Le Chat Noir French Restaurant

We’ll revisit this place for a more detailed review shortly. But for now let’s just say you’re missing the best thing in Riverside if you don’t dine here. This is superb ‘down home’ southern French cuisine done exceptionally well combined with exquisite service. Chat has all the ‘bells and whistles’ but most impressive is its solid coverage of the terroir of this cuisine. The ‘country brassiere’ style sweetbreads were as good as any I’ve ever had in France. The chef’s manage of blue cheeses and berries in a lamb sauce were worthy of a Cordon Blu master. His handling of duck was perfection. The setting is pure ‘homage’ with exactly the right blend of formality and neighborhood eatery. You can’t go wrong here whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just enjoying an indulgent regular dinner out with the friends. This spot is a jewel. For myself this lovely brasserie/restaurant might be the single best thing in Riverside and is actually worth a trip there all by itself.

The food was incredible. The experience was incredible. The service was incredible. The escargot was magnificent. The salmon and chicken was delicious. Every single dish we ordered was fantastic. It was such an authentic, modest French experience that was unforgettable. Absolutely LOVED it.

Emery dish is enjoyable. The main dish is one of the today’s special. The desert is a little bit sweeter than my expectations but still enjoyable. They wrote the tips for us which makes us not so happy. Is it a rule for a group of 6 ppl maybe? In total about 500+ for 6 ppl including tips.

We have been coming to this restaurant for many years. This is literally one of the nicest restaurants. You can go to just about anywhere. The people are great. The menu is great. The attention to detail is great. The food is great. The service is great everything about it is great, the servers are awesome. The atmosphere is great. We have come here for many, many birthday events for mother-in-laws, Mother's brothers wife, everybody, we come here often and love it all the time every time we can, it's great.

We order Coming to LA shanwa was an exquisite experience. We have ordered, I don't know, it's perfect. Poirine de poulet au provincial. Adrian What's accommodating? And we were excited to hear him speak French, love the décor and the tight flower invaders. We will certainly do it again.

We had high hopes for this restaurant given the high ratings, but we were sorely disappointed. This was the worst "French" food I've ever tasted by a mile. The baguette had a hard crust that made it difficult to eat, the fromage plate was very run of the mill (Muenster - really?!), and the french onion soup lacked onion flavor. The magret de canard was not properly cooked (the fat under the skin of the duck breast had not been rendered, so it was unpleasantly rubbery) and the sauce it was served in, which was supposed to be a peppercorn sauce, tasted like it was made from Mccormick brown gravy mix or something you'd get with your meatloaf at a cheap diner - it didn't taste like peppercorn at all. The halibut was overcooked and dry, and the risotto served under it was so mushy we thought it was mashed potatoes at first, but the texture was all wrong. We hoped that at least they'd get the dessert right, but the chocolate mousse was inedible - dry, grainy and pasty like it had sat in the refrigerator for a month before they served it to us. The restaurant's atmosphere was pleasant and our waiter was very attentive and helpful, but he was either lying about the quality of the food (we asked for his recommendations and he told us everything was fantastic) or he doesn't know what good food tastes like. I feel especially sorry for my dad and brother, who split the very pricey bill for our substandard meal. I can confidently say that we will not be coming back, nor can we in good conscience recommend this experience to anyone else.

The food was delicious and service was fantastic. The pricing was very fair and more affordable than other fancy restaurants. We will definitely be returning soon because there are so many thing we still want to try.

Me and my boyfriend came here for a date and it was perfect! The food , the servers and the whole vibe of the place. It was very comfy and the food was amazing. Our server Johannes was incredibly attentive and kindly explained some dishes to us because it was very new to us. I recommend for anyone who is open to trying new things. The price for the dishes is worth the taste. I hope to come back many more times.

Stumbled upon this restaurant by accident and we are so glad we did! Charming little French restaurant with a handful of outside seats. We didn't have a reservation on a Saturday but we were able to get seated outside. We ordered the French onion soup, shrimp, lamb chops and the mini dessert tray. Everything was perfectly seasoned and the veggies were all absolutely fork tender and delicious. My only complaint was the lack of a sauce for the lamb chops as I felt it needed a little something. Very affordable for the quality of food and definitely a place to come back to

THIS PLACE IS GOOD! I have never been to a French restaurant and I went with friends after work to try the food. This restaurant is VERY welcoming and our waiter was so nice and helpful. He explained what each meal was and how the chef prepares the meal. I had the Magret de Canard aux Poivres Exotiques (Duck breast in a peppercorn sauce) medium rare and it was tasteful. It is regular size portions and it allowed us to get deserts after our meal. I was just perfect therefore I recomend for date nights or an outing with a small group of friends. I will be back soon to eat again.

The peppered steak and the crème brûlée were delicious. Small restaurant, well located, nice servers.

If you love French cooking, you will love this restaurant from appetizer to the dessert. Absolutely delicious. And the service is like you don't experience in California anymore special thank you to Adrien our wonderful Garson! I think that's how waiter spelled in French!

Tried this place for my birthday dinner with my spouse. The food and service were amazing.

The restaurant was amazing! Came here for an anniversary and it was romantic, great food and service, will definitely be back to try again!

Another fabulous evening at Chat Noir- Food, ambiance, service and company all just lovely.

Don't bother making reservations...they'll just say "we're busy" when you arrive, regardless ....

We have been coming to Le Chat Noir for years. This is our special place. We come here for special occasions as well as date nights. We LOVE the atmosphere, attentive service and amazing food. I highly recommend Le Chat Noir!

We arrived five minutes before closing and were warmly greeted and seated! The service was outstanding! It was a quiet and calm atmosphere. We enjoyed a variety of starters and entrees--and were satisfied. We will be back!

Two more dinner outings here, and two more five-star dining experiences! Appetizers Diane and I downed included Champignons farcis aux Escargots de Roquefort (Mushrooms stuffed with Escargots and Roquefort Sauce), Les Crevettes (shrimp) sauteed in Lemon Butter Sauce, Moules Poulette au Vin Blanc (Steamed Mussels in a White Wine Cream Sauce), and Brie Fondue Flambe au Calvados (Brie flambeed in Calvados). These starters were followed by me with classic Soupe a L'Oignon Gratinee au Gruyere seasoned with a Bay Leaf, and Le Salade Maison, consisting of large Grape Tomatoes, big Artichoke Hearts, mixed greens, Radicchio, and Roasted Bell Peppers graced with a very delicate light dressing. Fish we enjoyed included Branzino Almandine, Grilled Seabass in a Lemon Butter Sauce, and Poached Salmon in a Lemon Butter Sauce. And, medium rare Le Tournedos de Boeuf, Blanc et Noir with both White and Brown Sauce was a fine beef dish. Entrees were accompanied by Mashed Potatoes and perfectly cooked al dente vegetables, including Zucchini, Carrot, Squash, and Asparagus spears. Small slices of complimentary French Bread and butter had to be replaced often. Service was excellent and efficient in a romantic setting with interesting piped in music. We will most assuredly return.

Great French spot! The food was all amazing. Our service Johannes is very hospitable. The ambiance is perfect for date night or a reunion with friends.

I've been eyeing this place for a while and finally decided to make a reservation which was very easy the person I talked to was also very friendly. My date & I were not disappointed! It's small/intimate and the food was great. Server was very attentive 10/10 would recommend. I will be returning.

The escargot was very rubbery. But the venison was delicious. The staff were very friendly.

1/20/24 The place is small and quaint. The service was great. I believe Johann was his name, he was very attentive to us. Everything that we ordered tonight was 10 out of 10..!! We ordered their Venison and their Filet Mignon for the main entree. Their Escargot and Onion soup for starters. For dessert, we ordered their Napoleon and Crème Brûlée. Everything we ate hit the spot.

We had the rack of lamb, filet, pâté, and escargot and everything was delicious! Service was lovely. Will def go back.

One of the best French restaurants I have ever been to . Took my parents there for thanksgiving and immediately booked to take my best friend there for pre-Xmas celebration. Both times we were impressed. The appetizers (esp shrimp sautéed with Dijon mustard and mushroom stuffed with escargot were incredibly tasty). Venison and lamb were both cooked to perfection and paired with rich and delicious sauce. Crème brûlée was outstanding Such a hidden jewel in riverside. Will def come back.

Good time, great service very quaint little restaurant. You are transported to France immediately. Service was attentive and quick. Our waiter was very charming and professional. It was a good experience.

This place is fantastic in so many ways. The food is classical French all the way. The flaming Brie, the escargot, and any main dish are wonderful. I ordered the Sand Dabs, which I have not had for over 40 years. Desserts are tough to pick just one, but you can share, of course. If you love wine, just ask your server. This is what we did, we each told him what we like in a wine. He came back with suggestions that were excellent and well matched with our foods. Needless to say, the service is impeccable.

First time here. This was a Christmas present from a friend. The food was amazing. I enjoyed so much that I started eating before taking a photo. Matthew our server was knowledgeable and friendly. The restaurant was intimate and classy. Highly recommend. I think the menu offers something for everyone to enjoy. Great wine list to pair with food choices.

Absolutely loved the experience here and am so glad they were able to accommodate us without a reservation. We enjoyed pheasant, rack of venison, escargot, and ice cream from Southern France. Our server was wonderful. He was full of jokes to tell and was so kind and attentive throughout our dinner. I really wish I got his name so I could properly thank him for the experience. I think it might have been Adrian, but i'm not 100% sure. He really made a difference on our experience. All the recommendations he made were great and we had so many good laughs. Towards the end of our night, our server unfortunately had a medical emergency due to personal reasons. Despite this medical emergency.. he was still cracking jokes and trying to be himself. Honestly, I hope for the best health for this guy and send so much prayers for his wife at home. I hope the restaurant staff know how much of a gem he is. Overall, the food was great and I am so glad the server got me to try escargot again despite a horrible experience with it at another restaurant. The escargot was good. But out of everything, the ice cream was the best. Highly recommend this place to anyone nearby or coming to visit the area. It's small and requires reservations. However, experience is great.

Fab lamb chops. Been a while since my last visit. Remember. All in all great experience.

We are never disappointed when we go to Le Chat Noir. We were there Saturday evening for dinner with our best friends. The food was delicious as always and the service was flawless. One of the specials was duck confit and our friends loved it. My loin of lamb with Gorgonzola and Lingonberry sauce was wonderful and my wife enjoyed her salmon. It is an intimate, charming, delicious restaurant here in Riverside.

One of my fav in riverside yum love it Spent a lot here but so worth it lots good memories here

Definitely a memorable visit last night. Johannes was our waiter. He was attentive, funny and made a special night greater. First and foremost, Le Chat Noir is our go to place French Restaurant. Located steps away from us now, it was a short walk to the restaurant. Johannes showed us to our table and we ordered Escargot Stuffed Mushrooms and Pate. Both were excellent with the complimentary fresh French bread. The thing about French food is their sauces and when you sop the bread w the garlic butter it's amazing. The entrees we ordered were the Lamb Lion w Lingonberry and Gorgonzola, and the Bronzino, Sea Bass, with Brown Butter. Both were excellent. The sea bass I tried was filling. The two fillets were over wild rice and veggies. It tasted delicious. Our dessert was the Crème brûlée and special donut w a message :) Overall, a very memorable visit. Thank you

The food is soooo DELICIOUS AND AMAZING!! I'm very impressed by the quality and the texture of their products. I love how the place was not overly crowded or noisy. Also, shout out to our server for answering my husband and I questions about their menu. I will say it was our first time being there and we hope won't be last because we really enjoyed it!

A night to remember. My wife and I went to Le Chat Noir not knowing what expect. We were treated like royalty from the moment we walked in. The service there is always right on top of everything. Then the food... WOW I had the venison and Cyndi had the pheasant. Both were soooo good, the venison was the most tender cut of meat ever, and the pheasant was equally as good. The Champaign tarragon sauce was perfect. We stayed for deserts, and glad we did, the Napoleon was also perfect and the crembrulet the best Ive had. Our waiter Adrian was a perfect gentleman and made us feel at ease. I would go here again and again if I could. Wish I could give 10 stars!

This place is amazing right in downtown Riverside. The french onion soup is great. The restaurant is cozy. Cool vibe. Pinot noir was delicious! I had the fish and my wife had the steak. Both were perfectly buttery. Overall great dinner and hope to go back soon!

The whole experience was great. Our waiter took care of us and helped pick a dish since we wanted to try everything! The vibes were cozy. We got the escargot, halibut, and peach desert. Spoiler, the peaches are from the chefs home! Will definitely come back again.

The worst service ever!!!!!!!! We had a reservation at 7:30pm after we were told there was nothing earlier. We get to the restaurant at our reservation and are told our table isn't ready that the party is still eating. Okay fine we can wait. It is 20 min into our reservation and we check in since it's cold and there is no place to wait inside. We ask to speak to the manager and the hostess tells us "You're gonna have to come to the kitchen to talk to the manager." The most ridiculous thing ever. Why take reservations if you don't plan to honor them. Would skip.

Royally confused why this establishment has such high ratings. My husband and I had dinner here on a Thursday evening. First, I will mention that the decor is very stereotypically French (think Eiffel tower, red, and black) and mixed with industrial items that remind me of something out of the early 2000s. We decided to give it a shot anyway. We started with the smoked salmon, onion soup, and bread. The smoked salmon was high quality and very tender (but not something that is easy to mess up since all you have to do is take this out of a package and dump a vinaigrette on it). The onion soup was incredibly lackluster. No flavor whatsoever in the broth and tasted like a box of beef broth from the grocery store. The bread was standard baguette - not anything to write home about. At this point, I was hoping the mains would make up for the soup. Unfortunately, the mains were also completely flavorless. My husband had the venison and I had the lamb with lingonberry and gorgonzola sauce. Both mains tasted exactly the same and like they had been seared without any kind of seasoning. They were not exceptionally tender, but that is to be expected with a lamb loin or venison. Each main also came with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. In my opinion, serving steamed vegetables at a fine dining establishment is atrocious. Again, no seasoning here. The mashed potatoes also had lumps in them, which is not something I would expect at this price range. Neither of us finished our food. The only redeeming thing about this meal was that the service was great - we were well taken care of even if we did not enjoy the meal.

Best restaurant in Riverside! #Romantic #excellent service#outstanding food! My first choice!

Came here on a Wednesday night with my boyfriend and his dad who was visiting Riverside and wanted to take him to a French restaurant. Called in advance to make a reservation and they were very accommodating as we had to push back the time 30 minutes since we were running late. Ambiance: (5/5) The restaurant is conveniently located on the corner of the street in Downtown Riverside. Such a great location for this restaurant as it's nearby several attractions such as hotels, the Food lab, Arcade, Mission Inn, Fox Theater, and many others. This is definitely a whole in the wall restaurant and I'm so glad my boyfriend came across it on Yelp. The interior of the restaurant is very romantic and nicely decorated which is perfect for any formal and intimate occasion. Named "The Black Cat" in French, there are black cats all around the restaurant and other cat themed decorations. The name was nostalgic to my boyfriend as his dad as it reminded them of an old radio show called Guy Noir. There offer many tables indoors and a couple outdoor tables as well. Service: (5/5) Our server Adrian was a personality to say the least and made our experience at this restaurant so special to me! He was so funny and coversed a lot with us about every detail possible to ensure we enjoyed our meal and throughly understood everything. He had extensive knowledge about the whole menu and wines. As someone that rarely goes to French restaurants, I was so relieved that Adrian was more than willing to explain all the details to me and educate me on the menu and wine we selected. He mentioned that the food at the restaurant is either creamy or crunchy. He also gave us a demonstration on the wine we selected. Adrain honestly made this dinner a one of a kind experience and loved how personable he was and kept the conversation and dinner going. Food: (5/5) Pate Maison: The Pate came with different kinds of pate, vegetables, and a mustard sauce. We ate the pate with the sliced baguette that we were given and it paired extremely well with the mustard. We ended up asking for more bread to eat with the pate. Poitrine de Faisan au Champagne: I ordered the pheasant as recommended by Adrain and it was delicious. I was intimated at first since as I've never tried pheasant before but it tasted absolutely divine. The pheasant tasted like chicken and was served with a bed mushrooms, cream sauce, mashed potatoes, and one of each vegetable (carrot, asparagus, and broccoli). I'm so glad this dish came with mashed potatoes and the delicious cream sauce paired well with everything on the plate. I savored every last bite of this dish. My only complaint would be that I wish it came with more veggies. Overall: (5/5) Hands down such an amazing find and will definitely be coming back here one day! Pro Tip and Notes: -Can call to make a reservation -Parking at the structure across the street (was free for us when we came) -Restaurant owner is the chef himself!

This is a gem to have in Riverside. If you have time to spare, it's a great place to take a small group or your spouse for a date. We were a group of five and although it was a bit tight, the chairs were comfortable and we still had room to put all our dishes on the table. It's a small restaurant so large groups probably need plenty of reservation time in order to accomodate. It's also very close to parking. As far as the food goes, well, the pictures speak for themselves. They took a long time to make, but they were crafted to perfection. We had two types of escargot, the french onion soup, a couple of fish dishes, and of course the filet mignon. The mushroom stuffed escargot was amazing and I highly recommend it, along with the steak. The recommended wine was great as well. All in all, a great place to have dinner and the waiters are very attentive too.

We love this place. Whenever we are in the area we make sure we have dinner reservations. We highly recommend it. The only thing that I am not happy about is that they no longer serve soufflé for dessert. I miss it so much.

Celebrated my wedding anniversary last night. Le Chat Noir is located in the White Building on the corner of Market & Ninth in downtown Riverside. Free parking in the back of the building after 5pm, limited parking right in front of the building, and there's a parking structure across the street. My husband made reservations (which I highly recommend, as they have a small dining room and limited seating). The restaurant is a lovely place for a date night! We ordered & shared: escargot, mussels in a white wine cream shallot sauce, and onion soup. The servers were excellent and kept bringing us piping hot & toasty bread, which we happily used to soak up the delicious white wine sauce that the mussels were in. The whipped butter was light, airy with a touch of salt and also went perfectly with the bread. They offered 3 different fish dishes not listed on the menu and my husband opted for the Mexican sea bass and I chose the halibut. Both dishes were served with steamed vegetables and rice pilaf. For dessert, my husband ordered the creme brûlée, and I (being greedy and having a sweet tooth, lol) chose their sampler of mini desserts - which was also served with coffee. I highly recommend this, if you can't decide on which dessert to get. It definitely was an amazing choice and a great end to an excellent meal.

Great food and service in downtown Riverside walking distance to Mission Inn. Great time of the year!

The food was perfectly flavored, cooked and perfectly proportioned. The staff is amazing that's just an added plus.

This place is hands down the best fine dining in Riverside. I've been dining here since it first opened up. This place is my go to for date night and anniversary meals. Everything is good. The staff is excellent. I've been to many steak houses in the Los Angeles and surrounding areas and this is restaurant is up there with them. Truly authentic French cuisine.

I'm here on business and stopped in to have dessert and wine, solely set on grabbing a creme brulee and glass of red. I walked in and was greeted by tall, dark, and handsome Arturo. He is greeting, seating, and otherwise making work easier for tall, pale and handsome, Adrien! Excellent service from both gentlemen tonight! They're attentive, professional, and seen. If you've ever worked in a restaurant, or eaten in a restaurant, you know it's amazing when the wait staff is attentive (aka seen and seeing). Food and service were excellent, Adrien turned me on to a new wine... amazing experience! I'm be back!!

The food is delicious and the crème brulee awesome!!! I think if they improve how the restaurant looks it will be spectacular!!

This is my favorite restaurant in Riverside. (We were terrified it wouldn't reopen after Covid). So sweet, quaint, and "French". Reminds me of the little places to eat on Champs-Élysées. The staff makes you feel special from the minute you walk-in the door. Impeccable service, attentive staff without being a bother. The chef gets 5 stars from me. The food is always more than I could anticipate. As I said, it's my favorite restaurant and when I'm asked where I'd like to eat, this is my #1 answer

This was my first time visiting a french restaurant. We came here to celebrate my bffs birthday! Our waiter was extremely helpful and a delight! I wanted to order something abit out of element, so I went with the duck (First time trying duck). My waiter recommended I order my duck like I would my steak ( med rare ). I was very happy with my meal. My friends ordered the salmon, chicken, scallops, onion soup and lamb. Everyone seemed happy with what they ordered so you can't go wrong with what you choose.

My daughter has this odd love of anything French. I don't know where it came from, but having traveled the world thanks to my time in the Army (including Paris) I like to encourage that kind of stuff. It just so happens there's an authentic French restaurant 15 minutes from me. So I made a reservation at Le Chat Noir to see how she likes it. Located on the corner of 9th and Market, Le Chat Noir is relatively new to downtown Riverside. I walked in with the kiddo and you are met with a nice ambiance. This place screams "date night" and no doubt your date would be impressed. We already kinda knew what we wanted so I ordered the stuff you see in the pictures. The escargot was excellent. The kiddo liked the flavor but she had a hard time getting over the texture. I mean, it is snail. They bring you fresh baked French bread quite often so I was dipping that in the sauce. The French onion soup was also delicious. Great broth with lots of onions and the gruyere cheese. Kiddo definitely loved that one. I got the rack of lamb. Perfectly cooked. Tender as all get out and the crust was excellent. Kiddo got the Chicken Provençal and she killed it. Service was decent but friendly. They are understaffed so I get it. My water glass was rarely empty and the bread was always arriving at the right moment. However, food coming out of the kitchen was glacial. The escargot came out in 20 minutes. The soup was about 40 minutes. Entrees were over an hour and some change after we sat down. I noticed if you ordered the seafood special it came out much faster. The couple next to us sat down an hour after we did and got their (seafood) entrees before we did. That said, would I return? Yes. The food was absolutely phenomenal. They know what they are doing in the kitchen. If you want to impress your date, this is the place to take them. Recommended!

We have been wanting to come to this restaurant for years now since we moved to Riverside, but the whole experience was disappointing. From calling to make our reservation to paying for the bill. Our waiter was weird and awkward, like it was his first night serving. He didn't make small talk and would make you feel uncomfortable when you asked for something. For example he charged us $4.50 for a side of bread, which was three little pieces of bread. There were 4 of us. When we asked why so much for a little bit of bread he said because flour is expensive. The food was all right, it took over an hour to come out. All I can say is that it tasted like decent wedding food, but definitely not worth the $40 a plate that we paid. We ordered 2 crème brûlée but the sugar wasn't really crunchy on top. I'm not sure if we came on a bad night or what but we don't think we'll be coming back anytime soon. The only thing that my family loved was the escargot.

Love this place. Adrian is the best. He is charming, efficient and has become a friend. It is the most romantic restaurant in Riverside. My favorite is the Shrimp appetizer in stone grain mustard and shallot sauce. I usually order the halibut and my husband likes the baramundi. The Chef is top notch. Great wines too. it is our "go to" special place.

Made reservation for our anniversary. The waiter was very attentive and hep us order the food. It was my kids first time eating french food. I asked my teenager that we are going to try something special and shut up and try it, if they can't eat it then we can get Chicken nuggets later. Daughter ate the steak with white and brown sauce. My son tried the duck, it's improvement that he is trying. He ate all the bread tho. My wife had the fish special and it is the beat fish we have ever eaten. Mushroom snails were the best. I can eat that with flip flop. Mussels were great but the snails are just a little better.

From the very kind host, Anthony to the experienced waiter, Arturo we had an incredible experience! The chef goes over and beyond with everything we had the privilege to try! We shared the French onion soup, yum! We shared the Brie flambé which was phenomenal! My husband and I ate every last bite of it! He also enjoyed his extremely tender pepper steak while I enjoyed the most deliciously seasoned medium rare rack of lamb! Then the berry creme special dessert was to die for! Cannot wait to go back for more! We will try new things which will be difficult from enjoying tonight's meal again! I highly recommend this incredibly classy hidden gem! So glad we yelped it and saw the reviews! 5 from us!

Amazing food. Very romantic place for a special dinners ! Service was really good !! Definitely a place to come back