Best meal of a ten-day tour of Northern Michigan. Duck was fantastic. Pork chop perfection. Amazing wine list. Clara is a wonderful server. Thanks for a great meal. read more

From the initial cheese and cracker amuse-bouche to the warm chocolate cake, you simply can't go wrong with a trip to La Bécasse! La Bécasse is inside of an old home and we were surrounded by regulars. Our waitress was efficient and knowledgeable and everyone in our group left full and satisfied. Several of us had the hanger steak and it was perfectly prepared with veggies and mashed potatoes. I heard nothing but positive remarks about the pork tenderloin and ahi tuna, as well. Don't skip dessert -- the warm chocolate cake and profiterole were the perfect finishing touch! read more

While the food and service are exceptional, the atmosphere is lacking. We have been coming here in the fall for the last three years, and this year it seems the place really needs an update. The chairs are worn, the restaurant was filled with gnats and it's impossible to have a private conversation because there are so many tables packed together. Our table was in the corner, against a heavy velvet drape and up against a curtain. Neither seemed too clean to me. What was most upsetting was my husband's visit to the restroom. The window was open and there was no screen on the window. It was filled with bugs. The restroom overlooks the patio, which could be unfortunate for those patrons. When we spend over $300 for two for wine and dinner, we expect a better environment. read more

This little French restaurant is sooo lovely by Glen Lake! If you're in the Glen Arbor area, near Traverse City, MI, and love authentic French food, you'll love this beautiful little "out of the way", by the woods boutique place! Wonderful evening for my birthday, with my husband and a dear friend read more

NEAR PERFECTION !!! It's hard to imagine a meal better than this. They start you with a small toasted apetiite starter from the house with a apricot/cream cheese flavoring. I followed this with a cup of tasty onion soup. The house salads are delicious with just the right amount of an olive oil dressing. I ordered the sauteed trout and it tasted like they must have just hooked it in the lake nearby. My wife had the morel mushroom risotto with a pureed butternut squash-----she reported that it was exceptional. Everything tasted like it was fresh from the garden. They have a great wine list. Sevice---impeccable. If you are in the Traverse City area DON'T MISS THIS PLACE (YOU WILL NEED RESERVATIONS FOR SURE) read more

Only one visit here - so far. We took two guests ... Started with pâté and seared scallops apetitizers - both were terrific. The house salad was delicious. Bread was out of this world. The less expensive wines we had were very good and a good value, relatively speaking. I had the grilled lamb rack and liked it so much that I will have it again on our return in December. It was that good. Everyone else's entree was very satisfying in all respects. Our service was excellent - knowledgeable, attentive, polite. We appreciated the brief, very pleasant visit of owner/chef Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux to our table. A nice touch. Prices are high for this area but the dining experience is worth it. For our money, this is the best there is in the Traverse City area. Only one very small criticism: Seating is really tight. You need to converse quietly and you'll wish everyone else would do the same. Overall, we don't think you can beat La Bécasse. It's an experience. read more

7th wedding anniversary dinner at LeBecasse with my in-laws. First time at this incredible dining experience. Elegant cannot describe the food, from tender rack of lamb, to succulent duck confit, and delictable pork medallions, all with fantastic sauces. This restaurant is a jewel in the middle of the Leelanau Peninsula. Do not let the unassuming exterior and interior fool you, the food is fine french dining at its best. read more

The Mrs. and I have been twice now, once last year and once again this year with the son in tow. The son, I should add, is a teenager who has that typical surly twinge about him, though he's well-behaved in places like this (and he was again) and he has a good taste for food, too. It is a tiny place in what seems like the middle of nowhere, but really, it's just a 10 or so minute drive from "downtown" Glen Arbor. Sure, it's a bit of a drive, but everything up in this part of Michigan seems to be about a 30 minute drive. The first time me and the Mrs. were there, it was on a quiet and cool night and we had a lovely table. This most recent time, it was a busy and hot night (and this place has sketchy air conditioning at best) and we had the by the kitchen table-- though to be fair, that was in part because we were about 15 or more minutes early on our reservation. We were also seated next to a couple of large tables of the kind of retirees who pride themselves on being tanned, fit, and monied, and yet still somehow inappropriate. Favorite overheard line of the night: "Have you got the gout yet?" The first time we were there, the Mrs. and I split an excellent goat cheese and tomato tart as an appetizer. This time, the son and I split what we thought was an excellent foir gras "creme brulee" that was pretty incredible though the Mrs. wouldn't touch that. I can't remember what we ate last time, but this time the son had excellent duck, the Mrs. had excellent morel risotto (though it was really morel "infused" risotto-- no actual mushrooms in the dish), and I had good but not great fish. And the first time we were there, we split the very good profiteroles-- an ice cream filled cream puff dish-- but this time, they didn't have them. So it's really good and I would happily go back, but I liked it better last year. read more

Like fine art, I really don't know much about french food. But I know what I like. I really like this place. It's the little things, like how the white wine is served ice cold. I mean tailgate-ice-cold. And the bread and butter was almost a meal in itself. The service is efficient, polite and knowledgeable. The vibe is low-key genteel. This is Michigan, after all. read more

OMG, what a gem! We came here over 10 years ago and it was fabulous then end even more fabulous today! You are greeted immediately upon arrival and the service was impeccable. Everything was sooooo delicious it is difficult to say which was the most enjoyable item. The escargot is a must order and ask for extra bread to soak up the most tasty juices. I chose the hangar steak which was done to perfection but the pork loin ordered by my daughter was completely over the top! Our granddaughters, aged 14 and 10, asked for the "kids menu" but when they saw salmon was on the regular menu they not only enjoyed it, they devoured it. My son-in-law had the duck which was so tasty, and the crispy halibut ordered by my wife was the best I've ever had. You just have to go there, you will not regret it! read more

Our dinner at La Becasse was enjoyable on many levels. Nikki was our server and we are very grateful for her incredible service and loyalty to the family owned business. We had the duck, risotto and cheese plate - everything was absolutely delicious, and unlike anything we had eaten recently. So much thought and detail has been put into the guest experience here. This was truly a gem. I would recommend sitting outside if it's open, inside seems more suited for the winter months! Thanks so much! read more

This place was a little out of the way for us, but the drive around Glen Lake was scenic. Make sure you make reservations during the summer! La Becasse has a cozy cottage feel, and the hostess was very welcoming and warm. We started off with the creamy amuse bouche that I think someone posted a photo of. That was just so-so. From there, I got the house salad that comes w/ the entree, which was a refreshing butter lettuce in a celery seed vinaigrette. The presentation, although simple, had attention to detail, and it really whetted my appetite for the entree. My entree was the duck duo - I enjoyed the veggie garnishes but wished there was more to soak up the flavorful fats of the duck. The duck itself was flavorful, tender, and fatty. In comparison to my favorite (french style) duck meal in NYC, I prefer La Becasse's style, maybe more rustic/organic, over the popular sous vide prep, which is visually cleaner. Finally, the sweet potato gratin was amazing! I can't remember what my husband had, but it was one of the daily specials, which he enjoyed. He may have also had a beet salad, but I really can't recall since I was so focused on my side of the table. We ended the meal on a warm choc. cake wrapped in a crispy phyllo dough - yum one thousand! read more

My wife and I had a very nice dinner at Le Bécasse last night. The wine selection, food and service were excellent. I would give it a 4 and 1/2 star rating if I could . I would recommend it for a very nice intimate dinner . It is a small quaint cottage so reservations are needed. read more

Such a wonderful dinner. My boyfriend and I went there for our anniversary. We started with the squash soup and had the lamb and the seafood special. Everything was SO good. We aren't even really desert people and had to try the warm chocolate cake. Cocktails were good, too. We'll definitely be back. This place is delicious. read more

This place is a destination. Fantastic food, wonderful staff, and a beautiful location. Everything on the menu is wonderful, but my personal favorite is the charcuterie. Delicious! read more

Thank you for opening up for curb side pick up! The food was FANTASTIC, the wine "grab bag" was a delight and I now have a new favorite white wine. I highly recommend ordering take out from La Becasse. We are looking forward to being repeat offenders. read more

Came here for my birthday with my husband and another couple. Wasn't looking forward to the 40 minute drive from Traverse City, but it was well worth it! We started with escargot and 2 onion soups for the table. All were fantastic and I would have licked the soup bowl clean if I were at home. The house salad was nice, but the beet salad with goat cheese and hazelnuts stole the show for that course. We shared the veal, lamb chops and pork loin (all agreed we liked them in order they appear). The veal was outstanding and we enjoyed the lamb. Had I only had the pork, I would have been disappointed. The waitress (very helpful and knowledgable) recommended a lovely Cotes Du Rhone, which I loved but the rest of the group were less impressed. We split the apple crisp and molten chocolate cake in a pastry with a nice tawny port. The only reasons I'm not giving 5 stars, we waited a bit before our waitress acknowledged us and the interior could use an update. However, well worth it!!!! read more

So very charming and excellent food. I'm from chicago and we have many fine dining restaurants and La Becasse rivals may of them

HANDS DOWN, the food is artfully prepared, artfully served and absolutely delicious. Yes, a little pricey. Oh but the sacrifice for a wonderfully cooked and served meal. Kudos to the chef and our server. We all ordered the buerre fish? It was from the Mediterranean and was buttery and crispy and oh, so good! The rolls and butter were to die for! I ordered the cheese appetizer plate which was a delicious selection from the chef. We knuckled down and blew our diets to heaven with the blueberry parfait, the blueberry crisp and the creme brulee! The only complaint is that this restaurant is tiny and when all the tables are full, can be quite noisy. But, we enjoyed people watching, too. Yes. You must try this place in the Glen Lake area of Michigan. Just don't bring small children. You will not survive managing them in such small quarters with mostly adult foodees, sampling different cheeses and wines! Not to mention, the prices are a little high but not at all extravagant. I cannot wait to return in the winter or next summer!!! read more

Service was prompt and on it. This was my second visit, and it was a great treat to enjoy the meal they prepared. We were really bummed that a number of wines on their list were unavailable, but they made solid recommendations. I got a bowl of their cold beet soup...I'm a beet fan, and this was awesome. I had the veal as an entree, which was amazing. A good cut of meat and prepared just as described. The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is that the building is kind of tired, and a number of wines on their list weren't available. Would definitely go back. No question. read more

We had a lovely meal here. Delicious food, not pretentious, excellent service. Started with a fois gras creme brûlée and some morel mushrooms in a cream sauce, then rack of lamb and a duck duo. The vegetables were treated like the stars of the show--beautifully conceived and perfectly cooked. One of the best meals we've had anywhere. read more

I've been to Labecasse about 4 times. It's the place I always ask to go on my birthday, and definitely one of my all-time favorite restaurants. This is a true dining experience. Don't expect to be there for any less than 2 hours. Sit down, relax, gaze into your date's eyes, and have a great time enjoying amazing wines and fabulous food. Don't skimp on ordering appetizers! It's all worth it! read more

Terrific restaurant. Great service, staff and French cuisine. Menus change with season and what's available locally. Always something delicious to be had. We have been there several times and also held our rehearsal dinner there for our wedding. We had a truly incredible evening that people still comment on fondly over a year later. read more

A comfortable and delicious standby for decades. Pricey as expected, but everything we had last night (lamb, beef tenderloin, cheese plate, blueberry crisp, and lavender creme brûlée) was done perfectly, and the service was relaxed but attentive, and never intrusive. We will be back next summer! read more

Had a delicious anniversary meal with my wife here. Cheese platter was great. Duck was very well cooked and presented. Had a nice glass of wine. Good ambiance. Expensive but it is a very high end quality restaurant and seasonal business, so was happy to pay up for top quality food. read more

Wish I could give it 6 stars! Went with 4 people and we all got different entrees and they were all delicious! The risotto was especially a hit. We ate outside and the atmosphere was perfect! Highly recommend. read more

Awesome meal, from start to finish. I would say food and service = 4, wine list puts its over the top at a 5. I have yet to see a more extensive and varied wine list than La Becasse on either peninsula, Boathouse included (though they do come close). The French selection alone is worth the visit. The cassoulet was fantastic and really hit the spot on a chilly late Fall night. Perfectly prepared. Would come back. read more

Nice little restaurant. Food, I thought every dish ranged from good and up. Apps, we both had specials, crabcake and foie gras 'creme brulee'. Crabcake was good...cake had to be as close to 100% crab as you can get....like no filler ingredients. Foie was very nice. Entrees, their renouned duck and whitefish for my lady. Whitefish was very fresh but just ok. I really liked the duck. I thought everything on the plate was quite good....duck breast which they asked a temperature for (good in my book), duck leg confit and sweet potatoes that I'd compare to like a dauphinoise style. Warm chocolate cake for dessert, not bad but no big deal. Service, very well rounded. Patty was great and she's exactly how I like to be waited on. She's pleasant, smiles, laughs, talks about the specials but not hovering over your table or in your face, either. Pretty much just a nice, friendly person who does her job gracefully. Also a very nice touch that the Chef/Owner came out at the end and said hello, inquiring how are meal was. Something you hardly ever see these days. Also, I really like that they provided house salads along with your entree. I never expect this so it was a pleasant surprise. Plus they were just the right amount of greens so you aren't already full once dinner arrives. My biggest beef...pretty much only beef besides a couple of dishes that were only 'good'...is the ambiance. Now before I rip on it, let me say that I'm not expecting a small biz owner to have the dining room of the Capital Grille...nor do I want that. The interior was very drab. Table's arranged haphardly, no colors on the walls, hardly any furnishings, no music, no...well nothing. So like I said at the beginning, really nice restaurant, period. read more

Great wine list w many by-the-glass choices. Excellent service. Decent selections for my vegetarian companion....which is rare at high end restaurants. Here, a bacon and bleu cheese loving woman and a vegetarian man can dress up and put on the dog together: no mean feat.....and an appreciated step up from the usual pasta or pizza compromise. read more

My husband and I came here from the raving reviews and must say the food was good but the service definitely lacked. Vicky, our waitress brought us our wine, poured it once and never topped it off. I have never been to a restaurant where the server does not come back to the table to pour (overpriced wine) more than once. We were NEVER offered bread with our meals. When I asked our server, she played dumb and acted as if she totally forgot. Lack of customer service with a $200 Bill. Maybe working on ur customer service will help the restaurant to get a better REPUTATION. read more

I would like to give this restaurant zero stars, but since that is not an option, I'll just share our story. Several days in advance, we made reservations to take my mother out to dinner on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The gentleman taking our call asked us to select 5:30 or 6pm, and we chose 6pm. Upon our arrival the hostess claimed we were not on her list and asked us to wait. Which we did, while they seated numerous customers the hostess knew by name. We waited for 10+minutes while Chef Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux puzzled over their notebooks and reservations system, eventually approaching us and asking in a tone that was nothing short of insulting, that "although he saw our name and reservation on a piece of paper," did we confirm it? Really? We made a reservation; at a grown-up restaurant, a reservation is reconfirmed when the restaurant reaches out with a phone call. If La Becasse has a process to confirm reservations it doesn't seem to be working; we received no phone call to reconfirm. Ah, but it gets even better - Chef Guillaume then shooed us out of the restaurant with a suggestion that we dine in the patio - in ~65 degree weather following a heavy rainfall, he directed me and my eighty year-old mother to a rain-puddled table in their chilly patio. Our guess is that they gave our reservation one of the regular customers the hostess knew by name, so my recommendation to anyone considering dining here for the first time is: Don't make a reservation on a potentially busy night when they may be tempted to offer up your reservation to a more favored customer. read more

So why have we not eaten here since we moved back to Leelanau 5 years ago? That'll sure change since we had a marvelous dinner here ... finally! Everything was great; nice, relaxed atmosphere; delicious food presented very well; competent, experienced wait staff. Double thumbs up. read more

This is some serious food. Don't come unless you really want to appreciate every facet of your gastronomical adventure. The food is spectacular, but it doesn't fit the decor, which looks kind of like a gussied up cheap diner. The wait staff is friendly, but not necessarily on top of things. All in all, the food is worth the price, the tip is up to you. read more

We had a wonderful meal while vacationing in the area. We had the escargot, house and farm salad, hangar steak and pecan crusted white fish. Go for it and indulge in whatever French wines they are pouring as well as dessert. Calories don't count if they are not from your zip code. read more

I love French cooking, so I might be biased, but this was an amazing meal! I was with several others and everyone enjoyed their food. Lots of locally-sourced food for as early in the season as we were there. It's a small place but felt very authentically French country. read more

My partner and I had differing opinions about our experience here, so I'm averaging our impressions. First of all: This tiny restaurant is in the heart of northern Michigan cottage country; very rustic inside and out. My partner was not impressed by details like the worn velvet curtain at the restaurant entrance and the worn paint inside and out. She also got off to a bad start with the hostess, who came off as a bit imperious, immediately scolding us as we walked in for parking on the "wrong" side of the tiny parking lot. (Who knew?) I decided that at least *I* was having a BIG glass of wine with my meal. Unlike the hostess, our waitress was very friendly and accessible. She started us out with an amuse bouche of bacon-infused cream cheese on rounds of puff pastry brushed with apricot preserves. Very tasty. We then split the pate' maison of the day, a mild mixture of pork and lamb, accented with hazelnuts and a layer of carrot, that was presented in a very colorful and creative way with greens, cornichons, quick-pickled onion, brown mustard and bits of dried apricot. We both selected a special of the day, chicken drumsticks stuffed with merguez sausage, with a blue-cheese sauce,accompanied by sauteed spinach, roasted carrots and parsnips and a starch of choice; I picked almond polenta, while my partner chose the house mashed potatoes. I was a little afraid of all the flavors happening here -- just a whole lot going on with the sausage and veg and blue cheese -- but the dish was more subtly flavored than what I had expected, in a good way; just a bit of heat from the merguez.. The polenta was excellent. A salad comes with each entree; instead of the basic house salad of buttercrunch lettuce with celery-seed dressing I chose citrus-balsamic-dressed greens with golden raisins, marcona almonds, figgy something (maybe another balsamic vinegar?) and goat cheese. I was glad I traded up; this was most delicious, and something I will try to replicate myself. For dessert I had a chocolate mousse with a rum whipped cream, while my partner had an individual tarte tatin with cream. I'm not sure it's possible to ever have a bad chocolate mousse, but I think my partner won the dessert round with her choice; really outstanding. Overall we enjoyed our food; we'd give the presentation an A+; the food quality and table service a solid A. I thought the venue was quaint and intimate; my partner was totally disappointed by the atmosphere, so we split the difference. We both noticed a couple of cleanliness slips (food splatter on the whitewashed wall; dried food on our salt shaker). We both were made uncomfortable by the hostess' less than warm welcome (for paying customers during the off-season, no less). We were surprised that more menu items didn't seem to be locally sourced. And we couldn't help but negatively compare the value of our meal to other restaurants with similar menus that we enjoy; for instance, in our relatively non-affluent, non-trendy and non-locovorious part of the state, our favorite special-occasion restaurant, located in a college town, has some wonderful, creative menu items, often using local/regional foods, for about three-quarters of the price of the menu items here. As much as we enjoyed our trip out into the countryside today, I'm not sure eating near a lake and trees made up for this difference. My partner has no interest in returning here. I would be willing to give it another try, maybe during peak growing season/tourist season with a bit more flexibility in the menu. If you're vacationing in the area and are looking for a unique "destination" restaurant, give it a visit. read more

A little French restaurant in an obscure part of Michigan. As good as the best California based French restaurants. Classy place. Get here early. Parking can be tough around here. read more

La Bécasse is fine dining ... reminiscent of our trips to Belgium in towns like Brugge and Ghent. Food is local, fresh, properly prepared, tasty. Don't expect large portions to take home dog bags full of uneaten food. This is Fine French country dining. Enjoy. read more

Went on the recommendation of a friend. A small, private place. Definitely not children friendly. But the atmosphere was pleasant, the staff friendly, and the food was delicious. We tried the stuffed lamb and the cassoulet. While the description sounded a bit odd for both, they worked well. Definitely a pleasant surprise for being so far out of the way. read more

This is a romantic, wonderful, and very fresh dinning establishment. The salad was literally picked after we order it. The wine list is extensive and they have some superb local wines. The restaurant is located on Glen Lake, probably one of the more beautiful lakes in northern Michigan other than Torch lake. If you're ever lucky enough to be Leland, MI enjoying the great weather and the heart of the upper Midwest, a trip to Le Becasse, 45 North winery, with the woman of you're dreams makes one hell of a weekend! read more