My husband and I went here for a late Valentines dinner. We were able to avoid the crowd but still celebrate the special day. We ordered escargot, steak-frites, and cassoulet. We're not big French cuisine enthusiasts but after this meal, we have a greater appreciation for French food now. The space is pretty relaxed and intimate. It suits both a casual and a formal setting depending on what you're there for. We would love to come back and try their other dishes! read more

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Finally checked out L'Oursin after having it on my list for a while. Place is cute, has a curated beverage list and service was good which led to a round up on overall score to a 4, with the food coming in closer to a 3.5 given the price point. There was a complimentary amuse bouche, small root vegetable soup with a crunchy sunchoke chip- flavorful and nice start to the meal. From there we ordered: - hamachi crudo - light, fresh, flavorful - gambas - butterfly grilled and served on a yummy sauce that was a little salty in its own but good to dip bread in - salad - shareable portion and liked the fresh herbs - steak frites - came with a good portion of skirt steak and fries, but was surprised by the cook on the steak- it was well done. The meat was chewy although not tough so did still make a dent in the entree, and was pretty heavily doused in sauce. Fries were fine. Would likely try something else next time - creme brulee - solid execution, would order again - chocolate mousse- ok, was on the sweeter side Overall would return for drinks and apps if in the neighborhood. read more

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My husband and I made reservations for dinner on a weekday. It was pretty busy when we arrived at 5:30pm. We shared 3 small plates and one entree. Loved the foie gras, it was rich and melted perfectly in your mouth. The raw scallops were good, but not my favorite. I appreciated how it subtly tasted like the sea. Also loved the escargot, came with a lovely sauce and the baguette to dip was to die for bread. We lastly shared the steak frites - it was aged beef so it had a funky taste and the sauce had capers. A little salty. We will definitely return again! Such a great find. read more

L'Oursin - Foie gras - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The service here was great. Very quick to help and attentive when possible - especially since I came during a dinner rush. The decor of the restaurant was gorgeous. Parking was a tad tricky as I parked in the neighborhood. I RSVP'd ahead of time to ensure seats and I could see why. I had the escargots, terrine de foie gras, french onion soup, and the cassoulet. I enjoyed the escargot and the foie gras (unfortunately forgot to take pictures). I did not know how to appreciate the duck and the onion soup. The confit duck was not as juicy as I preferred and the french onion was a tad salty for my liking. I do recommend this place for a date night so don't let what I say deter you from appreciating the food! I will say that there is a 20% service fee already added. read more

L'Oursin - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington

food was pretty good, i got the fish dish and the skin was really crispy and cooked well but the seasoning on the veggies were lacking a bit. the steak frites was pretty good but the sauce was also lacking a bit for me, was not well balanced. also the food took over 45 mins to come out which was a bit much considering it wasn't that busy for a friday night. the espresso martini was good but not the best i've had. also there was a small rat in the dining area that ran out while i was eating so i dont think i would come back but it wasn't bad. read more

It was fine. Our first waitress was an angel, then our waitress that she had to switch to because her shift ended was rude and snobby. Bartender was great. The worst offender were several mice that ran around the dinner area. Glass half full? read more

I went back for a family dinner and had a delightful time! The food was amazing, as always, as was the service. They don't have high chairs, but they were very accommodating to our group of four which included a toddler. We were able to put our travel high seat in the banquette, and it was perfect. We had the salade, pate en croute, pain et beurre, and gambas grilles for appetizers, and then the steak frites and poulet for main. It was more than enough food for three adults and toddler. We ended up bringing the entire chicken dish home. The gambas grilles didn't really do it for me- I didn't find the textures of the prawns appealing, but the flavors were spot on. The pate en croute instantly sent me back to Paris, and the frites were a big hit with the toddler, haha. We went at five o'clock, and it was a mix of diners: coworkers, dates, and family dinners, which really soeaks to the versatility of the restaurant! read more

L'Oursin - Dessert: assortment of sorbet and creme brulee. - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place was super crowded, but for good reason! We enjoyed the food a lot and the service was great. The decor is simple without being boring, which gives the whole spot a really nice, chill vibe. read more

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Such a cute French spot! The neighborhood it's in is quiet, so pretty easy to find parking. My friend and I made a reservation, and were promptly seated at res time. The inside gives a bit of dark rustic vibes, but still cute. I loved their special cocktail menu, which had a little story and description for each drink. I ended up getting a NA drink and also had an assortment of small dishes to share. We ordered the fish croquettes, the beef tartare, the French onion soup, and escargot. Food was amazing. We started with little gazpachos as amuse bouche which was super refreshing. The croquettes were hot, crispy, pillowy, and the fish inside was so good. Their homemade tartar sauce was also amazing. The beef tartare was deliciously marinated and it's served with the crispiest little toasty breads. I almost deafened myself with the crunch lol French onion soup was the only disappointing item. It was waaay too salty, we were barely able to save it by dumping water into it, but the onions and bread that had soaked up the original soup was too far gone to save. Last was escargot which is served with some bread and omg this was delicious. The snails themselves are nice and tender, and the sauce, I could've had an entire baguette to soak up all that goodness. 10/10 Overall, super amazing place. Service was super quick and thoughtful. Only negative was the overly salty French onion soup. Don't let that stop you though! I'll think about that escargot for awhile!! read more

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I was recommended L'Oursin as one of the best restaurants in seattle and it did not miss! I was in town for a conference and was told by a local bartender that L'Oursin is a fancy yet approachable local spot that I could not leave without trying, and she was right! The ambiance in here is super cute and fun, with French decor covering the walls, cute string lighting, and a warm interior. There aren't a lot of tables in the space so I strongly recommend getting a reservation or coming at a non-busy time like I did. I dined here by myself on an early Sunday evening and it was still almost full. The staff are very friendly and happy to help with their recommendations. The menu is a short list of dishes ranging from small plates to larger ones and I've been told every one is a hit! To drink, I had the sarah jessica parkour recommended as I was in the mood for something light and refreshing and it hit the spot. It was a fresh and tasty cosmopolitan-inspired cocktail that was well-balanced and not so liquor-forward. Before my food came, I was pleasantly surprised with a taste of a mushroom soup, that was bursting with flavor despite the small size of the palate warm-up. For food, I wasn't overwhelming hungry so I had 2 of the smaller plates. I ordered the sea urchin special and escargot. I had never tried sea urchins before tonight, but I could tell these were super fresh and light. They were accompanied by some delicious toasted brioche with butter. The escargot was my favorite between the two, with a tasty homemade pesto and crisp sourdough it was outstanding! For dessert, I had the chocolate mousse, which blew my mind with how smooth and delicious the chocolate flavor was. It cane with candied hazelnuts that balanced out the richness super well. This meal might just be the highlight of my trip and I can't wait to come back one day and try some more of these creative and delicious plates! read more

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Came here for a birthday and we hadn't really eaten much French cuisine. Overall both the food and service were good. We enjoyed most of the dishes except for the lingcod which was a little bit too salty. Our favorite were the escagrots and sea urchin. read more

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I came here with a friend last month and we ordered the steak frites and half braised chicken. It came out looking beautiful but that was about it. The steak frites were dry and chewy and the chicken was dry as well and did not have much flavor. Very disappointing. Not worth $50 an entree. The crispy fries were great though. I would say the fries were the best part of the entire meal. read more

L'Oursin - Steak Frites - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Appetizers were okay. The tartare was a bit on the salty side for me and there was a bit too much caper in the mix. The truffle brie (seasonal) with the jam was the star of show. The hanger steak was cooked well and tender but the sauce was very overpowering and dominated the dish. read more

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Note there's a 22% service charge regardless of party size. Came for an anniversary celebration but there was nothing special provided. Staff were okay but nothing special and didn't justify even a 20% service charge. They were chit chatting amongst others and didn't really seem like they wanted to be there. The ambiance of the restaurant was okay. Not too many tables. For the price, I expected a little more. I got the steak frites and the steak had an odd texture - it was rubbery and not super tender. The sauce was already congealed when I got it too. It wasn't a traditional French peppercorn sauce and just okay. My partner got the cod and found 6 bones in it. For a fish dish that's $50, I would expect there to be no bones. Staff even said it was normal to have bones in the dish. Overall, I won't be coming back. Service was not very good and food was not worth the price. read more

L'Oursin - French onion soup - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Great experience. Menu and wine program is stellar. I'm definitely coming back again. The tar tar was smackin' read more

L'Oursin - Everything was proper - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This is one of my favorite Seattle restaurants - the wine and cocktail selection is fantastic, the food is always solid, and the service good. Greater than the sum of it's parts. read more

I can't believe it's been 6 years since I ate here. Came here last night with a friend and everything was wonderful. There were so many menu items we wanted to try, it was hard to finalize our order. We ended up with oysters, escargot, goat cheese salad, salmon special, and steak frites. The salmon was significantly undercooked but I kept the 5 star rating because they made it right and the flavors were still amazing. Great experience all around and looking forward to visiting this spot again much sooner!!!! read more

Now that I've come to this restaurant twice in one month, I can conclude: 4 stars Some thoughts: Really fun cocktail menu themed after movies Came for the French onion soup. Piping hot just like how it should be. Lovely selection of French wines Cute ambiance Delicious Crème Brûlée read more

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My girlfriend and I came here for my birthday dinner. We decided on L'Oursin because the menu looked interesting. We didn't realize until we arrived at the restaurant that this place is more casual than we had anticipated/wanted. It's somewhere between a restaurant and a cafe. This restaurant does not have many large entrees. So, we ordered several small/medium plates and shared them. We were happy with everything we had. They gave me a complimentary birthday ice cream with a candle! read more

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Wonderful, delicious again and again! Great service perfect cocktails!!! What else, hmmmmm

Came back a second time - we were hella hype, so we brought friends. Got a last-minute reservation for 4 on Resy on a Saturday at 6:30pm that wasn't too busy, but at the same time, it felt different. The appetizers were good - foie Gras and the Pate were both highlights. Similar to last time, the escargot quality was better, but the sauce was extremely salty. For the mains - we got halibut, steak frites, cassoulet, and the chicken. Chicken was my highlight - the halibut was definitely underwhelming this time. We ordered just the creme brulee this time, as well as the banana flambee ice cream. The creme brulee the first time was better - the crust is way too thin this time. Ice cream was fine. Overall the service quality felt worse this time - food took almost 2 hours to come out (its 821pm and we just finished our mains) The missus downgraded her previous rating to a 3/5. I'm inclined to agree - from a consistency perspective this place really feels worse than last time (objectively speaking). read more

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Just loved everything! Great team service, everyone was nice, except one server, I think we must have pissed off accidentally. The Vol A Vent with a perfectly sexy egg and chanterelles was the star of our night. The bread and French butter was OTT. A big Kudos to the bar my Bergamot and tonic has to be my best mocktail of the year so far! French Onion soup was spot on! Excellent! And our apologies if we were a little too demanding but you guys delivered nonetheless! read more

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So we came by for our anniversary dinner. The waitress seemed off, like high off. All night long she kept doing things that seemed like she was forgetful or maybe didn't like us? When sharing about specials, we had to ask for elaboration as she only told us "burger", "fish" specials. Ok, what makes it special? I have food allergies, this requires me to leave my house with at minimum two EpiPens, when you aren't asked if food allergies should be considered at a French restaurant, that's not French. This place is a cross between a cafe/bistro as some prior reviewers shared. We were seated and rushed with what we wanted for drinks and our meal, our waitress wanted us to order everything all at once. This was peculiar while not checking in during our meal. The establishment wasn't busy and we were one of 6 tables Seated. We had the steak and frites, cod and mussels dish, duck pate, and the fried chickpeas. The illustrated cocktails are available for purchase at $10 which comes with recipes if you want to purchase a book. We tried four drinks off the menu, the sour, fizz, manhattan, and another I'm forgetting the names. The drinks were amazing and creative. An anniversary meal that was over $300 and I can only confidently recommend the drinks. There are other French bistros to try. read more

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Really cute, intimate interior. Tables were kind of close together. Large menu with cocktails and wine. French Fare. Very kind, polite service. We got a couple mezcal cocktails ($18 each) Food: Bread & Butter ($6) - nothing special Pate en Croud ($18) - this is such a tough dish to find - i'm happy I got to try it for the first time :) and that they sell it here Calamari ($18) - small portion but perfectly crispy fried Steak & Frites ($42) - salty and overpriced as steak usually is (personal opinion), but I like the way it was cooked Beautiful Plating. Automatic 20% gratuity added to bill. read more

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Went with a friend for a mid-week dinner. Straight-forward french menu with NW influences. Extensive wine list. Stylist plating. Simple interior with an exposed kitchen. Community feel. Service was attentive without being intrusive. Just a note for those who care, there is a required 20% service charge. Will be back. read more

Came here for dinner. I took French in junior high and our teacher, Madame Brusueel took the time to write the lunch menu in French. I still remember most of the French words. Started out with French bread and butter of course. St. Jacque scallops. There used to be a French restaurant in the University district, that I first tried these. This version was a close replica of the delicious scallops I remember. I also ordered the escargot. The buttery garlic sauce compliments the slightly salty snail. I would usually order cassoulet when it is offered on a menu. A labor intensive dish. Ordered the cabillaud à la normande instead. The cider sauce compliments the fish in a great harmony. Mushrooms and fish dishes are so good to me. Ordered my .favorite, mousse au chocolate for dessert. Strong chocolate flavor in a light mousse. Really nice meal read more

This visit is from a little while ago. Menu offerings and prices are subject to change with inflation. L'Oursin is an old school French restaurant in Central District. It doesn't have as much buzz as several other French restaurants, and that's perfectly fine. We went on a hot day, and it was quite stuffy in the back. Luckily, our reservation was early, 5-ish, and the restaurant was still fairly empty. I requested a table change, and they accommodated by moving us closer to the door with better air flow. Be warmed if you are hot temperature sensitive. The lights are kept low inside; with the bright sun outside, everything looked darker inside. I was very happy with my table near the front. Service was cordial; they left us alone until we asked for them, which is very European style. I have no problem with that. The Food: Gougères, $12 - 4 Stars Menu: Two warm smoked sockeye salmon cream puffs Self-explanatory. It's delicious! Zucchini Soup with Bay Shrimps and Crème Fraîche, $12 - 5 Stars A cup of refreshing chilled soup. We scrapped every bit of it. LOL. Saumon Aux Morilles, $38 - 3.5 Stars Menu: Butter-poached king salmon with green lentils, haricots, and gray morels We didn't ask before ordering, and we are guessing they kept true to French ingredients because the salmon is very pale, which could be Atlantic salmon. It was ok, but we much prefer the richer Pacific salmon. Cabillaud Grille, $36 - 5 Stars Menu: Neah Bay lingcod with squid, manila clams, sage, corn, and potatoes The only thing wrong with this dish is that I want more. Hahaha. It was very yummy, and the sauce is great with the bread. Pain et Beurre, $6 - 4 Stars Menu: Warm breads and salted whipped butter Hmm, bread and butter in a French restaurant - would I say no?? read more

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Save yourself of a trip to Paris. This place has the trifecta of ambiance, food and service, plus the PNW fresh seafood like oysters and uni. You're welcome. read more

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Fun atmosphere. Friendly staff. Excellent wine. Good food. Highly recommend. We enjoyed the Thon (raw tuna), escargot, black cod and Coq Au Vin. Terrific flavors! read more

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Excellent! Food was amazing and filled with flavor, very authentic French dishes, service was great and our server took really good care of us. Interior of the place was not very French, more modern American style. Not many entrees options so we picked a few extra appetizers. Overall it was a great experience. read more

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3.5 - food 4 - service We came here for date night. Ordered 4 dishes to share, Raw Alaskan Scallops Terrine De Foie Gras, French onion soup, and seafood stew dish that forgot to take pic. All the dishes were good but not wowed. The seafood dish which was very salty...our waitress was nice to comped one of the drink. Good experience but not sure if we'll be back. read more

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We made a reservation last minute. The restaurant was slightly busy. Our waitress was very nice to recommend a few dishes and drinks. The vibes of the place felt like a date night sort of place. We had the madam blanche and madamoiselle Scarlett drink. Both were very good and sweet! The raw scallops were really good. I definitely recommend getting this along with the pate en croute. They were the better parts of the course we had. Cassoulett was a letdown. It was mostly beans. I wish there was more meat considering the price we paid ($48). The creme brulee was delicious! But the mint ice cream was a bit underwhelming. I would come back trying different dishes instead~ read more

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Drinks selection - really good! I had an almond vodka mix that was one of the best mixes I've ever had. They also have a large selection of wine, most if not all, grown by themselves. Food - great! A lovely treat but not the greatest in my opinion. Steak is chewy, pate is a little too solid, but everything is FLAVORFUL. We came here for Mother's Day and they had a special wine and oyster event. I would assume they have more seating on normal days because there were about 5 tables inside and 4 small tables outside, and the bar and other open spaces were too packed. read more

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Did you know that L'Oursin is sea urchin or uni in French? That's what this place serves local and fresh straight out of the shell! I came here for my birthday several weeks ago with my husband and made reservations around 6pm for 2. Parking was easy to find on the street and free! The restaurant wasn't very busy at 6pm, but around 9pm when we left, it was bumping! Super lively and all the tables were full (even for a non-weekend date). We tried a little bit of everything on the menu. We got the bread basket, local/fresh uni, beef tartare, st Jacques scallops, ris de veau (sweetbread), gnocchi Parisienne, 2 different cocktails and then a bottle of orange wine. The cocktails were nice and well balanced - my husband loved his and the menu is adorable! The orange wine was nice too and the waiter actually let us try some before committing to the full bottle. My favorite food items were definitely the gnocchi and uni (caught locally in Washignton)! My husband's favorite was probably the scallops and beef tartare (good portion size). The bread was not my favorite - not warm and tasted a bit stale? But it was nice to have some extra carbs for the beef to eat a long with. Overall a great experience! The restaurant is not "quiet" by any means for a romantic French spot in Capitol Hill. I would say it's a good in-between for nice meal but not white-table-cloth. I like how it was still casual enough to not feel like you're breaking the bank but also refined food and a good assortment to try from. We paid a little over $200 before tax and tip for the 2 of us. Would definitely come again and highly recommend for a special occasion. Even if it's not a special occasion, it's a great French restaurant to experience. read more

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I came into town to visit a friend and she asked what kind of food they like. I said I love French , as I quite often go to French food locally back home. I have to say this was the worst experience I've ever had. The duck was extremely dry. The beverage choice was very limited. And the way they brought the entrées out so quickly gave me the sneaking impression that it might have been reheated. Highly discourage people from ordering the duck if you go to this place. The menu is limited. The choices are limited, and the food was overcooked and dry. read more

Came here from a recommendation that if you want to try seattle cuisine, eat here. The thinking is because what defines seattle cuisine are the local seasonal ingredients. Coming here, I can definitely see what they meant. We had the gambo, foi gras, scallops, beef tartar, bread, and smelt. The seafood all tasted very fresh and I enjoyed them the most. The scallops were dressed with the lemon thyme sauce that made it very acidic (kind of like ceviche) and it was good. Maybe a little too acidic for me as I want to appreciate the taste of the scallop more. The gambo was delicious and then you pair that with the bread we ordered and what a great combo. The beef tartar and foie gras were things I'd probably skip next time. The beef was chopped and diced and didn't seem to really pop due to the dressing. I like my tar tar to feel more like beef, either through taste or texture. The foie gras...wasn't really foie gras that you'd expect and it was more of a patte. As a patte it was good, but that's not what I was looking for. Maybe I just didn't understand the menu item though and it was a bit misleading. Overall my recommendation is to come here and try the appetizers and lean off of the mains and enjoy the variety! read more

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Good if you've never been to New York--otherwise, you've had better. Too expensive for jeans and t-shirt

We hosted a birthday party for a few friends. The restaurant picked the menu and wines. It was fantastic. The wines were not ones that I would normally pick, but they all paired well with each course. One of our guests gagged at the thought of tartare. But, he tried it and went back for more. The crudo and salad course was amazing. I've never had geoduck before. Loved the chance to try it. L'oursin feels like a neighborhood gem where you can go by yourself or with friends, dressed up, or as you are. Just let the team creating the menu and paring wines, guide you. read more

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We got the special, a butter burger, very good. Cocktails were exceptional. But honestly the best part was the bread, first item on the menu. We sat outside, which was extremely pleasant. read more

Cool little French bistro that uses Northwest ingredients. It has a warm, inviting atmosphere - casual, but classy. The offer a nice-looking wine and cocktail list, with a notable selection of Armagnac, if that's your thing. The flétan à la marseillaise (poached halibut) comes with a tasty rockfish sauce, shrimp, and scallops. While not cheap (halibut never is), it's a good amount of quality seafood for the price. The service at the bar was friendly, with the bartenders offering some good suggestions. read more

L'Oursin - Flétan à la Marseillasise (poached Halibut) - French Near Me - Seattle, Washington