i just went back after many years. In the past i was bit a turned off by the sullen servers ( food was always good as i recall) i had had... BUT i am here to say they might have changed their staff, as we had a lovely young lady.. I went with my 9 yo daughter as a special night for good schoolwork and we opted for the jambon et fromage crepe ( buckwheat) crepe.. it was amazing.. My daughter even loved the egg on top!. i had the amazing french onion soup and planned to share some of the crepe since i was worried my child wouldn't go for it... BUT it was a huge success. i barely got any.. so we then ordered citron et sucre crepe for dessert, another winner! i admit we came on a groupon and really just planned to eat desserts :-) but i was so happy at how nice and reasonable and cozy the place was.. Our server made the evening.. she was not upset by our relatively low check average,, i tried to make up for that w/tip but i truly thought she made the early dinner special and i plan to gp back super soon! so glad i came back after many years away. read more

One of the best French bistros in DC, I have never had a bad experience here. Both the food and service are excellent. One of Le Chat Noir's specialities is crepes, both as dinner courses and desert, and for this alone it is worth several visits to try all the varieties. read more

Great restaurant with excellent service. And, it's reasonably priced. This is a hidden gem.

I don't write reviews but I felt like I should for this restaurant Le Chat Noir was not a great experience.. The waiters were extremely nice. They were friendly and continuously looked out for our needs. Our appetizer dish (salmon) was delightful and even the bread was great! However, none of the main courses were good, especially the duck. The duck arrived and was plated beautifully, but once I began attempting to cut it, I realized that it was too chewy and hard. Even the sharp knife I asked for couldn't do the deed well. Eating it was another story. I was unable to chew the small pieces that I eventuallt was able to cut. It was way too chewy, so I had to swallow it whole. Beyond that, the duck was far too raw. Though I enjoy medium rare, this duck was entirely pink. My verdict ends with that although the salmon was delicious, the main courses that my family ate were not. I would not return here and I would recommend to never get the duck. read more

Delicious food, easy parking, quiet tables... This french bistro has everything that restaurants in nearby Bethesda lack. We had a party of 5 and everyone loved what they ordered. Will definitely return! read more

Charming small French bistro type atmosphere. Had a reservation and were seated immediately on Easter Sunday. The steak was very good as were the frites. Service was very good. read more

We had a wonderful brunch here on a rainy Sunday. The service was a touch slow at times, but the food was incredible. I had a seafood crepe and the bf had eggs benedict. Its really a nice place to go and the brunch special includes 3 courses plus a mimosa and is a good value. Will definitely be back here. read more

This is a charming restaurant with excellent food and attentive service. Four of us went here recently, and everyone enjoyed their meal. Several of us had the filet de boeuf, which was delicious and done perfectly. My wife had the fig stuffed pork tenderloin, which she reports was also quite good. Dessert also was enjoyable. read more

Wonderful location with lovely indoor/outdoor seating. The food was delicious and they have many options. The service was not great. Slow, a little impatient, and management acted as if we were rude in wondering why our waiter had disappeared for 30 minutes. If the service were better, I would definitely go back. read more

We really wanted a crepe suzette. However, when we got there decided to order some food with the crepe. we got the beef with broccoli, potato, and truffle risotto. All in all it was just okay. nothing requiring a returning trip. Then after eating we were told that they were not making crepe suzette, which again was the only reason we drove almost 30 min to get there. However, they were making other crepes and who gives a flip about your other crepes. You are a restaurant and i know you have crepe mixture, butter, sugar, alcohol, and a orange. They should have told us that in the beginning and we could have left vs the sly attempt to earn money. No apology was given and we will never return again. read more

It was just serendipity that led me and an out-of-town guest to wander in to Le Chat Noir on a spring Saturday mid-morning brunch...and it was a wonderful chance encounter. Though the restaurant was quiet when we arrived, a pleasantly bustling lunch crowd arrived later. The meal itself was very enjoyable. We both sampled egg dishes, with salad and a custom-built mimosa to round out the meal. As a person always looking for quality onion soup, their offering was too good to pass up, deeper base than most places serve but a nice handle on balancing flavors. Delicious baguette pieces for the table (very good) and milk/cream for our coffee warmed and frothed in the European tradition. Looking forward to returning another time with my special guy to sample lunch/dinner menu and possibly explore a bit of the ample dessert menu as well. Not inexpensive, but worth the price for the food quality, excellent customer service (Susan as our lead server with others to ensure after glasses water filled and dishes were quickly cleared). This is one black cat that definitely brings good luck. read more

I love this restaurant so much that I feel I should keep it a secret. The crepes are really good which gives one the option of spending more moderately for a good meal. The food in general is good. I love the quiet casualness of the atmosphere and its unpretentious authenticity. It really feels French, not Disney French or prissy frenchified, but French in the way the restaurants I liked best in Paris felt. Just like in France, the wait staff won't kill you with kindness, but they're nice and very good at their jobs and they know the food well and the service is good. I love going there for a date with my husband. You can dress up or go casual. It's good for a couple who want to actually talk and enjoy the atmosphere. It's good for families and good for a group of friends. read more

Awesome! Yum! get the boo la base (sorry cant spell it!) This is an excellent value in a city of over priced food. The quiche was delicious, the crepes are very savory, and it is just a good time. read more

The menu here is so long and varied that I want to come back again and again to try the different dishes on offer. Both the octopuses salad and a galette with mozzarella and tomatoes were both vey tasty - the salad greens were exceptionally fresh and served at the right temperature where you could actually taste the flavor of the greens. The buckwheat crepe was robust without being thick. Loads of vegetarian options. read more

Washington DC. Very nice ambience. But the food was average. Andive salad with blue cheese and a hint of blueberries and walnuts was good. Seafood bouliabas had a very flavorful tomato gravy with lots of onions and bell peppers etc but very little seafood, a few very small scallops, some small mussels, one small shrimp and a piece of fish. Grilled bass special had a very small portion of seabass with some couscous. read more

This place is awful and the host was very rude and refused us service even though we had a reservation! I will never eat here ever! I would not recommend Chat Noir for a dinner date. The host went out of his way to embarrass me in front of my wife. read more

The so called pork medallions was actually a pork chop that was tough as shoe leather. I took a couple of bites and could not eat it. Service was very poor. We were a party of 7. Ordered a bottle of wine which we finished rather quickly but we were never offered a second bottle. When waiter finally showed up he offered to remake the pork chop but by that time I was ready to leave. They did not even offer to comp the pork dish. read more

I can't think of a single bad thing to say. The crepes were wonderful- the wine selection was good - the service was also great! The prices were fair... a solid bet if you are looking for a romantic dinner over some french cuisine. read more

Great Sunday brunch with own made pâté and Champagne. Service is courteous and has good bistro atmosphere. Highly recommended and good priced read more

Everything was great. Wonderful waiter, maitre d' and staff. The crepe fourree (seafood with mushrooms) was outstanding. So happy to have a top notch french restaurant in the neighborhood. read more

Had a truly enjoyable brunch here. Used a Capitol Deal voucher that made the price unbelievably good, but I'll definitely go back at regular price. Everything was delicious - the eggs benedict were perfectly done, with yummy french frites on the side. Their nutella crepe was a wonderful close to the meal. The service matched the food -- everyone was pleasant, attentive and quick. It was a pleasure to see the French-speaking manager watching and guiding the staff -- I heard a waiter respond "yes, sir" to him (pleasantly, not with attitude) after getting some direction, and that positive teamwork really pervaded the experience around the restaurant. Two thumbs up! read more

The service was ok, but the food was auful. The seafood was very bad and greasy and the crepes were not even close to real crepes. I will definitely not recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

love this place. good food, not too snobbish and I have always been able to walk in and get a seat. The steak frites is very good...skip the onion soup though read more

This place was superbon. I had a delicious trout and quinoa dish.

Classic French food at very reasonable prices. Service was extremely friendly and attentive. My daughter thought the bread which was passed around was the best french bread she's had in Washington. The prices for the wine were quite reasonable. The salads were generous and well prepared. The main courses were classic french food in generous portions. The new waitress from France added a touch of real France to the whole experience. All in all, a very enjoyable meal of french food near Bethesda. read more

I hosted my sisters bridal shower in the upstairs wine lounge. It was the perfect space for 25-30 people (and could've fit more!) the appetizers were delicious and the staff was extremely accommodating and helpful. They helped set-up and even brought all of the gifts downstairs when the party was over. Wonderful staff and so easy to work with!! read more

Food was not prepared well at all. Meat extremely overcooked (duck and steak). Over salted on a few things. Grossly overpriced on cocktails. Would NOT recommend this restaurant. read more

Last night a group of 12 people got together for a birthday dinner. We did not get to order until we had been there almost an hour, waiting. We repeatedly had to ask to get our water refilled and were seated in the outdoor area and it was a very hot evening. Two people split a dish of bouillabaisse and we had to keep asking for an extra bowl and spoon to eat out of. The service was very poor and we had to keep asking for things, when it should have been automatic that we would get the needed attention for a big party such as ours. While the food was good, the service left a lot to be desired. Everyone was satisfied with the food and the desserts were exceptional. read more

Not so special occasion. Had been before and it was good but special evening with french wine tasting failed pretty much across the board. Service was friendly but so poor. Two wine samples offered in over an hour and the staff didn,t seem to understand they at least should tell you the name of the wine. Appetizers ordered were decent. But then over an hour wait for the main course. Steak so rare it had to go back, a small pot of pickled vegetables brought instead of the vegetarian entree and the moules mariniere a little old. When leaving we told the maitre d and he offered free desserts which was nice but we had had enough. And then not so friendly as if somehow we were fussy. Won,t go back but suggest to others not going if they have an event that leaves them closer to full. Had been better when not busy. read more

We don't have enough Chat Noir in Washington area. Food is excellent, tasty, menu simple and service "amiable". With time this business will grow to become one of the great restaurant of DC and then...it will be overpriced. read more

My friend from Paris was in town for a week, and I wanted to take her to a good French restaurant that wouldn't break the bank. After doing some research we chose Le Chat Noir. It was a Thursday night and I was glad we had reservations, the place was packed. Unfortunately, our waitress was from Bulgaria, not France, so my friend could not communicate with her smoothly in her native tongue. Our before dinner drinks and appetizers were good, I had the shrimp and they were plump and tasty. She had the snails and though they were not prepared per french custom, she found them to be good, a new twist she could enjoy. We ordered a $40.00 bottle of red wine, and to our surprise, it came out chilled! No where near room temperture! When asked about it, they offered only to sit the opened bottle of wine near the stove. They said that all of their wines are stored in a cellar and would be chilled. Needless to say, when the wine was poured, tiny air bubbles appeared, and the bright taste of the pinot noir was lost. Is this the way to serve wine? Her main entree was a very tender and juicy chicken served with a tasty dish of rice. I chose the veal and it was unremarkable. Not at all tender, chewy actually, though the sauce it was covered with, full of mushrooms was meant to hide the flavorless cut of meat. Dessert was quite good, the upside down apple dish I had was splendid! She enjoyed her dessert as well. Did I get the experience I hoped foor? No. Nor was there an effort made to make a customer unhappy with the serving of the wine happy by doing something concilitory. In fact, no one inquired about how we liked the meal itself. I don't get it? French indifference? Thats right, we weren't in Paris, this is just Tenleytown! read more

Nice ambience and authentic French (down to the scent of the waiter), but after a Fathers' Day special dinner 3 out of the 4 of us had all the symptoms of food poisening the next day! I stopped by the restaurant that next day (during an off-hour -- my mission was not to embarrass anyone) in the hope of talking with the manager -- I mean, something needs to change in the kitchen, whether it's the refrigeration or general cleanliness, I have no idea. The manager wasn't there, but someone introduced to me as the owner was. The woman completely denied that her restaurant could possibly have been to blame. No apology, no offer of refund, no offer to come back and try it again on the house (not that I would have accepted). This is my first posting ever on yelp, and this visit will be our last to Le Chat Noir. read more

So I heard about this place by some co-workers and I thought, why not. We went there for lunch yesterday and I found it 'odd' that my colleague had to actually warn the waiter we only had 1hour to have lunch. When I asked, I was told that they are known for taking forever to serve you. Now, although service is great, the food was simply disappointing. I cook, I am known for eating out and trying new food. I appreciate food, especially European cuisine since I lived there for a bit. It is a french restaurant and other than the name, the names on the menu and possibly the owner, there isn't much FRENCH about it. I had the steak sandwich with feta cheese, tomatoes in french bread. Quite tasty, yet not french. The dressing in the salad was alright but that was about it. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and visit the place the next day for crepes. I always loved crepes so I figured, what's better than a french restaurant that offers a wide variety of desserts (crepes)? Please! So I ordered the banana chocolate with strawberries. Huge mistake! The strawberries seemed to had been frozen and stuck in the microwave for 5minutes then placed in the crepe. Then, the consistency of the crepe was not even close to what it should be and the CHOCOLATE sauce...well, let's say it looked like my whole crepe was wrapped up like a burrito and dunk in a pot with warm melted hershey's bars, removed and thrown on a plate. My friend had order the 'Gourmande'. She got instead a 'Normande' ... well we figured it was the accent so we called to get the correct one, she got instead the Belle Helene! I'm not exactly sure what is going on with this place but GET IT TOGETHER. While I was waiting to pick up this last order, I actually witness a gentleman that was extremely upset and cancelled his whole lunch order (after eating only the bread) because they had already taken 45min with his entree... Bottom line: Takes too long, food is not exactly the best reflection of french food and, well...the dessert crepes are simply terrible. read more

Great service; fantastic menu and nice wine list; comfortable and inviting seating and a lovely patio. Terrific neighborhood spot; gets a bit crowded weekend nights but otherwise atmosphere is always good for a chat or relaxed dinner. read more

We had such a wonderful time at Le Chat Noir. I went with my partner to celebrate his graduation from American U. The service, food and wine are always top notch. This was our 4th time visiting and we have recommended the restaurant to all of our friends. Great experience! read more

So good! Escargot and grandma's chicken to die for. So glad we tried this place.

I'm a fan. The check-in I used to order a wine off of their 'wines by the glass' didn't work. The waiter said I needed to show the check-in coupon before ordering the wine. He ended up honoring one glass anyways which was cool, so 4 stars. Food was delicious. read more

Authentic, relaxing, friendly, non-rushed......the check comes when you request it, what a pleasure! Food: crepes are light, well seasoned, not overly sauced. Try the specialties of the chef and you'll taste the region's flavors, duck, mushrooms, leg of lamb, chestnuts and great cheese platters to share. Very wheelchair accessible. read more

The food and wine were good. It was hard to find a parking space thought. You have to park on the nearby street. The waiter was nice but a little clumsy. Surprisingly, my kids like the food and wants to go again. read more

In contrast to our very pleasant first visit here, our second visit last night was a disaster for me. Wife and I both enjoyed our onion soups. Then my NY strip arrived. It was so criss-crossed with gristle that I could not cut it with a steak knife. I sent it back, this time ordering the beef tenderloins. I ordered them medium-rare. They arrived RAW in the middle. I then gave up on an entree and asked for the bill. Although they didn't charge me for either failed order, a quick bit of mental arithmetic found that they had inflated the bill by $10. Be very careful what you order here. Since my wife's entree, a salad, was decent, I am being very generous in voting two stars. read more