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Chez Josephine

3.8 (718 reviews)
PriceyFrench, Bars
Closed • 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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CHEZ JOSEPHINE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Romantic
Live music
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Chez Josephine

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Mango Raspberry Mousse
Grace F.

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.

Anne F.

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.

Lobster Bisque. $18. OK flavor. Needed larger chunks of lobster. Alright
Glenn C.

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.

Upstairs dining room
Annette S.

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!

Lisa T.

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.

Eggs Classic Eggs Benedict
Amanda J.

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!

Jalapeño delight and my girl
Joan M.

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.

Will N.

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.

Mais S.

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.

Caitlin B.

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

From my table, thru the bar, to the front door.

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.

Velvet Martini
Christopher F.

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.

Duck with orange sauce
Tom M.

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.

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Chez Josephine Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Chez Josephine

Is their a bar for a solo person to sit at?

yes, there is a bar upon entering, seats about 12 people, tends to get crowded especially before broadway shows begin at 8:00 pm.

Anything vegetarian on the menu for dinner?

If you go to their website, their menus are posted. They have many vegetarian appetizers, salads, and pastas which could make an excellent vegetarian meal if you order from a la carte. We do that sometimes ourselves. It's French cooking at it's… Read more

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Marseille - Soup a L'oignon - beef broth, imported gruyere, crostini

Marseille

3.9(1.3k reviews)
0.1 mi•Midtown West, Hell's Kitchen, Theater District
•$$$

When I am in NYC for more than a day Marseille is a must…read more While the restaurant is spacious, it is the cozy bar that is perfectly delightful. On my most recent visit Matt was the well groomed old style bar keep that gave me the specials and prepared one of the house libations. The food is amazing and the duck pate is a must. NYC is filled with great dinning and Marseille after 22 years is STILL one of them.

I booked this based on reviews for our first night in NYC before a show. Gave 2 hours before the…read moreshow so should be fine. First off the decor is awesome. I love the mirrors and the menus written on them. The greeters were GREAT. Very welcoming and pleasant. We were seated quickly at a corner table with a great view of the restaurant. Our waitress was cordial, kinda business like. It took a while to get drinks ordered. They took our orders - I got the Branzino and my wife ordered the price fixe. The French onion soup she got as her first course was delightful! So rich, beautifully done!!! That was the high point. The branzino when they brought it out they spilled a decent bit of the sauce on my wife's foot (she was in sandals). No real apology and no one offered to give her anything to clean up. The branzino was ok. Nothing to write home about. My wife got the chicken - WAAAAAY over-fried. Dry as a bone. Mashed potatoes and hericots verts on her dish were delish! Profiteroles for dessert were good as well. It was an ok meal but not worth the price. Probably would not return.

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Marseille - Corner booths often used for group dining

Corner booths often used for group dining

Marseille - Croque Madame - griddled bistro ham & gruyere on brioche topped with mornay and a sunnyside up egg, chips

Croque Madame - griddled bistro ham & gruyere on brioche topped with mornay and a sunnyside up egg, chips

Marseille - Fresh Berries - yogurt & granola

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Steak Frites Bistro - Hunger steak 9 ounces

Steak Frites Bistro

4.5(297 reviews)
0.2 mi•Midtown West, Hell's Kitchen
•$$$

Finally. I've been on the search. City after city. 6 different French restaurants in Chicago. Not…read moreto mention Washington DC and other cities. But I finally found authentic steak tartare. Hand cut. Not run through a blender. The closest to the nest that I've had in Paris. Ambiance: 10/10 Steak tartare: 9/10 Pomme fritte: 7/10 Service: 10/10 Don't get me wrong these fries were good. Better than all the others. Not quite good as in Paris. It was a joy to eat here. And I feel like I've finally found a place that compares to Paris. The best of Chicago produced nothing to compare to Paris.

French Bistro in Midtown West, minutes from Penn Station or Port Authority so the location is quite…read moreconvenient. I made a reservation to be safe, as many restaurants now ask if you did so. This place is quite packed every night so it was the way to go. I came here for dinner post showtime and my son and I over ordered but happily enjoyed everything. I think our eyes are way bigger than our stomachs. Starters: - French onion soup, au gratin, was perfect. Great onion profile and lots of it. Not overly salty so that was good. - Beef tartare, classic French bistro staple, must order this. The portion was quite generous and it was delicious. We couldn't stop eating it. The petite toasts were a nice accompaniment as well as the raddiccio salad - cheese board, IYKYK, I never met a cheese I didn't like. This board was matched with nice pairings. Think grapes, fig jam, and marcona almonds. The cheese were a classic French variety - bleu, comte and brie. For our entrees, my son opted for a sandwich and I got the steak. His croque Madame was really delicious. The bread, the ham, the baked cheese and the fried egg was so savory. Yummy. My steak was a sizeable portion but I purposely ordered the bigger ounces since I know we'd share. Fries are nice and skinny, perfectly seasoned. Our waiter was attentive and I asked for the table next to us given all the food I know we were getting. He was not sure if he could accommodate but I insisted he check with management. They came over and put it together for me. I appreciated that given a table for two, for how much we ordered, it'd never fit. Totally would return. If you like French food, this is a solid spot to try.

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Steak Frites Bistro - View from our window table

View from our window table

Steak Frites Bistro - Cute salt and pepper

Cute salt and pepper

Steak Frites Bistro - At the entrance

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At the entrance

Le Tout Va Bien - French Restaurant - Chocolate mousse

Le Tout Va Bien - French Restaurant

3.7(416 reviews)
0.5 mi•Theater District, Midtown West, Hell's Kitchen
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Last night my family and I went to the restaurant for my brothers 40th anniversary…read more We were all apprehensive as we never ate here before My brother and his girlfriend shared the French onion soup and loved it. And our dinner entrees blew us away My dad and brother both got the Branzino and ate the whole plate. My brother's girlfriend got the Beef Bourguignon and loved it. I myself got the Saint Jacques Grilles (scallops with risotto and porcini sauce) which to me was cooked to perfection. The scallops were buttery soft, the risotto the right texture and taste. My mother and aunt both had the steak Frites, they liked their steaks but thought the fries were a touch salty. Then came desserts and I had the crème brûlée, my aunt and mom shared the chocolate mousse, and my brother, his girlfriend and my father all had the chocolate lava cake. Out of the three: the chocolate lava cake was #1. Then chocolate mousse then crème brûlée. The restaurant dimmed the lights and had soft music on. The wait time between meals were a bit long in my opinion but it was a small restaurant and they made stellar food and they weren't in a rush to kick us out of the restaurant at all which was very nice. The service was great, they spoke clearly and were ontop of making sure we had tap water and anything else we needed, again they took their time and never made us feel rushed. Highly recommend this place if you're ever in the Hells Kitchen/Times Square area.

Good food. My burger was rare and 1/4 inedible to me. Lots of fries and the escargot (+$3) was very…read moregood. Bread was served toasted (?) Incredible ambiance and service keeps the 4 stars intact.

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Le Tout Va Bien - French Restaurant - Crepe Suzette

Crepe Suzette

Le Tout Va Bien - French Restaurant - Beef tartare

Beef tartare

Le Tout Va Bien - French Restaurant - Outside

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Outside

Chez Napoleon

Chez Napoleon

3.9(344 reviews)
0.4 mi•Theater District, Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West
•$$$

I grew up nearby and been wanting to come here for over 30 years- since I was young- but was a…read morelittle intimidated. Im sad about that. Putting the food aside (which was VERY good), the place is beyond charming... like walking into your nonna's living room- and the staff was welcoming. As for the food: everything is "perfect" in a simple, old school, traditional way. No trendy twists. This is a GOOD thing in my book. It has been years since Ive had escorgot that I loved, but this brought me back. I had almost sworn off of it. My steak au-poivre was cooked to perfection and green peppercorn sauce was sublime. The fries were basic but in a good, I dare say perfect, way. My gf had the sole and, altho she says it wasnt earth shattering, liked it as well. The soufle was a bit of a novelty for me but worth a try. This place is Old School New York at its finest. P.S. I cant stand liver or pate but my gf ordered the foie gras (which ive never had) and tho i resisted trying it, I finally did and loved it. I think that says something about the place. She said it was perfect.

Thursday night dinner for 3. Very charming, quaint restaurant with vintage artwork and a small bar…read more There is a front room with a small bar and another room around a wall on the other side. We ordered a traditional gran marnier soufflé with our dinner order as it takes that amount of time to make it. I came for the duck confit. It was tasty with the right amount of crispy skin. My sister ordered the Moules Marinieres which I think was the winner. It came with fries and a few small dishes of green beans. The Buf Bourguignon was rich and hearty. I've been craving a soufflé, and I'm not an expert but I wish I hadn't poured all the sauce in as the mariner was fairly strong and almost overpowered the soufflé in flavor. Overall, happy to support a small mom and pop business. You have to call for reservations. No resy or open table.

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Chez Napoleon
Chez Napoleon - Salty crispy half duck with orange sauce and super wild rice.

Salty crispy half duck with orange sauce and super wild rice.

Chez Napoleon - The Restuarant is filled with jigsaw puzzles. You can buy a box off of the Puzzle Menu.

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The Restuarant is filled with jigsaw puzzles. You can buy a box off of the Puzzle Menu.

S'Aimer - The decor of S'Aimers exudes the best of french Caribbean elegance.

S'Aimer

4.6(81 reviews)
0.2 mi•Midtown West, Theater District, Hell's Kitchen

We were able to get a last-minute reservation at 7p on the Sunday before Memorial Day and entered…read morewhat was a pretty empty establishment. There were only 2 other parties seated and we were seated immediately upon arrival. It's fairly dark inside and the decor reminds me a bit of New Orleans. I enjoyed the ambiance. The drinks were great! I had the cocobella while he had margaritas. The table bread was hot and fresh, so make sure they bring it to the table for you. We had the mussels for an appetizer, lamb chops and bass. EVERYTHING was excellent! The flavor of the broth for the mussels was Devine, so much so my husband used his bread to sop up all he could. The bass had great flavor and came with sautéed spinach that was well cooked. It initially looked like a small portion but turned out to be plenty. The lamb chops were cooked to the requested temp and seasoned well. We left no crumbs. This one is definitely worth a try!

If you're going to see a Broadway show, plan on stopping here to enjoy some delicious food. This…read moreplace has such a smooth, sexy vibe. Staff are lovely. Decide is classy cool. The food is perfection. The pulled oxtails are delicious. Gave me goosebumps. The fish was cooked to perfection. The sweet plantains were perfect. The drinks were done very well too. It's a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for! YUMMY

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S'Aimer - Greenery in The Garden at S'Aimer NYC

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S'Aimer - The Garden at S'Aimer NYC. A place for quiet conversation in the heart of Restaurant Row.

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S'Aimer - Set up for private event at S'Aimer NYC.

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maman - ham & cheese croissant sandwich

maman

4.1(258 reviews)
0.5 mi•Theater District, Midtown West
•$$

Maman remains my favorite brunch spot whenever I'm in NYC, and this visit to a new location was…read morejust as lovely as ever. This space felt larger than the other locations I've been to, while still keeping the same cozy, charming, and beautiful vibe that defines their brand. We were a party of three, and each of us ordered different sandwiches and pastries. I got the Katie's Chicken Sandwich, which is one of my absolute favorites and something I order almost every time I'm visiting the city. For pastry, I tried the Cherry Croissant Cube for the first time, and I was honestly speechless. It was incredibly flavorful, delicious, and truly made my day. I 100% recommend trying it. For drinks, I ordered the seasonal Cherry Elderflower Spritz. It was just okay compared to everything else, but not bad. Overall, Maman continues to be my go-to brunch place in NYC, and this visit reminded me exactly why.

Unnecessary confrontation over a 5-minute early pickup…read more I'm a regular Too Good To Go customer and have picked up bags from Maman before without issue. This visit was a frustrating exception. The app activated the swipe button shortly after 5PM -- which Maman and several other stores have recently started allowing as an early pickup signal. I went to the store accordingly. The young male Hispanic employee at the register refused to hand over my bag, insisting the pickup window didn't start until 5:15. All the bags were already packed and ready. There were no other customers in line. I tried to explain how the app works and that early pickup had been allowed here before, but he repeatedly cut me off. At one point I said "if you want to play by the book, so be it" -- meaning it as a neutral acknowledgment. He took offense, raised his voice, and kept repeating "I don't play, you play" in an increasingly hostile tone. I asked if he understood the expression. He just kept repeating "I don't play." When I asked to speak with a manager, he said there wasn't one. When I asked what a customer is supposed to do when there's a problem with an employee, he told me to come back tomorrow and talk to him. This was completely avoidable. The bags were ready. It was a 5-10 minute window, allowed by the app. The confrontation served no purpose. I noticed the review posted the day before mine mentions "poor customer service at the register" -- I suspect we encountered the same person. Maman has a good reputation worth protecting. I'd encourage management to review this interaction and make sure this particular staff is trained properly.

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maman - Menu. Had trouble deciding as so many great options

Menu. Had trouble deciding as so many great options

maman - Maman's Breakfast Sandwich

Maman's Breakfast Sandwich

maman - Creme brûlée croissant

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Creme brûlée croissant

La Bonne Soupe - French onion soup

La Bonne Soupe

4.0(307 reviews)
0.9 mi•Midtown West

All around delicious. Super cozy, warm atmosphere and solid service…read more Loved the escargots, it was a generous portion and very flavorful full of garlic as it should. The frites were the best I've had - super thin and crunchy and the mussels were fantastic in a delicious white wine sauce and again a LARGE portion. We were left happy and full - the Bordeaux Blanc we ordered was perfect to go with it all.

Came here a mere week after five-star my first visit, and this experience was significantly less…read morepositive. While the French Onion soup was still a stand-out dish, the painfully slow service detracted. There appeared to be a single waitress working. I didn't notice during my first visit if there were multiple servers, but the first time I did hear the waiter advise another table that the kitchen was behind and there would be a wait for food. (This didn't affect me since on my first visit I only ordered soup.) Same thing happened this time, and there was a significant delay between our soup/salad course and entrees. We were told the kitchen was backed up. this is apparently the norm. For appetizers, the French onion soup was a gold star dish. My friend had the goat cheese salad which she said was also very good. The Chicken Cordon Bleu was good, and a hard-to-find dish in NYC. While eating our entrees, the server never checked on how things were or if we needed anything. Once finished, we sat there for a long time waiting for our plates to be cleared, and finally had to "announce" that we were done and request our dessert (as we had ordered the prix fixe menu). For dessert we ordered the Dame Blanche and Profiteroles. I would recommend neither. The ice cream (in both) was poor quality, crystallized and not creamy. A real shame. In all, the meal too 2.5 hours due to the slow service. The soup remains fantastic. I'm downgrading my review to recommend this spot only for soup and salad and not a full, hours-long meal. For that, it's 5 stars, for a full meal a middling 3.

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La Bonne Soupe - Interior

Interior

La Bonne Soupe - Dame blanche

Dame blanche

La Bonne Soupe - Outside dining on second floor rooftop

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Outside dining on second floor rooftop

Quality Bistro

Quality Bistro

4.2(602 reviews)
0.8 mi•Midtown West
•$$$
Outdoor seating
Full bar

This spot is alllll about the shareable items…read more We visited for Mother's Day brunch and the restaurant was packed! However, we were greeted warmly and a server was with us very quickly. They did however seat us at a table that was directly in the way of a lot of movement through the restaurant. Many waiters found themselves squeezing between our table and another to attend to other tables. Some were carrying very heavy looking trays. Beyond that, we had a blast. We ordered the butter service, which was super fun! The waiters make a whole show of it, seasoning the butter at the table, talking it up a bit, and then allowing us to go to town. The added shallots on top bring an extra hit of umami. The chorizo spread was a little grainy for me, but others at the table were going for seconds and thirds. I especially enjoyed the marinated leeks and the eggplant dip it was also served with. Our entrees were a little underwhelming. We ordered the lobster frites and the french onion soup burger. The burger wasn't overtly French oniony. It was just a solidly good burger. The lobster was delicious, but not anything I am continuing to think about. What I am still thinking about though, are the creme brulees! We ordered the corn creme brulee for a side. It was sweet and salty, with a great crack and chew to the top. I also loved the espresso creme brulee for dessert, which also had a nice light saltiness to it. We also got the spicy orange carrots which were totally delicious. In addition to the espresso creme brulee, we also ordered the lemon ice cream cake. It was bright and refreshing. The only downsides were the wait for the desserts. The wait was so long that our waiter insisted that they would be comped for our inconvenience. However, they were still on the bill at the end of the meal. He did remove them immediately when we pointed them out, though. And finally, coat check accidentally gave our Mother's Day bouquet of flowers to the wrong mom! We wound up with a much prettier bunch, but lost our balloon as part of the switch. Oh well! Next time, we'll definitely be ordering the brulees and I'll be damned if I leave without having their french onion soup!

I am writing to share some constructive feedback regarding a recent dinner at Quality Bistro…read more Having been a loyal patron of Quality Meats and Quality Italian for many years, I was eager to experience your take on the French bistro concept. While there were highlights to the evening, several aspects of the experience did not meet the high standards I have come to associate with the Quality Branded family. First, I must address a significant comfort issue two weeks ago. Our group was seated in one of the large booths, and we found that the cushions were so soft that we sank down uncomfortably low. It was quite awkward to dine when several guests could barely see over the top of the table. For a restaurant of this caliber, guest ergonomics are essential, and I would strongly encourage looking into firmer seating support for those booths. Regarding the menu, we found the oysters to be a bit of a letdown for the $5 price point. The citrus toppings were so heavy-handed that they completely overwhelmed the natural flavor of the oyster. Additionally, as a long-time fan of Quality Meats, I found the steak to be lacking in both presentation and precise execution. I had hoped for a dish that mirrored the excellence of your sister properties, but this fell short of expectations. On a more positive note, your staff was incredibly friendly and attentive throughout the night. We also thoroughly enjoyed the bread and butter cart; the butter was truly lovely and stands up well against international varieties I have tried. Furthermore, your desserts are stunning and were the highlight of our meal. I share this because I truly enjoy your restaurant group and would love to see Quality Bistro refine these details to match the world-class experience of your other locations and competitive locations in the neighborhood. I look forward to returning in the future to see how the space evolves.

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Quality Bistro
Quality Bistro
Quality Bistro

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Chez Josephine - french - Updated May 2026

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