French Restaurants near San Jose, CA

“Nice place and relaxing place for fine dining.“

“Wow. French-Vietnamese already sets high expectations for me. Not only it is rare to find such in the Bay Area but also you know you're putting together two of the tastiest cuisines. From that regards, we walked into Elyse with high hopes and it absolutely delivered.

As we all know, Vietnam was under the French influence and you have these wonderful concoctions like the Banh Mi. We were curious to see what a French base cuisine with Vietnamese twist could be.

The shrimp skewers were delicious which leaned a bit more Vietnamese spices. They came out a bit cold but the inspiration was felt. The shrimp ceviche on traditional shrimp chips was absolutely genius. The two flavors complement and create magic. The vinegary shrimp ceviche with the fishy thick shrimp chip truly is magical and I had never tasted this combination before but it made so much sense. The Garlic Noodles were top notch. Thick pasta/udon like noodles with soy garlic sauce and plenty of butter. Just delicious. Our wagyu steak was done with perfection, tasty and flavorful and the chef paid attention to all the veggies and potato as well. Every sauce definitely had a French buttery base but spiced with a Vietnamese twists. This is absolutely "fusion" done right.

The desserts finally hit it out of the park. The black sesame panna cotta is simply out of this world. Not too sweet, but bland either. Creme brulee was smooth as well, although not mention-worthy.

The interior gives a high ceiling, modern vibe, clean and chic - perfect for a date night. Decor includes both French and Vietnamese motifs. All around, I cannot believe such a jewel was sitting right in the heart of downtown San Jose.

Elyse is a jewel of San Jose and is worth visiting the city for. It really is that good and has the potential to go up further if the chef perfects a few rough edges. I'm so glad I discovered Elyse and will absolutely be back.

Parking: Public downtown San Jose parking. Tough to find some on the street.“

“They have a fantastic tuna sandwich!
Update: they still have a fantastic tuna sandwich! This time I also got a fresh sourdough loaf that smelled like heaven and a chicken sandwich that was very good too,

Vegetarian options: They have some veggie options. It’s safe to eat here.

Parking: Easy, open parking“

“Lamb is to salivate over“

“Had our holiday company dinner this year at Elements after trying it one night just before they closed. It’s in a strip mall off of Almaden in South San Jose. But once you walk inside, it feels classy with a big glass wine cellar to the right, and an open kitchen towards the back. The restaurant is family-owned and operated. The chef and his father both work there, with possibly more family working other positions. It was packed with patrons on a Friday night.

Their fusion cuisine is quite unique in that it is more French and Western than Vietnamese. So there are dishes such as Salmon Wellington that you would never see at a Vietnamese restaurant. For appetizers we ordered fried softshell crab, spring rolls and green salad. All solid in terms of taste and freshness.

For entrees, each person at our table ordered a different dish. I ordered the Salmon Wellington, which was nicely breaded, in a plate of cream. There was a thick cheese inside the breading surrounding the perfectly cooked salmon. I tried the Australian rack of lamb, also well cooked and seasoned.

The desserts were not quite on the level of the entrees. My colleagues had to chip away at the peach sorbet because it was frozen solid. The chocolate cake was spongy and tasty, but the ice cream on top was ordinary.

The drink menu was somewhat of a surprise in that they didn’t have any cocktails. Unsurprisingly, they had a wide variety of wine and some beer, but I had expected some creative cocktails given the food menu but I guess I didn’t see a bar there.

If you happen to be on the south side and want to have a unique French-Vietnamese meal, I recommend Elements.

Parking: Strip mall parking lot.“

“As always EXCELLENT Service and GREAT FOOD!“

“Very delicious soup, sweet potato garnished with coconut milk, very delicious! Delicious chocolate mousse! The seafood and cheese rice is quite delicious, but it will get boring at the end of the meal.
One of me and the waiter must be an alien.“

“Really wonderful ambiance, Charles is a great waiter, the service and food is wonderful. If you are into desserts, the beignets are epic. EPIC!“

“Lovely service, yummy French offerings. Comfortable patio out back.“

“First time experiencing this restaurant. Wonderful new take of locally sourced California cuisine. Excellent service, presentation and ambience. Love the wine pairings on the ala carte menu. We'll definitely be back for the full tasting menu!“

“I love this restaurant before, because I love to eat anything!“