I grew up nearby and been wanting to come here for over 30 years- since I was young- but was a little 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. read more

Thursday night dinner for 3. Very charming, quaint restaurant with vintage artwork and a small bar. 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. read more

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My grandma used to love this place, especially the moules. Tonight I enjoyed the celery remoulade and the frogs legs. Delicious. The server was polite but forgot my wine order once. A good pre-theater option. read more

Chez Napoleon - Frogs legs - French Near Me - New York, New York

Chez Napoleon is closing at the end of this month after a 65-year run, the last four decades under the ownership of the Bruno family. I have been dining there since the late 1990s, and I don't know why I never thought to write a review. Now, before it is gone, I would like to say farewell. Maybe some deep-pocketed reader can ride to the rescue if the problems can be resolved with cash. Just off 50th Street, east of 9th Avenue, Chez Napoleon was housed in a dilapidated brownstone on a block now otherwise lined with nondescript but more modern structures. Outside at various times hung either a professionally painted sign with the little corporal's hat or a flag bearing his likeness. The door was generic, a diamond glass pane set in a grayish panel with a gaudy pull handle that matched nothing else on the exterior. Walk through it and it was like something out of a 1970s computer text game, a space that could have been described like this: "You are in a skinny rectangle of a room, maybe 12 feet wide, with just enough space for three two-diner tables on the right and two four-tops followed by another two-top on the left. There is a kitchen door beyond and what seems to be a passage to the left. "To your immediate right is an open coat closet that is in front of the two-tops. At the far end of the room is a bar with a single high seat in front of it. Historical paraphernalia lines the walls, which are painted dark yellow, and the room is illuminated by soft electric lights. A Wolfman tends the bar." The Wolfman is William Welles, a full-fledged Goth and half owner of the three-generation family business. More bark than bite, and he mixed a mean list of martinis, among the few menu offerings that were not strictly French. Past the bar was the entrance to a tiny kitchen and an even tinier rest room. A U-turn would take you to a second dining room, slightly more spacious than the first, able to accommodate maybe two dozen customers in two rows of tables, four-tops on the far wall, two-tops on the near. The cramped layout reflects the history of two businesses in the building that were combined into one space to create the restaurant. People complained about the tight spacing and the diminutive chairs, and they complained about a lot of other things. Reservations became increasingly required over the years, the service was not speedy, if you should succumb to the allure of a dessert souffle you had to order it at the start of your meal or not at all. There was a confusing cadence of pre-theater and post-theater seatings, and if you weren't going to a play it appeared that they really didn't want you showing up before 8 p.m. There was suggested attire, a sign on the wall shaming people who photographed their food, a veiled threat on the menu not to order anything well-done, side dishes that seemed like afterthoughts, and rustic presentations of plates whose contents were sometimes covered in brown sauces. But nobody who knew anything about classic French dining would ever have complained about was the quality of the food emanating from the pint-sized kitchen. Many of the items on the final Chez Napoleon menu were either in Auguste Escoffier's Le Guide Culinaire or closely match recipes and techniques from that book, the blueprint for French cooking first published in 1903 and still widely used in culinary schools. What dishes they were. With 44 years of experience under the Bruno family, the chefs had the cooking down cold (so to speak). My favorite dish was the Canard a l'Orange, a dish so classic that it may seem jejune today. Yet every time I ordered it, the skin was crispy, the fat melted perfectly into the meat and the wild rice was there to cut the sweetness of the sauce. I never got tired of that dish. The half duck portion was sufficiently generous that I always took half of it home to relive the experience the following day -- or sometimes later that night. The Chez Napoleon menu was like a dictionary of classic French bistro fare. It had things that many Americans won't eat: escargot, of course, which my snail-swallowing friends assure me was delicious; frog's legs (tasted like chicken: watery, rubbery chicken); various calves' organs, including liver, kidneys, brains, and delicately prepared thymus glands, or sweetbreads. I left my comfort zone once for the last and they got me hooked, floured and delicately fried in butter and then given a butter/lemon sauce. What resulted was pillowy little bits of umami way before umami was a thing. That they had these standard French dishes and cooked them well enough so that people who liked them in general liked them here in particular was a marker of authenticity. You can trace that back to Marguerite Bruno, who started a bed and breakfast inn in the post-war South of France, according to family lore that was recounted on the Chez Napoleon website (archived at https://tinyurl.com/ChezNapWeb), and began to cook classic French cuisine for her guests. I read more

Chez Napoleon claims to be the oldest French restaurant on the Eastern seaboard. I'm too lazy to verify if that's true, but I do know that they offer the quintessential, old timey, mom 'n' pop French bistro experience--something that is increasingly becoming obsolete even in France. Go here, before they succumb to corrupt capitalist forces. The cold, creamy Soupe Vichyssoise was the perfect start to our meal, while the garlicky Escargots de Bourgogne whet our palates for all flavors French. For entrees, we got the Lapin "Marguerite", which came in a fantastic mustard and white wine sauce, and the Sautéed Soft Shell Crabs in absinthe-infused garlic butter. My only complaint is that there wasn't enough crab--I could've done with at least one more. Any bad feelings were erased when we got our giant Grand Marnier Soufflé, which arrived in less than an hour. It was airy, creamy and fluffier than a pomeranian's first blowout. Mmmm....souffleranian. read more

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The food is AmmmaZzzing.. A perfect place to have dinner before the show and drinks after.. or the other way around. Going back there for my birthday. read more

This restaurant is one of the places I took my husband when we were first going out in NYC. It is still there and very good. I saw Ben Eakeley from high school goes there too. read more

I've been going to this family owned, French country resturant for many years. The food is authentic, well priced and a go to place if you want to grab a bite before a show. Elayne Bruno has been with the resturant since 1982 and is a loving steward of this not-to-miss broadway gem. Oh, and make sure to order the vanilla-lemon soufflé! read more

Chez Napoleon - Elayne Bruno with fans - French Near Me - New York, New York

What a find! If you're looking for an intimate, authentic French escape from the bustle of the city, you should definitely stop by Chez Napoleon! I had a dinner here just before a Broadway show, and despite ordering some of the dishes that required "patience", the food came out fairly quickly and with generous portions! The French onion soup was good (a little on the salty side for my taste, but good nonetheless) and the duck confit was cooked to perfection. We also got the Grand Marnier souffle which was large enough for two people and was the star of the show! The waitress was very sweet and the ambiance really makes you feel like you've been transported to a small French restaurant, so if that's what you're hoping for, it won't disappoint! read more

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We love Chez Napoleon. The wait staff is amazing and food is wonderful. Drinks were outstanding and the seafood is out of this world. The madam and her son are wonderful hosts. read more

Chez Napoleon - Tools for Bouillabaisse shared with my son. My third time and always great. - French Near Me - New York, New York

Highly under rated. I didn't know what to expect so i came open mined and was very very pleased with it all food was great, service fantastic, the price is also quite fair for NY Dining and the place quite cozy and unique would I return, why yes. Sir william my thanks to you, your dear mother and staff. Carpe Noctum read more

We have been enjoying Chez for almost 30 years. The staff is always welcoming, the food ( particularly the liver and soft shell crabs) is always delicious. The prices are so reasonable, especially for NYC. There isn't a more welcoming restaurant with excellent food and reasonable prices in the City. We love Chez Napoleon. JaneD read more

Chez Napoleon is truly a NYC gem, the type of place that you would call a true Mom and Pop, but in this case, Mom and Son, since the place is family run and truly an intimate French experience. A reservation is a must as this place only has about 10-12 tables, very intimate and homey, with classic french charm and ambiance throughout. A coat rack right as you walk in to hang your coats, and friendly service when you want to order and get the food going. The place lost a star for the time it took to get the food out. It was about an hour from order to plate arrival, and it was about 45 min before the bread got to the table while we enjoyed drinks. They were aware we had a show to get to, so we were on the clock from the get. Besides the time, everything was delicious. I had the Sole Meuinere which was wonderful, my gf had the scallops with cream and mushroom sauce which was outrageous, her parents had the Moules which were good and the Shrimp with rice were good, but too much taragon I'm told. Overall 4 stars, a true neighborhood gem, bravo! read more

My husband and I had a lovely dating night here. It's a small restaurant with such a charming ambiance. He ordered Duck à l'orange which tasted soooo good. I ordered calf liver which I loved. Too bad that we didn't realize that if we wanted to order soufflé for dessert, we have to order it with the main course. We will come back again for the soufflé. read more

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We have been eating here since 2000. The food is consistently tasty, hot and of top quality. The bartender makes a five star drink (Manhattan for me) and the service is always attentive and never intrusive. The two talented people running this place - Elyane and Guillaume take great care of their patrons. You must experience this quaint French bistro. Great before theatre. My favorite is the steak au poivre; my mother's was boeuf bourguignon; my wife's is the rack of lamb. Bon appetit! read more

Intimate restaurant with exquisite French food. Family run. My favorite restaurant in Manhattan.

Delicious food. Welcoming warm staff. Especially appreciated the calves' brains which are *hard* to find in NY these days.

The food, the service and the ambience were wonderful. I recommend going to the restaurant.

We ended up at Chez Napoleon by chance the other evening after signing papers on our new abode. Plus it was date night too. The hubby loves coq au vin and fois gras, and we love trying new places, so this definitely fit the bill. First off, it's quaint and charming. Don't let the outside fool you. It doesn't look like much when you get there. But once inside, it's adorable and so welcoming. An absolute gem. We were greeted by the hostess/waitress who clearly has been part of the Chez Napoleon fabric for awhile, as we overheard her reminiscing with one of the other tables about their dinner there a decade and a half ago. I saw one review that referred to the interior as very dated. That's absolutely true. But that is also part of its charm. It's part of what makes this unexpected find a true delight. Everyone there is attentive, with delightful service. We started out with the escargot, the French onion soup and my husband's favorite fois gras. The escargot was delish, and he thorougly enjoyed the fois gras. I wasn't so much a fan of the onion soup, which is usually one of my favorites. It's was more bland than I expected. For dinner Jayson had the Coq au vin, while I had the Steak au Poivre. It was all very good, though, and this is more about me then them, I wasn't crazy about the au poivre. It was very thick and took away a bit from the steak. I'm not a gravy/sauce steak kind of guy. For dessert he had the soufflé. You need to order it at the start as it takes an hour to prepare. Overall it was a nice date night, which originally started out on a sour note due to the first restaurant we went to, then left soon after. read more

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We love Chez Napoleon. The ambiance is perfectly comfortable. The owner is a sweetheart, the food delectable. We were there on March 9, 2023 for dinner. I loved the chocolate mousse so very much. I wrote this: Ethereal It merges with me On a molecular level As if it were formless Leaving a vapor of chocolatality It defies description, My mind wrestles with words Ahhhh! Thank you Chez Napoleon. read more

The soufflé that cost $34 and took 1 hour to make was perfect. Even in New York, there aren't too many that offer Soufflé, let alone one this great. The other dishes and homemade wine are very traditional and great. read more

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The setting is magnificent. Cozy, warm and an air of old French world style. I loved the service, our server was very nice from Equador and we met the daughter of the oner who now runs it with her son-she was amazing. The drinks were perfect as was the escargot. I had the steak Guillaume which was really good. My friends enjoyed their dishes too especially the Cordon Bleu and the rack of lamb. Our souffle Grand Marnier was heavenly and the Cherries Jubilee was good. I would love to return! read more

Amazing and consistent Bistro. Been here forever for a reason. Coq a Van and Beef Borgunione (sic) are great. Everything is great.

Our go to for special occasions and anytime we want a treat. A New York institution w all the French classics and experience I want on a night out. read more

It could have been better. The beef borg was surprisingly dry and tough. The bread was also stale. The service was good. The french onion soup was tasty but overpriced at $18. The pate was excellent. read more

I've been several times although not in a few years. Classic French bistro menu. French waitresses. Ambience is old world France. Celery root salad was great. Veal liver was classic Dijon recipe. Crème caramel was great. read more

Amazing food! I highly recommend the escargot, french onion soup, frog legs, and the rabbit stew. The ambiance is warm and cozy. If you're looking for French, this is the spot. read more

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Authentic French cuisine like it's meant to be... in 60's bistro-style setting. it's like you've stepped into a Parisienne restaurant in 1963 but the food is oh SO GOOD! one of my absolute fav' NYC restaurants! read more

Wonderful!!! Delicious!!! Delightful!!! We'll be back!!! Soon!!!!! It was like being back in Paris!!!

Exquisite food, service and an expertly curated (but authentic and genuine) family-owned French restaurant serving classic bistro fare just steps away from Times Square. Thrilled that they've REOPENED after enduring a double-whammy of getting through pandemic AND a gas-supply disconnect (in 2022! In NYC!) Non fussy but traditional and warm, welcoming decor with family or historic French photos and maps bring you back to moment in time. Dining here feels like the perfect pre-theater ritual: martini, pate, salad, steak frites au poivre and mousse au chocolate. read more

Very nice food. The soufflé is the best I have ever had in my life. The duck reminds me of my grandmother's marinated duck. The only reason why I don't give a five star is the wait time. It took almost an hour for our main dishes and another 30mins for the souffle. read more

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This is quite honestly the best hidden gem for the quality, quantity, and uniqueness of food. Came here for my annual Christmas Dinner with my fiancé. I got a filthy martini (yes extra dirteh) and she got the blue martini. I will say the blue martini is wildly strong, so we traded (I'm here for the insta-buzz). What I always do at any French place, gotta get the escargot and a bowl of French onion soup. Escargot came it cool little snail shell ceramics, they were tasty, especially with the bread (although needed more bread). For french onion, I feel like you really gotta try hard to mess this up, although it did have a slight carrot taste which I kind of liked since it added a new dimension. Finally the food. This is why I give it five. Talk about going to grandmas house on the French countryside. In my food endeavor fashion, I had to order rabbit and frog legs (convinced my fiancé to get the rabbit), and damn we weren't disappointed. I myself love my food to be a little saltier than less, give me the umami, so the liberal salt was enjoyable (it wasn't too salty let me just point out). And the serving size of both was abundant. With an appetizer and some bread, you ain't leaving hungry (save some bread to wipe the plate). Finally, we ended with the soufflé which was good and what to expect, but paled in comparison to the entrees. read more

Chez Napoleon - Rabbit - French Near Me - New York, New York

Excellent food, service, reasonable price .The Goth bartender is a bonus experience. 5 stars. read more

Chez Napoleon - Terrific Goth bartender Chez Napoleon: Great food, terrific ambiance, taste France and old NYC. Reasonable prices too! wow! - French Near Me - New York, New York

Authentic French cuisine unfortunately ruined by arrogant son. What could have been a nice birthday dinner was thrown off by his accusations. read more

This place is cool! Small, unique and even a bit weird. The atmosphere is really cozy with a super goth bartender, puzzles framed on the walls and all of the old quirky feel of an off the beaten path French restaurant in Paris. Food was wonderful. Started with the escargot and an amazing French onion soup. Veal Sweet Breads prepared traditionally with lemon and a classic French preparation of a steak with caramelized onions as blue cheese melted atop done to a perfect medium rare. Desert was one of the best creme caramels I have had. A little chocolate mousse and some espresso! Get a reservation if you are going before the theater as it is small and busy. read more

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Very disappointing. Everything tasted pre cooked. Chicken Cordon Bleu very dry. Duck in orange sauce very dry. Soufflé not dry but $30 bucks. Too bad I didn't buy Tesla. Let's not forget about the loud talker that wouldn't stop. In the words of one great writer, I wish I had a sock full of manure. read more

Great atmosphere and service. Food was solid - not wow but really solid. Had the bœuf bourguignon - tasted really good. Tried the soufflé and mousse- next time I'd stick with the mousse - it is next level great! House wines are good and save a ton of money. read more

Pre-theater dinner was delicious! Small quaint restaurant. Everything we ate was delicious. Knowing it's a long standing family owned business adds to the warmth and enjoyment. read more

So a friend of mine personally recommended this place and this is what I discovered on fb through my friend- the owner writes frustration post about me because I'm not a big fan of red wine and I was debating between red or white to drink with the meal. Funny how in these hard times during the pandemic when restaurants struggle to have clients, and I payed over $230 , he has the nerves to SHAME me, a customer who had done nothing wrong he just didn't like I was telling the to the waitress i'm not sure red or white! All I did was giving his restaurant compliments, left a nice tip for the waitress and plus ordered a wine bottle that is it!!!! Imagine coming home and realizing this guy had put me under a microscope and posting s*** about me on fb because he thinks he's some kinda "First Degree European" in other words pretentious and obnoxious person! And to think I was about to come back there in two weeks with my family - I got news for you wannabe "Joel Robuchon", you just lost minimum $500 and after this review probably more potential clients that will know how you're degrading people that put money on your table, mocking them with your friends! From all the places in NYC that beg for customers to come, I chose this one, the ungrateful one with beneath average food to celebrate my bday. P.S Real French restaurateurs don't sell beef jerky on a table at the entrance of the restaurant. read more

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After reading the yelp reviews on Chez Napoleon we had to try it.A very gracious hostess greeted us. The place is very dated with uncomfortable seating,very hard chairs. I am writing this with some regret. I really wanted the place to be great..but regrettably, The food for us was just terrible. The escargot tasted like soap,we ordered 2. The Coquille was good.the steak au poivre was shop rite meat.the duck was soggy,I asked for sauce on the side and crispy.That did not happen, soggy duck.the bread was so stale it was rock hard. We got there at 6 pm left at 8 pm,the place was literally empty except for us. The only thing we liked was the Coquille and the soufflé. What a waste of 250.00 dollars. This is sad because after 60 years you would think they have it down.not the case. Here's a few pics. read more

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