Updating my review for one of my favorite restaurants in New York, Chez Josephine! This time, I came to celebrate my birthday (New Year's baby!) as a solo diner. I had a 7pm reservation, but was running late, and they were flexible and told me to come any time. Upon my arrival, I was seated by the piano. The pianist playing that night, Andrew Abrahamsen, was very talented. He played an eclectic mix of songs, including "I Will Survive," Disney's "When You Wish Upon a Star," and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." As the night went on, he played Happy Birthday for me, and went on a 90s Disney Renaissance spree, playing songs including "Go the Distance" from Hercules, "Out There" from Hunchback of Notre Dame, "Beauty and the Beast," and "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story. Ordered black tiger shrimp for my entree. It smelled wonderful, and especially peppery once the waiter added pepper to it. The risotto the shrimp sat on was also very delicious. I ended up taking this to go, and it still tasted great later on! For dessert, I chose the lemon tart brûlée with raspberry sorbet. It came with "Happy Birthday" written on the plate with chocolate, and a candle on the sorbet. As always, the ambiance and decor is very beautiful, with portraits of Josephine Baker to honor the revolutionary badass woman. Thanks for the great birthday dinner, Chez Josephine! read more

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Welcoming, unpretentious, classic. Just what we were looking for. The bar, led by Isaac, was lively and full of conversation. The food and wine did not miss. Would love to come back soon. read more

Chez Josephine - Live music. - French Near Me - New York, New York

Ambiance, service and food was 5 stars. The onion soup was one of the better one's I have ever had. It had the right balance of flavor with deep richness expected from a French Onion Soup. The Duck L'orange was perfectly Medium Rare and the flavors were perfectly balanced with the wild rice. Absolutely a must have if you are there. Desserts where delicate, but packed woth flavor. Must visit when you are in the area! read more

Chez Josephine - French Near Me - New York, New York

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I went to Chez Josephine during summer Restaurant Week for a Friday night dinner with friends before catching Book of Mormon on Broadway, and it was such a fun spot! The vibe inside is lively and eclectic--think old French style with big, bold art pieces (lots of dramatic portraits and yes, a few glamorous nudes). Add in live piano music with jazzy renditions of contemporary songs and showtunes, and you really feel like you're in a unique, spirited little pocket of NYC. For Restaurant Week, it was $45 for three courses. I had the Country Pâté to start, the Chicken Paillard for my entrée, and the Mango Raspberry Mousse for dessert. Country Pâté - Came with celery rémoulade and cornichons. The pâté itself was a little drier than I expected, but paired nicely with the tangy accompaniments. (3.5/5) Chicken Paillard - Nicely cooked and well-prepared, topped with frisée and red wine vinaigrette. I did wish the chicken had a bit more seasoning, and the vinaigrette-to-chicken ratio felt slightly off, but overall it was tasty. (4/5) Mango Raspberry Mousse - This was the star of the meal! Light but indulgent, with a gooey raspberry center and crumbly base. The mango and raspberry flavors balanced perfectly. (4/5) Overall, the food was good (not mind-blowing, but solid for Restaurant Week), and the atmosphere with live music really makes the experience. I'd definitely come back, especially for the vibe before a Broadway show. read more

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I went here as part of a farewell/retirement party for myself and another co-worker. I was leaving the place to go to a new place and she was retiring. So our coworkers took us to dinner. They chose Chez Josephine and I thought it was a cute little place. The restaurant is named after Josephine Baker an American dancer who spent a great deal in France. She adopted and raised 12 children - quite a busy woman. The restaurant is surrounded by paintings of her in her au-natural form. It was restaurant week when we went (something we didn't realize), but several of us went for it. Why not right? I don't remember what i got or what everyone else got but I can tell you that we all loved the food and we all said we'd go back. Also there's live music: a pianist was there playing jazz songs and made the vibe feel like 1920s Paris. read more

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I went to this pretty popular pre-theater and post-theater French spot a good while ago with two others as they were seeing something soon and had an okay time overall. The ambience is very nice from the piano player in the background to the overall look and the staff was good as expected for an old school French place. They gave us some warm bread and butter to begin with which was decent quality. I had a cocktail and I honestly don't remember much outside of it having cognac and thinking that it was just alright though a bit unbalanced as there was a bit too much of a burn. To start I had the Maine Lobster Bisque for $18 which was alright. The stock could have been a bit richer and the pieces of lobster in there were decent though I wish they were larger chunks as that would have added more texture and more flavor. It was decent. I thought of also ordering the Lobster Cassoulet as my main but decided against it (which is why I got that lobster dishes as my appetizer.) My main dish instead was the Duck à l'Orange for $39 with orange glaze and wild rice. The duck portion was good though the meat itself was a tad too chewy. The orange flavor was a bit strong with the dish being slightly too sweet but thankfully it was not cloyingly so outside of the pieces of candied orange peel. The wild rice went with the dish. It was overall again decent. For dessert, I got the Bombe Glaceé Praline for $15. The dish had thin layers of ice cream with a layer of cake on the side which was a bit different than expected and was served with some whipped cream as well as a cranberry sauce. The ice cream was tasty with a good praline flavor while the raspberry sauce added some nice sourness. This was good and honestly the best dish of the night which for a French place is a big disappointing. I would write more but there's not much of note otherwise. If the food quality to any extent matched the ambience, this spot would be a home run but overall for the surrounding Theater District/Hell's Kitchen area, I would say this a lot worse than the pricier Chez Napoléon or Le Rivage and worse than the similarly priced Marseille or the other spots nearby. The description OK next to the Yelp 3 star rating fits this place perfectly unfortunately. Upper 2/low 3. read more

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I passed by while walking down 42nd Street several times & it's such a cute space with an amazing prix fixe menu, so first chance I got I went in and I am so glad I did! The service was stellar, they brought my requested sparkling water & bread right away. When I asked if the pate was liver, they patiently explained that it wasn't liver, it was pork, and WOW it was amazing! The steak was cooked perfectly. I wasn't in the mood for the brown sauce on the steak, but it was very tasty so no biggie. The portions were just enough to leave me too stuffed to have the included dessert. I think I got a cocktail & liked it, but don't recall. The restroom , and actually the entire building, is done up very cute. I will definitely be back! read more

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What a cute restaurant with good service for a pre-show dinner! We had the prefixe and it was nice. They have nice jazz music playing and a live piano player. The food was good and the wait staff was very friendly and gave suggestions on what to order. For anyone with mobility issues, the bathrooms are upstairs. read more

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Easily snagged a 6pm reservation for a Friday night on Resy - early dinner to ensure we'd make our 8pm theater reservation. The spot was way cuter than I expected. Gave me Raoul vibes. Everything was made more charming with the old school piano player in the back. By the time we left the spot was filled with people pouring into street. I'll definitely be back for pre theater dinner read more

It's Restaurant Week, winter 2025. Allons-y a Chez Josephine! Pre-fixe or le prix fixe menu includes one appetizer, one entree, and a dessert for $45. Cocktails are $18 and offer a balanced, unique variety. Walking into Chez Josephine is a fever dream cabaret if Toulouse Lautrec was a designer and his sole muse was Josephine Baker. In the evenings there is live music. From roughly 9pm to 11 we had a pianist playing jovial and elegant recognizable tunes. He even through in What Is Youth, the theme song to the 1968 Romeo & Juliet - possibly a tribute to the late Olivia Hussey. This tells you roughly the expected crowd here, over 60 or theatre people. We started with cocktails. The Bakertini was beautifully decorated with a pattern of bitters on top of the egg white foam. This was light but had a decent kick. Absolutely a low sipper. For my meal, I went with the potato leek soup of the day, the steak frites, and paid an additional $19 for a lava cake, a la carte. I loved the soup and the lava cake, but the steak was way too chewy for my taste and challenging to cut. The sauce was perfectly seasoned and the right consistency. The plating was lovely. The sautéed onions added a nice texture to the dish. This was a perfect portion of fries for me. I find I'm always given too many fries and they end up being wasted. My friend actually took a few from the plate as well. A shareable is always enjoyable when in good company. The sauce was my favorite part of the dish. It absorbed right into my fries, which I love. My friend ordered the tomato mozzarella salad, the lemon sole, and a panna cotta from the Restaurant Week menu for ($45). The salad was a bit small for my liking. The plating was nice, but they could have added more greens. In comparison to the soup, this portion size was more amuse bouche. Unfortunately the waiter came over and let my friend know that they were out of the lemon sole. He substituted it with a trout instead. In the dim lighting her plate looked a bit flat and simple. I think they could do more to accentuate the lemon. She did enjoy the taste though. The panna cotta was rich and delicious. For a prix fixe meal $45 was a great price. The staff was also attentive and kept our water filled. They were friendly and made sure we had what we needed. I was even offered ketchup for my gravy fries, which I politely declined. This is located in the heart of the theatre district and around the corner from Port Authority. It's easy to walk to and it does give a wow factor when you walk in. I deducted a star for the texture of my steak and because they were out of the fish my friend wanted for dinner. Hopefully when we come back, the ingredients will have some improvements to make this a 5 star night! read more

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The ambiance and service was really good. The food was average. We had Tuna Tartare and Onion soup as an appetizer. The tuna tartare, the way the tuna was cut it was not uniform, some big chunks, flavor was fresh and savory. The onion soup was okay. Our entrees were Duck a l'orange with Wild rice and Trout Amandine. The Duck a l'orange was cook medium well for me it was the star of the night. My husband had the Trout Amandine which I found the trout not tasty at all, unlike the potatoes. Dessert was Lemon Tart Br read more

The Oyster and Velvet Martini were divine! We had not been back since 2022. It has been a long time, but miss the vibe. The Duck A la Orange and wild rice, with a plentiful side of Asparagus was the best duck I have had since the Four Seasons closed! My girl had the prix fix dinner that was advertised as 35 that wound up being 45, and loved her steak. The bartender was impressive when making a martini dirty. Very creative with the garnishes abd geerous with the olives. Our waiter was from Ecuador and treated us well. Great romantic dibner after a swim at the gym. read more

Chez Josephine - Jalapeño delight and my girl - French Near Me - New York, New York

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Came in with a reservation for four during a busy hour, was seated nearly immediately, but took a minute for our waiter to serve us. The Lobster Bisque here must be a purée soup, but I prefer this dish to include more bits and chunks. The French Onion soup runs on the thinner side as well. I was very impressed with the Skate Wing! Such a nice flavor palette. Bright, tangy, and savory. The Tiger Shrimp was overcooked though--about 2-3 minutes less cook time would've left it more plump and juicy. Love the interior. It sounded like there was a live performer in the back as well. Pretty setting for a date/intimate dinner, but I am not rushing to try again. read more

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Service was 5/5, ambiance 5/5 but food 3/5. Very mid. The ambiance makes up for it. I enjoyed the seating outside. The weather was perfect. read more

Chez Josephine - French Near Me - New York, New York

Pros: beautiful space. Very nice staff. Great restaurant week deal Cons: salmon had no seasoning at all. Restaurant was completely empty yet they sat us right next to the piano so we were yelling to hear each other read more

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Not really sure what happened here- everyone in line has a reservation and they checked no one's name. Order of who was seated seemed random. Seated 20 minutes+ after our reservation. read more

Pretty good French joint adjacent to Broadway, and near-ish to Hudson Yards. I had a prix fixe lunch: Beet salad, steak frites, and a panna cotta. The service was fair, with only one person working front of house on a Saturday lunch shift. When I requested some bread, the response from the harried server was, "hold on." The steak was cooked well and the frites were done right. The sauce on the steak was quite tasty. The beet salad was standard but tasty. The dessert was texturally unpleasing, with WAY too much gelatin used, so instead of a light dessert, it was reminiscent of a coconut-flavored horse hoof: springy, firm, and not what it should have been. Overall, a mid-priced and mid-tier experience. read more

Chez Josephine - From my table, thru the bar, to the front door. - French Near Me - New York, New York

We made a reservation and came in very early for dinner before 5 o'clock show. The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived, but everyone was super friendly. It's a beautiful restaurant and we were sad that we were too early for live piano music. We started with an arugula salad. Perfectly dressed and very fresh. I had the red snapper for my entree. The fish was cooked perfectly. My friend had the pork. It too was outstanding. We were in and out with plenty of time to make it to our show. This is a great option for dinner before the theater. read more

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Service was quick and tentative, but also had that quiet French demeanor. The ambience was very nice with French music in the background and nice decorations. I came for the food and was not disappointed. Some very creative expressions of lobster and duck. The duck was nicely Seared and the orange slices were very fresh. The highlight for me was the grill octopus. Probably the best I've ever had. While pricey, I do think the creativity was worth it. Just wish the server was a little friendlier and enthusiastic. read more

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A cute hidden French restaurant off of the main touristy area. We tried the restaurant week menu. The food was good however I thought the coq au vin dish was rather small. Not to mention there were only 2 of each vegetable in it (mushroom, carrot, pearl onion). The steak was tasty and cooked perfectly. We had the pâté and beet salad as an app and the poached pear for dessert. I wouldn't come here for a quick bite as the service was a bit slower. While the restaurant is small, it was rather busy (maybe 20-25 people) and there were only 2 servers for the whole place. It was tough to get attention but they were nice and working hard to accommodate everyone. I would be interested to come back when I have more time and try other items on their menu. read more

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Visited during NYC Restaurant Week and got the $30 prix fixe. As a party of one on a Sunday afternoon, I was seated quickly and the service was good. I started off with the gazpacho which was the soup of the time. It was cantaloupe topped with champagne. First time having a cold soup and I can't say I was too big of a fan. I love cantaloupe and the flavours were as expected but I would say the lack of complex flavor made it difficult to want to keep eating. The steak frites was good. Perfectly medium steak and the sauce was delicious. Fries were good. However because it was $30 for 3 courses, it was the smallest steak I've ever seen lol. Ended the meal with the mango raspberry mousse. The base is coconut based and I hate the texture of coconut so I wasn't a fan of that part, but the mousse was absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend checking out the restaurant week menu and allow yourself to try something new! read more

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Went for brunch at this dowager restaurant in the theater district. The food was well prepared and you could have either a formal meal or more brunch items. They also offer a price fixed lunch for $30. That is a bargain in NY. Unfortunately, the restaurant shows its age and portions are on the small side. read more

It's a beautiful restaurant, perfect for a date night with your special someone. They had great drink options and cocktails. The food was tasty but a bit underwhelming. I definitely will go again and try something different the next time read more

Good low-key French restaurant. Was not super hungry and shared an app and entre with my girlfriend. The escargot and the Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop. Our server was nice and super attentive. There is always a live piano performance which makes the ambiance kind of fun but romantic. It can get loud during dinner but it wasn't too overbearing. This is one of the best places to eat around the area and it's French! :) Though I loved it, I do think it may be a little overpriced for the food and drinks they serve, it's good but nothing remarkable. read more

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From the start the service was amazing. They were attentive, water was never empty and food came out timely. The escargot was smothered with butter, garlic and herbs and we soaked it up with the bread. Both entrees were very flavorful and filling. Paired with red wine. They also provided complimentary champagne for celebrating our anniversary. Restaurant had a cute and very French ambiance and even a pianist came to play! Loved the entire experience! read more

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First walking in I absolutely loved the warm vibe of this restaurant. Honestly with the comes and the dark wood it reminded me a bit of when I was in Paris. I didn't expect there to be live music but there was a lovely musician playing piano and singing very gently, just loud enough to add to the ambiance but still have conversation at the table. The service was just right. They were attentive but not naggy and our waiter answered any questions with a pleasant, dare I say even happy, demeanor. He plauded our choices which whether true or false was nice to hear. Now for the food. I heard this was a good spot for French food and I am happy to report that they did not disappoint. My friends have a tradition of eating it family style. *Appetizers* French Onion Soup - I am not usually a fan of French onion soup because there onions are burnt resulting in a bitter taste. However, this is honestly the best French onion soup I've ever had because I actually really really liked it. Not only was there no bitterness, but the cheese they used was divine (I believe it was gruyere, one of my favorites). Escargots à la Bourguignonne - My friends and I had it in Paris and like to get it as a treat to reminisce about studying abroad. Here it is served pre-shelled and sitting in garlic and herbs so no need to fear accidentally catapulting snails at other diners. (Pro tip: soak up the sauce with the bread they give to the table, you won't regret it!) Tuna Tartare - I love tuna tartare and theirs was top tier. It is served over an avocado salad and features a ginger sesame oil sauce and it paired with toasted bread cut into triangles. *Main Course* Roasted Breast of Long Island Duck with an orange glaze and wild rice - I chose this French restaurant specifically because they had a duck breast dish and they did not disappoint! I'm bias but if the 3 mains we got, this was my favorite. The duck was perfectly cooked, the orange glaze was a lovely compliment to the duck, and the wild rice gave it dinner great texture. Absolutely delicious. I would come back just for this dish Veal special with truffle mash potatoes - My friend ordered this one and if you're a fan of veal or mash you'll be hoping they bring this special back Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with green asparagus, potato purée, and champagne sauce - Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of scallops. I will say, they were made very well and I enjoyed it when the pastor puree and asparagus. *Dessert* Crème Brûlée - We split this dessert and it was on par with the rest of our meal. I feel like the best way to describe it is that the custard seemed perfectly set. Not water, held it's shape but still melted in the mouth. The perfect end to a delicious meal! I will definitely be coming back here again! read more

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Coming from San Diego I was expecting to be impressed by a French restaurant in NYC. Look I lived in France for 16 years and I am also classically French trained chef. So my expectations may be a little higher. The service was great and the staff was very attentive. However I think the whole group was underwhelmed by the food. It was not bad. But it was not great. For the price they charge we expected more. read more

Chez Josephine - Trout entree - French Near Me - New York, New York

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My mentor, his wife and I had drinks on a Friday evening at Chez Josephine's restaurant on 42nd street. It's a nice small intimate place to grab drinks either at the tiny yet spacious bar or dine at one of the tables. The ambiance was wonderful and pleasant at this restaurant. Everyone was so nice. Lots of folks come here before a Broadway show. We were able to be seated at the bar and enjoyed a cocktail. I had the most interesting Moscow mule drink that did not seem to want to finish. My mentor and his wife had Josephine Baker's signature drink. The bartender make stuff happen. Just ask away. This restaurant is a tribute to American born turn Parisian Josephine Baker. They also have live music and you can attempt to sing a few words too. I heard they have fixed menu with some delicious entrees. I'd love to visit again and dine here in the future. Totally enjoyed the environment, entertainment and services here Bravo! read more

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Food is horrible. Services is great. And ambiance is fantastic thanks to Jaque and Marrie. Very nice frenchie environment. read more

Amazing and romantic restaurant. The food was delicious and the ambiance very cute and cozy. Our server was very attentive, will go back again for another date night. read more

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My lovely bride and I stopped in for an early lunch on a Sunday in December. The host was gracious and sat us not far from the piano player. The server was a little harried because he had so many tables to cover, but he got the job done in a New York way. My lovely bride ordered the lobster bisque and eggs florentine. For dessert she had the house special - chocolate lava cake (omg). I had the endive salad and the duck l'orange, and for dessert the apple tarte tartin, a real classic. Excellent food and reasonable prices. The ambience is warm, with plenty of images of Josephine Baker. Highly recommended. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed my meal. To start with the house wines are delicious and served in an ample glass. I had an Alsace Riesling. For appetizer I went with tuna tartare and finished with a red snapper in risotto. The fish was crisp and the portions decent. The value is definitely here. read more

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My friend was in town for a conference so I looked for someplace near her hotel to meet up for dinner. Chez Josephine was a solid choice. It gave her the NYC vibe with its dim, swanky interior and long, narrow layout. I believe all the tables were filled, and a chorus of chatter among friends set a calming, pleasant mood. I love that they had pre fixe options. Sometimes it's just too exhausting to make yet another decision, especially at the end of a work day and after going through the effort of just selecting a restaurant. And with the options, there is more flexibility at the same time. Service was efficient, friendly enough. Every food item we ordered was quite good. read more

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An excellent option on 42nd St. We stopped in before seeing a show, and the staff was excellent in accommodating us regarding both timing and quality of service. I've been here once for lunch and now for restaurant week. This is a spectacular spot with a unique, unforgettable ambiance. Paired with some live piano music for dinner it is hard to go wrong. Will gladly return here. We had the Duck Confit and Steak Tartare read more

Chez Josephine - Restaurant Week Appetizers Figs and Prosciutto and French Onion Soup - French Near Me - New York, New York

Come for the romantic vibes and attentive service. Great cozy atmosphere, piano player was crooning softly. Food was fine, but lacked finesse - prix fixe reminded me of a dining room meal on a cruise ship (good but not great). Even so, we liked the energy there and would go back there for a theater meal. read more

Such a romantic place! French cousin -live piano music-charming and old school... Feels like being in France... great service, amazing food... piece of history... Portions surprisingly are big! I had a Tuna Tartar and crab cake appetizers- large and fulfilling (not a big eater), my friend ordered a duck dish with brown rise... I tried that rise- super! Felt like was cooked in red vine(?)... My friend gave 5stars to the duck dish... soft and juicy... Great experience. It was my first time in that restaurant, but my friend dined there many times. Always excellence ! Great for a romantic dinner or pre-show. read more

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Cozy atmosphere, reminiscent of the old salons of Paris. We had the Pre-Theatre menu, the portions are on the smaller side, but good enough in taste and filling due to the bread basket. Staff were friendly and accommodating. read more

Jean-Claude was the last of the children adopted into singer-dancer Josephine Baker's "Rainbow Tribe," created with a mission of racial harmony. He lived and performed with her for a time before making his way to New York and eventually opening this legendary establishment. Chez Josephine, a beautiful tribute to Josephine Baker, is a Parisian jewel box located 42nd Street in Hell's Kitchen. Last night, we were looking for a place for dinner close to the theater. My partner and I mentioned to our company that we were here 6 months with a wonderful experience. I went inside to speak with the staff and were lucky a table was available for 4 without reservations. Upon entering, one is transported to another country, another time with the real Parisian vibe where we sat in the middle of the dining room by a musician playing the piano. The menu was not extensive, but the French classics were all done well here. As starters, we decided on the Escargots à la Bourguignonne, served pre-shelled with herbs and garlic, a 3 Cheese Plate such as Brie, Roquefort, and an unnamed, accompanied by assorted nuts and fig jam, as well as the Tuna Tartare. As our main entrees, we opted for the Beef Bourguignon, Slow Roasted Amish Chicken Breast, and Special of the Day--Steak. Complimentary bread with butter started our meal. The food was amazingly delicious, well seasoned with fresh ingredients. The service was attentive, prompt, and accommodating. A big thank you to our server, Ray, who made sure the food arrived on a timely basis for us to make it to the performance. We loved the atmosphere here--warm, cozy, and intimate. Yes, the tables were very close together. The price was comparable to the area. This is an essential stop for those seeking an evening unlike any other in Manhattan, which we can recommend. read more

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Came here for a dinner and drinks before a show. What a hidden gem. It doesn't look like anything from the outside but inside it's very lovely, they have live music which is an amazing added touch. The food was great. Service was not bad. I had escargot, beef tar tar and everything was delicious the drinks were a bit weak but tasty. Will definitely be back! read more

Chez Josephine - Escargots a la Bourguignonne - French Near Me - New York, New York

Truly worth visiting. Customer attention here surpasses expectations. The menu has standouts but everything is good. Chez Josephine delivered a pleasant dining visit. The place maintains consistent excellence. read more