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    La Sen Bistro

    4.2 (333 reviews)
    ModerateFrench, Wine Bars
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

    La Sen Bistro Photos

    LA SEN BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    French Onion soup
    George F.

    Had a craving for French food, we headed to Walnut Creek to La Sen Bistro. A small restaurant located in downtown on North Main Street LA Sen Bistro serves lunch and dinner. Funny little observation during our lunch there were three tables including ours and all of them were Chinese. We ordered the following: Escargot 3 stars very tiny French onion soup 4 stars very good Liver pate 5 stars excellent best dish of the day Roast chicken 4 stars good n a mushroom cream sauce Service was good. Asked for extra bread to soak up the extra sauces. Street parking only.

    Braised short ribs
    Kim F.

    This place is cute and cozy. They offer a three course menu that's billed per person. I ordered the lobster bisque, braised short ribs, and for dessert, the berry pastry option. Service was good, especially given it was Christmas Day. I did try the escargot as well and may I just say that was the best appetizer option on the menu. I regret not ordering it myself and this was my first time trying escargot.

    Marina C.

    Had reservations and when we arrived it was a little awkward after checking in. The person who helped up somewhat just waved us off. This being the first time we didn't know if it was open seating or not. So we just sat down. Service was slow despite it being pretty much empty. Food was good and plating was very nice. I would have given a 4 star but the service team has somethings to improve on. I will be back to see if it changes because the food was good.

    Lamb shank with mashed potatoes and veggies
    Gio W.

    Delicious French food! The menu was filled with all the French classics and the service was great. Great spot to come for date night or a special meal with loved ones. We'll be back!

    Vol au Vent
    Ramon A.

    The food was delicious and loved the ambience. Had the Vol-au-Vant with shrimp and my wife had the Boef Bourguignon, then we each had a crème brûlée.

    Creme brulee
    Rob L.

    Nice, cozy restaurant that serves great French cuisine. I ordered the duck breast, the skin was nice and crispy and the meat had great flavor, I didn't regret ordering this as opposed to the more fat option of duck confit. My wife ordered the boef bourgignon, which she let me try a bite of, it was so good, nice authentic French flavor. We also each started with soups, she got the onion soup and I got the soup of the day (mushroom) and both exceeded expectations. The dessert of creme brulee was good, but needed to be deeper dish. Our waiter was great, very friendly and attentive.

    Vol-au-vant
    Desiree G.

    This restaurant was hopping on a Saturday night, but with a reservation not a problem. The restaurant is quaint and romantically lit, but it appears families are definitely welcome. Service was very slow and someone stepped out of the kitchen to take our orders. He was super friendly and also uncorked a bottle of wine we brought in. He mentioned they were shorthanded, and it seems many restaurants are these days unfortunately. Despite this, the food came at a reasonable pace and made up for the earlier delays. The food is excellent and presentation nothing short of what you'd expect in a French restaurant, beautiful. I had the Vol-au-vant dish and it was divine. Everyone in our party seemed to enjoy the food. We'd definitely go again, but maybe a different day or time of day to avoid the crowd. Lots of parking nearby as well.

    Escargot
    Cas R.

    Honestly this is the best meal I've had in a long time. Located in Downtown Walnut Creek is this sliver of Europe with flowers and art adorning the walls. The sauce they give you with the bread is so delicious. We ordered a few appetizers, including the beef tartare which was so flavorful when paired with the sauces on the plate. The ratatouille was different than I've seen it at other restaurants, but so good. It comes with a crispy polenta which is a nice change texture wise. The cheese on top really adds another layer of flavor too. People in my group ordered the scallops and raved about them. The only thing we weren't over the top about were the profiteroles, they were vanilla and just basic / a little dry in my opinion. Great place to celebrate with friends and family.

    Pear salad
    Cat N.

    My friend and I went out for lunch to La Sen bistro. We were lucky to sit at a window seat so we could watch all the dogs that walked by on Main Street. We both ordered the French onion soup and split the salad with the pears. Everything tasted great. We had a lovely fun waitress named Melissa Kay although apparently there are two Melissa Kays which we thought was a hoot! It was a bit pricey, but I think that is what people would always say about French restaurants!

    Danika Z.

    Free bread was very tasty and crispy on the outside. 5/5 The French soup was probably the best I've ever had! It's not overly salty or thick like other French onion soups. 5/5 The escargot appetizer was also on the light side compared to other French Restaurants. 3/5 I ordered the scallops and love it. it was cooked perfectly. 5/5 My husband ordered the beef ribs per recommendation by our waiter, we thought it pop was okay, nothing spectacular. 3/5 This place feels just like a real French bistro in Paris! Very cozy and warm. We will be back to try some duck dishes next time.

    Creme brûlée
    Athina L.

    Pleasantly surprised hidden gem in downtown Walnut Creek! My aunt had her birthday here and while it's a small restaurant they were able to accommodate everyone- we took up the back room with 2 big tables. Staff was so friendly and helpful, making sure everyone got their orders and everything was good. My favorite was the cream of mushroom soup- it was delicious, everything was. Parking isn't so bad, we found street parking pretty easy and my other relatives also mentioned there was a garage. I'll definitely be back here whenever I'm in the area- i wanna try more dishes off the menu

    Ivan J.

    4.8/5 I honestly don't know why I would dock 0.2 stars off but this restaurant was such a gem to find! Excellent service and the food was incredible. I ordered the duck breast and it was cooked to perfection. Loved the fried skin attached to the breast meat. This is a must try in Walnut Creek.

    Michelle H.

    Date of Visit: 6/1/2024 After our annual event at Brentwood for cherry picking, we went to Pleasanton for wine tasting and then dinner in Walnut Creek. We decided to visit the traditional French Bistro called La Sen Bistro, located in the heart of the shopping and restaurant street of Walnut Creek. La Sen Bistro was established in 2012, started out as "La Rose" in Berkeley California before relocating to the downtown area of Concord California and changing the name to La Sen Bistro. In 2017, we relocated again to downtown Walnut Creek. I made a reservation right before we left the winery in Pleasanton, and thankfully we had a reservation since the restaurant was packed during dinner hours. Leon Manbach, Pinot Noir D'Alsace 2017 France $16 I got a glass of red wine to pair with dinner. This Pinot Noir from France is an elegant light red wine with typical great cherry fruit, soft structure and nice balance. Beef Steak Tartare $22 For appetizer, we got the beef tartare with hand cut premium beef ribeye, shallots, capers, anchovies, cognac, horseradish aioli, radishes, mustard seeds, parsley, quail egg, Basil Pesto, and toast on the side. Escargot de Bourgogne $16 My favorite dish to get in a French Bistro. The escargot was stuffed with garlic, butter and parsley. Very tasty and great to mix with bread. Soupe à l'oignon $14 Love the traditional French Onion Soup with Croutons and Cheese on top. Côtelettes d'Agneau Grillées $49 For the main course, we got the roasted rack of lamb roasted to medium rare. On the side it was tarragon lamb jus, roasted potatoes, string beans, and cauliflowers. Moules Poulettes $29 The French style sauteed mussels in pastis cream sauce, shallots, fennel and leek. The mussels were not as good as others, which is not fresh enough. It was served with garlic pomme frites on the side. Flourless Chocolate Cake $14 For dinner, we got the soufflé chocolate cake with vanilla gelato on the side, and also a huge strawberry cut into 3D pieces.

    Complimentary bread w/ Dijon mustard-based dipping sauce

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    4 months ago

    Loved it. The food. The ambiance. The service. All was absolutely amazing. Love the decor.

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    Page 1 of 9

    La Sen Bistro Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - La Sen Bistro

    Is the monkfish a special? Looks amazing!!! Going tomorrow and don't see it on the menu!

    Unfortunately that was one of our daily specials. Hopefully you enjoyed your meal with us!

    Same dinner menu at both locations? Or are they different?

    yes same menu

    There used to be La Sen in Fremont. Are these the same owners?

    When we were there, our waiter told us it was their second restaurant. The first one opened in Concord, the second is this one in Walnut Creek. It doesn't sound like the same owner.

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    Loved this spot. So cozy with a super friendly, knowledgeable staff. Menu is small but mighty…read more Seems like you couldn't go wrong here. Not good for big groups but that's what I loved about it. Great central location in Walnut Creek. Check it out!

    I had hoped that what I read from a 1-star Yelp review about having reservations, then finding out…read morethis restaurant is closed, was only a rare occasion. I did not even think to alert my friends about what I read because I thought after reading other Yelp reviews and looking up their Instagram posts with beautiful photos and people looking like they were enjoying this restaurant, that what was described in that 1-star review must have been a rare occurrence. Boy was I wrong because to my dismay when we arrived at their restaurant door last evening, it happened to us and I did not want to believe it, but all the evidence was there to show they were in fact, CLOSED. Two other customers and our group arrived at the same time in advance of our 6pm reservation time, only to see their door closed, lights off, with nobody inside. We were confused not only because we did not receive a message notifying us that their restaurant would be closed and our reservation needed to be canceled, but also because the customers who arrived when we did said they had booked their reservation yesterday, meaning the reservation system was still active. What's more is we did not see any signage on their door or windows about being closed, but instead we saw an EBMUD notice on the door stating water service payment was overdue, which we were not expecting to see upon our arrival. Our group needed to quickly figure out a plan B for our birthday celebration dinner, as our friend had planned and reserved The Library Social Club over a month ago. I dine at many restaurants and any time there needs to be a change or cancelation for any reason by a restaurant business, I have received an e-mail, a text, or a phone call alert, as a customer courtesy call, and I have at the very least, even seen hand written notes on restaurant doors and windows as signage alerting customers of their business being closed. Needless to say, we were disappointed and frustrated by this incident today. We drove from out of town to try this restaurant that was not even open when customers had reservations. Fortunately, our friend proposed a different restaurant that we could walk to and they sat us promptly upon arrival. We enjoyed their delicious food instead!

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    Residual Sugar - Entire collection of ruined wine, heat exposure

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    I want to support my local wine bar but what is happening here is a travesty and an affront to the…read moreGod of Wine. The entire collection of wine was exposed to heat and ruined but they are still selling it to unknowing customers. Many of the wines that I inspected had corks bulging out past the foil and were discolored. The Syrah I picked and thought was safe looked good but under the foil, the cork was bad and yes the wine was rancid. I wish that was just a side story but the glass of wine I purchased was also foul. It was the most expensive Napa Cab they serve. I asked a few times how long the bottle was open and he did not know but guessed maybe a night or two before. This tells me a few things; they are not keeping wine fresh or pumping out the air or using a Coravin system for example. They are not writing the date opened even. Also in my personal opinion, the wines here are the lower tier to keep pricing down and profits high. It just makes the experience low for the customer. Lastly I did have a cheese plate and it was also terrible. The staff have no knowledge of wine. So it just ends up being a happy hour place for people to drink cheap wine. I'm sorry for the former failed business and appreciate trying to take it over but the business model is not working. It's not worthy of business woman of the year unfortunately. Lesson learned: Californians know wine!

    For a long time I hesitated to come here because I thought they were a 21+ establishment and often…read moreI have the kids in tow. However, I saw they had a killer happy hour deal - 50% off the menu from 5-6pm!!! - so took a chance and brought the fam. They were super kid friendly (in that we didn't get any judgmental stares from having our kids take over the couches) and have so much stuff on the menu! Loved the charcuterie boards and sandwiches and the selection of wine. Will definitely be coming back! I've already told a bunch of friends about it, haha.

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    Shadowbrook Winery - Superior views and location.

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    This was our first time at Shadowbrook, and unfortunately our last…read more The service was absolutely disappointing especially considering there's already a 20% service charge. When we first arrived we were seated right away and given waters immediately by our lovely host, after being seating it took 15 minutes for our waiter to even look at us and when she did she said "Do you know what you want to drink?", this was our first interaction. It took about 20 minutes to receive our wine and when she brought it to us she never let us taste the wine before pouring it, which I have never experienced at any other winery. After leaving it took an extra 10 minutes to receive our order of French fries, luckily the water machine was right next to us so whenever we needed a refill we could just get up and get it ourselves! We almost asked them to not even bring out the bread because it had been 45 minutes after ordering before it came to our table. I think we would have been more understanding if it was a busy night but it was the complete opposite. I could have driven all the way to Napa, been served, eaten a full meal, then home with my teeth brushed in bed by 8, but instead I'm at Shadowbrook waiting for my bread. Overall the food was great, the wine was excellent but the service was absolutely horrific! We felt overlooked and unwelcome from the start. Our server barely acknowledged us and gave the impression that we weren't worth her time while serving others next to us with enthusiasm. Unfortunately the 20% service charge did it for me, I wouldn't mind paying if it was worth it, if I could tip our waitress less I would.

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    Château - 12/13/2025: Steak Bordelaise -- Very good!

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    Superb, the food is outstanding, the service is excellent. We were so happy with everything;…read morebeginning with Caviar, to the Crudo (it is so good), Charcuterie Board for cheese lovers, Brisket hamburger is exceptional, along with the steak bouillabaisse and Angel Hair Vongole - this is to die for - very impressive. We sat outside on a sunny pleasant day for 3 hours and enjoyed every moment. Make a reservation you will enjoy the experience.

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    Barebottle Brewing - Walnut Creek - Coconut Stout

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    4.1(38 reviews)
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    Super cute spot I went to, to celebrate a few of my cousins birthday on a warm Saturday afternoon…read more Parking is a little tricky but I got lucky as someone was leaving as I pulled up. There was an event going on and HotBoyz Chicken was there giving out free samples throughout the day as well as doing a Bingo event for the attendees with free merch/prizes for the winners. No fee to play. That was a nice addition. They've got tvs for the game and the hockey game was playing, a nice outdoor area with a dj playing great music. They have a good menu with different options for food, beer, cider, etc. They don't really come up to the tables to do orders but the line is quick when you go up and order drinks/food. If you order food, they will give you a number and bring it to your table. Servers are nice/friendly and come to clean/pick up empty glasses often which isn't necessary but is nice. There's a water station to refill your bottles if you bring them. Wasn't able to stay long and order too much but the beers we had were delicious and refreshing. Great on a hot day like the one we had. Will for sure be coming back especially since Summer is coming up quick. Bring your family and friends to check them out. It's a kid friendly spot with plenty of space inside and outside!

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    La Sen Bistro - french - Updated May 2026

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