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    Chez Napoleon

    3.9 (344 reviews)
    PriceyFrench, Diners

    Chez Napoleon Photos

    CHEZ NAPOLEON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Classy

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    Josephine L.

    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.

    Elayne Bruno with fans
    Macaulay B.

    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!

    Grand Marnier Souffle
    Alex W.

    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!

    Tools for Bouillabaisse shared with my son. My third time and always great.

    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.

    Emma Z.

    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.

    Escargots De Bourgogne
    J. Lawrence N.

    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.

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    8 months ago

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

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    10 months ago

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

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    11 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    Page 1 of 9

    Chez Napoleon Reviews in Other Languages

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    Chez Josephine - Cheesecake

    Chez Josephine

    3.8(719 reviews)
    0.4 miMidtown West, Hell's Kitchen
    $$$

    Updating my review for one of my favorite restaurants in New York, Chez Josephine! This time, I…read morecame 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!

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

    Photos
    Chez Josephine - Dining room

    Dining room

    Chez Josephine - Chocolate lava cake! ($19)

    Chocolate lava cake! ($19)

    Chez Josephine - From my table, thru the bar, to the front door.

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

    Steak Frites Bistro - Hunger steak 9 ounces

    Steak Frites Bistro

    4.5(297 reviews)
    0.6 miMidtown 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.

    Photos
    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)
    0.1 miTheater District, Midtown West, Hell's Kitchen
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    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

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

    S'Aimer

    4.6(81 reviews)
    0.2 miMidtown 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

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

    Greenery in The Garden at S'Aimer NYC

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

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

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

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    Set up for private event at S'Aimer NYC.

    maman - ham & cheese croissant sandwich

    maman

    4.1(258 reviews)
    0.6 miTheater 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.

    Photos
    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)
    0.6 miMidtown 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.

    Photos
    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)
    0.5 miMidtown 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.

    Photos
    Quality Bistro
    Quality Bistro
    Quality Bistro

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    Chez Napoleon - french - Updated May 2026

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