I last ate here almost a year ago . . . in January. I was going to go to one of my regular spots and it was overflowing, so I redirected here . . . so glad I did! As I said before, this is a community spot. Everyone here is relaxed, having a long, leisurely, European style meal. I had a small board, chef's choice. I requested a fromage board, but got a charcuterie board . . . and that's okay, as I was lucky enough to get some tasty prosciutto. The cheeses ranged from chunky and savory to creamy to tangy. Went great with the honey and French bread. Most menu cocktails are average, but there is an "off the menu" selection you can ask for (mostly bourbon based, owner/bar tender creations). I enjoyed working with my server to get try some more unique choices. Between the charcuterie board, the bourbon drinks, and the boeuf bourguignon, the meal was great. I will say the boeuf bourguignon wasn't quite as wowing as last time . . . no pearl onions or carrots . . . but still good. I'm pretty sure the menu has changed or is maybe smaller. But no matter . . . the mood and the welcoming atmosphere and lack of crowds makes up for this. I think I might return and try the French onion soup. I'm sure it's killer. read more

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Came here for dinner but was pretty disappointed. The service was very attentive and I have nothing bad to say about that. Our waitress came over to check on us numerous times throughout dinner. The foie gras was under seasoned and didn't taste like much of anything. Both the beef and chicken were very homey dishes but yet again, under seasoned. The mashed potatoes could use more butter and some salt in the food would've made all the difference. The place itself is pretty cute with a lot of local artwork. We probably won't be back read more

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I went here with friends for a graduation dinner for my friend. I had a cocktail to start which was standard and happy hr made it a great price. My friend ordered the risotto which had like no flavor and no resemblance of risotto. I ordered the beef bourginion which was tough on the outside and cooked perfect in the center and some were so over cooked it was hard to cut as many of us ordered this. They probably rested too long. The sauce was a touch salty for me otherwise pretty good. My piece was cooked better than others at my table. read more

LĒNA - French Near Me - New York, New York

This is a casual, neighborhood bar. One wall is brick and the others are decorated with lovely, large canvas paintings. The windows have red velvet curtains. I came for a drink on a Tuesday night. There were only four or five other parties there. I enjoyed the Delancey cocktail which was subtle and citrusy with a flavored salt rim. They also serve food, but all the entrees looked a little pricey. read more

LĒNA - The Delancey - French Near Me - New York, New York

We swung by while waiting for a spot to open up at Attaboy. The vibe inside was a perfect neighborhood wine bar. The menu looked quite nice, although we only partaked in drinks. I didn't love my espresso martini, it didn't have a nice shaken foam, however it did the job to keep me awake through the night! I'd definitely come back to try some food! read more

LĒNA - French Near Me - New York, New York

I love this cozy French places that specializes in Provençal food and small plates. We made a reservation and I advise you to as well since it's a small place. Happy hour goes to 7 and is a good deal with wine at $6 (normally $10) and some cocktails at $10 (normally $15). We started with smoked duck toasts which were AMAZING. Seriously, so much flavor! I stuck to charcuterie and was rewarded with Comte, Brie and fresh Jambon - all great. The Mister went with Beef Bourgignon and received a giant pieces of perfectly tender braised beef served with potatoes and carrots. So good! We ended with some complimentary cognac. The service was warm and hospitable and we really enjoyed chatting with madame the owner. read more

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I came here specifically after seeing TikTok rave about their espresso martinis being some of the best in NYC -- and they were not exaggerating! The restaurant has a charming, cozy vibe, and we sat at the bar where we were treated to absolutely delicious espresso martinis. They were perfectly balanced, smooth, and strong -- exactly what we were hoping for. read more

LĒNA - Espresso martini - French Near Me - New York, New York

Visited 12/2/23. First and foremost, the bartender here is AMAZING. So personable, helpful, and made the best drinks. If anything, come here for him. So bummed we missed the happy hour specials because those deals were solid. Upon arriving for our reservation, a table wasn't quite ready, but we were fine with sitting at the bar. I got the French onion soup, my sister the tomato soup/grilled cheese, and my mom the cauliflower gratin. The cauliflower was my favorite of these three as it was creamy and delicious. I would definitely be down to come back and try some of the "larger" meals, as these looked/smelled amazing. read more

LĒNA - French onion soup-solid pick - French Near Me - New York, New York

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Classics done to perfection   Cliff notes -- 10/10 would recommend, the atmosphere was fun, lively but not obnoxious. There was everyone from a birthday group, a date, and even singles sitting at the bar all enjoying their time and amazing drinks.   Lively fun small NYC spot with great energy and amazing drinks. We were fortunate enough to stumble upon this place after seeing lines at 2 local speakeasys that we were not in the mood to wait for (this is right across the street for Attaboy) and honestly could not have been happier.   We grabbed 2 seats at the bar, were quickly greeted and brought water. The bartender, Abraham, is AMAZING! He was polite, kind, gave suggestions and answered questions we had about the drinks. This man is a true artist at his craft. Every drink we had was spot on - they are all mostly classics just done to perfection. Favorites included the Delancey and French Martini (all cocktails are $15 which is pretty typical for the city).   While not super hungry, we decided to split the Beer Bourguignon - wow so tender, falls apart on your fork. Abraham brough us some bread to soak up the amazing sauce. While we didn't have them the garlic butter escargot puffs ordered next to us looked and smelled amazing   For dessert, we ordered the Caramel Burned Basque Cheese Cake. It was incredible! It had the perfect amount of sweetness which allowed the savory flavor of the cheese to come through. The slice was the perfect size, allowing us both to have 2-3 bites. read more

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Best bar in NYC. Not even close. Yeah I've been to all the famous bars in the city for the last fifteen years..... The bartender Abraham is slinging drinks, acknowledging and directing people to tables and conversing with everyone sitting at his bar. Complete control and mastery of all the skills amongst the chaos. It's always busy as hell but his bar is always clean. His drinks are impeccable- try anything off the menu or ask for your favorite drink and he will surprise you. The best? Mezcal old fashioned made by Abraham. read more

French cuisine isn't typically my first choice but I had an amazing time here for my friend's birthday. Not to mention, our server was really nice. The escargot was addicting; I wish we got two orders of that! The lava cake had a gorgeous presentation. read more

LĒNA - French Near Me - New York, New York

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Oh my what a welcome back to the normal NYC. Perfect cocktails, the very best bartender and service. Loved the French flair. Can't wait to get back . read more

LĒNA - Le Basque ( the French way). Impeccable!! - French Near Me - New York, New York

I didn't enjoy the vibe so much. Maybe it's only me. unfriendly services, and some kind of angry energy from servers... Since it's too dark? Maybe the energy affected them? I'm not sure. Food is fine. Over all we won't come back again. read more

Ruben and Etienne are such great attentive guys! They went above and beyond with taking care of us and making our trip memorable. Drinks are well made. Potent but not terribly stiff. Came here to kill time for before Attaboy (over an hr wait..this place is across the street, so it's a safe bet to kill time without worrying about the 15 min window to get back) Cheers! read more

Came here for dinner Friday night. Cute place with interesting painting on the wall. The escargot and tuna was good. Our entree of the beef and the surf and turf was not enough for two people. Me and my friend ordered more. The staff was super friendly. So we ordered another appetizer and entree. The octopus and shrimp entree with the foie gras appetizer. We still think the appetizers were the best part of the dinner. The entrees were disappointing. The lava cake dessert was more like a chocolate bread with tiny bit of chocolate inside. The music was a bit loud and it felt like we were in a club. Hard to hear each other. The surf and turf the scallops were warm but the pork belly on it was cold. The size of the octopus in the entree was tiny compare to the salad. Would come back for the appetizers but not the entrees. read more

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Had a rather lukewarm experience at another French restaurant the night before, but this place revived my desire for French cuisine. We shared the Duck Crostini, Escargot, Wild Mushrooms Risotto, and La Croquet Tarte Flambée. Everything was really good, especially the flambée, which to our surprise was titillatingly spicy! Eat it quickly though, else it gets soggy. The risotto was slightly dryer than my usual preference, but it still hit the spot. The ingredients of each dish really paired well together. I also had an Espresso martini, on which the bartender kindly drew a lovely heart. Service was great - everyone was super friendly. Cool decor and chill vibes, not to mention zero pretension, which for some reason seems to be a lot to ask of a French restaurant. I'd be back for sure. read more

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This isn't a fair 4 stars. The problem is that it's an easy 4.5 star restaurant, but not an easy 5 star nod. And if it isn't easy, does it deserve 5 stars? Maybe. Maybe the 5th star is sometimes a struggle like the perfect score in olympics gymnastics is a struggle. I'm going 4 because of how easy I find it to be 4.5 but just can't bring myself to say it was perfect. Came alone. Sat outside. Their outside patio, which looks to be a Covid expansion, is ridiculously perfect. Romantic, even though it's in the middle of a LES street. I sat by the front door though, less romantic but I was also alone and it was great. Started with a bourbon old fashioned. They make 4-bourbon, mezcal, sherry, and another. The bourbon was okay. Too much ice, and not too smooth. Honestly, it's the only reason I'm not going 5 stars. The mezcal old fashioned-my other drink-was perfect, even with the extra ice (mezcal can have extra ice). Also ordered their dragon brussel sprouts as an appetizer, and these were amazing. Top 3 brussel sprouts ive had. A hint of spice, but not overwhelming. Probably in a chili oil but it doesn't burn your mouth. Also had the duck confit entree. Just perfect. Maybe slightly over cooked but not really. Had the perfect amount of crisp to it and was otherwise moist on the inside. Tremendous flavor. Ate an entire basket of bread - and I'm gluten intolerant - by soaking up the sauces from the duck and the Brussels. It was all so good. I really wish I could give 4.5 or 4.8. Just cant. That first old fashioned was too much of a miss. Everything else was perfect, but if everything isn't perfect, can you go 5 stars? read more

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It's a beautiful restaurant with lots of art and honestly some of the best aromas when you walk in. Staff is friendly and accommodating. But the food is not something I would sing over. The mushroom risotto was undercooked rice. It was not creamy at all. Several of us ordered that dish and my friend couldn't finish it so she gave it to her bf. I never let food go to waste so I ended up using the sauce from another dish and it made it so much better. The beef was tender but a little salty but I was told that's normal. read more

LĒNA - a plate of food on a wooden table - French Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious delicious French restaurant with great cocktails and tapas. I ordered the ouco buco which was great in a creamy mushroom sauce. The meat was real tender and fed off the bone! For drinks I had an espresso martini one of the best I have had excellent and chilled to perfection. Service was quality. The hip hop music playing in the background was not excepted at first but was a nice soundtrack to dinner! read more

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Got this restaurant mixed up and wrote the wrong review so here I go again. (sorry mr. owner! haha) We picked this place because it is dealing with covid really well. They have private dome seating (which is heated yassss) and the servers all wore masks, etc. The server we had was soooo funny and nice. Loved him. We went just to drink so we ordered a cheese & meat platter and some dessert. Their dessert was SO GOOD!! Creme brulee and lava cake. Both on point. We got lucky and found parking right next to our seats. The area is pretty whatever. It's in the middle of China town and there is a loud bike shop right next door. But if you want private seating with nice servers and really good dessert, this is the spot!! :) read more

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Lena was a wonderful experience. The waitstaff is attentive, restaurant has nice vibes, and most important of all the food is on point. In particular, the tarte flambé "French pizza" was a crowd pleaser. Will be back! Insider's Tip: There's several restaurants named "Lena". This review is for the one on Eldridge. read more

LĒNA - Savoyard - French Near Me - New York, New York

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I came for dinner on a Monday night. It was almost completely empty, except for the bar area that was full towards the end of the night but when I arrived at 7:30 even the bar area was pretty empty. I got the crostini with goat cheese, which was good And a good portion for one person. I also got the octopus for my main which was OK but I wouldn't really recommend it as a must try or something that's really delicious. then I got the cheesecake which was different as expected from the name on the menu and I liked it but not as much as a traditional cheesecake. read more

Very easygoing and laid back vibe, if French people were ever either of those things, more people would visit Paris. But just like the magic of France, this little place strives to provide excellent food in a NYC space. Exceptional service and perfect plated, elegant, and flavorful dishes arrive along with cocktails to create a special dining experience. Thank You. read more

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I was a bit hesitant to go after reading about the wait staff and bartender but my friend wanted beef bourguignon for her birthday. I have to tell you that the waitstaff, the bartender and the chef couldn't be nicer or more accommodating. The waiter, Al admitted that he was new but what a fabulous server he was. Didn't miss a beat. We did have the beef which was not the classic preparation with onions and carrots but delicious nonetheless. Jose, the chef explained that he mixes it into the sauce which makes it flavorful.. We also had the foie Gras which was prepared beautifully along with fig jam on toast over a balsamic honey reduction which was delightful For my friend's birthday, they gifted us with a Creme brûlée. Their menu is limited but had really great things to choose from - We will definitely be going back! read more

You haveee to try the escargot here!! It's absolutely delicious and it tastes reallyy good with the bread! I also ordered the Roasted Octopus Chorizo, Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Ribs Basque Chimichuri. The octopus was not rubbery and had great flavor, the ribs were cooked to perfection and fell off the bone and the risotto was hearty and creamy. Overall, the food and service were great; definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

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I was super excited to try this wine bar -- we made a reservation a few days in advance, and they have outdoor seating under a tent in the street. Would have loved for the tables to be a little farther apart, but I still felt pretty safe! We ended up ordering a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (the Grand Bateau) which was really smooth. Random, but instead of an ice bucket, it came with this like clear hard plastic bag filled with ice (v cool). For our group of 3, we ordered the Duck Crostini, Cauliflower, La Bitteroise, Meatballs, and the Potatoes au Gratin. There was definitely a lot of cheese in the dishes, so maybe not the best place to come if you're lactose intolerant, but great for cheese enthusiasts. The Duck Crostini was my favorite -- the fig jam was amazing and since we also got a basket of bread, it was a great spread on that. I also liked the pizza, which comes with eight slices so is pretty easy to share! They did give us sharing utensils for the dishes which was appreciated given COVID-19 times. The other dishes were good, but unfortunately they got cold pretty quickly since it started to get chilly outside! read more

LĒNA - meatballs, duck confit, la bitteroise pizza, and cauliflower gratin - French Near Me - New York, New York

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Lena isn't bad. It just isn't particularly memorable. The wine selection is pretty sparse for a French restaurant, and they seemed to be out of quite a number of options on a Monday night. For food, we got the shrimp and saffron rice, and the mushroom risotto. While they were both tasty--if a tad over-salted--the portions were pretty small. The vibe is casual and low-key, and the service is friendly but equally casual (to the point of inattentive at times). This isn't the place to impress your bougie date, but it would be a nice place for no-fuss French. read more

The worst French restaurant I've ever step foot into. What do you order when you go to a French place? Escargots! Well, this place served us some fake escargots. Who would remove them from the shell and put them on phyllo dough? You just don't. What was on the phyllo dough was chopped portobello mushrooms. That menu said it was escargots. Completely false. Aside from the fake escargots, we ordered a bunch of other dishes and none of them were foods that a chef could possibly brag about. Most were bland at best. I can never return to this place. I can't respect an establishment that serves fake escargots. It is disgusting. read more

LĒNA - Fake escargots - French Near Me - New York, New York

It was first time here. I visited Lena because Attaboy had a long wait (45 mins - 1:15 mins) for a seat at the bar. My friends and I work in the industry and we had high expectations for Lena. We were six all day and I had The Delaney (which was very delicious), my girlfriend had a Paris sour, and my friends had an espresso martini (finished with cinnamon), a French 75 (that was sadly flat), a whiskey sour, and a mezcal Negroni. Our waitress and fun, attentive, and accommodating. She was probably the only French person in there. I also want to give a quick shoutout to the bartender with the dreads for executing fast and consistent drinks for our table. I haven't visited LES in over three years due to COVID but I will say I had an amazing time. Please see the attached pics of the drinks and decor. Very nice (BORAT VOICE) read more

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I loved it. Tasty cocktails great food. It was shocking my party of 3 walked in on a Friday evening and were the only group there. Totally underrated spot. We'll need to come back and try more of the menu out. Definitely recommend the outdoor patio. Thank you for having us read more

LĒNA - French Near Me - New York, New York

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Cutest outdoor dining decor, service was quick & efficient. We started off with the escargot, this was tasty with parsley paste & hint of olive oil. For entrees, we ordered grilled octopus, which it's a must try! And the mushroom risotto was delicious too, thought it was a bit on the salty side, I think this can be adjusted. Very nice dining experience here, it rained a bit during dinner, but these awnings were doing a great job covering us:) read more

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Stopped by quickly to kill time while my friends and I were waiting for Attaboy (across the street). We got some small bites and a round of drinks and it was such a fun atmosphere. Would love to come back to try some more foods. The cocktail menu was expansive! read more

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Good vibes. Great food. Excellent service. What else is there? Oh and really cool art on your way to the br. read more

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Came upon LĒNA one of my first few nights in the city with some old friends (Memorial Day weekend, with still many Covid lockdowns) We showed up a little after 10pm, our party of 7 was immediately sat a large table, waters presented to us as soon as we sat down. At first a few of my friends were disappointed they didn't offer beer on their menu, but I reassured them to order some nice cocktails and we'll enjoy ourselves. The service was fantastic to say the least, Sophia was our server that evening, we so much enjoyed our conversations with her. I've been back to LĒNA a few more times in the past month, haven't had the chance to try any food yet but it truly looks divine. If Derek the bartender is in make sure to order some kind of cocktail creation from him, preferably something with bourbon and maybe even a bit "piratey". read more

LĒNA - Whiskey Sour - French Near Me - New York, New York

What a great find. I love their escargot. It's made on this crostini and it is fabulous. So tasty. don't like steak tartare and I love their.'s. The blending of tartar with the avocado and whatever else is in there is fabulous. We sat at the bar, which is what I enjoy. The vesper was fabulous and I just got the house alcohols and the Kale Caesar salad was spot on. The wine was very good as well. All of that for under $125 for two people in New York City. love it. The owner there seems like a nice guy. The bartender who had been there two weeks was fabulous. read more

Very small, intimate restaurant. Their cauliflower gratin was to die for. Excellent service. Great happy hour.

The food was idyllic (I'll upload photos soon!) and was of nice quality but was not mind-blowing. What WAS mind-blowing was the waitress who served us, which completely overshadowed the otherwise pleasant meal. We ordered the Brussels sprout appetizer, and unfortunately, the dish was incredibly bland yet uncomfortably oily. Believing the restaurant to be trendy, I thought I would communicate and let them know. I also asked if we could change out the Brussels sprout dish for another. The waitress's mind-blowing response was, "I don't understand, you ate some already". I was dumbfounded at her response and figured I should just let it go. Of course I ate some. That is how I know the Brussels sprout was were lackluster. While she was not polite, it would not be fair of me to classify the interaction as rude either. read more

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HOLD ONTO YOUR RECEIPTS! I paid my bill with credit card, and tipped in cash. After checking my receipts, I noticed that someone at Lena Wine Bar tipped themselves an extra 20%. If I tip with cash, I always make sure to write "CASH" on the tip line before signing. In this case, someone believed that they could get away with checking off the 20% box on top of that, which they did. Just watch your receipts. read more

Came back to Lena just 2 days ago and I tried the baked Camembert with mushroom and truffle oil, steak, and duck crostini. I also got the kir royal french cocktail to drink. I really enjoyed everything but I actually wasn't too crazy about the duck crostini. The duck crostini was more of an aged duck on top of the bread with a good dallop of honey. The baked camembert with mushroom and truffle oil was soo good. Melty cheese with a good amount of mushroom and the delectable taste of truffle. The steak was also really good and the mashed potatoes that came along with it were soft and yummy! The kir royal was a nice light and sparkling drink! read more

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We randomly ended up here because we had some time to kill before dinner and had such a nice experience. 4 of us sat at the bar for cocktails and apps and everything was excellent. The bartender was so pleasant and took pride in making our drinks with precision and care. My favorite was the "le basque" We also had the rosemary roasted brie which was outstanding. The bread that it came with was delicious on its own. The pork belly was also a standout. The place is so cute - French wine bar with Manhattan flair. Will definitely be back! read more