Doesn't Recommend

BambiRoe

Joined 3 years ago

Still Horrible Service: A restaurant full of irony.. As an update to kl1976's review about 3 years ago, I can confirm that customer service is still horrible at this place, ironically named "The Butler & The Chef", as if they were the king of the restaurant.

Don't offend the butler and the chef by doing anything other than solely enjoying their food, or you will be served badly in no time.

I had a similar accident, where I ate in the restaurant with a friend, but wanted to add a chair when another friend arrived. Despite there are 3 other empty tables that can seat 3 plenty, the butler decided to tell us instead that we could not add a chair.

The food is also no oral pleasure unlike what they described. For $16, all you can get is a dry piece of crepe with salmon half-filled and less than a dollop of sour cream. And some spinach on the side right out of a bag from the fridge. That's really all. I can make that for $2 at home.

The open kitchen, apparently, is not used for bridging the relationship of customers and the chefs, but instead, it's used for the chef to identity which customers he hates. You will recognize his grumpy eyes, and you'll know what I mean when you see it.

Funny enough, the chef actually offered us to *stay*, only after I told him that I would leave a bad review here. But yep, like the other angry customers in this review thread, the chef actually spent time kicking customers out, instead of cooking.

Recommends

tuckers

Joined 7 years ago

Great French Brunch. The best French bistro brunch I have had stateside! Come for the food, put up with the ascerbic and uneven service. It'd also located in South Park, which is a great little area to visit on a weekend.

Doesn't Recommend

kl1976

Joined 5 years ago

Horrible customer service. First off, I will say that the food was very good. No complaints about the food.

I arrived at the restaurant between lunch & breakfast & ordered a coffee & a pastry. Sat down, the restaurant was pretty much empty. The owner/manager walked over & asked if I was planning on staying for lunch. I was, & let him know that I was meeting a couple of friends. Friends were late, so I ended up ordering lunch on my own about 1/2 hour later (note, i had already ordered food, so I wasn't just sitting at the table lingering). At this point, the restaurant is about 1/2 full.

The waitress brings my food, I eat. Literally 2-3 minutes after the waitress clears my plate & brings me a dessert menu, the owner/manager asked me to leave. He said it was ridiculous that I was still at the restaurant and they needed the table. There were still empty tables & I had ordered two meals! I was stunned. I couldn't believe I got thrown out of a restaurant seconds after finishing my meal.

This IS NOT the place to go for a leisurely meal. They will move you out of your table if they want to give it to someone else, & tact is not employed here.

The food is not worth the shoddy service, poor customer service, & embarassing treatment by someone who clearly doesn't know anything about how to treat a guest.

Recommends

withonen

Joined 11 years ago

Yummy natural foods!. I went to this restaurant because it was close to a salon I was going to afterwards. I am so glad I went there. My friend and I were treated to excellent service and delicious food. I was thrilled to be able to go to a place that is so supportive of a green lifestyle. The food selection was fantastic and the presentation was wonderful, as were the mimosas!

Recommends

shawnleslie

Joined 10 years ago

Authentic French Bistro!. I lived in France for two years and this place is authentic! Their crepes, salads, quiche, and sandwiches are just like the ones you'll find in Paris - only the portion sizes (as is the case with most restaurants in the U.S.) are larger. The service and atmosphere are both great as well. And how can you not like a place that gives you a delicious chocolate truffle to finish off your meal!? Just perfect.

Recommends

shaunjohnson4

Joined 7 years ago

It's good. Pretty good food, sweet waitresses, really social chef with a fun sense of humor. This one guy who works there pretends to be French with his faux-lofty presence but is ultimately common. The atmosphere is cute.

Recommends

papillion

Joined 11 years ago

Best quiche/ great bakery goods.. The quiche is amazing. Try any of them. Sandwiches are also good. Crepes can take a while, but worth the wait. Quality organic ingredients in many of the dishes. Nice ambiance. Glad it's open 7 days!

Recommends

lnnstevesf

Joined 8 years ago

charming cafe. My husband started working in this neighborhood a while back and stumbled into this little cafe and fell in love. We live on the other side of town but have made the trek over to this little gem more than once. The baguette sandwiches are just like the ones in Paris - every ingredient is simple but incredibly flavorable. And the complimentary truffles are divine - even at seventy five cents a pop, they are a steal. Whenever we wish we were in back in Paris, this is where we head.

Recommends

sweetieinsf

Joined 7 years ago

Fabulous Food, Excellent Service, Great Prices!. Suddenly you've stepped out of San Francisco and into a neighborhood Bistro somewhere in Provincial France. A busy, noisy gathering place weekdays for the local lunch crowd, relaxed and quite off hours or weekends (open seven days a week), the atmosphere is purely French. I've never had anything here that wasn't marvelous but my favorites are the quiche, croque monsieurs, and the ever-changing Dish of the Day. Generous espresso drinks, excellent French wine and beer, and decadent desserts keep me coming back for more. If youre in a hurry try the huge baguette sandwiches to-go at only 7$. The owners (one French, one Californian) are fun and crazy and obviously passionate about what they do. The staff is quick and courteous even during the extremely busy weekday lunch rush. This is my favorite place to impress a new lady friend without going broke!

Recommends

Gina Goff

Joined 9 years ago

French cafe favorites in a quaint SoMa hideaway.. In Short
Situated on a quiet, tree-lined block across from South Park, this cheery coffeehouse welcomes a daytime crowd of in-the-know locals. Light bistro bites, including baby spinach salad with red wine vinaigrette, brie with fruit and nuts, savory buckwheat crepes and baguette sandwiches, are offered for lunch. The large espresso bar churns out a variety of coffee drinks made exclusively from gourmet Graffeo beans alongside aperitifs such as mimosas, French ales and wines by the glass.