French Restaurants near Bethesda, MD

“Wow. What a gem this place is. Very authentic French food cooked with love and experience (Chef has been cooking for 50 years!) Service was fantastic and professional.
It’s refreshing to go to a restaurant that clearly takes pride in the service and food they put out.
The only issue is that I wish I had started coming here sooner:)“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had a fantastic experience at this amazing place! The coffee was incredible—I had my first amazing latte in a while, and it truly hit the spot. The food was delicious, and everything was beautifully presented. The place was clean, well-organized, and the decor was absolutely stunning—above and beyond what I expected.

Thank you to everyone for the great service and hard work. I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“my 11 yo daughter went here for a business trip with her grandma and they went here for brunch. she ordered a brunch burger and said it was the best burger of her life. it was so good that she had to call them all the way from IL to ask how they made it!!“

“Good and service was exemplary“

“Truly fantastic food and a first rate professional staff. Always a pleasure to dine at La Bise. Amazing service, very interesting and upscale interior, and a great meal, what else could you ask for?“

“Restaurant Review: Le Sel French Bistro Le Sel French Bistro near Logan Circle delivers a delightful mix of classic French cuisine with modern flair in a cozy, chic setting. The Escargots were indulgent, with garlic Pernod butter enhancing their tender richness, while the Onion Soup transported me to Paris with its flavorful broth and golden, cheesy crust. The Steak au Poivre & Frites was a standout, perfectly cooked with bold black pepper jus, creamy Béarnaise, and crispy frites. Each dish balances tradition and creativity, making for a memorable dining experience. For an authentic taste of France in DC, Le Sel is a must-visit. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #LeSelFrenchBistro #FrenchCuisine #LoganCircleEats #DCFoodies #FineDining #FoodieFavorites“

“Great food in a great location in Georgetown. Parking right down the street.“

“I went for brunch, which is only open on weekends. I wanted to try the other branch in The Wharf, but this branch had just opened, so I came here. I ordered a menu that recreated Paris Brest like a bagel and wine. The menu idea was unique and the taste wasn't that great, but the plating was pretty and I had a satisfying meal, so I think I'll go again. However, the price is a bit on the high side, but I think it's worth the price because the interior and atmosphere are beautiful!“

“Nous avons passé une superbe soirée au Convivial. Merci à toute l’équipe et tout particulièrement au jeune serveur très gentil fan de dimitri Payet ainsi et surtout au chef toulonnais qui a régalé nos papilles en côtoyant l’excellence avec son poisson au pistou et les côtes d’agneau. Une petite famille du sud de la France, allez l’OM et le RC Toulon 😉.“

“We had a great celebration of our friend's birthday here. The food was great, we all were happy with what we ordered. The most special thing was the service though. Special thanks to our waiter Mouhssine for being so attentive to us! He made this day special for us! We will definitely be back to celebrate next birthdays with friends. One of the best services in DC for sure!“

“Bistro Cacao was an outstanding choice to cater lunch for a very important business meeting. The food was AMAZING, from appetizers, salad, main course and dessert! Highly recommend them for your next event, meeting or just a fine place to dine!! Great Service, Great Food, Great Presentation!“

“Overall lackluster experience. There are better French-style restaurants in DC. Cute place, great location, food was just ok. We've had better similar dishes elsewhere locally. Wait staff was attentive but seemed disinterested. Might try brunch one day. Not sure we'd return for dinner.“

“Superlative tasting menu, top notch wine parings, outstanding service, from a staff that outnumbers the clientele, what’s not to like? Yes it’s small, so leave the soccer team meetup for the pizza place. For Lutece, bring your favorite couple or 1 or 2 very special friends“

“Best French restaurant in DC. The prix fixe menu is innovative, delicious, copious, and fairly priced. We went to celebrate a birthday and the chef really made it special. The attention to detail is wonderful and the food is majestic. Best bouillabaisse outside Marseille. 10/10 recommend and will be back, merci!“

“Love the foods and place . All employee are very good .“

“The food, ambiance and service were spectacular. I can’t say enough good things about this place!!!“

“A cute and cozy bistro with delicious food and fabulous service!“

“For years, I was an absolute fan of Le Diplomate. It reminded me of the charm of old Europe—Paris, Vienna—something I missed after moving to the U.S. The atmosphere was always inviting, the restaurant beautiful, and the food consistently good. As a bread lover, I was particularly fond of their bread basket. I often asked for a second round because I could never get enough of this delicious treat, made in countless ways over thousands of years.
A couple of weeks ago, my friends recommended a new French restaurant, Amélie. We decided to try it one evening, and what a treat it was! While the ambiance isn’t as old-world European as Le Diplomate, the modern vibe was refreshing. The open kitchen, with the crew moving around preparing dishes, added an exciting touch. But what I truly must highlight here is the food. Every single dish was bursting with flavor, expertly prepared, and utterly mouthwatering.
I was genuinely surprised to find that the food at Amélie surpassed even Le Diplomate and Pastis DC, which I had visited just a few weeks earlier. All four of us—who had visited both Le Diplomate and Pastis together—agreed that Amélie was the winner! The two desserts we shared were also fantastic, and the receipt presented to us in an old French book (ours was a classic Diderot) was a charming and thoughtful detail.
Amélie is now absolutely my go-to spot for exceptional French food, fantastic service, and a fun, lively atmosphere.“

“Great Happy Hour specials on Oysters and the Steak Tartare is Amazing!“

“Dinner at Pastis was good, but I won’t try the duck confit again. This is was my second visit to Pastis. The onion soup and calamari were very good. My friend’s steak frites were excellent. The crème brûlée was great. But I feel sorry for the poor duck that gave up its life for the duck confit I was served. Duck confit if supposed to be rich in flavor with meat that falls off the bone at the slightest touch. This was a tough duck leg that resisted most of my efforts to cut off a few bites of meat. It was not good. Oh, well.“

“A friend treated me to birthday dinner at Rosemary’s. Neither of us had been before and we were so happy to discover it. Start to finish every morsel was fresh, tasty and beautifully presented. We will be back!“

“Wonderful date night. Fantastic, attentive service and absolutely perfect food. Highly recommended.“

“Today was my 1st time eating here and I came with my father for Fathers Day. My father had eaten here several times and wanted me to try it. I liked Le Chat Noir and would come back again. Reasonably priced for higher quality French food.“

“Nice wine pair with mussels. Reasonable pricing.“

“The tagine was excellent. Central has a fantastic wine list, and it so pleasant to sit outside on Pennsylvania Avenue and people watch.“

“We ate inside the restaurant rather than outside. The food was excellent as was the service. We sat at a high top that was too close to the bar and we were bumped by people walking in the lane. The table was also too close to the bar and the couples at the bar were talking too loudly such that I could hardly hear my wife. We will return because the food was excellent but would not accept a high top reservation again.“

“Best mushroom soup ever with all the good wines!“

“Mosaic is a lovely place to meet friends for lunch or brunch. The food i always good -- and the lunch special is a great deal -- pick 2 -- soup, salad or sandwich. I really like the pecan grape chicken salad on a waffle. It really is a fun place to sit with friends.“

“The food was AMAZING, intricate flavors that tied together beautifully. Our waiter Marco, was impeccable; personable and knowledgeable about the menus. If you’re looking for a great date spot, with the feeling of a small French town, this is the place for you!“

“We had beef burgundy, beef cigars and rack of lamb. The food is amazingly good. Authentic and well prepared. I consider the best in this area. Their service is also excellent. This is our 5th time and we will come back soon.“

“Great service and amazing food“

“Catching up with old friends and it was a wonderful setting. Comfy booth, not too loud, we could really talk. Food was delicious. The only thing that was a little off putting was that they were out of things on the wine list-one white was completely not available and second choice only had one bottle left. At least our server was honest with us. This was a Thursday night. Hopefully, a shipment was arriving the next day.“

“Beautiful place, excellent food!“

“Friendly, accommodating and great options for food and wine. Also a great spot for happy hour!“

“Great space, loved the food.“

“We had a great lunch! Highly recommended! 😋😋😋“

“Good food, perfect portions, and good cocktails!“

“Macarons are what they are known fa!“

“My two kids and I go here almost ever Sunday. The croissants are a huge hit with the kids and I'm obsessed with their Farro Salad (the dressing is very similar to mole sauce). Lattes are quite delicious as well.

Pricing is surprisingly reasonable for Georgetown which is a nice plus.

I really wish they would open a location at the Village Green in Crofton, MD. It would be a huge hit there and I have family that would like to see it there.

Some weekends it just gets too busy but I've only decided to give up once or twice. The host is honest about the wait (if there is one) - up to you if can handle the wait they give you.

Kid-friendliness: They have a great kids menu and offerings BUT we tend to just pick pastries from the counter. This is the better way to go because it is about all they can eat and there is always some decadent morsel for me to hoover up when they get full.“

“We had a great experience with an outstanding waitress from Paris, unfortunately, I've forgotten her name,. She served the wine perfectly, gave solid recommendations, and didn’t hesitate to let my friend and me film for our YouTube channel. Her professionalism and easygoing nature are something I will remember.“

“This place was wonderful. The food was just the right portion for trying a little bit of everything paired with a couple of glasses of very reasonably priced wines.“

“Trope fantastique. Always prepared perfectly“

“This was the second visit, and the food was impeccable as the last time. I will be making this a must everytime that I visit DC. The service was just as remarkable as the meal. I personally give it 6 stars out of 5!😁“

“The food is amazing and the service outstanding! recommend it 💯“

“I ordered 3 items, only the French Opera Cake tasted good. The cake had a rich chocolate flavor, not too sweet, and a firm texture. I personally recommend it.
The Tuna Steak Tartare tasted horrible, I like raw tuna and salmon. But under a few pieces of tuna was a pile of tasteless avocado, they were tasteless and inedible. The only flavor was probably a little bit lemon juice, and I wouldn’t have known how to eat it without the bread.
That cup of Americano was the worst coffee I had in maybe half year. It was just like water and had no aroma.“

“Food was very good and wonderful servers.“

“The food was fresh and delicious! The service was excellent and the owner came around to talk to us! He was so sweet!! He made us feel like family! I will definitely recommend this lovely establishment to my family and friends! I should have taken more photos, but I forgot- it was as sooo goo!!“

“Excellent lunch. French onion soup to die for.“