It's absolutely criminal that this place has only 3 stars. I brought my wife here for her birthday, and we absolutely adored it. The savage blonde oysters were delicious and fresh - my wife is a huge oyster fan, and very picky with them, and she ate three servings! She didn't even order and entree. The roasted bone marrow was rich and buttery. I went with the wild boar ragu with papparadelle, which was rich and delicious. I never thought I'd be a wild boar fan, but here we are. We liked it so much that we came back for Sunday brunch. We ordered the mussels mariniere which was wonderfully flavorful - the garlic, shallots, and white wine in that dish were fantastic. We both got the pork belly sandwiches which were just a little sweet and very tasty. The fries were perfect and crispy. My wife told me that the drinks were perfectly balanced (bloody mary, Italian twist). We will absolutely be back again. read more

One of the top five restaurants in Jersey City. BLS is the type of excellent, neighborhood restaurant you can find everywhere in New York, but that Jersey City really lacks. The food is superb, the menu is always evolving, and the outdoor seating is very nice. Is it Michelin star or would NY Magazine rate it a 90%? No, but nothing else in Paulus Hook comes close. And the JC restaurant scene overall is pretty limited, so BLS fills a critical role. I've eaten here 1-6 times a month for 2+ years. My experience covers the whole breadth of the place, so hopefully my review carries weight with the readers. The reviewers throwing bombs with the one- and two-star reviews shock me. I don't love everyone who works there, but, I've always found the staff responsive and kind to my young son. I can't believe people gripe about the automatic gratuity or wait time. People deserve to be paid a living wage and good restaurants sometimes have a wait. read more

They've excellent snowglobe outdoor dining option as well as cozy indoor dining option. Delicious, fresh food and a good variety of choices. Service was great as well. I never felt left out as we were dining out. It was very easy to book an outdoor dining table. They were kind enough to set up the heater and set up a high chair for my toddler before we arrived. I'll definitely recommend this place for great food, service, and ambiance. read more

This is a quiet place where it appears many of locals frequent. Good wine list. They have seasonal specials, and all the basic French bistro type fare. Apparently they are popular for the mussels. We were offered bread, which is always a plus. I'm not sure why the low reviews, especially when there are definitely other places around the area that don't offer very many good wine lists. This place doesn't get too fancy with the food. Truffle fries, pasta, coq au vin, mussels, and the service, especially at the bar, was excellent. read more

We came for a weekday dinner and sat outside on the patio - there's plenty of space and they purposefully space out groups. The service was friendly and attentive. There is a very extensive wine list with more options if you're getting a bottle to split vs by the glass. Tried the Lyonnaise salad with duck confit and the duck pulled apart from the bone beautifully! Overall it's a nice neighborhood eatery for casual dinner and drinks. read more

Bistro La Source - Salade Lyonnaise with Crispy Duck Confit - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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A really nice French place in a convenient location near the downtown are of Jersey City. Quite authentic, and I genuinely enjoyed my entree (fried artichokes) main dish (beef short ribs in a boeuf bourguignon style), and desert (a flourless chocolate torte). The wine list was outstanding, and I also found the cognac to be excellent. This said, the boeuf bourguignon styled short rib was a touch too sweet (maybe a poor choice of brandy for the flambée stage, or a sugar-cured bacon?). So, four stars but not quite five. Fantastic service. read more

I've always walked by this place and finally decided to give it a try when friends came over to visit. They have a very big outdoor seating area, also dog friendly. The hostess sat us right away and the waiting staff were very friendly and attentive making sure we had everything we needed and refilling our water. I've ordered fish and chips for lunch. The fish was very tender, the breading a bit crunchy and the fries very well made. I'd definitely come back to try other dishes as there were too many to choose from. My friends were very happy with their dishes as well and recommended to try pork belly sandwich from the brunch menu. read more

Bistro La Source - Fish and Chips - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I never like it when a restaurant owner or manager talks rudely to their staff in front of customers and that's what happened here. The meal started pleasantly enough: a sunny fall day, leaves crunching underneath our steps, and one of those plastic bubble things (freshly cleaned, we confirmed) to sit in and stay warm while brunching outside. Service was busy, but just fine. Our drinks arrived quickly and the food fairly soon after. The food was just fine, but prices for portion size are quite off: the steak and eggs was $20 for a small portion of steak, eggs, and potatoes that left my s.o. still hungry. My eggs any style with potatoes and sausage or bacon was similarly small. No bread items, toast, etc. accompanied either dish. And here's where the problem began: I was charged $22.50 for a basic $14 entree. I paid the bill, but then on the way out checked the menu because something didn't feel right. I caught the manager (owner?) and he went inside to check and correct. The waitress had mistakenly charged for a side of sausage, no big deal and easily correctable. I was relaxed about it and then watched the manager (owner?) berate the waitress, who understood what happened, saying to her "I'm looking at you and you don't know what the fuck I'm saying to you," treating her like an idiot. He then gave me $10 in cash rather than adjusting the credit card payment. Whatever. We will be far less likely to visit again after watching how this man treated his staff person. read more

Came here for mussel mania on Monday. It was $12 for unlimited mussels in various types of sauces. You just have to purchase one drink. This place gets super crowded and the service is very slow. For that reason I would say this place is a 3.5 The mussels were all very good. My favorite was the one in garlic wine sauce. El Diablo was my second fave. The other tomato one was just ok for me, and I didn't like the Thai one. Our waiter was very nice and friendly just getting the mussels out was slow. Sangria was also pretty good- we got two pitchers for the table. Small parking lot attached- we were lucky enough to park two cars there. Outdoor seating was very romantic. View of the freedom tower if you pick the right seat. read more

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Was surprised to see the three star rating the restaurant had when I made a reservation. We had a 6pm on a Friday, and were promptly reminded when we got there we could only stay for 90 minutes. The food was probably the best part of the experience. We were four people, and had two servings of bread with that delicious french butter, we shared fried calamari, burrata, and the goat cheese salad. For entrees, we had short rib ravioli, duck, seafood risotto, and a cheeseburger. I have to say the duck and the cheeseburger were probably the best. I didn't love the short rib ravioli, and it came out cold. And the seafood risotto was called a lobster risotto, but only had one claw and mostly consisted of clams and mussels and calamari. The flavors were good, but the risotto was undercooked and crunchy. We finished off our meal with the creme brulee, and the almond cake. The creme brulee was great, and the almond cake was very dry. Overall, it was a fine experience, except for the service. There was literally one waitress, and she was really nice, but you could tell how hard she was running and it took FOREVER for us to get drinks, food etc. Even when we needed an extra plate or more drinks it was slow at best. This wouldn't bother me so much, except for the fact that the hostess came over to remind us twice that our 90 minutes were up. We had literally just been given our entrees, and they were trying to rush us out of there. However, there were a decent amount of empty tables and igloos. So that was pretty frustrating, and to say she wasn't polite about it would be kind... Overall, I understand the three star rating, the food was up and down, the service was meh (but to no fault of our waitress!) and the overall experience was probably not worth the $400 bill. read more

Great little french place with really good food and friendly staff. They have outdoor seating in little heated igloos that look really cute but it was too cold when we went so we sat indoors. The food was delicious and well presented. We loved the mussels so much that we ended up ordering another one. The cocktails were strong and tasty and they also have a decent collection of wine. Only thing missing is a section on their menu showing the sides you can order. I had to look at the sides that came with different dishes to find the ones I wanted to order. I did point it out to our server so hopefully they update their menu. read more

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1 star for the creme brulee! The service was shit. I'm sorry but it was. Specifically our server. The other servers looked helpful with their customers but our server?! wth man? No idea what his name was. Food was eh not bad but not good either. We had.. Steak frites (ordered medium and we got a medium well steak almost well done already. Told the server about it after waiting for him for sooooo long. He said he saw pink and for him it was medium Really, dude? He was really a shitty server. Complained about the fries too so he gave us new fries after we were done eating! He even said on the house. Thanks? Salmon (it was ok. Nothing special.) Fish and chips (was so so) Roasted duck breast with duck confit. (it was eh. duck confit was ok but the roasted duck breast? do not order) For dessert Warm apple pudding was bad. It was so dry! wth? (it wasn't even warm) Creme brûlée. (the only good one from what we ordered.) I expected too much, I guess? To top it off, the 20% gratuity is included! (ouch!) Was it why our server was shitty? because the tip was included? No effort needed, right? We went there for a birthday celebration and we weren't happy at all. Oh and everything were overpriced. Seriously. read more

Food wasn't good, pumpkin ravioli was bland and Mac n cheese was also flavorless. It's hard to mess up mac n cheese :-/ they were busy but service was slow and added on 20% gratuity overall an expensive meal for what it was. Nice to sit outside though read more

We came here for Mussels Monday which a fantastic deal. For $12 and a drink (soft drink, wine, or beer), you get unlimited mussels. They have a choice of five different varieties - thai with coconut milk, two different kinds of white wine and butter (one was a bit tomato-y), diablo (spicy), and mushroom/bacon/cream. You can mix up the types of mussels per order which was nice. We split bowls of the the white wine/butter, white wine/butter/tomatoes, and thai which were all delicious! They give a generous portion of mussels with creamy, flavorful broth. The mussels, themselves, were also fairly large and quite filling. There was plenty of broth left to dip bread in which made for an excellent side dish. I got a glass of white wine along with my mussels which was a nice complement to my meal. They do add a 20% tip to the meal; however, it's well worth it for the unlimited mussels. Place has a cozy atmosphere inside and a large outdoor courtyard. We brought our dog which was also great! The outdoor space is set off from the sidewalk and more off street. It was a large space with about 10-15 tables and plenty of leg room. They also have parking which is welcome in the hard to find a spot Paulus Hook area. The staff was warm and friendly. In terms of the standard menu, they also have a mostly French menu that is reasonably priced (btw 10-20 dollars) and extensive wine list which means a return trip is in order. read more

Bistro La Source - Mariniere mussels (garlic, shallots, white wine, butter) - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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Came here for brunch on a beautiful sunny fall day and sat outside. Good service and good brunch food. The best part was sitting outside. The food was nothing outstanding but its a solid choice for brunch as long as you sit outside! read more

Best Casoullet. Best entrees. good drinks too. service is nice. i not only come here but also order from home many times. Like this restaurant a lot. read more

We came here on a Tuesday evening and sat inside. It has a European meets old school American bar vibe. We ordered the Oysters, which were OK but probably wouldn't order again (too small and not great taste). We also ordered the Escargots which were fantastic and one of our favorite dishes of the night -- definitely recommend. For entrees we tried the Beef Ravioli, Duck Breast, and lollipop lamb chops. The highlight was the Duck Breast, which was very tender and flavorful, followed by the lamb chops. The beef ravioli was OK but not our favorite. For dessert we tried the affogato, lemon shortbread, and strawberry almond shortcake. Definitely recommend all of the desserts. Overall decent food and nice vibe for a quiet dinner with friends. read more

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Have been to bistro la source 2x now within the last 3-4 months. The first time we only got drinks and the second time we ordered food so I held off reviewing until we actually ate here. We walked in around 8pm on a Saturday evening and it was pretty crowded, but we were able to score a table for two outside. It was a nice night and the vibe outside is great once it gets a little dark and the stringed lights are glowing. We decided to split 4 appetizers as our meal. We started out with the escargot and duck liver foie gras pate. The escargot was delicious and in an olive oil with garlic and chives. The pate was also great; it was definitely one of the smoothest and most spreadable that I've had. Next up was the mussels diablo and steak tartare. The mussels were good not great; I had higher expectations for them. The sauce was a bit too liquidy and the mussels were pretty bland despite a ton of red pepper flakes. The steak tartar was not for us because of the raw onions. I wish the menu or waitress noted this as I feel like raw onions are a go/no go with a lot of ppl. Overall, a good option in the area with great outdoors space but wasn't wowed with the food. read more

Wow should have been coming to this neighborhood hidden gem for a while! Again new to area but only heard great things about the place across the street! Wow was I missing out!! Heard the restaurant had a new chef and happy to be the one to taste the skill of the pallet here!! The flavors of the tapas type dishes my family and I shared were so rich- must order Thai mussels Ong we had to order multiple loaves to dip in that sauce so much flavor it was so addicting! Also the calamari so fresh- you know you usually get that really chewy frozen taste not this kind !! So fresh and the batter of fried mix so tasty with the spicy sauce!! Also must order soft shelled crab taco..what just order it you will thank me later..it was just enough for a meal after all the appetizers. Also great drink menu too from wine bottles to specialty cocktails! And on top of it all we were sitting in a bubble which restaurant had set up in their parking lot during pandemic -to avoid the pollen flying everywhere! Bon appetit!! Great experience for my parents who were visiting! Can't wait to go back when someone else visits or girls night out for drinks and yummy deliciousness!!! read more

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Got an order of mussels (the white wine, garlic, shallot sauce) and a drink for a quick stop and it was delicious. Server was also great. Looking forward to trying more food soon. read more

Bistro La Source - Prosecco as I await my mussels (that were delicious, eaten so fast I forgot to take a picture). - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I came to Bistro La Source three times already. The food is really nice and so is the neighborhood and restaurant. I usually sit outside when I come for a light dinner. Yesterday I came in for Mussels Monday. Great deal! $18 for all you can eat and they have many kinds. My favorite would have to be the Thai flavored mussels with coconut milk. I also really like the watermelon salad and the Octopus and sausage. The staff are friendly. The one thing I noticed is the wait times are slow. This isn't a problem about the waitresses but rather slightly short staffed. One of the ladies was doing the job of three! Anyway this is a really nice place to come in the evenings after work to enjoy some good food and fresh air. read more

Bistro La Source - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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Great restaurant and they serve very traditional French dishes. The taste of oysters and mussels are awesome. I love the white wine mussels, seafood stew and duck confit. Definitely recommend this place for my friends. read more

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The owner immediately started shouting at me from across the parking lot where the tables are now sat. 3 small groups of white patrons were being served with enthusiasm. "We have been told that no pets are allowed". By whom? Crickets. Imagine a solution wheee my dog sat outside the fence near me and I was served. That is most likely what a white patron would be offered. I am black and in a nice part of Jersey City and expecting decent service is conditional. The neighboring Satie Bistro seated me and my dog with enthusiasm. Bob Apetit read more

Bistro La Source - My salad served in minutes at Satie. - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I told my boyfriend for my birthday I wanted to eat outdoors. He found this cute little restaurant that sells mussels (my favorite) Since then I have been here on 3 other occasions. Service is slow but spending time in Paris I get it, it's just how they operate around food. Delight staff & very informative about menu options. Mussels 10/10 ALWAYS the tomato & garlic was my favorite. I thought they only sold black mussels, my favorite; but when I went back I had a blend of both I didn't complain but I have a preference. This was my second time trying east coast oysters in my life 7/10 won't recommend lol it's not something I would purchase again. (Side bar: the next week I went to a place in Weehawkin & had West Coast Oysters 2/10 don't recommend) East Coast oysters are definitely better in a lot of ways. The area is nice for a date night, you can walk two blocks to the water; view the city, sunset & take pictures. If you like to drink it's about a 10 mins drive to Main Street by the bars. read more

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Three of us enjoyed a relaxing Sunday brunch at Bistro La Source last weekend. Temperature was in the sixties, but we still were able to eat outside in the patio area because their heaters provided enough warmth. We had noon reservations, and were seated right away. The brunch crowd didn't start arriving until about 1:00pm. Food and service were very good and we didn't feel rushed at all. So, a very pleasant brunch in Jersey City. read more

Came here for a friend's birthday. Super cute atmosphere and there's even an outdoor section but unfortunately we weren't seated there since we were quite a large party. Don't think anyone in our party really enjoyed the food. I ordered the foie gras which could've been cooked longer or seared more. It was served lukewarm at best and the texture was mushy (probably undercooked). Pass on the side of ratatouille, which was just a medley of diced veggies drowned in a bland tomato sauce. Service was also slow and inattentive. Too bad because I really wanted to like this place! read more

Foie gras pate excellent, calvados best in a long time. Up notch service. Coming back for the foie gras before heading back to Florida. read more

Bistro La Source - Foie gras pate, saucisson sec and chevre. - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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My husband and I got brunch at Bistro La Source a few weeks ago, I think Valentine's Day weekend. It was a little snowy that Sunday, but we were surprised to be the only customers who ventured out for brunch. I'm glad we did, because we had a fantastic meal. The only hiccup was that we wanted beignets, and the order was placed. However, there seemed to be an issue in the kitchen with the order. I assumed whoever was cooking that day didn't know how to make them, but they didn't really communicate what the issue was. To be fair, we didn't ask and just ordered a creme brulee to satisfy our sweet tooths. I had the gourmand breakfast, which was a nice smattering of everything. The goat cheese croquette was fantastic and the highlight of the plate. It was a huge portion, but my husband helped me finish it. He had the chicken BLT on a baguette, which he really enjoyed. I can't remember which cocktail he had, but it was good, and my espresso martini was phenomenal. We will definitely return at some point for dinner to try the more authentic French options. read more

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This was our first time checking out this local spot and it was disappointing and underwhelming to say the least. As restaurants are just starting to re-open, we have been extra cautious, patient, and generous given the circumstances of COVID. We know it's hot. We know it's not easy to work with masks and social distancing. But it is no excuse for the attitude we witnessed not only during our experience but as we observed with other tables. Our waitress was clearly hot, annoyed, "over it" and made it very apparent she didn't want to be there. She took our order and brought 2 rounds of drinks. After that, we never saw her. Not once did she come over to ask how everything was or even bring our check (the busser did). I feel bad giving one star because the busser and other gentleman helping out were nice. Aside from the terrible service, the food was mediocre at best. The burger was extremely small and over cooked, with soggy fries. We wanted to love this place but unfortunately, will not return. read more

Trying our best to support our neighborhood but when you have restaurants lie and send a portion of your $91 order and then do nothing to correct it, makes it hard to feel for them during these times. Good luck guys will not be visiting or ordering again. read more

Bistro La Source - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

They have a nice outdoor seating area, that's why we decided to sit down for the brunch. But the food was super basic! I ordered an omelette and it literally came with an only small omelet on the plate, it didn't look pleasant. My boyfriend ordered a steak sandwich and it was only a slice of plain meat between a baguette, no sauce no tomato, nothing! Also no refill for coffee, usually during brunch hours most places have at least a refill for coffee. The whole place and food show a very stingy and cheap owner/chef! Also, they include a pretty high gratuity with the receipt. Our waitress was pretty nice and we already had plan to leave her a good tip, but we got shocked when she came back with the check and existing tip! read more

Went for Hudson Restaurant Week Lunch Food - 3/5. The pate was smooth but very strong to the point of overwhelming. The pickled veg paired well with it. Coq au Vin was tender and juicy but the sauce was weak and flavorless which did not add much to the dish. Lardons are meant to be crispy to add nice texture but they were just soggy and fatty. The chicken thigh was very red in the center making it look very unappetizing. Chocolate mousse was smooth and tasty. Service - 3/5. The lack of bread to start at a French restaurant is a bit baffling to me. Service was decent enough but the waitress had two hiccups where our credit cards went missing. The issue was eventually solved but not offering any compensation felt very unprofessional in a service field. Value - 3/5. Restaurant week is always a nice time to check out new places and the price is modest at $20 for a three course lunch. However the food was below average and the service was lacking making it hard to recommend. Parking - Private Lot (Free) read more

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This is the best food in Jersey City, hands down. I don't understand the reviews whatsoever. I've been coming here for years and the food is beyond incredible. Wonderful owner, fun and skilled bartenders, and dog friendly. The people here are like family. The girls that get it, get it. Every meal feels like the best meal of my life. read more

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I had high hopes for this spot. We have always gone to madam Claude for French food in Jersey City and decided to try out a new spot. Making the last minute reservation wasn't an issue for four of us on a Saturday night. We were seated promptly and sat at a four top outside. Most of the tables were full and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Our waitress served us a bottle of water and then ten minutes later came back to take our drink and food order. She we asked what she would recommend her response was "everything is good." No suggestions just a generic response. Not a good sign. Half of our drinks came out after ten minutes and then another 15 minutes later a bottle of wine we ordered and two glasses finally made there way to the table. At this point we noticed a few tables complaining about the wait. Again, not a good sign. We watched two tables get up and leave and their food come out shortly after they left. Our waitress and a gentleman who appeared to be the manager/owner kept talking to tables and telling them that their system had crashed. We heard apologies. Unfortunately this gentleman and our waitress never came over to apologize to us. We chose not to bark at the staff and to just wait for the food as we were hungry. The food wasn't good either. I think this was a one and done for most of us. As someone who has worked in the service industry it's tough to not be quick to judge. Systems do crash. Things do happen. But the fact that the wait for drinks," and food being brutal. The lack of caring by the waitress. It's hard to not be annoyed. I think most get that Covid has impacted everyone but if you don't have the staff to support the amount of tables seated don't keep allowing people to sit down. Sometimes it's okay to say no. We tried the restaurant but we will not be going back. We wish them the best. read more

Food was delicious. Place was busy so we sat inside. Everyone was hustling. The food was very good. Tuna Tartare, Octopus, Foie Gras and Beef Tartare. Good wine list. Need to come back for the cassoulet. read more

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Well, it had been almost 2 years since I had eaten here for reasons I won't get into now. This was our "go to " spot 4-5 times a month for over a year. The food quality had been and still is very good. However, some things remained the same. Don't eat here with children. They don't have room inside for a stroller. The staff is not receptive to kids and will talk about you & your child. Another reviewer stated they were very pet friendly. During this visit a person came in with her pet to say hello to the staff. I am allergic to dogs and left the restaurant without dessert. Dogs get treated better than children. Non- service dogs are not allowed inside eating areas and that includes outside at tables. read more

Bistro La Source - Bar - French Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I should have seen the huge red flag when it said they automatically add 20% gratuity for every party (no matter what size)...Horrible service. Overpriced food. Won't be back. read more

First time sitting in a bubble!! Very warm as expected :) the food and pricing was very jersey city - ok portions ok price

Really good. Service was a 7/10. Food was a 9/10. Ambiance is a 7/10. The food is what really impressed me. Martinis were great

I don't like to be overly critical of restaurants, I know owning and running one is difficult, so this review is honest, not nit-picky. Unfortunately I cannot recommend the food here. As an appetizer, the calamari (seemed to be none) just tasted like deep fried breading. Oysters (6 for $18) were miniscule and not fresh. The pumpkin ravioli ($21) was bland with no pumpkin flavor. Branzino ($26) was mushy, not crisp, and the risotto came with a strange sauce. I hope this restaurant can improve, with better, fresher ingredients and more care in preparation. Not anywhere close to a French Bistro. Service was adequate -- they took the order and after a long wait, brought the food. read more