Amuse

First night of restaurant week. Skip it! It's just a hotel small restaurant. Nothing like a French Bistro. They were out of Knob Greek bourbon. Really on the first night of restaurant week. Absolutely no need for reservations. Food fair at best. Service exceedingly slow but only because 1 bartender who acted as host bartender, waiter and server. One other staff member who brought out food but they were so under staffed you had to feel sorry for them! We were very underwhelmed.

Joe at the bar was great, good personality and cares about his drinks. There was some confusion with our burgers because the food runner did not know which of the two no bacon was medium or medium rare. Joe noticed us talking about it and came over immediatly to see what the problem was. We had allready cut into them and hsppy to see they were cooked finely enough to know which was which. Joe was obviously concerned over the misstep by the runner and made us feel like he truely desired a perfect service. Overall a nice spot before the show we went to. Thanks joe.

A cozy bistro located inside Le Meridian. Staying in the hotel grants me a complimentary drink, so I took a cup of cappuccino while sitting at the bar where everyone else was having beer or liquor. Cappuccino is good, so as the upholstery in general.

I had higher expectations for this “French Bistro” It’s basically a lobby bar in a hotel nothing bistro-y about it. We came on restaurant week and they had one person in the kitchen, they were “out” of the braised short ribs, only because they were never prepared, according to the bartender, who was also the host, server and food runner. I’m not sure why a hotel within the Marriott chain is so woefully understaffed. We waited over an hour for our appetizers, which were pretty good, but the wait was ridiculous. Entrees arrived 20 minutes later and while the food was decent, it wasn’t bistro like at all. Kudos to Joe the bartender/server/food runner/host as he kept his cool and did the best he could with an unprepared kitchen. If you’re going to participate in restaurant week, BE PREPARED!

The food was spectacular. Everything I ordered came in a timely matter and was hot. The cheesecake tasted like actual cheesecake not too sweet and the berry compote was okay. The service was was fantastic and the ambience was great. We went a little early so it was quiet for a good hour into the meal.

Tried to get breakfast here as I was staying at hotel. Emphasis on the "tried". Waited forever to be seated, waited forever to get service, walked out

No point in making a reservation. Made one for 8:15pm, got there at 7:50pm. All was fine, me and my friend was seated and had our order taken. 30 minutes past still no food, 50 minutes past, no food. Waitress comes to us and informs us the order wasn’t put in and will take another 10 minutes. 10 minutes go by, now it’s been 20 more minutes still no food. Left and went to get pizza.

Prior to meeting up with friends at the Restaurant Amuse, we settled down for drinks. I just had to write a review as the bartender (michele?) was fantastic. Not only did she serve wonderfully prepared drinks, she came up with creative suggestions for the non drinker in the group. I've only visited Philly on business, but she was such a wealth of information about the town, I wish to return for pleasure due to the ambassadorship of the town, the restaurant and the hotel.

Very cute and cozy restaurant. The service was excellent and the valet service was almost too perfect for the next places we were going to be going that evening. We enjoyed and quick dinner before checking out the Chinese Lantern Festival that is annually celebrated in Philadelphia. I love coming to visit and seeing what the city has to offer and this place in particular is awesome if you want a chilled lounge experience oasis that will not disappoint.

My daughter and I both had the French Onion Soup. Very good. We were staying at the hotel which is undergoing renovations so the lobby, bar and restaurant are all sharing space. Staff was attentive, friendly and helpful.

The service was excellent, and the bartender was very attentive--definitely a 10. However, the food was disappointing. I ordered the organic chicken breast, and it was overly salty and quite dry. If it weren't for those issues, it could have been really good. I also had the Caesar salad, which was okay, but there was a bit too much-grated cheese. If you're staying at the hotel, it's fine for a quick meal, but I wouldn't recommend it as a destination for dining.

We had two dinners and three breakfasts here during our recent stay. It is pricey by our standards, but overall was very enjoyable. I had their flatbread pizza one night and their French onion soup along with grilled sourdough the second night. Both were excellent. My wife got their chicken breasts the first night and salad with grilled shrimp the second night . In both instances both instances the protein was charred and a bit too dried out. The service was spot on with servers morning f and evening g remembering us and previous days desires - fantastic. Breakfasts were amazing- wife went w omelette each day and I sampled their pork roll on brioche twice and French toast once- all excellent.

Drinks were OK but definitely on the pricier end. One bartender was super sweet but the other one was very aggressive and was openly making insults about people in the restaurant. Ambience was decent but nothing super special. We stayed at the hotel two nights and there was always plenty of room at the bar.

It's a hotel restaurant/bar. It's exactly what you'd expect. Was understaffed. Steak in the steak frites was good. Fries middling. Fine for a bite when you don't want to go out.

Amuse usually means to entertain or charm; however, this Amuse is the sorely-understaffed-but-with-totally-charming-staff Le Meridien Hotel lobby bar and restaurant in downtown Philadelphia. My advice is to not consider it a destination for food and drinks ... unless that objective includes a guest room in the hotel. Because I was staying here for several nights, I definitely found Amuse convenient for a late-night cocktail (or 6) as well as some nibbles to help pass the time. Nothing was horrible ... and nothing was delightful either. I could easily order the Classic French Onion Soup ($8) with 3-cheese Gratin or the board with French Brie and Prosciutto ($14) plus Dried Fruit, Candied Nuts, and Stoneground Mustard again ... or not ... either way, really. Because the service was sooooo slow, I quickly learned to double-up on orders with Makers Mark Old Fashioneds, Bombay Sapphire Gin Mules, and bottles of Dogfish Head 60-minute IPAs satisfying me while my mates opted for Cranberry and Vodka cocktails or classic Tanquery Gin and Tonics. I don't hate Amuse and you really shouldn't either ... as long as your already at the Le Meridien Hotel. Otherwise, Amuse really wasn't charming or entertaining, or staffed enough to be a destination restaurant or bar.

Bartender was friendly. Atmosphere is much quieter than most places. Tuna dinner was good with spinach and cooked to the perfect temperature.

Just a hotel bar. Many of the things shown on the online menu are not actually on the menu such as the foie. The caesar salad was mediocre at best. Kind of old lettuce with what seemed like super market brand dressing on it. The service was fine but everyone had to leave early because they wanted to clean the floors.

This was surprising. Had some visitors for work stay here and ended up grabbing drinks and food with them at the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised at the drink and food quality. The bar and restaurant area lacks appeal and could use some refreshing but the bartender was very good and the food was surprisingly good as well. We ordered hummus, sanakopita, flatbread and chicken. Everything was really good. With so many restaurants to choose from I wouldn't necessarily say this is top of the list, but if you are here and hungry you won't be disappointed.

Went here for lunch during restaurant week with my colleagues and we were ALL so happy! Service was phenomenal and our food was very tasty. I ordered the harvest salad, chicken paillard sandwich and apple Tatin! Not one complaint and will definitely come back when they reopen!

I've read a few reviews on here, so I was a little wary of booking this place. Still, I decided to give it a shot - it seemed like a great deal for restaurant week and I'd never been here before. While I came in unsure of what to expect, I found myself pleasantly surprised with our dinner. After we'd ordered, one of our servers learned it was my boyfriend's birthday. He brought over 2 complimentary birthday shots (which deadass tasted like liquid chocolate cake), which was a great way to start off the night. We ordered off the restaurant week menu - I got the cheese and charcuterie board, steak frites, and the apple tart. This brings me to one of the highlights of our dinner: the massive portion sizes. The food came out fairly quickly after we'd finished each course and both my boyfriend and I were shook by how much food there was. For instance, the cheese and charcuterie board came with at least 10 wedges of cheese, 5 slices of meat, and multiple jams/spreads; on its own, it would have definitely been more than enough as an appetizer to share. That's not to say that aMuse was about quantity over quality. While the reviews I've read talk about this restaurant as being very hit or miss, I thought the food was solid. Was it the best French food I'd ever had? Probably not. Was it still undeniably good food? Definitely. I keep thinking about the steak, which was incredibly tender and unlike any steak I'd had before. TLDR: atmosphere is great, portion size will definitely fill you up, and service is attentive/really made the night special. Give aMuse a chance - you won't be disappointed.

Went here with a large group for restaurant week. Service was incredibly slow despite dining space being small. Food was only so-so. French onion soup was underwhelming for an establishment that advertises as French. Some friends ordered the salmon salad - no one finished theirs. Apparently the medley of ingredients was confusing to say the least. I had the steak frites - it was good enough but cold. I did have to season the fries pretty dramatically though to get some more flavor into the dish. I had the chocolate cake for dessert but really I just stared at it. There were a lot components - none of which were tasty. The cherry garnish tasted precisely like cough syrup. Others who got the creme brûlée were also disappointed and left their desserts pretty untouched. I wasn't a fan of the Malbec either. Had a cheap taste. It is safe to say I'm never intentionally going back but if the food wasn't so overpriced I'd say place is OK.

My boyfriend and I wanted to try out as many different cuisines as possible during Restaurant Week, and Amuse was our French pick for the 11th night. After some confusion, we were seated just a bit after our 8:15 reservation. Rosie was our server and she's absolutely lovely! I ordered the Caesar salad, steak frites, and cheesecake. My boyfriend chose the salad, salmon, and cheesecake. We also both ordered the special peach cocktail on offer for Restaurant Week. The cocktails were just okay- we ordered the same drink, but one came in a very large glass, and the other came in a highball glass...? The salad was very good, with really fresh greens. The salmon was tasty, but my steak was awful. It was cold, while the fries were hot. They re-heated the steak and it came back out rubbery and gross. I ate one bite, and just ate the fries. The cheesecake is fabulous and very rich without being overly sweet. We will never come back, but it was an interesting experience!

Me and the missus visited Amuse for brunch on a Sunday. I purchased a voucher for $49 dollars from Travelzoo. The voucher allowed us to order the following: two entree's up to $20 each, two drinks from the bar up to $14 each and two soft drinks up to $6 each. We arrived early and began looking for on street parking but didn't have any luck. We had to pay $30 to park in a nearby lot. So plan for that if you're driving down. The restaurant was very nice located inside a swanky hotel in center city. We were seated immediately and we looked over the menu. I ordered orange juice and the missus had coffee to start. We started with the Potted Trout $12 Smoked Trout / Lemon / Olive Oil / House Made Cracker. The smoked trout was delicious and paired well with the cracker. For our entree's I picked the Croque Madame $17 Thick Cut Brioche / Gruyère / Smoked Ham / Mornay / Sunny Side Up Egg / Herb Roasted Potatoes and the missus ordered the Bourguignon Hash $ 17 Shredded Braised Short Ribs / Kale / Jus / Pommes Anna / Sunny Side Up Egg. Both dishes were underwhelming. The croque madame was a big sandwich with an egg on top. The best part was the gruyere cheese and smoked ham. I felt the thick cut brioche was to large for the amount of meat and cheese that was inside. The potatoes were over cooked. The braised short rib in the Bourguignon Hash was salty and not as tender as expected. The potatoes and egg were fine. We finished the meal with two Stormy Maria's their take on a spicy Bloody Mary. The drink was not good. It tasted like cocktail sauce mixed with vodka. I'm pretty sure it had horseradish sauce sitting at the bottom. The brunch got even worse when we got the check and it had a $14 dollar service charge on it! We're in the process of working with Travelzoo too find out why the establishment charged this fee.

Ordered Alaskan halibut and that was great although sauce was over buttery-cream-salt tasting. I was staying 2 night in a row and ordered it twice, so it was a favorite. The kale salad was good. Nothing extravagant or hard to make or mess up. The organic chicken was good too. The steak frites; however was a disaster. The dipping aiole was a weird congealed glop nap not so much creamy or saucy. Trying to dip the soggy fries into it was not satisfying. The steak was ok but needed salt or flavor. It definitely missed the mark of a perfect steak frites like Parc or dandelion. The dessert was even more of a disaster than the steak. I love crime brûlée and this was over cooked, and over burnt. The pudding was not soft and was weird and chunky or over baked. As if I was eating a scrambled egg. The sugar totally burned and not pleasing at all, making the whole dish taste burnt. I hope I can post pictures next if you don't believe it Def staying away from here and returning To my beloved restaurants

Had a wonderful time at the Women's Way Philly event. It was a great way for individuals and organizations to come together to support equal opportunity. I had the pleasure of trying the food and drinks offered at the event. There was a nice table set up with different appetizers. Of course, I sampled everything and it was all very delicious. Some of the appetizers included prosciutto, salami, Pâté, an assortment of cheese, and lobster bisque. Servers and bartenders were on top of it and made sure that everyone was being served and having a good time. The DJ was also excellent! I am really looking forward to the next event!

Groupon experience review: I came across a Groupon the other day and snatched it, perfect for date night! $72 gets you 1 appetizer to share, 2 entrees and 2 cocktails total. I had perused the menu prior and was excited to try the crab and lobster salad -- come to realize they had a new menu and website was not up to date. We settled for the Lobster bisque which had two nicely cooked pieces of lobster in a rich bisque -- interestingly enough it was brown rather than that typical orange you expect. I thought it was great. Also went quite well with the bread that they serve you while you wait . The " perfect amuse bouche" that they served us was a spoonful of goat cheese paired with grape and beet -- such a nice refreshing start to a meal. Cocktails: - My boyfriend got the Rock dove (patron, grapefruit cordial, lime, soda) that usually runs you $12/ glass. I had a sip -- a really well made cocktail as was mine - I got the Old Fashioned ( Knob creek, blood orange, pomegranate , star anise simple syrup and angostura bitters) Both were a perfect balance of each ingredient -- strong enough that I definitely felt the drink but very balanced. Honestly -- their cocktails now that I think are pretty damn good even comparable closeee to Franklin Mtg / Tippling place. Not a bad idea.. since it's never crowded! Food - I went with the Lobster Bouillabasse which usually runs you at $32. The flavor was very well developed in the broth. 3 well cooked shrimp, piece of lobster, a few littleneck clams -- although one of them didn't open and I was surprised to see it served on my plate. - Boyfriend went with their steak frites -- and I had a piece -- perfectly cooked at a medium rare as requested. One of the best steak frites I've had -- simply seasoned but well cooked. Tip: Our bill would have been $108 without tax and $118 with tax if we hadn't used a groupon. I think this place is 100% worth the groupon -- pretty steep otherwise.

The worst French restaurant I've ever had the displeasure of dining in. I came here for Restaurant Week with five friends, hoping to find a new place to dine-- because quite honestly, if a place is good, I'll eat there regardless of the normal pricing... but I would never come to this restaurant again. I ordered the Duck Rilette as my first course-- the crostinis were so hard, you could've built a storm shelter with them-- two of the six of us gave up completely and used the soft baguette appetizer they'd given us instead. The duck rilette itself was terrible-- no flavor at all and it tasted literally like grease and salt. The basalmic cherries were the only edible portion of the meal, and we didn't even get whipped black pepper brie! As we playfully argued at the table as to whether the pasty, pale yellow portion of the meal was butter or cheese and upon asking our server, she confirmed that it was butter! There was no brie cheese to be found, and certainly no black pepper with it. So course one? Awful. I should mention as well that I sat between two people and ordered differently from them so that I could taste everything: the French Onion soup was a bowl of sweet liquid salt, and the pear salad had the most unripe, grainy pears I have ever bitten into. Awful x2. And oh, joy, despite being hit back to back with salt as it was apparently the only seasoning the chef was acquainted with, I ran out of water not once but twice? Because our server was absolutely absent. There wasn't any ice the water either, so it's not like I was drinking quickly-- it was just... absent. Course 2, the crux of the meal! We all order different things, again-- I got the Steak au Poivre. It was cold on arrival, and on top of that, the potatoes that it came with were starchy and not fully cooked. My friend ordered the Skate Meuniere and said that she could smell it-- but as she got more to the center, the smell was terribly strong like ammonia and she couldn't eat it anymore. She's quite awkward about sending dishes back, and would've eaten it anyway but she said she couldn't bear the smell. The server insisted that skate was a "fishier fish" but agreed to take it back. (That's not true by the way-- it only smells if it wasn't prepared properly but I digress.) I should also mention that the polenta it came with was like day-old cream of wheat. Overly firm texture and you could cut it with a fork. I should also mention that we had a very long wait time between courses-- twenty to twenty-five minutes for three courses-- so one would expect our food to be fresh since clearly the wait was them taking the time to prepare it! But alas, none of our food arrived hot and my suspicions were confirmed when they brought out another Steak au Poivre for my friend almost immediately. Strangely, every course they would also bring out things that no one ordered and then take them back to the kitchen, so I feel strongly that there is no way they were making fresh food. Example, there are four of us who ordered the steak au poivre, so they bring out five of them and took the steak dish back to the kitchen-- or one person ordered the soup, but they brought out two of them and one is whisked back into the kitchen. By course two, I was over it. Course three, I ordered the Post de Creme, but no surprise, the biscotti was stale. I'm still mad that I didn't think to send all of it back, but I was at a pricey restaurant so I had high expectations that made me second guess myself. TL;DR: I am almost certain that they prepared ALL of their Restaurant Week food in advance and were serving their customers un-Food Safe meals without even heating them up or cooking them fully. I would NEVER eat here again. I wish I could report them. If I could give zero stars, I would, but since I cannot, I'll say that the one star is presentation. The dishes looked beautiful. Maybe the chef should've been an interior designer instead.

I happen to go to Amuse to eat breakfast and although the food was great my server (I believe her name was Tanya) was absolutely amazing. She was attentative, friendly, always with a smile, made sure we were ok but not to the point where it was a bother. It was like she knew when exactly to come to the table but also allowed us our time to enjoy the food and have our privacy. Like I mentioned the food was great but my server made it the ultimate experience and she is the reason why we will back to eat at Amuse again for sure!! Thank you for the amazing first time experiecne and I hope she is my server everytime we go. (Ask for Tanya the next time you decide to visit the Amuse, you wont be dissapointed)!

It was three-day weekend, and we needed a day of freedom. At Amuse, Kathleen D, Brian(her brother) and I earned an easy & relaxed summer evening. Located inside Le Méridien, Amuse is a great place to take a first date. I promise you, you won't be disappointed with this French bistro. I would bet on it. After you pass the pretty pink glass door, sit back on one of the chrome & white leather seats, and relax as you look at City Hall's illuminated clock through the dining room window. You'll find the chic decor is casual, yet glamorous & very sophisticated, (i.e: those glass bubble chandeliers: Love, Love, L.O.V.E,) as is the menu, with a signature Steak Frites dish for dinner. Hmmm Mmmm! After bitting on warm baguettes - served in white paper bag, we were given complimentary amuse-bouche, I think we had duck confit. We'd have enjoyed it, if it wasn't Duck. Why?! My Steak Frites was extraordinary; cooked to perfection, beautiful and juicy medium-well - just the way I like it. Brian was satisfied with his traditional French Onion soup, and Kathleen enjoyed her pommes frites as well. However, I totally regret passing on dessert. Totally! I'll be coming back for more Steak Frites, and try some French pastries and/or desserts. If you think the prices seems a little steep, look out for Groupon deals. Now that's a steal! $32 for $50 worth of French dinner! Four and Half Yelps.

Came in with a party of eight and all I have to say was...we were entertained (or should I say amused), in both good and bad ways. First, the good. Since we ordered so much, the staff provided a couple complimentary appetizers, which was really nice of them. The appetizers were really good! I think one of the reasons they provided appetizers was because it was taking FOREVER for our main courses to arrive. We had to inquire about the wait time twice before staff realized we wanted to eat more than socialize. The complimentary appetizers set the bar high, so once the main courses came, we were all pretty let down. One person ordered the salmon, and it came drizzled with BBQ sauce. ??? Also, the steak-frites were very...American and we ended up questioning whether this place should really be called a French restaurant at all. I myself had the Lobster Bouillabaisse, which was good, not worth the 34 dollars it cost. I would make it more like a...18 dollar dish. I ended not finishing it since it just wasn't that good. While the servers were super nice in piecing together tables to fit all 8 of us, it was a bit difficult to get their attentions (or let alone find them) when calling for the check or even inquiring about our food order. I have no idea whether our orders were that difficult to make, but the cooks were taking way too long, considering there were only two other partie in the restaurant at the time. All in all, the three stars come from the complimentary appetizers, the environment/ambiance of the dining area, and the cool bathrooms.

The food is nice but none of it is worth the price. In the end this restaurant is just an over-priced hotel bar/restaurant. It's unfortunate because I had such high hopes for visiting here. We came on a Friday night and there were literally no guests for the restaurant but us. There were very few food choices. The cocktails are nice but $140 for 2 people in what is essentially a low-key hotel bar is terrible value for money. Avoid.

I came here for 2018 Restaurant Week, which boasted a $35 three course meal (drinks not included). Other Le Meridien restaurants I have previously been to were quite delicious, so I hoped this would be the same. My friends and I ordered cocktails - at a reasonable $13 each, which is fairly standard. The cocktails were refreshing, and arguably the best part of the meal. My friends ordered the "cheese & charcuterie" platter, a very underwhelming board that seemed sparse with only 2 small samples of cheeses and 2 slices each of small salami and ham. My French onion soup was not bad, if not a bit salty. We all chose the steak frites as the main course. While the fries were piping hot, the steak was cold, and it must have been sitting at the window while the fries were finishing. One friend requested rare, but received medium rare. She declined to send it back as we had been waiting a while already. The steak was tender, but the flavor was overshadowed by the red wine/onion sauce on top, which tasted more like barbecue sauce. The creme brûlée I had was decent, nothing to call home about. The Black Forest cake my friends had included stale pieces of meringue on the plate - an unnecessary addition as the cake was rich enough, especially as it was topped with white chocolate garnishes. The service was slow and our server was inaccurate. She confused the number of dishes ordered: she brought 2 onion soups instead of 2 charcuterie boards, and brought 2 creme brûlées instead of 2 Black Forest cakes. Despite being a small, and fairly empty restaurant, it took the servers a while to come around to refill our waters, even when we asked. One server also took away our bread basket without asking, despite having brought the bread shortly before. All in all, I can't imagine paying full price for that meal. I would not go back unless it were for a drink, as service is too slow and the food is barely average.

Very limited menu. Came in here for a late lunch. But unfortunately the menu was limited and the selection wasn't great. Only one bartender, who was also the waitress, so service was slow. We decided to skip eating and just hang out by the fire in the lounge area of the bar. We were never checked on or asked if we needed anything. The restaurant is also in the hotel. A bit hard to find from the street.

We came for an early 5:30 pm dinner on Valentine's Day and it was pretty empty at that time, which was actually kind of nice. We were able to get seating by the fireplace, and treated to an herbal infusion Amuse Bouche by the chef. Some highlights: 1. Duck parppardelle: Amazing! Succulent seared duck breast, squash, and pearl onions tossed with hand-made pasta in a creamy yet surpassingly light sauce. Just fantastic. The pasta was cooked perfectly and very tender. 2. lamb shank with potato puree, ciopollini onions, and squash: This was a huge entrée was but the lamb was very juicy and tender, and the au jus was perfect with the potato puree. The vegetable side gave it a nice flavor boost with a hint of tomato and garlic. 3. Chocolate molten lava cake: served with creamy vanilla bean ice cream and a small side of strawberries and whipped cream. Decadent chocolate cake that meshed perfectly with the ice cream. Service was just okay, though, as our server forgot about us. However, the rolls are served with freshly churned butter, which is a nice touch. A great date night option, albeit a pricey one. Entrees are around $32-34, and desserts around $10. They do served Illy coffee, as well. If you aren't coming on a holiday (ie. Valentine's Day), they do accept Groupons (there's one for $32 for $50).

-- // The Place \\ -- Quiet place with just a few seats, tucked away beside the hotel lobby. View of city hall at night is nice. But, service here was pretty slow. -- // The Menu \\ -- Menu was surprisingly simple (just 1 page), yet tasty. Not too overpriced depending on what you get. Would highly recommend the pretzels and the well-seasoned fries. -- // The Food \\ -- - Free bread: slightly stale tasting, wasn't a fan.. Used to freshly baked and warm bread though - Pretzels: bite sized and piping hot, buttery with a slight baked bite on the outside, soft and chewy like a German pretzel on the inside. So tasty. - Kale salad with chicken- grilled chicken was charred crispy, yet still juicy. Liked the texture of the salad: crunch with the apples, mixed with the chewy softness of the golden raisins. - Lemon sorbet wasn't anything out of the ordinary but still tasty nonetheless.

So it was the last day of Restaurant Week and my friends and I visited Amuse, which is inside the Le Méridien hotel. When you first walk in, the lobby is sort of dark - I guess for a dramatic, romantic effect? The actual restaurant was also dimly lit but a bit brighter than the lobby and very, very small. It was more like a conference room than a restaurant. I still had high hopes of food that would amaze to compensate for the small room. Eh... The "pre-appetizer" as the waiter called it was really good! It was a meatball with fennel and some other stuff I can't remember. That "pre-app" set the tone of how the upcoming food would be - so I thought. I had the Pear Salad as my appetizer which to me was very good, but my friend mentioned the pear wasn't as ripe as expected. I love the mixture of ingredients together: spinach, pecans, croutons, cheese, pears and the pear dressing. Really good and not too filling enough to ruin my entree. In the midst of my appetizer, the table received warm baguettes and butter. They were good but I expected it to appear during the 20 minutes we were waiting for appetizers/during our "amuse bouche" meatball experience. And another round while waiting 20 more minutes for the entrees. My entree was Steak au Poivre with potatoes and gravy...yeah, that wasn't the best. I did taste the pepper on the steak somewhat but it had no kick of flavor like the one meatball I ate for the pre-app. The potatoes were ok but expected it to be mashed, not in sphere form (I guess for presentation?). Also, the food wasn't as hot as expected. It was very warm, not HOT. I didn't realize how hot is WASN'T until one of my friends mentioned it. Guess I was hungry. What really baffled me was the fact that one of my friends had to replace her fish entrée because it reeked a "fishy smell" and tasted funny. She replaced it with a steak entree and literally within 10 minutes (if that) she received it! Still was not steaming hot either! Was it precooked and microwaved? The world may never know... Ok, ok, so dinner wasn't the best but dessert always win me over, since I love sweets. Mm, yeah, WRONG. I had the cheesecake with plums and the cheesecake looked like it was piped through a banana peel and sliced with a drizzle sauce leading to the plums. What in the world? Where is the crust? The triangular shape? Most of all the cheesecake flavor? It tasted like Greek yogurt made into a cheesecake recipe. Sigh. The plums were amazing and sweet though! I only give 2 stars because the meatball and salad were good, the plums were amazing, the decor + food presentation was really cool and the hostess was really pleasant throughout. Would I come back? Mm, no. I'd go to a real French restaurant.

Rather having lunch from the conference buffet, I thought I would abandon that ship and sail off on Amuse. This single experience at Amuse made me want to go back and try everything. After placing my order, the server starts me off with their Chef's Welcome Palate Cleanser, sliced radish with supposedly salted butter. They could have saved this and would have received a five-star rating on the sandwich. This was a disappointment. I don't believe it offered any kind of cleanser. Presentation was nice, but it was just a raw radish slice with unsalted butter. Yikes. The Pulled Pork Sandwich gets five star, no questions asked. The pork is deliciously marinated and extremely tender, served on a brioche bun. It doesn't have any of those fried onion strips that other places use to add texture. They use house made giardinera vegetables that are in a vinegar marinade. These vegetables alone make the pork and the whole sandwich sing. You'll take a bite and you'll get the perfect marriage of vinegar crunch from the vegetables to the bbq tender pork. Seriously, I wish this sandwich could come in a foot long version, I would eat the whole thing. The sandwich is served with Pommes Frites. Although presented attractively and spiced adequately, they were a bit soggy. Either they sat in the back, it wasn't cooked to order, or under cooked, they didn't have a nice crunchy outside. Too bad, after the sandwich, I had extremely high hopes for everything else.

This place was disconcertingly empty right in the middle of lunch. We were one of only 3 tables in the place. Now 3 stars is A-OK and that is exactly what this place was. It wasn't great or bad. It was truly OK. The Potato soup (special) had me a bit worried - I'm not sure I ever found any potato in it, it tasted lemony(?) and wasn't great. The Steak Frites was better - nothing wrong or outstanding. The Bernaise sauce could be improved upon. Desert was "chocolate mousse" which came out as cake(?). Excellent cappuccino. Great service except the waiter was bit hard to understand - perhaps the reason my chocolate mousse ended up being a slice of cake. So 3 stars, and let me tell 'ya there are plenty of place in Philly I wish we'd gone instead - but it was worth a shot.

I......should.......write.........this.........review.........like.........this, so that you get the idea of the speed of the dining experience at Amuse. But, first things first.... As you walk through Amuse's 20 foot oak doors, climb the stairs and go through their equally as large glass doors, you instantly feel like you don't belong. The place is immaculate. It was impeccably clean; chairs lined up perfectly, servers in crisp, clean black uniforms, marble and mahogany everywhere, AND, no one so much as looks at you when you walk in. We stood around at the hostess stand for about 3-4 minutes just looking lost until someone came to assist us. Also, there was some CREEPY video playing behind the bar of a man standing perfectly still in the middle of the ocean. The waves were moving but the silhouette was PERFECTLY STILL. It felt like Jason coming out of Crystal Lake. Seriously, creepy. ANYway, after finally being sat, we waited AGAIN for literally 10-15 minutes before our waiter came over to us. Despite his speed, which was somewhere between "glacier" and "turtle drunk on NyQuil" he was an absolute gem. He was VERY nice; almost suspiciously nice, and very polished. He was helpful and knowledgeable and took care of us very well. After placing our orders; onion soup for the misses and the charcuterie (meat and cheese board) for me, we waited....again. (Coincidentally, our DRINKS came back pretty fast; a cosmo for her, and something called a Boulevardier for me, which was VERY good. (Makers Mark Bourbon, Campari, Sweet Vermouth) The drinks are strong and not terribly over priced. Somewhere around $10 for each. As the drinks came out, our waiter noticed we had not gotten our bread and he brought it out. It was good as far as bread goes. It was piping hot and soft, but still having a crunch on top. The only knock was that it was served with like a quarter teaspoon of butter. I really wish there was more butter but at this point I was so hungry I would've eaten the menu. When the appetizers came out, we got down to business. The misses onion soup was classic onion soup but my meat board was something to behold. Taste wise, it was good, not great; some pate', pepperoni, a soft cheese (Brie perhaps?) fresh ground mustard, ginger root and a fig compote served with crustinis. The presentation was beautiful. It was all served, nicely laid out on a wooden block. Again, we were Somolian hungry at this point, so apps were gone in a few minutes. Then, we waited. And waited. And WAITED. After what felt like FOREVER, but was probably around 40-45 minutes, out come the entrees; a pepper crusted ribeye for me (medium! what took so damn long?!), and a salmon roulade with artichokes and a white clam sauce for the misses. When they say "pepper crusted," boy do they mean it. The steak was ENCASED in a pepper shell. I almost had to CRACK it to get to the steak. The steak itself was beautifully cooked, and was served with mushrooms and fennel bulbs, but the pepper overwhelmed the steak a little. The salmon I found to be a little "fishy," although the white clam sauce was delicious. With dinner, we also had two glasses of house wine; pretty good, with a standard pour. Off to dessert, and this is where Amuse kinda went off the rails. On the dessert menu were 6 spice crepes. The description was "Chocolate Ricotta Filled, Bananas Foster Sauce, Nutmeg Chantilly"...uh, YES PLEASE! It was like someone wrote down my own thoughts for deliciousness and handed it to me. We decided to split that and away our waiter went. After another wait, (I honestly forget how long this one was. We were conditioned to ignore time and space by this point) out come our crepes. First, I don't know why the number 6 is in this title. There were TWO crepes. Second, I don't know why "bananas foster sauce" is in the description. There was none. Third, I don't know why this dessert is on the menu. It was TERRIBLE. UGH. 1 bite and I dropped my fork in horror. Our waiter came over to ask how dessert was, and I told him that I had to be honest and that it was atrocious. Like I said, this man was a gem, so he said, "let me make you an apple crumble!" And sprang to the kitchen to get us a proper dessert. He came back with a blueberry apple crisp with house made salted ice cream. The apple crisp was infinitely better, but still wasn't very good. I made it through 2 spoonfulls before I decided it wasn't worth the calories. I wasn't going to complain twice and thanked the waiter for his generous act. So, final thoughts? Amuse is GORGEOUS. It is annoyingly slow and disturbingly quiet, and little bit dark in the dining room, but it is still a nice experience. The waitstaff is very professional and polished. The meals are good and the drinks are strong. The place has an elegance about it, without being pretentious. The prices were a LITTLE bit high (our bill came to $136) and I can't recommend going willy nilly, but if youre going on a Groupon like us, check it out.

Yummy breakfast. With kids home from college, my partner and I were looking for a place to have both a casual a good breakfast. We definitely found it in Amuse. The building is a historical property, having served as both the YMCA and the Pennsylvania Atty. Gen.'s office during its history. And now, completely refurbished, houses Le Meridien hotel with Amuse as the restaurant on the bottom floor. Our reservations, made through Opentable.com, were honored on the spot. Service was extremely good. Their breakfast menu consists of several hearty selections, including freshly squeezed orange juice, delicious Eggs Benedict, and sumptuous pancakes. Their coffee is superb. We will have to come back at another time to try some of their other selections.

Holy yums. I've been here twice now, both with a groupon, and it was fantastic and pretty much empty both times. Most recently, we got the charcuterie board, steak frites, and the lobster bouillabaisse. This was one of those meals that makes you comment after LITERALLY every bite how majestically delicious it is. Kind of drooling just thinking about it. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium and came with a bernaise aoili which really took it to the next level. The lobster chunks in the bouillabaisse were sweet, succulent and abundant. Not to mention the other variety of seafood swimming around in there, aaaand the broth was drinkable. As in, give me a straw and just let me go to town on this bowl of heaven. We had leftovers for lunch the next day and it was still amazing the second time around. A hidden gem for sure.

Such a disappointment. My boyfriend and I went here after seeing their restaurant week menu (which looked so great). The food was under-seasoned and nothing special. It was nothing like what we expected. The steak was literally just 5 slices of steak and french fries. The steak had no salt on it and there was no salt at the table. The french onion soup was super bland, but the fondue was pretty good. Do yourself a favor and do not go here for restaurant week, not worth $45 at all. The only reason I gave two stars was because the waitress was so nice.

I swaggered into this saloon one afternoon for a refreshing beverage. I left with a black eye and a limp. Okay. Not really. See... what had happened was... I came here for a couple of drinks and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Their drinks are moderately priced, but they're worth it. Some interesting takes on classics that should be tried to be believed. Alright... that sounded cheesy, but whatevs playa. Really nice setup, too. Their bar is swank without being pretentious, great for grabbing a drink or trying to seduce some travelling European.

A very, very solid four stars. Exhausted and hungry, I initially worried I was "settling" for the hotel restaurant. I couldn't have been more wrong: I was served an absolutely perfectly prepared piece of sea bass with unique but finely tuned flavors. The textures of the dish's components were pretty much flawless. Very good service and an atmosphere that isn't at all unfriendly to someone dining alone. My only real complaint is that the by-the-glass wine prices are fairly outrageous. Fortunately, bottles are much more reasonable (many about the same as two glasses) and you can take them up to your room to enjoy later.

Pleasantly surprised by the food. Was staying at the hotel and thought we'd give it a shot. Cocktails were awesome. Started with some Brussels sprouts which were AMAZING! I got the pasta dish (linguine) which was a good size and delicious. The husband got the salmon which was perfectly cooked. It was a quiet Friday night and so service was attentive too!

I've eaten here three times. Once was at the bar where I had free pretzel bites because of foursquare. Btw they were little version of the ones you get at the movies. I also had the mac and cheese which is supposedly to die for. I was not impressed at all. Then I have had a breakfast a few times in the dining room. Everytime I have had breakfast it has been with a voucher because my room was not tidy. I have not found a breakfast option here that I love. the eggs benedict.....the hollandaise is bland, the muffins are mush. pancakes...i sent back they tasted like baking soda. fruit platter....the yogurt is standard nothing special.eggs and bacon...ok but better in a greasy spoon What is really weird is that the room service here is spectacular

Elegant place for lunch or dinner. I was here with a fried for lunch at 12pm, and only about 6 others were in the place. Service was quite attentive. Prices were in the $9 to $15 range for appetizers, and up to $22 for entrees. My friend and I had Cobb salads @ $13.99 each. It also came pre meal with a hot baguette, and a tiny morsel of cured meat and fruit. The salad had tomato, lettuce, bacon(too salty) avocado(2 tiny slivers) hard boiled egg, and pickled onion. Also had a goat cheese vinegarette for dressing. I'd come back for another try at Amuse.

In town for the weekend and walked around to find something to eat when I came across Le Meridien. Knowing they usually have a good restaurant I decided to stop in and try Amuse and it was great. I was a walk in with no reservation and the hostess arranged to have me seated promptly. My waitress, Shelby, was very pleasant and always smiled. Very helpful with my selections. The tuna tartare was had a lovely olive and oil smear, delicious. Steak frites also had a rich sauce and the Apple train was a perfect finish to a great meal. Also nice that it was restaurant week, only $35

Had a great experience with Shinoa at Amuse. Excellent service, quick and friendly. Also delicious food, very we prepared and was at my door in 15 minutes from my call. Highly recommend.

Being French I like to know a French restaurant/coffee has nice croissant! This place is definitely a great choice for good food and a nice breakfast to start the day. I had their scallops (amazing!) with the cheese croquette... Yum!! Great service, the waiters are very professional and nice, the place is a little cold yet cosy. A bientot!

Tucked into the corner of a hotel lobby, I could have walked past a hundred times and never thought to step in. It all started with a travelzoo voucher - basically half off a dinner for 2 plus cocktails. Hey, we like food and we like cocktails, and it's right in the neighborhood. win-win. As soon as you walk in the lobby, a small swanky bar greets you. I, of course, decided to start my evening with a dirty martini - and hooray, the bartender knows how to make a good drink! It doesn't stop there. We get a table and are very pleasantly surprised not to get a limited 'voucher menu' but to have full access to any appetizer, any 2 entrees, and any drink we like. I ordered the lobster bouillabaisse - if heaven had a signature dish, this would be it. Lobster, clams, mussels & shrimp in a sauce made by the gods (and most likely a pound of butter, but seriously, wow). My boyfriend got the steak frites, cooked to perfection. We have been back 3 times since and still haven't been disappointed. Oh, did I mention it's never been crowded or noisy? (all with a view of city hall) Seriously, this place is a hidden gem that only guests of the Le Méridien stumble across.

The Steak Frites are by far the best on the menu. Ask for specials, because they won't disappoint. The best table is next to the fireplace, ask when making a reservation. The bar can be quite chilly in the winter because it sits in front of the doors. The Ballroom and Library are one of the best in the city for hosting an event. The Library has one if the best views of city hall. Great for weddings.

Probably the worst French restaurant I've ever been to. Don't get the steak frites or the tiramisu. They give you 6 tiny pieces of steak that tastes like I just threw them in a skillet for 5 minutes. That's how I cook steak at home and that's how their steak tasted. I could open a restaurant too and charge $26 for 6 tiny pieces of beef. The tiramisu also wasn't done right at all. All bread layers should be soaked with coffee, but only the bottom layer had any coffee flavor. The "cream" tasted like frosting instead of real tiramisu cream.

Under construction, making it difficult to find the restaurant. Limited menu. Burger was ordered medium rare, but arrived well done and without the promised French fries. Well after finishing the burger, waiter brought out a plate of half done, greasy looking fries. Waiter said fryer wasn't working, and the chef had baked the fries. Sent back fries and was given a small green salad consisting of lettuce and a few cherry tomatoes. Server and hostess were very pleasant, the setting was unusual and quiet, the seating was comfortable, but the food was terribly disappointing!

*update: I visited the restaurant the second time. The beef was much better, although on the salty side. The plating was very nice (see picture), the potato was crispy with well-roasted vegetable.

This place was just ok, which was rather disappointing. I had purchased the Groupon a while back for dinner for two which included 2 drinks, 1 appetizer, and 2 entrees. First, the service was kind of slow. Our waiter was very kind, but I think I tad overworked. He was the only waiter I saw and while not a huge place, not a tiny place either. There should be at least two waiters at this place. Maybe there are and the other one called out - I didn't ask. The drinks were very strong. They did not cheap out on the liquor, which on one hand is nice if you're looking to get smashed. I wasn't looking to get tanked, so I didn't really like mine all that much. I added a little water to it and it was fine. I prefer not to have to do that though. They brought over a small baguette which was delicious but oddly served in a paper bag. Were we in a supposedly nice french restaurant or were we on a street corner? Felt like like latter. We ordered the mussels as the appetizer. They were good, but some of them were bad. This also doesn't usually happen at higher quality restaurants. We had a steak and halibut, and they were pretty good, although they did take a long time to come out. They both came with some vegetables/sides that were fine. The star of the show and the reason for three stars and not two is the dessert. They had a sweet potato cheesecake that was phenomenal. I might return just for that - and maybe coffee. If you are staying in the hotel and want dessert, order this. There are plenty of other options if you walk south a few blocks toward Market St.

I went to Amuse with some co-workers today for their lunch special, and returned about an hour ago. If you know anything about their lunch special, then you know to disregard typos etc from here on out. For those that do not know, Amuse hosts a unique power-lunch. It harkens back to the era of mahogany desks, 3 piece suits, and the mandatory snifter in each wood-walled office. Where a mid-day martini was not only not frowned-upon, but expected. And what better way to modernize this 50's-era ideal than to torque it to excess. For at Amuse, you get not one martini with lunch, but 3. Couple that with an amazing cup of french onion soup that could serve as a meal in itself and a fresh baguette. Then, to throw the testosterone levels off the scale, toss in a flank steak frites that is perfectly prepared, with 3 different sauces serving as its accoutrements, and now you are ready to make some serious deals. Three martinis, soup, and a steak, for $30 practically seems like 50s era pricing to boot. Never mind the fact that you are enjoying this delicious meal in the presence of massive chandeliers and neo-classical furnishings, completed by a large hearth, with a fire ablaze. I strongly recommend this lunch special to all who enjoy their classy beverages and some serious food.