Caribou Cafe

Stopped in on June 29th, right when they opened, to have an early lunch. The atmosphere was nice, the waiter and waitress was friendly, and the food was delicious. I had the chicken dish and it was amazing. Best tasting chicken I’ve had in a long time. My wife loved the cold ginger and carrot soup too.

Tonight, we had a French rendezvous date night at Caribou Cafe in Center City! 🔥 Now under the ownership of Townsend Wentz, the menu is reimagined and upgraded with both familiar classics and new tasty additions ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We stopped in for lunch while in the city. What a delightful place! This restaurant would be characterized as a French Cafe. They have both outside and inside seating. The inside has a warm ambience with lots of wood. We were seated by the window which was nice. My wife ordered the quiche and I had the lamb burger with goat cheese. Both were great. The quiche was moist and delicious. The lamb burger honestly may be the best burger have ever had in a restaurant, and I have had a lot of burgers. The chocolate olive oil cake was also delicious. They have vegetarian options also for those who prefer that. The staff was courteous and attentive as well. We really enjoyed our time and have put this on our list of places to return to.

I wish I bounced when I walkied into an empty restaurant and the smell of fabuloso. I didn’t because I have fond memories of this happy hour. Anyway, they no longer have Flam, and the French 75 was pretty much just a puckering amount of lemon, and then the waiter was annoyed my drink was 3$ more than listed and I asked for a change, which took several minutes and a texting session. The fries were great but salty

This used to be one of my favorite restaurant. I live out of state and would anticipate making the trip here each year. But my last visit in August was so disappointing. I was served stale, rock-hard bread. I asked for a glass of cabernet and the server told me they were out of it. And my favorite dessert in the word — break pudding — was taken off the menu. It’s really gone downhill. The steak was very overcooked as well.

Absolutely love the look and feel of this restaurant but where do I begin on everything else. Drinks: beer was warm and the French 75 we ordered was just lemon juice with a dash of sparkling wine. No one at the table could stomach more than a sip. Food: our appetizers came out later than the entrees every other table around us ordered. The cheese was a few tiny slices of various cheeses with grapes half smothered in Dijon. The bone marrow was cold when we got it and it took an extra 15 minutes to get the bread to eat it with. We ordered two steak frites rare and medium rare and they came out at around the 2.5 hour mark both burnt and cooked well done. Terribly seasoned. The fries were actually very good. Service: I’ve come once before and only ordered a beer and service was slow but I was there during happy hour and just got a draft and enjoyed the weather. My party of 4 had to watch as multiple tables around us were sat, served, and settled before we even got all of our appetizers. We were sitting for over two and a half hours and when my mom went to ask if our entries were coming she was rudely told they were on their way. Extremely unpleasant experience and totaled to over $250. Will never be coming back

My party and I enjoyed profiteroles & vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate sauce. We also enjoyed an espresso. The atmosphere was lovely, including our server. The prices are reasonable, and we are returning to indulge ourselves in another delightful dessert.

Came for restaurant week. Will definitely be returning for more! Pros: - The service was fantastic. They were very attentive and responded quickly to any issue. I didn't particularly like the potato leek soup and left it. I didn't complain or say anything. The waiter, Brian, asked why I left it. I simply said it wasn't to my liking so he asked if I wanted him to change it for a salad. That's excellent service that differentiates a good restaurant from an excellent restaurant. - the seafood crepe was ridiculously good. The profiteroles and the salad were both very good as well. - the petit creme pot was tasty! - they gave free bread to start which seems to be a practice that's dying out. Cons: - the turkey osso buco was somewhat dry and the rice that came with it was too soft. Needed texture. - the leek soup was definitely not something I enjoyed

My second favorite 4:00 happy hour in town. ( after Barcelona) ...French French French. The bearded bartender is a sweet heart! Good food. Good wine. Big beer,

We've walked by this place for years. The Chamay and other Belgium beer flags reeled us in. We walked in and sat at the bar. My husband asked for a Chamay on draft... they only have in bottle - that was disappointing. My husband pointed to the dust on the bottles of wine behind the bar. The staff appeared to be overwhelmed- appears that it's a hopping place with theater go-ers and since there were 2 different shows going on that night it started to get busy. Our time was brief and i can say I really didn't get a feeling for the place. I didn't see a dinner menu but I did see a French onion soup that looked good. I can tell you that it keep getting busier so that must say something but our experience wasn't positive so i hope your experience is better than ours.

Terrible food and service. The worst restaurant I've been in a long time. We ordered beef tartar and got the ugly gray color minced meat that only smelled vinegar. After the waiteress took it back to the kitchen she came back and told us that the chef said it shouldn't be served like this and he'll make us the fresh one. We refused - how come he sent it like this in a first place. Than we asked the waitress about the pork entree for 2 persons. She said it a large pork chop. Instead we got a piece of pork leg with the bone which was completely dryer and inedible. Don't ever go to this place.

Worst food I ever had in restaurants. Food was not fresh, not properly prepared. Service was horrible. Waiter did not know answers about menu items. Horrible experience!!!

Caribou was sold 12/23. I hope the new owner and chef can get their act together. Serious decline in service and food. We ate here yesterday - food was mediocre and service was terrible. The only bright light was the bartender, he was awesome. Caribou has been a staple in the neighborhood - and for theater folks - for a long time. Please do what you need to do to get back on track!

Food was excellent! Service was attentive! Stephanie, the GM, and her staff are real professionals who are keen to make a good impression. Bravo!

My go-to French spot in Philly! I'm not really into French cuisine but this place have all the best items at a reasonable price for me. Their cocktails are really strong so if that's what you like then this place is perfect for you. If you do dine here, no matter how full you are please always get the Profiteroles with chocolate sauce, a really delicious dessert that is not too sweet.

I walked by here all the time on my way home from the gym. I'm drawn in by the open air seating and the cute atmosphere. The food was yummy and so glad I got the bread pudding for dessert. I was served by the bartender during happy hour and I was in and out in less than an hour.

I want to love this place but I can't. I've been 3 times. All 3 times were terrible. I mean, last time I went, I thought I made a basic order. It was a Croque Monsieur. It was a cold ham sandwich on white bread. Nothing else. Not even toasted. And the ham was super fatty. The server didn't find anything wrong when I brought it to her attention and told me, that is a croque. That's how it's done. I laughed and gave up.

My friend and I just happened to stumble upon this place when walking around the city hungry. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. The interior had a nice feel, the lighting and the art on the wall with a piano player upstairs. Our waiter was helpful. It was my first time trying escargot and I ended up loving it! The garlic sauce and pastry was sooo good. It made trying something new super easy and not intimidating. The Beef Bourguignon was so rich and hearty I got full so fast but continued to eat it anyway! The beef was so tender and the noodles were good, but the carrots surprisingly ended up being my favorite of the dish! I still think about the bread they brought to the table, to this day. I'm not sure what they did to it to make me love it so much, but it's fresh, and salty and I kept going back for more. Would definitely recommend stopping here for some French food.

The Caribou Café has always been a favorite place to stop for a bite in the city. The restaurant is cozy and pretty, the food is always exquisitely delicious, and the service is routinely as pleasant as one could possibly hope. Last night, I was pleased to find that, although there are new owners, everything was just as wonderful as I have always found it to be. Our experience was completely delightful. 3/7/24

Disappointing experience today with Restaurant week lunch price fix menu... not so much because of the food (which was simply ok) but because of the trickery of the business. For Restaurant week they present you with a printed menu that shows three courses under a price of $20. However it's actually only 2 courses... Because at the very end of the line under desserts, they add on "$6". So the 3-course price fix menu is actually $26 not 20.

I have been wanting to try Caribou Cafe for sometime now. I enjoy French bistro food and I saw the owner win an episode on Chopped several years ago. Finally went on a beautiful summer July evening. The restaurant is really nice with classic French charm. We sat outside and it was very pleasant. We had the muscles to share as an appetizer. I had the steak frites as my main. Both dishes were excellent. Caribou serves homemade bread and that was also delicious. They have a nice selection of beers and French wines of course. Service was great. Will definitely return.

Had lunch with a large group upstairs. Many people liked the lamb burger. One person requested salad instead of fries, but their food came out with fries, so they had to make their request again. I got the fish of the day / fish du jour "Provençal" (tuna), which was really good. Not too heavy, just the right amount of food for lunch. I had a hard time deciding, but I ended up happy with my choice. It's a bit pricy for me, so I wouldn't come here often.

Eh. Caribou Cafe was an okay place. The food isn't so close to French cuisine or the quality. I came here for restaurant week and it was okay with the location. The atmosphere was fine but the food was a little disappointing. The gazpacho was probably the best part. The tuna was okay but felt it needed more flavor or seasoning. I would come back if I heard things changed.

We used to love Caribou. The new ownership's food is now mediocre at best, terrible in general. We spent $200 for dinner tonight, the wine and the pate were the only edible things. We used to love the escargot in puff pastry. The new escargot with bussels sprouts was tasteless and had few snails. Yuck. My beef bourgignon was worse than Banquet beef pot pie. My dining partner's duck cassolet was tasteless and terrible. Sic transit gloria mundi. We won't be back. So sorry after many years of pleasurable dining.

My husband and I tried this place for restaurant week because our first date was at Caribou Cafe (an unrelated coffee shop in another state). The menu looked good, so we decided to give it a shot. It was decent. It was 7PM on a weekday night, and the place was pretty deserted. The restaurant itself was cute, and the service was great. The food was just okay. Nothing to really write about. It was decent and I was full after the meal. There wasn't anything that was particularly flavorful or enjoyable, but nothing was bad either. For a $35 pre-fixe menu, it was a decent value. Not something I'd be eager to try again, but not a disappointing experience either.

The cafe in itself is a bar and small seating area, fully opened to outdoor dining. Casual but good food. Attended RESTAURANT WEEK 2021 so three course meal for $35. Good drink menu/options. Nice area & great staff. Order the escargot, skip the soufflé. Service: 5/5 - our waitress (Arabella? Ariabella? Beautiful name!) was funny, very attentive. Rest of the staff was very polite, no complaints. Very quick on water service. Escargot: 5/5 - good presentation, good appetizer, well-seasoned, nice sauce. Puff pastry was great. Scallops: 3.5/5 - dish itself was good, but only three small scallops for serving. Well-seasoned & well cooked, again good puff pastry. Chocolate soufflé: 1/5 - it was not a chocolate soufflé. It was really dry and did not come with anything to even it out; would be better with sauce or ice cream. Tasted like dry cupcake with powdered sugar. Goat cheese salad: 3/5 Dressing was heavy for my taste but lovely plating. Personally a fan of fresh spinach so that was nice. Goat cheese was good but not overbearing. If I were to recreate on my own, would probably include walnuts or some kind of nut to add texture. Ingredients: spinach, beet, slice of bread, dressing, goat cheese. Steak-frites: 4/5 steak was medium well and was lovely, very juicy. Wish there was a little more seasoning but was good steak sauce. Fries were shoestring style, which isn't my personal style, but I felt like they were frozen or just not fresh so didn't love that. Overall good though. Profiteroles: 4.5/5 Serving is really small and wish I had a knife with it, but overall no complaints about pastry and ice cream Not sure I would go again, but overall was good.

Cute French-style cafe with a lovely menu. I got the cafe salad with a perfectly cooked medium rare steak for lunch. It was fresh and delicious. Added a glass of wine and viola! Couldn't ask for a better lunch on a beautiful late summer day. The service is also great with a very friendly staff that is attentive without making you feel rushed. Highly recommend!

While we have been very satisfied with this restaurant in the past, our recent visit was extremely underwhelming in my view. My chicken dish was undercooked (pink in the middle) and arrived lukewarm at most. Our chocolate pudding dessert was lacking in taste and body (I wonder what the mousse is like?), and I regretted not being served French bread and butter to nibble on...you would think that this would be a given in a French restaurant. Finally, I thought that the ambiance was lacking (no French music playing for example) in spite of the pretty authentic Brasserie decor. The best thing about our experience was the service given that the staff was welcoming and attentive...everything else was like any other mediocre restaurant. I cannot say that we will be back:(

One of my favorite things in Philly is to go to Caribou for the $22 lunch special. I always feign to look at the rest of the menu but in my heart I know what's going to happen. I'm going to order the soup du jour or the classic entree du jour and walk away having tasted something different and absolutely delicious every time. No exception to this experience. The soup was a white bean and cabbage - tempting. The entree was a classic pike quenelles dish, a creamed fish and grits style meal which Caribou prepared with goat cheese - more tempting. So I went with my gut and did the petite salad and entree du jour. totally worth it. My only complaint was that they didn't serve it with a spoon so I could scrape the sides of the bowl.

This is such a cute place and I love French Cuisine. Food was cooked perfectly and tasted wonderful. The cream sauce that topped the escargot was my favorite part of the meal. Katie was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave SUPERIOR services. Can't wait to go back! Mercí!

We went there for restaurant week. The escargot was my favorite part of the menu. It was so tasty and didn't taste tough. For my main course, I got an ahi tuna. The ahi tuna melted in your mouth. Perfectly seared! The dessert was a chocolate soufflé that was the perfect temperature! Highly recommend!

Fantastic spot for a date night, the small plates and entrees are just what you're looking for for French cuisine.

Terrific. Our overwhelmingly positive experience was only made better by the incredible service from Quran, who was devoted to our experience as customers and took our time at Caribou Cafe to a new level. We will absolutely be returning with great joy.

Stopped in after an early afternoon drive from the Baltimore area. We were in Philly for one night and looking for a nice place to hop in for lunch and drinks. Stumbled upon this place when parking, the open patio was very inviting. Polite service from our waiter, tasty food and spirit forward cocktails made this a great time. We had the Fish Almondine and the Grilled Salmon which were superb and the standout cocktail was the Solaire...refreshing! I would def come back when I am in Philly!

This has been one of my fav Philly places for 20 years. The French food is the way to go

Server very nice & sweet; bartender crabby & abrupt. Clanked down our dishes, plopped our wine glasses down, grumbled. Cute atmosphere. We ordered sliders - mine had barely any meat in them. My friends had a kid of meat but the bread was burned. Meh at best.

Not even a star, if not I cannot be write this review. The worst experience I ever had in restaurants. Not professional at all, the bread was burn, the onion soup was acid and all of us we are very sick after eating in there. The manager very rude and made us paid for the worst food I have ever eaten. I do not recommend even a drink in this place! Ni una Estrella se merece, si no no puedo escribir el comentario. La peor experiencia que he tenido en restaurantes. Nada profesionales, el pan estaba quemado, la sopa súper ácida y todos terminamos enfermos después de comer allí. El encargado muy grosero y nos hizo pagar por la peor comida que he comido. No recomiendo este lugar ni para un trago! Non pas une étoile, si non je ne peux pas laisser mon avis. C'est la pire expérience que j'ai eu avec un restaurant. Pas du tout professionnel, le pain était brûlé, la soupe acide et nos sommes très malade après manger ici. Thé manager très impoli et il nous a fait payer pour le pire repas que j'aille mangé. Je ne recommande pas c'est endroit ni pour avoir un verre! What I want to say with this comment it is I am not food ignorant as the manager though.

Can't believe this place only has 3.5 stars - I'd give it 10 if I could. I was traveling alone for business and was told to come here and it exceeded allllll my expectations. Beautifully clean and decorated - great atmosphere, knowledgable staff, all the good things. Michael was my server - 5 stars for Mike. I asked him which of 3-4 items on the menu he'd recommend I order. He said the Lamb Burger with fries and WOW. Honestly one of the best meals I've had. The goat cheese and spread (which I think is just straight magic) on top of the perfectly cooked lamb and soft bread ---- I'll definitely be coming back for this.

Very solid weekend brunch spot. I went here in a bit of a rush before catching a flight and the server made sure to get me taken care of in a timely fashion. Apparently the place has been a Philly staple for years and it certainly has the homey vibe of a place with a lot of history. I had a bloody mary and eggs benedict and both were pretty good. Price point about what you'd expect for this area- not super budget friendly but also doesn't totally blow the day's budget.

We were looking for a not-super-crowded spot to grab a drink and Caribou looked like it needed some friends. There was no one sitting out front. We walked inside and were told to grab our choice of table - woohoo! We picked a spot and the waiter (Kai?) was right behind us with menus. He brought us some water while we looked things over. We really just planned on having drinks but we caught a glimpse of the dessert menu and sorbet sounded so good on a hot day so I ordered a hoegaarden and the sorbet. My husband ordered a yuengling and the profiteroles (pastries with ice cream and chocolate). The sorbet/hoegaarden combination was perfect because the fruity wheat beer flavor went well the mango/apricot sorbet flavor of the day. It was a nice light treat. Overall I think it's still a solid place for quick bites and drinks.

The Autumn chill has hit the air in Philly, so I just had to get a lovely crock of steamy French Onion Soup ( Parisian Onion Soup Gratinee) on their menu. My problem w/this soup elsewhere is that it is so frequently over salted - NOPE- NOT HERE! Oooey-Gooey stringy hot Gruyère cheese (I especially loved the cooked cheese on the rim of the crock). It is SO rich and delicious and comforting when the weather turns cooler, rainy, windy and it envelopes your taste buds like a blanket in front of a fire. The ambiance is so delightful - makes you feel like your in a French country bistro. Servers are very pleasant. Pair your soup with an order of escargot in puff pastry, with a silky sauce, and you're ready to curl up with a good book when you get home, knowing you have treated yourself well today.

My family came for lunch on a Saturday during restaurant week. We made reservations as they weren't taking walk-ins. There was comfortable outdoor dining, and the indoor seating was spaced out between parties. The waiters and busboys wore masks the entire time. For starters- there was a choice of potato leek soup with pesto. My family members really enjoyed this, but I wasn't able to taste due to my nut allergy. I had the warm goat cheese salad with beets. The vinaigrette was delightfully sweet. The goat cheese was so soft and creamy. The beets (which I usually don't opt for) provided a welcome earthiness. For entree- my brother devoured his cheesesteak with brie and onion jam. The seafood crepe was so rich and decadent. The sauce on top was silky smooth. The shrimp inside the crepe were small but plump and flavorful. I ordered the chicken moutarde and unfortunately found the chicken thigh to be dry. The potatoes and carrots were under seasoned. It would've benefitted from a lot more sauce overall. For dessert, my family ordered the profiteroles filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce. I preferred the pot de creme, which had a great smooth texture, visible vanilla flecks, very reminiscent of a creme brulee but without the sugar topping. The service was really great, everyone was pleasant and attentive. If the chicken had more sauce I'd have given it a 5 star review, but would definitely come back here again!

Service, ambiance, price, and food = all 5 stars. Tried their peasant board, onion and bacon thin pizza, moules frites, cafe gourmand, and creme brulee. They were all really good and the portion sizes were perfect. Would love to come back here and try other dishes. We went during happy hour so the wine was also only $5!

Great experience during COVID. Streetside dining can be a challenge but the staff here made it easy. I felt safe and they seem to have everything under control. Lunch was really good. I enjoyed my roasted chicken breast and my friend enjoyed their salad. Hopefully indoor dining will reopen sooner than later so I can enjoy the experience inside.

The Culinary Adventures of Tom Coghlan, FB · I went out for diner last Sunday... I went to a restaurant that I am very fond of... The Caribou Café, 1125 Walnut St. I have been here many times and always had a wonderful adventure ! I even ordered from Door Dash because of COVID! I am a big fan of Olivier Desaintmartin, Chef and Owner of Caribou Café, and formerly, The Zinc Bar., and had the pleasure of meeting him as I sat next to him at Cry Baby Pasta and Wine Bar and was introduced by my friend, Bernadette Foy. Chef Olivier attended the Hotel School in Paris, and has studied under world renowned chefs Michel Guerard, Jacques Chibois, Gaston Lenôtre and Le Coze. He is also a Champion on The Food Network's "Chopped." The Chefs' menu is inspired by the everyday cuisine and comfort foods of his home region of Champagne , France. I entered the restaurant solo and was seated at a small table adjacent to the bar which, due to COVID, was not in use... I met my two servers Corey and Eleanor. I first surveyed the Cocktail Menu. I ordered The Van Gogh (of course), Lillet Rose, Gin, Absinth, Lemon. I sipped my cocktail as I looked at the menu It was very nice... I already knew before I sat down that I was getting the Escargot in a Puff pastry. I've had it several times and look forward to it whenever I have the chance... When the snails arrived, they were different... They weren't in a puff pastry, but served with what I would consider a hollowed out biscuit type pastry that was stuffed with Tomato, Cream, Parsley, Garlic and Butter... and then the Snails in their Buttery Garlic Cream Sauce... I asked why they were different and was told that the Chef likes "to mix it up" occasionally... I was not disappointed at all ! It was exhilarating, exciting... and very satisfying. I cut them into many small bites and savored them for as long as I could, while sipping my cocktail...After ordering The Grilled Octopus Salad, White Beans, Onions, Arugula, Parsley , Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing, (Without the White Beans for me) I asked Corey If he could Recommend a wine...Jean-Luc Colombo, Cotes du Rhone is what I had. The Octopus was grilled to perfection and while its flavor dominated the salad it was accompanied well by The Arugula and Lemon Olive Oil Dressing... And the Wine was perfect ! I then ordered Pork Loin Farci, Herb Sauce, Stuffed Pork Loin, Spinach and Boursin Cheese. Mashed Potatoes...AMAZING ! There was plenty of cheese and spinach to accompany every bite of The Slow Roasted Pork Loin I used to wipe up the Mashed Potatoes with (eyes rolling in head) And again, the Wine was perfect ! For dessert I had Cappuccino Cheese Cake with Cappuccino and Sambuca ! Another great adventure that I owe to both Corey and Eleanor for their excellent service and sharing with me their knowledge of the menus ! http://www.cariboucafe.com/

I ordered the Caribou Cafe cheesesteak. $19 and it comes with a side. I ordered french fries. I guess luckily they brought me a salad. Anyway, for this genre this is a good cheesesteak. I have learned from past cheesesteaks in this genre to take small bites which I did. I really like the French baguette but they cut it funny and we had a little ripping issue. The meat was very good but I think the small bikes definitely helped. There was a fancy cheese on it that had a good flavor but there was not a lot of cheese. The caramelized onions added a lot of flavor but took over the sandwich. For $19 I think it should have been made with a lot more love.

While accompanying a friend having a medical treatment in Philadelphia last we had several great meals at the Caribou Café. Our photos show our entrees. The cafe is much like typically wonderful neighborhood cafes all over France. They have a great happy hour with good food and wines at great prices. The food is fresh and the service is attentive. Bartender: George, is totally on top of everything and gives great recommendations. Our servers for multiple visits, Eleanor & Katie, were just awesome providing good information and willing to take special requests to the chef. We had great experiences for each visit. And DEFINITELY DO NOT SKIP THE WORLD's ABSOLUTE BEST CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!

Excellent crème brûlée and croquet Monsieur paired with Prosecco was a perfect Sunday afternoon treat

I've been here a number of times going back some 20 years. I generally am here for lunch or brunch. In every case I get what I am expecting, a good menu offering, a nice selection of wine by the glass, and servers that are always hustling. Recently had the PEI mussels in a fabulous white wine sauce. Brimming to the top with mussels with no empties!! We had the crock of French onion chock full of onions, croutons and capped with gruyere cheese. The rib eye cheese steaks were good, with Brie on hearty rolls. The lemonade is delicious.

My friend and I visited Caribou Cafe during restaurant week and were really impressed! First course we got escargot which was done really well. The sauce served with it was especially delicious. The entree was excellent-salmon Wellington. I don't think they have it on their regular menu but they really should because it was delicious. The sauce and the mushrooms inside the pastry were really good. It was a very unique dish that we both loved. Dessert was just ok. Kinda disappointing for a French place but it was alright. The meal more than made up for it. Our food here was very good and I'd definitely return when it isn't restaurant week.

Great experience! Michael J, was excellent. He was helpful but unobtrusive. He has a pleasant face and demeanor that added to the experience. The bartender makes a mean Vesper so I'm in! I've been coming to Philadelphia several times a year for work since 2017 and don't know how I've missed Caribou Cafe. But now that I've found it, I'll be back!

I am very surprised to see this restaurant have so many negative reviews. My two coworkers and I visited Caribou yesterday for lunch during restaurant week and had an incredible experience. We all ate every little crumb on our plate and left no food behind. The warm goat cheese and spinach salad was so simple and delicious! It was the perfect dish to start the meal. My coworker tried the potato leek soup and finished it so fast saying it was delicious. We all ordered the seafood crepe as our entree and that receives a 10/10. They were not stingy with the seafood portion at all. It was decadent, filling and amazing. Every bite was bursting with shrimp and crab. For dessert, we all ordered Profiterolle with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. The presentation was adorable and it was the perfect amount. Combination of cold ice cream with a warm cream puff is always a win in my books. I highly recommend the seafood crepe!!

Stopped by for a meal before a play next door at the Forrest, Hamilton. We sat at the bar. Service was friendly, prompt and courteous. We sat down at ~5pm. The place was not crowded a few folks sitting by the window tables. By 545pm it was filling up. Two glasses of white burgundy. We started by splitting escargot in puff pastry. Very tasty. Sauce was rich and creamy. Could have easily gotten another. Mains were moules frites and a beef slider. The mussels were petite but plump and clean. Wonderful flavor with creme fraiche. The slider was a good, small burger. Nothing special. The fries that came with both dishes were crispy warm and delicious. Clearly just made. We are staying in town tonite but it would be hard to beat this place right next door to the theatre, for a play nite. One suggestion: install a bar rail for the feet. We have been to many bars and the idea of a foot rest attached to the bar is so common sense that it irks me when they do not have one. We will return when in the neighborhood. Nancy & Mark.

I went for restaurant week, so it was 3 courses for $25, and while I don't think i was ripped off, I wouldn't pay for a regularly priced meal here (I'm rather budget sensitive). The bread was fresh and all the servers were very friendly and attentive, but the food was lacking creativity and was good, but just very basic - plenty nourishing but didn't make you excited to be eating out. Had a very classic and homey ambiance, which I appreciated.

Came for restaurant week. Was ok for the deal price. Took a long time to get seated even though we made a reservation, the bartender made us the wrong drinks and then corrected them and gave us the wrong ones for free but overall wasn't impressed with them anyways. Food was okay but nothing super intriguing. Also the wait staff wasn't wearing the masks the whole time while serving and other patrons seemed to be bothered by that as well

Last minute restaurant week reservation for a big party of 7. The name itself seems casual, which this place was. However, their food could have been served in a fancier restaurant. True to the Cafe in their name, they offered an assortment of sandwiches. Four people did restaurant week and enjoyed the goat cheese salads, trout, escargot and chocolate cake. The onion soup was very good, and everyone raved about the beef and the lamb, saying they were perfectly cooked. The roasted chicken sandwich was quite delicious with pesto and a solid chunk of cheese, in addition to the very good bread. The service was a little disjointed (plates coming out at different times, silverware not being replaced when there was food in front of everyone, bread coming out after the entrees), which I attribute to not everyone getting restaurant week menu items and having such a large party. I would come back here for lunch to get a sandwich but probably not dinner again. It was pretty noisy and more casual than I'm used to for dinner dates.

We ordered the cheesesteak and a scallop dish. The butter provided with the bread was complex, with a cultured cheesy note that we loved. It was unsalted but they added rock salt to it, which was a nice touch. I was hoping that the cheesesteak would have juicy, high-quality cuts on a fresh-baked crusty baguette with moist grilled onions and gooey brie. Instead, the beef was dry, the baguette texture was mediocre, and the onions and brie were insufficient in quantity relative to the beef. And the side of ketchup really didn't match. Perhaps something closer to what is offered in a French dip would have been better-suited. The scallops were so over-salted and rubbery that we sent them back--the first time my partner had ever sent a plate back. When we received the second attempt, the scallops at least weren't rubbery, but they were still over-salted. It's possible that we just came on a bad day. But we probably won't return.