Monet's is a true gem! All the stars aligned and led us to Monet's for our in town birthday celebration. We spent the day at Sequoia and were deciding between Monet's or another restaurant and actually went to the other restaurant first since it was more expensive. Big mistake on our part. We didn't realize racism still existed - Cafe Lafayette's petite hostess/waitress embodied everything that is wrong with the world today. So we took our patronage over to Monet's. From the moment we walked in until the moment we left, everything was perfect. Monet's is intimate, warm, and inviting. We were greeted by a lovely lady with a big smile and beautiful live music. The restaurant is small but offers a very nice ambiance and food that rivals any restaurant in a major metropolitan city. Raymond played the clarinet for the whole time we were there - he has an amazing talent and gave us the best birthday serenade we've ever had. We ordered: 3 orders of the Japanese style oysters, 3 orders of the New Orleans style oysters, escargot, the 3 course dinner which came with spicy tuna stuffed mushroom salad, chicken entree with ravioli, and dessert, as well as the ribeye which was served with mushrooms and crispy fingerling potatoes and a starter salad, a few drinks, and the lavender cheesecake to go. The Japanese style oysters were sweet and refreshing and the New Orleans style was served hot with a nice breaded crust. The escargot was executed perfectly. The ribeye was of high quality and prepared right with even cooking throughout. We loved everything on this plate! The chicken and ravioli were amazing as well. Everything was delicious. If you are from out of town and are deciding between restaurants - go to Monet's! We can't wait to come back! read more

Tasty and nice atmosphere. Met my cousin there for dinner. Greg Lowe read more

The restaurant is intimate, very intimate if I may add, but certainly doesn't disappoint. I've eaten at Monet's a number of times, my first time dinning there was with a party of 10 in their back banquet room which could be the reason service and dinner was mediocre. Or at least that's what I'd like to believe because the following visits dinner and service was superior. I can't wait to return. Its a great place to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy some great food. From the lavender spritzers to the lavender cheese cake this place did not let down on my last visit....oh and the scallop salad is to die for, highly recommend it. read more

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Wow. We stopped here on a whim after leaving Sequoia National Park. This is one of the best places I've been in a long time. Baked Brie, lobster ravioli, and lavender cheesecake were all amazing. Wine list was solid. Service was EXCELLENT. Prices really weren't bad either considering how great it was. We'll be driving up from Bakersfield just for this place. read more

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The mushroom appetizer "picnic menu" item... A m a z i n g !! Lobster ravioli... A m a z i n g !! Best I've ever had Spicy Lamb Panini... My husband LOVED it! And.... of course, the lavender cheese cake was a mouth watering treat! Very unique in taste but so delicious !!! Service was perfect !! Make a reservation ! read more

Monets Wine Bistro - Lobster ravioli, lavender cheesecake & spice lamb panini !! - French Near Me - Exeter, California

My wife and I ate here twice while in the area visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon - and it was outstanding both times! The owner Jennifer is so nice! I am looking forward to another visit and I would even detour out of my way on a road trip to eat at Monet's again. We got a tour of the kitchen and were invited back to see it after it is remodeled. :-) read more

Great food and service! I had the pecan crusted salmon and it was perfect. There were six of us and everyone was happy with their choices. I wish they were in a bigger building. We drove an hour and we will definitely go back! read more

Found this gem awhile back while doing a keyword search for "Beef Wellington". It was my boyfriend's birthday, and this was his special request. Could not find it anywhere locally. Called Monet's and they said it was a dish they occasionally serve as a special only, but would be willing to make one especially for us. It was a bit of a drive from Fresno to Exeter, but totally with it. Everything was excellent. Highly recommend! read more

This place is amazing! The atmosphere is just exceptional! The food was delicious! The wine was outstanding! Can't say enough good things about this place! Highly recommend! It definitely gave me joy and mood you get in a cozy family owned restaurant in Europe. read more

We love stopping in Exeter for mural walks and fun, good dining. Today Monet's was on our stop....a charming little French inspired wine bar, full service bistro. Our server, Kelcee, recommended the lavender goat cheese which was heavenly with the Halter Ranch cab. Owner Jen added to the charm and fun ambiance. Check it out! read more

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Delicious food, good wine, and warm people. A true hidden gem. All the food we had was amazing and reminded us of Europe. The lavender cheesecake is divine. read more

5 star dining in Exeter!? You betcha! Monet's has been on my bookmark list for a few years now. I've just never had an opportunity to come up here to try it. I must admit, I was a bit hesitant to try Monet's, especially decked out in my World Ag Expo get-up. I'm not particularly fond of some French food, and I thought this place might be stuffy and pretentious. Boy was I wrong. This place is the most approachable French food you'll find in Central California, perhaps all of California. We came in around 2pm for a late lunch. The cafe was quaint and romantic, a perfect date spot. Even at this odd hour during a weekday there were four other tables of patrons. We were immediately greeted and our drink orders taken. Even though we only had tea and soda, they were poured in beautiful tall elegant glasses w/ chic black straws. It's the little things! We ordered the Old World bread platter which was simply delicious. Complete with pesto, red pepper, and garlic spread. But the best part was the delicious aged balsamic vinegar - simply amazing and a great start to one of the best lunches of all time. For lunch I had the Burrata salad. Someone once told me that Burrata is the sexiest of cheeses. I must agree - it's damn sexy. Lying atop a lush bed of fresh greens, the cheese oozed with creamy goodness. Accompanied by sweet juicy citrus, toasted pine nuts and drizzled with balsamic - this is definitely an X rated dish that will tantalize the senses! Like the obligatory post-coitus cigarette, dessert became an absolute necessity. The crème brulee was in my sights long before lunch had begun and my mouth began to water at the sight of its freshly caramelized crust. *Tap-Tap-Crack* the sweetly satisfying sound of caramelized sugar shattering beneath the back of my spoon. It's the Siren's Song of food. I instantly knew this would be a crème brulee for the ages. Smooth creamy custard with a whisper of vanilla lined the inside of the warm shallow ramekin. A heaping spoon full of homemade whipped cream drizzled with caramel adorned the plate. Before I knew it, all was gone. All desserts are freshly prepared, by our own server no less! Everything served is fresh and in season - none of that frozen crud here. Just authentic gourmet European-chic food, in the heart of the Central Valley Farmland. It really is a match made in Heaven. read more

Monets Wine Bistro - Special on 2/12/15 - Burrata Salad - French Near Me - Exeter, California

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Lavender Latte. I really don't need to say anything more! Seriously, this place was perfect! Quaint. Romantic. Great food. Yummy wine. Lavender infused foods! Amazing service. Friendly regulars. My boyfriend and I were stopping by Exeter on the way to our Sequoia vacation. We mentioned that to the server. I think her name was Hope. (She was the best! Not only did she make us feel extremely welcome at Monet's, she also told us about the weekend events in town.. and stuff to do in town!) Everyone in the restaurant started talking with us about the "Big Tree" and their experiences going up the winding roads! It was like a scene in a movie. As we were wrapping up our tab, the owner came over to chat and tell us about Monet's beginning. She gave us a newspaper article to read too. She started Wildflower Cafe across the street first, then moved onto her French Bistro, Monet's! The whole experience was wonderful. We had a really great time. read more

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Excellent french food in a place I wasn't expecting to find it. Ambiance is eclectic European. Food was fantastic from start to finish. Started with a warm fresh baguette. I had a crepe and my wife had the nicoise salad. The crepe was filled with delicious flavors like wild mushroom, asparagus and they even added tender chicken for me though it was not on the menu. We shared an amadine for dessert and my French wife could appreciate it's authenticity read more

The food was good! The problems I had was with a Duck meal why didn't you give a real knife to cut the dinner? A butter knife just doesn't work. Also, if you're going to be a fancy restaurant you need cloth napkins not paper. read more

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Service and ambiance were great!! Food was good, I just I ordered the wring thing so didn't eat much. Salad was excellent especially with that wonderful sage cheddar cheese in it ( I THINK that's what's she said it was). Our waitress was very very nice and friendly. They have quite a wine selection which is great too. Nice place! read more

We enjoyed a very special evening at Monet's Our 60th anniversary celebration. The food was fantastic... beyond fantastic! The service was very good. Thanks for making us feel so special - Linda L read more

Absolute gem in this small town of murals. Right downtown, in the heart of the city, easy to walk to almost anywhere. You could park at either end of town and still walk to Monet's in a matter of minutes and enjoy the stroll. Tiny dining room. My friend and I sat at the bar which is very enjoyable as you can see all the food being brought out from the kitchen. The water that is served is delightful--cucumber & lavender when we were there for lunch. Nicely done lunches, although one must be prepared to pay a higher price than one might expect in such a small town. This is not a backwards watering hole, but rather a sophisticated dining spot with food and service on par of a bigger city. We each ordered the warm spinach salad and were pleased with the flavors and textures. Would definitely recommend it and would order it again if we make it back to Exeter. read more

Such a tasty place! Parisian gem of a treat right in downtown Exeter. Attentive and friendly service, cozy ambience, fun music, and delicious cuisine. Bread with oil and balsamic with herbs as an appetizer, delicious Cabernet blend house wine, delectable entrees (see photos ;) lol) and 3 amazing desserts so far haha. Worth trying! read more

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I really enjoyed the food but there were 5 of us at dinner celebrating a birthday. They knew about the birthday so I asked if they do a dessert for the birthday girl and she said not complimentary, it would have to be paid for. I was just very surprised at that. Like I said, the food is very nice but not inexpensive. Most of the fine dining restaurants in the area do a complementary birthday dessert even if you're going at lunchtime. It's just a nice extra bit of customer service and acknowledgment of the celebration read more

Love this place. The food is always phenomenal. But the staff is useless sometimes. I'd have a full glass of wine while my husbands would be empty and then the opposite. 4 pieces of bread for a lavender Brie appetizer for 4 people. Hmmm more cheese than bread ratio. Trying to ask for wine or bread seemed like a chore. We spend good money there and would love to have the service we deserve. I would of for 1... spent more money and 2.. come more often and bring people. It's a let down when you wanna treat yourself and you get horrible service. Not to even mention when you sit on the patio. You'll never be helped. This wasn't a one time thing either. We went 3 times and the same thing again and again. I'd rather travel to Visalia and find something similar and get better service. The atmosphere is amazing and the food is great. They aren't lacking in that section at all. read more

On a trip exploring the Fresno Fruit Trail, we came to the little town of Exeter. Don't laugh. This was deliberate... specifically to experience this little bistro. I was lucky enough to have gotten a Groupon, and had read previous reviews on Yelp. I, too, would have given a 5 star except for the portion of food for the price and a few other minor disappointments. The menu was interesting and quite gourmet, the food was good. We ordered a Shrimp/ lobster crepe, and a grilled salmon/avocado salad. The salmon salad was mostly a large bowl of tender greens, lots of avocado, with two tiny pieces of salmon, grilled, placed on top. Probably less than a 3 oz serving, and the salmon was not as fresh as it should be, especially for what they charged. The crepe was averaged sized, with a delicious filling of finely chopped seafood and a cheddar sauce, in a fresh, buckwheat crepe. I thought this was delicious and would definitely order this again, but only got a bite, since it was hubby's, not mine. With a glass of white wine, delicious currant ice tea, a cup of coffee, and two desserts, the bill came to over $60. While the tea came in a huge glass, there was no offer for a refill, And this would have gratefully been accepted because we were seated outside with our dog on a hot, hot day. On a good note, there were three sidewalk tables, and that would make this a dog-friendly place. And our charming waitress (and probably the manager) kept our melon infused water glasses full, and made sure our dog was hydrated too. Good looking desserts, but a little disappointing. My chocolate tart was not as deeply rich in a more bittersweet dark chocolate as I had anticipated, thus the disappointment. And the hubby's German chocolate cake was beautiful, but my husband has a recipe that he makes, and said he prefers. Simply personal taste, and one that should not influence others to give them a chance. They went well with the delicious coffee they served. They were not really busy, only two sets of customers while we were there (this was on a Tuesday around noon). The service was excellent. The interior was charming. Parking was easy, in front, on the street. I was enchanted by the little town of Exeter, a tiny historic town. I would have never even thought of going if it weren't for Monet's Groupon. We enjoyed our brief visit, and would definitely return while on another Central California mini tour. read more

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Cute li'l French restaurant in the middle of the Sequoias! Ordered & loved their Crab Bisque Soup and Monte Carlo Fettuccine Pasta with Blackened Salmon and Goat Cheese. read more

Monets Wine Bistro - French Near Me - Exeter, California

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Learned about this place from Restaurant.Com . Food was amazing, atmosphere was great. Went on a Thursday so there was a little live music. read more

Monets Wine Bistro - Appetizer! Smokes salmon.. delish!! - French Near Me - Exeter, California

Everyone must try this little gem. If you don't have time for lunch, just stop in and enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of lavender cheesecake. You won't be disappointed with anything on their menu. Always fresh and prepared with quality ingredients by someone who enjoys putting out great food. Super customer service as well. Enjoyed everything about Monet's. A perfect spot for romantic celebrations, date night, casual lunch with friends or family dinner. One of Exeter's best!! read more

The atmosphere at the restaurant was great. I ordered the three course set menu which was nicely presented and over all very good quality. Aside from the food, I want to make a special remark on their great customer service. Everyone was very nice but specially the owner and her husband that took the time to talk to me, give me some recommendations, etc. They were very nice and genuine people. If I ever stop around Exeter again I will visit them for sure. read more

Very nice, romantic place. They were swamped, but the owner's boyfriend volunteered to serve us. He was very friendly and catered to all our needs. I ordered the lemon cavatappi and it was delicious. Bright and aromatic. Lovely place. read more

Monets Wine Bistro - Lemon cavatappi - French Near Me - Exeter, California

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We got the mother day weekend takeout special... petite fillet was cooked to perfection... risotto was amazing and wow the salad was good with the hunks of cheese and fruit . The strawberry rose cheesecake was delicious as was the lavender cheesecake (as usual ) and everything packaged up well too.. she even had bouquets for sale so one stop mothers day shopping :) thank you!!! read more

My rating is based on my overall experience coming into Monet's. Service, food, and atmosphere. Went on Saturday afternoon, was not too busy at all. While we were there three different party's got up and left this quint Resturant without even a drink. Our server Michelle seemed to be not very attentive or very knowledgeable as I would expect from establishment like this. I can only imagine if there was any sort of wait to get in the Resturant, I would've been out the door like the rest! I personally tried a cup of the wild mushroom and Brie soup. I expected more of a velvety soup. I would've liked for it to be a little more thicker and less like milk in a cup. It was seasoned good though. But you have incorporate the Brie and the wild mushrooms together for the flavor to be just right. For my entrée I had a croque monsieur panini with a salad. The salad had crisp mixed green with a nice sweet mustard dressing which was above average. However the monsieur was amazing the grainy mustard and the crusty bread made it for me to compliment the Black Forest ham and the melty Brie. Also tried a slice of salted caramel pie with lavender infused topping and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. The ice cream was the star of that plate for me. It reminder me of a Mexican churro. The pie was just ok for me. Once our server left for the day the owner took care our table for the reminder of my experience . She was so friendly and explained some of the details not known by our server Michelle. read more

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The food was spectacular!!!! Wine was impeccable and ombeyonce was devine!!! Thank you Melissa for providing such excellent customer service. We you Jennifer!!!! read more

This restaurant has a wonderful wine selection... if your unsure about what you like...you can taste the wine before ordering a whole glass. I ended up getting a wonderful Cabernet:) The food is delicious... I had crab bisque, followed by Pork Loin with vegetables and mushroom sauce... absolutely wonderful! Then came dessert ( which I had to take home because I was stuffed)... their dessert selection is amazing! It's hard to choose... I ended up having raspberry lemon tart... OMG!!!! It was AMAZING!!! One word of advice: there are few seats... so if you plan on having dinner here...make reservations (which we did) to ensure you have a seat when u get there. Also, they bring in local artists for quiet live music... If you like a nice dinner... THIS is the place to go in Exeter:) read more

Monet's was an amazing experience. I loved it. I proposed to my now fiancé there. The food was also great, the best steak I've had in a long time. Definitely a new favorite. Wine selection was a little sacarse the time I went, but great quality. read more

I have been wanting to come here for a couple years now. My mom and I decided to take a weekend to spend in Exeter for her birthday. Monets was absolutely perfect!!!! Absolutely no way that they could've improved in anyway. Food was delicious! We started with bread with olive oil and balsamic and then a salad. I had a delicious pasta dish, raviolis made from scratch with salmon and my mom had the ribeye cooked to perfection! Desert is homemade and super special! Wine list was awesome!!! The owners greeted our table and we felt like family! A must try!!!! Also, they have wonderful lavender products, lavender infused honey and lavender coffee for purchase to take home!!! Its has been a few days and I'm craving everything I had!!! I will be back! Must try! read more

The food and drinks here were SO GOOD. I had the Lavender Honey cocktail, French Onion soup and a Bacon Brie Burger with roasted potatoes. The burger was big so I would recommend splitting it if you get appetizers or dessert. Service was great and they had live music. Absolutely would recommend. read more

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Delicious food. I had the creamy pesto ravioli and it was wonderful. The service is very friendly and the atmosphere is very warm.

I had a fantastic experience here tonight. Yelp has the closing time of 7:30 p.m. but I called the restaurant and they let me know the due to having a tasting they weren't closing until 9:00 p.m. when I arrived at the restaurant they asked if I had a reservation and I let them know I did not but I had called earlier about them still being open. They were completely full but were able to accommodate my date and myself. They split our shared dishes so neither of us had to eat off of each other's plate and they even offered a partial slice of a dessert so that we could get a taste without having to waste any or consume an entire slice. My only regret is that unfortunately my date told me (after paying for the meal) that he's not a big Tipper and I only had a small amount of cash on me. I will be returning without said date and giving a nice big tip to reflect my appreciation for this amazing experience and the service I received! read more

Hands down the best restaurant! The food is always amazing and everyone is always so friendly! I always look forward to coming here! read more

Monets Wine Bistro - Monte Carlo Pasta - French Near Me - Exeter, California

This is the best restaurant i have ever been to ! I live in LA and I would probably drive all they way just to come to this restaurant !!!! There was a great music which gave the place warm and comfortable vibe !!! The food was amazing not to mention how great was the wine ! On top of that the great hospitality and service that we got ! Special thanks to Jennifer she was awesome! The crew in general were awesome! Definitely will come back again ! It is so sad that yelp has only 5 stars i would give this restaurant a 10 !!! By the way magic words: escargot + lavender cheesecake read more

Food is good but very overpriced. The mushroom flambé is like two chopped up mushrooms with a few slices of bread for $15. That portion sizing is just enough to feed a malnourished child. If you're on a weight loss journey and want the fastest way to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks, come eat at this restaurant every day. read more

Was not happy! Made reservations for 7. It was my wife's 50th birthday. They told us when we arrived, they were only doing takeout. Wish they would've said something before we traveled all the way to Exeter. Second time this has happened will not be going back! read more