Was walking our dog so we needed somewhere with outdoor seating. They have some tables inside as…read morewell as patio seating outside, so plenty of space. They have both pastries and hot food to order. Their hazelnut cake is amazing. The Canele was also pretty good, but I've only seen it available once. Even though it's a cafe mostly for self serve, the staffs were really friendly and accommodating when we asked for extra silverware

Parking: free, street parking…read more Maison Alyzée has two locations : Mountain View and Burlingame. Founded in 2018 by Lyon native Laurent Pellet. Fun fact: Alyzée" is the name of the owner's daughter. It boasts marble counters, bistro-style tables, and outdoor seating on Castro Street to mimic the South of France. The owner recruited pastry chefs who relocated from France specifically for this endeavor. They also have monthly flavor, for example for May 2026: "Strawberry Bliss" cake. I totally recommend: mixed berry tart, coffee eclairs. The cakes and pastries are on the higher end price, perfect to surprise someone's birthday or special occasion or even to brighten your day with high quality artisan bakeries goods.

Casual Italian- French restaurant, voted best of Mountain View, right on Castro with ample outdoor…read moreand indoor seating. Only 2 other parties there when we arrived around Sat 12pm. We sat next to window so nice for people watching but got bit hot with sun, even with shade down. Later a few families (seemed like regulars) came in. Lunch menu feels more Italian than French to me - various pastas, pizza, sandwiches, plus entrees. For party of 4, we ordered clam chowder the soup of day, seafood pasta dish, Chicken penne dish, pasta with bacon, and chicken breast entree. Bread with olive oil on the house. My dish Chicken breast was tender and juicy, downed with a lot of buttery sauce, so it was filling.

Brought my toddler and husband here to eat. They had high chairs for my toddler and even a coloring…read morebook and crayons. They even asked if we wanted to have the TV turned off when they noticed he was watching the tv. Very attentive. The food was great. It also came with complimentary bread that was warmed up and served with olive oil. My toddler enjoyed the free bread as well. We got the arancini, crab cakes , cordon blue , margarita pizza, mushroom truffle ravioli and steak frites. Our favorite dishes were the crab cakes , steak frites and the mushroom ravioli. The crab cakes were tasty and came with a lemon wedge and aoli, the steak frites came in a large portion. The meat was tender and came with a tasty sauce a mushrooms. My son enjoyed the fries that it came with , tasted like there was truffle oil in it. The ravioli was also good, nice and creamy. They also provided a free panna cotta for my husbands birthday. Overall, toddler friendly and expansive menu given that there are both Italian and French options.

La Bohème is exactly the kind of place you hope to find when you're craving a true French dining…read moreexperience. I was not disappointed. The ingredients were fresh, beautifully balanced, and honestly so good I considered ordering another round. The bread was solid too -- perfectly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. We tried a range of dishes and everything delivered. The omelette stuffed with shrimp was generous and great value, the French onion soup, mussels, and entrecôte were all absolutely spot on, and the chocolate mousse to finish was delicious. Next time, I'm definitely coming back for the soufflé. Even the fruit bowl stood out -- you could tell it was freshly cut, with each fruit tasting crisp and distinct rather than blended together. It's those little details that really show care. The space itself is charming and cozy, with a lovely French ambiance. It's a medium-sized restaurant , with additional outdoor seating, and a decor that makes you want to linger. What really stood out, though, was the service. Absolutely top notch. You can tell the staff and chefs genuinely care about what they're doing -- and that makes all the difference. Honestly, I'm surprised it wasn't more packed -- it deserves to be. We'll absolutely be back to explore more

Delicious - and they have kir!! I always judge a spot by…read moretheir escargot and I was not disappointed! The ingredients were fresh and well balanced and I honestly thought about ordering another. The bread was decent - crunchy on the outside, soft inside, and 4/5 on flavor. The omelette was stuffed with shrimp so it was a really good value and the fruit was honestly the best fruit bowls ever - you could tell it was freshly cut as the flavors were independent and everything was crisp. I was so happy to see kir and kir royale that I had two! The inside is honestly super cute and I'm sad this spot was more packed - it definitely deserves to be! You can tell the staff and chefs actually care about the restaurant, which is always wonderful to experience. I'll be back and explore more - and with a kir of course! Thank you!

Chez TJ is a bit hidden, as it is a cute little house on a busy street in downtown Mountain View,…read moreso it may blend in a bit. There is a parking lot across the street, as well as street parking surrounding the area, but parking may be hit or miss, depending on when you come by. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating - we were greeted warmly and treated with the best service during the whole evening. We were able to try their Pear Panna Cotta, Royal Kaluga Caviar, Fermented Gooseberry, Dill; Onagadai Tartlette, Creme Fraiche, Fingerlime, Horseradish; Brassica Veloute, Fenugreek Oil, Guanciale Powder Okinawa Sweet Potato, Perigord Black Truffle, Burrata Foam; Petite Baguette; Mushroom & Barley Tea; Squab, Cascabel Mole, Chanterelles, Winter Citrus Gel; Pain Levain, Navel Orange Ricotta; Australian Wagyu, Confit Beetroot, Smoked Parsnip, Sticky Cabbage; Strawberry Basil Mousse, Honeycomb, Strawberry Caviar, Basil Oil Palmier; Hazelnut Chouquette; and The Lime & The Coconut Ganache. My favorites were definitely the Onagadai Tartlette; Petite Baguette; and Squab, Cascabel Mole, Chanterelles, Winter Citrus Gel. Overall, everything was delicious and I was blown away for the experience.

Good laughs, good service, and a lot of different drinks & dishes to try…read more Came here for a company dinner recently, the host and wait staff were very nice and fast to act. We enjoyed the garden tour and trying the many drinks prior to dinner service. For the meal, we started light and wrapped up with a waygu dish. The desserts were good, but the staff miscounted and missed a portion, I ended up getting a replacement dish that didn't have 2 out of 3 of the original components. Overall, it was a fun experience and the patio seating made the ambience very enjoyable.

Oh my! Just say that they're temporarily closed until the end of May 2026, so we lucked out having…read morethe chance to eat here last Friday 05-01-2026 for the first time. First off, great service! Upon arriving the hostess greeted us and asked if we had a reservation. When we told her yes and gave our first name, she immediately said our last name without looking down and seated us. Within moments our server, wish I remembered his name because he was awesome!, also greeted us and introduced himself. He didn't rush us or anything but politely asked if we wanted something to drink other than water. Then he took our order and everything came out in good time. The food was yum with great flavor and the space had a lively scene without it being crowded. So fun to see the double bar that has an opening to the dining room. Everyone was super friendly and wait staff totally professional and helpful. We look forward to come back and to maybe even host a private event since the have a room that can fit about 24 people.

CHECK YOUR BILL!!. I recently dined at Elyse in San Jose and wanted to share a mixed experience…read more First, the positives -- the food was genuinely very good. The dishes were well-prepared, flavorful, and thoughtfully presented. The overall ambiance was also enjoyable, making it a nice spot for a dinner out. Unfortunately, the experience took a concerning turn at the end of the meal. Our bill came out to $86.42, and I handed my credit card to the waiter. Within seconds (thanks to my card alerts), I received a notification that $103.92 had been charged. When the waiter returned with the receipt, there was no mention of any discrepancy. After waiting a few minutes to see if it would be addressed, I brought it up myself. The waiter appeared flustered and then claimed he had accidentally charged me for someone else's food. That explanation didn't align with the itemized bill I was given, which made the situation feel questionable. He assured me that it would be corrected and that I should see the adjustment in a few days, which I'll be watching closely. Mistakes can happen, but the lack of transparency and the fact that it wasn't proactively disclosed is what left a bad impression. Being overcharged without explanation -- and having to catch it myself -- is not something I expect when dining out. I'd consider coming back for the food, but I'd definitely be more cautious when it comes to the bill.

Delicious food, excellent service, great atmosphere. Worth every penny!…read more We went to Le Papillon for our anniversary and it was outstanding. We go to upscale restaurants for special occasions several times a year, and it's been a while since we tried something new (instead of going to a known favorite) and been this impressed. We opted for the 3-course pre fixe and shared all 6 dishes between the two of us. Everything was amazing: well-cooked, well-seasoned, complex flavors all around. Bread, four bite-sized tasting dishes, and coffee were all complimentary and all delicious. One thing I can't stand about a fine dining experience is when the restaurant doesn't at least provide bread -- especially when the portion sizes are small and prices are high. Not a problem here! Service was very quick, thorough, and attentive but never invasive or overbearing. Five stars, no doubt. We will definitely be back!

Dined here recently in June 2026 with my teenage son. We've wanted to eat here for some time…read more We understand it's a little more old school and knew exactly what we were getting into. Service was professional and our server was quite nice. I love the dining room and artwork. The best things we had were an amuse bouche of smoked trout roe and miso panna cotta, first course crab soufflé, asparagus salad and the dessert black sesame pudding. These were all done very well. Everything else was just okay to me - tomato soup, beef filet and sea bass (fish itself was nice). I could go on and explain each in detail what I didn't care for, but I will keep it brief. I would likely not come back - however, I am definitely glad we came here and tried it out after all the years of wanting to dine here, it was an enjoyable experience.

I've wanted to try this place for a while and it definitely lived up to the hype. Every dish was…read moreextremely flavorful. It's hard to pick a favorite but I have to go with the crispy rice claypot with black cod. I went with one other person but this place seems like it would be perfect for a medium sized party so you can try more of their amazing offerings! Make sure to make a reservation in advance because the place is pretty small. I can't wait to return!

FYI: this place is very family friendly! they also have a time limit on how long you can stay at…read morethe restaurant which they remind you of when you check in for your reservation we came here for dinner before going to a concert at the shoreline! it's a quick 10ish minute drive away for anyone looking to eat somewhere that's not at the venue. WHAT I GOT: hotate carpaccio, tori soboro meshi, agedashi tofu, sake potato age PROS: very generous portions for a tapas place! when i think tapas, i'm thinking like bite-sized, on the smaller end, but be warned that gochi is serving tapas that are much bigger than that. they also have actual dinner sized menu items so you don't actually have to just order appetizers or small bites to get full. the dishes we got were all delicious, with the star of the show being the hotate carpaccio for me. extra shout out to the super crispy rice at the bottom of our clay pot dish. CONS: it seems like gochi is a hot spot for family dinners and gatherings so take that as you will. it's not a bad thing but there might be some kids seated on the other side of the restaurant who you might be able to hear loud and clear because of how much they're screaming. it's definitely an ambiance killer but not a total deal breaker.

I celebrated my birthday here and had a truly wonderful dinner experience in the cocktail lounge…read more The à la carte menu offers a thoughtful blend of Asian fusion bites--each dish more impressive than the last. We were attended to by four staff members, and while that may sound like a lot, their service was seamless. Every movement felt intentional and unobtrusive, enhancing rather than interrupting the ambiance. The craftsmanship of the food--wow. This Michelin rating is absolutely well deserved. Each dish had such depth of flavor that we couldn't help but murmur "mmm" with every bite. The presentation was, of course, stunning, with flavors that matched the beauty on the plate. I can't wait to return and experience the dining room next. I highly recommend adding Protégé to your "Best of the Bay" list.

Protégé is a New American casual restaurant that offers both an a la carte and a tasting menu…read more We made reservations in advance, and we were excited to check this place out for dinner. Our party went for the a la carte option to order a variety of dishes to share, rather than to be restricted to options. We tried: +the Milk Bread - served with Stepladder Creamery cultured butter and Balinese sea salt +the 'Fish & Chips' - prepared with hamachi, Asian pear, red curry, and pickled jalapenos +Crab and Caviar - with dungeness crab, Protégé reserve caviar, and yuzu sabayon +and, the A5 Wagyu Tataki - with black sesame crackers, enoki mushrooms, and karashi For my entree, I tried the Flannery Beef Short Rib, which was served with sunchoke 'hash', charcoal-grilled king trumpet mushrooms, horseradish, and pimenton; I also tried one's Blackened Monkfish and the 'Peas and Carrots.' Everything was well-presented and aesthetically-pleasing, service was on point, and they checked upon our large party often. The restaurant itself is well-decorated, with nice photographs on the wall; request for the tufted seating, as it's more comfortable. +attentive staff +a la carte and tasting menu offered +reservations accepted