La Grenouille

Two unmemorable meals at La Grenouille in 12 months, both expense acct. Prior meal was lunch and all I recall is that the foie gras was nothing to write about.
For dinner this time, I tried the quenelles (creamed pike dumplings) on the recommendation of food critics. They were awful. They had the texture of fish tofu or jello – all ingredients I like, but not in combination. My dinner companion left her quenelles half uneaten, too. Crab cake was meh, not particularly flavorful and lacked flavors to accentuate it. Meh is just not acceptable at this level. Of course, the soufflé was excellent, but it is not enough to carry the meal.
I’m disappointed that the food was ordinary because I like the old world elegance, the heavy, heavenly scent of flowers, and the charming service. Definitely not on par with haute French restaurants like Jean Georges or Bouley, which can be hit or miss, but at least score big when it’s a hit.

This magnificent, classic spot is just FAB. Changing times, my foot. The changing times, they are the losers. Here you will find the most arcane and specialized and innovative offerings in the (Fr.) category. This restaurant surely could give Paris a shiver. The filet-​mignon petit hamburger? Good grief. Poor me did not know it existed. And things just get more extraordinary from there.

The place has a beautiful ambience. Fresh flowers, sophistication and attention of the waiters add to the pleasant experience. Yet the cuisine left me unimpressed. We ordered the la grenouille salad, steak with pepper sauce and pistachio soufflé. Salad was clearly under seasoned and did not have a dressing. Steak was unremarkable. I’ve had better steaks in remote mountain village restaurants in Switzerland. The tab for 2 people was $ 180 which would be fine if the food was worth it. But it was not. Three stars is me being generous. Carolina Herrera likes to eat here and I would want to know what exactly she eats, maybe everyone needs to order that. Because the salad and steak that we got was not great. The soufflé did not meet the expectation either.

Always great to dine at a traditional classic New York Restaurant where the focus on the customer is paramount.
Food is superb, service is exceptional and staff is very professional
Although the rules only cite a jacket for men — I would advise a tie too.

Le Grenouille offers the ultimate dining experience. The food, ambiance, service, and location twist together to transport guests across time and space to an age of elegance.
That said, each element on its own warrants praise and a visit. Especially the food. My god, the food.

Went there last night for dinner and to meet some distinguish NBC folks. The minute I walked in (solo) I was treated like an outcast. The maître d’ was pompous and entitled. All of that suddenly changed once they knew I was a paying customer with the table of 5. If it weren’t for my guest who were already seated I would of left. Seriously!
Folks, don’t waste your time and especially your money for average French food and a snobbish staff.
Note to the restaurant– it’s NYC, no one needs you!

Arrived Saturday 545 reservations for 2. I’m giving two stars because we felts RUSHED and we were asked SEVERAL TIMES if we were going to tge theatre and we answered NO EVERY TIME. Nonetheless, we sat at the bar and had a cocktail each. The restaurant itself is beautiful and you csn see who is a regular. WE have dined ay both Daniel and Bouley and those two experiences were outstanding.
We did ask for the tasting menu and pairings. We were politely discouraged because the restaurant needed the table by 8. already I was disappointed. I continued and where we were seated there was an electrical outlet in between the base of my feet very weird. As you facing the restaurant, it is the second table to your left. We proceeded to order off the menu … salmon, cavier, forgras.. All the appetizers were just OK nothing grand. As entrées, I had the duck and we also order tge dover dole their signature dish. agsin nothing special. $ 500 in total for a so so dinner in a french restaurant surrounding by SPANISH SPEAKING STAFF … WE WE … I’ve booked my table at Per Se and ST. GEORGE … Where I csn truly experience french cuisine without bring RUSHED !!!

Ok experience at this restaurant. The ambiance was very nice as well as the service. Food was good but not what I expected… I love French food and I also love the buttery (lol) escargot which are not on the menu at this restaurant. Very pricy, and the portions are very small… We ordered lobster ravioli and we found 3 mini mini ravioli in our plate… not worth the money and if you have a baby unfortunately they don’t have any high chairs available.
Little advice for the waiters… Please Don’t open the tab in front of the client while leaving just to make sure the «non speaking English at the table but only italian» left the tip… It looks bad on your part… Why I like the most is the environment, friendliness and desserts… Other than that, it’s just a typical Manhattan restaurant.

WOW. Just, wow.
This place felt like a dream. The atmosphere of the restaurant is incredibly romantic and gorgeous. Filled with fresh flowers all the way up to the ceilings. We came for the pre-​theatre menu. We were actually the first to arrive, a bit early for our reservations that were at 5:30pm. It was kind of awesome being the only two in the entire restaurant. I felt like a celebrity.
The service is as good as it gets. The staff here is more attentive than anywhere I’ve ever been. It was truly an amazing experience. Sometimes in places as nice as this one, the staff can tend to be a little pretentious or make you feel uncomfortable, not here. I felt so comfortable here and loved every second of our experience. There’s not one thing they could have done better. That good. Only thing I would have changed wasn’t the restaurant itself, but the NY couple next to us that brought their 10 year old child. Not that I have an issue with children in restaurants, but when you are expecting a romantic night out, you don’t want to hear parents talking loudly to their child about play dates.
I started off with the lobster bisque which was a great choice to start off, my boyfriend had the foie gras which he raved about also. Every single bite you will eat here will be mind blowing. For our main courses, he went with the oxtail, I went with the chateaubriand. Best piece of meat I’ve ever eaten. From the texture, the flavor, cooked to absolute perfection.
After our main course you are treated with some amazing little pastries. Oh my god I don’t know how they make them so delicious. I mean, wow. The little ones shaped like seashells were my absolute favorite, I could eat a whole bucket full. Then, on to our dessert. The souffles. I had chocolate, my boyfriend had grand marnier. Did I mention everything was amazing?
Even the ladies room was the cleanest and most beautiful surrounded with mirrors all around you to make sure you’re looking beautiful before you step back out to your date. If you’re going here, make sure to dress up and men are required to wear a jacket. It’s a nice change of pace compared to the overly casual status of the world now. This is a great place to go before seeing a show on Broadway. They ask you beforehand what time your show starts to ensure they get you out on time.
Thank you, Le Grenouille for a wonderful experience I will never forget.

One of the best traditional French restaurant I’ve ever been. Best service with staff who has been there since 1960s who were very professional and nice. The dessert soufflés are the best especially the Grand Marnier soufflé with cream of vanilla. For appetizer we ordered Foie gras and salmon tartare which were well served. The filet mignon was cooked very well (we ordered medium rare and it was exactly medium rare) with excellent wine pairing. I would definitely go there again.

Being my first time at a French restaurant I was slightly nervous of what to expect from the menu. My boyfriend made reservations for my birthday here. Due to the inclement weather, we arrived just a few minutes late for our reservation. Upon checking in our coats, my boyfriend was told that he would have to wear a blazer, which was no problem. Although, it would have been nice to know beforehand. We were seated right away and the ambiance was lovely. We ordered wine and were greeted by a waiter with several kinds of fresh baguettes.
Being new to a French restaurant we didn’t know what to expect. We ordered our appetizer, main course, and dessert. I ordered the chicken in wine sauce (the only chicken meal on the menu) while my boyfriend enjoyed scallops and the lobster ravioli. I enjoyed a green bean and arugula salad as my appetizer. We enjoyed our conversation and were never interrupted. The waiters were professional and only took our plates after we had enjoyed each portion. The chicken was absolutely delicious and came alongside what seemed like mashed mushrooms. After the main course the staff brought over a small plate of French pastries (also delicious). The soufflé was amazing and I couldn’t even finish it. I ended the meal with a de lupus coup of coffee. Overall I gave this restaurant four stars and would gladly enjoy another meal here :)

Came for lunch the day the pope was in town. The restaurant was pretty empty and the staff were very patient with folks who were delayed in their reservations due to the unusual traffic situations.
Our table captain was a friendly gentleman named Jean Pierre and he was the highlight of the meal. We both had some lunch, we started with oysters, and I got the lobster salad as the main entrée instead of an appetizer, and my friend got the chicken livers over a corn patty as an entrée. We also both got their soufflés. Passion fruit for me, white chocolate for her.
The oysters were fresh and nicely shucked. They were a little briny for my taste, but I prefer west coast oysters.
I am disappointed by the portions since my lobster salad was still a very appetizer size. The taste was nice. Not amazing. What was surprisingly amazing though were the chicken livers my friend got. They were actually delicious and smothered in this rich gravy that had amazing layers of flavor. I loved the little bites I stole off her plate.
The soufflés were amazing! Really delicious but I’m not sure worth the price as they were an additional 35 each. Total the lunch was 200+ for two and my friend had two glasses of wine. The prix fixe was 65 each. Which is reasonable for the quality. Just don’t ask for an entrée sized version of an appetizer!

We came here since they had great reviews on Unilocal and also the restaurant looked cozy just like in their pictures. We arrived about 10 minutes late (blame the sudden rain and NYC subway system). They were kind enough to keep our reservations available and not move us out of their list.
The moment we got to the restaurant I felt welcomed and well attended. But I didn’t know they were a little pretentious since they asked me to wear a suit/​blazer. I kindly agreed to wear one and that is when they decided to guide us to our table. Once inside the dining area you feel like you are supposed to act a certain way, a little proper, a little too much. The walls were nicely decorated with flowers, the tables were big enough for two but at the same time they seemed so close to each other.
Now the part I was a little disappointed. First they brought out complimentary small bites, bread and cheese balls. Everything looked great but they forgot to explain what each piece was and some of their main ingredients. My friend is allergic to goat cheese and of course one of the small bites was a tomato filled with goat cheese. The moment she bit into it She knew what it was and had to «get it back out» of her mouth. I’m glad she didn’t swallow it or the night would of ended ugly. I really wish they would of asked if anyone on the dining party was allergic to certain items on their menu before bringing anything out. We asked our waiter if that was goat cheese and he said he didn’t know. So points off on that. How can you not know what you are serving?
After that little speed bump, we started to relax a bit and started on the cheese balls and bread. Those little cheese balls were amazing «until» without even asking if we were done they took them away!
Next, we got our main dishes: Foie Gras and Ox tail. They were both great dishes but not the best I’ve had. My friend found his Ox tail dish a little too salty for her taste buds. We quickly moved on to our dessert, and enjoyed one out of the two.
I think this place was nice but my overall impression was not the best. As my friend said about this restaurant: there is no lasting impression from beginning to end, you come, experience, leave and forget“a

Best French food in nyc
Fine dining
Ritzy ambience
Old money shit meeeeennnnnggggg
Wear a suit
Bring a hot girl
Order a bomb wine
Get busy
Everything is amazing
Get the foie
The duck
The oysters
Obviously burgundy or Bordeaux

I only had one dish because I have not had lunch and thought I’d grab a bite when I read they had a special duck of breast sandwich. I walked in as they just opened. Very lucky, I was seated at the end to see the entire room and watch everyone come in. Perfect seat as I went alone on a whim.
While I waited, they served me a choice of warm breads and butter. Then came some little appetizers of gougere — my favorite munchies that are like mini cream puffs made with cheese.
My sandwich was gorgeous and pretty big with lots of things in it. It’s like a generous portion of a club sandwich but with duck and many more stuff in it with 3 cornichons (French tiny pickles) and a high stack of «club» style sandwich. Also served with homemade small waffled potato chiles on top. My maitre’do have me a little salad on the side.
At the end of the meal, they have me a plate of cookies comprised of mini Madeleine’s, Mimi elephant ears, lace cookies and chocolate and white chocolate with aond flavor truffles.
With such service, I ordered a cup of coffee to eat with the complimentary sweets.
My snack turned out to be my early dinner.
What a beautiful day and a wonderful light dinner in an elegant setting.
I’m sure to return!!!

It is about time I reviewed this 50+ year old establishment in the heart of midtown Manhattan, where the working population, fondly yet appropriately labeled ‘midtown monkeys’, rubs shoulders with the old-​money Upper East Side crowd. After several visits to La Grenouille, I can say with confidence that this is an excellent fine dining option, especially when you are setting up a dinner or gathering at short notice, given the flexible and accommodating reservation staff.
As you enter the space, you would be struck by the weight of the décor – flower arrangements, mirrors, lush carpeting and comfortable seats. Your table is assigned a captain and a waiter. Often the waiter is far friendlier than the captain. The menu is extensive, and even has a vegetarian variant. The chestnut-​lentil dish is my favorite. Followed closely by the goat cheese salad and the vegetable tart. The grilled tofu with peanut sauce and vermicelli is a worthy main course that would leave plenty of room for dessert. The chocolate soufflé and crêpes are fairly ordinary. So you might be better off taking a chance with something from the chef’s assortment.
The service is very characteristic of second-​tier fine dining establishments. Formal and friendly on the outside, transactional and fit-​for-​tourist on the inside. Unless they fix this, La Grenouille will never rise above its peer group to compete with the likes of Per Se, Daniel or Bouley.

Romantic, old-​school restaurant tucked away in midtown east. I’ve probably walked by this place dozens of time without noticing it. But the décor is gorgeous and very romantic, with a fortune spent every day on fresh flowers.
Food was excellent. As people have mentioned, the foie gras is out of this world, with a hint of passion fruit to really kick up the flavor. I savored each bite.
I ordered the dover sole to balance the meal, but it was a heavy portion of fish, with a generous helping of mushrooms. Also delicious, but I was embarrassed I couldn’t finish it. Was saving room for dessert, after all!
The chocolate soufflé is enormous. Thick, dense, and rich — it is everything I dream of in a chocolate soufflé, but it is perhaps twice as heavy as the grand marnier soufflé, which I would probably order the next time I’m here. The staff gives you two creams to enjoy with the chocolate soufflé, but all I really wished for was a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Service is impeccable, if the humor is a bit on the dry side. You’ll see what I mean if the host has a chance to converse with you.

Never know this great French place until today when we were having the team lunch. I personally enjoyed what I have got for the pre fixed course, clam with garlic as starter, steak as main, and the daily special cake as dessert. Other people were getting various things. Strongly suggest their frog leg and sea bass though, based on my limited exprience trying a bite or two from my colleague.
Their decoration was definitely a plus.

Stepping into La Grenouille, you are transported back to the days where proper attire was mandatory for dinner… men wore jackets to dinner and women dressed up to the nines. The main restaurant space reminds me of every restaurant I’ve visited all over France… opulent and beautifully decorated without it looking gaudy or garish.
The menu was simply laid out, a 3 course pre-​fixe of appetizer, entrée and dessert. Amongst the choices were selections that you can have for an additional cost and they also offered specialty dishes for the evening. It was our first time so we opted for the regular tasting menu options. Also they require that you order your soufflé at the same time of the rest of order since it take longer to bake.
Started with their sweetbreads and the crab cake. Both presented beautifully and as equally delicious, the only tweak would be for the sweetbreads to be breaded a bit lighter.
For our entrée we opted for the braised oxtail and the sea scallops. The oxtail was a large hearty portion prepared in a boeuf bourguignon style: rich, flavorful and decadent. The perfectly pan seared scallops came surrounded by a delicious and light red beet sauce. For dessert we opted for their coffee dessert sampler, every piece of dessert on the plate was dressed with a hint of coffee with chocolate.
Very romantic setting with equally palate arousing food, it’s definitely worth repeated visits.

Here’s what makes me laugh. All these past reviewers talking about La Grenouille saying its stuck up and snobby, shut up!
You have to understand, all the wait staff and front of the house staff, they’re working just like you and I. And they work for one thing, to give me a pleasurable experience. That’s it folks, mystery solved. It’s the CUSTOMERS that give off douchey attitudes.
Now that we have all the smoke cleared, La Grenouille!
The four of us, two couples want an after dinner cocktail. I know what I want, my wife is wearing a black dress and is looking oh so French. So I want to see some fresh cut flowers and a little romance vibe happening while I’m in Midtown. La Grenouille is a spot the other couple hasn’t been to before and I’m buying so, let me do what I do best.
Be romantical.
We walk into a elegant and dimly lit restaurant. The fresh flowers are strong and I’m feeling positive. I see the Maitre D and whisper I want the 4 seats at the end of the bar. They quickly clean up the area for us.
The friendly bartender asks what are we having, I tell him (4) French 75 cocktails please.
This drink is made with Gin, Cognac and topped with French Champagne. He explains the history of the cocktail to us. We talk about where we live, very very nice man.
I have the night complete seeing my Brooklyn-​French-​Canadian wife wearing a black dress and sipping a French Cocktail.
Home run La Grenouille. Out of the park
It’s NYC folks, enjoy the shit out of it.