: They were different from the last time I had them. Much bigger. Some people might think this is a good thing, but I thought there was way too much goat cheese in each bite. The raspberry(?) sauce an honey weren't enough to match up to the goat cheese. Tiger shrimp: Good dish. The white wine butter sauce is excellent. Not enough shrimp on the plate. I could have ordered four of these. Crab cakes: I thought these were the best part of the meal. They were really, really good. I liked the chipotle sauce, but the best bite was with chipotle sauce and the bearnaise they had on the side. Chicken caprese salad: This was interesting. It was a special and consisted pretty much of a caprese salad with grilled chicken on top. The balsamic they used was really good, and I liked the dish in general. It could have used more mozzarella and juicier tomatoes, though. Sweet potato fries: Holy cow... amazing. The perfect cut. They're super thin and crispy. I tend to not like sweet potato fries because I think they're too sweet. (Sounds dumb, I know). But when cut super thin like this, you get just enough sweetness. The best fries in Bloomington, hands down. All in all, a good meal. We were stuffed. A few dishes could use some tweaks, but all in all, pretty good. We'll be back to explore more of the menu.
(3)Ethan H.
This is one of our favorite restaurants in Bloomington. The small plates are good as well as their entrees. They have a great drink menu and a rotating beer selection. I would recommend this for a nice night out for dinner and a few drinks.
(4)Katie B.
The thing I like least about this place is that it is inconsistent. a few dishes are really good but there are also many that fall flat. I also believe it is overpriced for what it is. The tapas have eclectic choices that don't always pay off. I think this place is overrated.
(3)Tara L.
This was our first Tapas experience. We did the Caprese Skewers and the Seared Ahi Tuna, they were both amazing! I had the Drunken Chicken and the boy had Bruschetta Chicken, both entrees were great!! I had 3 Martinis, they were phenom!! The atmosphere was great with great ambiance and low lighting, made for a perfect romantic dinner! We will def be back! The only reason they didn't get 5 stars, our waitress was a bit of a snob at a few points. She would pay a lot of attention to me because I was drinking but my guy was drinking iced tea and I had to ask for a refill.
(4)Amber F.
Visited reality bites for my first time tonight. Being from champaign I've been wanting to go there for quite some time now but just never had the chance whether it being closed or just going some place else. We started off with the goat cheese bites. They were great! I'm a huge goat cheese fan but I would recommend them adding an additional cup or dipping sauce for them as the decorative sauces on the side of the bowl isn't nearly enough for the balls. Fish tacos were really good...fresh and lots of taste. The pork tacos needed a little extra something...definitely tasted as if something was missing. Bland. I ordered the Greek salad. As it arrived at the table it was definitely not what I expected... Literally about 5 bites worth of lettuce. The rest consisted of feta cheese (my fav), kalamata olives (also my fav), tomatoes and onions. I was pretty bummed about the lack of lettuce in my salad but as I continued to eat, the dish turned out to be very tasteful. The veggies had a lot of flavor & just all around good. Just still wish there was a little more lettuce! All in all it was a good first visit for me. The waitress was really friendly and we will definitely be back!!
(5)Maureen C.
Great spot for a double date dinner. Plenty of options for small plates or full size entrees, and a great drinks menu - excellent beer choices! We made reservations for 7:30 on a Friday night - and they were definitely needed. This place gets busy! Service was good, but not great, so that's the only knock. We'll definitely be back - it is a great option, with a very Chicago feel.
(4)Kristen G.
The goat cheese balls are to die for. SO good.
(5)Amanda B.
I was thrilled when someone suggested we go here before a concert. Upon further inspection, yes it is tapas, and it does have some traditional dishes, like bacon-wrapped dates and goat cheese balls (Tradicional pintxo dishes from northern Spain). They also have some Mexican-focused tapas, like tacos. Remember people! Tapas are meant to be shared, so don't be selfish! We shared the baked goat cheese (Big bowl with the baked goat cheese surrounded by marinara sauce, eaten with crostini), chicken skewers (Three skewers of teriyaki chicken, onions and green peppers atop mashed potatoes) and bacon-wrapped dates (Eight of them plus a little field greens salad) which ended up being a lot of food. I lived in Spain, know a thing or two about tapas, so the portion size was excellent compared to other tapas places in Chicagoland. All of it was delicious but I would have been satisfied with one less dish. I paired the dishes with the house Chardonnay which was surprisingly good. I was itching to try one of the flights (They have beer, martini, wine and reds) but I'll save that for another time. We had excellent service so I'm confused when I read some of the other reviews. The server was very sweet and attentive. Small place, romantic with candles on the table. Four beers on tap. Wooden decor, which, if you read my Medici review, you'd know I absolutely love! Overall a nice place in BloNo and I hope to be back!
(5)Mike N.
I have to give another 5 star review. Reality Bites was very accommodating considering I made reservations via email. We had to exchange emails twice to get a seating time of 6:15PM on Saturday night for two. However, we were going to be well more than an hour late but I was able to once again send them an email prior to our seating to let them know to release our reservations. Thankfully they replied to let them know when we were on the way and they'd fit us in. That's exceptional service in my book. With about 20 minutes notice I emailed them again telling them we were on our way. When we walked in the Manager / Door Man asked, "are you the email guy" :-). I smiled and apologized for the tardiness, etc. The manager was able to seat us at a table in the window without a wait. The place was pretty busy at 8:30PM but I really loved the atmosphere. We actually stopped by Eleven just before for some tapas and cocktails, then had to try Reality Bites. I've been meaning to come here for several years. We ordered tacos but the server was able to give us one of each: One Pork,m One Fish, and One Salmon. They were very good and filling. My wife had Pomegranate based martini. She loved it. I had another craft beer from Chicago. It was okay but I'm not a big fan of wheat beers (like BlueMoon which is what this one tasted like). We very much enjoyed Reality Bites and I plan to go again.
(5)Michael M.
A taste of urban dinning in a central Illinois town, YES! Reality Bites was an excellent surprise on my visit to Bloomington. I shared the Tiger Shrimp Risotto with a friend and indulged in the flight of draft beers. The risotto was delicious, the risotto was not mushy and the shrimp were plump. The flight of drafts were excellent, it was four beers almost a full pint of each Anchor Steam, 312, Smithwicks Irish Ale, and Octoberfest. Reality Bites is going to become a regular stop for me each time I am back in Bloomington.
(4)Holly H.
This place had so much potential. Great atmosphere. Cozy and cool feeling... But the food and service just fell short for me. I'm not the type that enjoys my waitstaff TOO friendly/familiar... But our waitress barely spoke to us at all... and when she did, it was anything but friendly. I was turned off by this right away, and even though tapas are usually one of my favorite kinds of restaurants... I guess I was just not having fun. The "Warm Bites" that we ordered were pretty good... Though I don't think goat cheese balls, and bacon wrapped dates can ever be BAD. I also enjoyed my 9 dollar Greek side salad... Though for 9 dollars, I expected it to be a bit larger. The mistake we made, though... was ordering from the "Bigger Bites" entree section. Both entrees were just lacking. They were sloppy in the preparation. My husband got the scallop risotto. It definitely needed salt, but also the scallops were broken and lacked a proper sear. I ordered the "Bites Chicken". It was just... weird. With bacon, apples, swiss, and pesto... You'd think it would have tons of flavor, but somehow it managed to be bland even with all of that going on. The chicken was dry, and the bacon was burnt. Even the asparagus that came with it was disappointing. I left wishing we'd gone somewhere else.
(2)Kyla B.
We go here all the time. Very good food and awesome martinis of all flavors. Good prices with perfect portions. Should make reservations during the weekend if you're going after 5pm. The ceviche is amazing.
(4)Zed N.
While lost in Illinois we found gold! Who would have thought we'd stumble on excellent cuisine in the middle of corn country?
(5)Erica L.
I have been here several times and the food is always excellent. The service varies widely though, and I have had less than desirable service more than once. I had a waitress with zero bar knowledge and each time I asked a basic question about whether or not they had a specific alcohol she had to go ask the bartender. While they are technically a "tapas" restaurant, they do not serve their food like traditional tapas. They expect people to order like a traditional restaurant, and they don't really handle the tapas atmosphere properly. My friend and I ordered several tapas items and they were all brought out at once, instead of as they were prepared. This made for a very crowded table.
(3)Azsure D.
Very nice experience. Charming appearance and trendy decor with good ambiance. Wait staff was fine. Not exceptional service, but just fine. I love the Drunken Chicken. The sauce is divine. You can eat tapas here, or full entrees. Nice cocktail selection. Desert selection is a little boring compared to the food menu.
(4)Elisabeth H.
A friend has been telling me to try this place for months now, but since I moved out of town I never had an opportunity. Last Saturday, an opportunity finally arrived. Two friends and I were visiting Bloomington and I suggested we try Reality Bites. I was quite impressed by the interior, modern menu design, and the wine selection. Our server was very accommodating but never overwhelming. I had the pork tacos, which were some of the best tacos I've ever eaten. Very nice restaurant and pretty affordable.
(4)Jessica S.
heard great things about their dinner menu, so finally checked it out. Verdict? I want to try again. It was good but not great. I think I might have gotten the wrong thing is all. Except for Goat Cheese balls. that is not the wrong thing. it's oh so right. Beer choices... ok but i think i was spoiled by Flingers so still going through good beer option withdrawal. Goat Cheese balls... interesting. tasty. gooey. get again. Mashed Potato tower that came with the hubby's dinner.... i couldn't stop reaching across the table to devour it despite being full. Scallops and Risotto... scallops were PERFECT. Risotto needed salt which is so weird to say in a restaurant, usually its the opposite. I need to try something else, the risotto just didn't blow me away like I hoped. Was I disappointed? No, I just think my standards are too high, however I will absolutely try again since the Baja Fish Tacos I had there for lunch once were amazing... so I think its a case of finding what they are best at. Service was good. Waitress was attentive, everything came out hot and on time... but she didn't seem happy. Not sure if she was having a bad day, but got the sense she didn't want to be there. Atmosphere is awesome. Love the old downtown feel, we sat up top which was nice and intimate despite the place being pretty full. Love the big bar when you walk in, and ladies the bathroom is quite nice, because we all know that does in fact matter.
(3)Shanna F.
Beware, this establishment is extremely homophobic and will very rudely kick you out of the bar if they realize you are gay. I went there with a group of friends and we were all kicked out when two girls simply kissed. They support discrimination and do not believe in equal rights. We tried to speak calmly to the owner to figure out what the problem was and he called the police. The police said they couldn't do anything because the bar owner has the right to refuse service to anyone. I would suggest NOT giving this place your money, and instead spend it somewhere that believes in equality.
(1)Gemma B.
Beautiful place, but there are some things to work out here. One Friday night on a whim [my husband and I] decided to check out the place under its new management. The host did not acknowledge us immediately, in favor of his cell phone. (Ooh, this grinds my gears.) When we were seated, we were given a table right next to the entrance (I was very cold all through the meal) despite at least seven other tables that were completely vacant for all of the time we were there. The specialty drink served in a martini glass (not to be confused with a martini) was fine. While I was happy to see a small menu, I decided to order the chicken special. Chicken was overcooked, and the crispy potatoes were served standing up in the sauce, which almost completely negated the crispy preparation. Husband's risotto was overcooked. He suspects it was also made with something other than arborio rice. Service, outside of the host, was nice, but I don't think we'll go back anytime soon. Really miss the chocolate braised short ribs they did for Tour de Chocolat once, under the old management. Also can't recall if those excellent fish tacos were still on the menu.
(2)Ash L.
Friends and coworkers have been raving about this place for a couple of months, so we decided we would give it a go. I made the reservation on-line (email) about a month ago because there were going to be 10 of us in our party and it was before a concert. We had no problem getting the reservation and when we got to the restaurant last night the hostess was very accommodating. Our table was upstairs in the cozy sized restaurant. It was a bit warm up there (and once you add a drink or two it gets warmer) and I didn't like sitting in the "booth" side of the table. The ledge of the shelf behind was wider than the back of the seat so you either had to A. Sit up really straight and not lean back, or B. Lean back and deal with the protrusion all evening. We started out with the house red blend, it was a good wine and a good price. We also got the bacon-wrapped dates as an appetizer and another couple in the group got the ceviche and baked brie. The dates were really good and the bacon was crispy. I would definitely order those again. The brie was OK, a bit on the greasy side. I'm glad that wasn't on my bill. The ceviche was apparently really good (not a fan no matter where it comes from) but the others in the party said they would recommend it and definitely order it again. They bring you their house bread with Parmesan cheese and olive oil to dip it in. Both of the bread types were amazingly delicious. I could have eaten just the bread for dinner and been fine. So, on to the main course. I ordered the filet for dinner (Reality Steak). It was topped with blue cheese, balsamic caramelized onions and a balsamic glaze. It was really good, but a bit on the small size for the price. It came with what looked like potato wedges. I think they were supposed to be fingerling potatoes. They were good when you added some of the glaze from the steak on them. Other than that, they were pretty dry and nothing to rave about. That was all that was to the plate, a petite filet and potatoes at the tune of 28.00. The atmosphere was great (beyond the warmth of the restaurant) and the food was good. I would definitely go back but order something else. I was checking out the dinners of the rest of the party and they seemed to be pleased with their meal and the size and taste of it.
(4)Mike V.
Had dinner Friday night. Excellent time. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. Can't miss with the bacon wrapped dates or the hummus, they're both excellent. also had the fish tacos that are really fresh. Add in some excellent beverages and everyone had a great time.
(5)Julie O.
I tried to like Reality Bites. It gets two stars for convenient location and the table bread being quite tasty. What bit? I ordered a Southern Manhattan. I was told the bar was out of both sweet vermouth and bitters. How can that happen in a bar, really? A Manhattan is really not that unusual of a drink, so I am not very forgiving. The food? I ordered The Bites Salad, thinking it was a signature item. I got a poorly dressed heap of lettuce without half the ingredients listed on the menu. Maybe the salad guy was off that day. I can't see myself heading back in for a second shot, there are just too many other places in the area.
(2)Nathan O.
This used to be my favorite restaurant in BloNo. Unfortunately it has declined in every category. Service lacks,food quality is poor and I'm dissatisfied. This will be my last trip until they make major changes.
(2)Natalie B.
It got two stars because the ambiance is fabulous. However, if you have food allergies, go somewhere else. You WILL get sick, because their staff are not courteous or trained in handling dietary restrictions. I informed my waitress I was allergic to wheat and asked her to tell the chef. She was a bit flippant, which worried me. Our tapas came, covered in soy sauce and bread. I asked her if anything was safe for me to eat, and she looked at me like I had three heads, and said, "So wait, are you allergic to gluten or wheat?" Someone who has been trained to handle food would not need to ask this question. Actually, anyone with half a brain knows that bread and soy sauce are made from wheat. We had to send the food back. It was embarrassing and uncomfortable. I still got sick from the food. ***********UPDATE************* The manager contacted me with a heartfelt apology and informed me that they are in the middle of changing their policies and updating their menu to more gluten free options. I've given them another star because his reply was within hours, and very thoughtful and consoling. I will give them another shot, because the food is very good.
(3)Darrell S.
We had a party of 4 and everyone tried something different and no one was disappointed. To start the menu selection is awesome with so many good choices. We had the tuna tartar and chips to start and the mixture was fresh and excellent tasting. Most of the menu items are small plate however there are items with larger portions. I had the crab cakes and arugola and and the sauce and dressing were tasty and I was sufficiently filled by the time I finished the 4 small cakes. Others in our party had the salmon tacos, pork tacos, and drunken chicken. Salmon tacos had excellent seasoning and fillings. The pork tacos were raved over as well tender pork with excellent flavor. Drunken Chicken came with some kick ass mashed potatoes with a garlic influence, fresh green beens and a tender appeared to be grilled chicken breast. Great tap beer selection as well and drink menu looked interesting.Was not able to try dessert as we had birthday cake post meal but we will be back for sure.
(5)Tom F.
Nice downtown location. Good service and menu is unique. Appetizers are always good and easy to share with a group. One of the best options in downtown Bloomington.
(3)David D.
Service was great. The food was better than expected and we were expecting at least a good quality. The ambience was very nice and the wine list above average. All in all a great choice!
(5)Lindsey D.
A friend of mine took me here for the first time for sangria and tapas. It was great!! Our server was friendly and helpful. By far the best part was the bacon wrapped dates!!!!! Also the goat cheese balls were good. This is a nice place to go out with friends or on a date night. Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time. The wait can be ridiculous sometimes.
(4)Scott N.
I should probably not be reviewing this, but as an almost customer who was really looking forward to having a drink and a few small plates at Reality Bites, I feel I have to. This will be short. We drove in from Cincinnati to see Rickie Lee Jones. As usual, I looked on line to find places to eat / drink / hang before the concert. Reality Bites really caught my attention. Their food and drink menus get three stars. We arrived at @ 5:30. We were out of luck. They did not have an opening until 8:00. I suppose locals know better, but being from out of town I never dreamt we would need a reservation and there is nothing on the website that alludes to or suggests reservations. Not giving us a head's up equals minus one star. If this really is the place to be on the weekends and one needs a reservation to get in at dinner time, please consider mentioning this fact on the website. I would gladly have made reservations. Perhaps another concert will bring us to Bloomington, Il. If so, I will make reservations in advance. I definitely want to give this place a fair shake.
(2)Tristan B.
New owners seem to have improved a lot of the problems I complained of last time. They weren't out of anything and the service was fantastic. The beer selection had also improved. The menu has changed a bit (for the better). Mostly it seems like they have made it smaller. This may explain why they hadn't run out of anything. Prices remain a little steep, but outrageous. Portions sizes for the entrees are good, but the appetizers are a little small. Previously they called themselves a tapas place. That seems to be completely gone now. A fairly eclectic selection of food, from tacos to roasted chicken. The pork tacos haven't changed much in two years and are still excellent. The bacon wrapped dates remain a favorite. The mixed drinks are excellent and the dessert looked amazing. I wish I'd saved room.
(4)Liz M.
Only thing I really liked were the bacon wrapped dated. Fish tacos were disappointing.
(3)Liren C.
Came here with a friend for dinner. We're both from out of town and thought this place looked like one of the better choices in town. The atmosphere is quite nice with a huge exposed brick wall to add warmth on a chilly night. Our waiter was especially friendly and attentive. He came by at all the right times to take our orders, check on our dishes and getting refills and drinks. The baked brie wasn't anything to write home about. I normally don't get pork chops because they are always dry. For some reason we both decided to give it a try since it was the special for the night. Our dishes didn't come with one but TWO thick pork chops. Presentation looked pretty good. As soon as I cut into the meat I was shocked at how juicy and tender it was. I was truly impressed (and that's a rare event worthy of its own celebration). I'd certain come back to the restaurant again to try a few other things.
(4)Kelly F.
Seems like a great place for a "girls night out". Noticed a lot of bigger groups having a blast. It was pretty loud, so I would recommend it for an intimate date night. Food was pretty good. The salmon tacos were something different and I really enjoyed them. They were out of half of their desserts, which was a bit frustrating.
(3)Ed C.
We visited as invitees to someone else's party. We were a group of 8 or so, and were seated in the elevated section to the rear. To start with the positive, the atmosphere is dark and woody. I thought it looked great. Now, let the criticism begin... 1) After making a single margarita, our waiter told us that the bar couldn't make any more because they were out of something or other ... at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday. They were also out of lamb chops. Really? Supply chain, much? 2) The drinks were gratuitously overpriced. This is not Chicago, thanks. 3) The food prices wouldn't have been so bad had the food not been remarkably mediocre. The spinach artichoke dip was dry and chalky. The nachos looked like something you'd make at home with a bag of Tostitos and a few slices of cheese. To be fair, whoever got the crab-stuffed salmon said it was good. 4) We were there on an August evening and the temperature inside was unforgivably hot. I'm not one of those guys who's oversensitive to heat ... this place was just plain hot inside. My wife had to get up and walk downstairs (where it was a few degrees cooler) to make it through the meal. Fully half of our party complained about the heat. I realize that the elevated section is situated directly above the downstairs kitchen, ... but you need to account for that when you're air-conditioning the place. In the end, we ate, paid, and left to go somewhere else with a tolerable climate and drinks that were almost half as much. Give it a shot if you like, but we probably won't be back.
(1)Becky F.
I have been trying different restaurants in Blo/No since moving here 2 1/2 mos. ago. So far this is the best we have found. The service was good, no problems. We went on a Friday night and made a reservation in advance. The atmosphere is nice, bricks and wood, small space hence the need for reservations. The food was unique and very flavorful, a quality meal. They have a regular menu and then a few specials. Portions are more than adequate. Mixed drinks were good. Price is average for a nice dinner. We will definitely go back!
(5)Stacey W.
Reality Bites continues to be a favorite. The Salmon Mojo is my go-to plate since the salmon is always cooked to perfection and the sautéed asparagus is yummy!!! Other favorites include bacon wrapped dates, goat cheese balls, and hummus. We're always very pleased with the service as well. I highly recommend giving RB a try!
(4)Adam L.
This place continues to impress. Lively, comfortable atmosphere, friendly and attentive service, and amazing food. Fresh, flavorful, and thoughtful cuisine with both comfort food as well as healthy selections to keep everyone satisfied. The BEST of Bloomington. Recommended!!
(5)Chris H.
Very confused by some of the reviews. I have NEVER had bad or slow service here. I've tried several things on the menu & have never had a bad, or bland, meal. The pork & fish tacos are amazing, the mussels & lamb chops are fantastic and extremely well priced. In fact, for the quality of the good, I feel the entire menu is well priced. And this is a laid back place, so the European style pace of the kitchen is highly welcomed. If you want a chain style quick meal head to one of the over abundant chains in town where the like to coral you in and out.
(5)Jesse T.
Last night my girlfriend and I were looking for some late night grub and after some quick yelping discovered Reality Bites. We had been out at an a Capella performance at the nearby university which went a bit longer than expected so with its description of being open till 2 AM and handful of good reviews we ventured to the restaurant. Upon entering the place I was immediately looking forward to ordering because it had that small bar vibe that promised a great dining experience and we were not disappointed. We arrived around 11:40 only to find out from the man who appeared to be the owner that the kitchen was in fact closed. He greeted us with open arms and proceeded to grab the guy sitting next to him at the bar and inform us that he was one of his chefs and that they would do whatever they could to get us food. Wow! So even with a closed kitchen we were welcomed into the environment and continue on with our night amazed at how hospitable the service was. It only improved from there once we ordered the goat cheese balls, spinach and artichoke dip which the girlfriend said was yummy except for a little too much garlic and my delicious pork tacos. Overall, the service by Matt, willingness to help fill our bellies from the other Matt and friendly nature of the restaurant captured our hearts and our stomachs. We will be back again whenever we are in the area. I can promise you that.
(5)Shaun B.
Food was OK but the service was HORRIBLE. Just plain awful. Won't be back...ever.
(1)Julia S.
Great wine list and awesome atmosphere. Just a cozy place that you can have some drinks with friends or an intimate dinner with that special someone. Thurs/Fri/Saturdays make sure you make reservations! There goat cheese balls used to be better. They used to be a bit bigger...ha ha bigger balls and they had more honey...who doesn't like more honey drizzled over there goat cheese balls. Okay enough ball talk. Bacon wrapped dates are a must! Chicken kabobs are super yummy as well! Spinach artichoke is okay...kind of looked/tasted like shaker parm and not fresh. Oh ya and throw some veggies on the hummus for dipping! Enough with just pita bread, add carrot and celery sticks and more olives, red onion, cucumbers and tomatoes...if you do this I will bump this baby up to five stars.
(4)Norm A.
Love it, great warm and cold bites. Five people $125.00 including desert and a bottle of wine. Especially liked the salmon deviled eggs.
(5)Geert B.
There are nÃce places in this icy town, and most of them seem to be on the same stretch of Main Street. This one has a cozy bar and friendly service with a menu that consists of cold or warm (American style) tapas. I had crab cakes, and though not of the quality of those I ate in Princeton - they were quite passable. The beer came from a brewery I had never heard of before: Boulevard, but their tripel (is there tripel outside Belgium?) was really good. My colleague had lamb chops and some ceviche of shrimp or crab (the lamb chops did look better than the ceviche which looked rather messy). It looks like you need to make reservations here if you want to have a table. Not sure if I'd want this: the bar looked good enought to me, but even that one was pretty full..
(3)Ryan W.
I have been to Reality Bites twice now and each time my experience has just been okay. I am fan of having a restaurant that offers something different than the typical bar food that you find in most of the establishments in downtown, but I wish it did more to impress me. On my most recent visit I ordered the Baja Fish Tacos, which were very good. The rest of my group ordered the pork tacos, a pasta dish, and the crab cakes. The pork tacos seemed to be a hit with the person who ordered them, but the pasta and crab cakes were not quite as successful. When the crab cakes came out I couldn't believe what you got for the price. Four cakes smaller around than a quarter and very thin. The dish was overpriced for what you received and they were not even that good. The restaurant is located in downtown Bloomington, which is a plus if you plan on going out for a few drinks after dinner. The service could have been better. The waiter seemed friendly, but was hardly ever around. Just an FYI - if you are going on a Friday or Saturday night, I would recommend call ahead for reservations unless you don't have a problem with waiting. It got busy as we finished our meal and a couple of groups that came in were not able to get seated because they did not have reservations.
(2)Meghan B.
Heads up if you plan to go on a Saturday! We have tried two recent Saturdays to go for dinner, but were told no tables were available and needed a reservation. This despite it looking PRETTY empty inside (although I do know it is a smaller space and they may have needed to save those tables for a later crowd). Still, it's surprising. And worth knowing if you plan to just swing by on a weekend night!
(3)Julie K.
Believe they are undergoing change and have new ownership soon. Hopefully they will be back to 5 star after a cleaning and refurbishing-can't wait!!!
(3)Mike K.
This place has great food and the service is outstanding...Took the family after my daughters graduation and it was perfect...
(5)EM C.
Great food, great drinks, and wait staff. But... A bit pricey on the food and way pricey on wine/bar drinks. Beer selection is thin with 4 or 5 beers on tap (cant remember) and wine is overpriced for the quality. Our server guy was great and checked in as he should and hopefully liked his big tip :-). Host was gracious and very pleasant, bar tender was soso on the friendly side. I think the new owners have had a talk with wait staff to be more friendly because previous visits last year were not as nice. I love going here when its not over crowded. Bacon wrapped dates and pork tacos are the bomb! I give it a 4.
(4)Alex P.
Didn't like the calamari. Too greasy. Spent a lot of money for not a whole lot.
(1)John B.
Reality Bites....I really really REALLY want to like you, but you make it so hard sometimes. Your food is good but overpriced for what you get, your service can be hit or miss (and food can take forever to get out....don't go if you have to be somewhere within an hour), and you're not open for brunch on Sundays....for those of us absolutely dying for a good brunch downtown (aka NOT Michael's!). Now to the positives. Reality Bites is an absolutely beautiful space owned by young entrepeneurs who I think originally hailed from the Chicago area. It's NOT a chain...plus in my book. The staff is absolute eye candy but I think a lot of the time Reality Bites serves as more of hangout for their pretty friends than an actual restaurant. I definitely enjoy Reality Bites as more of a light night hangout or a mid afternoon appetizer place than the full dinner experience. I don't think anyone will be truly disappointed by Reality Bites, but I don't know many who leave saying WOW! either. It's a great space that is an oasis in the middle of chain restaurant hell (Bloomington-Normal.....why are you so in love with Chili's?) and I encourage you to visit to form your own opinion.
(3)Russ C.
Upscale local bar and grill. Nice atmosphere and decor. Good martini and beer list. Service is friendly but a bit slow when busy. The food is excellent and not your average fare. Two plates per person should fill everyone up and are $8 each so not sure why some reviews say it's expensive. I recommend the Bites salad, Tuna Tartare, Ribeye Nachos and Apricot Salad. The filet medallions are amazing when they have it on special. The filet would be a welcome addition to the regular menu along with the recently added Ribeye nachos and Ribeye. On the down side, they aren't open on Sunday and Monday, which is odd since they are packed every night even on a Tuesday. Also, the kitchen is only open to 9, which is a pain for a hopping bar and grill that you would expect to be open later.
(4)Elaine N.
My friend and I had a very good experience here tonight. We stopped in around 8 and they were able to seat us right away and were very friendly and professional. Our server was very attentive and he stopped by multiple times to check in on how we were liking the food and to suggest other items. Nicely done! Atmosphere: The place is dark and cool and a great night out! I am from out of town and was impressed. Food: We had the apricot salad, hummus, calamari and crab cakes. Everything was fresh and tasty. In particular we really enjoyed the apricot salad for its surprising and sweet dressing..delish...and the crisp and awesome crabcakes. Great drinks too...we had wine and a martini. Everyone has a different measure on expensive and we found the price to be reasonable for the high quality of the food. Try it!
(4)Keith A.
The Dos Gringos Enchiladas were dee-lish, and just the right portion size, too. The service, though, was . . . I'm gonna go value-neutral and say "inattentive," especially when I was ready to leave and settle up my check. Dining outside was nice, but it doesn't make it OK for the waitstaff to forget about you.
(4)Matthew T.
As a student at IWU I am at Reality Bites A LOT. Bloomington/Normal is filled with chains and so I gravitated toward Reality Bites from the start. I'll just organize this from when you walk in to when you leave... Don't show up there on a Sunday or Monday! Not open. Hostess- she could be smarter/more inviting Being seated- make a reservation if you plan to go on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. The restaurant is small, and frankly a little bit cramped. There's one semi-private table available on the main level, but aside from that the tables seem really close together. Overall a cute place, decorated to enhance the natural brick wall...I don't know if the multi-colored icicle lights add to the ambiance or not...but they're there, nonetheless :P Everyone in the restaurant is good-looking, which I do appreciate...although some let their good looks get in the way of the fact that they're working in a restaurant and not walking a runway. The service could be A LOT better, but I've had decent service there as well. It depends on where you sit and who is working that section. Apparently IWU marketing students did a re-vamp of the restaurant concept maybe 3 years ago and I think that ultimately helped. I heard the owner was hesitant to suggestions and ideas from college students but hey, it's not like he has a restaurant in the middle of a town heavily populated by college students....or wait.... But, the menu is well diversified offering tapas-inspired choices created to be shared among the entire table. That way if everyone orders one or two dishes, they can easily be shared and you can try several dishes during one night. By far, the best dish on the menu is the "drunken chicken." I substitute the green beans with sauteed spinach, I think it's better for the dish...but just a suggestion. Make sure however, all of the alcohol has been cooked out of the dish as once it wasn't...I'm all for rum but not mixed with mashed potatoes. Apparently the restaurant always sells out of the braised short ribs, which I did have once but was less than impressed. Spinach and artichoke dip is always an order staple, and the fried calamari is probably the best I've had in Central Illinois. Some other favorites are the baked brie with fruit preserves as well as their caprese salad. If I am ever entertaining a guest in Bloomington the first place I will try to bring them to is Reality Bites. Luckily my first few impressions of the restaurant have been good ones and although service isn't always the best, it's probably the most consistent restaurant I have been to in the area that is not a chain.
(4)Jim A.
These guys try hard. And they get it right 90% of the time. Good solid B-. I applaud their effort in giving Bloomingon-Normal an alternative to Applebees. There regular menu shines. When there are problems, its with the specials. Don't try too hard guys! Good wine list too.
(3)Meredith H.
i like that reality bites is trying to break away from the "bloomington-normal, world capital for chain restaurants" scene. i've been here for a birthday party with a large group - we had the top floor area reserved. service was a little spotty, but the group was big and the server made up for it by splitting checks. the menu is very diverse, almost confusing. i had the chicken enchiladas and loved them. the beer flight is fun and makes for a fun way to start a meal. i'd go back to check out the rest of the menu and enjoy the atmosphere.
(4)Shawn E.
Reality Bites is under new ownership and Thank God! I have been going there for a couple years and the food has always been great. But nearing the end of the last owners reign there was an obvious lack of care and consideration given to the restaurant. The last couple times I went prior to the ownership change they were out of bread, certain appetizers, alcohols, etc. The shelves were bare. Since being under new ownership I have eaten dinner at Reality Bites 4 times, lunch once, and went in for drinks/appetizers/desserts once. All of my experiences have been 5 stars. The presentation of the food has increased drastically, the shelves are fully stocked with a multitude of wines, tequilas, liquors, etc. and the food/service has been amazing. For anyone that has never been to Reality BItes I would describe it as a truly unique dining experience for Bloomington/Normal. There is a cozy and upscale atmosphere coupled with a lively upbeat feel. Something you just don't find here. Reality BItes has surpassed my expectations in every way for the area. You would have to travel to Chicago to rival the experience. It will be difficult for me to ever decide to go out for a nice dinner in Blm/Normal and not go to Reality Bites. Now I just wish that it would be summertime already so I could take advantage of the outdoor patio!
(5)Chef B.
pork tacos? yes please. fish tacos? yes please. bacon-wrapped dates? yes please. Good bar and wine list. I look forward to going there more often.
(4)Bryan H.
Good, but not great. Nothing about Reality Bites really blew me away. The goat cheese balls were pretty good but a little too sweet. The tuna tartar was bland, meh! Pros - Service was great, Outside seating is a plus. Cons - Bland flavors, Sold out of 5 different items.
(3)Audrey H.
If you haven't tried Reality Bites recently, you should! I had dinner there before and the service was terrible...I just was not a fan. However, I visited again last night with a larger group. The service was amazing and the pork tacos were awesome. The server went out of his way to get us a bottle of wine we had great memories of. My husband and I will definitely be back.
(4)Kevin K.
Despite living here, this was our first time going there. We had dinner with a couple of friends who had been there before. Thanks to other reviews and checking out their website in advance, I had prepared myself, as it is a bit pricey. The bar and the decor was nice and they kept it fairly dark and intimate. We had the goat cheese and the tiger shrimp appetizers. The goat cheese was pretty good and the tiger shrimp was excellent. As for the main meal, I had the fish tacos and my wife had the steak sanny. My meal came with 3 fish tacos which were pretty good and of OK size. My said the steak sanny was good as well. We didn't see the waitress very much, but we didn't mind this night because we were chatting with our friends. All in all it was a nice atmosphere with pretty good food. As others have stated, just be prepared to pay a bit more than other places in town.
(3)Ethan H.
Good food. A little noisy, but worth it.
(4)Patrick M.
Been here a few times, have not been disappointed by any thing except the wait time to get in. As has been said before - if you go on Friday or Saturday, call ahead well in advance (called on a Saturday afternoon, earliest reservation time was 8:30). Usually get the risotto (not many places in town serve it!) which is delicious and hearty for what you pay. Have been with a group of friends ordering a variety of tapas, excellent choice. Don't know what the final price was for everyone as I had to leave early and just left 20$, but this is a great place to go with a group of friends for a fun meal! Overall, the atmosphere is excellent for small groups or a date, the food is unique and it won't break your bank. I haven't had a problem with the quality of the food but then again I have usually stuck to only a few menu items. My only complaint about service is they forgot to bring out bread, but overall I would highly recommend!
(4)Vicki T.
Reality Bites is fun and fabulous! They have great wines and the food never never misses!! We were glad to see the short ribs aka "shorties" back on the menu recently and I cannot tell you how incredible the pork and fish tacos both are!! They make a great hummus too! So excited that warm weather is just around the corner so we can sit outside and chill!! Love the owners and all the staff are great! Don't miss Reality next time you are in downtown Bloomington!
(5)Tom H.
By far the best service out of the downtown Bloomington bars. Staff is extremely welcoming and speedy. Not much of a college bar, so if you're looking to party, avoid this place. Good place to sit down and have some drinks. Never tried the food, but it looks and smells pretty good.
(4)Troy S.
Bloomington is a culinary disaster for the most part. There are a few good Asian restaurants, a couple steak houses and a decent italian place or two, other than that it is all chain restaurants. Reality Bites tries to bust out of tradition with a very interesting menu. The menu is, if nothing else, fun to read. We got a couple appetizers, a dip of some sort and hummus. I really liked the hummus, it came garnished with veggies too, not just pita bread, kudos for that. I got fish tacos for my entree, and they were great. Grilled fish lightly seasoned on a tortilla with some spiced guac, and of course I had a Rogue dead guy ale, always nice seeing Rogue on a beer menu. So no complaints about the food, family and friends were all happy too, except the mashed potatoes were a little bland, I was told. We sat upstairs, and although a neat atmosphere, it was hotter than the blazes of hell up there. And I would know, I've been to Yuma. Fix the AC and start serving martinis in more spill resistant receptacles, and we'd have a 4 star'r.
(3)Sergei S.
Came here after graduation for a few drinks. Delicious drinks and a friendly staff Next time I'm in the area I'll definitely stop by.
(5)Nate G.
This is a great place to go when you tire of the seemingly endless parade of chain restaurants in B-N. A fairly eclectic menu that is moderately priced. This is more of a meet and socialize place due to the noise and small size. As mentioned several times previously, it gets very crowded Thursday-Saturday so definitely make a reservation. The drinks were well priced and the martinis were excellent.
(4)Claire C.
I've only been here once, but it was a mostly positive experience. For a late lunch on a weekday with mostly senior citizens present, their musical taste was rather loud and offensive. And their vegetarian options are limited, but in B-N that's to be expected. I had the risotto and it was delicious. Friends enjoyed the Caesar salad. Great environment with a unique menu for the area.
(4)Kristi R.
I'm afraid my two visits there do not warrant another return trip. While the food I had was ok to pretty good, it's horribly overpriced, and the drinks are weak. My family has had some terrible experiences with it taking over an hour to get the food. Once when they took so long that we had to leave for a theater event, we sent back a plate they brought out an hour and a half after we ordered. They actually had the nerve to argue with us and try to charge us. We refused. Then we saw them try to serve that same plate to another customer. Tapas should not cost $7 or $8, and drinks that cost $7 should taste like the actually have alcohol in them. The concept is great, but execution and customer service are poor.
(2)J M.
On the way to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, we decided to stop in Normal-Bloomington to get a look at ISU. Reality Bites is a bar in downtown Bloomington with good--though un-cheap-- food. David's tuna melt and fries were on special, but my apricot salad and a bowl of lentil soup ran us $12. We also shared hummus and pita. All in all, the food was good, but the total was around $28 without tip. The bar has a chic atmosphere (French posters on the wall even, one with my favorite French word, "parapluie"). If you visit, I suggest checking out the Mexican deli and grocery directly across the street. They have cookies.
(4)Kelly M.
Baked goat cheese is an all time fav!! Great for a later dinner...ambiance at night is wonderful!! Go hungry; you will be full when you leave!
(4)dan m.
Great atmosphere, good service, excellent food and low cost. Why can't Peoria have one?
(4)Stephanie Z.
I don't know if I had too high of hopes or what, but I will never put myself or anyone else through that again. All seemed fine until we were seated and then the time clicked away...no water, no waiter...no nothing. FINALLY we got water and the waiter introduced himself, then again he was gone for at least 15 minutes...FINALLY order has been taken...food was horribly overpriced for what you get. It took another 20 minutes for the food to arrive, the food arrived in shifts. Sure the seared tuna was alright, but don't charge me ten bucks for that, are you serious? I can get that cheaper at Hyashi and get more on the plate. The chipolte shrimp was very disappointing, it seemed like something out of a lean cuisine box. Overall a highly disappointing experience where twice we almost got up and left, but the waiter 'caught' us just in time. Service was awful, food is overpriced. It really has the environment to be something great, but they are not executing correctly..something is obviously wrong there.
(1)Nancy W.
I really like the non-chain experience. This spot has taken an old building in downtown Bloomington and brought out its best features. The food is quite good. Tapas style. Make a meal of something ... or order this and that to share. Pork Tacos are great. Tiger Shrimp Risotto is special. I've heard several raves about the Drunken Chicken.
(4)Eric F.
One of the better places to take a date if you go to ISU or Wesleyan. Nice atmosphere, diverse tapas menu, friendly staff. This place has character; something the B-N area seems to lack.
(4)John T.
In my brief time in Central Illinois, I have to give Reality Bites a lot of credit. They have an interesting, flavorful menu; food prepared well; decent service; and quality ingredients. They have a nice bar with a great selection of drinks. In most other towns, they'd get a three star rating for being a solid, interesting, workmanlike dining choice, but in Bloomington-Normal they deserve four stars for doing most things well, with creativity and flavor.
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