Restaurant L'Ostal

A little hidden gem in Darien. Our meal was bursting with flavors. The presentation was excellent, and our waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. I recommend making reservations in advance this place books up quickly.

The duck confit is *chef’s kiss* the most tender duck I’ve ever experienced. A duck moving through water wouldn’t be as fluid as that duck coming off the bone. The servers and staff are extraordinarily friendly and considerate, would rate it 10/10 stars if I could

My husband and I were looking forward to dinner at this restaurant based on good reviews. We were disappointed. The atmosphere is really not conducive to a nice date night experience. It’s so loud there that even with trying to speak as loudly as we were able, it was not possible to have a pleasant conversation. I left feeling like I had a sore throat from shouting. The food was very good. Except for the dessert. We tried their olive oil cake. The ingredients in it were really not complementary to each other. Most of the flavor was in the frozen white topping but it was frozen so hard, it needed time to warm um and melt in your mouth before you can taste the flavor. The baked part of the dessert felt like a plain dry shortcake without much flavor. The service was very good but the quality of the service and the food was drowned out by unbearably loud ambience. The team of people running this restaurant would do much better if they picked a space with better acoustics. The service and cuisine has a potential of becoming a go to place for locals but not in its current location.

One of the 3 or 4 best meals I’ve had in 12 years of living in Fairfield County. Every course was superb: the table bread, the pate and egg-mayo starters, the gnocchi first course, the steak & pork chop, and the mousse dessert. Wine list is pricey but the Somm is on point. Pro tip: Splurge on the 40oz ribeye (pic attached, comes in a smoking box) and share between 3-4 people.

Great little spot for dinner! Friendly staff, great food cooked to perfection, and tight-ish seating that only adds to the authenticity of the atmosphere and experience. We had the burrata and foie gras for appetizers, and steak and duck confit for entrees. Full of flavor delivered meticulously. The panna cotta was smooth and rich original drinks were executed with precision. I only discovered Restaurant L'Ostal recently but will become a regular, despite the 30 minute drive.

The menu is small but I wanted to try everything. Great wine selections. We shared several dishes including the gnocchi which was some of the best I've ever had. Even the salad was delicious. The halibut was cooked perfectly. The manager Stephane and the staff were very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!

This French restaurant is fabulous. Excellent food. Small menu with ample choices. Primarily chicken, duck, pork chop, skate and a little bit of pasta. The appetizers, salads, and desserts were also wonderful. Very good service, clean (somebody comes around between courses and cleans up). And very good wines too.

Dinner at L'Ostal was incredible! Every single dish was carefully crafted with such attention to detail. The quality of ingredients was outstanding right down to the olive oil on the local burrata. The signature dish of the night was the Sformato, which literally left us speechless it was so fantastic. Our dinner consisted of the local burrata, fois gras, marinated olives, Sformato, duck confit and the lamb shank with pomme dauphinoise. Highly recommend each and every one of those!!! We will be back to explore the rest of the menu. Thank you for a wonderful night!

Its been almost 24 hours and I am still thinking about the dinner I had with my wife. 2nd time we dined here, we choose to sit at the bar. Good choice because it was busy and loud, the bar gave us an elevation above the noise and we were not cramped in with a bunch of snooty people. Last time we came here we sat outside and it was a younger crowd, however tonight looked like all the older very disgruntled residents of Darian came out to eat. Anyway - we ordered what they called a prime rib for two, it was 48 oz, so huge. It was brought out and displayed in a wine box with smoking rosemary. Absolutely cool presentation. It was great to see all the patrons in their seats become agitated by the bellowing smoke. The steak returned to the kitchen to be cut while we were presented with our plates of mashed potatoes, sautéed celery and onions (i think thats what it was) and mashed potatoes topped with chanterelle mushrooms. So the steak was cooked perfectly to our requested medium. It was crazy how good it was and I told the staff it arguably was better than the one I had at Gallaghers in Manhattan a month earlier. Like I said 24 hours later and I am still thinking about it and wish I had another. The potatoes were perfect and the mushrooms added a really nice touch. @ $225 for the meal it was actually less than what we would have spent at a Manhattan steakhouse. Where the Fairfield area has absolutely lackluster crap restaurants from one end to the other L'Ostal really stands out as a great place to eat, with fantastic food and super professional staff. We will discount out the snooty patrons as they don't matter in any realm of the experience. Our server was a really cool guy, the staff came and said hello and checked in frequently enough but not to much. Save yourself a trip to the city and go to L'Ostal. I really like this place and I am sure you will too.

Always an unbelievable meal and experience. #1 restaurant in Fairfield Co. by far.

We had a really nice date night at L'Ostal. The Oeuf de Poule was to die for. I could eat it every day. I also ordered the Salmon tartare special which was honestly only ok. It came with salmon skin chicarones which was really fun but the flavor of the salmon tartare itself was really lacking. For dessert I had the olive oil cake which was served with rhubarb and a balsamic sorbet. Overall the dessert was only ok. The wine and sommelier were on point. My husband and I both really enjoyed the wine selection and pairing suggestions. Besides the Oeuf de Poule the other most notable thing about L'Ostal was the service. Honestly I'm not sure I've ever had better service. Our sever was extremely attentive, our glasses were always full (both water and wine), the food came out extremely quickly. I was amazed at the staff! I would definitely come here again there were so many fun things on the menu that I'd really love to try.

This upscale but surprisingly not super pricey restaurant is fantastic. It's small but in the summer has the advantage of outdoor seating. We dined inside and were treated well by the knowledgeable staff who were both attentive and explained the specials and menu items with passion and confidence. I had the gnocchi which I'd rate an A-. Plentiful and flavorful there was nothing wrong with it but it was outshined only by my dining companions delicious Tortellini which was a featured special. An easy A+. As an appetizer we had the three cheese course which was divine. We each had tasty white wine (Sauvignon blanc) which was mysteriously half the price as any of the red wines. For dessert we had the chocolate mousse and the sorbet. Nothing to complain about this restaurant and will definitely be back for another wonderful experience.

When dining out in Fairfield County, I've always have taken it with a grain of salt. This is attributable to its proximity to New York City; where majority of the talent and service industry resides. It's obviously a magnet for this region, hence CT usually falls short in the hospitality industry. The service and attention at L'Ostal reminds me of the Philadelphia hospitality scene (properly trained and employees focused on long term commitment to owner and standards). It's refreshing to witness this holds true at this establishment. As far as the food is concerned; any top tier restaurant should be lucky. I have yet to be disappointed or interject how the dishes could be enhanced during my dining. It's truly a delightful palate experience and CT should be appreciated as much as I do.

This place is unreal. Nicolas is one of the best servers I have ever had. Trust whatever he tells you. Food is amazing. Sit outside

Quite easily the best restaurant in Connecticut. Unbelievable food. Great service. And perfect atmosphere. We go there often and enjoy how each meal tastes so good and their menu changes over time. We also like how their specials are so unique. Ultimately L'Ostal is an experience like no other in the area. Highly recommend.

Simple spectacular.. is probably my favorite new spot.. service is superb the bartender is always very nice and knowledgeable.. food is always great one dish better than the next. Always a warm and welcoming ambiance.

This was our first time here. It was wonderful. A smaller restaurant with the ambiance of a French bistro. The staff could not have been better. Our server knew the menu and wine pairings perfectly. The food was spectacular. So many things on the menu that are different. Standouts: escargot, beef tartar, the pastas, the striped bass and the olive oil cake with oil and vinegar sorbet. We will be back to continue to try things on the menu.

I went here with hesitancy. I was very concerned that it was going to be very expensive and that the food would be mediocre - I was totally wrong on both counts. To begin, the food was FANTASTIC. My wife and I split several dishes including: - Egg over Asparagus and Mushroom appetizer (5/5): This was amzazing. The flavors were great and the sauces were light and delicious - Potato Gnocchi with mushroom cream - full portion (5/5): When this came out I thought it might be too creamy or hevy, but it turned out to be relatively light. The flavors were delicious. - Chicken (4.5/5): I believe this was a smoked chicken and it was cooked to perfection. It was juicy and light and good. When we received the check, I was pleasantly surprised with the total bill. This isn't to say that it was cheap, but compared to other restaurants in the area, our bill was actually less expensive than comparable restaurants. The service was great with our waiter and all the service people being very attentive and helping us whenever we needed something. This will definitely be included in our rotation of restaurants

Love this place. pricey but it's expected being at a high end French bistro in Darien. The vibe is great, food is delicious, and staff know what they're doing. It's cool to have something of this caliber in the local area

My wife and I are celebrating our 41st wedding anniversary as well as my wife's birthday. We're usually OK with Italian but this time French was calling out to us. We didn't want to go into NYC so after checking out Yelp we decided on Restaurant L'Ostal. We were not disappointed. Dinner began with a half bottle of champagne which paired so well with our starters - Foie Gras for me and Gigante Beans for my wife. We moved on to the first course - salad for me and Ricotta Tortelli for the Mrs.. For our second course I had the Duck Confit that I paired with a Côtes du Rhône, and my wife had the Bavette Steak with a glass of Langhe Nebbiolo. We ended the evening with refreshing homemade gelato drenched with a shot of cold espresso. French restaurants are notorious for their small portions but we found the portions to be more than enough. The food was superb, the service was impeccable and the wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I could go on and on about how rich and savory the foie gras was or how satisfying the Bavette Steak was, but it would simply take too long. I must mention that the chef and I have the same taste in music and we were surprised and delighted to listen to Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi and The Allman Brothers while we enjoyed a very special meal. So if you're looking for a restaurant for that special occasion or if you simply want something a little different and more than a bit elevated, we highly recommend Restaurant L'Ostal.

Excellent down to every detail. What a find in Fairfield county! Right up there with Le Fat Poodle, Le Penguin and La Crémaillère but a much cozier understated atmosphere. Wine glasses were appropriate for the wine, the beef tartare was the perfect texture and the Pork Chop and Steelhead trout were cooled to perfection. Bravo! The Pannna Cotta was excellent! I wonder what they could do with creme brulee???

This is a nice restaurant. The setting is elegant (although a bit "cramped" depending on where you sit). The service is mostly attentive. The food is very good. The prices were as expected ($100+/person with shared app and shared dessert and a glass or 2 of wine each). This would probably be a place where I would return every now and then for a nice meal BUT when I got home, I noticed in the middle of my bill a "KITCHEN SUPPORTFUND". It does say in the small print at the bottom of the check that a 2.5% charge is added to "help support the wellness of our kitchen team members" but of course, no one reads the fine print. And the waiter never mentioned this ADDED charge. I feel cheated. And at these prices, they really should be able to pay their kitchen staff a decent wage.

Who wants honesty? I Do!! Split app, split salad, small entree and 1 regular entree. 6 glasses of wine, 3 a piece. 2 white 4 red. Menu reads in small print. Half glass and full glass. Who is used to that set up? It's Usually glass and bottle. White was fine priced at 13. Red, 30 bucks a glass when the whole bottle of iconoclast cabernet 2020 cost $30 online. At best Rotgut! Rather drink Riunitee on ice at gas station. Servers didn't offer any specials but there were 4. Also Bar tender knew we were drinking wine for dinner at the bar nonetheless, but never offered a wine list. Liver bolognese was too salty and rock shrimp spaghetti too garlicky. Yuck! All in $290 for a quick date night at the bar. Hahaha See ya!!!

We came here for my birthday dinner and it was exceptional. Our waiter, Nicolas, gave some of the best customer service I have ever received. From wine recommendation to food pairing and explanation of seasonal ingredients and truffle types, he was simply a pleasure. I would go back just for the service. On to the food. The burrata was lovely to start and we ordered the coq au vin and the special (filet mignon, pan seared foils gras and black truffle) over a pastry. It was the best dish I have had this year, and I would not change a thing. In short, if you want high-quality, unpretentious French food with elite customer service, look no further than L'Ostal. I trekked in all the way from Brookline, and so should you!

Easily the best fine dining restaurant in Darien if not Fairfield County. Vraiment Francais with a diverse menu with many vegan options. Impeccable, unhurried service. Great wine list and delightful ambiance, especially on the covered outdoor patio. Expensive but worth it, especially for birthdays and anniversaries. Reservations are a must at this hot new restaurant

After moving out of the city I was worried CT food would be awful. Restaurant L'Ostal was the bright shining star that renewed my hope in the suburbs. Everything we've had here has been amazing, the service is great, and the dining experience is fantastic. It's a comfortable restaurant that's just right where the food is phenomenal without the environment getting stuffy. You can hang out and order wine by the liter or get fancier libations all while eating absolutely delicious food. So good we booked it again while eating here the first time, only downside is limited seating and times tend to book out pretty far in advance.

Absolutely wonderful dining experience. Great food and the staff was exceedingly helpful!

Food - marginal. Escargot - ok Foie Maison - $40+ tax for this? - it was just about ok though haven't had the bread like this before Fougasse bread - disgusting - if your going to offer this then it should be free - at $13 plus tips and taxes it's robbery! Babette steak excellent but what were the things that came with it? Duck confit - didn't taste nice. My wife could eat part of it - I could not Very much Manhattan pricing Wine excellent - some truly excellent choices But again at Manhattan pricing. And when you think Manhattan think expensive Manhattan!! Service - felt a bit too intrusive - very good but maybe hang back a bit more. Also lots of upselling going on - felt like being at a time share sales event Tip is 22.5% as they add kitchen support fund (have only seen this once before in Connecticut) Food 2.5/5 Wine 5/5 Service 3/5 Pricing 2/5

Celebrated my husband's birthday here recently. The food was absolutely delicious. Service was perfection. Great ambiance. Highly recommend!

Absolutely fantastic meal!! Took a bit to get a reservation but got in for the 8pm seating on a Friday. Great outdoor space and indoor tables and small bar as well. Feels a lot like a French bistro. We split the oeufs mayonnaise, fluke crudo, foie gras, gnocchi small plate and the lamb shank that came on top of ratatouille. Every dish was out of this world!!! We did the white nightly pour with the early courses then got a bottle of French Syrah (st Joseph's) to have with the pasta and lamb. We finished off with olive oil cake topped with ice cream and strawberries. Absolutely delicious!

Top French Quality, French Portions, French Prices L'Ostal is the newest addition to the Darien restaurant scene and it sets a new, high standard, for upper scale cuisine. My wife and I had dinner to mark our anniversary and we splurged on wine, appetizer, main course and dessert. All was absolutely excellent and the service was also top rate (beginning with the question when we placed our reservation, "Is this a special occasion?"). The menu is limited, which is very European and helps ensure that the quality is first-rate. Starters included vichyssoise and a small portion of tagliatelle (the latter stunningly good). We both had the catch of the day which was Sea Bass. Also excellent. As desserts we chose Affogato with Amaretto and Rum Sauvage. Wonderful. All the portions were small by American standards but typical of what one would find when dining at a highly-rated restaurant in France. And the final bill wasn't cheap at nearly $200 before tip. But because this was a special occasion we ordered more generously than we would usually have done. We moved to Darien nearly 30 years ago from Manhattan and the town was a restaurant desert. What a change has taken place in the intervening years and there are now a number of very good restaurants. L'Ostal promises to set a new standard, higher than ever, and we hope that it succeeds.

amazing time at the bar for happy hour! food and drink in point! christina always happy to honor our corner spot request! love the cool vibe!!

We dined on exquisite French food with impeccable service, while listening to a 60-year-old white guy droning on for literally two hours on this topic: communists (i.e. democrats) are threatening the U.S. Constitution, but Trump is going to save us. He also threw in some lovely anecdotes about his incredibly successful young white children (listeners at nearby tables were privileged enough to hear that one of his sons is a 'lady killer'). Dine here if you love puking up your food as soon as you have taken a bite, or if the described white guy in plaid shirt is exactly your cup of tea. The world is open, masks are off, and people are loud with their opinions. Some people don't even stop talking while chewing anymore. Yee haw.

Been living in CT for 4 years now and this is by far the best restaurant I've been to. The service, the staff, and the food are all superb. I highly recommend dining here. We never had an empty glass. The staff was attentive and friendly. The food is French with Italian and Spanish influences. Absolutely delicious!!! Must try the tagliatelle, sformato, and lamb shank. Olive oil cake for dessert was amazing.

Been here several times. Fabulous chef/kitchen. Fabulous bar and cocktails. Fabulous wines but best with their recommendations. A bit pricey but you get what you pay for (a bit more,actually). Love this place.

Great bar. Excellent food and service too. A favorite spot that many folks come to at day's end. And you can call ahead to get a spot at the bar!

My hubby and I sat at the bar - able to walk in and only wait about 10 mins on a Saturday night at 7 pm -and enjoyed ourselves fully. The food is fantastic- some of if not the best in the area. The burrata to die for, the torteloni is amazing and the shaved prosciutto is awesome. Cocktails are delicious too! Definitely will be back and highly recommend.

I came here for my birthday dinner and it was delicious. We were served a complimentary glass of Prosecco and the food was excellent- we ordered burrata (fantastic) and escargot to start (not the biggest escargot fan so hard for me to critique them). For our main courses we had a pasta special (beyond good) and halibut. We ordered dessert which was also very tasty. I highly recommend this restaurant. It's a small space so I definitely recommend a reservation.

Incredible food, wine, service, atmosphere. Ever-changing, in-season menu, fantastic wine list and somehow perfectly casual vibe with fine-dining menu. Highest-quality ingredients prepared masterfully. We could eat here every week.

If Restaurant L'Ostal is not *the* hot new restaurant in Fairfield County, it should be. With tasty, out of the ordinary, well presented, modern, southern "real" French cuisine (as certified by an Authentic French Person, my wife), impeccable service, and a relaxed, safe environment, as nearly as I can tell, L'Ostal is a Must Go - and not just one time. Hint: on Open Table, the restaurant tries for two seatings, earlier and later -- but if you call the restaurant, you might get a time more to your liking.

Truly outstanding. L'Ostal is a New York City quality restaurant in Darien. The food is excellent. The wine list is truly outstanding but expensive. However, the wines by the glass are fairly priced and very good. Do not fear. You will be very happy you dined at L'Ostal. Even the simplest salad impressed us and the cheese course was perfect!

Great service and menu and food. A gem to have in Darien. The menu is diverse and has specials. Many of the options have unique twists. The timing of each meal flows into the next. Service is friendly and fluid. Sam was great. Joe the manager is great. The chef is friendly. Really enjoyed the food which we shared tapas style. The pasta dishes we tried were fantastic. Look out italy! Appetizers of duck, eggs, short rib were solid. The pork main meal was good. Excellent fresh vegetable salad. Strongly recommend trying.

amazing food, wine and service!!! can't wait to go back! thank you for a wonderful evening!!!

This is the only restaurant in CT offering fine Manhattan dining! The staff made it delightful to enjoy our excellent dinner.

Although conveniently located across from the Darien train station, L'Ostal feels like a country inn. Upon entering the lovely space, I was struck by the beauty and serenity of the atmosphere. Moving on to the drinks and food, it was immediately apparent that this place is top-notch. From the attention to detail, to the fine ingredients and innovative dishes, everything at L'Ostal reflects the background and experience of its creators, Chef Jared and Joe.

There are some noteworthy restaurants in Fairfield County, but few, if any, reach the heights of L'Ostal. The cocktails, wine list, and food, along with the warm and congenial atmosphere, make this a truly special place. Chef Jared and Joe have raised the bar for fine dining in Connecticut!

Fantastic new French spot in downtown Darien! Delicious French haute cuisine served up with authentic Parisian flare. From amuse bouche to appetizers to entrées everything we tried was delicious across-the-board. Delicious handmade pasta, meat and seafood, you definitely won't regret coming to this place. Raising the bar on fine dining in Darien. You used to have to go to Manhattan to eat like this not anymore!

The staff here is amazing. After hearing 5 local friends go on and on about how good their meal here was, I decided to check it out, and got a gift certificate for a friend. The space is gorgeous. From the bar inside to the patio, every detail is set up for a special meal. When staff made a mistake with my certificate, the manager went out of his way to correct it: delivering the gift card to my mailbox after closing. They even threw in a couple of glasses of wine! This will be our new go-to for special occasions. Highly recommend.