Today we ventured out for our April (a little late, oops) restaurant pick. A threecourse brunch at Le Petit Café ! Only $35 for 2 people - nuts ! The service was fantastic. The owners seemed to be the only two working - the husband serving / bussing / hosting / and checking out. The wife was the one cooking and also serving on occasion. The teamwork between the two was absolutely amazing. It was also adorable to watch them work together, speaking in French, and being oh so charming. On Sundays they do not have a menu. They ask you if there is any food you don't eat / are allergic to and then they bring out the food. I'm not really sure what any of the things I ate were - but I didn't taste anything that wasn't scrumptious. My favorite was the phyllo pastry during the first course. It was buttery and rich and melted in your mouth. I believe it was filled with cheese. The inside is decorated with cute, French posters and artwork. As you walk in, you can see the kitchen in the back. It would be nice to have a board during brunch that says what is contained in each course - mainly because I would love to know what the phyllo dish was called ! Would definitely go back - every Sunday if I could ! read more

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Everything was amazing. Great French food and very cozy inside. Will definitely be coming back.

Their Saturday breakfast window is a great way to start your weekend. Everything is homemade and tastes great. If you're hungry I'm recommend getting a few items. The owners are so friendly!! If you like cheese you must get the croque monsieur read more

Best restaurant in Bloomington. Staffed by the owners. Incredible comfortable and cozy. Stunning plates of french cuisine. Best restaurant experience I can remember. My favorite restaurant. read more

A welcoming atmosphere, the simplicity invites one to relax and enjoy the experience. The food is authentic, and a delicious symphony of cuisine. It's really a wonderful dining experience. read more

This is my first time going to a French cafe and let me tell you the food is worth the wait, and affordable as well. I came in around 7:00pm and saw that it was booked, while I was waiting the owner handed me a piece of paper asking me to watch the video which I did, and for a restaurant that has lasted for more then 44 years, either the lord blessed them or their food has to be out of the world. I was then seated by the owner as I peaked in the kitchen theirs only one person in there it's his wife, the way she cooked while I was waiting was just so elegant and lovely, it felt like she didn't have any worried and just cooked with every dish with love and her heart out. For appetizer I had the Chicken liver Pate, now normally in the Vietnamese culture it's usually served as pork and with baguettes, this chicken pate tasted so fresh and clean and just smooth, I was just tempting to pay just for the recipe for it. Next came a light French onion soup no bread, no cheese, just onions and broth and it tasted like whoever put cheese and bread basically hides or "enhances the flavor of the soup." This soup was so, good I cleaned the bowl out, lastly came out my entree a oyster Rockefeller pasta dish which is ravioli covered in oysters in a Rockefeller sauce, im a big fan of oysters and knowing it is sacrilegious I got pasta and at a French restaurant, let me tell you something when a French can cook a ravioli dish better then an Italian, theirs a reason why they been opened for almost 44 years, even if it's just two people the hospitality and atmosphere is just so smooth even seeing people going here on dates made me smile, I will be coming back until the two owners have a happy retirement read more

Le Petit Cafe - Oyster Rockefeller pasta, and a salmon dish with potatoes. - French Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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I knew as soon as I walked in that I would love this quirky little place. The decor is bohemian, the owners - a French couple - sweet and friendly. We had a great dinner - started out with the cheese appetizer, a simple and delicious pastry filled with gooey, messy cheese. My partner had the steak entree, I tried the salmon with creamy tarragon sauce - it was fantastic. We got two sides to share - sliced fried potatoes and sautéed asparagus. For dessert, the lemon pudding cake was a bit of a disappointment - I'd definitely try something else next time. I love the fact that they make up the menu daily based on fresh ingredients. We will definitely be back here next time we come to Bloomington! read more

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Very friendly owners the food was good the portions were adequate and the atmosphere is very charming. We plan to go back in the near future it's good to have A change in Bloomington from fast food! read more

This is such a beautiful little restaurant that's family owned. It may be hard if you have dietary restrictions as it seemed that they only had one chef in the back. She was the owner and was super friendly. At the time of our visit it was run by the couple that owned it and it was a beautiful experience if you gave them patience. Do not come here if you're in a rush or have lots of limitations. The menu is small but very well executed. I do wish they had more hours but it's understandable why they have the limited hours. I had steak, cheesy bread, and dessert cake. It was all very fantastic. I don't usually write reviews but this place is fantastic. read more

Definitely a fun place for some country french food. The man who welcomed us (owner) was appropriately quirky, much like a rural French farmer may be. Not much of a listener, but puts on a good show. The food was decent. Definitely not great, but passable. Steak was done properly, moderately seasoned, and a fair cut. Beans needed... anything! We added some salt and pepper, but were otherwise bland. Pastries were decent as well. Puff cheese as an appetizer was good. Deserts were decent, but nothing hugely special. Overall, probably not bad for the price at a place with "French" in the description. ;-) The seating was cafeteria-like, with many long tables crammed into a large room. Fun and airy, but little room to squeeze by, and very loud! Graduation weekend, with many large groups probably made it just that much louder. Overall, a fun place to go for dinner. Definitely not 'intimate', but good for friends and family to get together. read more

The menu is small and could use an update. The three of us had trouble finding something we wanted. What were settled for was very tastey, they would get more stars if our hadn't taken so long. They were not even busy! Good food is worth waiting for but the chef needs to prep more. Or they need a liquor license and a better waiter. I wanted French sauces and crunchy bread but that was not on their limited menu. read more

I really wanted to like this place, as I have eaten many a great meal in France and I will try any French restaurant in Midwest. Unfortunately the food was amateurishly prepared - I will say no more. They should consider changing their cook. read more

This was a really great food experience. I'm half-French, from Provence, so I immediately was excited to try out this typical Provençal restaurant while in town for college visits. All of the food is homemade, and you can tell Marina (the owner) prepared it all with love. Her menu is created daily, which shows she's cooking using fresh ingredients that inspire her dishes. My stepdad and I enjoyed the cheese pastries, potato and carrot soup, chicken with mushroom sauce, salmon with a gribiche sauce, and sides of potatoes and broccoli with a bechamel sauce and parmesan. For desert, we had a mixed berry Clafoutis and a ricotta based italian chocolate cake. I highly recommend trying this little spot out! I will definitely be returning next time I'm in town. read more

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This restaurant will forever be a gem of Bloomington. It has a special place in heart, from the warmest owners, the food, to the French-countryside atmosphere. Their potatoes are the best and I can never get enough of them. I also need their recipe for their garlic and olive oil herb sauce. This little restaurant must be protected at all costs. read more

Nice place. First time going there. Had brunch on Sunday. $12 meal that was pretty darn good. The quiche was a tad dry but the Brie in croissant totally made up for it. Meats were well cooked and seasoned. Salad was standard American fare. (Meh) Good coffee. Would recommend and go again. Will update review with second experience at some point. Until then, yay. read more

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A friend that lives in France convinced me and another friend to go to this restaurant. It's cute and we liked the environment. There were a few difficult factors though. I have Celiac and must eat gluten-free, to which there weren't really any options and I had dessert for dinner (who can complain about that though, right?") and the other friend was vegan so they really couldn't have anything either. The friend from France did not approve of the service nor food. We had a wonderful time together in that environment, although there's some improvements to be made to make it more than a one-time visit. read more

This place is local and family owned and operated. The two owners were so friendly and our waiter was fantastic. The menu changes daily and we had a beautiful chicken dinner and rabbit served Mediterranean style. The food was absolutely delicious and the experience was like we were in a small French countryside restaurant. We actually saw a couple get engaged while we were eating. I was visiting my daughter at IU for Dad's Weekend and can't wait to come back with my wife next time. We had appetizer, soup, bread, and entrees. I had wine and our bill was $42. An absolute hidden gem in BTown. read more

Great little find. We had the chilled tomato soup which was delicious. I had amazing lamb chops and my friend had the pork with an orange red wine sauce. Sides were corn on the cob and couscous. Hot rolls came with the meal. We had the crepe cake and apricot cheesecake for dessert. The owner is absolutely charming. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. Tres bon! We will be back. read more

Meh... Buffett was pretty bland and limited options. I won't go back as I didn't find it all that good. Small salad bar with one dressing option. Stuffed grape leaves with rice, cheese puffs, pork and apples, turkey with a light runny cream sauce and a veggie quiche. Quiche was cold and the other options outside the cheese puffs confuse me. Is this a Greek place? German? French!? Just a little odd in their choices. read more

I just visited for the first time, after having lived in Bloomington for 7 years. I have really been missing out. Everything on the rotating menu sounded excellent! Both my SO and I agreed we would both feel confident ordering just about any of the dishes. I had a chicken dish with soup (also delicious!) and he had pork ribs. He says they were the best he has ever had. I really enjoyed the personal atmosphere at the restaurant as well. I will definitely be back as many times as I can before moving away! read more

This restaurant was fantastic. The prices were excellent for the quality and quantity of food. We were greeted very warmly by the owners and the server- everyone was very friendly. We ordered a bottle of wine, two appetizers, entrees and desserts. All of us were equally satisfied with what we ordered. The pâté was delicious (coming from someone who isn't a huge fan), the cheese pastries were one of the best appetizers I've ever had! (And I'm not being dramatic.) steaks were cooked perfectly and the ribs were super tender. To top it all off we had amazing desserts with what I assume was homemade whipped cream- amazing. Definitely coming back when we visit Bloomington again! read more

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I went for the Thursday buffet as I thought it would be a delicious French lunch, but I was mistaken. Walking in I could see a huge bin of ice with a bowl of salad and some sad radishes on the left. I thought to myself "I hope that's not the buffet". Straight ahead I saw the real food. I thought maybe... coq au vin? quiche? pâté? No. No. No. Instead I get: - phyllo dough Kroger brand cheese turnover things - Shepard's Pie (mashed potatoes with a tiny bit of beef garnish) - Some sort of salmon from a can fritter - and polenta with "some kind of spicy" (this is what the menu said) Overall the food was very average, except for the "some kind of spicy" polenta. That was just not good. The service was nice and I've heard enough good things about this place to come back for dinner, but lunch buffet, no way. read more

Sorry to be the lone review (so far) with only 3 stars but I just found this to be ok.. The atmosphere and owner were wonderful, however the food was simply ok in my opinion. I had expected more. I had pork loin in a wonderful sauce but the pork was overcooked. I had an appetizer and soup which I also felt were simply ok. The bread served before dinner appeared to be cut up portions of bagels that had been toasted. Also I was offerred wine and when I asked what the options were the reply was "Red and White". When I asked what the red was I believe it was an Italian chianti of some kind. I was pretty surprised by the lack of a greater wine selection. I skipped the wine (as I typically do when the response is "Red and White"). Anyhow.. perhaps my experience was the exception but I couldn't help feeling dissappointed after my dinner experience there. read more

Saturdays during the farmer's market! They serve amazing breakfast food on the B-Line directly out of a window from the kitchen. Super friendly and great prices. You have to try it! Eating at Le Petit Cafe for dinner is a different kind of dining experience. It's a family run restaurant; the wife, classically french trained, cooking in the kitchen while the husband takes care of the front of the house. The menu changes based on what was freshly purchased and the husband takes the time to sit and explain the menu. You can tell he is passonate about the food and enjoys owning the restaurant due to his high energy and enthusiasm. They go the extra step to make the experience feel personal. The second time I ate there, I was welcomed by name; I was amazed. It's a great place to eat but since it's not on the beaten path, it's often forgotten about. read more

The owners are incredibly kind and the service is wonderful, but the food is very average. I had lamb, my father had steak, my mom had chicken, my girlfriend had fish. Everything was overcooked. The sides were average and the wine was way overpriced. Maybe three stars is too much but I left really wishing I could like it. I just couldn't. Prices are reasonable, service is great, and the food is average. read more

This is definitely an "only in Bloomington" kind of place. The restaurant is an old garage that is constantly under renovation, the owners are delightful and live upstairs, one of their grown children may serve you, and the food is family style rather than haute cuisine. Come for the Thursday buffet or the Sunday "all we care to serve you" brunch. One of my favorite Bloomington memories will always be stumbling in here during a snow storm after working late. Le Petit was the only place open (Patrick and Marina were already home, after all). It felt like having a French aunt and uncle ready to take in a wayward relative. Food is always better when made with love. read more

Ordered the fish special that came with an exquisite bitter creme sauce with roe. Not disappointed, the sauce satiated my yearning for unique flavors. Always a special treat, albeit phallic! read more

Le Petit Cafe - French Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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What a great find! I live in Chicago and love to explore new restaurants when I travel and I'm glad I came here for dinner. The chef and host were very gracious and friendly and felt as if I was invited to have dinner in their home. I had escargot, which was very tender and juicy, their vegetable soup with barley, and steak (medium rare) with crispy potatoes and a half carafe of red wine. This isn't the place where you have to dress up to go out either. If you want great food without any pretense in a low-key atmosphere, you have to try this place. Everything I ate was amazing and I can't wait to come back again next time I'm in town. read more

Le Petit Cafe - Escargot - French Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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If you are a vegetarian this is the last place you should go. To start, the cheese and bread pastry was very delicious. However that was the only item on the menu I was able to eat. Everything here is meat. When I asked the owner if there were any vegetarian options he said "I can make you a vegetarian surprise" which terrified me so I stuck with the pastry as my meal which was not satisfying as I was with three other people. The owners are very sweet and passionate about their restaurant but I definitely think they would increase business if they made a more inclusive menu for those with dietary restrictions. The venue is a good location right off of the square on 6th street. read more

I love Le Petit Cafe. Warm atmosphere, courteous, attentive staff, delicious food. I love the simple, seasonal menu which always includes chicken, steak and fish. The family style sides are great, especially the potatoes. Don't hesitate to order the cheese pastries for an appetizer. They are incredible. This restaurant isn't known for its wine list, but the carafes are generous. read more

Used to love this restaurant. But the owners seem to cut a lot of corners now a days. I looked forward to the side dishes that were served alongside their (pricey) entrees. However, the last meal I ate there contained vegetables were definitely of the frozen variety. The entree was not served fresh; it tasted like it had been sitting under a lamp a good 20 mins prior to being served. The ambience is outdated but still enjoyable. Especially during the summer when they open the windows. The staff and owners are excellent hosts but for the price, I expect more out of the food. read more

Le Petit Cafe is a quirky, homey French restaurant not too far from the center of town that I really wanted to like. I went on a Friday night and perhaps mistakenly, expecting something a little fancier (at least in the food department). It offers a very limited, constantly changing menu that can really be broken down by main protein (beef, chicken, fish...), a couple of vegetables that are served family style, and a couple options for soup and starters, and finally reasonably priced wine to wash it all down. We sat down to warm, crusty delicious bread and a plastic pitcher of water. I knew I was in trouble when my appears-to-have-come-straight-from-a-bag salad showed up, admittedly with some dressing drizzled atop its leaves. The preparation and prestation is very simple and my friend correctly pointed out, that while a fine idea, the food has to be spot on. I guess I didn't feel like it quite made it. The simply grilled steak served with a blue cheese butter ($20) was a fairly basic and average affair, the butter better paired with the potatoes. The chicken ($17) seemed to be an even more basic affair. The sides were very good and we were served roasted potatoes and cooked greens. A half carafe of red wine ran $15. I couldn't shake the feeling that even apart from the food, this little cafe could do a few things to spruce things up. Now I understand that's sort of the shtick, but hear me out--it's not as if they are using plastic utensils (though the plastic pitcher of water doesn't help). The menu is written, rather haphazardly, on a white board on the wall nearest the entrance and the area is lit with industrial lighting and a few lamps on a handful of tables. During the day the dining area felt a little stark, it much improved as the sun went down and the little lamps lit the area and gave it a more intimate feel. Now, any newish restaurant I've been to in the last year or so has fully adopted chalkboards and candles in a huge way (seriously, I've been to fairly divey bars that do this) and I think it would help. Both my friend and I agreed that, regarding the food, we were expecting more. In an age old adage: it either has to get better, or cheaper. Still I found the feel of the place mostly good, found the service wonderful, the bread and sides were truly great, and love the idea of a small, constantly changing menu spoken to you in its entirety at the table when you sit by a charming woman, but felt a little letdown in the mains, in the food. read more

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I visited here about six years ago, all I remember was my first l'escargot experience. For comparison it was a garlic covered olive with a little sand--and I loved it. We visited just a few nights ago and discovered nothing too exciting. It is simple, rustic food: c'etait comme si, comme ca. We ordered the cabbage peanut soup, the tossed salad in oil, fish fillet and pork ribs. Cabbage peanut soup, simplistic, that is all he said. My salad was a salad but the oil dressing was flavorful. The fish fillet, I discovered was Swaii, which if you are unaware is just about the cheapest fish on the market. It had a very light breading and was pan-fried. It came with a seafood sauce that included crawfish and lord knows what else, but it was yummy. Eating it made me feel like I was in a seafood market just off the shore. The pork ribs had a red-wine reduction, lightly salted, a little fatty--as expected. Two sides along came alongside: potatoes and grilled asparagus both were okay. Overall this place is an okay, restaurant. We may try the buffet. The owners are nice and the service was good. read more

Decent and unique restaurant with interesting ceiling, the chef came to my table to ask my choice, I ordered fried fish with potatoes sides and they gave me an lasagna for free, my friend order the steak, the fish taste well with interesting source, I think this is a place good for dating, because they have small light on table, and atmosphere is pretty romantics read more

Le Petit Cafe - fried fish with potato sides and lasagna - French Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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I had the night's steak special, topped with blue cheese butter. It was served with strawberries and cream chilled soup, roasted potatoes and salmon quiche. The food was amazing, service was superb and the owners were so kind. This place has charm, character and amazing food you won't find elsewhere in Bloomington. read more

Le Petit Cafe - Steak special with blue cheese butter. - French Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Their food was okay, but they overcharge customers' credit cards, sometimes by several dollars each. Several of my friends and myself have fallen victim to the fraud. If you go, remember to either keep a copy of the receipt or take a photo of the receipt, and check your credit card bill later to make sure. read more

I honestly don't know why we don't eat here more often. It's a nice setting with good service, and the menu is always different. Tonight we polished off a goose liver pate and a filo dough/cheese that were great. The bean soup was spicy, and okay. The lamb with olive oil and the steak with red pepper sauce was delicious. There was a bit too much olive oil on the lamb. My son thought the red pepper sauce on the steak ws overwhelming. I liked it, though. The only thing I didn't like were the side dishes. The potatoes were half whipped, but with chunks...lumpy. The veggies had a sour cream flavor that didn't work. The dessert...wonderful. A honey cake with sour cream topping. THAT worked. Still, A good experience. I need to try lunch here. read more

You don't get any better than Le Petit Cafe. Between the delicious Saturday morning fair served out of the little walk-by window, the dinner menu that is absolutely to die for, and the interaction with the owners, Le Petit Cafe is truly one of Bloomington's most charming places! At Le Petit Cafe, it feels like you are being welcomed into someone's home. It is clear that great care is provided in planning and cooking your meal. The offerings are so unique! Most recently, my boyfriend and I went on a beautiful evening and had a wonderful meal of cheese puffs (appetizer), chicken with a garlic cream sauce (me), veal with a type of sweet & sour cream sauce (him), vegetables with sesame seeds as a side, and Black Forrest cake for dessert. Every single bite was perfect. If you're looking for the stereotypical French food, you won't find it as often as you will find the types of foods that are actually consumed by actual French people on a regular basis in their own homes. THAT is an accomplishment in my book! We started off with breakfasts on Saturdays, but will be eating dinner here again soon! read more

Decided to check out Le Petit Cafe after not being there for many years. You know this place has been in Bloomington forever. Our experience wasn't bad. But it wasn't nearly as good as it was back in the day. Sorry to say, the food was good, but it wasn't nearly as good as it used to be. The prices , we thought, were fairly high. I believe it's the only French restaurant in town. If you're a big fan of French cuisine, by all means give it a try. read more

I love this restaurant. The owners are great people, and serve you personally. I went for the lunch special, which was delicious. The dessert was perhaps the best thing I have ever eaten. Also, the quality and quantity of food you get for what you pay is a huge plus; I was stuffed when I finished. A cute, top-notch restaurant. I highly, highly recommend it. -Paige read more