We had a very nice brunch. Started wit Bijou papas to share, excellent. The only hiccup was a late arrival of eggs bene , came out about 5 minutes after everyone at our 4 top was served. We waited for the bene so our dishes were not hot. The burger, duck hash and croque madame were all great as was the bene. Alyssa the bartender/ floor manager made our day. Our server Chris was endearing, very kind and a nice sense of humor. We look forward to returning. read more

The third or fourth restaurant to try this corner out . This go around they have made the front end feel like an airport hotel lobby bar , very beige and no ambiance or vibe! Like tech bros would gather in at a convention they seemed to have a few already gathered in a corner at the bar, uninteresting short cocktail list . Not sure who their market is? not Petaluma. The menu is very short and French with no vegan or real vegetarian option outside of sides . Seems out of touch considering the restaurant group that are banking on this to get a bib or Star . Waitstaff seemed disengaged and just a delivery service more training needed - nice hostess , there seemed a lot of people standing managing - perhaps that is a problem ? It's cold and sterile .. my husband and I will return after 3 months and see if they can fix this . This is why soft openings are had , food is ok , but there's better bars better French in town - fingers crossed they fix this we need more elevated food and bars in town . Hoping and waiting . read more

Much like the name, Bijou is a gem! If you want a simple French breakfast or lunch, this is a lovely place to eat. It sits on the corner of Kentucky and Washington, and has closes access to parking on Liberty St. Try the Croque Madame! You won't be disappointed. read more

The remodel looks amazing! Everything was delicious presentation was perfection I'm still dreaming of that dessert & truffle cheese croquette. It's a perfect place for a date night will be back soon! read more

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We arrived for an early dinner. Restaurant was still quiet and we enjoyed our meal very much.

We randomly found ourselves in Petaluma last night and popped into this restaurant. It was crowded, but we scored seats at the bar with the best bartender, Dre. He guided us to the most delicious choices -- the steak frites were amazing, and the cauliflower wings were out of this world. The drinks were perfectly crafted, and we truly can't wait to come back. Easily one of the best meals we've had in the Bay Area! read more

Excellent meal in a modern atmosphere. Full bar which I appreciate! The branzino was superb. Probably best to order it individually rather than shareable dish. read more

Lovely space, friendly staff, delicious food, and great drinks. I couldn't ask for much more!

We went on a Tuesday and loved all the dishes. I was wary of the trout appetizer because another restaurant's version was so salty and bland; this however was delicious, the Parker House rolls as well. I had the Peche du Jour and my husband had the steak frites, then dessert. All really, really good. I'm going to get the fish again through Petaluma Food Taxi and can't wait! read more

Been to this beautiful gem in the heart of Petaluma twice now and had WONDERFUL experiences both times. This place is a true 10/10! Food: unbelievable, cocktails: perfectly balanced, service: impeccable, ambiance: stunning! Can't wait to go back for visit number three. Also, wanted to add that I think it's in poor taste for 3 diners to write 1 star reviews from ONE shared dining experience. Feels like an unnecessary pile on. Regardless, we couldn't have been happier with our food, beverages and overall experience and will definitely be back soon to continue to explore the beautifully curated menu. read more

My husband and I stopped in for appetizers and drinks last week. The trout dip, homemade potato chips, and croque sandwiches were truly incredible. I had the Bijou drink (officially my favorite cocktail in Petaluma now!!) and we really enjoyed the bar atmosphere & friendly staff. The whole restaurant has been beautifully designed- worth going in just for aesthetic inspiration! The true GEM of the evening though was the whipped hazelnut chocolate sundae dessert. I have been dreaming of it ever since! Can't wait to go back for a full meal and another one of those sundaes soon!! 10/10 for Bijou and the amazing chef Stephane! read more

Bijou Restaurant - The "bijou" at the bar - Salad Near Me - Petaluma, California

We had a dinners reservation on a Monday at 6:30. The restaurant is on the small side, maybe 12 tables total. There were 3-4 other parties there also. There was the host who seated us and one waiter working the front of the house. The host gave us menus and explained that they were out of the Parker House rolls and one of the beef entrees which was replaced with lamb shanks. when asked about the soup de jour, I was told they only had 2 bowls left. They did, however , offer beef Wellington which was not on the menu. We waited 15-20 minutes for the waiter to take our order. we had not been asked about beverages or starters either. In a word, the service was very slow. that being said, our waiter was congenial. And all the food we ordered was delicious. we ordered the house fried potatoes for a starter. They were delicious but the serving was pretty small. What seemed odd to us was that the potatoes that were served as a side with the hamburgers were not the same as what was served as the starter. The starter was clearly made from fresh cut porates and were well seasoned. the potatoes with the entree seemed like run of the mill food service fries. The beet salad and entrees were also very tasty. however, we asked for the mustard aioli on the side with the hamburgers but that's not what we got. For dessert we ordered the milk chocolate mousse and the crème boule. They were okay but nothing extraordinary . Given all the outstanding restaurants to choose from in Sonoma County, think it's unlikely we will go back. read more

It was for a birthday celebration. We were there for Happy Hour. Filled up on appetizers and drinks. Friendly staff and nice setting.

Amazing meal Great atmosphere and away from the parking drama that is Petaluma It's a great place read more

We had really high expectation for this new place in town and taking into consideration their other ventures. The service was good and the waiter was really nice. To the food now.. unfortunately everything was way too salty. The millefeuille: very nice deconstruction, custard was good, but the ratio custard/ puff pastry was off. And the puff pastry was a total miss, way too thick, making it hard to eat. Sadly, this was a disappointment.. a lot of hypes. Hopefully they'll learn from their mistake. read more

We went to Bijou as a group of four for a birthday dinner, hoping to support a new restaurant in town that markets itself as fine dining. The space is lovely. The renovation and decor are well done, and the atmosphere is inviting. We know opening a place comes with growing pains because I have opened restaurants and worked in the industry for many years. Most of our group has as well. We went in with realistic expectations and genuinely wanted to see them succeed. The food, unfortunately, did not deliver. Two people ordered the steak frites, one the sea bass, and one the duck rillette. The seabass was overcooked and came with a single asparagus spear and risotto that had no flavor. Both steaks were blue-rare and cold in the middle. The waiter never asked our preferred temperature, which is fine if you assume the standard is medium rare, just how I like it. But these were not cooked with any precision. When one steak was sent back, instead of firing a new one as you would expect in fine dining, they simply seared one side and sent it back, leaving blood pooling on top. After that, we did not dare ask for another replacement. Having worked in restaurants, we know better than to push our luck. Service began acceptably but changed once we raised concerns. The server became visibly annoyed. We brought a $400 bottle of wine to celebrate. They did not have a decanter, which is an oversight but understandable in a new restaurant. What is not excusable is that the server never poured the wine at all. A smart server sees the quality of wine, engages the table, and encourages another bottle. That is where restaurants make their margins, and it was clear there was no training or understanding of how to deliver that level of service. Plates did not arrive together. Two dishes came out, and the other two followed more than five minutes later. Both of the later dishes were undercooked. We asked to speak with the chef to share our feedback directly and were told he was too busy. We have been to other restaurants in their early days where feedback was welcomed. At one, we mentioned an oversalted dish. The chef came out, tasted it himself, and offered to take it off the bill. We insisted on paying because we want to support local businesses and help them improve. That is how you grow. We did not want to trash Bijou on Yelp. I have never left a Yelp review before because I believe in giving feedback directly to the restaurant so they can address issues and coach their staff. But in this case, there was no openness to hearing it. The server even asked us where else to eat in town in a way that implied we did not know what fine dining was. After leaving Bijou, we went to another restaurant in town to get dinner because we were still hungry. There, we met another couple who had also left Bijou and ordered food because they too did not have a good experience. One of them shared that his family owns a long-standing Italian restaurant in San Francisco. It is sad to have to leave a fine dining restaurant in town just to go to another one to get good food and proper service. We want restaurants in Petaluma to succeed. We want them to thrive with honest feedback and community support. But our experience at Bijou showed they are not ready to deliver on their promise, and they did not seem interested in hearing how they could. We will not return. read more

We stopped in for drinks prior to going to another restaurant where we were meeting up with friends for dinner. The drinks were beautiful and delicious and all the food that I saw heading out of the kitchen looked amazing. Unfortunately, as a vegetarian, there isn't much on the menu for me, but I'm hoping to eat there at some point and just hope for the best. The bartender was also outstanding - very knowledgeable and accommodating. It was the best part of our evening as far as the food/drinks portion. read more

The trout and chips starter was so wonderful we ordered another. Comfortable to talk with hearing everyone else. And always have such fine attention from the staff . read more

Food was exceptional, my husband and i left stuffed! service was also outstanding- made thoughtful recommendations that we appreciated! Overall experience was seamless! read more

Well, this was my first impression, i might still try them again. The ambience is sparse by design - i liked the vibe. A bit loud, I think it would serve them well to do more sound deadening measures. The mocktail I got was OK, tart, like i asked for it, but flavor profile lacked complexity. I had a reservation, waited for a friend at the bar, as i was there 10 minutes early, but they lost track and despite her arriving, it took them about 40 minutes to seat us at our table. They did apologize for forgetting us, it was fine, we were chatting. I had a a lovely salad to start, no demerits. We both had the scallops and both felt that the liberal amount of creamy sauce made it present like a soup, and though they were quite fresh, the creamy sauce seemed to overpower the stars of the dish. Water refills were not a given, I felt that though it was busy when we arrived, it was not during mid meal, and yet the staff still seemed under stress. I'll most likely try again, as i felt the prices were reasonable and the menu is small but a nice cross-section of flavors. read more

Great happy hour -- chic setting, friendly staff, and totally reasonable prices! The food at happy hour is as good as the food served at dinner. Really, really great. Our bartender, Dre, went above and beyond with service. Just really nice, helpful, and efficient. I consider myself an expert Old-fashioned maker, but his was even better! And my huband loved his Negroni. Can't recommend this place enough! read more

Great new french restaurant in petaluma! I enjoyed the experience and the food was pretty tasty read more

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Great food, especially the beef Wellington. The golden hour is a delicious drink. Space is pretty, but wide open and loud and there are seats like ours next to the door (even with reservations) that just suck. Otherwise great food and people working there. read more

First experience today, can't WAIT to go back. Jessie (sp) our waiter couldn't have been more personable, attentive & informative with our questions about Bijou. All 3 of us ordered the Burger & it was so good, we could hardly speak. Delicious & tender, so very flavorful. And the thin bacon & their cheddar made it SUBLIME. Just GO THERE. NOW!! read more

A gem in the heart of Petaluma! We went for a date night and left completely wowed after trying a variety of dishes and cocktails. We started with the trout dip, hands down my favorite dish of the night. It was bursting with flavor and had a silky, addictive texture. The ceviche followed and was incredibly fresh, practically melting in your mouth. Next up was the steak and frites, cooked to perfection and just as amazing as when I had it at TCP. The scallops were another standout, seared beautifully and perfectly tender. We ended on a high note with the hazelnut dessert, which completely stole the show. Soft, balanced, and not overly sweet, with delicate notes of hazelnut and vanilla, it was unforgettable. The service was equally impressive. Our server was warm, attentive, and professional, and the bartender clearly knew their craft, the cocktails were thoughtful and well-balanced. An all-around incredible experience. You won't be disappointed when you eat here! We will definitely be back, often! read more

We recently dined here as a group of four, eager to try this new restaurant for a birthday celebration. We brought a special bottle of wine in memory of a friend's father and were looking forward to a great evening. I'll start with what worked: the cocktails were well balanced and tasty. The fries were lovely, the duck pasta was good, fondant excellent and the Bijou salad was solid.  Unfortunately, the overall experience fell well short of what I would call "fine dining" -- despite the clear intention to position the restaurant that way. Having worked in fine dining for many years and opened steak restaurants myself, I'm not using the term lightly. Service was an issue. Dishes arrived unevenly -- two plates came out, and the other two lagged at least five minutes behind. Our server never poured water or wine for us, didn't serve properly (left-right), and repeatedly interrupted conversation with elbows in our faces while reaching across. Silverware was set incorrectly. When two steaks arrived blue and raw in the middle, the server was dismissive and visibly annoyed, rolling his eyes and reacting with open arrogance when we expressed concern. He never even asked how we'd like them cooked before storming off to the kitchen, where he proceeded to complain about us within clear view of the table. The returned steak was seared on one side but still underdone on the other, forcing blood to weep to the top. At that point, we decided it wasn't worth continuing that back-and-forth. If you know-you know... For context, in any serious restaurant, the chef would simply fire a new steak to the guest's preferred temperature -- that didn't happen here.  He also didn't come out to mend the issue which is what should happen during a "soft opening". There was also no manager to assist in any concerns. Toward the end of the meal, our server actually asked, "Which restaurants do you guys actually like?" in a tone that suggested we were the problem, not the experience. It was condescending and dismissive -- a strange approach for a service professional, especially given the issues that had unfolded. As for the food, beyond what I noted at the top: the fish was beautiful on the plate but bland, with a single lonely asparagus stalk. The risotto in a side bowl was tasteless. After dinner, we ran into another couple who had been dining there and had ordered the steak and fish. Without prompting, they told us they had the same unfortunate experience with the food.  I understand it's early days for the restaurant, and kinks are to be expected. But if you're going to claim an elevated level of experience, you need to deliver consistently professional service, execute the basics in the kitchen, and handle problems with humility, not arrogance. I hope the team takes this as constructive feedback. There's clear potential -- the bar and some of the dishes show promise -- but there's a lot of work to do here. To be honest,  we still tipped 18%, but I won't bother returning.  I will spend my money elsewhere.  I'll wait for the next version of 190 Kentucky street to emerge, as it always does. read more

Went in for lunch with a group from work. Decor is very nice, service is prompt, friendly and informative. Food is delicious, highly recommend. I will absolutely go for dinner. read more

Wow! What a let down!! I made a reservation for a birthday dinner excited to try the newest spot in town. When making the reservation I thought this was a slam dunk. "How can you argue with the little sibling of TC Provisions? Certainly this will be a delicious and memorable experience." It sure was a memorable experience, but not because it was pleasurable or delicious. This was a disaster beyond new restaurant opening issues and jitters. We brought a bottle of wine which needed to be decanted. The restaurant did not have a decanter. Ugh. After several conversations with the server, they were able to find a small vessel to decant the wine. Hardly a decanter, but we appreciated the ingenuity given this is a newer restaurant that may not have all the dishware and wine service vessels needed for any sort of fine dining or mid dining experience with an effort. Although, not a decanter, the staff handled it well and we appreciate the work around. Hopefully decanters are now on order and will be part of the dining room moving forward. Once we decanted the wine, we ordered appetizers and dinner. Parker house rolls were nice but nothing special. I hate to say they were one of the highlights of the dinner. For entrees, we ordered two steak & frites, one sea bass, and one bucatini. The bucatini with duck rillette was the winner. The seabass was overcooked...a first for me at a decently regarded restaurant. It was hammered to the point we thought it was a different fish. The saffron risotto was yellow, but tasteless and served in as side dish separate from the seabass. It honestly felt like a school lunch meal that was pre-proportioned and heated up for service. The seabass came with one asparagus. Yes, one. How fancy...if done right but annoying when tasteless. Both steaks were blue. Not even rare. Seared on the outside and cold on the inside. One guest was unable to eat the blue steak (it was cold to the touch) and reluctantly returned the steak for a medium rare steak. The same steak that was previously cut into bite size strips was returned to the table but in round two was pan fried on one side after the return, leaving the presenting side bleeding and still rare but the backside of the steak strips crusted and overcooked. This is where the night turned from "we get it, you're having new restaurant issues" to significant food and service issues that became too challenging to look past. Having worked customer service and restaurants for much of my professional career, I respectfully asked to speak with the chef about the steak preparation and re-preparation. We were told the chef was "too busy" to visit our table. Strike 2, my friends. When doing a soft opening but advertising it as a soft opening, feedback from customers can be invaluable. Don't get me wrong, it can be annoying too and every piece of feedback should be taken with a grain of salt. This is where customer service and caring about holding your local base counts. And to be clear, this was not a soft opening. This is full prices and open for business, baby. Our table was disappointed the kitchen did not want feedback (both good and bad). The restaurant was not crazy busy, but maybe the chef was retraining the line cooks on how to cook steaks to proper temperature. We requested to speak with the front of house manager. That request was also denied. Strike 3. From the initial request to send back the blue (raw) steak, the service staff became challenging to work with and began dropping snide comments. Without front of house management and kitchen management presence , I understand how the service staff was dismissive and short with us. We got crap food and they were stuck defending it. They had zero guidance of how to handle a poorly executed order with a kind, yet frustrated, customer. Long story short, what a shame. We had high hopes for this restaurant knowing the pedigree of its background and the goal of approachable cuisine. Holy airball to say it nicely. Safe to say we will not be returning and will gladly share our story. Not worth the money. They are pretentious and deliver poorly executed food with service staff that try to deliver but do not have guidance or training in customer service to actually deliver a memorable meal and evening. I usually would want to give a business , especially local, another chance, but that's definitely not happening with Bijou. read more

Lunch service was exceptional, great food, great service, comfortable atmosphere. It will be a regular lunch spot for me!

We were looking forward to our lunch here. Unfortunately it was not a good experience. The menu was extremely limited and we were told after being seated that the burger was not available. There was one server and he tried but the service was extremely slow and the food took an extremely long time even though the dining room was not crowded. My salad was mediocre even though the price was aggressive. We were charged a $30 corkage which frankly I thought should have been waived since the service was so slow. Definitely won't be back. read more

Thursday night- We had reservations at 6:30. Waitress tried to sit us (party of two) in a small corner next to a busy table, we requested to move and the hostess was able to move us. Cocktails were great. We got the rolls + oysters as an appetizer and they were delicious. For mains we ordered the steak + the duck. The steak was bad - cooked poorly, unseasoned, all the flavor was in the sauce. The frites that came along were delicious. The duck was cooked well but again lacking flavor, the flavor was in the sauce. Both plates were served with 4-6 small slices of meat. The potatoes the duck came with were dry and also lacking flavor. We didn't stay for desserts as we were disappointed. We'll be back in six months - a year. Let them get on their feet a bit. Thank you for a night out. read more

Tonight we had a remarkable meal: it was perfect in every way. Butternut squash soup, a toasty croque monsieur, rich beef Wellingtons with a deeply flavored sauce, salad, then finished with 2 beautifully executed pastries: a tropical pavlova and a St. Honoré. We were astonished. A very pleasant room, and knowledgeable service from Nicole. We will be regulars. read more

I just can't. The service is super super slow. If you're in a hurry don't come here. Been here for an hour. Asked for bacon cristpy it was opposite. Pretty pricy in general. Food was good my French toast was over cooked. Very pretty plates. But nothing super special taste wise. read more

Excellent food, service and ambiance. The French onion soup was the worst ever. I sent it back to the kitchen. Others also complained

We arrived promptly on time for our 7:45 reservation to what felt like a sterile, cold hotel lobby. We were seated (and cold) and told that the trout dip was sold out. We perused the menu picked our dishes and drinks ready to order the waitress came back and told us 3/4 of the dishes we ordered were sold out leaving us with only meat dishes to choose from. "It had been a busy night". It didn't look busy at all. Thursday 7:45 normal Petaluma slow. So we told her we're leaving. We won't be coming back. read more

Arrived without reservations around 5 and had no problem getting a table for two; there were maybe three or four other table with other guests. The wait staff were friendly and attentive, the ambiance nice. The food however was lackluster and we will not be back. Ordered fondant (smell was overwhelmingly bad), fries, some sort of salad that was quite literally an heirloom tomato drizzled in balsamic, and a cocktail. Total was $99 prior to tip. Came here for French food and left disappointed. There are MUCH better French restaurants and French forward restaurants in the area- this place tried hard but totally missed the mark. read more

Their hosts are not welcoming to walk-ins. Food we had was fine and I would consider going back for a full meal. When we finished our drinks and snacks, when asked, "Do you have ApplePay?" the server said, "I'll have to go get a whole other machine," then rolled her eyes as she walked away. The words "whole other" communicates severe annoyance, as does the massive eye roll that she probably didn't think I caught. It was early in the night and we had one drink and two snacks.... Unless she is an investor and she doesn't care about the profitability and success of this restaurant in an industry that is fraught with low margins and restaurant closures ... I suggest she get some serious training on proper customer service. But. Maybe that's ok. Since her attitude matched the hosts'. read more

New excellent restaurant very good offerings diners professional & engaged. Everything artfully prepared in house. Desserts sublime

Food amazing and staff awesome wine was delicious and well paired. I also had a very good cocktail. Steak and pork chops for dinner and trout for an appetizer. The only let down was they don't serve coffee! So we left for coffee and dessert back home. Hopefully they will resolve this issue soon. read more

I am surprised by the arm chair critics leaving 1 and 3 star reviews here as we found Bijou to be lovely and certainly a gem in Petaluma. We enjoyed the caviar and steak frites, which also comes with a simple green salad. I was especially impressed by the extensive by-the-glass wine program which I found to be very thoughtful, almost all local and great French grapes. Very nice place for a casual but elevated lunch or dinner, and fun to see Chef Stéphane in the kitchen and enjoying a drink with friends at the end of the evening. read more