Cabaret, comedy, live saxophone, drag performances and late-night dancing are turning weekends at The Mount Dora Bistro into much more than dinner.

Walk past The Mount Dora Bistro during the day and the scene feels nostalgically French.

Tables fill for chef’s Bistro lunch or an Afternoon In Paris ‘Le Gouter’ French Tea service. The terrace offers a quiet ‘al fresco’ place to settle in just a block from the center of downtown Mount Dora.

But come back on a Friday or Saturday evening and the personality of the place begins to change.

Friday’s and Saturday’s a saxophone may be playing while happy hour cocktails are poured. Later, while enjoying dinner on Friday evenings the room might belong to stand-up comedians, cabaret performers or drag queens taking on the songs of pop icons. On Saturday nights, dinner can lead into a nightclub-style experience with music and dancing.

That transformation is becoming a defining part of The Mount Dora Bistro.

The French-inspired restaurant at 142 W. Fourth Avenue describes itself as a Coterie Supper Club, celebrating dining experiences combined with curated art and entertainment inspired by the culture and the nightlife vibes of Paris.

And its growing weekend lineup means choosing when to visit can be just as important as deciding what to order.

Start the Night With Apéro in Paris

For an easy introduction, arrive before dinner.

On Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 5 p.m., The Bistro hosts Apéro in Paris, its take on the French tradition of gathering for drinks and light bites before the evening begins.

The one-hour experience includes an open bar of crafted cocktails, Bistro wines and Kronenbourg 1664 beers, along with complimentary chef’s hors d'oeuvres.

But there is another ingredient that changes the atmosphere considerably: live saxophone from Lucas.

It turns what could have been a conventional happy hour into the opening act for the evening.

Apéro can be experienced on its own, making it an option even if you are not planning to stay for one of the Bistro's dinner or entertainment experiences.

Of course, staying is where things get interesting.

Friday Night Means Cabaret

Friday evenings are built around Evening in Paris, The Bistro's weekly dinner-and-cabaret experience.

And the entertainment changes depending on which Friday you choose.

On the first Friday of the month, The Legends brings a La Cage-style tribute show to the room, with performers honoring legendary entertainers through music, costumes and female impersonation.

The second Friday belongs to The Comedy Hour, a showcase of stand-up comedy paired with the Bistro's crafted cocktails and dinner service.

On the third Friday, La Cage "Les Girls" takes the stage with drag performances built around familiar songs from female pop stars and divas, complete with elaborate costumes, music and plenty of personality.

Then the fourth Friday becomes Games Galore, an interactive night hosted by Bridgette Galore and Gidget Galore that mixes performances, bingo and a television game-show-inspired competition.

It means "Friday night at The Mount Dora Bistro" can describe four very different nights out.

The Bistro offers à la carte dining beginning at 5:30 pm for early dinner service or guests can choose to celebrate Mount Dora as an Evening In Paris ‘Night On The Town’ dinner-and-cabaret experience with reserved seating at 6:30 p.m for Chef John’s Fondue et Flambé theatrical dinner paired with the La Cager Cabaret performance at 9 pm. Those who are dining elsewhere in town can still join us for after-dinner fun with crafted cocktails and cabaret entertainment only starting at 8:30 pm with a 9 pm showtime.

Check the Bistro's current event schedule before choosing your Friday.

The Entertainment Starts Earlier on Saturdays

Saturday brings another transformation.

At 1 p.m., Matinée in Paris pairs lunch dining experiences with a rotating schedule of afternoon entertainment as a cabaret fun-day celebrating Mount Dora amongst family and friends.

The first Saturday brings Bling Bingo Brunch, hosted by Bridgette Galore featuring bingo, music, boas, fascinators and plenty of glitz.

The second Saturday shifts toward something completely different with Tea Apothecary, pairing the Bistro's signature Afternoon In Paris French tea experience or a Bistro lunch with a tea-leaf and botanical blending workshop.

On the third Saturday, La Cage Brunch brings "Les Girls" back for an afternoon encore La Cage Cabaret performance featuring songs associated with female divas and pop stars in celebration of love and community.

And the fourth Saturday brings Beyond Tea, where the Bistro's afternoon tea experience is pairs having a Bistro lunch or Afternoon In Paris French Tea dining experience with a tea-leaf reading workshop by Travel Channel medium Cathy Meriaux.

It is another reminder that the Bistro is not operating from the usual restaurant playbook…they provide dining experiences to create memories in Mount Dora

A Saturday afternoon here could mean tea and conversation.

It could also mean bingo, drag and a room full of boas.

Then Saturday Night Becomes Club Privé

Once Saturday dinner begins, the Bistro transforms again.

Its Speakeasy Saturday where the Evening in Paris ‘Night On The Town’ combines two curated event experiences; an exclusive The Private-Chef Wine Dinner experience paired with Club Privé: Sounds of Generations, a nightclub-inspired event built around curated playlists celebrating music from the 1960s through the 2000s.

The Private Chef Wine Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. in The Chef's Theater, with a communal multi-course royal table dining experience before guests move into Club Privé for the Sounds of Generations event with member’s VIP Speakeasy bottle service and Hookah on the Terrace  .

Then the volume comes up.

The Bistro describes Sounds of Generations as an anthem-driven nightlife experience where sitting politely at the table is certainly allowed—but singing along, chair dancing and getting up between the tables are encouraged.

Depending on the evening, the broader Club Privé experience might include themed nights such as Mardi Gras, Noche Latina, Disco, House but always offer’s Coterie members our concierge Speakeasy VIP Bottle services and Hookah on the Terrace and VIP speakeasy bottle service.

Those who are dining elsewhere in town or who did not join us for a Bistro dining experience can still  join the after-dinner nightlife via our Guest Pass for partying and fun with crafted cocktails and the Club Privé vibes when doors open at 9 pm.

So while Friday nights lean toward watching the show, Saturday eventually asks whether you would rather become part of it.

More Than Somewhere to Make a Dinner Reservation

There are plenty of reasons to visit a French restaurant.

French onion soup. Wine. Pastries. A leisurely lunch. Afternoon tea.

The Mount Dora Bistro still offers all of that.

What makes it particularly interesting right now is what happens around the food.

A late-afternoon cocktail becomes an hour of live saxophone.

Dinner becomes a lead-in to cabaret.

A Saturday brunch might include bingo or drag performances.

And the same dining room that welcomed afternoon tea guests a few hours earlier can finish the night with people dancing to nightclub anthems.

That makes The Mount Dora Bistro less of a single dining experience and more of a choose-your-own-night-out.

You could stop in for Apéro and head somewhere else for dinner.

You could make dinner the centerpiece and add a show.

Or you could start with cocktails at 4 p.m. and see just how long you can last celebrating ‘joie de vivre’ with your family and friends from the Streets of Paris while visiting downtown Mount Dora.

Plan Your Night

The Mount Dora Bistro is located at 142 W. Fourth Avenue in downtown Mount Dora.

Its current entertainment schedule includes Apéro in Paris from 4 to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, rotating Friday cabaret showcases, Saturday afternoon Matinée programming and Saturday-night Evening in Paris and Club Privé experiences.

Because the Bistro adjusts its dining availability around scheduled events and private Coterie Supper Club Members programming, reservations are strongly recommended.

Before heading downtown, check The Mount Dora Bistro's current event schedule to see exactly what is happening during your visit and request a reservation directly through the Bistro.

Because if you only know The Mount Dora Bistro as somewhere to sit down for French food, you may want to come back after dark.

The dinner table is only part of the story.

Meet Me in Mount Dora is a recurring visitor series featuring memorable ways to eat, explore and experience the city.