The servers were actually quite rude and I kept getting a judgmental vibe from them...the menu options suggest that the restaurant is fancy, but the physical menu and decor of the restaurant state quite the opposite. Overall, not impressed and left unsatisfied. read more

I love the French onion soup and the wine selection ! But the manager has been on a very loud personal call for over 20 mins walking around the bar and lobby :( One of the staff left his cellphone at the front desk to ring very loudly during service! I had to interrupt the managers phone call to ask for another glass of wine. read more

I had eaten here 3-4 times prior to this visit (Saturday night of Fathers' Day weekend) and thought this was an okay french restaurant - you can read that as i was willing to go there if invited, but would not suggest it myself. Sadly, that's no longer the case. Parking - 5 stars. Plenty of parking available. Service - 4 stars. We were a group of 14 at two tables (10 + 4); the waitstaff was quite attentive, but the smaller table got quicker service, such that they were finished about 30 minutes before the bigger table. Also, I'll note that they served complimentary chicken liver pate and toasted french bread (3 for the table of ten), and were asked for more, but never brought it. Food - 2 stars. I had escargot, bouillabaisse, chocolate mousse; my companion had the fathers' day special - escargot, veal chop, creme brulée. Now, sadly, there were several issues: 1) appetizers: escargot - in mine, there was a normal sized escargot in the center, a half-sized one at 9 o'clock, and the remaining 4 were "bits" (about pea-sized); his had roughly the equivalent of two normal escargot, divided into six spots, 3 of which had two bits. The butter, garlic, herb sauce was okay, but could have been better. Manager was informed, and just basically said they never get complaints, and I said, well, you should know about what's coming out of your kitchen, and fix it. He said he would take the escargot off the bill. They did not charge for mine, but failed to deduct the $10 off the $49.95 fathers' day special. 2) mains: a) the veal chop was very good. The veal was served with steamed carrots and broccoli, and a side of mashed potatoes. b) the bouillabaisse was mediocre. i) the soup base was severely lacking in any saffron flavor. It also had 2 bay leaves in the bowl, which I believe should be removed, in case someone doesn't know they should not eat them. The fish/shellfish was fresh, i believe there was one large shrimp, a cod filet and a flounder filet, maybe half a dozen mussels, a lonely scallop, and about 5 crab fingers. ii) Bouillabaisse is typically served with a few slices of bread or toast, covered in rouille, which is essentially a garlicky, saffron-y aioli or remoulade. It adds a lot to the experience, melding the flavors. This version was served with toasted garlic bread - not expected. When the manager asked how the bouillabaisse was, i just said "nice", because I didn't have it in me to have another discussion. c) other diners: i) duck a l'orange - dry and overcooked; sent back, got crab cakes instead, which were good. ii) fish of the day - flounder meuniere served with same sides listed above - was good. iii) coq au vin was good. 3) dessert - the chocolate mousse was pretty good; nice flavor and fairly airy, as it should be. but, i'd be hard-pressed to find any issue because, uh, chocolate. Now, the creme brulée was another story. As you walk in the restaurant, there's a table displaying the desserts. The creme brulée displayed was in a ramekin about 5 inches in diameter, and one inch thick. What was served was in a 2 inch diameter ramekin. He felt like that was a bait and switch. The comment was, "[My son] made better creme brulée when he was 15." There was some discussion on the way home about the experience, including the fact that the owner had previously operated another restaurant which had been great, and how disappointing this one was. The final word was stated as we entered the house. "I never want to go there again." read more

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Have been to Bistro Le Cep a number of times but before the pandemic. My daughter took me for a belated Mother's Day. What a disappointment! I got the escargot and onion soup. Previously loved the escargot. Tonight, the sails tasted like they came from a can, small and rubbery. The onion soup was all broth. I had to search for pieces of onion. 9.50 is too much for broth, a few pieces of onion, a couple of pieces of bread and some cheese. I have had better meals at Luby's. I will not be back. read more

Wow, what a truly lovely evening! We went to dinner for a special family celebration and the wonderful staff did an amazing job. From the special touches like confetti on the table to a truly delicious dinner to the warm, attentive service, I can't remember a better evening. The escargot were so good especially with bread to dip in! The wild boar, venison and duck were incredible. So much flavor but not fatty at all. And the desserts, omg try the cheesecake because it was seriously the best cheesecake ever! Definitely encourage people to try this hidden gem!! read more

Hands down this is the best HRW 2018 lunch. For $20 your meal include either salad, soup or escargot, yes you are reading it right, escargots for lunch. Then a choice of fish , chicken or wild boar . And the best is the dessert. We came for lunch on a Thursday and the place is packed. Overall service was excellent, the manager/ owner checked in on us often and our water glasses were never half full. Oh and they have really yummy raisin bread. I will comeback again for the HRW for dinner . read more

Bistro Le Cep - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

My son & I had to go to Houston for Dr appt & had dinner. Was great reminded us of Paris the duck I had melted in my mouth. My son had fish & I think he swallowed it whole. Lol. The crème boule was extremely & I mean extremely good. read more

The question is: "is it his food?"? Close to the conclave of Vietnamese in Houston, this one have a very nice setting. I wonder if he 's with the Le and Trinh people? Maybe they are from Tahiti? food is sailor inspired? Long story short, taste like canned goods, especially the jam. Pate is fine, spice less. Soup is terrible without wine? Eh, I wonder who is the other chef honcho in town? the one who supplied the other Vietnamese pastry and stuffs? read more

This place is perfect for when you want to sit down and try authentic French food! Everything was lovely; decor, staff, food, and vibe. 10/10 would come again. read more

We returned after COVID to Bistro Le Cep yesterday for a Houston Restaurant Weeks luncheon. It was great to be back and see Carla hosting this wonderful restaurant. My husband and I loved the escargot and boar cutlet while our family friend thought the potato leek and chicken piccata with linguini was delicious. Our creme brûlée was outstanding. The service by Hever Salmon was exceptional too! We'll definitely be back. read more

Food is ok. Just surprised that they tag on 20% tip for a party of TWO. Never experienced that before. Then the final receipt has another slot for MORE tip...??? It could be French thing...?? Not impressed with service either. read more

Nice cozy atmosphere, waiters are extremely professional and explained the dishes very thoroughly, we started with the appetizers the escargot and mussels , the mussels where great the escargot was good but I had better it was missing something as flavor wise , I had the entrocat with fries and it came perfect next time will try the duck . In general very cozy and good experience read more

Bistro Le Cep - French Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The wife and I have been coming in to Bistro Le Cep for several years. We have never had a bad experience. Inside, Le Cep has a comfortable provincial French feel. I think that that also is reflected in the menu. The food selection is not too fussy and more on the old-school country fare. I think that makes it a very good neighborhood French bistro. All of the items we have had have been solidly executed and properly prepared. On my last visit I had the Bouillabaisse. While not the best I have had, it was very good and I would not have a problem recommending it. Our group also had the Steamed Salmon and Crab Cakes which were reported to be very good. My wife had the Poached Pear for desert which was very nice. Le Cep also has a very nice and fairly priced wine menu with a good selection of French, American and international wines. Nice to have a local restaurant of this caliber. read more

This place has excellent food and a excellent service. Good quality and very tasty and the prices aren't too expensive. Will definitely come back again read more

Pate,off the charts. The table, beautifully set the service, fantastic. Veal super fresh. Everything was genuinely fantastic. Very warm and elegant. read more

The Chilean Seabass is excellent with wonderful sides. Crème brûlée was also the very best.

Just tried this place for the first time and......IT IS AMAZING!!!!! From the tasty French onion soup to the fruit sorbet perfection in champaign to the mouth watering pan roasted duck and to the delectable creme brûlée....topped with some of THE BEST service I have ever encountered. Needless to say, I am one happy customer! I will certainly be returning. :) read more

Food marginal Service slow People nice Did not care for it in the past and my husband wanted to retry it to see if they improved Unfortunately we will not be returning read more

I have tried this place and felt like it would be fair to give an in-depth review of this place. Alas, it was not that memorable, but not bad either. This restaurant was a recommendation of a friend who tried their multi-course meal deal on Sundays. First off, the ambiance is nice for the area of town it's in. You really feel like you've stepped into a local little bistro with either intentional or unintentional weathering of the walls to give it a semi-rundown look. I gotta say the first thing I noticed was the staff here could have been a bit more professional with just hanging out at the bar. If it was a party-type atmosphere I wouldn't give it a second thought. However, it seems that this is a more high class place, so the joking around and horseplay of the staff in front of the customers kind of rubbed me the wrong way. As far as the food goes, it was different... but not amazing different. I'm glad they had harder to find fare like duck and rabbit, but I guess it just wasn't my taste. The food was prepared well, but I am just going to give them the benefit of the doubt that my tastebuds were just not used to their cuisine. I don't really regret trying it out, but it's not something I would crave to go back for. But if you're yearning for something different, I wouldn't hesitate to suggest it at least one time. The service was fine, very attentive, prompt and clean. Just a hint too, please be considerate if you have young children. The cozy setting and close walls are not friendly to a kid's wails. Yes, it is pricey, but I personally don't have anything to base it against to call it over-priced. So I think two stars is too low, four stars too high, hence my just average rating of 3 stars. read more

I have to really commend the service here. The wait staff was really great and attentive. My water glass was never empty and the guy (i didn't get his name) who recommended we try some of the raisin bread he was serving was so friendly and took really great care of myself and my husband. We had the coq au vin and the rabbit for entrees and creme brulee for dessert. Everything was really delicious and satisfying. My husband devoured his coq au vin. The rabbit was so tender it just fell off the bone. The creme brulee was so smooth and had a really nice vanilla flavor. I'll definitely be back here and maybe I'll bring the in-laws. read more

I often forget about this place.... out of sight out of mind kind of thing, but it was my first taste of french food. my first escargot, all that garlic, butter, and parsley! WOW! Coq au Vin and braised short ribs, Killer! Comfort food from another mother! The same people who owned beef and bird, so expect great ingridents, good food, and don't forget, a well selected wine list.... read more

I definitely over looked this place every time I passed by. I always thought Bistro Le Cep was some kind of run down French sandwich place. Boy was I surprised when i walked into this intimate French restaurant. The service here was incredible. From appetizer to entry all the way to dessert, I was pleasantly surprised through it all. Bread and pate - 5/5 (I can eat this all day everyday) Escargot - 3/5, a little too greasy for my liking, but nonetheless still delicious Chilean Sea-bass - 4/5 rich and flaky Chocolate dumpling - 4/5 read more

I stumbled upon this place when Ramen Jin across the street was closed randomly. Achieving four-star status on Yelp is no easy feat, as most businesses hover at three stars. I had pretty high expectations for this meal. If it's cold outside, you might want to request a table deeper into the restaurant, as each time the door opened, we were greeted with a gust of cold wind. We all kept our coats on. The complimentary bread and pate was appreciated-I love me some pate- but it had a strange aftertaste. I'm not quite sure what made it different from others I've tried, but I didn't want a second bite of it. For my entrée, I ordered the duck with braised red cabbage. The skin was mushy, underneath that was a thick layer of chewy fat, and the duck was pretty flavorless, even dark meat. I typically consider taking leftovers to go, but it was pretty unappetizing. To be fair, my friends' wild boar and pork chop were decent, but I've had better quality meals at other French restaurants in town. I believe you get what you pay for, but the $30 wasn't worth it at all here. read more

Um, no; just no. There's nothing French about this place, not the use of heavy sauces or Jalapeno peppers, or any thing else. The food is bad, and therefore, charging any amount would qualify it as over priced. The wine list is full of cheap wines at high prices. If you know absolutely nothing about French food, you might be tempted to think this place is worthwhile since it would be your only exposure to the style, but this is pretty far from French and far down on my list of places that would do, even in a pinch. Bad food, no bueno, bye-bye. read more

It has been a while since we were here last. It was once our go to place in the neighborhood for a nice dinner out. Then I discovered Yelp and the wife and I have gone crazy trying all kinds of new places around town. But for our 3rd anniversary we decided to return to one of our favorite date places to celebrate. You don't really need reservations here except for their special dinner days - like Mother's Day or Easter. They don't seem to be as busy as they once were during dinner. I absolutely LOVE their red cabbage. So no matter what I order I always ask for it to be subbed for some side on my entrée. They don't blink an eye. And trust me. I could eat this cabbage everyday! The free little pate app they bring is always a nice treat. The choice of bottomless breads also is a nice touch. The escargot is still my favorite of anywhere I have ever had them. Plump little snails drenched in melted garlic butter. Be sure to get plenty of French bread to soak up that garlic goodness! The wife usually gets the Coq au Vin and has always raved on it. The little pearl onions this time were off putting and she picked them out. She said they seemed more like cocktail onions accidentally fell into the dish. But once they were out she loved it! I either get the duck or the rabbit. Both cooked perfectly. The portions seemed to have returned to the old sizes. Last time we were in they seemed to be cutting back a bit. But I have never had anything not cooked well. Pork dishes are always good. Desserts are basic and we often skip that and run across the street to J Alexander's for their amazing chocolate cake and coffee. But the service is still spot on. Friendly, quick, personal and professional. I am terrible here with asking for substitutions and there has never been an issue. Wine...yes...thank you. A nice by the glass menu. I never get a bottle but the list is extensive. Full bar too. Lovely décor for a date or dinner with family or friends..Plenty of parking too. read more

We came here for Houston Restaurant Week and overall had a pretty good experience. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive throughout the meal. The meal I had was: escargots, piccata de volaille, and creme brûlée. The escargot was nicely seasoned and very buttery, just the way it should be! The chicken itself in the entree was cooked well but the dish overall lacked seasoning. The portion size for the meal was pretty good and well worth the $20. read more

I like this place. I don't have much to say that probably hasn't been covered in other reviews, but there are a couple things. The food -- it tastes good (subjective, I know) and is reasonably priced relative to other French restaurants. I can't comment on the authenticity of the offerings but I don't think it really matters. It's a nice place to try escargot, pate, duck, etc -- stuff I normally don't eat much of. The seating -- I guess other people describe it as cozy but another word you could use is cramped. I don't mind but I could see it being a problem for some. Also very important -- they run a 3 course meal on Sundays for about the price of a regular entree. They say it's in celebration of their 9 year anniversary but I'm assuming they'll carry it over into 2011 as well (their 10 year anniversary?) read more

Very good place to eat at; great people, great food. While we lived nearby this place, we didn't notice it, but we decided finally to come here and found out how delicious the food is. read more

UH-MAY-ZING! I absolutely love this place. Everything is 5 stars here - food, service, everything! Cozy, quaint, and romantical. I had the French Onion soup and almost melted. The soup has an amazing flavor and the gooiness of the cheese makes this soup a real treat. i mean, i know - how can you eff up french onion soup at an establishment that has french food - but hey burger places eff burgers up all the time. My main course was the Bar a la Florentine~ok, first of all you have to be ready for this impeccable meal. The salmon sits on a bed of sauteed spinach and is then perfectly and proportinally covered inthis light wine butter sauce that just melts all the flavors together. My date had the braised ribs. Those suckers felt off the bone. They were seasoned beautifully and I kept sneaking a bite off of his place~that's how awesome they were. *On a side note* they are having a great deal right now on a Lobster Clambake for like $39.95 and it's a 5 course meal - which is a great deal if you're looking to go out and do something special for someone. Also, almost the entire restaurant had this had this on their table...so take the hint my friends!! read more

We have been going here for years and it is always great. Watch for special dinners such as their Lobster Bake which are all inclusive and delicious. read more

I've been here 3 times, but still haven't been able to try anything on their normal menu. This is my mother-in-law's favorite restaurant for small holiday gatherings and we have been here twice for their Thanksgiving lunch and once for their Easter brunch. You might want to keep this in mind when reading my review. For Thanksgiving the meal is pretty American-generic. Turkey, squash soup, stuffing, etc. You don't get nearly enough turkey either - it's like a large mound of stuffing with a thin slice of turkey breast on top and some dark meat on the sides. Easter brunch was much better if you are looking for a menu with some variety. Escargot, salads, soups as appetizers with lamb, beef and seafood as main entree selections. Boring menu or not, we've always had a great waiter (the same one the last 2 times) and gotten our requested booth. Some large parties were having to wait outside for their table the last two times, but we are always seated very quickly. I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I seem to like their selection. If you aren't interested in wine, then you can always get yourself a martini since there is a full bar. read more

Always a perfect experience! We have introduced so many foodie friends to LeCep. Went there yesterday for our 21st wedding anniversary with friends. Our table was decorated for us with ribbons and glitter. The staff warmly wished us well and served us our desserts glowing with candles. Nice touches! Their pate is legend for us....we drive across town for the treat! read more

My mother loves going to this restaurant. She has been raving about this French cuisine restaurant. And to be quite honest, I was not won over. The French onion soup was solid. Good flavor well developed with the onions & garlic. Almost subtly sweet. I ordered their salmon dish. And it was rather bland. It was a very neutral dish that didn't have much flavor. There was a cream sauce (a vert blanc maybe) and I didn't get any sourness or butteriness or any distinct flavor. Their wine selection was pretty good. I'd probably come back for that. But all in all, this was a lackluster experience for me. read more

Soup was great. I got the sea bass- it was bland. The sauce that came with it was bland. Wife had the daily trio special. Duck was over cooked. Service was ok. Staff was not very attentive. Overall, quality is like those on a cruise ship. Somethings are good and some are ok read more

This small French country bistro is located on Westheimer, west of the West Sam Houston Tollway. Situated at the front of a strip mall, next to a UPS and a group of Japanese themed businesses, Bistro Le Cep stands out like a sore thumb, especially with it's country rooster statue that greets you at the front door. However, once you try their culinary offerings, you will be glad this place is not difficult to find and that rooster is an easy landmark to point your friends towards what is possibly the best kept culinary restaurant in Houston. There really isn't a bad item on the menu. Their appetizers are great, as are all of their main menu items. The restaurant is a bit pricey, but that's not a deterrent...and neither is the size of the restaurant, which leans towards being cramped. However, the restaurant is rarely ever full...so it feels like there is more space than there actually is. Once you visit Bistro Le Cep, it is certain to be part of your regular dining experience. Highly recommended... read more

I have been here a couple times. It is a really nice place. It has a kind of intimate, french countryside feel to it. Prices generally range from 17$ - 30$ for most items. I have enjoyed everything I have had. It is exactly what you would expect from a fine dining restaurant so I don't feel the need to explain in detail. Whatever you order will be cooked properly and it will taste great. One of the nice bonuses is that they start you off with some pate and bread. It's all really tasty. If you are looking for a great date spot. Definitely try it out. It's very unique read more

This was our date night place when our kids were babies and we lived in Houston. 17 years later kids in college and we came back for my husbands B-day. It is still sooo good, we both had the escargot to start, just like we remembered it. My husband had the Duck which was perfectly done. I had the Lamb, soooo good! I wish we had this in Katy, but it's worth the drive. read more

Solid four stars. really more like 4.5 I always enjoy coming here. The food is always good, and you can pay a lot or a little. We went last night with friends. My wife had a lobster special. It was pretty pricey, but she raved about it. Said the lobster was perfect, much better than she had had at a fancy place in Boston. I had the Bouillabaisse, which was very nice. Lots of fish, clams, some shrimp. All in all, very nice. And I always appreciate it when the owner comes around and checks with every diner to see how it is. We took my office staff here last Christmas, on a small budget, and it worked out extremely well. You would be surprised at how well you can eat with a limited choice menu, 50 people, and a tight budget. read more

I came with old friend whom was visiting from out of town. This is a small venue with a country "home sweet home" ambience. The lights were a bit dimmed and felt slightly too romantic for my 'friendly' dinner. My next visit will be with the boyfriend, for sure. For appetizers... Smoked salmon was good (: Escargot was good (: Make sure you have extra bread on the side to soak up the garlic butter sauce!! Avocado stuffed shrimp crabmeat is French? ...eh anyway, not so good. For the main course, we shared (I forgot what the dish was called) the seabass with spinach. The fish was cooked flaky to perfection. However, it was bland -.- The service was definitely on point. I felt as if there were two or three different people waiting on our table... Anyways, I'd give this place three and a half stars if I could. But I can't so I'll be nice and give them the extra half a star since I'll be coming back with the boyfriend for another attempt (: read more

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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