The Bistro Group was formed in 1989 and is a closely held family owned business employing more than 3,000 employees in four restaurant divisions. Robert Conway, Sr. Chairman of the Board and Jim Rieger, President and CEO head the company. The Bistro Group executives sit on many boards and are active in supporting non-profit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area such as Xavier University, The Cincinnati Ballet, The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Mercy Health Partners and several others.

The Bistro Group strives to develop and provide the market with quality specialty dining experiences. Their holdings include: 31 T.G.I. Friday's® restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania; McAlister's Deli® has 5 locations in Greater Cincinnati; and Karlo's Bistro Italia® with one location in Kentucky.

Karlo's, one of the premier restaurants in the Bistro Group, first opened its doors in the Greater Cincinnati market in Northern Kentucky in 1995. Karlo's introduced innovative Italian cooking to the Northern Kentucky area with dishes from Northern and Southern Italy. Karlo's also does catering throughout the Greater Cincinnati area and is the food service provider for Playhouse in the Park and The Terrace Café at the Cincinnati Art Museum.