Bonne Vie Cafe and Bistro

I had both brunch and dinner at Bonne vie cafe and bistro. every visit was outstanding. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, perfect for relaxing with a coffee or enjoying a full meal. Brunch was delicious—fresh ingredients, generous portions, and beautifully presented dishes. Dinner was just as impressive, with rich flavors and great attention to detail. The coffee deserves a special mention too: smooth, perfectly brewed, and clearly made with care. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made me feel truly welcomed. You can tell they take pride in what they do. This place has become one of my new favorites, and I can’t wait to come back. Highly recommended!

This cocktail happy hour is... Insane. These are maybe the best priced--and quality--cocktails for happy at any U street area bar. The atmosphere is suave, service is very friendly and chatty, and the $10 skirt steak happy hour tapas with chimichurri was incredible. It's a great new addition to the area.

We dined in on a Tuesday night for the Pre Fix menu. $45 for 3 courses seemed like a great deal and we were excited to try a new spot! The reviews here seemed promising. The service was pretty awkward from the start. Only one other table in the whole place and they sat us right next to them. We know it’s a new place so we were just going with the flow. We ordered Earl Grey Martinis to start and they were incredibly weak - no taste of earl grey or gin, just a lemony foam. We order our 3 course dinner and got served one of our appetizers quickly after by the manager. After our plate was placed, it was clear that something went wrong because the wait staff were hovering in the corner of the restaurant staring at us. It seemed like one server was about to take the plate off our table but then hesitated. Then our server came by our table to say “you got lucky that was for another table.” Again, there was only one other table sat in the whole restaurant, right next to us. So that was pretty uncomfortable. It was the dish we ordered so we ate it. We had the tart and the tuna carpaccio. both were incredibly salty and lacked flavor otherwise. For the main course we got the sea bream and the half pressed chicken. These dishes were fine, the fish was actually really nicely cooked and crispy, but it had extremely sharp bones and cartilage in certain bites. The chicken was nice and flavorful but nothing exciting. These came with a nicely dressed salad (just spring mix with a good dressing, a little over dressed) and french fries. The fries were good and they came with a nice aioli and ketchup. We also got a half carafe of their house red wine. The wine was delicious and the price was great too! That was nice. Finally, dessert comes out. They have two options and they are not on the menu, just depends on the day. Dessert Du Jor! You’d think with only 2 options atleast one would be fine. The offerings were an apple cranberry turnover and a churro. Neither sounded good (a churro at a french restaurant felt random) but we got one of each. The churro was made of pastry dough and was the driest thing we’ve ever tasted. It was like eating dust it basically turned to powder in your mouth. The turnover tasted like strawberry toaster strudel. It seemed like it was genuinely filled with strawberry jam and it was covered in pistachio crumbles and a red colored syrup, for some reason. It was pretty awful. This was the only thing is got a photo of. It felt like the wait staff were hovering over our shoulders all night and they just had a weird vibe. Overall, I would not recommend this dining experience. Such a shame because it’s such a prime location and the concept has great potential.

RECOMMEND— I had an amazing experience. Jorge was a great waiter and recommend some of the best dishes I’ve had. The roasted chicken was probably one of the juiciest and tastiest cuts I’ve tasted from a restaurant in this side of the Atlantic.

Bonne Vie Café & Bistro is exactly what Washington, DC has been needing a fresh, modern spot with incredible food and even better vibes. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the warm, welcoming atmosphere. The space is clean, beautifully designed, and has that perfect mix of cozy and upscale without trying too hard. The food is outstanding. You can tell everything is made with real care and quality ingredients. My meal came out fresh, perfectly seasoned, and full of flavor honestly one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in the city recently. The menu has a great variety, and every dish I saw coming out looked amazing. But what really makes this place stand out is the service. The team is attentive, friendly, and professional. You can feel the new management already making a positive impact the staff is organized, the energy is great, and the whole experience feels smooth and welcoming. Bonne Vie Café & Bistro is definitely a spot I’ll be coming back to often. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and check it out. This place is going to become one of DC’s favorite restaurants, no question.

I noticed all the one star reviews for last Saturday night and our experience couldn’t been more different. Perhaps it’s because we decided to eat at the bar. We loved the atmosphere and decor. We appreciated the simplicity of the menu and the friendliness of the staff and the owners who we met as we left. The desserts (apple tart and profiteroles) were superb. The wine was a good value (the half liter carafe was only $18). The Tuna Carpaccio was delicious; the Tarte Flambé was meh but that’s primarily because I don’t like anchovies. The Pressed Chicken was moist and tasty. We’ll definitely be back and I hope those who left mediocre reviews will give this place another chance.

This place has a cozy and vibey feel, makes you want to stay a little longer, and that is where the trouble began with their european style carafe- which I loved. We had one too many! We started with the burrata and tuna and both were excellent, the burrata was really gooey which I know means its fresh. I'm also a sucker for a delish french baguette and butter, which we immediately ordered. The skirt steak and sea bream amandine were cooked beautifully and had great flavor, i usually dont go for fish but I'm glad we had it, it was thoroughly enjoyable. We finished with the apple tarte, which hit the spot. A good apple tarte is not too sweet and overpowering. Drinks were another highlight. The Earl Grey martini was delicious, and even though a cosmo isn’t on the menu, the bartender made a great one. Service was super friendly and relaxed, my partner has an allergy and they were so kind in confirming and checking that everything was to our standard. I'll def be coming back, and I heard they will have Jazz nights which is the perfect place for music like that.

Bonne Vie is such a welcome new addition to the neighborhood. It truly delivers on its promise a cozy French bistro with a simple, well-executed menu and a fantastic $45 three-course prix fixe. The wine list is surprisingly reasonable (most bottles in the $30s rare for DC!), and the atmosphere is charming with dim lighting and French pop playing softly in the background. Everything was delicious. The staff was wonderful as well attentive, friendly, and led by an excellent manager. Bonne Vie is an affordable, authentic French bistro that’s a great new find for the area. It’s also open until midnight, plays great background music, and serves excellent cocktails perfect for a nightcap. Highly recommend giving it a try. Vive la France!

Great new spot! The ambience was great and the staff was unbelievable. Ask for Jose when you go, his service was impeccable. The feta salad was to die for. Will be back!

I came to stop by on a stroll and decided to take a seat at the bar and was attended and checked upon with a timely manner and a captivating charisma by Jason he was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the menu and the process in how the meals were cooked and plated, we also don't drink alcohol so he was very understanding and offered us alternatives that weren't on the menu but that should be on the menu and he was attentive and a guide through our coursing as if he was the chef himself and made our night spectacular I highly recommend to ask for him

Had Antonio as our bartender. Great guy great drinks. The man every Wednesday Friday. Now becoming a regular.

This cocktail happy hour is... Insane. These are maybe the best priced--and quality--cocktails for happy at any U street area bar. The atmosphere is suave, service is very friendly and chatty, and the $10 skirt steak happy hour tapas with chimichurri was incredible. It's a great new addition to the area. Cocktail of the MONTH: A custom espresso martini with mezcal instead of vodka. It was the best cocktail I've had in over a month. https://dc.eater.com/openings/165086/bonne-vie-cafe-bistro-french-u-street-dc-restaurant-openings

I would not recommend coming here. As we entered the restaurant and waited to be seated we were faced with a couple of very unsatisified customers asking for the manager. We went in anyway, and it was a mistake! Our server was unpleasant to say the least. We had a reservation at 9pm, and our server informed us we could not have the steak since we came in too late and they were out. Food was mid, and that's for the best dishes. Mussels were some of the worst I had in my life, the toast that comes with the mussels and with burrata tasted burnt but was actually cold. To add to the bad experience, the staff went out of their way to make us feel unpleasant. Despite their official hours being 11:00am-1:00am on a Saturday, about an 1.5h into our dinner we eating our main dish, when we clearly heard our server say to her colleague "I asked then 5 times to take the plates away, I don't know what they're doing" in a very rude tone, referring to us. She even tried to take our plates (clearly unfinished) a couple of times. Finally, once our dessert (profiteroles were bad, apple pie was good) arrived, we asked for the check. Despite the listed closure time was 1am, at 10.40pm they started cleaning the floor very loudly around our table, clearly wanting us out. It turned our that the 1L wine carafe, allegedly 32 dollars, was charged 48 dollars, and then a discount of 13 dollars was applied to our check. Not only did that charge us more compared to the listed price, but were the suggested tip amounts based on the pre-discounted total balance + taxes, which isn't the case anywhere else. Our server insisted we filled our check immediately as she wanted to leave, which was a perfect end to this "great" night. Overall, I don't think I will ever come back to this place and I don't see why anyone should.

Welcome, Bonne Vie! The bistro offers both a dining and a cafe menu. We came here for an early dinner, and took advantage of their pre-fixe menu which comes with unlimited fries! The party receives a green salad to share, and you choose an entree, a plats principaux, and a douceurs - I went for: +the Pâté de Campagne & Mustard +the Skirt Steak +and, the Apple Beignet The hubs ordered: +the Tarte Flambée - prepared with caramelized onions, anchovies, olives, and burrata +the Hamburger Double - with cheddar and cocktail sauce +and, the Apple Tarte We also ordered the baguette with a side of Normandy-churned butter to share. The dishes were well-presented, and the service was sweet and friendly! The restaurant itself is so cute and cozy - love the red velvet-like booth seating and the framed pictures! A nice spot that is perfect for date nights or small get-togethers. I'd love to try their coffee/pastries, brunch, and HH on the next visit! Online reservations is taken and easy to make! +prix-fixe menu +friendly staff +offers both cafe and a dining menu

WOW! Amazing experience here. Most of our party enjoyed the prix fixe menu but the hosts graciously allowed the rest of our party to order a la carte, if they wanted to. The burrata was amazing, the cheese itself was so savory and flavorful, and the fruit chutney was delightful. The skirt steak was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The chocolate coconut cake was great, but the showstopper dessert was undoubtedly the apple tarte. The sea bream was cooked, deboned and seasoned perfectly, and the pressed chicken was very good. Great drinks, too. It can be so hard to find a Hugo spritz on a drink menu, much less a well executed one, but the bartender was spot on. Also enjoyed the Boulevardier and the French Blonde. The fries and salad delivered with the prix fixe menu were a nice touch. The prix fixe at this place is truly an amazing value! Excellent service and a nice, moody ambiance. Lively but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other. Can't wait to come back!

Our bartender Antonio was excellent when we came for happy hour. The steak was phenomenal and the drinks were superb. We will be back soon.

Antoniooooo is the best. Absolute boss. Amazing service! Never thought we would come here. But this guy makes it all worth it.

Antonio! Fantastic service and great environment! Will be back for sure! The food was great and the drinks were great

Such a great spot! The food was awesome, everything tasted super fresh and well put together. Service was friendly and quick, and the whole vibe just felt really welcoming. Even the menu design was cool (small detail but it stood out). Definitely coming back!

Do not come here! The manager is super shady. We had an event this weekend and he flat out lied multiple times: we were told one thing about the food menu and were given something completely different that wasn't of the quality promised such as substituting risotto for french fries. That was just one of many issues with the food. Then he lied about the bar tab total. They overcharge and are not willing to admit their wrong. Also the manager seems to have a problem speaking to females even though the hostess was a female. He only wanted to negotiate with males. It was a horrible experience and I want to save other people the trouble from also being scammed.