There's something about La Provence in Ambler that just feels special. La Provence It has that romantic French countryside ambiance that makes you want to slow down and stay awhile. It's also BYOB, which makes it even better -- bring your favorite bottle and make a whole night out of it. The vibe is warm, intimate, and perfect for date night, but they also have a gorgeous outdoor space that can host up to 100 people, making it such a hidden gem for larger parties and celebrations. They opened in September 2019 -- just six months before the pandemic -- which makes what they've built even more impressive. It's truly family-driven. The husband, Manuel (from Spain), is the head chef, and you can absolutely taste the care and authenticity in every dish. Cindy, who is from Panama, brings so much heart to the restaurant as well. We started with Prince Edward Island oysters and the crab salad, which had crispy bacon pieces for a great touch of texture and the crab was incredibly fresh -- such a perfect balance of flavors and crunch. For entrées, the beef bourguignon was rich, comforting, and everything you'd hope for from a classic French dish. The Dover sole felt elegant and perfectly executed. We ended with the chocolate mousse, which was light, decadent, and the perfect sweet finish. And I have to mention our server -- Delroy was fabulous. Attentive, personable, and so knowledgeable. He truly elevated the entire experience. Between the ambiance, the hospitality, and the beautifully prepared food, La Provence is absolutely somewhere I'll be coming back to for an elevated night out. read more

La Provence - Oysters - French Near Me - Ambler, Pennsylvania

Food was very good some portions were smaller than expected service was very attentive

Fantastic meal. The Caesar salad was one of the best I've had and the trout special was incredible. I also had the a sushi-like appetizer which was delicious. My wife and our friends all enjoyed their meals as well. Fabulous BYO restaurant. We'll be back. Thanks! read more

The waiter was friendly and attentive. We ordered the Caesar salad, foie gras, and escargot. Caesar salad - really good! Foie gras - good but felt like the sauce was a bit too acidic Escargot - good but nothing special. Have had better For entrees, we ordered the rabbit and filet mignon Rabbit - husband ordered the rabbit. I didn't try it but he said it was good Filet mignon - I ordered it medium but it came out well done. Despite being well done, it was still tender so I did not send it back. It came with potatoes which were really good. For dessert we ordered the ile flottante with a cappuccino and tea. They had different selection of teas to choose from. Both drinks were good. The dessert was light and airy. If you're looking for a light dessert at the end of your meal, you should give this a try! Overall it is a cute little place in ambler. A bit pricey for what you get. It's no 5 star restaurant in the city but worth giving it a try if you're in the mood for French cuisine. read more

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Went out for dinner tonight at La Provence--Everything was perfect. The beet salad was full of flavor--the goat cheese perfectly paired with beets and orange slices. French onion soup--sweet and cheesy. The cheese plate ran the gamut of flavor--sharp, mild, strong, and the preserves also perfectly paired. Steak au poivre a perfect medium rare, juicy, tender. Mashed potatoes were sublime--what potatoes should taste like. Mousse au chocolat--light and rich. The chef here knows what he's doing. I haven't had a perfect meal in so long--this was perfect. Thank you! read more

Decent French cuisine and professional service. A few items like our duck were a bit overdone. read more

This is my third time visiting the restaurant, but the previous two long ago. I was much happier with this visit. Staff members demonstrate sincere hospitality. La Provence prepares food worth savoring. They've combined contemporary design with warm elements. Exceptionally tasty! read more

More vegetarian choices please. It's really limited to salads or asking them to not add meat to an entree

Awesome food, service and ambiance! Beautiful outdoor patio seating area overlooking oncoming trains and Ambler. The inside seating is cozy and inviting. read more

Let me start off by saying the food is good here. However, the steep prices and small portion sizes can't justify the taste. Some friends brought us here for dinner. We were seated right away. We started off with the cheese board and Caesar Saad for appetizers. Next up were the entrees. Orders in our party were the NY steak, the Dover Sole and Confit de Canard duck dish. For dessert, we had crème brûlée. Food was good, but again I couldn't get over the price. read more

I had dinner with a group of friends here and it was great ok, we liked that it's a BYOB place, the appetizers were tasty (specially the salmon dish) but the dinner entrees weren't our favorite. The overall feedback from our table (table of 10) was just "ok", nothing mind blowing with flavors for any of our entrees. Would possibly try again for lunch and give it a second try! read more

Great ambience, good service at the table, but food was pricey. Went for a dinner date. Portion sizes are on the smaller side but that is expected. For the fine dining experience and price we pay, we expected a bit more service from the wait staff at the front end, in terms of keeping the door open while we are on our way to our seats. Ordered foie gras( pan seared), seafood bisque and salmon mousse for appetizer. Canard & Trout for the main course. Flottantes for dessert. All items were perfectly done. Its BYOB, so get a wine bottle on your way in. The server at our table had a good knowledge on all the specials of the day. its worth visiting once as it is highly rated, just to experience the restaurant. read more

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Had a pretty decent anniversary dinner at La Provence! This was our first time here. It's a byob so we brought some French Rose to share. Our waiter, Kai, was great. So knowledgeable and attentive. For the food: Lyonnaise salad--husband really liked this Melon salad with sausage, mozzarella, butter lettuce, and white balsamic vinaigrette (special)--surprisingly delicious! Loved the combination of it all! Duck breast with orange sauce, served with braised purple cabbage and mashed potatoes (special)--my husband liked this but wasn't blown away. Turbot (fish) served with onions and mashed potatoes and some sauce (special)-- was just okay. Fish was skin-on and tasted overcooked, and the sauce was too sweet. Ile flottante- meringue brûléed on the top in a little ocean of custard--a perfect light dessert to end the meal. Lemoncello cake--my husband loved this. The entree prices were really steep, probably the most expensive I've ever seen. Not worth the price in my opinion. I don't think we'll go back but overall we were happy with our meal. read more

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Built in the old Ambler train station La Provence has a nice look to it with many small areas and rooms giving it an intimate feel. Heck when you approach from the outside the place is hung with a grape arbor to encourage the French feel. The staff are friendly to the point of charming. The food can be expensive, but this is a high-end restaurant and the fact you have to bring your own bottles, while a little irritating will help hold down the costs. Let's be honest we've all had sticker shock looking at wine lists and if you know wines, you'll know how places mark up bottles, so this is a major savings. Some people have complained about the train traffic. There is some outside seating near the train tracks, but I didn't see all that many trains come through. From inside the building, we barely noticed them. The food was good with strong flavors and a chance to try things you might not otherwise get like escargot, Dover Sole or rabbit. The downside was ssslllooowww service. They were charming when they were there but it took a long time for them to take orders or things to materialize. Long time to the point I considered calling dominos for a delivery to tide us over. The other downside was that a few dishes we wanted had been 86'd. OK so they are fresh only produce a limited number to avoid the waste of leftovers BUT, it became a running joke with out party that we couldn't get through a single course without at least two choices being no longer available. I'm torn between making this a 3 or 4 star review. The LONG waits were aggravating and the sold out elements were disappointing but overall the food was good, the setting nice and the staff friendly so..4 read more

We chose the restaurant for the birthday dinner. The setting and ambience of the restaurant were very good. Foie gras is highly recommended! read more

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Had a wonderful dinner the other night, our server Kai was outstanding. The atmosphere was very nice, had a view of the gardens. The appetizers we had, the escargot and the peach special were very good, the corvina fish dish was done perfectly. We also had the duck medallion special, which was disappointing- the duck we had was tough. Overall a great experience... read more

Went here for my birthday the other day. I wanted the lamb which was a special. I was afraid to order anything I couldn't see the price of. When our waiter came to the table my wife blurted it out and the deed was done. It enticed up being $58 which I've never in my life spent on a single dish. If you're reading this review though you gotta be like man.... If you're gonna complain about price, stop going to fancy places. The only defense I have is there was a time I didn't have money for food so now it's hard for me to part with it. My wife got the feeesh but I didn't try any of it so I can speak to it. She said she loved it. It's strange because she isn't a fish eater but she keeps getting it at these fancy I got the waffles with ice cream on top for desert. We ordered our deserts. We weren't paying attention because we were talking but then someone that wasn't our server asked if they ever came out. We said no. I guess that person didn't do anything about it because a little while later our server asked us if they ever came out. So what was awesome was our server comped our deserts because she said it took so long. I really appreciated that. It's funny because we weren't even paying attention so I didn't know it was that long. Our reservations were for inside but we were seated outside. Our server was serving us and Someone I assume was da boss told her to come take photos of guests that owned some hotel. I thought that was a little rude. Also our server was trying to make sure her table was taken care of. I doubt she listed party photographer on her resume. My wife said let it go but it rubbed my rhubarb. The outdoor area could be better. The train is really close and if you aren't expecting it... it's going to scare the shit out of you the first time it happens if you're seated in the outdoor area. There was a 1/4" gap in the plexi next to our table. So I wore my coat the whole time. A few other guests asked if I was cold. I think one of the servers did too. But there wasn't anything that could really be done about it. I'd probably go here again. read more

If you're looking for an enjoyable fine dining experience, look no further. La Provence gives big city restaurant vibes in the heart of Ambler. The service is top notch, with a lead server and an assistant who provide constant attention. The ambiance is elegant but not stuffy and has an intimate feel. The food is also top notch- fresh and skillfully prepared. To start, we had warm, fresh baguette with caramelized butter that hit the mark beyond. Everything we ordered (except dessert) was from the daily special offerings. Starters: langoustine tartar with beet purée and a mushroom fricassee. Entrees: black cod over creamy polenta and branzino over stewed tomatoes. We closed out with Créme Brulee and limoncello cake. Everything was perfectly cooked, flavorful and well balanced. It is a BYOB and perhaps a bit pricy, but I think it's worth it. I can't wait to go back! read more

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Very disappointed. Ordered a steak cooked to medium temperature. It arrived almost raw. Once we were able to attract our server's attention, he simply said he would have it cooked further. NO APOLOGY!! My three table companions had finished their meals by the time my steak was returned. Again, no apologies. The steak was grisly and tough, but at this point I was beyond complaining. There was no offer of any sort for the inconvenience or delay. Also, I am a non-drinker, so ordered iced tea at $5 a glass. I asked for refills as refills are complementary at every restaurant I have visited. La Provance charged $5 for each refill!!! Needless to say, I am done with this place. read more

First, let me just put this out there, the quality and presentation of the food is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I felt like I was eating at a Michelin Star rated restaurant with each bite of food. I was so incredibly impressed. I had the goat cheese on brioche appetizer and was truly wow'd by the taste and presentation. The profiteroles were crunchy on the outside and the cream was smooth and luscious on the inside. The dark chocolate drizzle on top was the perfect balance of sweet and decadent. It was the perfect chef's kiss to end a delicious meal. The only reason this is 4 stars over 5 is because of the service. The staff was extremely friendly and I appreciate them all. However, I am not sure if they were understaffed, but I think we were sitting for about 15-20 minutes before our orders were taken. We actually had to get the manager's attention to even order because our server was busy running around to other tables. Like I said before, the staff was great, so I am wondering if they were short staffed that night. I am not a huge fan of french food so the fact that I was so impressed is really saying something! Check this place out! read more

La Provence - profiteroles that are truly out of this world. Not sure what the other dessert is called but it was equally as delicious!! - French Near Me - Ambler, Pennsylvania

My husband and I wanted to treat our new pastor to a birthday dinner. He is from Monaco and since he has been state side he has basically only had Italian and wanted a taste of home. We found La Provence in Ambler. I made reservations for 3 for 6:15. We arrived on time and were seated right away. The ambiance was nice, and we settled in for what we thought was going to be a nice dinner. Once we were seated, we had to wait 20 minutes for someone to bring us water. So after looking at the menu for another 20 minutes after getting the water I seen the waiters passing us by constantly. No one said we'll be right with you or I'll be just a moment. It was a Tuesday evening, and the restaurant was not full. I've got the attention of the girl who brings the food to the table I asked her could you please get our server. Our server finally made it to the table they made excuses that they were busy. We told the waiter we would like to place our order and he said well would you like to hear the specials OK we'll listen to the specials everything sounded wonderful, so we placed our order for a charcuterie board and gazpacho soup to start. Another 20 minutes later now we're more than an hour sitting here I asked the waiter how long does it take to put cold soup in a bowl? He said well the charcuterie board is taking a while because we have to slice the meat. Finally he brings out the 2 soups and a plate with some prosciutto, and some salami and a couple of pickles. And two pieces of bread. I was extremely disappointed in the "charcuterie board" it was meat on a plate nothing like the photos online. I let that go didn't say anything. Ordered our dinner and we waited... and waited...half an hour later I called the waiter over I said Sir are you telling me that you have to catch the rabbit? And we were joking and laughing about it and the waiter said no no no it takes 1/2 an hour to cook the chicken blah blah blah OK that's fine. And more waiting , now I'm getting a little upset because another 15 minutes go by finally get our dinner. The portions are extremely small for the prices that they charge,. My Husband ordered some kind of beef that was supposed to have Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. The plate they put in front of him had beef very tiny pieces a dollop of mashed potatoes no Brussels sprouts. I cant make this up.. this is exactly how this went. I call the waiter over I said I'm sorry this plate was supposed to come with brussels sprouts and that's why he ordered it. The waiter goes back into the kitchen comes back about 5 minutes later with a cup in the cup is 1 1/2 pieces of mini brussels sprouts he dumps it into my husband's plate. I looked at him like...you've got to be kidding me! Again, let that go. I'm not happy with the place we're already in an hour and 40 minutes and just got our dinner. At this point I'm pretty aggravated so the busboy comes over and takes our plates he reaches for a knife knocks over the wine glass grant you this is a BYOB and we brought a very expensive bottle of wine with us the wine goes all over the table the glass hits the water glass and the water glass tips over and spills water completely down our pastor's shirt and onto his pants. The kid was apologetic and now I'm livid at this point this is ridiculous. So the waiter comes over and he goes ohh ! I said no, do you see what happened? He didn't acknowledge it I said do you see what happened? Nothing not an apology and he just chuckled a little bit I'm like OK now I'm pisssed. So he said would we like dessert? I said depends on are we going to wait 1/2 an hour for it? And he nono no no I'll bring it out quick so I ordered an ice cream tart thing and my husband ordered a piece of cake with a latte. So they bring over the latte 5 minutes go by 10 minutes go by 15 minutes go by my husband finishes his latte another 20 minutes which seems to be their going rate, finally get the ice cream out with the piece of cake so I mentioned to the waiter I said you know how long does it take to put a piece of cake on a plate and he said well you know we're busy I said you're not that busy there's open tables. I'm done at this point I told him to bring me my check right away I don't want to wait another half an hour. We get our check we pay our bill I asked my husband and the pastor to wait for me in the car I told the waiter I need to see your manager so the manager comes out and I took her back onto the enclosed porch area because I don't want everyone everyone else's dinner to be ruined. I told her exactly what I thought and she had this look of surprise on her face like this has never happened before I don't understand why it took you that long I said what time is it now? She said 9:00 I said we were seated at 6:15 almost 3 hours for a simple meal at a half empty restaurant is unacceptable. I will not go back there but I will let people know that I should have read the reviews read more

Award winning, fine dining restaurant. The food is so delicious that i think the chef and restaurant deserve Michelin stars. Aside from the parking lot, the restaurant gives a cozy, warm candle-lighted ambiance that feels like home. The outdoor seating feels like a big big backyard with running water stones. LOVE the French art in the clean bathroom. Excellent table service. The food is very similar to the French food in Paris in terms of taste, texture and portions. Bring your own drink. read more

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First time visit to La Provence. It was my birthday weekend so wanted to do a place with some good food and ambience. We liked the charm of the restaurant and grounds. They were very accommodating when we asked to move our reservation time. We got a nice table for two on the exterior enclosed porch. It was nice to be in an older building (former RR station) that has good character. For appetizer I got the salade de fromage. Excellent. Very good goat cheese with a mesclun salad. For my entree I went all out and got the rack of lamb. The highest $$ entree. It was worth it. Really enjoyed the lamb, potato croquetta and vegetables. Service was great and owner stopped by. Our only issue was the noise level where we were seated. If you get a boisterous table next to you it can be a bit loud. Overall we enjoyed our dinner and look forward to returning. read more

La Provence - Salade d fromage - French Near Me - Ambler, Pennsylvania

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Great menu and amazing service. BYOB is a plus! You can check out the menu ahead of time and bring the exact bottle(s) of wine you want to pair your food with. read more

This is absolutely one of my favorites. Top 5! Food is on point. The wait staff/Front of House staff is some of the best in the business!!

After a poor experience down the street from this restaurant, I was absolutely stunned by the quality in La Provence. I will eat my hat for saying French food outside the city cannot be that great. It was so stellar we went weekend after weekend. We were a big table an ordered many items in the menu, and each one, including the specials of the day were stellar. Bring some good wine, because you will need it. That's the place you come with the good stuff to compliment the amazing food. Service was excellent, and we felt like "regulars" of the restaurant. Design is great as well. Things to get- Escargot, cheese plate, beef borginon (heaven), duck, Foie gras (to die for).... And the list goes on. It's French.... REALLY French food! Go, enjoy! (We will too). read more

I had an endive salad and onion soup; very French n'est pas? But the flavors were really very good. The seating is a bit tight inside, it looked more spacious outside but I don't care for eating outside, fighting flies and mosquitoes. I booked the reservation on Open Table and should have read further down that the restaurant is totally BYOB which spells bye bye for me! But I didn't see it until I got to the restaurant by then too late to cancel. I would maybe go back...with someone else to help finish a bottle. That's why I avoid BYOB. I'm generally dining solo. read more

The atmosphere is lovely, inside and out, and the food is very good, although overpriced. All menu items were all too expensive for a BYOB in the area. Prices are high everywhere now, for good reason, but not this high. But, the service was excellent. Our server was professional and friendly. Here is why I only gave this restaurant one star: Trains keep going by, and are incredibly loud and jolting, which can be a bit annoying. That might not bother some people, it may even add to the quaint. atmosphere. However... Carefully look over your bill. Second time we were charged $14 extra - EXTRA - for each entree. I guess they were hoping no one would notice? It was brought to the attention of the manager who told us it was a "glitch" in their system and acted hostile. It seems we were not the first to have this issue. Afterwards, when mentioning it to a friend, they said the same thing happened to them! The manager offered no apology. Beware is all I can say. read more

Came with my family for Sunday brunch and had a great time. Restaurant has only been open 4weeks when we came early October 2019. The ambiance is really nice. Good for romantic meals. They put us in the back area and it was really secluded and private. Wait staff was super attentive and service was very good. Food wise I really enjoyed the parsnip soup. The mussel frites was cooked just right with great flavors. Only thing was mussels were on the small size. The steak frites was just ok. Ordered medium rare but came out more medium well done in my opinion. The French toast was probably the best dish. It was so light and egg like. It's a BYOB so we bought champagne and they had fresh squeezed OJ for mimosas. Overall good food, nice ambiance and great service. Agree with others kinda on pricy side so wouldn't come here that often. read more

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I'm a little bummed. I know it's new so I gave one star for hopes it will improve with time, but I really had such high hopes it would be good from the jump. The ambiance lacks that je ne sais quoi. It's a little too sterile and contemporary American to have a genuine French feel, with very white walls, blingy chandelier, ho-hum artwork on the walls and odd mismatched plates that feel very un-European all glittering in the small interior space. The outside is promising though, with tiki torches and tables spotting the lawn and covered patio by the tracks. Alas, it was too warm on opening day to sit outside. The mushroom tartlet we started with had a pastry that was very overcooked and thoroughly inauthentically French (I lived there for a spell, so I'm quite familiar). The flavors of the mushroom and the scant sauce were really quite tasty, but the pastry was a disappointment that overshadowed the whole dish. Then to the Bœuf Bourguignon which was, in fact, NOT Bœuf Bourguignon though it was quite delicious as a roast with yummy sauce and potatoes. My man had the Bouillabaisse which was under seasoned and uninspired. The scallops and toasted bread smothered in a buttery-dijon goodness were the only saviors here, despite the broth and fish which were really bland. We were already disappointed and a Benjamin in (for food only since we brought our beverage, since it's BYO), so we skipped dessert. I absolutely love the location with all the outdoor tables by the train tracks and adore (true) French cuisine, so I'm really really crossing fingers and toes this gets better beyond opening night. I will certainly update this review if it does. read more

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A-OK, but could have been better. And, granted it was hot outside, our choice to sit inside was a mistake. It was stuffier and hotter inside. The air in the room went from hot to bearable to hot to bearable every 5 or so minutes...annoying AF. Sweat actually broke out on my face and was dripping on my beautiful, very cool and fashionable shirt. :( We were cramped in a corner thru-way on the porch, on an uneven floor causing chairs and table to rock with every movement. The server assured us he would not squeeze past us all night and would service the other table around the turn from the other side, but he did not live up to his promise. On to the food. For apps I had the escargot. Overcooked and chewy, a very bitter garlic flavor also subtracted from what I have fell in love with at other French dining venues. Presentation in the white dish with the dark green parsley butter brings it from 1 star to 2. My friend had the Belgian Endive, lovely textures prevalent with the apples and pecans, and dressed with a tasty creamy roasted shallot vinaigrette. 4 stars The Norwegian Sole, for a tad under $50, was very good. A bit salty, but really cooked to perfection, presented skillfully with a strip of mashed potato and the spinach draped between the halved, almost entirely deboned filets (only 2 bones hit my mouth). 4 stars My friend had the rabbit, served with a very small smattering of cavatelli. I tasted un petit peu. It had a very pleasant flavor and my friend was pleased with the choice. 4 stars No dessert, I had to GTF outta the heat and GTF outside. I will return IN THE FALL, where I won't have to deal with the extreme uncomfortable atmosphere and request a table away from the corner passageway. And I won't be ordering the escargot next time either. read more

Elegant, romantic and phenomenal menu. Cindy out distances the competition in all of her endeavors.

Our dinner was $200 and we didn't get anything worth that price. Every dish was less than spectacular and had very tiny portions so tiny that it was just one morsel. It's next to railroad tracks where the train comes by often is very noisy and dangerous. Nothing romantic about this place. The food sucks. read more

March 6 was our 3rd time dining at La Provence. It was the first time we ate inside. We really enjoy this place! The French food here is outstanding. The service is perfectly timed and the resultant decor adds to the experience. The beet and blue cheese salad and the monk bouillabaisse were delicious! My wife enjoyed the goat cheese salad and trout almondine. We finished with a classic : creme brûlée. Great food all around! read more

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To say this place is a gem in Ambler is an understatement. Love having a great French restaurant in the area. I have taken my wife here for Birthday, Anniversary and friends out for dinner. If anyone asks for a nice/romantic restaurant to go to I always recommend La Provence. The menu is solid no matter the season. Food is a bit pricey but it's fine dining and the food is prepped/cooked properly with amazing taste. The flavors from the selected ingredients in each dish proves the chef and staff know what they're doing. Wait staff has always been stellar. Any request I have made whether it be for seating or food I have had no issues to date. Also BYOB so you can select the exact wine you want to pair with your dish. I have to get the foie gras almost everytime, fantastic! read more

Service was very slow. Several items on the menu were not available when we tried to order them. It would have helped if we had been told what was not available before we ordered. I ordered escargots for my appetizer - they were overcooked and slightly salty. Finally we were seated on the porch and the whole time cold air conditioning blew on me. When I told the young woman she just looked at me as though she didn't know what to do. Altogether it was a disappointing experience. read more

Excellent all around. Service, staff knowledge, attentiveness. Food quality and variety always great. And then dessert!!

We had a lovely experience here last Friday, for our 27th anniversary. The place is charming inside and out. Our server, Michael, was attentive and passionate about the food, which is always endearing. We started with the cheese board and foie gras, which were delicious. Hubs had the steak, which was well cooked and flavorful. I had the trout amandine, one of my favorites and it was lovely and generously portioned. We ended with profiteroles- I had to give up after 3 out of 4 of them, as I was stuffed! Such a nice little find- will be back for sure. read more

Food was outstanding. I had the dover sole and it was perfectly done. The parking was very convenient. We will be back. read more

The food was wonderful, the service was great. We had been previously and we will go again. The place is charming although it can be a bit noisy when it is filled or if there is a loud group but it is still well worth a visit. read more