Fantastic restaurant. Serving, choices, presentation and quality of food was exceptional.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Catherine Dzlieri
I’m writing this review with mixed feelings because when I came here for the first time about three years ago on a regular night, the food was truly exceptional. Whatever we ordered from the main menu back then was a solid 10/10 - authentic, flavorful, and memorable. Because of that experience, I came in for New Year’s Eve with high expectations… and unfortunately left a bit underwhelmed.
I understand it was a pre-fixed menu and that it was New Year’s, but the execution just wasn’t there. What we expected to be rich, authentic French flavors fell flat.
We started with the lobster bisque - good flavor, but served lukewarm. Next was the venison tartare, which was bland and chewy. We were then served veal sweetbreads that were essentially a bowl of spinach leaves with something that tasted like wet bread.
The palate cleanser was a small spoon of lemon sorbet that tasted more like plain ice than sorbet. Then came the Parisian gnocchi - maybe it was intentional, but I do know what gnocchi should taste like, and this had the same consistency as the squash it was served with.
The sea bass lacked salt, and the prime filet had a distinct refrigerated aftertaste. For dessert, we were served a lava cake - fine, but we weren’t even offered coffee or tea, which felt strange.
Beyond the food, the ambiance didn’t match the occasion. For New Year’s Eve, it felt oddly quiet - barely audible radio music. At the very least, some Frank Sinatra or classic French tunes would have helped set the mood.
I believe this restaurant is capable of much more based on past experiences, which is why this was disappointing. I hope this was just an off night due to the holiday, because I know how great it can be.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Nick C
This place is a gem in a charming town with impeccable service. Delroy was a true pro (how he remembered all those daily specials details is miraculous)! The food is very tasty and only regret was as an out of towner I didnt bring my wine. I'd forgotten licenses are astronomical up here and so many places are BYOB. Perhaps a little more prominent disclosure there would help us Rookies. Bon appetit...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amy Lou
We had my mother's 90th birthday party here and the food was delicious and service was excellent. We had a room with a fireplace and chandelier - so cozy and pretty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad
David Brulenski
My wife and I had a completely enjoyable time. The service, the food, the ambience excellent. Highly recommend.
Sarah Shaw (Actaea)
My partner and I went here for our anniversary and I cannot recommend it enough. We had an early reservation and were seated in a very romantic nook for two. Our waiter Delroy was wonderful, he had great recommendations and took excellent care of us. All of the staff were excellent and the food was divine, we started with a foie gras special that was so unique, I ordered the duck and my partner ordered the bison ribeye special both were the perfect temperature and tasted amazing. We decided to treat ourselves and get two desserts instead of splitting one like we usually do and I am so glad we did, we ordered a cold Kahlua souffle and the Ile Flottante which were a wonderful way to end the meal. If you are looking for a special place to have dinner I would definitely recommend La Provence, I certainly can't wait to go back 💜
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brad Myers
Highly recommended! This place is great!
Amber Dubil
The overall ambience of the restaurant is very quaint and intimate. I was there to celebrate my birthday with some friends. We enjoyed the appetizers, but found the entrees to be bland and overcooked. We also overheard the owner/hostess complain to the table next to us that we were sitting there too long. While I understand that may be frustrating it is inappropriate to badmouth a guest to another guest, especially right in front of them. I emailed privately to let them know and the response was defensive. We won’t be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Josh Marks
As expected, a very good meal. Ordered the crab salad, foie gras and beef carpaccio for appetizers. Crab salad was better with gruyere on the side. For main courses we had the rabbit pasta, corvina fish and duck confit, all excellent. Service was present but not overbearing, the patio was very pleasant for a fall evening. We'll return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Debra Holmes
Delicious food, excellent service and beautiful serene atmosphere.
My Girlfriend and I had a lovely experience at La Provence this Saturday! Everything was amazing, from the service, to the delicious food, and the ambience! We sat at a lovely table right by a beautiful picture of the Eiffel Tower. The service was amazing, extremely attentive but not overbearing. My Girlfriend had the Corvina and she absolutely loved it! I enjoyed the Rabbit which had one of the most amazing sauces i’ve ever experienced. I ate a half a baguette alone just with the sauce! We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Warren A Katz MD
The average Google review of 4.6/5 is well-deserved based on past performances. We, along with most of our friends who live in the Ambler area, had considered La Provence one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. Otherwise, the area is devoid of superstar chefs. My wife and I have been there countless times. Their own convenient parking lot is another plus, especially in parking-starved Ambler.
But something is wrong now! The reception greeter and waiters were pleasant and initially professional. It's the food and kitchen service that has a problem. Several weeks ago, there was a long wait for our food. The tuna tartare was dreadful. The tuna was too finely ground and cut with more onion and other vegetables, rendering it almost tasteless. Fortunately, the portion was so small – like a slight dip of ice cream – that I did not have to suffer too much. It was throwing away $26. My duck was undercooked and fatty. I should have sent it back, but we had waited so long for our main course, I did the best I could to eat about a square inch of cooked, non-fatty residual.
Being a loyal customer, I recognize that everyone is entitled to a bad night, but not two in a row. Last night was dreadful. The waits for each course were longer. Mea culpa! Forgetting how bad it was, my wife and I shared the 1 1/2 inch ball of tuna tartare. Imagine how awful it was if neither of us finished out specks. I ordered medium-rare salmon. After a few tastes, I realized it was raw, not rare, which I would have eaten – raw. My experience as a waiter informed me not to return food; however, I couldn't eat the ample-sized fish before me. I had to send it back for more fire. The runner finally brought it after I waited an inexcusable 20 minutes when everyone else was finished their mains. The replacement was a new piece of rare salmon, still partly raw. The original vegetable and mashed potatoes were ice-cold. All the chef had to do was put the whole plate in the microwave for three minutes. My wife's trout, once our favorite dish at La Provence, was dry and tasteless, unlike the previous recipe. No one apologized or came back to the table to see if everything was OK. It wasn't! So I am telling you now, $140 later, you won't be seeing us again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
H Li
The food tasted like authentic French food, the waiter was one of the top five of all time, the atmosphere felt like a paris date night, ABSOLUTELY would come again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Douglas Smithman
The food in the server were top-notch. The space is a little bit cramped and the occasional train is a small bother but that comes with the location.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jade Montgomery
La Provence in Ambler was such a pleasant surprise! The food was fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. The cozy, welcoming atmosphere made it a perfect place to relax and enjoy a meal. The staff were friendly and attentive, which really added to the experience. I left feeling so happy and can’t wait to go back.
Fantastic restaurant. Serving, choices, presentation and quality of food was exceptional.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’m writing this review with mixed feelings because when I came here for the first time about three years ago on a regular night, the food was truly exceptional. Whatever we ordered from the main menu back then was a solid 10/10 - authentic, flavorful, and memorable. Because of that experience, I came in for New Year’s Eve with high expectations… and unfortunately left a bit underwhelmed.
I understand it was a pre-fixed menu and that it was New Year’s, but the execution just wasn’t there. What we expected to be rich, authentic French flavors fell flat.
We started with the lobster bisque - good flavor, but served lukewarm. Next was the venison tartare, which was bland and chewy. We were then served veal sweetbreads that were essentially a bowl of spinach leaves with something that tasted like wet bread.
The palate cleanser was a small spoon of lemon sorbet that tasted more like plain ice than sorbet. Then came the Parisian gnocchi - maybe it was intentional, but I do know what gnocchi should taste like, and this had the same consistency as the squash it was served with.
The sea bass lacked salt, and the prime filet had a distinct refrigerated aftertaste. For dessert, we were served a lava cake - fine, but we weren’t even offered coffee or tea, which felt strange.
Beyond the food, the ambiance didn’t match the occasion. For New Year’s Eve, it felt oddly quiet - barely audible radio music. At the very least, some Frank Sinatra or classic French tunes would have helped set the mood.
I believe this restaurant is capable of much more based on past experiences, which is why this was disappointing. I hope this was just an off night due to the holiday, because I know how great it can be.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
This place is a gem in a charming town with impeccable service. Delroy was a true pro (how he remembered all those daily specials details is miraculous)! The food is very tasty and only regret was as an out of towner I didnt bring my wine. I'd forgotten licenses are astronomical up here and so many places are BYOB. Perhaps a little more prominent disclosure there would help us Rookies. Bon appetit...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had my mother's 90th birthday party here and the food was delicious and service was excellent. We had a room with a fireplace and chandelier - so cozy and pretty.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad
My wife and I had a completely enjoyable time. The service, the food, the ambience excellent. Highly recommend.
My partner and I went here for our anniversary and I cannot recommend it enough. We had an early reservation and were seated in a very romantic nook for two. Our waiter Delroy was wonderful, he had great recommendations and took excellent care of us. All of the staff were excellent and the food was divine, we started with a foie gras special that was so unique, I ordered the duck and my partner ordered the bison ribeye special both were the perfect temperature and tasted amazing. We decided to treat ourselves and get two desserts instead of splitting one like we usually do and I am so glad we did, we ordered a cold Kahlua souffle and the Ile Flottante which were a wonderful way to end the meal. If you are looking for a special place to have dinner I would definitely recommend La Provence, I certainly can't wait to go back 💜
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Highly recommended! This place is great!
The overall ambience of the restaurant is very quaint and intimate. I was there to celebrate my birthday with some friends. We enjoyed the appetizers, but found the entrees to be bland and overcooked. We also overheard the owner/hostess complain to the table next to us that we were sitting there too long. While I understand that may be frustrating it is inappropriate to badmouth a guest to another guest, especially right in front of them. I emailed privately to let them know and the response was defensive. We won’t be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
As expected, a very good meal. Ordered the crab salad, foie gras and beef carpaccio for appetizers. Crab salad was better with gruyere on the side. For main courses we had the rabbit pasta, corvina fish and duck confit, all excellent. Service was present but not overbearing, the patio was very pleasant for a fall evening. We'll return.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious food, excellent service and beautiful serene atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
My Girlfriend and I had a lovely experience at La Provence this Saturday! Everything was amazing, from the service, to the delicious food, and the ambience! We sat at a lovely table right by a beautiful picture of the Eiffel Tower. The service was amazing, extremely attentive but not overbearing. My Girlfriend had the Corvina and she absolutely loved it! I enjoyed the Rabbit which had one of the most amazing sauces i’ve ever experienced. I ate a half a baguette alone just with the sauce! We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The average Google review of 4.6/5 is well-deserved based on past performances. We, along with most of our friends who live in the Ambler area, had considered La Provence one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. Otherwise, the area is devoid of superstar chefs. My wife and I have been there countless times. Their own convenient parking lot is another plus, especially in parking-starved Ambler.
But something is wrong now! The reception greeter and waiters were pleasant and initially professional. It's the food and kitchen service that has a problem. Several weeks ago, there was a long wait for our food. The tuna tartare was dreadful. The tuna was too finely ground and cut with more onion and other vegetables, rendering it almost tasteless. Fortunately, the portion was so small – like a slight dip of ice cream – that I did not have to suffer too much. It was throwing away $26. My duck was undercooked and fatty. I should have sent it back, but we had waited so long for our main course, I did the best I could to eat about a square inch of cooked, non-fatty residual.
Being a loyal customer, I recognize that everyone is entitled to a bad night, but not two in a row. Last night was dreadful. The waits for each course were longer. Mea culpa! Forgetting how bad it was, my wife and I shared the 1 1/2 inch ball of tuna tartare. Imagine how awful it was if neither of us finished out specks. I ordered medium-rare salmon. After a few tastes, I realized it was raw, not rare, which I would have eaten – raw. My experience as a waiter informed me not to return food; however, I couldn't eat the ample-sized fish before me. I had to send it back for more fire. The runner finally brought it after I waited an inexcusable 20 minutes when everyone else was finished their mains. The replacement was a new piece of rare salmon, still partly raw. The original vegetable and mashed potatoes were ice-cold. All the chef had to do was put the whole plate in the microwave for three minutes. My wife's trout, once our favorite dish at La Provence, was dry and tasteless, unlike the previous recipe. No one apologized or came back to the table to see if everything was OK. It wasn't! So I am telling you now, $140 later, you won't be seeing us again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
The food tasted like authentic French food, the waiter was one of the top five of all time, the atmosphere felt like a paris date night, ABSOLUTELY would come again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food in the server were top-notch. The space is a little bit cramped and the occasional train is a small bother but that comes with the location.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
La Provence in Ambler was such a pleasant surprise! The food was fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. The cozy, welcoming atmosphere made it a perfect place to relax and enjoy a meal. The staff were friendly and attentive, which really added to the experience. I left feeling so happy and can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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