Le Comptoir is our new favorite date night spot. Every time we go, we try something new and have loved everything. The owner and his staff are friendly and helpful. The owner's passion for wine pairing is impressive. He always helps pick the best wine to go with what I order while also keeping my tastes in mind. He helped me find my new favorite French Sauvignon Blanc. The restaurant has a cozy but also classy feel. It is a perfect spot for a date night or a girls' night. Highly recommend! read more

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Tonight I felt as though I was in France with the help of a great takeout dinner from Le Comptoir. I have spent most of the pandemic wishing I was in France. When my husband and I were at the end of our rope about the sameness of it all, I said, "Let's order from Le Comptoir". He said yes right away. I called to get the menu at 11:30 a.m. and we chose hanger steak (which came little sliced and sautéed potato rounds) and pork tenderloin (black olives garnish with sides of gently smashed potatoes and a fabulous mélange of red and yellow pepper and very young zucchini). We asked how to reheat our meal and, having followed their directions, the meal was parfait! Vraiment!! We put on some French café music and opened a bottle of cab. My only regret was that I had given away my last bottle of a wonderful Bordeaux to a friend for his 85th birthday. While I don't begrudge the gift, that Bordeaux with our meal would have truly transported me to France. Next time we will pick one up at their shop! Note: we came from Southern Marin for a 4 p.m. pick up and had no problems with traffic. read more

Le Comptoir restaurant - 5 stars! Le Comptoir market - on a busy Saturday night wasn't able to find help to actually buy something. The cheeses made me feel like I was in France again. Started with a glass of Burgundy and then had the sweetbreads - some of the best I've ever had, with puffpasty that was lighter than air. Paired a Sancerre with the Petrale Sole with a parsnip puree that was off the charts good. Finished with 3 profiteroles that were, again, light and tasty. If I wasn't driving I would have tried their recommended pairing. Our server, Jose, was friendly and appropriately attentive. Can't wait to come back NEXT Saturday! read more

Experimental French cuisine! Definetly overrated! Overpriced! Noisy, We have eaten in many bistro with real French chefs. This one is a deception with non French substitutes in the kitchen working with "expired freshness" ... a least on a Monday night We were told the Tuna was fresh. It was not. When queried. It was really Tombo but still old with a consistency of mushy jello. Portions of the other dishes were tiny. My tiny slice of duck was smothered in peaches swiming on a bed of overcooked spinich. They should called the plate "Peaches with a side order of duck." ($26) A lamb chop dish ($24) was ok until you got close to the bone. It smelled. The local draft pale beer: $9.00. Lemon aid for the child: $3.75 The three of us spent $115. High price for such poor quality. In closing the maitre said he was from "Paris" with another NON French accent . ... had to be related to the "BS Tuna" story. Let's also add with this "eatery" at 20% capacity it was noisy due to the 100db "music". I ask them to turn the "noise" down. They turned it higher by accident With a other ratings 4-5 stars, Americans should limit their comments to steaks and hamburgers. read more

Incredible food. Definitely get the tasting menu. If it is available. All the food is off the charts. One dish better than the next. Love this place. read more

I came here for dinner around 8:30pm on a Tuesday night after having read lots of 5 star reviews. And honestly, I felt like the restaurant I walked into was completely different from what I was expecting based on so many people raving about the exceptional service, amazing food, bustling dinner rush, etc. I can't even tell you how disappointed I was walking in here. A snippet of the conversation I had with the hostess/owner/manager/whatever-he-was: (After having walked in and not acknowledged for almost 5 minutes) Me: Are you still open? Him: Yes! Me: Then why did you ignore me after clearly having seen me standing here? (By now, I left the hostess stand and had walked in next to their bar) Him: Oh, I thought you walked in from outside. Me: Of course I walked in from outside...where else would I come in from? (Down from the ceiling Mission Impossible style?) Him: No, I meant I thought you were eating outside and just walked in A couple things to note. The place was 3/4 empty...ZERO people at the bar, one man sitting outside on the phone, and less than 10 diners inside. This man who clearly saw me and chose to ignore me was just chatting up a couple that was sitting at a table. It was just off to a terribly rocky start, and they didn't make it any better by having 3 different people constantly stop by the table every 2 minutes to ask "how is everything?". It's just annoying to have to be interrupted that many times (maybe each person didn't realise 2 other people were also asking the same thing). Basically, everything was off. Food was OK and prices were reasonable, but I won't be back. I'm constantly on the road for work, so half the time I'm writing reviews, it's as a reminder to myself whether I want to return to a restaurant that will inevitably pop up on my Yelp search the next time I'm in the area. read more

The food and personality of this place is beyond our expectations. In fact, the burger is one of the best I have ever had. Owner is friendly and funny. This is a lovely place for a date night or to meet up with a smaller group of friends. Highly recommended. read more

Fabulous flavors; amazing experience;,wide wine selection; comfortable atmosphere; great owner

Great new place 5 cheeses for $24 awesome plate New chef, new food Excellent wine selection by the glass Try the tuna crudo, pork belly and salmon rillettes Great specials and traditional French staples read more

Nice place, very polite staff, good quality. Just wanna say our steak was not as big as we expected. Overall I highly recommended to go there. read more

Le Comptoir - French Near Me - San Rafael, California

Le Comptoir gets a high 4 from me! My husband and I went here for a late night dinner aka 8:30 lol. It's one of the only restaurants on a Monday that is open until 9:30! We were greeted by the bartender and we were promptly seated. The interior of this restaurant is super welcoming, colorful, and clean! We were eyeing their huge rotisserie where some of the dishes come out of, and boy is it pretty! Definitely the highlight of this restaurant and thousands of dollars well worth it! Also, had no idea they had a cute little wine shop next door, but after hours is only open to customers of the restaurant. On to the food, we were greeted at the table by what turned out to be the owner of the restaurant Stephen. He asked us if we've ever been there before and gave us his spiel of his background and history of the restaurant. Of course we started with some Brut Rose by Simmonet-Febvre by the glass then we ordered our food. For starters we got the pan-seared sweetbreads & the beef tartar. The sweetbreads were not the prettiest of dishes but the flavors of the porcini sauce and turnip puree really complimented the sweetbreads texture and flavor very well! The beef tartar was classic French prepared with a quail egg on top, really heavy on the mustard on this one but we still could not stop eating it! The owner came back and we ordered our entrees and recommended an awesome Bordeaux 2014 Les Hauts De Lynch Moussas Haut Medoc! Our entrees came out in perfect time, I got the Rotisserie Pork Loin Farci and was delicious! Two large slices of the pork on top of a bed of seasonal vegetables. I also got the green peppercorn sauce on the side for reassurance! Pork was really nicely cooked, not dry, and really complimented well with my wine! My husband got the Wild Boar Stew, I only got to try a bit of it but my husband said it was a little dry but flavors were there! All in all, were truly satisfied with our meals! Thank you Stephen for sharing your story with us and sharing your delicious French Cuisine! We will be back! read more

Great French cuisine in San Rafael. The restaurant can get busy during dinner rush, so a reservation is recommended. Our waitress was attentive and the manager even checked in during our meal. The menu is limited but the main courses we tried were excellent. The duck and pork dishes were perfectly prepared. The side dishes could use some improvement. And their wine menu was thoughtfully arranged to pair with their food offerings. Highly recommended if you are looking for a modern French restaurant. They also have a small bar area if you looking for a quick bite and drink. read more

This is a disgrace to French cuisine ! Everything was below average . Zero ambiance . Annoying house music playing. No art on the walls . Filthy floors. Seriously, if you do decide to go , look at the disgusting floors. The white walls against the tables and scuffed up as well. It really shows that this place is trying to cut cost and corners whenever possible. Portions sizes are small and food is uninspired. Bone marrow were two bones but very small amount of marrow and an over dressed wilted salad . Another below average Marin restaurant designed to overcharge but under deliver . Zero Stars. read more

This restaurant is wonderful! I was fortunate to arrive early enough to get a great seat at the bar. I went with my friend who shares my interest in trying new places. We had the fried Camembert, home made chicken liver mousse, and profiteroles for desert. The champagne selection was very good as well. The bartender was personable and gave us excellent service. We will be back! read more

Greeted kindly and immediately at front by friendly hostess, sat at bar right away and enjoyed the bar tending wine wizardry of Craig, who was professional, attentive, and entertaining! The atmosphere was comfortable, lively but not loud, perfect for us at the end of an busy Friday. We enjoyed a few varieties of French wines staring into each other's eyes, blissfully lost. Originally I wasn't going to get anything to eat but couldn't say no to the pork roast with vegetables, which arrived exquisitely presented, cooked in traditional French method. read more

Really solid place. Went with my parents and their friends while home for Easter weekend and was not disappointed. We started with the little gem salad and sweetbreads which were both excellent. The sweetbreads were incredibly flavorful and came with equally delicious mushrooms. (Having worked at a mushroom farm in Sebastopol years ago, I have a special place in my heart for mushrooms.) All of it came within a perfect little pastry shell that helped mop up the sauce that made the dish. If you can get over what you're actually eating when you order sweetbreads, get them. At the recommendation of the other four in our party, all of whom had been before, for the main course, I got the burger. Now, I live in Chicago and I've been to several places that have a legitimate claim on the "best burger in Chicago" title, and I'll go ahead and say that this one was as good if not better than the best that I've had in Chicago. It came with a perfect burger bun--egg bread, I believe, condensed into a pillow-like sponge that captured and controlled the elements within the burger without stifling them. The meat was perfect. The bacon was amazing. The cheese--raclette--was maybe the most perfect cheese I've had on a burger. The egg was, well, an egg. (And that's a good thing.) And the aioli that sat drizzled casually on the interior of the top bun was a perfect garnish. Other restaurants like to overcomplicate what it is to nail a burger, but Le Comptoir finds beauty in simplifying the whole thing, omitting the paradox of choice, and allowing the patron lucky enough to be seated within their light, airy confines to exist free of the anxiety that they might have to make some choice with regard to a menu item that would render an otherwise amazing dish somehow less so. So please go, order the burger, add an egg, for the love of God, please get it medium-rare, and let them handle the rest. You won't be disappointed, unless, of course, you are. And if you are, you're wrong. I'll be back! read more

We hosted 22 friends and family for a birthday dinner at Le Comptoir. The owner Stephan was fantastic to work with -- he proposed a menu that started with charcuterie, cheese and a gem salad. Guests had four options for entrees. Le Comptoir's store next to the restaurant was rearranged so we could sit together at a long table which made for a festive, fun dinner. Great European vibe -- casual and lively. I highly recommend! read more

Le Comptoir - French Near Me - San Rafael, California

Went back just before the closures over the pandemic, and had another steak. It was excellent, and as good as any entrecote I had in Paris. Five Stars! read more

I have never had a bad bite of food or sip of wine at Le Comptoir. The quality of everything they produce is just amazing. And given the current situation, they are going above and beyond to make sure they're still able to provide their amazing food to patrons. Last night we ordered the Rotisserie Chicken and the Hangar Steak. Both were made to order and we picked them up after shopping in their market that's right next door. During these crazy times, we need to go out of our way to make sure these local gems stay in good positions. That way, when the crisis is over, places like Le Comptoir will be ready to open their doors when given the green light from local government! SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS - WE LOVE LE COMPTOIR!!!! read more

I heard great things about this French restaurant from a co-worker. My husband and I decided to have our anniversary dinner there, just the two of us. We ordered: Escargot which was different in that it was sauteed in butter and garlic with mushrooms and a few greens and presented on a plate rather than individually on a escargot pan. This made it much easier to savor every last drop of the sauce with the bread. Frites with aioli sauce was fried and seasoned to perfection. Roast duck with fig and apples: Duck was cooked just right, medium well as requested. The sauce though was a bit too overwhelming and sweet. Half Barbecue chicken with roasted potatoes: It was a big portion and the basil garlic dipping sauce was the best part of the dish. Service was attentive and helpful. I must note that when we return next time, we will not choose to sit in the corner table. I sat facing the wall and It had a very claustrophobic feel to it. The huge mirror on the wall was hung too high to allow a view of anything behind me but the boring white ceiling and there was nothing on the wall to look at either. read more

Have been to dinner there a few times The people are nice, but the food is very average and really not worth the money they need to charge to cover their overhead It's a shame, because San Rafael could use a few more good options read more

Great addition to the San Rafael restaurant options. Ambience: simple design got it right. It has a modern feel without seeming like a restaurant group designed it. Staff: amazing! We have been here a few times and they great you at the door, welcome you in and even remembered our names (or maybe it was the wine we drank?). Either way it they make you feel like they are welcoming you, not just serving you. Food: good and at very reasonable prices. We had the chicken and the salmon. Not complaints about the chicken and I'd highly recommend the salmon. This will become a regular in our rotation! read more

Stopped in on a Friday night and was lucky enough to score a table. Real French bread and butter started off the meal. The waiter knew his menu and I wanted to order so many things but since it was just two of us we couldn't. Just means we need to go back. The beet salad was amazing. My husband had the burger which he said was the best he's ever had. The frites were hot and crunchy. I had the Beef Cheeks with creamy polenta. Rich dark sauce with tender meat with really yummy polenta and a few carrots. Bottle of Red wine and we were very happy. We will return because the mussels that went by me smelled so good...also want to try a deep fried cheese ball. Looked crunchy on the outside and soft gooey cheese on the inside. If we didn't get the wine it would have been 60 bucks plus tip. Will return with a bottle next time. read more

Le Comptoir - French Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Amazing meals with friend. Quality of fresh ingredients and flavorful dish from the menu was the highlight of our meal. Service was great and his attention to us was not overly extended just enough to help and anticipate with our needs. The place is charming and I like that they allow walk ins sitting on the high tops without having to wait. read more

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We met friends here last night and had the best meal. The wait staff were incredibly nice and attentive. The food here is outstanding. We started our meal with bone marrow, escargot that had been deep fried and a puff pastry with mushrooms and chestnuts. All of the starters were really delicious but the mushroom puff pastry dish was my favorite. Even my friend who isn't big mushroom fan enjoyed the dish. For our main dishes, my husband got the steak, I got the rotisserie chicken and our friends got the lamb shank and sea bass. Most of our plates went back clean. I will admit, my dish was half a chicken (perfectly cooked), but was hard for me to finish in one sitting with the delicious crispy potatoes that came with it. So if you order the chicken, just know it is a lot of food. We ended the night with fruit sabayon, profiteroles and ice-cream. The profiteroles were especially delicious. I will definitely return, this restaurant is an instant classic. read more

Really nice French Bistro in San Rafael. Great (though pricey) wine selection and excellent menu with creative twists. I had moules mariniere and the sauce was the best I've had, along with Frites that were great and a nice endive salad. Desert was a hazelnut brownie that was excellent, dense, and big enough to share. My companions had steelhead and flatiron steak respectively, which they pronounced excellent. Small place with limited seating. We didn't have a reservation, so we got to sit at long bar-type tables - not a problem, but the stools had no backs, which was less than 100% comfortable and left no place for coats. Service was friendly, prompt, and uneven in that we often had to look for a waiter, but the maitre d' was very knowledgeable and helpful as well as friendly. Definitely worth a detour. read more

Oh la la! This sexy French newcomer certainly lives up to the hype. I came here last Friday night for dinner (reservations are def recommended). My friend and I were a few minutes early for our 8pm resy, so we grabbed a glass of bubbles at the bar area. Within minutes, we were seated by the friendly manager (and they kindly transferred our bar tab to our dinner tab). While the interior isn't exactly fancy, the atmosphere is lively. This is probably the most happening dinner spot in downtown San Rafael right now. My friend and I decided to take the menu recommendations from Yelpers. So we ordered a Lightly Fried Camembert (which comes with greens, mustard vinaigrette, pear, sunflower and squash seeds) as a starter, and then we shared the Grilled Flat-Iron Steak Frites (which comes with green peppercorn sauce) and their slow-roasted Free-range Half-Chicken (which comes with rotisserie roasted potatoes and your choice of sauce). I will say that the chicken for me was the stand-out dish. You're not going to find a more succulent piece of poultry in all of Marin. My friend enjoyed her steak frites, but I personally thought the piece was a little too under-cooked for medium-rare. C'est la vie. For dessert, we split the profiteroles (decadent puff pastries drenched in chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream). Mon Dieu! Service was top-notch. The food was stellar. The pricing is incredibly reasonable. And as an added bonus, they have a French epicerie next door (where true Francophiles can purchase gourmet imported goodies like cheese, wine, jams, butter, mustards, gateaux, etc.). If you're seeking fine/unpretentious dining in San Rafael, look no further than Le Comptoir. C'est formidable! read more

This place used to be great. Maybe they have a new check and a now absent owner. I took 45 minutes to get an appetizer of Quenelle and the preparation was covered with cheese. My onion soup was luke- warm but I was afraid to send to back. The rabbit had so much mustard that was all you could taste. My son's hamburger took 1 hour. The tall tables are avoided - why don 't they change them? This was probably our last time there. We came at 5:30 for an early dinner and left without dessert at 7:00. Things are just not right there. read more

This place is DELICIOUS. I'm usually a total American girl when it comes to my burger - I want it basic and I want it with 'sauce American' (ketchup). Well, let me tell you: the Le Comptoir burger is so damn fine, it needs absolutely nothing added. Not one thing. It's that good. It was perfectly cooked and served with raclette cheese, bacon, caramelized red onion and aïoli on a buttery-yummy bun with the most incredible fries. If you are going to judge a French restaurant, judge them on their frites - the frites here are as good as any I've had in France. The escargot beignets were equally delicious and unique. My husband and I generally like to sit at the bars of restaurants and share things. We did this here. Our server was delightful, friendly, and very helpful about our trying a few new wines. Very cool guy. I don't recall his name at the moment, unfortunately, but he was great. He's from Mexico City. Anyway, while we loved our experience at the bar - from the food, the wine, to our server - the beautifully red stools just aren't all that comfy. That is the only reason for the 4 stars. Otherwise, this place is 5 stars in my book! read more

Saturday night. Le Comptoir is not open. I am really really hoping it hasn't closed permanently. It was fantastic! Please reopen!!!!

We ate dinner there last night to celebrate Bastille Day. The restaurant has a very nice upscale Bistro decor. The problem is the food is terrible. I ordered Sweetbreads as an appetizer and they tasted like paste - the sauce was thick and flavorless. I had Salmon for my entree and that too was lacking. The fish should be fresh, moist, flavorful - and it was not. It was dry and a poor cut of salmon that I think was frozen. My husband had the hanger steak and that was also poor. The best part of the dinner was the champagne and the wines. The service was very good. A French restaurant Chef should be able to present beautiful, flavorful sauces for their dishes. I don't think we will be back. read more

Hubby and I recently tried this place for a late dinner after having seen a film at the Rafael Theatre (across the street). I had resisted eating there until now, because from looking in I didn't see any seating that would be comfortable for me. What you see through the windows are tall tables and chairs, which don't work for me. Once inside, we found some regular tables in the cozy back right corner. I had the salmon which was very good, and my side was polenta. This was the best polenta I have ever had and I can't wait to go there again. read more

How soon can I get back here for another dinner? So much more to try! The escargot beignet app was off-the-hook delicious. I had never put "escargot" and "beignet" together, either in my mind, or in reality, but Wow. Ravioli entree similarly plate-licking orgasmic. A cheese plate between courses that required the owner to intervene because it wasn't on the menu, only in the petit deli next door, but the creamiest semi-aged goat ever (Tome D'Adrienne -- thanks, Janis!). I'd take half a star off for the pedestrian salmon entree, but honestly, I'm so *frisson*ed to get actual French bistro food in San Friggin Rafael that I'll quietly overlook it and choose otherwise next time. Which will be soon, oui? Have I already said I'm coming back soon? UPDATE 7/17: I'm coming back down to earth after more recent visits. The above dishes continue to impress, but the mussels in white wine were unimpressive, as were the frog legs. "Le blush is off la rose!" 4 stars maximum. read more

Britt causes merry mayhem with cheese a great night a lovely place with great staff ,the best restaurant in MARIN county by far read more

Le Comptoir - French Near Me - San Rafael, California

My babe and I just got back from one of our best dinners. We arrived at 5.30 at Le Comptoir and were told that the the only seats that were open were at the bar. Wow, I have never been to a Marin restaurant at 5.30 and told that all tables in the house were taken. We took our bar seats and after 15 minutes, the entire restaurant was full. The restaurant is decorated in a very trendy, up-scale look with a cool and hip vibe. For dinner, we ordered the Beef Tartar, Pesto Ravioli, Burger and Steak with Fries. The Beef Tartar was outstanding.....one of the best that I have eaten. The Ravioli, Burger and Steak were also awesome. Each was very tasty, perfectly prepared and satisfying. The Fries made me come in my pants....yup, that good. For desert, we had the Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp. The Chocolate cake came with Vanilla Ice Cream and was the perfect ending for a fantastic meal. Le Comptoir is one of the best, if not the best restaurant in Marin. The food, decor and ambience is awesome. I met the owner Stephan and he was great to talk to. For a great French meal, you don't have to drive to Yountville and eat at Bouchon, go to Le Comptoir in San Rafael and save your gas money for another bottle of wine. Its just as good if not better....just don't tell Thomas Keller. read more

I will admit that I was more that a bit skeptical about all of the hype surrounding the opening of this new restaurant, however I was very pleased to find that they live up to all of their positive press on Yelp. Based on the buzz, we knew it was in our best interest to have a reservation - especially for a Friday night. We were right. When we arrived at 6:15 for our 6:30 reservation, the bar and communal tables were already filled to capacity, and the hostess was turning people away since all open tables were reserved. The staff was quick to get our wine order and within minutes of sitting down, we were enjoying a Delamotte Brut Rose. Our intrepid band of diners started our evening with charcuterie and a cheese plates - each with three amazing selections. We found all of the items to be very tasty and well paired with the breads provided. Our escargot loving diner was a bit disappointed to find that the escargot were not served in the traditional style - swimming in individual pools of garlicky butter, but instead were served as beignets with a garlic, parsley butter. However, she was more than delighted with what she had - offering very positive comments regarding the texture of the crust enhancing the enjoyment of the escargot. Also the sauce was very well received. The other two diners had the onion soup, which was the only disappointment of the meal - not because of the taste, but because of it being served lukewarm. The flavor was amazing and the presentation was perfect. I'm guessing the soup wasn't hot when they floated the bread and cheese and ran it under the salamander. For entrees we choose the Petrale Sole, Roasted Chicken, and Beef Cheeks. The sole was perfectly cooked - tender and flakey without any dryness. Our fish eater was thrilled to find it was served with parsnip puree. It is her observation that Americans really don't know what to do with parsnips, so this seemed a very French touch to her. The roasted chicken was moist and flavorful - tender enough to be eaten easily without being so well done as to be sliding off the bone. The potatoes had great flavor from the drippings. The beef cheeks were so tender as to almost fall apart in your mouth. The sauce with them was deemed "yummy." We added Haricots Verts and Frites as additional sides. Both were excellent. For dessert we had two orders of the Profiteroles and one order of the Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp. The profiteroles were just the right size and not tough. (The kiss of death for pastry.) The chocolate sauce was just the right amount. The chocolate hazelnut crisp was deemed "delightful." Dessert was enhanced by a lovely glass of something sent over by the owner. The restaurant hasn't been open for long, so a certain amount of growing pains are to be expected. Their food is certainly spot-on except for the incident with the soup, but they do need to tighten up their service. Plates were never picked up between courses, and we were always holding up our old plates so that the new courses could be delivered. They were, however, always right on our glasses which were always filled. The staff was all exceptional friendly and showed great promise. I know that within a short period of time the service will be smooth and professional. Based on observations while there, I'm thinking they may want to rethink the banquette for 10, as it takes up a lot of space and can't be broken down into anything smaller. The owner (We think - he had a bandaged hand when we were there.) was very personable and made an effort to drop by the table several times to discuss options and see how we were enjoying our meal. Even with the crowd, he made us feel very welcome and appreciated. The hostess was very professional and patient, as evidenced by her trying to explain to the group of women ahead of us who refused to accept that the tables were all reserved and that without a reservation they would have to wait for seats on the bar or communal tables. As final evidence that Le Comptoir is a welcome addition to the Marin restaurant scene, while eating I noticed my cousin standing at the bar with a friend. It seems it was their third visit since the restaurant had opened as many weeks ago. Our dinner guest summed it up very well in her thank you note, "I guess it's a good sign when you wonder what something on the menu, like deep fried camembert, tastes like and want to go back to try it." There are lots of things on the menu we want to go back to taste. read more

Very disappointed with this place after a few tries. The onion soup is quite good, as is the ravioli, but the meals have been very inconsistent. I have had medium rare be interpreted as a purple (cool) steak with slight searing and the wine reduction is simply bland. My wife and I were here recently, and upon realizing we hadn't been served for quite a while (apparently our waiter was also the owner) we observed him messing with a bottle of wine with a stuck cork for a good 15 minutes. He served the wine, cork bits and all, through a strainer to the guests who ordered it. Must have been some bottle of wine! Afterward we were promptly ignored for a further 10-15 minutes by which time we were fed up and left. Might be teething issues for a new place, might be something else, but we won't be going back. read more

Let's just say very disappointed. Service was confused and did not know the menu or the specials that evening. Food average. Everything seemed prepared ahead of time and thrown together. read more

What's that? The Cheese Cave. Oh. What's that? That's the rotisserie, with the meat fat dripping down onto the roasting potatoes. Oh, of course. But what's that? The meat slicer, imported from Europe. It's a work of art, really. Wow, right here in San Rafael? Damn... Yeah, that conversation must be happening five or six times a day now that Le Comptoir is finally open. It's been two years since the doors were open in the last incarnation of what passed for a restaurant. Man, what a difference. The menu will continue to tweak and improve, but the heart of the staff - both FOH and BOH - are industry veterans, many of whom were trained by owner Stephan Bouillez in his SF Bistro, "Gamine", where he over-staffed for months to assure the Comptoir team could perform to his standards upon opening. We've been Gamine patrons for over a decade, and are now enthusiastic supporters of Stephan's newest effort. A Word on Wines I tasted two superb wines with my meal, both from the Loire Valley - a Chenin Blanc that was like mainlining the aromas and flavors of my last Loire visit, and a Cabernet Franc (was it Chinon? Or Touraine? Or.. damn, I can't find my notes) - both were new discoveries and wines I'll order repeatedly, once my brain kicks in and i know what to ask for. This is a location we'll be sure to visit with every pass through San Rafael. read more

It was mediocre. The meat was tough. I asked for medium and it came out blue. I sent it back and it came out still blue.