Nice restaurants are the ultimate go-to place for dates, but if you are stuck on campus without a car, they have always been a little hard to get to. Until now.

Ibby’s Bistro, the newest addition to the Bon Appétit family here at Wash. U., features a full-service dining option conveniently located in the Danforth University Center (DUC).

Perfect for a night out with friends looking to spice up their meals and escape the crowded, long lines of the main food center of the DUC, the bistro is especially perfect for a couple seeking a romantic date. We set out to truly get the “dibs” on “Ibbs.”

Upon walking into Ibby’s, the Asian Feng Shui feel of the restaurant both surprised and delighted us. Classy and elegant, yet simultaneously modern, Ibby’s décor provided overall sensual, inviting tones. Red, modern lighting helped create the sensual yet cozy intimate sentiments and elegance of the bistro; exactly what you would expect form a date restaurant. The extremely friendly and courteous host of Ibby’s greeted Meredith and me, as he led us to a booth nestled between two other booths filled with people. While the booths are indeed closely spaced, this allowed for mingling with other diners at the booths next to us. However, if you are looking for a more secluded dining experience, the tables will provide just this.

Upon sitting down, even before we were greeted by our server, a lovely couple next to us spoke their praise for the restaurant to us. Also first timers to the restaurant, they were very impressed with their dining experience and agreed that it is a perfect place for romantic dates, but that it also welcomes groups of friends.

Essentially the only drawback to eating at Ibby’s is the actual food price, as the food is definitely on the pricier side. While an entrée and dessert usually go for 18 dollars, a meal complete with a glass of wine, an entrée, dessert and a starter can run up to 35 dollars. The nice part about this is the ability to pay with one’s own meal points, and yes, checks can be split. Be careful with this option while on a date, though. Going “dutch” is an issue unto itself. But what the card option means, in other words, is that you can now get your parents to—unknowingly—pay for your date. This is perfect if you are a little short on cash, but just scored the date with that hot girl—or guy—from chemistry class.

The standard eating time at Ibby’s is an hour, so if you are in a small group or on a date, give yourself about an hour minimum to enjoy your dining experience. You may want to plan out even more time than that, considering an on-campus date removes any chance of talking before or after your meal.

Ultimately, Ibby’s will definitely satisfy any student looking for a quiet, intimate dining option or a friendly, entertaining night out with friends. To say the least, it is a huge step up from Bear’s Den. While it was really never okay back in my days as a freshman to go on dates at Bear’s Den, with the addition of Ibby’s there is definitely now no excuse to continue going on dates to Bear’s Den. In fact, one of the great things about Ibby’s is that students now have easy access to a nice restaurant without a car. This means that you now have no excuse for not going to a nice dinner on a date.

So grab your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend and head to Ibby’s soon to discover for yourself the dibs on Ibby’s; you will be glad you did!