We just tried La Ville Lumière for my birthday and it was SUCH a great experience from start to finish! We did the prix fixe menu and added the oyster special! First course was galette de crabe, and steak tartare. The galette and tartare were both absolutely amazing. I think the galette de crabe was my favorite bite of the night. For our entrées, we had the filet and sea bass, followed by the crème brûlée and berry tart for dessert. The entire meal was accompanied by perfectly made dirty gin martinis. Honestly, there wasn't a single thing we ordered that we didn't love. The restaurant itself is gorgeous, but what really stood out was the service. Everyone we interacted with was so friendly and welcoming. We also have to give a special shoutout to Maurice, the manager. We watched him supporting his staff all night -- checking on tables, literally moving tables, jumping in wherever he was needed, and genuinely never stopping moving. To me, that is always the sign of a great manager and a well-run restaurant. Such a wonderful birthday dinner, and we already can't wait to go back. Next time, I really want to try the entire tasting menu! read more

La Ville Lumière --a French brasserie that opened in late 2024--beautifully blends casual elegance with a return to authentic cuisine and elevated service. We were able to try a variety of dishes, and everything felt thoughtfully prepared and made from scratch. Standouts for us included the vol-au-vent with escargot, rosti, filet mignon, scallops, sea bass, and the rich, creamy French onion soup. The flavors were well-balanced, the presentation was colorful, and some elements even had a fun, interactive touch (like the Parmesan crisp). One thing that sets this place apart is how versatile it is. It offers a bar area with happy hour, a strong cocktail and mocktail selection, and French-inspired bar bites like mussels and steak. There's also a more formal dining room for a sit-down experience, plus a private dining space available (free Mon-Wed, fee the rest of the week). They've also recently opened a café next door, which is worth checking out on its own--great selection of pastries, macarons, crepes, and coffee, along with wines, cheeses, and other French specialties. The atmosphere is elegant but still comfortable, and the service was attentive and professional throughout our visit. Overall, a great hidden gem whether you're looking for a casual drink, a full dinner, or even just coffee and dessert. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Went here for drinks for a girls night and had the BEST experience! Drinks were incredible and had great happy hour prices. Bartender was so great, made some of his own tweaks to the drink menu due to running out of ingredients and they were still amazing. Super kind and would definitely come back to try food next time. Super cute restaurant and everyone was so friendly! Will be back! read more

We celebrated our daughter Bianca's baby shower here, and I can't say enough about how wonderful the experience was! The entire team went above and beyond to make her day feel special. Everything was beautifully handled, and the food was absolutely delicious--our guests are still talking about it. We felt so well taken care of from start to finish. Thank you for helping us create such a joyful memory for Bianca, Matt and our family. We couldn't have asked for a better celebration! The Manager Meg and event director along with Chef Kevin and staff Bobby, Angela, Kim and Cameron a special thank you! read more

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My stars are all about the food! I ate my meal, and tried many of my friends and they were all delicious! We went with a big group and service was a little slow, but the wait was worth it. read more

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Not many of the MANY places we eat are perfect. This is. My husband and I had some of our first dates years ago when this was another French restaurant called le pomme. We ordered the prix fixe. He got the endive salad, I got the lump crab. Think you've had a crab cake before? Nuh uh. This blows them all away. Served in a skillet with butter...the endive salad had a mystery delicious dressing. He had the sea bass...cmon. How did they perfect it? I had the filet. The Bernaise was stunning. Dessert? He had flourless chocolate cake. I had a berry torte that was so good it brought a tear to my eye. You know I'm a stickler for service...outstanding. Everything is gone, not a photo to share. read more

First time here and it was amazing! Sat outside in the evening and it was a relaxing vibe. The food was delicious. Our serve was amazing, she gave great service. We left happy and full read more

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Friendly service!! High end atmosphere with a fun contemporary vibe. Good food if you're looking for a French flare.

Three of us decided to try this space as I celebrated my birthday weekend. It did not disappoint. The ambiance was amazing (though a little smoky). La Ville Lumière in Cleveland definitely has that charming, Parisian vibe. It felt like we were sitting in Paris, in the 6th arrondissement, especially around Saint-Germain-des-Prés! The food was delicious. The beverages were tasty and the service was excellent!!! We will definitely return!!! read more

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What are the chances that a French restaurant lands in the same location twice? La Pomme was a favorite of ours in the 90's. Now La Ville Lumiere is doing an amazing job of French cooking - classics and some imaginative turns on them. The service was well paced, the food was amazing, and the atmosphere is friendly and inviting on a warm summer day off the shores of Lake Erie. Visit LVL. You'll be very glad you did. read more

We've been to "La Ville Lumiere" several times now. Last night was a beautiful evening in late summer on the west side of Cleveland. We were looking forward to the evening at one of our favorite French restaurants. Upon arrival a nice young lady greeted us and escorted us to our table. The dining room is quite beautiful; all done in French country decor. I think you'll like the pictures. One in the sunshine and one in the moonlight. Really quite striking. Shortly afterwards a gentleman arrived and introduced himself as Bill , our server for the evening. Bill was very pleasant and quite animated. He conversed and laughed quite easily. We placed our drink order and he left to give us some time to settle in and review the menu. Upon his return we discussed the evening's offerings, as well as specials not on the menu. We started by ordering the bread service for the table. A nice crusty bread that you simply tore into by hand. For my appetizer I ordered the "Buratta Tartine" with grilled sourdough, bufala buratta, heirloom tomato salad, basil oil, 20yr. Balsamic. It was full of flavor but the bufala buratta was a bit dry in that it was entirely devoid of cream inside. Also the sourdough was a bit much. I think I would have preferred crostini. My brother however ordered the Escargot which he thought were excellent. I followed up by ordering the "Linguine" with garlic, olives, capers, San Marzano tomato, basil, olive oil, chili flakes. I guess I was having a bad night because even though it was good, it wasn't great. The pasta was cooked nicely but the flavor was lacking. It just didn't stand out in any way...? However, the other people at our table thoroughly enjoyed their selections. The " Seabass" pan roasted with lobster butter... was excellent. And the "Sea Scallops" with polenta... marvelous. After our meal we followed up with a very good cup of freshly brewed coffee. I then was blessed by a brand new offering from the kitchen. It was a new dessert for the evening... "Lemon Posset". I have to tell you, it was absolutely marvelous. It was light as a cloud, full of bright lemony flavor, brûléed on top and served in a lemon rind with strawberries. It was exquisite! I could have ordered 3 more of them and fought off anyone who wanted to share. That made up for any perceived shortcoming in the rest of my meal. As usual "La Ville Lumiere" was a great experience and we look forward to our next visit. I strongly suggest you give them a try... you'll like it. read more

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We went on Christmas Eve and it was really nice. The champagne was chilled, the bread awesome, French onion soup was delightful, fresh oysters & my steak was cooked a perfect medium. The thing that set it apart for me was the service. Friendly and attentive but not pushy and did not try to rush the check. Overall it was a great experience. Dinner for 5 adults with multiple appetizers, cocktails, wine, entrees desserts and coffees came in around $700 WITH tip, so I felt it was very reasonably priced for the quality of the food and service. read more

I have been to this place three times since they opened and I have not been disappointed yet. This french bistro is located in what use to be the Clifton Wine Bar. The owner wanted to bring a place to neighborhood where you could get an elevated dining experience after 8pm. I really appreciate it because since COVID you cannot get a real meal in the late evening. On this visit I was attending a build your own Manhattan night. Adam of LVL and Sarah (@spiritmethods) of Diageo Hospitality were our hosts. At each place setting there was a tasting card with 5 spirits, 5 vermouths and 5 bitters to try. They also had a complimentary reverse Manhattan to drink before the tasting got started. (1oz spirit, 2 oz vermouth) They also had some hors d'oeuvres. See the specifics of the tasting below. I noticed that they sell a onion soup and I love a good onion soup. It comes hot and bubbly in a pot. The flavor is great without being salty at all. It is pretty large so I took half of it home. I also go truffle fries that taste good but were a tad bit salty. Tip: Happy Hour Monday- Friday 4PM-6PM 10PM-12AM Mega Tip The mussels on happy hour are wonderful. Spirits - We tried George Dickel rye whiskey, an 8 year aged George Dickel bourbon, blade and bow bourbon, johnnie walker black scotch and don julio reposado. Tasting wise I enjoyed the blade and bow the most but for my final cocktail I chose the George Dickel bourbon because it was a bit more robust and I thought it would add depth to my cocktail. Vermouths- Noilly Prat - very dry like chardonnay Carapano Antika- copious amount of vanilla Dolin Rouge-mild sweetness Punt e mes vermouth amaro- more sweet than bitter black vermouth Averna- after dinner liquor, Sicilian amora I enjoyed the noilly pratt the most but for the purpose of creating my final cocktail I chose to add 1 oz of Dolin Rouge and .5 oz of Punt e mes, again this where chosen because I thought they would enhance the flavor profile. Bitters- angostura bitters- salt and pepper of bitters regan's orange bitter Fee brothers black walnut bitters angostura cocoa bitters peychaud's bitters All the bitters were very strong but I chose 2 dashes of orange bitters and 2 dashes of black walnut bitters. I garnished with orange peel and brandied cherry. I rate my drink a 10/10. The event was extremely informative and made for a great night out with friends. read more

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It's lovely to see a restaurant open in this space! They are unmatched with late night happy hours and a uniquely French menu. The food leans traditional with mid/upper scale pricing for the area. The appetizers were great. The Chicken Milanese was good while the steak in the steak frites was more fat that I expected. The dessert was lovely, outside of the burnt sugar layer. The service was good though slow at times; I'm not one to sit with an empty glass for a while or to try to get the waiter's attention to order but I had to do both on this Tuesday visit. I'd recommend a reservation and to join in for a celebratory meal when you have ample time and aren't afraid of very warm temperatures in the establishment. read more

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Food, drinks, & service is excellent. You cannot beat their happy hour! Parking can be difficult but where in Cleveland isn't there issues with parking?? My fiancé and I love this place. read more

La Ville Lumiere - Specialty Happy Hour Drink - French Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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After my French Onion soup arrived and I took the first bite, my reaction was "Cleveland - finally! - has its Balthazar" And the rest of the meal followed suit. My Poulet Chasseur - a rustic southern French dish of slow cooked chicken breast over a bed of potatoes and root vegetables - was exactly what the doctor ordered on a cold late November afternoon. And my wife's salade Lyonnaise was perfect! Cocktails were on point, the Pegu Club (one of my faves from the late 00s when I was in NY a few times a month) brought a nice dose of nostalgia. Excellent Bordeaux by the glass to accompany the chicken. Portions were hearty - could have easily split an entree. Service was a tad spotty but they were busy and in the process of training people - they were extremely friendly and took care of things right away when brought to their attention. The redesign of the space is beautiful - true French bistro just love it. Note Cleveland has great French spots - Chez is a landmark; L'Albatros too (and especially its patio in the summer)... but there is no *Bistro* format restaurant. La Ville Lumière isn't trying to reinvent anything - it's simply doing classic, centuries old recipes and - at least on this visit - nailing them... exquisitely... As someone who spent a lot of their twenties living in Nice - I spent a lot of time during that time in my local neighborhood brasserie, le restaurant Magnon - it's *wonderful* to have the old school Keith McNally-inspired French bistro format active in the Land!! read more

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This was a huge disappointment on every level. I ordered the mushroom risotto, as it was the only meatless entree choice, and it arrived chunky, lukewarm, and sort of sticky? It was definitely overcooked, and for $30+ I expected much better. Service was terrible. Our food took forever to come out. My friend ordered the sea bass and was brought swordfish but our server never checked back in on us after our food was delivered. A table behind us sent their food back then left. I considered complaining about the risotto but there wasn't anything else on the menu for me to order as an entree, so I ate a few bites because I was quite hungry. Final note, it's very loud. We could barely hear the server whenever he was at our table. Would not go back to this place, so this was our first and sadly last visit. There are significantly better options in the area for French food. Just go to L'Albatross for much better service, delicious food, and better pricing as well. read more

We heard about the opening of his new French restaurant in Lakewood, so we had to try it out. We were very impressed with our experience. The interior is nicely decorated and it's not too loud. The main restaurant and bar area is quite open and you can get a glimpse of what's going on in the kitchen. The service was on par and the menu had quite a variety. We decided to skip main entrées and go for a sampling of the hors d'oeuvrrs list. We tried the French onion soup, escargot, crabcake, mac & cheese, and gougeres. This was quite a bit of food so we left extremely full. There is a small offering of French restaurants in Cleveland and this one would be towards the top. If you're looking for authentic French cuisine, then definitely try this place out. read more

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Good was great. Service friendly and timely. Cute and cozy. Hard floors, walls and ceiling made it painfully loud. $150 for 2 w/ only two glasses of wine!! No hurry to go back! read more

The French European Bistro opened recently and I'm so excited to have tried it!!! It's a great place for an intimate but casual enough restaurant. One recommendation I would give is that the menus are a bit large compared to the quaint table sizes and I would've liked a booklet menu instead. Our server William was attentive and very kind. We felt very welcomed coming in. They had a special for an entire lobster which I had to try because that's so hard to find in cleveland. It does come with harcot verts and potatoes which is nice. The lamb rack is a must!!!! It's a huge portion and cooked to perfection. The escargot is a French classic and there were so many in there! I do wish we got a little bit more bread with it. I'm so happy that La Ville Lumiere opened for people to try new food experiences that aren't readily available in cleveland. read more

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Lovely little place with French decor but they play contemporary American music. Food was very good a d they ha e a great happy hour. Sat at the bar and the service was very attentive and personal. Would definitely go again. read more

I wanted this new place to be good. It wasn't. At all. I just read Trattner's review when it opened, and there has apparently been little improvement since opening. We sat at the bar. Service was ok, nothing great. The cocktails were good, Sazerac and a champagne cocktail. The mussels and frites were, at best, lackluster. And for 23 dollars, one would hope for more than maybe 20 mussels and a weak handful of limp frites. Probably $3 of ingredients for $23. The mussels themselves were over cooked to tiny little rubber balls, tasteless, tough and chewy. Gross--neither my GF nor I had any interest in finishing the half-uneaten dish. The French onion soup was borderline inedible and again, two 80% unfinished bowls were uneaten when taken away. We were relieved when no one asked us why our dishes were returned mostly uneaten. Jacques Pepin wouldn't recognize what they served as French onion soup. Weak broth, too few melty, carmelized onions, and the whole bowl was filled with submerged baguette, it was bad. No way of sugarcoating it. It is so frustrating to see such bad food rewarded with a near 5* rating. For those prices, it barely deserved 2*. I'm losing faith in Yelp. If you really look at the 4 and 5 star reviews for this place, you will notice that most of them have some complaints about the food, however subtle. I'm not sure how that rating makes any sense, but ok. Another overrated restaurant that a decent home cook can readily out-cook for a quarter of the price. read more

Best sea bass I've had in a long time! Especially in Ohio! The bread is incredible, crab beignets are to die for... great wine options. I can't say enough good things about this place! read more

La Ville Lumiere - French Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Last night I finally tried La Ville Lumière on Clifton after walking by it almost every day. I live just a block away, and it's always looked so inviting with its warm ambiance, so I was excited to finally go in. We came as a group of 8, and they already had our table set and ready when we arrived--such a nice touch. Our server was fantastic: attentive, friendly, and gave us great recommendations. We ordered the escargot, burrata, and crab beignets, and all three were absolutely delicious. There was a bit of a wait between our appetizers and entrees, which felt longer than expected, but our server made up for it by being very attentive and kind throughout the night. For my main, I had the linguine. It wasn't a standout dish--pretty simple, maybe a 3/5. Honestly, I chose it because it seemed like the most "basic" option on the menu that my toddler would also eat. The atmosphere was just as lovely as I'd hoped--perfect for date nights or dinner with friends. I did bring my toddler, and while the staff did their best to accommodate (and she was very good during dinner), I wouldn't call it the most child-friendly spot--which is totally fine for the type of restaurant, but just a heads up to parents. Overall, a great first experience and I'll definitely be back--next time to try something a little more adventurous from the menu! read more

The food and service is always outstanding ! Every time I dine here with my friends, this turns into their favorite restaurant as well!

Food wasn't as great as I had hoped, but ambiance was amazing. I would have liked a bigger table, but place is kind of small. Server was great. read more

One of the best brunches in Cleveland. The French Onion soup is a meal in itself. Our server asked if we wanted to split the order which was a great suggestion. The soup was hearty, rich and oh so delicious. The Salmon Benny was so satisfying with a mustardy hollandaise sauce. The pistachio cream in the French toast was divine as well. read more

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We absolutely LOVED this place when we visited for the first time. The oysters were among the best we've ever had, the French Onion soup was top notch, the Halibut was delicious, etc. And the service was fantastic! We raved so much about it, that our monthly dinner with friends (4 + us) decided this would be our next dinner. When we went as a group, our meals were quite good, for the most part.. (Again, they have some of the best oysters in NE Ohio!) But it took an EXTREMELY LONG time for us to get our food. By "long" I mean more than hour after placing our order with our server. We are inclined to believe our server forgot to submit our order, given how long it took. But our server never came back to check in on us, nor explain the delay. Frankly, if it had been just us, we would have walked out, leaving cash for our cocktails and appetizers. But because we were with friends, we waited patiently. When our meals finally arrived, all was good...except the prime rib, which was cold (but our friend did not register it with the server, as he had been a server in the past and understood the various challenges of being a server). We intended to order dessert, but the server never came back to ask, so all of us nixed the idea. And so we sat there waiting...no check-in, from our server...no inquiry about dessert, nothing. Indeed, we had to walk over to our server and request the checks. When he finally returned to the table, he presented one check, despite our specification (and his assurance of understanding) at the start of the meal that it would be four checks. We then reminded him that we needed separate checks. He returned shortly thereafter with our separate checks, but then he disappeared again. Eventually, another server came over to check us out. And thus our dinner came to a close. We love the food here, the ambiance, etc., but this experience was disappointing on a grand scale. read more

I have been here many times but it keeps going down hill. Had to wait 2 hours last time for a bowl of soup. Today I sat at the bar and only got one drink in an hour. The Monday/ Tuesday simpler menu needs improved. Nothing for vegetarians on the menu and gf is not even considered. They need staff and some thought into why customers are frustrated. read more

After hearing a good review by a trusted source, we stopped for lunch on a Friday while visiting Cleveland for Memorial Day weekend. The place was not busy but we came in around 2:30. A seated hostess greeted us, asked if we had reservations which we did not, then seated us. I ordered a Negroni ( I know it's not French), server noted that they did not have Campari, but told me the bar would use a substitute and it was fair. My French dip sandwich was so leathery chewy, I did not finish it . That was strange. My wife's meal was fair as I don't recall what she had but pointed out to me that there was a box on ho-ho's at the bar. Having been in Paris the month prior, I have to admit that I won't be back here. I know the history of past restaurants who have occupied this space, so I wish them success but please tenderize the dip and keep the ho-ho's behind the bar! read more

La Ville Lumiere - Ho-Hos at the bar! - French Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

Steak Frites was very good, I subbed mashed potatoes. Oysters on the half shell were plump and fresh, a real treat. Dessert wonderful. Service was understated and professional, restaurant and dining room beautiful. read more

This place was great, very happy to have a quality restaurant that is local. Great atmosphere and very friendly service. All the food was delicious, also had mussels and oyster Rockefeller. Would highly recommend, will also be coming back. read more

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Only went for drinks but everything was well done. Great service, will be back for dinner

I had the most delicious veal dish this past weekend. A veal tenderloin served with crispy(but not too crispy )sweetbreads and mushrooms.undoubtedly the best I ever had. We can't wait to go back tonight , third weekend in a row. It's also great to be someplace lovely and not the last table in the restaurant at 9:00 pm. Cindy Gallucci read more

Will not be going back. Food was overpriced and I have had better service at Applebees.

Very much enjoyed the late happy hour. Food and service were lovely, and it is hard to find places open and serving good food past 10pm.

Stopped by for a night cap and a snack, ended up staying much longer to enjoy the space and the company of the other guests and the owner. Very cute Parisian atmosphere, trendy and classy but not over the top. There is an outdoor patio and bar space that is very inviting. Food was fantastic and they had a decent wine selection. The owner Michael was warm and welcoming and we look forward to patronizing this local business. read more

Had dinner with my mother here before heading downtown to Playhouse Square. Great ambiance, though, as others have mentioned, it can be loud. Food was DELICIOUS! We had the bread service with Brie and whipped butter, French onion soup, duck (for me) and the veal chop (for my mom). The bread was warm and the accompaniments were tasty. The soup - a HUGE copper pot of delicious broth, onions, croutons and Gruyère. The cheese stretch was crazy, and the soup had a lovely depth of flavor. I happen to love duck, but hardly ever have the opportunity to indulge - the confit and seared breast were perfect, with crispy Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and a dark cherry reduction. YUM! My Mom's veal chop was impressive in size, cooked well - she said it was great! Came with asparagus and mashed potatoes. Both entrees were so large we could not finish them, but they were nicely boxed up. Our server was attentive, understanding our time constraints to get to the theater. She was also personable and knowledgeable about the menu! Highly recommend! read more

We were excited to go after hearing about the place. My wife is all things French. We went on Xmas Eve. We were sat in the side room. It was relatively quiet. We started with the bread course. It was enough for four. We then tried a cup of French onion soup. Other than being mostly bread, it was tasty. My wife had the steak frites. I had the stroganoff. It was barely warm. Here is where the waitress comes in. She seemed shot out of a canon from the get go. She was all over the place. In this time of need, she was too busy conversing with the table next to us. I tried Nd tried to get her without being rude. I finally got a hold of another server to help. It was a shame as we were not the only tables waiting to get her. My stroganoff returned to what I can only think of being microwaved. Microwaves never are good for meet. To me it was evident. It was just ok. My wife's steak was cooked nicely and tasty. Dessert was an afterthought no menus just tge,waitress flying through them before she forgot. Over all, the food was ok. The service was sub par. It was the holidays, so we did tip 25% why. I have no idea. No sense of any management presence. I so wanted it to be better. Oh well. read more

I came here with my mama to celebrate my birthday. Best decision I made in a long time. I recently got back from a trip to Paris so some French cuisine sounded excellent on a nice autumn evening. I used to live a block north of this place at Lake West on Lake and 105. At that time this building housed the Clifton Wine Bar and it was a decent place with a great patio. Now it is an awesome place with a great patio. The food was excellent as was the service. William was a great server, the hostess was a real sweetheart and the chef came over to our table to greet us. I read he was from Buffalo. My mom is too. They shared a few stories about Buffalo. The chef seems like a really good dude. I can't wait to come back. I cannot recommend this place enough. One of the best new additions to Cleveland. They also have a late night happy hour! Lots of places stopped doing that after Covid so it's cool to see somebody doing late hours! You don't have to keep going to My Friends up on Detroit, come here and have some real solid food! Come check out the new spot, it rules! read more

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