The server was very friendly and kind, providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Although she did check-in with us regarding our appetizer, she was too preoccupied to check-in regarding our entree, due to her being the only staff in the dining area catering to 4 different tables; understandable but didn't leave us the opportunity to address our issues with the entree (which will be highlighted below) until we paid for our bill and came across someone else by happenstance. The aesthetics were elegant and on the dimmer side, especially if you're seating at the corner tables away from the light, we recommend sitting closer to the light or by the entrance if there's still light out. We really loved the crab croquettes appetizer, which had a perfectly crispy exterior that complimented perfectly with the moist interior mixture of potato and crab that paired very well with the aioli. The crispy potato that accompanied the NY strip was perfectly balanced as well, with the crispiest exterior that I ever had with a potato dish! Unfortunately that was the highlight to the entire dish, for the strip was extremely lean without any fat or marbling to help balance out the leanness of the steak (which is evident in the attached photos below). Usually a NY strip, even if grass fed, would still have a strip of fat on the outer layer, but ours did not have any at all, which you can see from all slices we've made. We weren't hoping for ribeye-quality fats at all, but just one that wasn't completely lean. The creamed spinach was also quite bitter and watery, which definitely diluted its creaminess unfortunately; you can see from the photo the wateriness in the creamed spinach where the cream began separating. We love their menu and the restaurant's elegant vibe, as well as how beautifully the food was presented, but unfortunately we were left disappointed by our main entree. I highly recommend their crab croquettes so please give that a try if you can, I promise you won't regret it! Thank you for reading and best of luck! (: read more

See all

Came in on a Friday night. Wasn't very busy at all. Octopus appetizer was okay. First time having it so maybe I'm just not a fan of octopus? The steak was undercooked but the sauce accompanying it was delicious and the steak overall has a good taste. The potato side dish was weird and just really dry. And wasn't a fan of the creamed spinach. The potential was there with good service and nice place but the food just didn't live up to it read more

Lovely ambiance, great service, and solid food characterize this cozy restaurant. The wait staff was exceptional and I love anywhere with actual towels in the bathroom. I ordered the steak frites which were solid and well prepared if unremarkable. I tried my sister's chicken and the crispiness was lovely. I would recommend it. 85/100 read more

Citronnelle - Steak frites - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I can't remember the last time I was so happy with a meal. My friends and I called at 5pm and luckily we were able to snag a last minute table. It's a small space- very intimate and romantic. The staff was lovely throughout the entire evening. We ordered the duck pate, octopus, and croquettes to start. I can't remember the names of all the entrees but it hardly matters because everything was delicious. Whoever thinks french food can be boring needs to come here. It's BYO which is always a plus and it was surprisingly affordable, especially considering the quality of the food. I'd go back to Lancaster just to eat here again. read more

See all

This was a wonderful place to meet friends for a double date dinner! It's cozy, byob, and has amazing food. They also have a wonderful selection of teas. There are unlimited free refills and for $1, you can get them iced. I got the la vie en rose tea iced, which was delicious. They give you a small pitcher of simple syrup to sweeten it as you like. Our server was very attentive and was happy to answer questions anyone had about dishes. There is a $5 corkage fee per bottle, but they list that at the top of the menu so you're aware. We started with the crab croquettes, which we all loved. The croquettes were super crispy on the exterior, but decadently creamy and pillowy inside. The flavor of crab was great and the Yuzu-wasabi aioli went well with each bite. I ordered the Duck A L'Orient. The duck was cooked medium-well, but the skin wasn't quite as crispy as I like it to be. The orange demi-glacé was yummy, but the potatoes were amazing! I never had potatoes done like these---they looked like sea scallops. They had a gorgeous crust on the outside and were super fluffy inside. My husband ordered the fish du jour and we both agreed that was the best dish of the ones we tried. The fish was perfectly executed and the skin was fantastic. The accompaniments were all top-notch and the flavors blended nicely. We also sampled our friends' steak and frites. The fries were crazy good, but the steak was chewy. The bordelaise served with the steak was incredible. I could eat that on toast and be happy! In addition to a few other choices, they have 2 dessert soufflés to chose from and mentioned when we ordered our entrees to let them know if we want those. It takes about 25 minutes to prepare the soufflés. We split their namesake soufflé and were impressed. The soufflé itself was perfectly cooked and had a very mild lemongrass flavor. The coconut creme anglaise really made it for me. You poke a hole into the soufflé and pour the creme anglaise inside. Ahh! It tasted like a tropical paradise. We like to try new places each time we visit Lancaster, but this will definitely be a repeat location. read more

See all

Great menu, service, and food. I think about the duck confit every other day. Service was great and got to try a ton of new stuff. read more

See all

Our son was coming home for his birthday dinner. Snow storm interrupted. Citronella called with a $75 cancel fee. We live 10 minutes away. I asked for $75 of product and we would do another dinner date. He said they do not have anything for $75. Of course they have items we could have - 2 appetizers, two desserts. Good way to develop loyal customers. Nope!! Obviously they have way too many customers and do not need business from high income, connected, prominent local business owners. Our next event is to rent an entire facility with a $5,000 budget. Likely will do next door. read more

Wonderful classic french restaurant. Perfect for date night - I have a young child and would not bring her along. Small space as well so definitely book a reservation in advance! read more

Citronnelle - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Cozy, lovely, delicious. I was won over immediately by the gracious greeting and the well-designed seating, and then we got the food! My tomato salad was a beautiful platter with a dressing that let me taste the glories of the ripe tomatoes without distracting. This was a meal in itself, but I boldly dug into the fish of the day, a crispy-skinned barramundi on an ample bed of the chef's take on succotash (it included the tiniest pattypan squashes ever). Again, the flavors of the food were enhanced, not smeared over by the sauce. My partner had a huge plate of Waygu beef carpaccio with aoli accents -- very tender. He followed that with a chicken dish that he really enjoyed but couldn't clean the plate because the serving was king-size. No room for dessert, so we shared some perky mango and berry sorbets. A romantic BYOB with a lot of class and a respect for fine ingredients. read more

See all

Impressive menu and great outdoor space. Service was outstanding - attentive, great guidance but not overbearing. Food was creative, well executed and beautifully presented. Very highly recommended. read more

My one regret is that it took me so long to get here! The restaurant is small, seats about 30, so reservations are highly recommended. It's cozy and intimate. BOYB is always a plus. We shared the Crab Croquettes as an appetizer and they were absolutely divine. Beautifully presented, flakey on the outside, soft, creamy, and airy on the inside. The cucumber and alfalfa shoots were a lovely touch of texture and added beauty. The mixed green salad paired with the octopus added acidity and balance to what can sometimes be a bland food choice. The octopus was slightly overcooked for my preference, but by no means did this make the dish less appealing. Seasonal vegetables, how can one go wrong? Fresh and flavorful on their own, but roasted to perfection. read more

See all

Great technique, beautiful presentation, lackluster execution. Carpaccio was nice--the best thing we ordered. Very cake like focaccia=not focaccia. Crab croquettes with a stingy, minimal amount of crab. Lamb was un/underseasoned. Nothing was memorable. Price to value to deliciousness was way off. Service oddly disorganized with only 5 small parties. not operating at the level the price points demand. read more

Make sure to book your table ahead of time as it's a small intimate restaurant. Crab croquettes- must get!! Cheesy, good crab flavor and lightly crispy! Octopus- very tender and the sauces work well to deliver an impactful bite. Fish of the day- if you like fish, you should probably get it regardless what fish it is. That day was barramundi- so flaky and the skin was extremely crispy. Yummy Ended with carrot cake and was delightful. Amazing meal without breaking the bank. Highly recommend! read more

See all

We came to see the new patio outback and some new menu offerings. Awesome patio! Clearly took a lot of time and money. Service was great today and the owner was very sweet. The food, however, still didn't impress me much. The burger was overwhelming, dripping in cheese. The lamb bolognese gnocchi were drowning in fennel and grease but the lamb sauce had great taste. The focaccia and earl grey tea were the highlights. I like the atmosphere and the friendly owners but just don't like the food as much as elsewhere. This is s story in three acts: I. Ate duck and pork and loved it all. Was convinced this was the holy grail of the Lancaster fancy movement. II. Came for a "global Wednesday" dinner which featured Korean food. Had slimy boiled chicken which terrified me. III. Yesterday: The dishes of beef carpaccio, (thin raw beef), vichyssoise (potato soup), crispy duck, and ny strip were all in the very good to excellent range. But service was pretty bad. The server had no social skill and seemed overwhelmed. I also personally find most of the well-off diners annoying and loud and since it's all in a tiny space it makes it less relaxing. I literally bumped into the chair behind me multiple times. So, I admire this place for the food and it's attempt at haute cuisine dining but not all the food is amazing and the service is inconsistent. I think if they focused on a very limited menu and hired servers with experience they could compete with the best! read more

See all

This restaurant delivers at every level! The menu is complex & unique. The service is outstanding, gracious and attentive. And the setting is intimate. It's BYOB too, so bring your favorite B and they will be happy to provide glassware. Make your reservations far in advance as they fill up. And let them know if you're headed to the historic Fulton Theater afterwards & they will pace Your meal accordingly. read more

I love this restaurant so much that whenever I visit my parents (I live in Los Angeles), I request a dinner at Citronnelle. The food is phenomenal, and the service has always been great. I cannot say enough good things!! read more

My new favorite restaurant- better than a 2X more expensive dinner we had at Tinto in Philadelphia! Every single dish was excellent, well executed and delicious. The attention to detail was noticeable and the service was very good. We enjoyed that it was a BYOB. We (3 people) enjoyed the crab croquettes, the octopus and the butternut squash soup, and our main courses included barramundi (2) & the pork loin. For dessert we devoured the spice cake & flan, along with two soufflés. We will be back! PS -none of these dishes were as simple as described (see photos), for example the soup had these tasty little fried eggplant croquettes and the soup was very spicy and tasty! read more

See all

We loved the dinner and experience at Citronelle! The Lobster Croquetes, Autumn Harvest, and Carrot was delicious. This was a new restaurant for us and only recommend bringing a bottle of wine (it's byob only). read more

Citronnelle - Croquetes & Americano - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

We popped in to Citronelle in Lancaster because the restaurant we were looking for wasn't at the Yelp location. Citronelle is a French style restaurant and the fare offered for the day was brunch. We each got an omelette. The mushroom one had lots of flavor and a side of roasted potatoes. Very good! My open face omelette was ok, a bit bland for my palate but if eaten with a piece of the salty, roasted potato, it was tasty. We may be back to try their lunch or dinner menu. It says they have Moroccan food. Got to be good! read more

We went here for dinner for our anniversary on our first night of staying at Lancaster. The place is super small, romantic, and quaint. Perfect for a date night. The menu is very unique, but small. There was a lot of tasty exotic teas, which was what I think I liked most. You can have them hot or iced, and get free refills! I've never seen this in a restaurant like this before. I got the vie en rose iced tea and it was amazing! I got the lamb bolognese for my entree, and it was good but different than I expected. There was many different flavors such as fennel, feta, and lamb. They did work well together, I would give it a 7-8/10 My boyfriend got the vegetable polenta. It was perfectly crispy, and filling. Savory and had many vegetables on it. Garnished with a parm crisp. read more

Citronnelle - Lamb Bolognese - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

See all

This is a great little restaurant. We love that it is BYOB. Only wish is if they would have more selection. They have about 6 items on the menu everything we have had was great. Just want more to try. Last visit I had their Bronzino and my wife the bolognese. Both dishes were very good. She had the carpaccio app and I had the Pate. Both good but we should have just split one. Don't get me wrong we both ate all of ours but it didn't leave room for dessert. We have had the soufflé in the past and it's amazing. We are going back again this week. If the restaurant reads this. Don't run out of the octopus!! We love it and a little piece of our heart broke when you told us you were out. read more

Never thought I find great French restaurant in Lancaster, but this one is definitely a great place to try. All the dishes are very thoughtfully prepared and delicious. the small bread served were superb. we had Moroccan Spiced Free-Range Australian Lamb Loin and Trois Petits Cochons, both were great.. the lamb was very tender and flavorful.. the 3 kinds of por just had different texture and flavor and the Shaved Brussels Sprouts was wonderful (I don't usually like brussels sprouts). And you can't leave without trying their Signature Citronnelle Soufflé, my husband loved it (he usually does not even like dessert), and I had Dark Chocolate Soufflé and it was great too. cons - our dishes did take a long time to arrive, but it was worth the wait. I am glad to tried this place and will definitely be back next time. read more

See all

The internet says this is French Modern Cuisine but it's more of a global fusion. They meld many different global flavors together and it works! What an unexpected surprise! I love their creativity and I would never have thought to put Kim chee in Mac n cheese ever! I had the pork chop with Korean bbq sauce, the Mac and kimcheese and asian styled spinach. My dining partner had the lobster and crayfish noodles. Both very tasty! We ended our wonderful dinner with their citronelle soufflé. The coconut was the prominent flavor with a hint of lime and the lemongrass was very subtle in the soufflé. They are a BYOB and it looks as though they are adding more decor to their back patio outdoor seating area. They also follow proper covid precautions with masks and distancing. I left happy and super satisfied. Can't wait to go back and try their dark chocolate soufflé! read more

See all

If you're looking for something to eat, @citronnellepa has started doing takeout! Do yourself a favor and let someone else cook! Their burger and fries are delicious! #dinelocal #lancasterpa #citronellepa #quarantinelife read more

See all

Very disappointed. Never had a let down like this before for a 4.5 star restaurant. We ordered the crab croquettes, mushroom appetizer, steak frites, and fish of the day. The croquettes came out cold. We asked for them to be reheated. The waiter took the order and brought them back without replacing them. They were still cold. He explained that there was a cold sauce drizzled on top and maybe that's what we were tasting. The center was cold. We were not confused by the sauce. The owner(?) then brought out a replacement that was excellent. However, she couldn't resist to mention that the croquettes were not supposed to be too hot otherwise they would burn our mouths. It was obvious what had happened -- it is the most popular dish on the menu, so they make large batches of them. Unfortunately, we received the end of the batch which was cold. She was extremely condescending and rude. The fish was excellent but the steak was very forgettable. It was cooked to the right temperature (medium rare) but the fries were soggy and the steak was average (a bit tough and bland). Will not return and do not recommend. read more

First tip: call for reservations. They are cozy and with a pandemic still lingering the patio seating was popular. Indoor seating was full with almost every table seated. They are not as fully staffed as they would like, though they are doing the best they can with the crew they have. Andrew, our waiter, was doing a great job at keeping up with *all* the tables, but the night was young and the dining scene was set for a busy time. We were driving home from visiting Philadelphia and Yelp steered us to Citronnelle. I would not have thought modern French dining would work in Lancaster--but after experiencing it first hand I believe the chef has a winning formula. The menu focuses on a handful of items for a first course, a second course, and desert. The majority of the ingredients are locally sourced. When you have access to the local sources in Lancaster you are starting with some of the best ingredients around. The chef then works his magic and voila! you have an excellent foundation for a special dining experience. For the first course we had the octopus salad and the heritage tomato salad. The second course was steak and frite and fresh fish. Simple? Perhaps. There were other interesting items on the menu (the duck was tempting, there was an Asian fusion dish that skewed towards Japan, it sounded delicious). We were there for the french food with Basque influences. If I were in Bayonne or St Jean de Luz or similar location in Southwest France I might expect such excellence. To find this appreciation for talent applied to the bounty of Lancaster County! Our meal was excellent and the dishes memorable. Our meals were excellent. If you believe good food is worth paying a good chef to work his mojo with good ingredients then consider enjoying a meal at Citronnelle. Some reviewers have complained about loud diners and bumping in to surrounding chairs and tables. Note I use the word "cozy". Citronella uses the word "cozy". Other Yelp reviewers use the word "cozy". Think of a dining exerience pre-COVID in any large European city and Citronelle's "cozy" still afforded me ample elbow room and even the opportunity to kick back and enjoy the the food and conversation. I would not recommend this restaurant for families with children. The spot is cozy and the meals are way beyond the macaroni and cheese taste preferences of most children I know. read more

After 5 years, I went back to Citronelle. The taste was as good as the first time. The presentation was so beautiful I had to take pictures and share it! read more

See all

Citronnelle is the newest gem in dinning the Lancaster area. With a modern take on French cuisine chef Rafael Perez takes you on a mouthwatering adventure where he presents his love for the culinary arts with finesse and lets all the locally grown organic ingredients speak for themselves. His partner/owner Susan Louie curates a intimate and comfortable environment dinning experience. The attention to detail that she puts into this establishment is notably done with love, everything from the chairs to the terry hand towels in the restrooms. It's as if they don't want you to ever leave. For appetizers I had the pleasure of having the Crab Croquettes which have a great creamy texture without over powering the flavor of the crab itself, very satisfying choice. For my main course I had the Pork Tenderloin perfectly cooked and had a side of onion confit and lardon brussels sprouts, Sweet potato gratin, Fried sage, Apple balsamic reduction, it was a delightful combination of sweet and savory and paired perfectly with the tenderloin. As a side we also ordered the Ratatouille, it was perfectly cooked and was a nice change of pace from the apple balsamic in the main course. For dessert we had the Lemongrass coconut souffle, so soft and pillowy with a delicate egg flavor, its hard to imagine that they will not sell out of this before they close on a daily basis (also you should order this at the beginning of your meal as it takes a while in the oven). Citronnelle is a must go if you are in the area! P.S. the brunch on Sundays is AWESOME, I suggest the burger and cheese souffle. read more

See all

Pleasantly surprised by how much food came in the entry. The streak dish was fabulous. Really enjoyed the brussel sprouts, onion rings and potatoes that accompany the dish. Nice atmosphere, great for a date night. BYOB read more

Located across from a gas station in an unassuming spot, citronella is a small gem in Lancaster. That's not to say it's not without its flaws because there were quite a few. Citronella is a BYOB which is a shame because I could have used a cocktail with dinner. Luckily we bought some wine. We arrived at 5:15pm on Saturday. The place is very small and I felt like there were just way too many tables for such a tiny spot. Luckily we didn't sit on top of anyone because we got there early and requested a back corner table We Started with the grilled octopus and crab balls. The octopus was delicious and I loved the accompanying salad and bacon (Lardon). Best dish of the night by far. The crabs balls were fair at best. We tasted no crab whatsoever. Just potato and cheese. Nothing to write home about. I ordered the New York strip for dinner. The steak was cooked perfectly. But It was topped with a load of onions that added nothing to the dish. They gave me a small portion of sauce but it wasn't enough to hide the fact that the steak just had very little seasoning. The sides were excellent however. My wife got the salmon special for the evening. It came with string beans and Israeli cous cous. She thought the salmon was cooked perfectly. But that the fried kale was beyond too salty. She wasn't a huge fan of the cous cous either. For dessert we ordered the chocolate soufflé. This was the one dish I was really looking forward to and it was just not good. Very bland. My other grip wth citronella is 1) they charge a $5 cork fee since they don't have liquor. On the menu it says that they charge this nominal fee for glassware. However they had no proper wine glasses! So what is the extra expense exactly?! Why charge anything to open a bottle of wine and serve it to you in a "water" glass? Plus we overhead a woman who brought in a birthday cake and that she would be charged a $5 per slice. So if they cut the cake up and divided in amongst six people, that's $30! Absurd. Absolutely absurd. I understand they have desserts but to charge $5 per slice is downright greedy. Despite these flaws there is mass potential here. There is a serious chef cooking at citronella. I just wish the menu was more expansive because there just wasn't much to choose from. He menu was missing identity. You're either French or your not. We had a hard time choosing what to order because nothing was entirely appealing. It was a miss mosh of random dishes. The restaurant is pretty but we won't be back read more

See all

Excellent! While visiting from Miami, we stopped for dinner. My husband had the lamb tagine which was full of robust flavours. My forager's delight was excellent & creative. My salmon was cooked perfectly, with a crispy skin, which I never eat, but couldn't resist this one. The soufflé was superb with its sweet lemony flavour. It's BYOB. Teas are very good & nice variety. Nice decor. read more

Citronnelle - Front window, & table. - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Easily the best restaurant in town, with John Jeffreys being neck and neck. Quiet, with only a bit of jazz very quiet in the background, UNLIKE some of their competitors who seem to think people go out to eat in order to scream at each other over the thumping of cheap contemporary "music." The food relied on fresh, good, ingredients, rather than lots of salt. Delicious and interesting. The ice cream, which the chef makes is as good as I have ever eaten. Portions were just enough so that a bit could be left over. The service was friendly and helpful. Intimate with comfortable, sophisticated ambiance. Not their fault, but the gasoline price sign across the street is a bit garish. Perhaps a tasteful window screen is in order, though some may enjoy watching city life pass by. Highly recommended. read more

Wonderful French inspired restaurant. Must make reservations in advance and easy access in the heart of Lancaster. Every dinner was beautifully prepared and delicious! Warm cozy atmosphere. read more

Citronnelle - Chocolate soufflé - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

See all

Phenomenal service and excellently prepared food present in a modern French-fusion setting. Try this place when you don't want average, mundane chow. This is a BYOB with exceptional food and rivals big city restaurants in our sweet little Lancaster. We went for brunch to celebrate our anniversary and it was lovely. The interior was comfortable yet upscale. The omelette served to me was not only beautiful, but delicious. The burger was my husband's favorite he's had in a long time: perfectly prepared. Burger+fried egg+ uncured bacon=happy husband. The prices indicate the level of expertise and care put into the menu. You're going to pay at least $20 per person, but you can bring your own wine. It's $5 uncorking fee. I'd love to come back for dinner. They have specials for nights the Fulton has shows. Dinner and a show sounds like a fabulous way to enjoy the Lancaster scene. Do yourself a favor and try this place at least for their outrageous desserts. The cheesecake was off-the-charts great. They make all their ice creams and sorbets in house. read more

Citronnelle - My vegetable omelette in front and my husband's heavenly burger in the background. - French Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I come to Citronnelle whenever I visit friends in Lancaster and love the food, the service, really everything about it. It is the same kind of hip fine dining experience that you can get in Brooklyn except that it is in downtown Lancaster and is BYOB. On our recent visit the dinner was so good that we came back for brunch the next day. The menu is very focused and had changed since our last visit with choices that were well-chosen for the season. For dinner, we started with creamy crab croquettes, and they are very good. These are not your typical crab cakes--these have a unusually sinful taste and texture. Next I had the Lamb Tagine and it was to die for--so many flavors, all of them delicious. If you like it spicy, you should ask for a bit more fire as mine was safely on the mild side. My wife had the salmon and it was a different animal from the farmed ones that are ubiquitous these days--super tasty! For desert we went crazy with both the air cake and the sorbets. Both were excellent, with the air cake very creative and unusual and the sorbets (chocolate and strawberry rhubarb) exploding with flavor. All this whetted our appetites for brunch. We had the bread basket, the leek and cheese soufflé, the open face market omelette, and the andouille sausage. Hard to pick the highlight because it was all so good, but combination of the spicy sausage and fluffy soufflé was wonderful, and the croissant and other bread basket goodies were delish as well. All of this is a bit of a splurge because Citronnelle is not inexpensive. However, the food is consistently excellent , the service was knowledgable, attentive, and thoroughly professional, and the entire experience was well worth it. It also helped that we brought a great wine that would have been prohibitively expensive if it were not BYOB. If I lived near Lancaster, I wouldn't just go there for special occasions because you get really great food for perhaps just a bit more than a lesser alternative. I don't live near there, but Citronnelle makes me want to visit more often. read more

See all

I could say this was a bit expensive ...but we got invited by friends of us. Still the food was really delicious. I had some French toast because did not feel (my stomach) well in eating the real brunch! There were also some real good bread, "pain au chocolat" and Croissant! I miss so much those one from France! The potatoes, sausage, burger and fries were all just perfect : I had a bite or 2 in my wife's! Definitely have to go back there to try the diner menu. Let you know my thoughts later then... read more

Citronelle pleases but lacks the panache of my other 5 star reviews. My wife and I went here to see how it was. I'm a huge fan of french food, and as an avid cook; I appreciate an exemplary chef (since I am decidedly not one). My wife took some convincing but after a bit of cajoling she agreed to go. Citronelle is small inside but with a fatal tic atmosphere. The tables are cozy, the seats are unique, and the wait staff are knowledgable, attentive, and patient. We ordered 3 appetizers, the salad, the crab croquettes and the octopus. The salad was nice but there was nothing to differentiate it from any other salad. While the greens were fresh and the taste good it was not exceeding special. For example I could have gotten the same salad at a grocery store and been just as happy. The crab croquettes were very good. They are creamy and lightly fried with a hint of crabbiness to them. The presentation of the plate was quite nice. The octopus was, in my opinion, the star of the show. I'm not an octopus fan by any means, however the tenderness and taste of this was exemplary. I was really impressed. For the main course my wife selected the redfish, and I chose the chicken. The redfish was good and was very well done. I was enjoyed the sauce served with it; however felt that it was just missing something. I can't quite place my finger on what, but it failed to wow me the way the octopus did. The chicken tasted very good. It was well cooked but a bit overcooked I felt. It lacked the juiceyness of the typical Lancaster cooked chicken - though the side dishes were excellent and the skin delicious. The chocolate souflee for desert was delicious. They require these be ordered in advance given that they are labor intensive to prepare. When they brought it out they neglected to ask my wife if she wanted anything for desert. I encouraged her to speak up but the waiter had already moved to his next task - so we shared the souflee. Overall citronelle was good but not wow. Perhaps we ordered the wrong things,but given the price point and reputation I was left with the distinct feeling that something was missing. Of everything we tried the best things were the octopus, the souflee, and the atmosphere. read more

Definitely in the league of top end restaurants in Philadelphia and it's in Lancaster! We had a delightful and delicious meal while on a weekend getaway. This place is 5 STARS ALL THE WAY! The food is the star here. Everything we had was perfect. The octopus appetizer practically melted in my mouth... I have never had octopus that tender, not even in Greece. And for dinner, chicken. Yes chicken, and it was an elevated work of brilliance! It was billed as Indonesian style... Tender, juicy, perfectly cooked chicken in a sweet and salty demi-glace, forbidden rice, and bok choy. There were also spicy peanuts around the plate that were outstanding. For dessert we tried their signature soufflé. While it was good, we found the seasonal berry tart with olive oil ice cream to be the show stealer. Just tart enough for zing yet sweet enough to be dessert. Service was that perfect blend of attentive and unobtrusive. What a delightful find... my friends were right when they said that downtown Lancaster is becoming a foodie city! read more

We had a most amazing dinner tonight--complex plays of flavor, secrets and surprises--just creative cooking! Great service too! The octopus and wagyu were phenomenal. The fish of the day had lost of textures and flavors, the duck confit in the cassoulet exquisite. What a treasured find! read more

See all

Sleeper in Lancaster. Intimate and small restaurant with very good food. Great plating and fairly priced. Had great fish perfectly cooked. Service was friendly. Will be back. A BYO which makes for a much better deal. read more