La Bonne Franquette

Came in with a friend for lunch on a Friday. We sat at the bar, had a drink, and shared some mussels and fries. The sauce the mussels were in… so so so good. We also enjoyed some desserts. I can’t remember which they were but one was tart, fruity one that was great. The second was a little chocolate mousse cake maybe - this one was hard and dense, it was difficult to even cut off a piece. Not a fan of that one but overall, everything else was fantastic.

*Edit* second time now for dinner - what a steal! Escargot and steak tartar were delicious. Mussels and duck for mains were tasty. The Au Jus with the duck is heavenly. When in doubt about an order of bread - get the bread 100%! Ended with 2 chocolates from Christophe bakery (worth a few bucks a pop). Nice touch! Two apps, 2 mains, cocktails came to 150 - this is a steal for a higher end dinner + booze in chuck. Only critique - poor acoustics. Can get loud in there when packed. Solid little spot in west ashley! Went for brunch, east to get there, parking lot, ample seating, and delicious reasonably priced food. Worth going especially if on this side of town.

Really works hard to imitate the feel of a small Parisian Cafe. We sat on the patio out front and enjoyed our lunch. Food was good, though I would have preferred a larger quantity of diet coke - they serve it in 8oz bottles, which all though likely authentic are rather expensive for the 237 ml and my non-European palate requires a lot more liquid than that with a meal. We both had lunchy sandwich fare and found them quite good. The name does remind me of the classic Frasier episode where Frasier and Nials name their restaurant " Les Freres Heureux", but service was pleasant. Worth a try.

Adorable atmosphere, excellent and friendly service, and the food is spectacular! Gave this place a try for a date night. Everything was amazing! So we went back for Sunday brunch. Highly recommend the escargot, octopus, French toast, quiche and desserts. Latte was also great both times!

Such a wonderful restaurant in West Ashley. The cocktails and food are always amazing. Can’t wait to go back for happy hour.

Friday evening with a party of 4 with reservations. It was fantastic! For appetizer’s we had the grilled octopus and a 1/2 dozen oysters on the shell. For dinner I had the Mahi my wife had the steak and frites. The other couple had the short ribs and the mussles!

I don't know how this place isn't on all of the recommended restaurant sites. Delightful menu with options for a big meal or light dining. The cocktails are outstanding, wine options are stellar, the ambiance is great and the staff are so so fun. Perfect place for a date night, special occasion and even a happy hour pop in. 10 out of 10.

Nice ambiance and friendly staff but the food fell flat. The croissant was not properly laminated and the mimosa eggs had little flavor. Cheese board was ok and the berries with my meal were drenched in sugar. Table overall thought food was ok

Excellent food and service in a relaxed atmosphere. Small but well curated wine list by glass or bottle. Outstanding friendly non-obtrusive service. Will definitely return.

I came here for brunch and loved it! The service was great and the coffee is delicious. I ordered the burger, the avocado toast with and egg and finished it off with a macaroon. The burger was delicious, perfectly cooked medium patty. The avocado toast was also great, it was toasted to perfection and the fruit was the perfect pairing. I didn't care for the fries that came with the burger, they left something to be desired. We ordered both the French press coffee (which was great) and a latte (which was also great) my only complaint is that they only had whole milk and I'm an almond milk gal.

We recently had a delicious dinner here on a Saturday night of a holiday weekend when many other restaurants were packed. La Bonne Franquette sadly was not packed. Our group spent a bit of time talking about why it wasn't more popular and I think it may be related to the overall ambiance. The food is great, the menu very unique and 'crowd pleasing', the service is friendly efficient and knowledgable (thank you Logan!). The wine list is wonderful and although we didn't try one, the cocktail list is very imaginative. The room however is just not that comfortable. The decor is black and white, the lighting is a bit too bright, and the acoustics are not good at all. Maybe this is part of being a 'french bistro' but perhaps more wood and fabric would warm the place up a bit.

The cutest little spot in West Ashley!! Would definitely make a reservation for prime mealtime, especially if you have a preference to eat inside or outside! We came in on a rainy Saturday for lunch and everything was perfect. We got the French Toast which was amazingly delectable and the Croque Monsiur. I loved the little details the most! The bread is out of this world!! Would definitely come back and try more things! Also, the specials list was noteworthy but as our first time we wanted to just stick to some basics which surpassed my expectations!

My recent brunch experience at La Bonne Franquette was mostly enjoyable, but there were a few notable hiccups that detracted from the overall experience. Firstly, I ordered an omelette and requested a side of toast. Despite noticing avocado toast on the menu served on whole-grain bread, the waiter informed me that only a baguette was available as a bread option. While not my preferred choice, I accepted it, only to be surprised by a $4 charge for a small baguette, which I found disappointing in terms of customer service. Secondly, after finishing our meal, we waited nearly 45 minutes for the check without any attention from our waiter. It was only after I requested the check that we were informed of the need to vacate our table within ten minutes, which felt abrupt and awkward after the extended wait for the bill. Additionally, the noise level in the restaurant was uncomfortably high, leaving my ears ringing by the end of the meal. Despite these frustrations, the food itself was still enjoyable, and the overall ambiance of the restaurant was pleasant. However, these instances of poor service and discomfort significantly detracted from what should have been a relaxed brunch experience with friends.

I was really excited to try this place and it fell flat for me. The croquette monsieur was mostly just bread. Thankfully I added an egg but really it needed two at least. The French press coffee comes in a really small cup so one cup goes down pretty quick and it takes a while to get a second cup. Service was very good. Small place with limited seating. I'd like to give it a try for dinner sometime, but will skip it for brunch.

Although we had become regulars here, we won't be back. When we moved here, we regularly went to Christophe's for the breakfast pastries and French press coffee, and bought a few dozen of the delicious chocolates to go. Then about six months ago, we were told they no longer served coffee there because they'd opened a new restaurant down the street. We were eager to try it, and were very happy with their food. However, things have changed. The Bloody Mary is not the same, which is not a deal breaker, but when we were there Saturday for brunch, the regular chef refused to make my egg hard for the Benedict. Previously, the sous chef has done this, in addition to every place we've been in every city, state and country. With such a tiny menu, the chef couldn't leave the egg in for an additional two minutes? What a disappointment.

Outstanding! My wife and I have been here several times and loved it! Had the steak frites when we went for dinner, and the croque monsieur for brunch. She had the quiche with a salad and both were divine. Service was excellent - never went without, fantastic recommendations, wonderful people. The decor inside is beautiful, they did a great job recreating a Parisian cafe - just need to add a few Vespa's in the parking lot.

What a lovely spot! I got the chocolate martini which was like drinking cold chocolate milk and beautifully presented. The salad was refreshing and dressed perfectly, though it would have been nice to be able to add protein. I also got the brioche french toast which had two, thick half slices and sadly no sides. There was not enough parking. Server was knowledgeable and friendly. It is bright and cute inside.

Had omelette and fresh berry toast, French press coffee. Was quite good. Will come back to try dinner!

We really enjoyed our double date dinner here. We made a reservation pretty late in the evening (and stayed until closing) but never felt rushed! They had a holiday cocktail menu, so naturally we decided to try a few of those to start! I decided to order a small charcuterie board, the beef tartare, and the steak frites. Everything was coursed out very well and cooked to perfection. The steak was the star of the show - the flavors were insane! I ended with a boozy hot chocolate flight which was a really neat idea - you pick the liquors you'd like added and they serve you three smaller portions, one of each. Our waitstaff was phenomenal in providing recommendations during the ordering process and our drinks remained full!

I had Escargot, no shells. Strange.. Why would serve escargot without the shells. Flavor was bland. I also had the chicken, which in my opinion, was almost a Cornished hen or Pigeon. Very small bones. Good flavor, but not sure what kind of chicken it was. It had a carrot pate' and split peas. Desert was very good, as it should be since the owner is a Chocolatier. The Creme Bullae had a thin crust, so not burnt long enough and it was thin, not thick like it should. Overall, not real impressed.

I enjoyed another delicious dinner at La Bonne Franquette. Stopped in for a gift card, and decided to stay and have dinner at the bar. I enjoyed the mussels and had the almond apple tart for dessert. Everything was just perfect! I enjoyed chatting with the employees an impressed with their knowledge of cocktails and French cuisine. La Bonne Franquette is authentic and surely one of the best restaurants in Charleston!

Classic French Bistro A nice spot for a snack or a meal. I enjoyed the pate' en croute and a glass of Cote de Rhone - a very good combination. Service is attentive and the room had a lively buzz. Dessert looks outstanding but I didn't try any yet.

Do you like Christophe's Chocolates? Then you'll most likely love what they do on a restaurant scale. Just had a few awesome pastires here along with their always wonderful French Press. The quiche was amazing, truffle soup was too. Full wine and beer; liquor every day except Sunday... I will be back to try the dinner menu.

Cute interior. Many house flies (saw 5 at once without looking for them). No cooked food options and minimal pastry options for breakfast (though I suppose that's very French)... I will have to come again another day to do lunch!

Best small plate meal I've EVER had! The service is beyond my or anyone's expectations. Ambience is "just right" Café seating. FYI Croissants are a MUST! Bitter-less espresso

My girlfriend and I went here after a very long day of driving and house hunting. Despite the site saying open all day, they were open without a kitchen until 5, but they gladly seated us and took our orders while we waited. The food was great, though a bit different from other French restaurants that I have been to (though my experience is a bit limited). Very "upscale casual" ambience. My girlfriend loved her first drink, the cocktail that says it is infused with lavender. The appetizers - half dozen oysters and small charcuterie board - were amazing. The prosciutto in particular was a standout, definitely not food store Boar's Head! My scallops were very tasty, though the ratatouille wasn't my favorite... pure personal preference. She didn't care for her steak; not because it wasn't well made (it was), but because the style just wasn't her preference, she likes more of a steakhouse steak. Crème brûlée was amazing. Over all a great little place and it was full for good reason by the time we left! J.Ja

Great ambiance. We got decent service and the food was tasty as well. Overall it was very nice. A little pricey but everyone is now so not so high you shouldn't give it a try. We went for brunch and really enjoyed our visit. We split the eggs benedict and the home fries were perfect. The eggs were perfect. The English muffin was ok and the hollandaise sauce we good. Overall a good experience and would go back.

Really enjoyed our meal here and can't wait to come back. Service was a *smidge* off and I hold that to it being the first weekend, but every bite was superb! I look forward to coming back to update to a 5 star review. Don't miss this spot.

We would love to book for dinner in this wonderful West Ashley French restaurant. We had lunch over there with the vichyssoise (potato, leek soup garnished with truffle oil), and the croque monsier sandwich with delicious french fries. Our server from Montpelier, Valerie was very friendly and accomodating. We bought some nice French tea and pastries to bring home. It's has a lovely and clean ambiance inside the restaurant and offer outdoor seating with plenty of parking. We would go back in a heartbeat especially for their mussels and steak frites for dinner.

We were so glad we decided to try La Bonne Franquette. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the outside seating area. I love all the extra touches and attention to detail that made it perfect. The service and food were excellent. I look forward to returning g one evening for dinner.

Recently, a colleague and I ate dinner at La Bonne Franquette. I have been there many times and have enjoyed most things. The desserts and chocolates are exceptional. However, I was surprisingly disappointed with my dinner which was the Steak Frites. First of all the fries were inedible. Being a major part of the dish, even with fries (Frites) being in the name, they should be delicious. They were far from good, in fact again, inedible. I did not ask for new fries because it was a business meeting and the timing would have been awkward me getting my fries late. If this was the only disappointing thing I probably would not have written this review. But, because the steak was not very good either, I thought I would go ahead and write down my findings to maybe help someone else. The steak was rubbery and did not have much flavour. The salad that came with it on the same plate was fine but not so great that it could make up for the fries and steak. Also, I pondered the salad coming on the same plate as the steak frites which I have never had in any other restaurant. This is not a big deal, and again, I enjoyed the salad. The bread that we ordered at an additional cost came to the table hot, not warm which was reminiscent of it being microwaved. I wasn't sure. It was good, but too hot. The restaurant is very cute and well put together. The colors, dishes, flooring etc. are all excellent. The restaurant does get very loud at times and the service can be a bit, I don't know, arrogant. But, the tea and other things I've had on the menu are good, especially the desserts. I will return to enjoy some of the other things on the menu, but I do hope for the sake of their business they will try and improve this particular dish and perhaps tweak their service style.

Great place to eat or get drinks. We just got evening drinks here and they were fabulous. Will have to come back to check out the food soon.

We had the most wonderful meal at La Bonne Franquette on opening night. We are big fans of Christophe Artisan Chocolatier-Patissier and we are fortunate that we live close by the West Ashley patisserie located on Ashley River Road just NW of Sam Rittenberg. We have been waiting anxiously for the associated restaurant to open. It is now open as of Feb 09, 2023 and the experience was spectacular! Please allow me to gush... Our meal started with the beautiful Ocean Salad which was heaped with extremely fresh arugula and adorned with crab meat and large, perfectly cooked shrimp. There was something extra though...hmmm, what was this magical extra flavor hovering over the delicate flavor of the shrimp? Oh, it's tiny bits of cured salmon! The flavors were subtle and blended perfectly; a prelude of what was to come. We went a little crazy and ordered a dozen oysters and mussels and we are so glad we did. Each individual oyster was well chosen to be fresh, meaty and delicious; each one a perfect slurp. The oysters were a refreshing and tasty experience. A huge bowl of mussels arrived shortly after and they were plump, meaty and...delicious. They came in a lightly flavored sauce that perfectly enhanced the rich flavor of the mussels. I can see a meal of oysters and mussels in our future. Just platter after platter and bowl after bowl....oysters and mussels, mussels and oysters, oysters and mussels. The flavors were both rich and subtle; immensely satisfying. These appetizers were perfectly prepared, sumptuous, and bountiful. The mussels were stacked high and plentiful enough to satisfy both my wife and I as we snacked on them like sea otters floating on currents of bliss. For entrees, I had the Toulouse Cassoulet and my wife had the Daube Provencal (short ribs). Once again subtlety was the essence. The cassoulet was generously full of duck confit, sausage......and pork belly! A magical flavor palette; duck confit flavored with pork belly and sausage. I am a big fan of bean dishes and soups. My favorite, before this cassoulet, was the Galician White Bean Soup, a bean and ham soup, served at Versailles Restaurant on Calle de Ocho in Miami (pair it with a Cuban sandwich for sort of an au jus meal). My first bite of the cassoulet was magical. Is it weird to describe a bean dish as elegant? The sophistication of the flavors was magical. The flavors blended magnificently, but if I concentrated just a little bit, I could pick out each flavor individually. A savory masterpiece! My wife had the short ribs and we both loved them. They came as stew with slices of carrots and potatoes, and beans. The flavor was rich, deep, sophisticated and satisfying. The meal was bountiful and the meat was tender and juicy in a sauce that was subtle and savory. Suffice to say that it was spectacular. On to the dessert. We love profiteroles and we prefer gelato over cream. These were the gelato-type and a delicious way to end a fabulous meal. Of course, the dark chocolate sauce was as tasty as the dark chocolate roche or the dark chocolate Mendiants from Christophe's chocolate patisserie. On to the service. Fabulous, fun, professional, and friendly. Even though it was opening night and the place was packed, we were served in a timely fashion. The staff was very attentive and friendly even while they were extremely busy. ----My review is truncated because Yelp limits the number of characters so I will jump to a closing statement.---- I would love to give La Bonne Franquette a one word review, but I am stymied. Flavor? Happiness? Subtly? Maybe I should move into a two-word review. Sophisticated casual? Complex happiness? Magnificently flavorful? Ah, I have it: Exceedingly pleasant! I guess what I can say is that we are tremendously happy that we have such a fine dining experience in West Ashley. The real product at LBF is a happy experience which includes fine food, excellent service, and an warm and friendly ambiance. We have been several more times, but reveiws limit the number of characters....We sky-highly recommend La Bonne Franquette.

An absolute gem that I am SO happy is in West Ashley. Every sip and bite was incredible!

The presentation is really nice. Vibe is quite good. I like the decor a lot. Yet the food is just passable. My scallop was the best entree we had. My dad had steak that was really disappointing and too hard to chew for him. Burger is okayish, the kind of okay as burgerk*ng And I was quite surprised that service was not flexible at all. My family had 2 entrees with the same side, fries. Multiple side options were listed as add on in the menu, such as mushrooms and salad. I was hoping to swap one with mushroom, which all restaurant can do in NY. But I was refused and told that they can not swap at all?! Other restaurants in Charleston had so much more hospitality and I am very disappointed by this experience

Breakfast, typical cafe found in France. They serve lunch and dinner also. Clean inside, very open. Outside cafe seating also. Choice of pastries, (hopefully more selection in the future). Almond croissant, very fresh, baguette, tasty. Selection of teas great. Bar, with liquor selections. I will try lunch and dinner also. A must for you lovers of a French type bistros. Frank G

Fish special was special! Mussels good, frites good, steak not so much. Pate good, cocktails good however slow bar service. Loud indoors, nice patio- we've been twice, nice addition to neighborhood, will be back!

Tasty and properly seasoned! Everyone (5) was pleased with both the food and creative drinks. Desserts are Escoffier also. As a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu I Can recommend La Bonne Franquette without reservation. Easy access and parking too!

Always a great place to go for date night. The bar is a wonderful play to share a few apps and a drink. The staff is amazing and the food is spectacular!!

Welcome to the Charleston restaurant scene. I am so thrilled you are in West Ashley. We've been in for dinner (opening night) and everything was fantastic. Today we came in for lunch and in spite of the fact you were busy and short staffed I thought you held it together very well. We'll be back!

Hidden jewel -delicious menu - enjoyed lunch and will certainly be returning. Croque Monsieur was plentiful -side salad option had an amazing dressing. The almond croissants were fresh and yummy! Looking forward to enjoying future visits. Staff was attentive and professional.

The reviews are not real or local people have no idea what French cooking is. We could not eat our ill prepared meals and found the service and the atmosphere very off putting. It was a waste of our precious time and money. This is a pumped up location that is 100% a failure with gross food, worst service and bully-like management. There are so many other fine eateries in and around Charleston. Look further and don't let this place ruin your evening out.

I loved the yummy quiche! Ambiance is open and airy and the service was efficient and friendly. I only wish I had saved room for dessert!

In addition to excellent food, the waiters, Brandon and Nolan, were amazing. They provided fantastic service, were friendly, cordial, and always smiling. Simply stated, they provided a congenial atmosphere. The owner, Carly, came to our table introduced herself. She, too, was lovely.

The food was delicious however, the service couldn't have been worse. We arrived early and were seated for a 12:30 reservation for lunch for 3. 10 minutes later we were given menus. 10 to 15 minutes later we were asked what we wanted to drink and eat 15 minutes later water and drinks arrived. I could go on but do the math, we didn't leave until after 2:00. This was lunch for3 people, salad and sandwiches. I shudder at the thought of how long dinner or breakfast would take. Such a shame as the food was good but nothing is worth waiting like that. Perhaps if they got the water and drinks in a more timely fashion it wouldn't have been as aggravating. I truly hope the owners read this and adjust otherwise I suggest only going at off hours and bring a book.

Excellent Service and food...reasonably priced and outstanding ambiance. Friendly staff and presentation--A new favorite that I will frequent and recommend to others.

We had the small charcuterie board, house salad, mussels, & scallops. All through the atmosphere is very cute, very French inspired, it was certainly true to form because there also seem to be no air-conditioning inside the building and with it being 90° outside it was overwhelmingly hot inside the restaurant. Charcuterie board, and house salad were great, the muscles were fishy and we're not fresh. The scallops were good. However, they were piled on top of a mountain of mushrooms, so I guess if you really like mushrooms order the scallops. Our server was precious, he seems knowledgeable and professional, but can maybe use training on timing. We ordered all three courses at the same time, and they all were served at the same time. This left us this left us with a tiny table filled with dishes. To be clear when we ordered, we did say we wanted the charcuterie board first then the salad, then dinner entrées. I don't want to completely put this on the server, but when I was a server, we were in charge of making sure we put the orders in in a timely manner for both the kitchen and the diners. There are far better places to try before we suffer this place again.

Had a wonderful experience here tonight. Liam was the BEST server. He answered all our questions, made recommendations, and was so kind. From the cocktails to the dessert it was a seamless dinner in a very cozy, clean, and friendly environment. The food is the perfect portion size. No one likes to spend money and leave hungry! We can't wait to try Brunch soon! Until next time! :)

I went out of my way to hit this for lunch. My quiche and salad was delicious. Fairly priced. Friendly on the spot service. Really cute ladies luncheon spot

Delicious every time. Now I'm just adding a few more thoughts bc my review needs at least 85 characters to post.

I've been 3 times, once for brunch and twice for dinner. All have been fantastic. I went 2 weeks ago for a girls night and had a swordfish with blood orange vinaigrette over potatoes that was out of this world. I took my boyfriend there last night and guess what we both had....the swordfish. It was just as amazing. It was well cooked, not at all dry, very moist and tender. Highly recommend.

Good food and service! Get the Bordeaux wine! I loved my Quiche Lorraine! Get the chocolate mouse cake as well. I look forward to dinner next time!

Super good food! Quaint, friendly service. Went for lunch, it was packed. Happy to see it so. We had Nolan as our server, he was helpful & attentive as he could be with how busy they were. Can't wait to go back & try other items. We Had a French white wine, an aperol spritz, smoked salmon baguette with dill- side salad and a tuna salad sandwich with a side salad. Quite simple not not really... quite delicious!!! Had to park on the street but that was fine. We sat outside, it was nice outside.

Truly outstanding. Everything so exquisitely and thoughtfully prepared. The Vichyssoise was outrageously delicious. The Oceane Salad was delicate and delicious, and the Fish of the Day with ratatouille was 10/10. Finished with some delectable macaroons. Service was incredible. Should have taken pics but was too busy swooning over every bite. I am so insanely grateful to have a restaurant of this caliber in West Ashley!

Horrible service, if I could give zero stars I would. Food mediocre, could not even serve salmon on a croissant even if croissant was on the menu - the answer was because the sandwiches are already premade! Prob since yesterday that's how hard the bread was and super dry. Definitely will never return or recommend this place.

6:00 seating which was perfect as the noise level picked up by 6:45. We had been missing good mussels and Pomme frits and these were outstanding! The sauce superb! Our server, Kate, made the dinner even better with impeccable service and a decadent little chocolate to try for dessert. Will look forward to our next trip to the West Ashley area.

Ambience is great! Feels like a bistro. Prices are high for what you get. We went back for a second try since reviews are good but this time the (one piece) of French toast was burnt and the egg whites on the benedict were runny. We live close and would love to go there but probably will not return.