One of our best dining experiences ever! It was 5:30 on Friday. We walked in and the place was packed. We had reservations and got seated immediately. I don't recall the name of our server. However, he started by explaining the drink specials. We don't normally order cocktails, but it was recommended. The bartender made a custom mocktail for my wife that she said he knocked out of the park! Mine was cool and refreshing. He suggested the Soup de Saison. Since it was 90 degrees outside, it was a cool cucumber soup. Not my go to, but we wanted to try different things. Another home run! Then we split the halibut and the star of the night, the blistered peppers. Since it is a seasonal menu, the peppers are not always there. They were flavorful, with the right amount of umami. I would go back just for them. We also had a great conversation with our neighbors, as the small tables are close together. We will be back. read more

Restaurant Josephine - French Near Me - Auburn, California

Let me start by saying the reviews that gave this place low stars are the type of people I want to stay far away from. How you can give this establishment 1-3 stars is beyond ridiculous. We dined here for our first time yesterday, and I can't believe it took us this long to finally try it out. We had reservations for 7:30pm and arrived a bit early. We were offered to have drinks at the bar which we happily obliged. We don't recall the name of the lady who made our drinks, but she was great and clearly is top notch at her craft. My wife got the White Lotus and I had the Thai NAgarita (adult non alcoholic). My wife absolutely LOVED her drink and I also did. We were seated shortly after getting our drinks and seamlessly moved us to our table. Our server was great, again drawing a blank on her name. We ended up getting the Soup de Saison which was a creamy potato soup, sorry for my lack of ability to explain it correctly. It was absolutely phenomenal. Being able to take a soup as simple as potato and make it have the flavor it did blew our minds. We also got the Fava Bean Dip which comes with two pita bread. This dish was fantastic. We would order both again and again, but will have to try other Starters next time because we know everything will be amazing. For our entrees my wife ordered the English Pea Vareniki and I the Pan Roasted Alaskan Halibut. We both were extremely happy with our dishes. I tried the Vareniki and it was delicious. Again, we would both order these over and over. Mind blown. For dessert we got the Tarte Au Citron and also the special which was a Strawberry Pavlova. The Tarte was absolutely delicious and would get it again and again. The Strawberry Pavlova was hands down the best dessert dish we have ever had in our lives. We do love strawberries so that helps, but everything about it was out of this world. If it is available when we go, we will order it every time. Overall an amazing experience and loved the ambiance and old building feel. Definitely an Auburn vibe which we love. I have seen a lot of complaints about the noise, but once again, those are people I don't care to be around. It is sort of a smaller restaurant with people having a good time, so if you are people who are snotty and complain about some noise and others talking and laughing enjoying themselves, don't come here. Well done Restaurant Josephine. Absolutely phenomenal! read more

This weekend we dined at a restaurant that's been on my radar for a while. Restaurant Josephine in Auburn. It's not often a restaurant hits all my sweet spots, but, wow!!!! When we first stepped through the door, the aromas hit me with a punch in the best kind of way, if there is such a thing. The restaurant has limited space and was full when we arrived, so it was a bit loud and tight, but I have to admit, even though we were extremely close to our restaurants mates, it felt like we were in our own intimate bubble. Our server, Eric, was so kind and wasn't shy about sharing his favorites. We started with an asparagus salad with puréed black garlic and frisée that was flavorful and unique. It is so refreshing to see more than just roasted or steamed asparagus on a menu. For our mains, Rob ordered the Crispy "Iron" Half Chicken, and I ordered the Yukon Gold Potato Vareniki. Typically, we don't order food that I make well at home such as chicken and salmon, however, with Eric's recommendation, Rob landed on the chicken. It was the perfect crisp on the outside without being fried, and the perfect moist on the inside. It was served on a piece of grilled toast with garlic puree that was unexpectedly good. The Yukon Gold Potato Vareniki, are tiny pillows of potato filled deliciousness surrounded by a small pool of earthy brown sauce with chestnut mushrooms and cipollini onions. This dish feels like home that I can eat over and over again. We ended our evening with an almond cake with a citrus sherbet and sliced almonds. I loved the chew of the crispy outside and soft inside. Mixed with the sliced almonds and sherbet, it was as pretty perfect as a dessert can be. While the space is a little tight, the vibe is unexpected and delightful. I cannot wait to go back and try more dishes. This will be a regular on our rotation. read more

My husband and I visited Josephine's last night for dinner. It was our first time there and we were not disappointed. Service was excellent and so was our menu choices. We had the French Onion soup, Beet Salad and the Pork Chop and forgot the French Fries. Robert our server was excellent. We plan to go back on a Wednesday to sample the infamous Chicken Sandwich. It is wonderful to have such a wonderful Bistro in our town. Kudos to the owners and their staff. Everyone from the hostess, waiter and others were so nice. Sorry forgot to take a pic of the Pork Chop when it was first served, it is big. read more

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We went here last night to celebrate our anniversary. Service was so good! The cocktails were amazing.! The appetizer salads were so delicious. The only part that was so so were the main courses the chicken and the pork chops both were lacking flavor and therefore a little bit of a disappointment all in all we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and of course the ambience/atmosphere is wonderful here at restaurant Josephine! read more

Restaurant Josephine - French Near Me - Auburn, California

As always, Restaurant Josephine doesn't disappoint. We went for their version of Happy Hour. We had Welsh rarebit with Gruyère and kirsch, fresh oysters on the half shell (4 different ones), a jambon paté, escargot and frites. Everything was delicious! The bar service is always terrific. Their cocktails are amazing! I love the tom kha. The bar area is a fun place to dine as well. You can't go wrong here. read more

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Good time, good food. Glad wife and I went, auburn , ca AI write a better review service was good also ambiance was entertaining

French is my fav cuisine, I get super excited when trying a new French restaurant! I really wish there were more around. J's been on my list forever and their online reservation portal isn't the best. It's been fully booked on the weekends for months so we finally bit the bullet when there was an opening for a Wednesday night dinner. They had our time ready on time, no prob. Off to a great start! OFC I've studied the menu and knew exactly what i wanted, keeping in mind ofc it changes seasonally. Right off the bat, i knew what i wanted to drink ... Tom Kah cocktail! OFC i want the most unique and tastiest drink and it certainly delivered a nice kick! All the food was good, liked the duck mousse pate and scallop crudo appetizers. The Japanese corvina was perfectly cooked, crispy and moist and full of yummminess. The moules frites were good too, my go-to French favs. Oh my other was escargot which they didn't have. Bummer. Food and drinks were spot on, no qualms about that. Service is where they lost some points. Our server was super friendly and helpful, no issues there. But the team collab was off with the kitchen, food wait times, as well as busing out tiny table. We ordered 3 appetizers and we were left waiting for quite a while. The server even came by and thought we finished our oysters already, nope, still waiting. Then finally they started coming out. Also, we were left staring out 2 empty entree plates towards the end of our meal forever. 2 plates on a tiny table didn't leave room for anything else, not pleasant. I get it, it's the dinner rush but we shouldn't have to sit and suffer! They got some brownie points back after they remembered it was a birthday reservation and brought dessert with a candle on it and a happy birthday note. I appreciated that. It urks me when establishments want to know if it's a special occasion and then don't bother to read or remember the reservation notes. So thnx 4 that! read more

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Amazing, rustic ambience, mixture of Auburn old town charm with exquisite, tasty French inspired farm to table cuisine. We started with the delicious bread and Vermont butter, mixed with oysters with their own spicy concoction sauce with mignonette and shaved horse radish. Add a freshly made French onion soup with duck liver mousse with savory and sweet honey spread with freshly made buttery toast. We were more than satisfied. Our eyes were just bigger than our stomachs we had to take home the steak and Fritz. Overall a wonderful dining experience. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was phenomenal. read more

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July 30, 2025. Dinner here again to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Tonight the food was maybe not as great as previous visits. But this update is just to say that the couple at the table to the left of us was also celebrating their 9 year anniversary and the three tables to the right were all celebrating wedding anniversaries. We were all married on this day! Those are just Las Vegas odds. 5 consecutive tables of couples all married on the same day. read more

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From the atmosphere, to the service and oh my goodness to the food, this place hits all the spots! My family went for the first time tonight to celebrate a family birthday and we all ordered different things and shared with everyone. The French onion soup...DAMN!! The hamburger and fries, the steak, oysters, chicken and drinks were all superb!! I would be very happy to eat here again! They even made a beautiful happy birthday sign in chocolate sauce with a delicious sorbet for dessert even though we didn't order dessert. What a wonderful restaurant! read more

I've heard many good things about this restaurant ever since they opened, but have resisted dining here because of the distance. But I was motivated since it might be even harder to get in after their being named as James Beard finalists. We and our dining companions loved the dinner and you should definitely make a beeline to a reservation to dine here. In making a reservation, dinner reservations before 7 pm go quickly. So plan on booking right when the dates are released. Salads - The beet salad was a huge hit. The creamy cheese is house made and topped with a beautiful combo of beets and mandarins, which made for a lovely pop of flavor. And mandarins are appropriate since they are grown in the area. The Caesar salad was a delicious surprise. The combination of the Caesar dressing, fresh Parmesan, and creamy sieved egg was already delicious. I did not know what smoked sprats were. And there was a smoked anchovy on top. It was the best Caesar salad I've ever had. Mains - Our table ordered 2 pork chops and 2 salmon dishes. The enormous pork chops were also succulent and tender. The salmon was melt in the mouth good. Dessert - We ordered the profiteroles to share. Being we were a table of 4, our waiter added an additional profiterole so everyone got a piece. It was a lovely wrap to dinner. Service - It was polished and professional. We are super glad to have dined here. No pictures. We sat at a booth that had dim lighting. read more

The past visits have always been 5 star. Tonight's meal had a few misses. The Little Gem Caesar was really bland, the dressing had absolutely no flavor. The frites were soggy, hubby steak was grainy and dry tasting. The highlight of my meal was the halibut dinner although the piece of fish was probably only 3 ounces, and very pricey at $48 for the portion size. Sort of disappointing for our anniversary dinner. read more

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The service and quality of food and vibes are always the BEST here! This is why we keep Coming back! read more

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Tiny place where tables are jammed very close together and atmosphere is extremely loud, not a relaxing place to eat. We had their old fashioned and lemon drop which were OK. We shared french onion soup, shishito peppers, mac n cheese, fries and pork chop entree. The soup had a great tasty cheesy crouton on top but soup was not remarkable. Shishitos were covered in some type of mayo-like sauce, mac n cheese a bit dry, fries were hot, crispy, excellent! The very large pork chop was juicy and good. It was definitely worth trying but sadly we probably won't return. read more

Bonjourno! Please step right into the most vintage, coziest, foodie focused, and extravagant cocktail restaurant. Meet Josephine, it's French cuisine and the drinks are staff-crafted by working pros... a taste you won't wanna miss. Weekly featured drinks, Seasonal drinks/Food Menu. I had the honor of being served by Josiah with his crafted "Wake the dead" cocktail - a coffee liqueur and Rye Whiskey affair that suited my snobby palette of boujee coffee and rye whiskey with pure satisfaction. Assisted to that was the house frites. Fresh fried in peanut oil and served house Aioli. Cmon now! I just came for drinks, but ended the night with a N/A IPA and some fresh local bread (warm to the touch from a bakery next door) served with class and some butter from Vermont. I can't wait to bring my date back for the food & dessert. Ciao! read more

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Food was fabulous, prices were very decent for the quantity and quality of the food! Service was attentive and quick. The vibe of the restaurant is so jazzy and romantic. Super cute for a date!! The mussels were genuinely amazing btw- definitely will be back for that dish alone read more

Restaurant Josephine - josephine burger - French Near Me - Auburn, California

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I love that they are cocktails are so creative. I had the sesame oil cucumber cocktail. It's one of the best things I've ever had in my life. Absolutely cannot go wrong with their chicken or their pork chops. read more

Great bistro. Started with their happy hour selection (a small selection of main menu options, same prices) and mixed drinks. Delicious and varied drinks. Started with a grilled cheese toast and smoked cod dip...wonderful. Entrees included seared halibut, roasted chicken and English pea veraniki with an asparagus salad and beet salad. Dessert was a must try of chocolate profiteroles, lemon tart and a strawberry pavlova. All in all a lovely dinner. read more

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We found ourselves back at our favorite little restaurant nestled in the heart of Auburn. We had the pleasure of being taken care of once again by our wonderful host, Robert, who also served us during our last visit. It was such a warm and welcoming feeling to be recognized and remembered. If you ever get the chance to interact with Robert, you'll see why. I had been dying to try the Josephine Burger since our last visit, so we decided to make it our appetizer. Robert was surprised and told us we were the first party to ever order the burger as a starter! Let me tell you, even though it's on the smaller side, this burger packs an incredible punch of flavor, and the fries were perfectly crispy and delicious. Perfect way to start the meal. For our entrées, we stuck with our favorites from before, the Vareniki and the Pork Chop. Both were just as outstanding as we remembered and reminded my girlfriend and I why we always speak so highly of Josephine. To finish, we had the almond cake for dessert, and it was absolutely heavenly. Coming from someone who rarely orders dessert when dining out, I can honestly say I'm excited to try every dessert Josephine offers. I highly recommend making a reservation and experiencing this hidden gem for yourself. It's truly the best bang for your buck if you're looking for a memorable and elevated night out. read more

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All I can say is "oh my God" the food the service the ambience the people it was on a scale of one out of 10 it was 15,15,15 & 15. Being a San Francisco boy I'm used to good food but these two chefs I mean from start to finish. It was just incredible. The night couldn't have been any any better it was 82° not even a hint of a breeze and it was just we sat close to the door so we could greet people coming in and I got to sing a little bit to some of the people around me and they enjoyed it and we just had a ball everybody just chimed in Robert Our waiter was just funny as hell and I made him crack up some too. My favorite muscles on the planet where at on Lombard Street Rowanan's I remember going in there in the 80s and 90s when I was coming back from Moran or the sea Ranch and I would stop there and have a bowl of their muscles in butter sauce with French bread that came from Boudin and you would just dip the bread in the butter and the mussels it was 599 and it was the best goddamn meal in San Francisco and then I told Herb Cain about it and mentioned it in his article and everybody went there for the muscles and they weren't selling anything else. They finally went out of business. This is what happens when you tell people your favorite restaurant and this is what happens to it so what I just said about resturant, Josephine was all lie. It's terrible place. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but for me it was a 15 read more

I went to Josephine's with my mom for a mother-daughter date. It was intimate and dimly lit. The size of the restaurant isn't large, so it was a little loud, but not so loud that you couldn't have a conversation. Our server was so knowledgeable about everything on the menu and was so kind and he gave us so many different recommendations and could describe each part of the dish perfectly. Some of the menu can be pricey, but we were able to order a lot of things and stay around $150 and everything was moderately priced! Here is what we ordered and the rating: Mushroom Toast: 5/5 Seasonal Cauliflower Soup: 5/5 Pierogi type seasonal dish: 5/5 Fries: 4/5 Wedge Salad: 4/5 (spicy) Half chicken: 5/5 Chocolate mousse dessert: 5/5 Lemon tart dessert: 5/5 read more

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If I could give this restaurant six stars I would! Everything was perfect from the service to the ambience to the delicious food. Gaspacho soup was delicious and earthy. We split the pork chop and it was heavenly. The beet salad was out of this world. I know it is rated $$$$ but I didn't think it was more outrageously expensive than some of the other places in the area. We went on a Monday and the earliest reservation was 8:00 PM but it turned out to be the perfect time. Run do not walk to this place if you want an experience that is on another level altogether. read more

-Very romantic atmosphere with mood lighting and tasteful decor. Perfect for date night! -Restaurant has a parking lot on the side, makes it much easier to access. -Reservations were easy to make, glad we had them because for a Thursday evening the place was full and lively. No bar seats were left. -The booth-table seating is a bit odd; the booth seat sits lower than the chair seat, so the table is chest level if you're less than 5ft 5 in. -Came here with a party of 4, and has excellent service from Robert. He made sure he answered all our questions and gave some very good recommendations. -I had the Tom Ka cocktail, I thought it was going to be odd having all the ingredient of a Thai dish but it was perfectly balanced with a hint of spiciness. -We had a variety of oysters from different regions of the US. All 3 that we tried were delicious. -Bread service is a must! They serve it warm and sliced with Vermont butter. -Beet salad and Caesar salad were good starters and a shareable size. -FARMERS CHEESE VARENIKI. Love at first bite. So creamy, pasta is so soft and fresh. I would come back just to eat this. -Our table enjoyed their Josephine burgers, cooked exactly as requested and Crispy Half Chicken. -We got the nectarine almond cake which came with a corn silk ice cream and one that was served with whey ice cream. It was interesting, but not a favorite. The cake tasted like a drier corn bread, and the ice cream straight corn. Might be better paired with vanilla ice cream. -We liked the presentation of the food, served on beautifully unique plates. -Price points are actually reasonable, probably $$$, instead of $$$$ as indicated on Yelp. -Lot of great vegetarian options, some can be made vegan upon request. Hope to enjoy this place again the next we are in town! read more

Maybe pricey for the quality. This was our first and probably only visit here. The service was very good and it was quite crowded on a random Wed night - we couldn't get a res till 7:30PM. As others noted it is pretty noisy. A very nice selection of drinks, wines and beers to start (wife tried their Old Fashioned). The french-onion soup was very good, tho I think they need a stronger flavored gruyer cheese, assuming that was what it was (classically). Wife had the salmon which at $44 was not very tasty - we've had much better fish from Briar Patch and cooked at home. Also, it seemed to be in a Bordelaise red wine beef-stock based sauce which we think is not right for fish. I had the $25 "gourmet" burger which was OK, but very greasy. It was prob a 1/2 lb patty with again some not very flavorful gruyer cheese - and a ton of pretty nice fries. We didn't have dessert. I think it is a good try at a French bistro style restaurant in Auburn tho a bit pricey for the quality, and very crowded for just OK food. read more

Restaurant Josephine - salmon entree - French Near Me - Auburn, California

Excellent! Such an adorable spot nestled in a quaint town. Staff were friendly and not pretentious. You can tell the owners put their heart and soul into this place. Definitely felt the love through the food. The food was impeccable and you can tell they only soured the best most fresh ingredients. We had the duck liver mousse and it was everything. Absolutely perfect. The French onion soup was flavorful and the perfect ratio of soup and melt cheese and bread. Not too salty. I had the vareniki, my first time having this and it was wonderful. The drinks were heavenly, we tried several but the Fleur de la Coeur was my fave. Compliments to the chef!! read more

My wife and I enjoyed dinner at this quaint restaurant. Our server, Robert, was excellent. Our appetizers, beet salad and French onion soup, were very good. My wife commented that the half chicken was one of the best she ever tasted. My mussels were very good in the wonderful sauce, but the large compliment of French fries was unnecessary. What would have been better paired would have been their homemade bread that was under the chicken. Wine selection was as expected. read more

I normally have great service here! However, the last time that we went we were celebrating our engagement that happened that day and was clarified on the reservation. It was also our last nice dinner before my fiancé left for BMT so we were disappointed that we didn't get a congratulations and our server only checked on us once. On our previous trips here we had that server and he was amazing so we specifically requested him. There were a lot of people at the restaurant so I'm not faulting him. I was just very disappointed. The food is good every time we've been there. I did try their Mocktail, which was amazing! Everyone did their job well, there's no complaints. Just disappointed that such a special day fizzled out like that. read more

Restaurant Josephine - This was one of the previous visits you can't skip out on the baker and cake maker bread! - French Near Me - Auburn, California

I'll be honest, even though I really enjoy well-conceived and prepared food, I still roll my eyes when I hear that there are reservations windows opening--it doesn't dampen my desire to partake in, but it does raise my expectations for sure. That said, it's hard to get good French food in these parts (Northern California) and Restaurant Josephine had been brought to my attention by a few foodie friends. Happy Birthday to me! Adorable decor, immediate seating, efficient friendly server with appropriate recommendations on request. I had escargot in a nice melted butter with garlic and herbs, not too heavy; a beautifully prepared halibut; a lovely meringue dessert. C'était charmant et je reviendrai bientôt! read more

Restaurant Josephine - Meringues - French Near Me - Auburn, California

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FOOD - French Onion Soup Gratinee: the best French onion soup I've ever had. It was so good! So much flavor and cheese! 5/5 - Crispy Iron Half Chicken: grilled chicken over a slice of grilled bread. I'm very hesitant to order any kind of chicken that's not fried because it tends to be dry. This chicken was moist. The dark meat was very moist, the white meat was pretty moist. It was well-marinated. I couldn't pass up the chicken skin. The bread soaked in all the chicken flavors. It was tasty, but borderline salty. I still ate every last crumb. 4.75/5 - Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova: I've never had pavlova before but I liked it. It's like meringue stuffed with fruit and nuts. 4/5 SERVICE: We arrived early and were seated early. We appreciated not having to wait. We were seated by the bar which was kinda loud. I know, this makes me sound old. lol. Our server was friendly and welcoming. 4/5 FINAL THOUGHTS: I would come back. The food was good. My husband liked his steak. It came with fries. I didn't care for the fries. I'm glad I didn't order it as a side. read more

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The Restaurant is as charming and seductive as the French-born renowned performer, singer, actress, and starlet, Josephine Baker. One of the easiest ways to spot a good restaurant, is to look for a crowd outside. Don't take this "out-of-towners" word for it, just ask all of the locals squeezing into the place to get a seat. As I reflect about my experience at Josephine's, I don't even know where to begin. Part of me hesitates, selfishly to share this gem. If the wait on a Sunday evening at 5:30pm was an indicator of the popularity, what will I expect next time I'm in town? Yet, the purpose is to spread the word of people doing good things. My friends, when the staff is happy and proud to work for a place, well, you know there is something special in the sauce. We started out with the Steak Tartare and Duck Liver Mousse. The tartare was finely minced, with shaved radish, celery leaf, and grilled bread. It was light, refreshing, and yet filling. Siberian pine cone caramel, pickled turnip, and triangular toast are the words used on the menu to describe the Mousse. The flavor slowly released into your mouth like a favorite wine, playing with your taste buds. There were notes of this and that at first bite, then a finish that made you ponder what you were salivating over. Exquisite. The Halibut was amazingly enjoyable, swimming with textures and flavor. The burger was a solid choice, using Waygu meat and onion confit. I'm not going to say anymore...go find out for yourself what's their best dish! Oh, and let me remind you, their menu changes and some items are seasonal. While you're at it, ask Josiah to serve you up one of his experimental cocktails. The gent is a scientist with concoctions. I had the Tom Kha and the Elote...I'm not even going to explain them, I'll let the expert do that! I'm impressed how well they were able to compose various flavors into their drinks...especially the Elote drink, so sophisticated and smooth. The drinks were as delicious as the food. What else do I have to say? read more

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Amazing French restaurant in Auburn, CA. The place has a great atmosphere and the food, drinks and service is outstanding. Last night we had an amazing porcini mushroom soup that was to die for. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the mussels were delicious. The bar drinks are very creative. The service is outstanding and Robert is our fav waiter. He is very knowledgeable and knows the extensive wine list to a T. This place should have a Michelin star. Make reservations way in advance. read more

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Fantastic French restaurant tucked away in Auburn in a very non conspicuous corner right off of the freeway. Feels like you're in a NYC restaurant - dimly lit, beautiful atmosphere, perfect for date night and celebrating anniversaries/birthdays/etc. Reservations are a good idea since it's always pretty busy, even during the weekdays. It's on Tock (so it's a little bougie). Servers are super friendly and really set the tone for a lovely meal and evening. Prices are a bit on the higher side, so this is definitely more of a special-occasion type place. Their food is really, really good! Classic French cuisine with a twist on certain items - so flavorful without being heavy, with a fun and interesting menu with plenty of options depending on what you feel like exploring. There are seafood, meat, and vegetable forward dishes - something for everyone. Cocktails were just OK, but their wine list is pretty extensive. Dessert was fantastic - their almond cake is light and fluffy, just the right amount of sweet. Would definitely love to return here in the future. For sure a keeper/saver, as long as it's within your budget! read more

My wife and I have wanted to experience Restaurant Josephine for quite sometime so we were thrilled when our name came up on the waitlist for a reservation on our anniversary. Parking was really tough this night but we managed. The ambiance is classy, cool but comfortable. Our server was Robert and he was great the whole night. There when we needed him and tending to others when we did not. He had great timing and such a personable way about him. We started off both partaking in their take on a French 75. It was a delicious cocktail and pretty to look at. I had the roasted beet salad and my wife the pumpkin soup. We both thoroughly enjoyed our choices. For dinner she got the pork chop and I got the English Pea Vareniki. Amazing flavors and beautifully presented. Robert surprised us with a complementary sorbet dessert to celebrate our anniversary. All in all, a wonderful experience all around in food, service, and ambiance. read more

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Curiosity made us do the drive to this Auburn restaurant. Yelp reviews and a friend asking if I tried their French cuisine yet lead us to this area of Placer. We had reservations for two on a Friday and got seated by the bar as we got a bit early for our 5pm slot. We had to ask for a booth as the bar was just a little cramped. This bistro, by the way, has limited seating without outdoor options. For drinks, we had the Josephine Old Fashioned, Tom Kha cocktail, Hot Buttered Rum and a Lilac Breeze Mocktail. For those who've tried the Tom Kha Thai coconut soup, their version is exactly like it but served cold and mixed with gin. Our dinner started with the Rabbit & Pork Terrine (think pâté without the liver) and Pommes Frites with Adjika Mayo (well done fries with spicy aioli). I always get onion soup when in French restaurants and their's was easily 5/5. For our main dishes, I got the Josephine Wagyu Burger and my wife ordered the Duroc Pork Chop. Since the succulent pork chop was generously portioned, we decided to share it and had the burger to-go. Pork chop tasted good and I assumed the burger was excellent as well as my son inhaled it as soon as we got home. Definitely would go again read more

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I've wanted to try this place for over a year. Finally made it for my wife's birthday. We made our reservation online a couple of weeks in advance. We arrived at 5 pm on a Friday night. We were unfortunately unable to sit next to each other...no "love seats." We ordered drinks and starters. Anna asked for rose' and was given two to sample, both delightful. I asked our server for something caffeinated and I got the espresso martini, which was the bomb!! So tasty. The starters were an eggplant dip and a delicious, expertly crafted and curated watermelon soup. Both were wonderful! The eggplant dip was served with naan-like bread and it was all to die for. Our server, Emma, was helpful, efficient and knowledgeable. The place was packed but the noise level was reasonable. Our entrees arrived. Anna got the steak with fries. The sauce was so incredibly perfect, with mushrooms perfectly balanced with the other ingredients. The meat was cooked exactly as she likes it. Alaskan halibut for me. Crispy golden brown on the outside and not one bite was undercooked. Moist and scrumptious. We finished every bite of our entrees and enquired about dessert. Anna ordered the strawberry pavlova which was a special. She loved it. I got a piece of cake with a little dollop of ice cream described as fig leaf. Cake was a bit dry, but what I really wanted was the ice cream. Staff was attentive but not obnoxiously so. Surroundings were very nice. Plates were an eclectic collection, perhaps from antique stores or thrifted. It's a very old building and the restaurant is in an old storefront. We loved this place and will definitely be back for more special occasions. I want to try the burger! Only two minor complaints: no love seats as I mentioned, and high fructose corn syrup in the ketchup/catsup. Organic ketchup and/or ketchup made without it is readily available. Considering the overall top quality of the ingredients, better, healthier ketchup should be included. That being said, the aioli for fries was quite tasty!! Altogether under $200 for drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts. Worth every penny. Thanks Josephine!! read more

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Probably one of the most underrated spots in Placer County. Just up the road in Auburn, Ca and well worth the drive. Fantastic, unhurried service and an exciting menu. read more

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Tucked away in a quaint spot, just walking in is welcoming, food was excellent, service is what you expect from a fine restaurant, thumbs up

A couple of years ago we were a gifted a dinner at Josephines. It is very cute-there are small tables for 2 lined up along one wall with a loooong cushioned continuous "booth" seat along the wall and individual chairs across the table. The opposite wall had smaller tables. Very nice atmosphere. The entrees were very tasty-BUT if you are a big eater, or hungry, this isn't the place for you. Beautiful presentation. Interesting choices. I had the duck mousse starter-which was a little dab of mousse with micro greens sprinkled around it. My husband didn't order an appetizer. Mine was too small to really share...plus he didn't think he wanted to taste it. I ordered the chicken which came with a small pile of a cabbage "salad". Mine was good. My husband ordered the Josephine burger. It was dry and wasn't enough. He's not a huge eater, but these portions were pretty small. A few greens sprinkled on a plate, a little dab of this or that. Artsy....but not a place we'd return to if we want a filling meal. Altho, I think a cocktail at their little bar would be nice. read more

The service was right on. Our server Eric was awesome. The food is always over the top