Checkers Bistro

4.5 (1268)

$30 and under

International

398 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603

About this restaurant

Romantic
Good for special occasions
Innovative

It’s a Beautiful Day at Checkers Bistro!

Checkers Bistro opened its doors to Lancaster in 2006, located on the corner of James and Mulberry, offering a beautiful and intimate corner eatery. In 2014, relocating to the slightly larger historic Champion Forge complex, it retained every bit of its charm, comfort and standards of excellence.

Join us for every celebration! We are the perfect spot for every occasion from birthdays and graduations to romantic anniversaries or a reunion of old friends. For a quiet business dinner, we offer intimate banquets to meet in.

Our welcoming and knowledgeable bartenders are proud to serve up interesting, hand-crafted cocktails, beer and wine. Happy Hour from 4-6 includes a small plate menu and specialty drinks. Late Night, the bar is a perfect way to end a beautiful day with a nightcap.

Make “Everyday Delicious” at Checkers Bistro!

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
International, Bistro, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Tue–Thu 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
Website
http://www.checkersbistro.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
Take-Out Menu Available
Private party facilities
Not Available at this time

Location
398 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603
Neighborhood
Lancaster
Cross street
Champion Forge Center : Harrisburg Ave. & Charlotte Ave
Parking details
Parking is available in parking lots in both the front (off Charlotte Street) and the rear (off Harrisburg Avenue), along the street on Charlotte Street and in the Snavely Lumber’s parking lot, just a half a block up Charlotte Street.
Public transit
Red Rose Transit Authority buses stop and pickup 1 block from the restaurant. James Street is the closest public transport bus stop.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Pico de Gallo + Chips$5.50
Crispy Cauliflower$7.00
Sweet & Spicy Sauce. Contains sesame
Salt-Crusted Calamari$7.00
Thai Chili Sauce. Contains sesame
Peking Duck Tacos$11.50
Three Tacos, Chinese BBQ Duck, Wonton Taco, Guacamole
Beef Nachos$8.50
Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Lemon Aioli, Pico De Gallo
5 Risotto Cakes$12.00
Gruyere & Muenster Cheese, Honey Whole Grain Mustard
Chicken Tenders + Fries$7.50
Shrimp Cocktail$12.00
5 Jumbo Shrimp, Cocktail Sauce, Lemon
Vegetable Lasagna$9.00
Tomatoes, Carrots, Onion, Green Pepper, Soy Puff, Ricotta Cheese, Basil, Parmesan
Pomme Frites$6.00
Sweet Potato Frites$6.00

Bistro Plates

All of our breads are made by Thom's Bread. Gluten Free Pasta / Burger Bun available upon request

Bolognese$16.00
Pappardelle Pasta
Steak & Frites$34.00
10 oz Steak, Truffle Butter
Seared Diver Scallops$22.00
Truffled Creamed Leeks
Seafood Napolitano$17.00
Shrimp, Squid, Green & Red Pepper, Onion, Tomato Sauce, Linguini
Salmon Dinner$18.00
Sautéed Brussels Sprout, Pancetta, Roasted Parsnips, Red Pepper Coulis
Cubano$14.00
Roasted Pork, Ham, Swiss Cheese, Dill Pickle, Jalapeno, Yellow Mustard
Turkey Avocado Sandwich$14.00
Ciabatta Bread, Arugula, Pesto Mayonnaise, Roasted Red Pepper, Meunster Cheese
The Burger$14.00
Lettuce, Tomato, Sharp Cheddar, Brioche Bun
Grilled Cheese Sandwich$7.50
Semolina Bread w/ White Sesame, Pickled Onion

Sweets

$6.50 each

Chocolate Mousse Pie
Oreo Cookie Cake
AKA Martine's Cake / www.houseofclarendon.com
Fresh Fruits Plate

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Checkers Bistro.

4.5

(1268)

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.5Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

1,268 Reviews

CA
ChristopherA
Philadelphia3 reviews
5.0
Dined on December 10, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The service was excellent and the food and drinks delicious as always.
Is this helpful?
JB
JeffersonB
Philadelphia1 review
5.0
Dined on December 5, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Love the food every time I go I like it more and more Thanks
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia2 reviews
5.0
Dined on November 13, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience as always. Used to the restaurant being full of happy patrons but these are unprecedented times. Excellent service and the food was great as always. They are doing a great job despite the challenges of the pandemic. No hesitation recommending an evening at Checkers.
Is this helpful?
TH
TonyaH
Philadelphia1 review
3.0
Dined on November 6, 2020
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Used to be my favorite place to go in Lancaster, had the best coffee infused filet. Now steak and fries served in a platter that reminds me of Hoss’s for $35. Will not be going back.
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NY
NewYorkerinPA Gold
Philadelphia33 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 31, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a great meal, great service. We will be back again, and again.
Is this helpful?
CS
ChrisS
Philadelphia4 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 31, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always great. I hope the full menu returns soon so I can try more of the outstanding food.
Is this helpful?
CZ
CeeZ
Philadelphia1 review
5.0
Dined on October 31, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Quiet, great food, pleasant wait staff. Very enjoyable experience.
Is this helpful?
LS
LarryS
Orlando19 reviews
4.0
Dined on October 28, 2020
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place. Limited menu and understand as restaurants are hurting. Not sure I agree of adding 20% gratuity into check as standard.
Is this helpful?
SS
SusanS
Philadelphia6 reviews
3.0
Dined on October 27, 2020
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
We love Checkers but were disappointed. It took awhile to get a waiter to our table. It was mid-week and it seemed like they didn't have enough staff. We ordered a meal to go and it was forgotten. We had to wait until it was prepared. I'm hoping this was not the new normal. I understand the pandemic has caused adjustments. I may stick to carry out for now.
Is this helpful?
CR
ChuckR
Las Vegas1 review
2.0
Dined on October 24, 2020
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Very disappointed that they were already out of their special by 6 PM. Menu is very limited which if you don’t have a smartphone you can’t even read. Our server was very pleasant. The fact that they automatically add 20% tip to your bill without even asking what tip you would like to leave is very offputting. We will probably not return any time in the near future.
1 person found this helpful

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
International, Bistro, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Tue–Thu 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
Website
http://www.checkersbistro.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
Take-Out Menu Available
Private party facilities
Not Available at this time

Location
398 Harrisburg Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603
Neighborhood
Lancaster
Cross street
Champion Forge Center : Harrisburg Ave. & Charlotte Ave
Parking details
Parking is available in parking lots in both the front (off Charlotte Street) and the rear (off Harrisburg Avenue), along the street on Charlotte Street and in the Snavely Lumber’s parking lot, just a half a block up Charlotte Street.
Public transit
Red Rose Transit Authority buses stop and pickup 1 block from the restaurant. James Street is the closest public transport bus stop.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Checkers Bistro

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Salads

Garden Salad$6.00

Caesar Salad$6.00

Roasted Beet Salad$6.00

Burrata$10.50

Warm Veggie Medley$6.50

Salad Add Ons

Chicken$5.00

Shrimp$6.00

Salmon$11.00

Small Plates

Pico de Gallo + Chips$5.50

Crispy Cauliflower$7.00

Salt-Crusted Calamari$7.00

Peking Duck Tacos$11.50

Beef Nachos$8.50

5 Risotto Cakes$12.00

Chicken Tenders + Fries$7.50

Shrimp Cocktail$12.00

Vegetable Lasagna$9.00

Pomme Frites$6.00

Sweet Potato Frites$6.00

Bistro Plates

Bolognese$16.00

Steak & Frites$34.00

Seared Diver Scallops$22.00

Seafood Napolitano$17.00

Salmon Dinner$18.00

Cubano$14.00

Turkey Avocado Sandwich$14.00

The Burger$14.00

Grilled Cheese Sandwich$7.50

Sweets

Chocolate Mousse Pie

Oreo Cookie Cake

Fresh Fruits Plate

Additional information

Not available on OpenTable