Soooo good! We went here on Valentine 's Day. During that week, the restaurant was celebrating their anniversary, so there was a great deal going on. For two people, you could get 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 deserts for a really great price. We got stuffed avocado and smoke salmon for our appetizers. Then we ordered duck and rabbit for our entrees. It was AMAZING and cooked to perfection. For desert, we got ice cream with black cherry, and a cheese platter. There was so much food; we had to take some home. Oh yea, and they also serve great chicken pate before every meal with your selection of bread. I strongly urge you to try this place out! read more

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Old, stuffy, and delicious is how I would describe the clientele and the food here. We came here for Houston Restaurant Week and I tried the crab cakes, champagne sorbet, lamb chops, and creme brulee. Crab cakes were delicious, sorbet tasted like lychee, lambchops were a bit dry, and the creme brulee had too thin a layer of burnt sugar. My friend tried the duck, and it was succulent but very salty. Overall, a good hidden french gem in this area. read more

I came here during HRW and was thoroughly surprised at how much I enjoyed my dinner! I got three courses for $35 on the prix fixe menu. My meal started off with the seared scallop, which was delicious...although they only gave me one? For the main course I had was the filet mignon wrapped in bacon. The steak was cooked well, but the meat was not as tender as you would imagine a filet to be. Finally, I had the cherry kirsch with ice cream. This was a comforting and fruity dish. The highlights of my family's meal were the duck breast and escargot. The duck breast my mom had was cooked to perfection and had amazing flavor as did the escargot (which erred more to the pesto-y side). Give this place a try! It has a quaint provincial feel on the inside and on Sunday nights you can get a 3 course meal under $30. read more

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We went to Le Cep to celebrate the birthday of a friend who was visiting from out-of-town. I had never heard of the place but when told there was a big-ass cow statue in front of the place I realized I'd driven by there plenty of times. I wonder if such a piece of decoration would fly in actual France. Anyway For appetizer we had the pate and the escargot. Both were pretty solid although the escargot was swimming in butter and that's pretty much all I could taste. For my entree I ordered the half duck a l'orange. The flavor was there although the duck was a bit overcooked. I also tried the halibut en papillot which I thought was very good. We ordered a bottle of red wine (I think it was Cabernet) which turned out to be bad. Skunky and flat. We had to send it back and the waiter was very apologetic and let us sample a few different wines, just to be sure. Desser was creme brulee which was just ok. I suppose at this point creme brulee is one of those things that's got no wow factor, no matter how good it is. I'd definitely come back here read more

Came here for a business lunch with the company. I cannot have gluten so I couldn't partake in the bread they served, but it smelled pretty damn good. It took them a while to take our orders and took them even longer to bring our food out... like, waaaay too long... Even though it took so long to get our food, the wait staff was still very nice, but that doesn't make up for the lengthy time we waited. Once our food came out, everyone was starving. From what I heard, people enjoyed the food, but weren't amazed by it. It was more of a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. I got the Salade Aux Fruits de Mer, which is basically a seafood salad. It had shrimp, crabmeat, smoked salmon, tuna and mussels served on greens with vinaigrette dressing. I asked for the dressing on the side, but they must've forgot because it was lathered onto the salad. Didn't appreciate that, but I was too hungry to ask for another. The seafood was great. Super fresh - nothing to complain about. However, the food quality didn't make up for the amount of time we waited and them not getting the order right on top of that. read more

This review is based off of my one experience, when I came in at 5pm on a Saturday night with my mom. The exterior of the building was a bit disappointing, as I expected more of a French countryside-style, individual house, instead of a corner unit in a shopping plaza. But, it's the food that matters most, right? So on, we walk in. The atmosphere was welcoming, cozy, and unpretentious. The clientele on this Saturday night consisted mostly of middle-aged adults on dates and senior citizens. No kids in sight, meaning it wasn't loud. Good place for conversation; didn't have to shout. But personally, it was almost too quiet.. granted, it was a bit early for dinner. On to the food! We started off with the Avocado Farcis aux Crustacés, which was both deliciously light and flavorful. Good mix of avocado, crabmeat, shrimp, and watercress; kept me interested! I ordered the seafood catch of the day, which was red fish. Perfect portion size, as it left (a little) room for dessert. Tender. Delightful sauce! No regrets here. My mom got the Canard à l'Orange, which was supposed to be half a duck but seemed more like a quarter of one, but that's okay because it was still more than enough. As for the taste, the skin was deliciously crisp, the bigarade sauce was... as expected, but delightful too! The meat was a little dry and a little hard to cut - personally wouldn't get on a date, as it has potential to get a little messy. The Crème Brûlée wasn't suprising, but still satisfying. Pretty standard. The service was attentive. Really attentive. My only regrets are not eating more of the pate they serve before the meal, and also not coming on a Sunday night for the $25-30ish/person appetizer + entree + dessert deal, which I would have taken up if I had known about the special pricing before I was already there. Oh well, next time! read more

Having had good French food both in France and the US, I was not in the least bit impressed with the food here. In general, the ingredients were not that great. For example, the salad greens were about you would expect from a buffet salad bar with what appeared to be a commercially available dressing (any restaurant worth its salt should dress its salad from scratch), and the cranberries served with the pate were clearly of the canned variety, and so on. The duck a l'Orange was acceptable, if unexceptional and the texture of the creme brûlée was not quite right. The caveat here is that all these courses were from a set menu for a Christmas party. I do not know if the quality of their regular menu items is any better. read more

Rabbit was extremely tender. Loved the included pate for appetizers. I suggest dining on Sunday for their special 3 course meal. Interior is cozy maybe to the point of kische. French boyfriend gives it a thumbs up so we will be back! read more

Just enjoyed the fixe prix Sunday dinner. It was amazing! The food was so delicious. The escargot was on point, the shrimp stuffed avocado was to die for! Everything was so fresh and flavorful. I had the rabbit and my friend had the wild boar. Both were very different but both were really superb. The wait staff were very attentive and accommodating. Can't wait to go back! read more

Bistro Le Cep - rabbit - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I never would've associated a place that looks like this from the outside with excellent cuisine but don't let the exterior fool you. The service is always outstanding. Absolutely everything is delicious from the bread (baked in house) and butter (made in house, it's sinfully silky and slightly sweet) to the pate (also made in house) to the steak au poivre. This restaurant is one of our favorites. We start craving it if it's been too long between visits. It's not cheap but it's sooooo worth it. I not only love it personally but also professionally. For the last three years I have chosen Bistro Le Cep for my company's annual board of directors dinner. We always have a private room, excellent service and rave reviews about both the service and food from our board members. read more

Bistro LeCep is great. Their is no other restaurant on the Westside that is fit for taking a big prospect to lunch or those special friends you own a dinner to for the evening. The decor and menu is country French. They have an extensive list of wines by the glass. Sunday is our favorite day because they offer a 3 course meal for $23.95. We usually share the smoked salmon or crab/avacado for a start. He likes the duck. I usually have fish. The sides of vegetables are cooked just right without any "secrecy sauces" to disguise them. This is what you get with "Country" food. Desert and coffe is usually too much, but the fresh baked of the day is always excellent. We have always found the service and atmosphere right on for the price. Make a reservation for next Sunday evening. Give this unique bistro a try. read more

This restaurant is definitely one of my new favorites in terms of food and service. We went here for houston restaurant weeks to celebrate my birthday. The staff is so friendly and welcoming. I made reservations for 4 people, but two friends kind of surprised us by joining and our 4-top turned into 6. The staff immediately arranged a larger table without hesitation. The atmosphere is very quaint and welcoming and there's also complimentary bread and pate (delicious!). read more

HRW had diverse menus but this one took my breath away. What are the odds of a tiny place in a old strip center having a significant WOW factor, been proved wrong, don't judge a restaurant by it's strip center façade. Reservations were needed--a favorable impression over the telephone makes you want to dine here. From the greeting at the door, even though it was a party of two we were seated at a table for four, no banging into other folks because an extra table was wedged in. Would have felt comfortable dining alone, several people were. The skeptic in me is fading fast. The raisin bread yummy, had the scallop for the first course, the wild boar absolutely tender, no metallic seasoning, smooth and not overpowering with a side of fluffy wild rice and mushrooms, chased by crème brulee. A glass of Cotes du Rhine complimented the meal perfectly. Grand accompli! I drove 80 miles to dine here, will do it again but with a designated driver. read more

Love the food , highly recommended the duck...and the black cherry in kirsch , wonderful. read more

Bistro Le Cep - Taste sweet... Not bad that's what I want to say - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you ever ate at The Rotisserie for beef and bird, you'd really appreciate this place. It's a lot of the same items from that original menu. Still the same great chef. If you're young, don't expect some crazy ambiance, you'll get your grandmothers country club, but the food is perfect-always. It's a reliably fantastic restaurant. The service is always spot on, even though it's always busy. The escargot is amazing! I'd go just for that and a glass of wine. The duck is a must have... I won't even attempt to butcher the French spelling. The rabbit is also wonderful. Don't skip dessert all their pastries are made fresh, in house and they're really good. Jessica approved: rabbit, duck, the chocolate dumpling, escargot. read more

It was okay. We came here for my birthday and although the customer service was excellent, I felt like the food just didn't stand out to me. It was a little bland, somewhat dry, and didn't taste as good as I thought it would be. With that said, it was a bit too dark to my liking and a little cramped. However, the staff were very kind and consistently checked up on us. read more

I sorta love this place but I couldn't get past this semi-bait and switch. I work(ed) in the office building next to Bisto Le Cep and after skipping lunch for the first five months, decided to start eating lunch. So being the jerk off that I am, I would get their $15 lunch special, bring it to the office, and I'd be the spring/summer intern, eating like a king. Still, this is the incident: 12:00 noon, I call in and order a duck confit special w/ crab soup (for $15, I was totally getting a foodoner thinking about my lunch). I walk over at around 12:20, the manager/owner tells me THEY ARE OUT OF DUCK CONFIT. So I'm like what in the hell. You're out of your lunch special at 12:20? He's like Yeah, blah blah blah, no real excuse. Just they're out. It's now chicken piccata. So I'm like, well I mean, did you guys make it? I have to go back to work. He's like, yeah we made it just in case you wanted it, do you want it? I'm like yeah, fine just ring me up. And I get charged, and THEN they make the chicken piccata. Now I'd be PISSED but the chicken piccata was so freakin' good that I couldn't imagine any duck confit being better. Really, I couldn't. So what do I do with this review? Base it on another visit from 2004? Base it on the Coq Au Vin that I got in a foil pan? Actually yeah, that would work - so it's three stars, coq au vin was a mess. So had this place just been straight with the chicken piccata, it could easily be 5 stars. I can imagine that if I still worked where I work, I would probably eat here ALL THE TIME and it'd literally be the highlight of my day. However, I can't respect or give major props to a resto that runs out of its lunch special at half pass noon. But seriously, the chicken piccata was so good. And to all the people that say it smells bad in here - like piss or something - IT DOESN'T; IT SMELLS LIKE A FRENCH RESTAURANT. As far as my three visits went (though I carried out). And that kind of comment can seriously turn a person completely away from a restaurant. So I'd definitely go back and see if it still smells bad to you and then go and update the review. Lastly, the bread here is really, really good. read more

I ate here for the first time yesterday, due to the fact that our office recently moved to the Westchase area, and it sure won't be the last. The ambiance inside is really cozy and welcoming. It looked to be pretty full for lunch. The service was great. The warm bread they serve you before you order was quite impressive - think fresh, out of the oven cinnamon raisin bread. Next time, I think I'll refrain from the second round of bread though! I was all over the menu, but ultimatley decided on the Reuben sandwhich. I'm typically not a huge fan and I'm not sure what made me order it, but I'm glad I did. It was a delicious sandwhich and hit the spot. The cole slaw served with it was good, but I only took a bite of it at the end, as an afterthought. The fries were okay, a little on the soggy/greasy side. My co-worker ordered the special of the day and it looked like more authentic French Country cooking, so I will have to go that route next go around. read more

I had their daily special for lunch,food is a little too salty for my taste but it could just be me and my preference of no salt,as seafood from the ocean usually comes salty. The fish is good and but the vegetables could be cooked better. read more

How cliché am I that I took a date to a French restaurant on Valentine's day lol. Now, I do admit that it's been a better part of a decade since my last visit to this bistro, and my previous experience was nothing less than stellar. BUT, for the menu that was prepared for Valentine's day, it just left a few things to be desired. Service, for starters was crawling, and somewhat selective. We sat before the table behind us AND beside us, and we ordered before they both did. You can only guess which table got thier food last. The bread lady stopped by our table twice and both times literally threw the thing into my plate and rushed off. NOT the kind of service you expect when you're tryna impress to man in a date lol. Now, the food was good. BUT, I had an issue with the vegetables prepared this night. They all had SOYA SAUCE in them! From the green beans to the broccoli to the carrots, they all taste like they were cooked with soya sauce! I thought that was the most randomest thing, to make all the greens taste the same. The only thing different was the protiens. My duck was cooked to utter perfection. Can't even complain about that. Date got the fish so I don't really care about that. read more

We might have come here on an off day, but there was a strong pungent odor (pee) coming from the kitchen area, but we got used to it after a couple of minutes. It looked as though we had mistakenly walked into an old folks home and that the waiters would be announcing the start of BINGO at any minute. The food is bad, and therefore, charging any amount would qualify it as over priced. read more

One of my favorite places in Houston. Been going here for 20+ years, always great country French cooking & nice setting for a family meal at reasonable price. The owner is always at the front & wanting to know if he met expectations. Solid go to spot that has a good wine selection for all. Try it. read more

We checked out this restaurant and were seated in the front nook which was sweltering with heat...the A/C doesn't reach that far and we needed to ask the management to unscrew the light above the table so that the heat wasn't as bad. The decor was quaint with a French country feel. The waiters were very solicitous. Please see photos for our accompanying entrees. The steak was simple and done nicely but the vegetables were bland...just large chunks steamed. The salmon was not overcooked which was nice and it was dressed in a nice béarnaise sauce but again the vegetables accompanying were unremarkable...seemed like boiled/steamed and very bland. I had the fish in pochette and this looked very fancy but the ingredients in the pochette were again very simple. Having gone to France...this wasn't a good reflection of French cuisine but it did have large portions and my only complaint was that the seasoning was bland and the vegetables were boiled/steamed. A solid restaurant but not the fancy French I was looking for. read more

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Not only was the food most excellent, the fact that they made my child's order (5 years old) on special request... as a visitor from PA, I didn't realize that on Sunday, they included gratuity into the price. As we were leaving, we were chased down in the parking lot, to be told, there was no need. This is above and beyond, they could have let it go and pocket the extra $$$. But they did the ethical thing... this goes a long way in my book. 6 stars from me. read more

Love this restaurant. Locally owned. Owner is usually there checking on everyone. Escargots are our favorite. Fish of the day with a lemon butter caper sauce is delicious. read more

The ending of a perfect week in Houston. This place is unbelievably good and reasonably priced. They serve hearty portions for a French restaurant. Everyone was very happy with their meal. They serve fresh crusty bread, including a wonderful raisin bread that will be in my memory bank until I can make it back here. The trout, vegetables, salad, and soup were great. If you are watching your diet there were some selections that work with modifications. The cappacino is served with biscuits. You will not leave hungry or dissatisfied. The service and ambiance was spot on, as well. read more

Bistro Le Cep - Capaccino is smooth and comes with biscuits. - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This place is awesome it's country French food and has a good selection of French wines as well as others my favorite dish is beef liver comes with onions and apples super yummy Also the duck pate and creme brule are delicious Very good food nice place read more

Food was good, however there service was not very good. We asked to eat outside and it seems that was frowned upon by the staff. They made this very well known to us. They were nice enough to set up a table for us four, although we had to ask for menus and napkins. When serving as opposed to going to each side of the table to serve, they reached over and just shoved the plate forward. This seems very odd given that it really was not that hot outside, it was 7:30pm and we are still in the Covid pandemic. You would think that regardless of where we ate, we should have felt welcomed and wanted as opposed to being an inconvenience that we felt. read more

Some dishes at this place are ok. Some taste like cafeteria or hospital food. We had the mussels as appetizers. They were ok. I ordered the bullabaise, again, not horrible, just ok. My husband ordered the veal, that came with vegetables . The presentation and Taste were like cafeteria food. Wine was really good and not expensive, which is why I give them three stars instead of two. read more

My sister and I went here to eat once, and our experience was alright. For appetizers, I picked the steamed snails, and my sister picked the onion soup.I didn't like the snails so much because they were small and tasted plain, and the price for it was quite high. But my sister loved her soup with the cheese, or dough in there; she thought it was very rich in texture. For main courses, I chose the Rotisserie roasted duck while my sister picked the Pot roasted rabbit. This time we switched turns: I thought the duck was perfect in flavor and texture, the accompanied side dishes also went well with it. However, my sister didn't like her dish much, saying the meat was overcooked. The prices are quite higher than other restaurants, probably because it seats on Westheimer, but I think there can be better improvements, especially the service we had and the decoration of the place. I'll try to give it another time later, maybe with my friend. read more

I've been back at least 10 times since my original review and I have never been disappointed. I love the items that were from Rotisserie as well as everything else I've tried. If you read the book the Chef wrote you will learn what an amazing Globetrotting life he has had, and which makes this restaurant more than French. I absolutely adore the rabbit that just falls off the bone served with his buttered spaetzel. Its like little pillows from heaven! Fusion food is so trendy now, I would think people would be more open to things like this. I love having escargot and spaetzel in the same meal, as long as each item is perfectly prepared. I think most Houstonians would love this place if they just try to keep an open mind. read more

My coworkers and I decided to try French food for Day 1 of Houston Restaurant Week. The appetizers were savory and excited my palate, the entree was unique, albeit a bit small, but the dessert was sub-par. I felt like my Creme Brûlée was too dense. However, the Chocolate Mousse was rich and creamy. (I took a bite from my coworkers). read more

Bistro Le Cep - Scallop Appetizer - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Excellent dinner here tonight. French onion soup, coq au vin, South African Pinotage and Strawberries Romanov to finish up. Everything was prepared to perfection. The coq au vin was very well seasoned and better than the one I had in Paris in the Marais. The strawberries for dessert was among the best desserts I've had in my life. Can't wait to go back. read more

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Lovely quiet place to relax and enjoy with anyone!!! Yes they speak French as they should but if you don't they will help you. Don't be afraid to learn. read more

We went here today for Houston restaurant weeks lunch, and had a great meal. I had the broccoli and cheese soup, London broil and creme brûlée for dessert. I could not have been happier with my meal or service. If you haven't been here you need to try it and if you have, you need to come back. read more

Picked a place I hadn't been for a first date. Surprisingly Cute little place considering the location. Great service, quality food, and a great place to impress a lady! read more

Extremely pretentious. Won't be going back. The food was disappointing. I had the Blanc de Poulet Cordon Bleu. To begin with, it was not chicken breast, like it said on the menu. It was anything but breast. Apart from that, it was soggy. The "Seasonal fresh vegetables" consisted of two different types of undercooked vegetables. The organization and positioning of the tables was horrible. Extremely uncomfortable. read more

Great food & atmosphere! The chicken liver mousse which comes complimentary with ur bread is out of this world! I ordered the rabbit! It looked very provincial & the way a French grandma would prepare it, & tasted so authentic ! I have recommended this place to several friends read more

Bistro Le Cep - Rabbit! - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love the environment and their food. A little bit salty sometimes, but overall is good. The duck pate is very cute to start with. I like the snail and the duck. Feel it melt in my mouth. The rabbit is fairly good. I usually end with a brûlée. Big portion and perfect for my sweet tooth. They also have decent wine selection. read more

Bistro Le Cep - Duck pate - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I pulled this restaurant up in a search for best creme brûlée in Houston... YES YES YES!!! It was awesome! I called to order some to go... Cheating as I left the gym ;-) The manager told me they were closing but he would be happy to get me an order in for the next day. I was thankful but told him it was okay as I was in the parking lot already and wasn't sure about the next day. He quickly stated he would be happy to get me one right away and literally took great care that I got my creme brûlée fix. And let's just say... EXCELLENT!!! I was so satisfied!! I will be back for more... And I was actually so impressed with the spot that I'm sure I will be back soon to try more on the menu! read more