The foie de veau was delicious as the asparagus and potatoes that accompanied the liver. The eggs ordered over easy were over medium to hard and were served warm, not hot, as if the plate sat around for a while before being brought to the table. For my taste, the Kir Royale had a bit too much creme de cassis. The service was attentive and friendly.
Blazes
A wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Wish it would reopen for lunch which is honestly better than dinner. Most entrees are excellent. My cassoulet was quite ample but only soso. Where's the duck confit? Lists of beans and tasty crust but lacking what should make this really special. Other entrees were excellent.
DuckFat
I am loathe to leave a bad review for a restaurant that I used to love, but the past THREE times we've gone, there have been both food, and especially, service problems. Since when did failure to check up on a diner's table become standard practice? On our last visit (this review), the mussels were terrible--fishy, smelly, about half did not open when cooked. At our request, we took the table between the waiter's station and the maître d's stand in case our children got antsy (they didn't). Despite being seated between 2 employees, no one checked up on us or asked about the food. (At meal's end, the bussers did ask if we wanted more wine, tho). We finally flagged someone down at the end of the meal to tell them about the mussels. He said they were short staffed. On our previous visit a few months prior, the medium rare steak was grey all the way through, and again, no attention from the server. We eventually flagged down the host. The time before that, the parmesan cheese served to our son was moldy, and again, we had to flag down a waiter. These visits have been at varied days, times, and degrees of busy-ness. Further, this once accommodating restaurant used to offer buttered pasta as a kids' choice. Not anymore! We've been taking our kids here since our 10-year-old was 2. We go early and the kids know how to behave, as well as knowing they will be removed if they cause problems to us, the staff, or the other diners. In other words, there's no reason to avoid our table. Yes, they took items off the bill, but that's not what we wanted. We wanted a quality experience.
CopezR
The food and the ambiance instantly brought me back to sitting in a Parisian restaurant. Our service was exceptional and the food was exquisite. Highly recommend this wonderful restaurant.
JonL
Our neighborhood local. Food was particularly good this night (swordfish steak and a vegetarian hachis parmentier). Outside in the bubbles is much quieter - even with the occasional siren on Broadway - than inside.
JonL
A true bistro in the best sense of that word. Classic bistro fare done well. The only issue is that inside can be noisy at times. No worries: Just sit outside, even in winter, when the bubbles provide both thermal protection and quiet.
Manager on duty last night ...slim guy with glasses couldn't have been more accommodating..it's always good here but having a real pro on the door makes it even better Merci!
The noise level in this restaurant was beyond ridiculous. Is this place a bar or a restaurant? Bar patrons were so obnoxiously loud that diners couldn't hear each other without having to yell, making for a very unpleasant dining experience. The waiter could have used a more personable personality to at least compensate for the noise level. What should have been a pleasant dining experience turned out to be very uncomfortable evening out . After dropping almost $250 for dinner, wine, and dessert...dining patrons who live nearby should have enjoyed a decent neighborhood dining experience.
John
We love the recently updated menu which is more expansive than the summer menu. The lighting and ambiance add to the relaxed atmosphere. The staff is very professional and are very attentive. Best of all: their mussels (moules frites) are the best on the Upper West Side. The broth is buttery and flavorful.
NYlocal
Service was lovely. Noise was overwhelming & headache-inducing on a Saturday night. Food was hit or miss. One fish dish was excellent. the other was honestly over cooked and ruined. Don't bother with the stone-cold pate. Excellent wine choices at reasonable prices.
Wait staff were very attentive and super helpful. They'd run out of a dish but they found a suitable substitute. Our other Moules Frites, Boeuf Bourguignon and Saumon dishes were just right along with desserts with friends who arrived late. Definitely a neighborhood fave!
bustermom
We have gone to Cafe du Soleil many times in recent years, and have always had a lovely meal and great service. We love sitting outdoors in the bubbles while the weather is good. If I had a complaint, it would be that the menu has shrunk, and some favorites have been lost.
Abbylu
I've eaten here many times over the years- mostly pre-pandemic and the food was always consistently good. The chef was most likely out of town, there were no specials offered and the casseroles ordered were obviously pre-prepared. The seafood was over cooked and disappointing. I will return and hope for an improvement.
ElisabethF
We had a nice dinner last night at Cafe du Soleil. We sat in the outdoor “shed” which has fans and shade and feels protected from traffic. The service was prompt and professional. Our burgers were quite good, although both overcooked. I ordered mine rare and it was closer to medium with a little pink and my sister ordered medium and it was more well done. I usually ask to have the burger re-done to my specification but didn't realized that it would cook more as I ate it. Next time, I will ask to do it over. That being said, the burger was tasty and the cheese well melted. The fries were excellent—true pommes frites. The starter of gazpacho was solid. Very nice neighborhood spot and I find myself going there regularly.
LauraH
Lively, noisy bistro. I had the coq au vin and my chicken was rubbery and difficult to cut. Also seemed like an odd cut of meat ... almost as if it were the back. Sauce and mashed potatoes were good, as were the vegetables. Sauvignon Blanc was fine, and the lemon cake was nice.
The foie de veau was delicious as the asparagus and potatoes that accompanied the liver. The eggs ordered over easy were over medium to hard and were served warm, not hot, as if the plate sat around for a while before being brought to the table. For my taste, the Kir Royale had a bit too much creme de cassis. The service was attentive and friendly.
A wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Wish it would reopen for lunch which is honestly better than dinner. Most entrees are excellent. My cassoulet was quite ample but only soso. Where's the duck confit? Lists of beans and tasty crust but lacking what should make this really special. Other entrees were excellent.
I am loathe to leave a bad review for a restaurant that I used to love, but the past THREE times we've gone, there have been both food, and especially, service problems. Since when did failure to check up on a diner's table become standard practice? On our last visit (this review), the mussels were terrible--fishy, smelly, about half did not open when cooked. At our request, we took the table between the waiter's station and the maître d's stand in case our children got antsy (they didn't). Despite being seated between 2 employees, no one checked up on us or asked about the food. (At meal's end, the bussers did ask if we wanted more wine, tho). We finally flagged someone down at the end of the meal to tell them about the mussels. He said they were short staffed. On our previous visit a few months prior, the medium rare steak was grey all the way through, and again, no attention from the server. We eventually flagged down the host. The time before that, the parmesan cheese served to our son was moldy, and again, we had to flag down a waiter. These visits have been at varied days, times, and degrees of busy-ness. Further, this once accommodating restaurant used to offer buttered pasta as a kids' choice. Not anymore! We've been taking our kids here since our 10-year-old was 2. We go early and the kids know how to behave, as well as knowing they will be removed if they cause problems to us, the staff, or the other diners. In other words, there's no reason to avoid our table. Yes, they took items off the bill, but that's not what we wanted. We wanted a quality experience.
The food and the ambiance instantly brought me back to sitting in a Parisian restaurant. Our service was exceptional and the food was exquisite. Highly recommend this wonderful restaurant.
Our neighborhood local. Food was particularly good this night (swordfish steak and a vegetarian hachis parmentier). Outside in the bubbles is much quieter - even with the occasional siren on Broadway - than inside.
A true bistro in the best sense of that word. Classic bistro fare done well. The only issue is that inside can be noisy at times. No worries: Just sit outside, even in winter, when the bubbles provide both thermal protection and quiet.
Manager on duty last night ...slim guy with glasses couldn't have been more accommodating..it's always good here but having a real pro on the door makes it even better Merci!
The noise level in this restaurant was beyond ridiculous. Is this place a bar or a restaurant? Bar patrons were so obnoxiously loud that diners couldn't hear each other without having to yell, making for a very unpleasant dining experience. The waiter could have used a more personable personality to at least compensate for the noise level. What should have been a pleasant dining experience turned out to be very uncomfortable evening out . After dropping almost $250 for dinner, wine, and dessert...dining patrons who live nearby should have enjoyed a decent neighborhood dining experience.
We love the recently updated menu which is more expansive than the summer menu. The lighting and ambiance add to the relaxed atmosphere. The staff is very professional and are very attentive. Best of all: their mussels (moules frites) are the best on the Upper West Side. The broth is buttery and flavorful.
Service was lovely. Noise was overwhelming & headache-inducing on a Saturday night. Food was hit or miss. One fish dish was excellent. the other was honestly over cooked and ruined. Don't bother with the stone-cold pate. Excellent wine choices at reasonable prices.
Restaurantji Recommends
Wait staff were very attentive and super helpful. They'd run out of a dish but they found a suitable substitute. Our other Moules Frites, Boeuf Bourguignon and Saumon dishes were just right along with desserts with friends who arrived late. Definitely a neighborhood fave!
We have gone to Cafe du Soleil many times in recent years, and have always had a lovely meal and great service. We love sitting outdoors in the bubbles while the weather is good. If I had a complaint, it would be that the menu has shrunk, and some favorites have been lost.
I've eaten here many times over the years- mostly pre-pandemic and the food was always consistently good. The chef was most likely out of town, there were no specials offered and the casseroles ordered were obviously pre-prepared. The seafood was over cooked and disappointing. I will return and hope for an improvement.
We had a nice dinner last night at Cafe du Soleil. We sat in the outdoor “shed” which has fans and shade and feels protected from traffic. The service was prompt and professional. Our burgers were quite good, although both overcooked. I ordered mine rare and it was closer to medium with a little pink and my sister ordered medium and it was more well done. I usually ask to have the burger re-done to my specification but didn't realized that it would cook more as I ate it. Next time, I will ask to do it over. That being said, the burger was tasty and the cheese well melted. The fries were excellent—true pommes frites. The starter of gazpacho was solid. Very nice neighborhood spot and I find myself going there regularly.
Lively, noisy bistro. I had the coq au vin and my chicken was rubbery and difficult to cut. Also seemed like an odd cut of meat ... almost as if it were the back. Sauce and mashed potatoes were good, as were the vegetables. Sauvignon Blanc was fine, and the lemon cake was nice.