We found our new favorite bistro last night! This French inspired bistro has it all. The food, service and atmosphere were all excellent. The menu is diverse and different. I had the scallops and they were perfectly prepared. The lamb shank was also excellent. The wine selection is fabulous! We love it! read more

Le Quai Bistro - Great friends dining at a great restaurant! - French Near Me - Waterford, New York

Overall this was still a positive experience. Now I adore French food! It is probably the best in the world if you take both sweet and savory flavors into account. It is one of my favorite cuisines to cook and eat, so I was very excited to try this place. However, the service actually outshined the food here. Our server was kind, attentive, friendly and went out of her way to make sure we enjoyed our meal. The restaurant wasn't busy that night, we were only one of two tables seated. The escargot was absolutely hands down by far the best thing we ate. I could smell it before it even came to our table! The mushroom sauce was rich, flavorful, herbaceous and so so fragrant. The snails were perfectly cooked and tender! My only critique of this dish was that I wish it was served in puff pastry rather than fillo dough. If you are feeling brave this dish is a must order! The house salad was okay. It was under seasoned. It had some pear slices and tomatoes. It was well dressed with a dijon vinaigrette. The sad part was the mesclun mix, it was old and slimy. I had to eat around the slimy bits which was gross. Now with vivid memories of the last time I had duck confit dancing through my mind, for my entree I ordered the duck confit. I took a bite of this with expectations high and was immediately perplexed. Confit is supposed to be moist, tender, decadently rich and flavorful because the duck is slow cooked in its own fat, which this wasn't. Could not have been. If I was told that this duck was roasted instead, I wouldn't have argued that it was confit at all. But then I tried to fork one of my vegetables. All the root vegetables were still hard and also unseasoned. I don't even understand this. The haricot vert were well cooked but unseasoned. The beef bourguignon fell flat. The sauce was too thin and the root vegetables were also hard on top of this dish. I loved the mashed potatoes because they reminded me of my Nonna. Hers were made with salt water and butter but not with cream so draw your own conclusions lol. The creme brûlée had me truly confused. It had a very unique texture. It wasn't rich and creamy, which comes from the use of heavy cream. It was much lighter, like if it were possible to make creme brûlée with whole milk or maybe half and half. No real discernible vanilla flavor either, definitely no real vanilla bean in here, which is my personal method. I ordered the pear tart and was sorry I did honestly. The tart base, which is typically made with butter in the dough was definitely made with a vegetable fat like crisco instead. And to add insult to injury, I could taste that it was going/had gone bad/tasted overcooked, so basically an unpleasant sour/bitter flavor. The frangipane punched you right in the face with almond extract, it was so overwhelming it ruined the balance of the dessert. But at least it helped mask that tart crust flavor. The caramel sauce was thin and basically flavorless. The pears were still hard. The tart was cold and served with cold ice cream from a carton. I would have thought that a restaurant of this caliber would make their own. In short, don't order the pear tart! Well I think that's all my comments, do with them what you will. read more

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Went with a group of friends and we did share plates. Solid appetizers and entrees all around. Escargot was new for me, but it was quite tasty. I loved the grilled squid over arugula salad; the dressing was so light and refreshing on the fresh arugula. Squid was cooked to perfection. My main entree was the braised lamb shank. This thing was huge and falling apart from the bone! Very tender, and reminded me of the beef stew I make. Perfect! Definitely meant to share. Halibut was great as well, though I'm a sucker for capers and the duck was delicious too, and of course the desserts were spot on. Highly recommended for a date night and special occasions. The staff were attentive and the owner even personally greeted us. I am a fan of the atmosphere and the service that they provided. Lovely night. read more

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I'm still holding off on that 5th star solely because of the noise level that I experience. Our party of two was seated close to the kitchen once again and the clatter of dishes and silverware from the prep area was overpowering. As an option, I turned my hearing aids off as I only had to concentrate on hearing my wife who was sitting directly across from me at our small table. If you have an option when making a reservation, I'd suggest requesting a table in the bar area, or maybe the tables in the front windows are far enough away from the clatter. Or hopefully, this is a concern related only to me. Little had changed on the menu since our last visit four months ago. Starting with a glass of Riesling ($12) for my wife and a can of Wolf Hollow American Amber Ale ($8) for me, we were served a basket of fresh, warm, and delicious sliced bread with a slab of soft butter and a dish of fava bean spread. I preferred the butter over the spread. As an appetizer we shared the Pastilla Style Escargots ($18) - a phyllo pastry surrounded by beurre Bourguignonne, fricassee of mushrooms and escargots, and Cognac crème. This was absolutely heavenly! My wife and I were both interested in the same two entrees, so it was clear that neither of us would be deprived of trying either of the dishes. Halibut a la Grenoblois ($42) - pan roasted fresh halibut, lemon, caper and beurre blanc sauce, potato and artichoke hash. The halibut was perfectly cooked, moist and flakey. The potato and artichoke hash was full of flavor, and certainly the flavor of butter. Magret de Canard ($40) - pan seared duck breast, Sarladaise potatoes, cherries, and port wine. While I would have preferred the skin of the duck to have been crispier, there was no doubt that this was a wonderfully tasting dish throughout. My wife thought the flavor of cinnamon came through from the skin while I focused more on a nice salt flavor. We both agreed, however, that the potatoes were outstanding and reminded us of my Mother's potatoes in a roast. The cherries provided just the right amount of sweetness, and there were even a couple of smaller sour cherries included. Choosing dessert here is always a challenge since everything sounds so good, and my recollection, from samplings during our last visit with a large party, was that all the desserts WERE fantastic. My wife decided to bring half of her Halibut dish home, so she had room to try the Tarte Bardaloue ($12) - a pear and almond tart, Calvados caramel sauce, and vanilla ice cream. A smart move on her part. She would have preferred if the tart had been served warm. The only dessert I didn't get to try on our last visit was the Crème brûlée ($12). How could I not order it this time? Not only was it delicious, but I was also impressed with how crisp and yet thin the burnt coating was on top. Both of our desserts were also perfect companions with the Coffee ($3.50) we were served. Service was excellent - friendly, knowledgeable, and welcoming. Allow yourself sufficient time to enjoy a meal here. With everything being cooked to order and the popularity of the establishment, you should expect that your entrée may take up to 45 minutes from the time you order, if you are also having an appetizer. Bon Appétit ! read more

We love Le Quai Bistro! A small, quiet place with friendly prompt service and delicious food!! You cannot go wrong!!! read more

What a wonderful restaurant! Authentic French cuisine, I had rabbit, my wife had roasted chicken, great wine, bread. Atmosphere was great too, service was exemplary read more

The cutest little French bistro in Waterford. FYI: Pronounced, "Le Key" which is far off from my original assumed pronunciation. To say I loved this experience would be an understatement. This menu is beyond unique for this area. You can't find escargot and foie gras on any other menus nearby. I came for some unique eats and classic French preparations and they absolutely nail it here. If you are an adventurous foodie, this place is a must. We started with a bottle of white wine, they have an extensive wine list with bottles at a variety of price points. Some super fresh bread and French butter were brought to enjoy while we reviewed the menu. For some starters, we went with two small plates to share. To my delight, they had one serving left in house of the Foie Gras. We also ordered the escargot. The foie gras was seared and as expected, delicious, indulgent, savory. The accoutrements were a perfect pairing with sweet jam of orange and quince, crispy bread points and a Madeira sauce. I savored every drop. The escargot was uniquely prepared. The snail meat was packaged up in phyllo dough and served over a beautiful bed of mushrooms in a cream sauce. Another delicious, scrape the plate preparation. Everything served was above and beyond expectations. We then decided to share two entrees, splitting the Duck Confit and the Scallops. The duck was a generous portion of two legs over veggies in a beautiful sauce. The skin on the duck was everything you could hope and dream of, the meat was fall apart tender. The veggies were perfectly cooked and some surprises in there such as parsnips were a nice change from what I am used to. The sauce was deeply flavored and delicious spooned over everything. The scallop dish was a star, the scallops were perfectly cooked and the champagne cream sauce was luxurious. The potato hash was far better than it looked, excellent seasoning and texture to compliment the scallops. Everything added up to a perfect meal. Service was great throughout the night. They were very accommodating and encouraging of us sharing plates and trying a few things. Water glasses and wine glasses were constantly filled. Felt like a fine dining experience in a casual atmosphere. Prices were fair for the offering. A bottle of wine, two starters and two entree was about $170 before tip. Highly recommend giving them a try! read more

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The food, service and ambiance were perfect Can't wait to return and try the escargot (among other things) read more

Partner and I were celebrating our 10th anniversary in our home. Why not splurge and go to Paris. No, not in the cards this week, so we did the next best thing, French cuisine from this lovely eatery. This is our second trip to this location, however, first trip was not French. So, here we are in a small dining room (about 15 or so tables and additional seats at a counter) with menu's ready to enjoy a great evening. Had a glass of wine, which is unusual for me. It was an Alsace reisling. Nice, crisp, and delish. A basket of bread with sides of a hummus and butter arrived for us to enjoy. Onto ordering. Started with the escargot. The little critters were very tender wrapped in a crisp phyllo on top of a spinach? (it was green) mushroom cognac sauce. O.M.G. and this was just the beginning. The entree arrived right from the oven in a saucier containing this beautiful lamb shank with veggies (potatoes, carrots, haircut certs [green beans] all around it all sitting in the best sauce ever. The lamb was so tender, no knife was needed. The finish (dessert) was a tarte bardalou. Basically, it's a crust filled with (possibly) an almond paste you'd find in a croissant with a half of a pear baked on top of said tarte accompanied with vanilla ice cream. Yes, I can see the virtue of travel, it's the food. The chef prepared a splendid meal. Staff were attentive and brought our meals as soon as they popped out of the oven. Interior was quaint. But here's the rub. Waterford does have its challenges with parking. A block past Le Quai we found parking on a side street. But don't let parking scare you away. Go, enjoy. read more

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This is my local gem. Ive only been three times, but each time has been very good and an amazing value too. I love French food and this is some of the finest classic preparations I've ever had. In previous visits I've enjoyed the cod natua, and a wonderful chicken stew with a French cheese, and this most recent visit I had the lamb shank. Amazing with a perfect wine sauce, so rich, and falling off the bone but still juicy and luscious lamb meat, and absolutely perfectly done fondant potatoes and vegetables. For starters: the cream of mushroom soup is velvety and earthy, the house made pate is delicious and perfectly complemented with pickled cauliflower and cornichons and mustard. Escargot is buttery, garlicky, and neatly wrapped in a crispy phyllo or puff pastry of some sort I've also enjoyed a taste of the Chermoula spiced octopus which was great. Oh yeah I forgot that I tasted the bouf Bourgogne which was very good. You also cannot go wrong with the desserts, all complex, simple, delicious, read more

Le Quai Bistro - From an earlier visit in November 2024, poulet au Gerard Gaston, in the foreground, bœuf à la bourguignonne in the background - French Near Me - Waterford, New York

Went to celebrate our anniversary last week and it was phenomenal! The wait staff were on point. The food tasted amazing and it was a small quaint location but did not feel closed in or loud! 100% recommend going here at least once. read more

Having passed this restaurant new comer several times recently, we decided to stop for a quick bite last evening. Never would've expected to find a French bistro in Waterford, but this place is the real deal. Le Quai Bistro seats about 30. Cozy, well lit, artfully decorated with tables dressed with white linen. We immediately felt under dressed for the restaurant, but the owner immediately put us at ease, saying, "I tell people all the time, this is a bistro. Relax and enjoy. " We did. Wine list is extensive with every bottle hand selected by the proprietor. Prices are reasonable. We selected a nice California cab that was under $50.00. We didn't finish the bottle, so our server Elizabeth volunteered to seal it for us to take. Nice touch. I had the hangar steak, companion had the fluke. Both were outstanding. As this restaurant only seats 30, part of me wanted to keep this recently opened gem a secret, but that wouldn't be fair to the staff or the community at large. I would suggest a reservation, as word spreads on Le Quai, I would expect it will become increasingly difficult to get a good table there. Open Weds thru Saturday 5 - 9PM. 518.874.1047 for reservations. read more

Le Quai Bistro - Bar area - French Near Me - Waterford, New York

Our second time here give it a 10 out of ten! First they are open on Sunday evenings as opposed to most of the restaurants in the Albany area. Second the food is excellent . Wine list is voluminous. Ambience and service are top notch. Prices are reasonable for a top tier restaurant. Looking forward for a return visit. read more

The hits just keep coming! Have had several great meals there. Food is superb, with sizeable portions, service great and ambiance comfortable. Keep an eye out for their creamy mushroom soup....and of course, their deserts. read more

The family gathered here for my birthday. The welcome and service was gracious and warm. The help with wine selection was spot on The food was amazing for all of us. The sauces and vegetables were perfect for fish, duck and scallops. The beef burgundy was served in individual le creuset like pots and was given 2x thumbs up. The desserts were also stellar...pear almond tart!!!!!! The dining room is intimate and very comfortable....love the waterford location! read more

Delicious, excellent service, great ambiance, what a gem to have in Waterford. The scallops especially were perfectly tender and so flavorful. read more

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One of the best meals I've had in YEARS. We started by choosing the perfect bottle of Côtes du Rhône. For the table: baguette with fava hummus and Amish butter. Appetizer: grilled calamari over arugula and fennel salad with chermoula -- this was my first time tasting chermoula and... wow. For entrees we ordered (1) the duck special / duck breast, potatoes, carrots, and haricots verts / cherry port reduction with Moroccan spices; (2) the scallops / champagne truffle sauce / potato and artichoke hash. No space for dessert! Dying to try the Vacherin on our next visit. read more

Both the food and service was excellent! my wife got the duck with the escargot appetizer and I got tomato salad with chèvr, which was outstanding, and the Moroccan chicken. If you are looking for a romantic dinner and a great atmosphere this is the place. Stellar wine list as well. I felt like I was back in France! read more

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The Chef at Le Quai knows his art. His dishes are French, but with a creative flair. My escargot came wrapped in a thin philo-type dough, perfectly crispped, literally stuffed with escargot. The dough is was surrounded by dozens of delicious mushrooms slices in a buttery sauce. Very delicious, and a nice change from the snail in an artificial shell swimming in garlic butter. My Canard was perfectly cooked, crisp outside, sweet meat inside, surrounded by a medley of tasty vegetables and slices of potato. Desert was extraordinarily delicious - meringue cakes separated by either vanilla ice cream or sorbet, surrounded by whipped cream (the real deal), smothered in raspberry sauce. Make sure you share it - it can't go home in a box. The owner is very hospitable, and the servers are professional with great social skills; very helpful, without being intrusive. My advice: when you're ready for a high end 'l'addition', with a high end meal to justify the cost, go to Le Quai in Waterford - only a few minutes from 787. read more

When's there in hopes that everything will be wonderful however when we got there the first thing they only had one waitress, who I guess was running late. We did order I ordered a special that night which she recommended and my wife ordered one of her favorite French entrée. We were both Dissatisfied with our meal, and it was very pricey. read more

We were taken here by good friends on a whim and we were sooo happy. The food was outstanding as was the service. Wishing them a long and successful run read more

Best dining experience we've had in a long time. Service, food and wine all excellent. Atmosphere was equally amazing. Highly recommend this establishment. read more

Food was fantastic. Lamb shank entree was two shanks and some vegetables that would have been better with a little bit of salt. Scallops, five large ones, St Jacques was beautiful and delicious. Service was efficient. Small bistro definitely worth going to. read more

Just excellent; good food; good service; reasonably prices for excellence. We've eaten here 4 or 5 times, and loved it each time. Some evening the service is slow because the kitchen is staffed by one chef - we have waited; and that's fine. Worth the wait. read more

Food was average. Not a great value for money but acceptable. Vegetables were overcooked and uninspiring, but the steak was good and cooked to my liking. Soup was ok. Dessert was very good...the pavlova. The main reason for the rating was the service was very slow. Not the server's fault l think. They would have better served their customers by limiting reservations and serving later into the evening rather than having everyone come at once and wait. And wait. It took 2 3/4 hours for a three course meal. The restaurant was well decorated and comfortable. I wouldn't be willing to wait that long again for an ok meal. Darn, l really wanted it to be fabulous. read more

Excellent food, service and ambiance. The escargot in puff pastry with mushrooms cream sauce is the best, the soup and the scallops are fantastic. The chicken tagine with lemon had too much zest and tasted soapy to me but was beautiful. The duck was delicious and well balanced. The wine list is good and the staff is knowledgeable. The desserts are fantastic: crem Brule and pear tart are fantastic. read more

We went to Le Quai this past Sunday for my husband's birthday. The staff was warm and gracious and very attentive. We were given advice on choices and the appropriate wines. We started with soupe de champignon and the pâté which were delicious followed by coquille st Jacques and the duck. Both were flavorable as well as their accompaniments. It would have been perfect except for a very annoying patron sitting next to us who proceeded to complain from the moment she arrived until she left. I truly felt sorry for the staff who patiently dealt with her. read more

Imaginative food, nicely presented. Pleasant ambiance, although a little loud. Great wine list.

My Husband and I went here for our anniversary earlier this month. I love French food and good wine. I was able to have both at this restaurant. The atmosphere was not pretentious but elegant. The service was great and having a dinner there felt like we were having dinner with family. Everyone including patrons were very friendly. We will be going back for my birthday as well. read more

The food and service were excellent. We will definitely dine there again. Nice wine selection as well.

Are you kidding me! This place is great. The food is AMAZING. The service is spot on. French cuisine! My husband had the hangar steak which was cooked to perfection and I had the scallops. It was delicious. I can't say enough about this little bistro. We'll be back soon. I only hope it's not too busy. read more