Such a cute restaurant! The profiteroles dessert was really good I highly recommend. This is a very good date night spot.

I went to Bar Bouchee last night for dinner. We were greeted by Claude at the door, who thanked us for coming and politely ushered us to our lovely seat on the outside terrace. For the customers that complained of the noise in their review, outside seating is an ideal and pleasant solution. I shared the oyster special and ordered the asparagus salad and the salmon special as my meal, and the fromage blanc for dessert. The oysters were delicious, fresh and very clean tasting. The poached egg on the asparagus salad was PERFECTLY cooked (a sign of a fantastic chef) . The skin on the Salmon was cooked to crispy perfection (and yes, I ate every bit of it). The fromage blanc was much lighter than a traditional piece of "cheesecake" and quite delicious. The service at Bar Bouchee was impeccable as well. Our servers were very attentive and did an expeditious job of removing empty plates, refilling water glasses and refilling cocktails. Our food came out in a timely manner and unlike other reviewers mentioned we did not feel rushed at all. I am delighted to have a delicious place to go eat right here in town. Merci Claude, nous serons bientôt de retour. read more

Awesome confit. A jewel in Madison. Great wine great fries! Go there eat and be happy. read more

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We love this place and the quaint atmosphere. There aren't many great restaurants in the area, but this is one that is on the list every time we're in town. Fun for a date night or with family. The food is great and the staff are all very sweet. Must try the escargot! read more

My wife and I were excited to finally visit Bar Bouchee. Here is what we had for dinner and what it was like: First, let me say that the service was great. Our waiter, Pablo, could not have been better. We started with my escargot and my wife's roasted beet salad. There were 6 escargot shells, but 2 were missing the snail. I was served an additional 2 to make up for that, but one of those shells was also empty. What I did have was good, though. The kitchen should be checking these shells before they are served. My wife's salad was tiny with not much in the way of a beet - very thinly sliced and layered. The sauce was just okay. For the entree my wife had the hangar steak with gratin dauphinois and peppercorn sauce, which was great, and I had the cassoulet, which was a special. It was okay - a tasty variety of meats and sausage over white Tuscan beans. We each tried a house French red - 2 glasses, and a couple of glasses of Chardonnay during dinner to match with what we were eating. For dessert I had French press coffee, which was great, along with a chocolate and hazelnut crunchy pastry that we shared - it was very good. I realize that this review sounds like it should have earned at least a 4th star, but we felt that it was overly expensive for what we had - $300, with tip. We were expecting to be blown away at that price, but, unfortunately, it just didn't happen. read more

Love this place. We do a lot of our celebratory dinners there. Wonderful food and fantastic cocktails!

The meals are expensive..the portions are small..the quality is not worth the cost.. They rush you thru your meal to make room for other patrons..not run well at all..I would not waste either my time or money visiting this establishment again. read more

This is Literally my husband and my favorite place in Madison! We recently moved to town from NYC, needless to say, we love trying restaurants, and this place is by far the best restaurant around! The staff is amazing, Emily, Susan and Shane especially! The food is incredible! My favorite is the cod in parchment paper (seasonal) but the roast chicken is also incredible. They use local fruits and vegetables so everything is extra fresh. The wine list and cocktails are also delicious. They are also incredibly thoughtful with COVID. Tables are 6ft apart, plexiglass between table inside, the staff all wear marks, and they have a full system to ensure they are abiding by government guidelines so I felt VERY SAFE! Thank you Bar Bouchee!! Highly recommend & excited to go back :- ) read more

Perfection. Bar Bouchee was recommended by Mike at the nearby B&B Scranton Seahorse Inn. We've been missing the chatter and the ambience of casual fine dining since COVID changed things - but Bar Bouchee managed to keep all of that intact safely - as well as a cook us an outstanding french meal and magical cocktails by Shane the bartender. Great hospitality and knock-your-socks-off flavours. We can't wait to visit again! read more

Always consistently excellent food, service and wine list, wish it was a little easier to get a table but well worth the advanced plans!! Fantastic read more

We came here for a Birthday dinner and it was absolute perfection! Christine was a wonderful server and was so kind! The food was outstanding, the ambiance was adorable and the drink special was delicious! Thank you Bar Bouchee and Christine for making it such a special dinner! Would highly recommend! Merci! read more

Worth the detour, as Michelin would (should) say! We love good food and are very picky critical eaters (especially my French wife), and the meal we had at Bar Bouchee was better than anything we've had in the New Haven region (or Connecticut), or for that matter, Manhattan, or, come to think of it, even France (very disappointed there last May). I understand the restaurant is owned by the same person as the Union League Café in New Haven. Well, we find this place much more to our liking - less expensive, far less pretentious, and just great and traditional French bistro food. When we drove up in February, we thought there was a mistake - from the outside, it looks like a sort of dump. But inside, it's warm and friendly, the service is the same, and the food is simply memorable. We met the cook (from Lyon, I believe), and he is friendly and does a great job. If you like mussels, you have to get the moules frites. So what's so special about their simple trout? The delicate and delectable sauce, of course. But the straight-up hamburger looked very good, as well. Get a reservation, or sit at the great bar - but go early, it's got a well-deserved reputation. read more

Escargots Escargots Escargots ! Love the place ! A bit small but never disappointed The closest to France on the Shoreline read more

Wonderful classic French cuisine. Exceptional service. Comfortable, yet elegant. A treasure.

Delightful French bistro with very fine food and wine with attentive experienced waitstaff. We have been dining here for years and never leave disappointed. My husband is a huge fan of their steak tartare. read more

Love the little town charm of the place and was pleasantly surprised that the food was excellent. Atmosphere was cozy and bustling. We ordered simple dishes including the charcuterie and cheese platter. The meats had a lot of variety (two sausages, prosciutto, pate) and the cheese (cow, goat and sheep) was delicious. I also loved the accompaniments of toast points, sliced apples, mustard and pickles. We also had the mussels with a side of frites and the beet salad. The white wine sauce was so good I was drinking it by the spoonful - tasted like a yummy French onion soup. The beet and goat cheese salad was fresh and simply done which is the way we like it. We sat at the bar and our bartender/waiter (Shane) was awesome. His vocation clearly suited him as he had a very welcoming demeanor, comfortable smile and humble personality. The host jokingly told us that the service at the bar would be terrible which I thought was adorable. Had the most lovely evening for our 5 year anniversary and would definitely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

First time here - unassuming quality. Small venue with small tables but don't let that fool you - the food quality is phenomenal. Chef prepared meals, using locally sourced ingredients results in quality meals and feel-good vibes. Reason for 4 stars is for the 'tight' tables and space. But the food and service is hands-down 5 stars. Steak tartare was delicious, served with hand-cut and freshly-made potato chips. The charcuterie board, at $18, was a bit pricey for what you get - 4 slices of: chorizo, salami, French ham, with homemade mustard, fig jam and one pickle. (There were 4 of us - I don't know if they tailor the slices of cured meats to # on the table.). The Fig jam was very, very good. Our table had: Branzino, Cod, Chicken breast, and Hamburger. All were excellent; tasty, you can feel the attention to details on the plate. Every bite was eaten! Desserts: clafoutis with cherries, chocolate mousse w/ hazelnut crust, blueberry tart and peach melba. All seasonal fruits, all were excellent. The restaurant was busy - I took the last reservation for that evening. All in all - everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and highly recommend this for a wonderful food adventure!!! read more

The last time I was there at least, it was wonderful. Make a reservation- if you hope to find a table without one, you will probably be out of luck. My one bugaboo is the high tables and chairs. Elderly people want to enjoy Bar B, too, but it was difficult for my aged mother to maneuver the chairs. read more

Excellent ! Great food and wonderful service. Best mussels and sweetbreads on the shore. read more

Well, well! One of my favorite places to eat. I made a reservation on Yelp and even gave our credit card number to secure it. The occasion was a very important birthday for my husband and we rushed and drove for 40 minutes to insure we made it on time. First, they had no record of the reservation, which was heartbreaking,and second, the hostess seemed not to care and just walked away. Very odd. Next time I will phone in my reservation as it seems their online system doesn't work. read more

We love Bar Bouchee, and have never had a bad experience. The service is impeccable starting with the greeting on entering, like and old friend. The craft cocktails are delightful, and the food is always cooked to perfection. read more

Delish as always! BRINGING BACK THE FOIE GRAS BURGER!!!!!!! Miss it sooo much, will be back in a heart beat if they bring it back. Was always a classic favorite. Very sad to have seen it off the menu. But other items are top notch. Hanger steak is perfectly prepared. But bring back that burger. #bringitback. read more

Superb! Went for dinner two days in a row (Sunday & Monday.) both times, my husband and I each had an appetizer with a cocktail, entree with wine, and dessert & coffee. Everything was fresh and cooked perfectly. The cod was likely the best I've had and the chestnut dessert is absolutely outstanding. You can't go wrong with whatever you choose. I do recommend a reservation. The dining room is very clean and the staff are excellent. We look forward to visiting again. Thank you, Bar Bouchee! read more

First visit to BB and what a treat! Such a lively place even at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon! Friendly and attentive service in a cozy Parisian atmosphere. Enjoyed three appetizers: the cheese board with three fresh selections, a duck and braised short rib preparation with frisée, and a generous bowl of butternut squash soup--perfection! Cannot wait to visit again! read more

Bar Bouchee - French Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

We were visiting Hammonasset and stumble upon this cute French restaurant. Great service. The food was amazing. My husband got the hanger steak - usually this cut could be a bit tough to chew, but this place makes it super tender with a creamy potato side. One of the best he had. Escargot was big and delicious. The muscles were very fresh. Duck confit was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Will definitely return when we visit again! read more

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This restaurant just opened in the last few days/weeks and it will be a hit. Madison has needed a very good bistro-style restaurant as long as I have lived here (nearly 6 years). There has been very little here other than a dump - Cafe Allegre - and a couple of mediocre pubs. Bar Bouchon has nailed it. A smallish bistro right off the main drag in town. A small bar area with a great wine and beer selection. A very good, up-to-date french menu with a very nice selection of apps, entrees, well-priced every day items, and a great dessert selection. Exactly what's needed so people feel like coming a couple times a week. I had the Crouque Madam- admittedly not high cuisine, but an important staple - and it was very well prepared. Side salad was served also, and very good. It was excellent. These guys are going to do very well, and I look forward to going back soon. UPDATE 8/30/2010 . Add Bill F as a very suspicious, i.e. Cafe Allegre owner, review. Created his account this month. No other reviews.Just trying to bring the average down. read more

Seems like this restaurant/bar has just opened within the past few weeks. Decor was very nice and it felt like I was in a Manhattan bistro. Our waiter was very stuffy and almost felt as if he was to good for his job. The attitude on this guy was horrible. The entire staff wore jeans and button down white/blue striped shirts. Seemed like they were confused whether or not they wanted to be fine dining or casual? The place is small and the tables were very close and tight. Every time someone walked by me they bumped into my chair. It was very close quarters and very uncomfortable. I was shocked when my wife's wine glass was dirty with a lipstick stain on it! YUCK! Food was expensive, the portions were very small. I had the beef entree that was overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was out of a can - not impressed at all. read more

Overall, a very nice dinner but time for a reality check on all the 5 star reviews. On a high note, the roasted chicken was very flavorful and cooked perfectly--it would have been hard to do better, though a simple dish. The side of ratatouille was also very good, though comically small. The oysters were just typical; the accompanying white wine broth was nice but, again, typical. On the downside--and we were forewarned of this--the place is painfully noisy when full. I found myself yelling to my wife as if in the front row of rock concert (though arguably this is a different crowd). However, since everyone else is yelling and they are sitting closer to you than your date, you get to hear everyone else's conversation, so...enjoy the show. Our service was slow at every stage: ordering, entrees, dessert and check. The waitress was pleasant enough, but needs to look for signs that her customers need attention, eg. active rubbernecking and plaintive waving are cues. Be ready to be interrupted as well if you do not finish in the time allotted by their seating schedule. We saw one couple chased off, and one relocated to a smaller table when the host required 4 seats together for a reservation. My wife's Kir Royale wasnt that good (I dont think she finished it), however the drink prices are noticeably low and wine prices are very reasonable. My espresso came in a full size (cold) coffee cup and so was cold and flat by the time I received it. The desserts were very good, particularly the sorbets. The decor really does provide the look and feel of a french bistro/bouchon--its a lively, pretty place. We are locals and really wanted to fall in love with the place. Though it remains one of the better options in the immediate area for a fine dinner out, the sum of service, food and atmosphere lead to a solid 3-star rating at best. read more

I'm not from around here. So when I set out to find a pub and wine bar, I was happy to see the sign glowing bright on a quite street. The bar was packed. Almost no room at all. Plus not a lot of seating, but that did not seem to be a problem. They move some more stools a side and I could finally enjoy a seat( after jogging for 3 miles this was all I wanted & a cold and smooth beer). It seem that a lot of uptight people come here. I was dress like a army brat, but you clothes do not make you. Anyway I like this bar. Nice decor. Fine selection of wine, liquor and beer. I can not remark on the food due to the fact that I had jogged for a long time and I still have to jog back. All in all this bar/restaurant is a must see. AC seal of approval. read more

Having lived in New Haven for quite some time and having experienced the delicious French cuisine at Union League Cafe, my expectations were high for Bar Bouchee. I was immediately intrigued by the building and the general decor both interior and exterior. I walked in with my husband and two-year old and was put off by the extremely high seating. We were able to put my daughter on the booth side but I was still fearing her life for the whole meal. I wish this was something that was addressed by the host when we made the reservation for 2 adults and a toddler. Nevertheless..... My husband ordered the steak tartare appetizer and duck cassoulet. I ordered the beet salad and croque monsieur. We also ordered a side of "house frites" for our daughter to snack on. I was APPAULED when the "frites" were delivered to our table......frozen fries, really? I couldn't believe that a restaurant with such a wonderful reputation would actually serve frozen fries. The restaurant is extremely small and the kitchen is centrally located with a window open to the dining room and yet our appetizers sat in the window for a good 5 minutes before our waiter served them to us. My husband's steak tartare came out ....not finely minced or chopped but rather with a crushed or ground quality. My salad was good, the beets were fresh but the proportions of the flavors were slightly off. Entrees were mediocre. I can't even remember dessert. I wasn't drinking. Let's just say it wasn't memorable. All in all, we spent a little over $100 with drinks, appetizers, entrees. It seems a bit steep for a a restaurant that claims to be a bistro. read more

We had dinner reservations here for 630 and we were seated promptly on a Tuesday evening- it's a very authentic French bistro concept down to every detail. There's an open kitchen and you can see the chefs at work. There was one waitress an older woman and she seemed to handle the whole room well enough. The menu consists of authentic French items such as foie gras, escargot , steak fritte, mussels moule, authentic French wines and profiterole's for desert. It's reasonably priced considering. We started off with muscles they were in a Dijon broth. Muscles were fresh and the sauce was okay but it could've been elevated had they added a splash of Pernod and a dash of creme fraiche. The steak was a hanger steak it was slightly tough and under seasoned . The red one shallot sauce was lacking butter. The potato daffny that accompanied the steak was excellent, as was the béarnaise sauce spot on. I actually ordered burger just because I wanted the foie gras. It was served on a brioche bun with to my surprise potato chips. It was mediocre at best but the foie gras on top of it was delectable. It certainly is a authentic and cozy place to eat and I would recommend it if you were not overly picky as a purist. read more

The finest restaurant on the shoreline. Fine food, dinks and wine in a casual Parisian setting. This is our "date night" go-to spot.

My favorite French restaurant in the area. Cozy restaurant set off main street in Madison. Food is excellent.

This restaurant is absolutely amazing! Every time I come here I have a wonderful experience. I typically sit at the bar, but if you want to sit at a table I recommend calling ahead and making a reservation, as this is a small space and usually very busy (no matter which night of the week). It is upscale French cuisine, so don't expect to come here for a cheap meal, but it is perfect for a special occasion or date night. Their nightly specials are always creative and locally based. However, the times that I have been here I ordered the mussels. They are outstanding! They are soaked in a dijon mustard sauce. Even though they are an appetizer, you can easily order them and have them for your meal (that is what I usually do). Pro tip: ask the bartender/server for extra rolls for dipping in this delicious sauce after the mussels are gone. The chocolate/hazelnut cake for dessert is also fantastic. It is rich but not over the top filling. If you aren't sure which wine you want to pair your meal with, ask the bartender, I believe his name is Michael, he always has great suggestions and will let you sample some before buying a bottle. read more

Went there on a Saturday night with 2 other couples and it was just perfect! we had a reservation for 8:30 because everything was booked out, they called as they got an open table early without asking for it, super nice gesture. I love the atmosphere there still chic/upscale but not too formal. the whole staff was great. For food: we had beef tartar and mussels as starters, both excellent. As main course I had pork with plum gravy and potato tart my husband had salmon with veggies both as well just awesome. Even though I can't remember what our friends did everybody was happy with their choices. Only my dessert was only okay, I ordered profiteroles kind of tasted old. Overall I really recommend to go there it is just great! read more

Bar Bouch-YEAHHH!!! Wowza, what a fantastic dining experience we had here. You Madison locals are uber lucky to have a little piece of France tucked away on an unassuming side street off Route 1. We were able to get a last minute reservation by calling at 3pm on a Saturday, and the friendly, polite man who answered the phone had a thick French accent. Did I dial the international code to directly connect to a bouchon in Lyon, France?! Talk about authenticity!! Typically, the emphasis in a bouchon is not on haute cuisine but, rather, a convivial atmosphere and a personal relationship with the owner. (Thanks Wikipedia!) You won't get the somewhat stuffy, white glove service that you find at it's sister restaurant Union League. You will still get the same stellar service and high quality French cuisine that's executed flawlessly in an unpretentious bistro setting. Let's get the limitations of this place out of the way first. It's TINY. Like 20 total high-top seats tiny. You can put your arm around the stranger sitting next to you and listen to every word of their conversation even if they're whispering, which they won't be because it's pretty loud in here. If your wife's pregnant and has to use the restroom every 7 minutes like mine, take the interior leather couch seat like me because it will be a big ordeal to slide your whole table out with each bathroom run. Yeah I was THAT guy! But the spectacular service by the host and staff make up for the physical limitations of this confined space. And it's the quality of the food and affordable prices that keep this place packed day after day, night after night. The interior decor is clean, cozy, and all the finishes are have a high-end feel to it. Give the textured wallpaper a feel and note the vintage light fixtures that provide a dimly lit dining setting, but is not conducive to my favorite of all hobbies, food pornography. I must return on a sunny afternoon to provide some natural light to highlight the beauty of each plate. No joke, I want to try everything on this focused and limited menu. Every. Single. Item. The open kitchen here is equally as tiny as the dining room, and I can see why they focus on quality and consistency instead of a Cheesecake Factory style menu. We started with the P.E.I. mussels, which come in a rich white wine, shallots, parsley, and Dijon mustard broth. I especially appreciated the cast iron mussel shaped bowl this was served in, which has this cool metal mesh net at one end to catch the bowls if you care to tip the bowl to collect the savory broth. These were some of the freshest mussels we've had in a long, long time. They were big, plump, and juicy and retained a hint of ocean water flavor. Our server also pointed out how he often got feedback about how clean their mussels are, a tell tale sign of a quality seafood supplier. My wife got the scallops special, which were served in a mushroom sauce that had layer after layer of flavor like a well prepared French sauce should have. She also got the soup du jour, which was a potato and celery puree. So French and sooooo good. Keeping it strictly French, I went with the Duck cassoulet, which had this perfectly crisp duck leg, melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly, and thick slices of house made duck sasuage over a bed of Tarbais beans. The skin on the duck leg was true crispy, crunchy, poultry skin perfection. The sausage was really the star though, and it's something that all sausage lovers need to experience. We capped off our meal with the profiterolles with warm chocolate sauce, which my wife didn't care for because the pastry was try for her tastes, but that was the most forgettable part of of an otherwise excellent meal. The host graciously thanked us as we left and our server was a delight throughout. If you're checking out the Yelp reviews to figure out if you should make the drive out to Madison to try this place, hesitate no longer and book your reservation. Or leave it to chance and try to sit at the bar. I promise you'll leave completely satisfied and eager to come back to explore the rest of this menu just like me and the plethora of Yelpers who rave about this place. read more

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As others mentioned it's hard to hear inside this restaurant, and you are seated closer to other tables than to the person who is with you. After we were seated the woman next to us threw a mini-fit about being so close to us and the people on her other side, and she demanded to be moved to the bar (but even there the quarters are pretty close). So it started out pretty awkwardly. You also can't even get in and out of your seat without a waiter moving your part of the table for you. The acoustics are strange and we were able to hear the parties next to us better than each other. It feels like the restaurant would be better in even a minimally larger space. We did enjoy the food and our drinks very much, but we would never return here unless we made reservations for the outdoor seating. read more

Bait and switch on the wine here is troubling. I ordered a moderately priced bottle and a completely different bottle was presented with no explanation. When I asked why, I was told they were out of the wine I had ordered and that this substitute was the same price. As I was with friends, I did not make an issue, but I have heard similar experiences from two friends. My advice- beware of a restaurant that serves you an inferior substitute wine. The food was acceptable but I found the restaurant cramped and uncomfortable. read more

It was a beautiful summer night, the perfect night if you will, for a tête-à-tête with one of my favorite people. It just so happens that this favorite person of mine is a chef, and never steers us wrong for a night out. Bar Bouchee wasn't his first pick, but it might has well have been, it was a top notch, fine dining experience that I was not expecting at all. Bar Bouchee is a quaint little bouchon off the beaten path in Madison. I love the outdoor seating which basically puts you on the sidewalk of the neighborhood. The outdoor lighting is romantic and completely date-worthy. The tables outside are a little on the small side, which might pose a problem for some foodists sharing a few plates together however, on a Tuesday night, our 7:30 reservations left us with plenty of elbow room. Now let's get down to business. A Kaffir Lime Martini for him and a Sidecar for me were the drinks of the night, executed tastefully and bursting with sophisticated flavor. Now, I was out with a chef, so let's not be foolish, I will sit back and allow the chivalrous act of ordering for me to take place, I may have even demanded it! So, with great conversation, sparkling pellegrino, and a refill on our martini's, out comes plates of steak tartar, duck confit and squid ink papardelle. Where do I even begin?! Steak tartar was perfection, I could taste every dimension of flavor - the dijon mustard pulled it all together as if it were a magical glue. The duck confit- amazing. Perfectly textured & flavored with rosemary and jumpier berries. Complete perfection. The most lackluster appetizer of the trio but was by no means any less worthy of being called great was the papardelle. The pasta was cooked properly as were the shrimp, we were both just expecting a more striking black pasta and more pronounced flavor from the squid ink than what was actually there. Nevertheless, it was still a great appetizer. By this time, our plates have been cleared, another round of drinks have been ordered and the sun has gone down. The lightening bugs are out as are their counterparts, the mosquitos . We asked the waiter if we could move our fête inside and he quickly stated it wasn't a problem at all, moving us to a high top indoors. Inside is darker and has about 10-12 tables. It's a bit louder inside but still a nice atmosphere. We perused the entree selections and upon "my" chef's recommendations, decided on a chicken dish and the steak béarnaise. Without a doubt, this is the best chicken I have ever tasted. I have no idea how it was prepared, although a fair amount of our dinner conversation was a debate on this very topic. Was it sous vide, was it pan roasted and then finished in a convection oven? One may never know, but however it was cooked, it was poultry perfection. The steak- also an amazing dish, cooked to a tender perfection and a sauce that didn't overpower the meat at all. The veg and starch for both dishes, were very traditional bouchon-style sides and were executed perfectly. Although there were dessert options, we were so pleased with our meal that instead of adding sugar to our palettes, we opted for one more round of drinks to finish the night of culinary excellence. Overall, this was a five star night. The service was impeccable, the food was outstanding and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect night as my introduction to this hidden gem. Je t'adore Bar Bouchee, until we meet again. read more

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Great nice friendly staff and nice, comforting food. This place is like a hidden gem. The bar tender is top notch! Great atmosphere outside, under the umbrellas. Peaceful and exceptional. read more