Left Bank Larkspur

Recommends

Tiffany Maleshefski

Joined 4 years ago

Citysearch Editorial Review. Left Bank is like the Il Fornaio of French food: solid, straight-ahead regional comfort food served in a pleasant atmosphere, all at a very reasonable price. At this Larkspur location (there are sister restaurants around the Bay Area), an inviting palette of creams and browns provide a backdrop for a menu that’s exotic enough to make you feel like you’ve treated yourself to something special, but not so exotic that finicky palates will feel put out. Savory tarts are prepared with cracker-thin Alsacian crusts, and can be topped with broccoli rabe, fontina, and hunks of garlic, while the beouf bourguignon-- fall-off-the-bone beef simmered for hours in a red-wine broth for hours, winningly paired with simple egg noodles--is perfect on a crisp, winter night. Further coziness comes from the large stone fireplace, while the boisterous bar scene is a pleasant surprise and worth a visit on its own.

Doesn't Recommend

wineanddinesf

Joined 5 years ago

Aweful Service, mediocre food. We had a 7 pm reservation and didn't leave the restaurant until 10:40 - and not by choice. The service was terrible, from the incredibly rude waiter in the bar area before we were seated, to the scantily clad dressed hostess to the ridiculous waiter, the experience was horrible. We were served dirty glasses (chunks of things left on the glass and lipstick - yummy). They served us incorrect entrees. My beef burgandy with fingerling pototatoes was fatty and had 1 pototato that was 1 inch long. The cheap and tacky paper cover on the table (why bother with table clothes if your are going to have tacky paper over it???) was destroyed and we had tons of dirty dishes and glasses on our table for the entire 3 hour meal. It took over 3 hours and we ordered our main courses in the beginning when we ordered our appetizers. They also made mistakes on our bill and charged us for things we did not receive.

Doesn't Recommend

tossa

Joined 6 years ago

Good Atmosphere, Terrible Service. While the food can be inconsistent but usually pretty good, the service is consistently bad! We have had a few poor experiences with the service there, but today was the worst. The moment we walked in the door (right on time for our reservation) the host and a waitress started bickering at each other complaining that she has too many tables and do not put us in her area. This was in front of our party of 4 people for brunch. The restaurant was about 1/4 full and we sat there for over 15 minutes before a waitress showed up and asked "so, what do you want?" She didn't offer drinks to start out or if we had any questions. We didn't see her again until she dropped off the check. We have been going to Left Bank for years always hoping that one day the service will start to get better, but sadly I think it has seen rock bottom and we will not be returning.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review. Lakespur bistro features traditional French delicacies including escargot and lamb stew along with mixed drinks and an oyster bar.

Recommends

emilysph

Joined 7 years ago

Great if you like seafood. This is a great place to go if you like seafood. Nice ambience. I had the onion tart, which was delectable, although pricey.

Recommends

helenrjr

Joined 8 years ago

Fun for all!. This restaurant is consistent, with a great atmosphere and opulent choices. I would highly reccomend the Spinach salad (or beet salad) and the shellfish pasts. There is something for everyone on their menu all with a French flair.

Recommends

achin

Joined 10 years ago

a surprise find. The food was great - risotto was not too creamy, and the duck was tasty. Really enjoyed the sides, especially the spinach and corn. Service was evenly paced and ambience was just right, though we ate at the tail end of the evening.