I ordered a cappuccino. It seemed like whoever made it had never heard of a cappuccino. Black coffee with a bunch of foam sitting on top. Not ok. Service and atmosphere were nice, and the prices seemed reasonable, but this was an unforgivable violation. read more

Great service and ambience. Enjoyed my lunch there! Had the mussels and cheese plate.

Would normally give 5stars but on this particular eve this happened(short version): my order was changed from ahi salad to salmon salad. The person in charge said they were out of ahi. Happens but I should have been notified. He said that people make mistakes and that they were busy so therefore too bad. Another member of our party was not served a side order and was not told until our meals were served that they were out of the item. Again same response. Our server was really apologetic and tried to cover for the RUDE response of his boss. The 'boss' should be fired and be required to take a customer service class. read more

The food is delicious here. It is exactly like a a bistro you would find in Paris. The cuisine is the closest to French cuisine that I have had in the Bay Area. The service staff is very helpful and kind. I highly suggest for any type of occasion for any one. read more

Love this little restaurant. I always had the couscous, it's fantastic but I need to try something different next time. Everything looks delicious there. Owner Ali always has a smile on his face which I love. One of my fave lunch spot in Menlo. read more

My family has come here several times for special occasion dinners, including Christmas Eve. I love the food and atmosphere, and service is excellent. Pricey, but worth it for a big night out. read more

Bistro Vida is great restaurant ! If you are celebrating an event or just going for a dinner in this restaurant you have it all. The food is very good and you can feel the love that the chef is putting into the cooking . It is my favorite read more

We have been going here even before for their good food and ambience. But now, they built a wonderful outdoor dining area that is perfect for the summer. Please have your servers and cooks continue to wear the mask and you will get even more business. read more

We came here for Mother's Day and the outdoor dining area was great! They had live music, and the food was great. Listen to the other posters, and get the chocolate mousse - it's fantastic! read more

I guess I still have the rogue teenager-boy-quality in me enough to be thrown out of a restaurant I've been a repeat customer of forever... Pointing out to the owner of Bistro Vida in Menlo Park (http://bistro-vida.com) Ali Elsafy that I really like his new online menu, I was served a perfectly warmed cognac and asked not to come back...I guess some people still have hardships launching websites that accurately reflects what they do (without p**ing on their unassuming customers)...I'm at a loss to lose respect for a Francophile watering-hole like this but I will do as asked...Adieu. read more

Visited this restaurant for brunch today with friends. My wife and friends enjoyed their food but unfortunately our son and I ordered French Toast. It was very bad and tasted and smelled of oil. I never had French Toast deep fried and dripping in oil before. We enjoyed the place and company of friends except our brunch. Please don't bother ordering French toast at this restaurant unless you like it this way. I normally don't like wasting food no matter how bad it tastes but I could not eat it and our teenage son could not eat either. The restaurant was busy and waiter did not visit us again to check on us. read more

Went to Menlo Park for brunch on Sunday and meant to go to some other place but as we walked by Bistro Vida, we decided to come here instead. Not sure if it was because we were starving and we were enticed by the waiters walking by us with people's orders. :) I settled for the Moules et pommes frites dish while my friend went with the eggs benedict. The moules (mussels) were a bit on the tiny side...meaning they (without the shells) were probably the size of my thumbnail - and my fingers are pretty small already! so that sucked. I guess that's what I get for changing our destination at the last minute. Place wasn't bad..just A-OK. I'd be willing to go back and try something else but hopefully I'd be full the next time I leave the place. :) read more

3.5 stars. Came here after being ignored at the BBC. I was hungry, it was warm, and I wanted to sit down and relax. This place has an awesome outdoor, sidewalk cafe area. I've passed through it numerous times, but never stopped for a bite. Yesterday was the day, and I'm not disappointed. They had a lot of seasonal offerings, and the place was virtually deserted (then again, it was Monday night in Menlo). I had mussels with french fries, and it was just what the proverbial doctor ordered. A little French beer, and a cheese plate with dessert wine as a finisher made the night pretty alright. Service was good, but then again, it would be hard to lose us with no one else around. Quality of food was high, and the selection was good. Minus a star for pricing. Sorry, I know that it is Menlo Park, and I know that it is a French joint, but it was overpriced. read more

To be honest it's been so many years since I've been here I don't remember much. But then if it were really good I would remember it. I went when they first opened (shortly after Left Bank did), so it's been ages. A friend went recently and said they had a horrible experience so I guess Im not really compelled to go back. read more

Ali the proprietor is there most nights. He always finds a way to squeeze room for my wife and I no matter how busy he is. His servers remember us and smile, say "welcome Momo" and ask how we're doing. His food is fresh with zest and taste. Whether your at a table, outside seating or at the bar, it's always comfortable. They have a great weekend sidewalk brunch too. We consider Bistro Vida one of our "staple" restaurants. Great environment, excellent food all with home town feel. We always feel welcome here. Can't go wrong. Highly recommended! read more

We've enjoyed dinner at Bistro Vida in the past and, thanks to yelpers, recently returned for Mother's Day Brunch. Overall I'd agree that the atmosphere is quite "real" in that, on a warm Peninsula day, you can relax and enjoy a couple of cocktails in a lazy, warm, almost South-of-France-hazy environment. The food is good. Real good. As with a lot of French food, I find it to be more high quality than interesting. At brunch we tried French Toast, Croque Monsieur and an Omelet... none of which had surprising ingredients or flavors, but all of which were very tasty (due not in small part to the predictably high concentration of butter). I'm tempted to deduct another star because of the similarly "real" French service, which is to say that they were very very slow -- and in our case, annoyingly slow on a hot Mother's Day brunch. We brought along our two munchkins (4 and 2) -- and while they were accommodated just fine, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this place as a great spot for kids (just a little too quiet and slow). Overall, though, I'll be back for the cool bistro setting and just-plain-good cuisine for either an evening date with the Mrs or a lazy cocktails-included brunch. read more

Bistro Vida and the other restaurants on Santa Cruz Ave in Menlo Park have created a really nice setting for outdoor dining, playing pleasant music (increasingly aligned, taking turns, not interfering with the music of the neighboring restaurants), with pretty decorations, lighting and great music. Wonderful destination for an evening stroll, flavorful food, good wines, kind community feeling. Yesterday I enjoyed a juicy hamburger and a pastis. In the past, I had many other good dishes, never disappointed. read more

The interior of this restaurant is on the dark side and looks remarkably like Le Charm in SF. Dark red walls, dark mahogany furniture, dim antique electric lights. Interesting and gives the place its own unique flavor. Came here for brunch and we split the salmon and goat cheese omelette and the baked eggs with prosciutto. Both were okay, on the saltier side for my tastes. The omelette was a bit too heavy on the cheese which threw off the dish. Baked eggs were nice and runny. read more

Bistro Vida - Smoked salmon n goat cheese omelette - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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Updated review. It's by far the best restaurant on Santa Cruz Ave. Private owner Ali has improved the food consistency, his service is excellent. He makes the sole for me regardless if it's on that days lunch or dinner menu. He definitely takes care of his regulars. He makes the Cocktails and nails all I've ever ordered, from Manhattan's to French 75's. It has a great atmosphere as well. Service could improve, but as a regular I usually get Ali who is great. read more

It's sad when a menu of French brasserie food shows up in sleepy Menlo Park and the restaurant screws it up. Menu selection: very good. Food quality: good to below average. Service: Hello... Hello? Anybody home? Excuse me... Hey, Buddy! Atmosphere: a bit red-boudoir-ish. This place has so much potential. We go once a year and cross our fingers, and now after five times, I just start swearing under my breath when the overpriced wine list appears with lousy selection, and the service resorts to indifference. By the time the good food arrives, I am pissed. One other left-of-center issue is while there is a bar, there is no bartender, so a waiter needs to come and make you a drink. The waiter's bar skills are issue #1, waiting for a waiter to make you a drink is issue #2, and the odd tacked-on, unimportant nature of the bar is issue #3. Guys, rip the bar out, or make it happening; not some death sentence. Don't go for the bar. If fact, don't go for the service either. Go for the food but make sure you take a tranquilizer first. Then the service and the dark red walls won't freak you out. read more

My friend and I walked up and down Santa Cruz Ave. looking for a place to have lunch. We decided on this restaurant over Left Bank. I had a sausage sandwich on a baguette and my friend had the vida burger. For $9 and $10 respectively, they were an excellent deal. Each dish came with mixed greens and fries on each plate. The waitress was very nice. She brought us some extra mayonnaise and garlic aioli to use on our food as well. With a Coke, it came to $21 before taxes. I'd give it 3.5 but since service went well I will bump it up to four We'll try Bistro Vida again. Verdict: Livin' la Vida loca! read more

Used to come here and the food was good..:I came and got the Salade Nicoise...I could smell that the Tuna was not fresh from the moment it landed on my table. I took a small bite and indeed it was super old and fishy... Just two doors down, Left Bank has an amazing Nicoise! Anyway, I won't come here again. Staff and server seemed nice, but food is way below par, and the damn salad was $17!! read more

So some friends were telling me about a trip they took and where they had the most terible Creme Brulee. No I don't like creme brulee but the told me I had to try it at vida. So we walked over to vida and got creme brulee and the lemon tart. Lemon tart is one of my favorite things. It's confort food for me. Needless to say both were amazing. I actually can now say I like creme brulee. I love the outside tables. We sat and had desert and this dersert wine i can't remember the name of... needless to say it was devine. I shall be back to try the food!!! My friends say the food is just as good as the desert! read more

What a ray of culinary sunshine in unusual times!! Ali, THANK YOU for offering take out right now. We enjoyed the most wonderful meal earlier this week!! Bistro Vida is one our favorites in Menlo Park and I'll admit I was a little hesitant about getting takeout (didn't want to be disappointed ...) Well, I have a whole new attitude about takeout now. WOW!!! Talk about exceeding expectations! The food traveled home perfectly and tasted as fabulously as we always enjoy in the restaurant. Boeuf Bourguignon... onion soup... a beautiful cheese plate. Everything wonderfully packed up. Had I known they were available, I would have ordered a cocktail to go as well. Such a cheery, joyful meal. We've been talking about it for days now at home. While I hope this stay-at-home doesn't last a day longer than it needs to, let Bistro Vida bring a massive dose of HAPPY into your home. Call up for takeout, support a wonderful local restaurant, have a memorable meal... and look forward to dining in person ASAP. Thank you again! read more

Had a lovely brunch on the patio when we first moved to the area a few weeks back. The service, food, and atmosphere were all excellent. We'll be back soon - with our dog! read more

Swordfish special was perfectly cooked, and they had an amazing amazing outdoor DJ while we were here on Saturday night. Will be coming back! read more

Delicious food but VERY rude boss. I have never been spoken down to so rudely as I was by him. I have worked in the restaurant industry for 9 years and learned a lot about holding my tongue but the boss here has no concept of that. I was dining with my 8 coworkers and misunderstood what he said about moving an umbrella on the patio. When making a comment about the umbrella his response was very condescending and inappropriate.I will never dine here again due to his lack of professionalism. I expect more from a restaurant of this type and for being in Menlo Park. read more

My friend Linda took me to lunch here today, and it was wonderful! From the D'assault la Bastille to the Crem Brullee, everything was perfect. Thank you Ali! read more

I had the best experience, good food, excellent service, the owner was checking on us regularly and eating in the patio when it's hot outside is the best!!!. This is a place to come back. read more

I wanted to like this place better because The Left Bank, next door, seems to get less and less French every time I go there. The removal of escargots from their menu was the last straw, so we thought we'd finally try the very authentic looking bistro next door, that is, Bistro Vida. The decor is very French, right down to the Gitanes cigarettes for sale. The menu is classic French bistro, right down to the handwritten slates. But sadly, it didn't deliver: the food just isn't that good and the service, while friendly, included too many mistakes and forgotten dishes. Let's grade the elements of the meal. - Champagne aperitif: too warm. B. - Tomates mozzarelles: forgotten, but not bad when brought. B+ - Duck pate: OK, nothing to write home about and the "toast" that came with it wasn't browned/toasted. More like yesterday's stale bread. B-. - Escargots: semi-classic Borguignon approach on the little steel plates, but they weren't in the shells and the sauce, while full of yummy parsley and garlic, was cold and starting to congeal. B-. - Entrecotes grille (rib-eye steak). The best dish served; a great piece of meat with the yummy herb butter on top and perfectly good. A. - Paella. The rice was watery and gluey. The chicken was in strips. The chorizo tasted good but looked like bologna. The mussels and clams were OK. C+. - Couscous. The merguez was spicy, the presentation was not classic French (it was all served in one bowl with the couscous already in). B. - Vida burger. B+. Hard to screw this up. - Profiteroles. Disaster. First forgotten and then seemed like the pastries were frozen and then microwaved. D+. - Creme brule. Not bad. B+ - Crepes. Total disaster, F. We specifically ordered a plain crepe with nutella (not the nutella Grand Marnier mix) and got a crepe in the middle of plate swimming in a syrup with a glob of nutella in the middle. The kids said it tasted good, but nowhere in France have I seen anything like that (and I lived there 5 years). Net: As I Francophile searching for a legitimate French Bistro, my eyes were excited when I saw this place, but the experience went straight downhill from there. Despite its waning authenticity, I'd still prefer The Left Bank any day. It's sad because to me, this place is a lost opportunity. Yes, the big French bistro/brasserie chain is right next door, but they should be able to compete on authenticity, quality, and local-ness/warmth. Right now, it's missing on all three fronts -- particularly on food quality. read more

Food was very delicious! Great wine and dessert as well! Highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Wonderfully friendly staff, delicious food and a lovely atmosphere. I especially appreciate sitting outside, enjoying the weather this time of year. I love their fries, their risotto with scallops and their salad nicoise. Yum! read more

Wonderful little bistro! I love Ali to pieces, he's the quintessential french restaurant owner in all the best ways! The interior is painted the most beautiful dark red, and everything about the layout will make you COMPLETELY forget that you are in the middle of Menlo Park! The food is terrific and so so much better than left bank. The lunch menu has some of my favorite sandwiches- especially recommend the prosciutto and spinach. After dark have a Blood Orange cocktail, if you're living on the edge- have two. read more

I came here for brunch based on the reviews from Yelp, and left feeling a little disappointed. Was the french toast good? Sure, it definitely was. We also tried the smoked salmon/ goat cheese omelette (which wasn't an omelette, btw), which also was very good. But we left with our stomachs only half full, and needed to go elsewhere to fill up. So long story short, yes, dark and "cozy" (a little too much like being in a cave for my taste, but it might morph into romantic when it's dark outside) with high quality and delicious food. But for the amount of money I was paying, I thought they could have given me more food. I'm going to come back and try the dinner though at some point. Perhaps that will be a more fulFILLING experience. read more

I've only had dinner here, but over several times, I've repeatedly been disappointed. Service has been so-so, it always seems that cocktails I've ordered have come in chipped stemware. The mojitos I've had have not been anything to write home about.; but maybe I should't be ordering mojitos at a French bistro, but they are on their drink specialties menu. I've had the coq au vin a couple times it has never equalled the impression that the coq au vin from Bistro Jeanty in Yountville left with me. Reading the praise this restaurant has received here, I'm inclined to maybe give this bistro one more go, but... read more

Bistro Vida - great food and great atmosphere. The menu makes you feel like you're in France. Absolute French European vibe! Reminded me of my time in Paris! read more

The mussels were great! Also the person serving us was very friendly and . I'm only in town for a bit, but I'll be visiting again.

Finally, another great place to frequent for us. I can honestly say this was a treat. I have had such trouble finding gems such as this since my move. The ambience, the food from start to finish. It is hard to find a place that can cater to a full experience. The wine was great, the food was great, the espresso was good...and the dessert was fabulous. The portions were perfect, you need to go in with the intent of making it through dessert. If you want a french bistro, this is the place. Buttery goodness, in a cozy cafe wrapper. read more

Blegh. Ordered dinner to-go here while working late. I got the evening's special--the boeuf bourguignon. Compared to the bourguignon next door at the Left Bank, this one was no good. The sauce was brown and cloudy, lacked flavor and that wonderful aroma of red wine. Worst of all, the beef was overcooked to the point of tough, dry, stringiness. I had to mop up every morsel of beef with some of the brown gravy to make it slide down my throat. I can't say too much about the service over the phone either. The young woman who took my order was not very familiar with the menu, assumed that all I wanted to order was a small salad, and didn't seem to have a clear idea of when I should come in to pick up the food. She asked, "When can you come into pick it up?" Uhhh....whenever you tell me the food will be ready.... The only thing going for this place over the Left Bank is that the prices are a bit more reasonable. But I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and have my overtime dinners from the competition next door instead. read more

The food is good but not great. l'escargot had nice flavor but short on garlic. The tuna appetizer was very good. The coq au vin a bit bland. The halibut also quite bland but with nice veggies. Our main complaint was excessive noise. One of the waitresses had also complained. It came primarily from the kitchen, incessant banging presumably of pots and possibly metallic rolling trays. Outdoor seating was probably better but had heavily amplified singing with instruments. The service was great. Bring earmuffs and not too high expectations. read more