Very popular spot so we suggest to book a table before going. We have seen people being turned away because there's no availability. Menu was great and I definitely recommended their mussels. They have a starter portion and a main portion, tbh it doesn't make a massive difference. If you want to try a few more things, get it as a starter and get something else for main. We are rather disappointed in the duck leg because the flavor was so uneven - some bites are great, some are too spiced. read more

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I adore French food and when I saw there was a French restaurant in York that had good reviews and fairly reasonable prices, I made a reservation for our first of four nights in town. We were seated quickly and had a nice table on the main floor. Our drink orders were taken post haste, a bottle of Les Vignerons - Carignan Syrah (£25.15) and a pineapple juice (£2.25), and delivered equally as fast. The male server arrived with an open bottle and started pouring, chug-a-lug-a-lug, no tasting, just sloppily emptying the bottle into my glass. It was tremendously unimpressive. Great start! We both ordered the three-course Set Menu (£25.95). For our entrees, I had the Moules Marinieres à la Creme (mussels in a wine, garlic, herb, and cream sauce) and my wife the Champignons a L'Ail (mushrooms in a garlic cream sauce). My mussels were plentiful for a starter and fresh, but I could barely taste the wine, garlic, or cream. The sauce was watery. My wife's mushrooms were very tasty. On to Les Plats Principaux ... Mine was the Steak Frites with Mushroom Sauce and my wife's the Tarte aux Champignons et Pont L'Eveque (mushroom tart with leeks and Pont L'Eveque cheese). My steak was tiny, four to five ounces max, and half of it was gristle, so I was able to swallow maybe three ounces of it. I told the server that the first bite was very tough, but I never saw her again until I had chewed and spat out half of the steak. The fries were hot and tasty and the mushroom sauce was good, but what a huge disappointment. My spouse enjoyed her tart, but I thought it was rather bland. For dessert, I asked for the Sèlection de Fromages Francais (French cheese board) and my lovely bride the Crème Brûlèe. My cheeses were very good, with three varieties and coming with a bit of lettuce and a few grapes as well as a small baguette. I left just enough wine in the bottle to savor one of my favorite things in life - cheese, bread, and wine. My wife's crème brûlèe was massive, the biggest I had ever seen, so she hit a triple while I had just s single - she hit 1.000 for the night while I hit a mere .333. Our server, Didi, was very sweet and felt terrible because I had not enjoyed my meal, so she offered to discount my meal. However, my journalistic integrity would not allow me to accept remuneration for my meal and we paid full fare - £91+ including tip. A couple of small things spoiled this meal and both were completely avoidable. A little more wine, garlic, and cream, a minuscule cost for the restaurant, would have brought the mussels to a five-star level. As far as the tiny, cheap cut of meat I received, I had no problem with the size had it been tender because bigger is not always better, just ask my friend's wife. Quality control in the kitchen was obviously lacking, hence my rating ... CombatCritic Gives Rustique 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! read more

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**June 2022: Sunday Dinner** Came here with a large group of 20 to enjoy dinner and everything here was excellent. From the service to the food to the atmosphere it was a quintessential French experience. Meal *Orangina: A French favorite drink, and mine too! *Pate De Foies De Volaille: Geese liver isn't everyone's preference but I wanted to try something extremely french and this was very decadent. There was an abundance of pate (and actually not enough bread). For the adventure taster I think this would give you a run for your money. *Confit De Canard: Duck and Scalloped Potatoes - This is absolutely delicious and I essentially licked my plate clean. The perfect amount quantity wise and I loved the savory sauce and that my duck was not dry! *Creme Brulee: Is this not the perfect way to end a meal? I mean a nice torched crust and creamy custard is heaven to me. Summary Overall, I had a wonderful time here and I think this restaurant would be a great destination for couples, families, and coworkers. Two thumbs up! read more

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Having not seen my longest-known friend in the UK for over 12 years, I was somewhat apprehensive meeting up with him for the first 10 seconds before the time melted away and the banter quickly reverted to the same dynamics always. While the original purpose of my visit to York didn't matter, with a last minute cancellation due to a cold, this proved far better. That gave me an extra day to meet up with both this dear friend and his mother, who despite mobility issues, was the same plucky girl I be always loved. She highly recommended this gorgeous French restaurant next to Clifford's Tower and nurtured along another convert. Rustique has more than a few notable dishes, as I had the privilege of visiting twice in four weeks after rescheduling a visit to the same client. The mushrooms were a superb starter with a sauce that necessitated one to use the obligatory French bread to soak up the juices. Following on, the beef bourguignon had such a rich red wine sauce and the potatoes were stunning. Dessert was gorgeous to top off the meal, with the bananas in caramel sauce, which was given an encore on my second visit a month later. Rustique is highly recommended and a haunt worth revisiting yet again and a place where the staff apparently know my friend's mother rather well! read more

Right next to the Hilton, very convenient. The atmosphere into entryway is fun and inviting. I would recommend making a reservation as a couple of times, i was not able to get a table. The suggestions from the waiters were great. I enjoyed the coq au vin. Ate her twice during my stay read more

We heard great reviews of this restaurant - and maybe that's part of my disappointment. The style and atmosphere is good, the food was flavorless. Service, while efficient, was not great. I'd pass. read more

My friends and I had a fabulous meal at Rustique when we visited York. The menu was extensive, and their prix fixe was very reasonable. They have two or three-course options and their portion sizes were perfect. We had the mussels and pate for starters - delicious, but could do with more bread. The broth the mussels came in was perfectly seasoned, and ranks in the top 3 I have ever had. My friends had a seafood pasta dish for their entree selection, and they were happy with their dish (I found it to be a little dry). I ordered the seared fish (branzino, I think) with sweet potato puree - fish was cooked perfectly, but the combination with the sweet potato was a bit odd. They tasted great when eaten in separate mouthfuls. Dessert was sticky toffee pudding (amazing), a cheese board, and creme brulee (less sweet, more eggy). Our server was attentive and very polite, and overall we had a great meal. I regret not ordering the escargot! read more

We booked the restaurant based on reviews as we are from the US. The service started out a tad shaky, but things someday out and the food was excellent. All in all, a go to pkace. We'd go back for aure read more

I swear, everything on Rustique's menu looks amazing...and with the 2- or 3-course menu prices, you can try quite a few of them, as well! Our airbnb host recommended this restaurant to my friend and I, and given its convenient location right next to the Gardens, we chose to come here for our last dinner in York. We both started off with the lamb kofta appetizer: the well-portioned skewer was succulent and strongly seasoned, with all the savoury lamb juice soaking into the flatbread and the crisp, fresh salad. For our main course, I chose the tender and perfectly crispy duck confit - I wanted to lick the plate when I was finished, haha. I had mentioned my dairy allergy to the server when I ordered and she substituted the dauphinoise potatoes for green beans, which I appreciated! My friend ordered the loup de mer on sweet potato puree, and although the dry/scorched skin on the outside of the fish worried us at first, it ended up very delicious. I had a glass of Chilean wine to accompany my meal; there are very affordably priced options. Don't discount the daily specials that they write on the chalkboard or the tantalizing dessert menu, though I can't tell you about either of them. A fabulous choice for York tourists, overall! read more

We have been here 5 or 6 times now over a few years. I live 60 miles/ 100k away and my wife and I actually create a reason to go to York so we can visit for lunch. All of the other reviews simply state what is now become very obvious. It a superb place... However - it fills up very quickly. We've only ever been for lunch and always arrive at opening. By the time we leave the place is packed, which is always nice to see. The menu is very good. the service is always on point and the price is very fair. Every time I've been I've hand the 'French onion soup' starter. It is so deep in flavour it really doesn't disappoint. I would like to try other starters but if I have something else I will fell like I've cheated myself by not having it.... The decor in the restaurant is great, very eye catching and you find yourself just looking about the place. Rest rooms are extremely clean. The stairs are a little steep the the seating area upstairs but this is an old building which is understandable. I have spoken about this please to many people and was actually recommended it by a friend. It's a gem!!! read more

I couldn't even think straight, I was so hungry... That literally the first restaurant we walked by, we entered... We just needed FOOD! Rustique is a little French restaurant, serving up the traditional cuisine, including frogs legs... With lots of butter! I ordered the salmon Nicoise, my friend ordered the frog's legs, scallop, etc trio and my fiancé ordered the grilled chicken sandwich with French Fries... After about 20 minutes of all of us just hungrily staring at one another, our food FINALLY arrived... My fiancé even made a note of saying "was part of the deal of eating here, is having to go and cook our meals ourselves?" Salad Nicoise: the salmon was perfection, so moist, so fresh and so so flavorful... Alas this Nicoise was missing TWO intricate ingredients that MAKE IT A NICOISE... Green Beans and Olives! If they skimped on the anchovies as well, I probably would have asked for all of these ingredients to be served to me on the side... Alas I did not because AT LEAST the salt mini fish were there. I also DID ask for an extra egg and I was pleasantly surprised that they actually listened to my wish! Frog's Legs, etc: All quite tasty but apparently VERY heavy on the butter, making this meal super rich, so much so that my friend didn't even bother to have dinner that evening. Chicken Sandwich: Mr Picky Pants (my fiancé) thought his sandwich was rather bland, although he gave me some of his beautifully grilled chicken and I thought it was pretty tasty... However I did notice that the sandwich was comprised simply of chicken and bread... No cheese, dressing or anything so I could see why he thought it was bland. He wound up using my salad dressing I asked for on the side, as a dipping sauce for his sandwich. As for his fries, he thought they were pretty kick ass! Over all, this place filled our stomachs but we weren't regaling over the food, saying ten times over that we could eat there again and again... Thanks for filling us up, but we won't be back. I guess the next time we are starving, we won't let out blinding hunger make the decision for us as to where to eat. I actually saw a place two doors down that said "best sandwiches in York"... And I KNOW my fiancé was thinking "shit, I should have gotten a bite from that place". read more

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We were looking for a place that offered a little more than pub grub. Rustique offered a classic French menu. My wife ordered the chicken and I had the steak, both off the two course prix fixe menu, then shared a dessert. All were excellent. Full wine selection. Service was outstanding, even with a full party celebration upstairs. We were never rushed a closed the place. Best meal we had in England. read more

This place has it all. Huge menu, good service, delicious food and of course air conditioning! It's got a good selection of french music and jazz and is a nice place to sit overall. I really recommend this place. read more

Rustique is a great little French bistro in downtown York. Recently went with some friends, one from London, one a York local. The local said Rustique has quite a good reputation as a top restaurant in York and can be fairly difficult to get into. We had a reservation and when we arrived the place was packed and stayed that way all night. Luckily, Rustique didnt disappoint. First, I have to say that the 2 or 3-course set menus are such a steal. 12.95 for two amazing courses? Crazy. Also the house wine is very good and quite reasonable as well. Had the two course set menu with crayfish and shrimp cocktail starter and a duck confit main. Both were really nice. In addition to the good food, the atmosphere is very nice. Fairly low lighting, candles on the table, warm. Also, the service is very good. I would recommend making a bit later reservation though, as earlier reservations may be a bit rushed in order to accommodate the next seating. We made a reservation for 7:30pm and did not have anyone waiting for our table afterwards so we had time to sit and enjoy our wine without feeling rushed. Overall a very enjoyable place. Good food, good service, good atmosphere. I look forward to returning. read more

My girlfriend and I were in York for the weekend and we could not have chosen a better place to have spent the evening. Situated in the middle of the old city centre, Rustique brings delicious french cuisine to York. The ambiance is really cosy and although they managed to fit lots of tables close to each other, you don't feel intruded by other guests at all. The food was simply amazing and definitely the best French food I've ever had in the UK. As a starter I took the tiger prawns and my girlfriend had the scallops. Both were absolutely amazing and the spiciness of my prawns was perfect as well. Another plus point: the bread with that delicious butter that comes on every table is mouthwatering. For the main, she had the leg of duck and I had the lamb rump. Both were quite equal dishes (the gratin, beans and jus) and both meats were brilliant. The duck must have been of the most tender (and not dry) ones I've ever had and my lamb was pink to perfection with a nice herb & garlic crust around it. I just can't describe how good all these were. With a £20 bottle of red wine, the total amount on the bill was only £65! Maybe it's because we are used to London prices already, but we were both blown away by the price for such great value and amount of food. If you happen to be in York and are up for some quality food in the evening, I can't recommend this place enough. read more

Stopped in for lunch today and ate from the set menu. Soup of the day (Tomato and goat's cheese) and sea bass on sweet potato with a lemon dill sauce. Servings sizes were great loads of food, and it all tasted really good. The soup was really rich, the sea bass had some perfectly crispy skin and the sauce was beautiful. The doors into the venue are...odd. The wide front door swings into a tiny porch, then you have to manoeuvre it closed to get to the inner doors, which pull out into the same tiny porch. To be fair, it's the only negative thing I could find, and it's quite likely I was just being clumsy. read more

This restaurant was excellent. I just arrived in York after s long train ride from Scotland. I was famished and would have settled for anywhere. Luckily I found This wonderful French restaurant with amazing deals. I paid £16 for two filling courses. My food was excellent (probably the best place I have eaten in the UK since I arrived 4 weeks ago). Great atmosphere for adults to enjoy a nice meal. They have a good wine collection and a really expansive menu. I will definitely done here again when I come back to York! read more

This was booked for our girls beano to York by the birthday girl who randomly found it in the internet. She was won over by the fixed menu which helps when dealing with a larger than average group. It was £15 for two courses and £17 for three. I couldn't resist the French onion soup that came filled with oozing cheesy rounds of French bread so you couldn't even see the soup when it arrived. The soup itself was absolutely spot on and the cheesy topping just made it divine. For main I went with duck and port sauce with mash. I barely said a word while I scoffed it down and let the girls chatter on. The duck was soft and broke away easily and the port sauce was well balanced and slightly spiced like a hearty European version of the Chinese pancake. Dessert was creme brulee which was exactly as expected, delish. I also heard riotous reviews of the lemon cheesecake. Top that with an Irish coffee and you have a set of very happy ladies, stomachs lined and ready to take on York. Even with the extras the price was reasonable and we were all so impressed with the whole experience and the lovely staff also deserve a mention. read more

I had a really nice time here! The food was very tasty, it came out quickly and was very reasonably priced on their fixed menu. There could be some improvements made to the food, like the confit du canard I had could have had crispier skin and the dauphinoise potatoes were rather heavy on the garlic. The service was quick and the waitress was attentive, topping up our glasses regularly. Overall, it was a really enjoyable meal! Enjoy! NB - Go for the fixed menu rather than going a la carte, it's much cheaper and more fun! read more

Really nice and central. We went as a treat for my husbands brithday. The menu is good and theres also a menu on a budget either 2 courses for £16.00 of 3 courses for £18.00 so good and there is plenty of choice. The staff are very good polite service would recommend. Its also easy parking castlegate car park. Ive also visited the Lendal resturant that is also very good read more

A great place for a romantic dinner in York. Loved the food! We got the prawns and scallops as the appetizers, lamb and duck as the mains. The bread was also delicious, super fresh. Remember to make a reservation because this place gets really packed. read more

Rustique - French Near Me - York, YOR

This is a nice place to enjoy lunch, with a good interior and wasn't too loud, so you can talk to whoever you go with. I had tried two starters: the chicken liver pate and the croutons of melted goats cheese, both of which I though was yummy. I'm not a huge pate fan, but I do enjoy it in a smaller quantity on toasted bread with the marmalade dip. My main was quite good: the chicken breast cooked Brittany style with mushrooms, leeks and onions and dauphinoise potatoes. I just thought the sauce was abit too runny, or it is meant to be like that? I do not know to be honest! Overall I would give this place 3.5 stars, and will go back again to try other dishes on the menu. read more

We had a wonderful dinner at Rustique during our time in York. The closest thing to dining in France itself I've had. Traditional onion soup, streak frites and creme brûlée were all delicious. We paired it with a wine from Bordeaux and finished our meal with coffee/tea. Highly recommend dining here! read more

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One of the best restaurants I've ever been. Great attention to details, and excellent service, great food. read more

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We walked in without a reservation and the team was kind enough to seat us, though restricted for an hour. We ordered the Sea bass and the Ratatouille. Both the dishes were well made and had very good, authentic and balance flavors. Good attention to the plating details. The service was good too! The waitresses were making their rounds to the tables and asking how the food was. Food came in quickly too. Had smiling faces too! Good level of service! The price point is perfect. I wouldn't say its cheap, but it is certainly value for money, specially with the flavors and plating that the food was presented with. Overall, highly recommend this to locals and tourists alike! read more

My partner took me here for my birthday. Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff. The food was excellent as well. Found a wine I really liked recommended by our waitress. read more

This lovely little restaurant is located just around the corner from the York Hilton. I was out for a stroll and decided to stop in for dinner. I ordered from the prix fix menu and was not disappointed. I selected the fried Brie with berries and green salad for a starter and it was amazing. My main course was a chicken with leeks, mushrooms and potatoes in a delicious, light cream sauce. All comfort food should taste like this dish. It was incredibly flavorful and completely delicious. I really needed some French bread to soak up the juices, but had i ordered any, I would not have been able to select a dessert. My dessert selection was a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake with vanilla bean ice cream. Officially now in a food coma! read more

What a find! A cosy little French restaurant with authentic atmosphere nestled close to the York museum. If you want to eat on a Saturday or at any peak time you must book in advance. We were out of luck on Saturday afternoon; the place was bursting at the seams! However, on Sunday we managed to get a table for two in one of the prettiest little restaurants I've visited for a while. The menu offered a wide choice on special offer - £12.95 for two courses. It was outstanding - the service and the food. We were given free coffees afterwards as the manager felt we'd waited too long for our Creme Brûlées, although neither my fiancée or I felt this was the case. We could have lingered there all day; a romantic little slice of Paris in the middle of York. Highly recommended. read more

The food is usually very good, just don't expect too much from the fixed menu. The main menu is always full of interesting options and the steak is great. Can be very very noisy for some reason, this can detract from the meal some times. read more

One of my favourite places to eat food is delicious never lets you down. The staff are so pleasant and friendly you will not be disappointed! read more

Rustique - French Near Me - York, YOR

Overall a great meal and value...had the French onion soup, lamb rump and toffee for desert. Thought the soup to be a bit light and should had added some beans or ratatouille but the toffee was amazing which aligned with the service, seating and quality. Highly recommend...can't go wrong here! read more

I'm a big fan of french cuisine, and this place nails it. Great value too. Probably best to reserve in advance as it gets pretty busy around dinner time. More of a casual, bistro atmosphere than a romantic french restaurant. Staff are friendly. Worth your time. read more

Stumbled across this place in York over the weekend and stopped in for lunch. We went for the set menu (£14.99 for 2 courses) and for the price it was brilliant. I had the crab cakes and then the salmon salad - the size of the portion of fish alone was worth the money! Food was lovely, service very attentive too, plus it's in a nice little part of town too (stop by the art galleries over the road!) Highly recommended! read more

The rack of lamb was excellent! Service was great. We enjoyed our experience at the Rustique and would recommend it to others.

My dish was Confit de Canard. Fantastic taste! If you come visiting York, stop by this place and you will like it.

A pleasant venue, but not necessarily quaint nor particularly cozy. Food was okay & solid, but, again, nothing special, especially for a place that is well-regarded in the guide books. Prices reasonable, especially the wine, for which they had a fair selection. Wouldn't avoid it if in the area, but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to find it, either. You could probably do better, and worse! read more

I came with a party of 10. The service was good and the food was absolutely excellent. The mussels in wine sauce were among the very best I've had. For an entree, I ordered the leg of lamb. It was cooked perfectly. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

I'm had a steak and it was terrible they brought it cover in french friends which seem a bit suspect and them it tasted strange dry really odd any way offered me something else but not another steak my friend offered me some of her chicken it was like rubber i think they were too busy that night always had a good meal there at the end of the meal they gave us our cheesecake free which was fine read more

We went for a pre theatre meal, dining at 5.30 pm. The place was full even at that time of the day. Great atmosphere, good service (even supplied me with a pair of reading glasses - I'd forgotten mine). Good setting, dim lights, table candles - but the main attraction has to be the value. £12.95 for an extensive two course fixed price menu in a popular city centre restaurant with reasonable quality house wine at ( from memory) £12.99 has to be a bargain. I had a spicy sausage dish as a starter and sea food pancake for a main course. They were both substantial, well presented and tasty. The total bill for four of us, including drinks, was £82.00. Recommended. read more