A good little neighborhood French bistro. Definitely simple, understated, and with moderately priced as French places go. I guess my friend describes it best as peasant French cuisine . Service is a bit on the slow side but the owner and staff are warm, friendly people. Onion soup, roast duck and escargot were all winners. A place to go for a leisurely dinner without having to empty out the wallet. read more

We had another wonderful meal on Saturday for date night. Jeanmichele, thank you so much for the wonderful food and wine. Our appetizers (escargot and mousse de foie) were excellent, the salad was perfect and lightly dressed, my duck entre was one of the best I have had and my wife raved about her vegetable puff pastry. I don' think we will ever be able to pass up the tarte tartin. We are happy to travel further from home to get our taste of France in Mt. View. Our visit left us looking forward to our next date night with you and your great staff. read more

Legit !! Came here on a Thursday night to discover neighborhood gem. Came across this spot in Yelp. We had house red wine which is cab, very yum. Service was decent. We ordered lobster bisque to begin with, duck and salmon as main dish, and at the end topped it with a dessert. Good quality of food for this cozy little French bistro read more

Le Petit Bistro - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

I just wanted to do another update. My husband and I order some juicy filet mignons a few days ago. During covid19, they only have take out. those filets was so damn good we order again the very next day. The chef is excellent at what he does. French restaurants is usually not my thing but the food is so good here and portions are not small at all. You can even order a bottle of wine to go. I highly recommend ordering dessert. They also have weekly specials. Their steaks changes weekly too, so filet mignon may not always be on the menu. Next time I'll take pictures. read more

Delicious French food! We've come here a handful of times over the years and we are never disappointed. Now it's only takeout but the process is easy and the quality is still great. This last weekend we had the croque monsieur, halibut fish special, duck with orange sauce, chicken cordon bleu and the cheesecake to finish. The vegetable sides were perfectly cooked and very tasty. The house made bread is amazing. We've had the salad and Mousse de Foie de Canard in the past - also delicious! Please support this small business! read more

We were nine, came here for my husband birthday and Le Petit didn't disappoint. Our first time trying this place and definitely not our last. Traditional French, food done exceedingly well. I ordered the escargot for appetizer, the oven roasted duck for entree, and chocolate mousse for dessert. Escargot was very tender, had an awesome garlic-herb-buttery sauce. I couldn't stop myself from dipping bread into the sauce after I finished it. The duck was cooked perfectly. The staff was extremely attentive to our group and welcoming, but aren't overwhelming you so they don't interrupt your party. The chef was kind enough to come and speak to us on the way out. Downside is that the facility itself in need of renovation it seemed, but the ambiance is really nice, definitely had an authentic French vibe. You don't come here for creativity, but for consistent execution of French basics. Overall, everyone was beyond happy with their choices, and with family style dining at our table we were all in agreement. read more

Being French, this place is just great to remind me of home. It's cozy, small, family atmosphere like in France. Don't expect fancy dating, here is all about the authenticity! Aline is the sweetest waitress, and Jean Michel is a great french chef. Hands up for the Coq au Vin! Plus, the wine list is just on point! read more

Cute french bistro in mountain view! Decor is charming and cozy. I have passed this place so many times, but never had a chance to come. Had the pork medallions. Family had the sole and the salmon. Everything was delicious. Dessert was even better!! Creme brulee and ice cream and apple pie. Everything is well made and you can tell lots of detail and attention went into it. Good service as well. So happy to have found this place! read more

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This place was good. Ordered the duck and it was pretty crispy and tasty. My favorite part was their imported beer - which was from Belgium and had a nice peachy aroma to it. read more

Mixed experience. Welcomed warmly at the door. Service was efficient with bread and water constantly refilled. Waitress was also efficient and knew her menu. Mixed because, although service in the actual serving was good, it lacked friendliness and joy. Not many smiles. Maybe that was part of the French authenticity! When leaving, not a single thank you or acknowledgment. Weird. Food was also mixed. Lamb chops were excellent as were the desserts. Lobster bisque was creamy and had a subtle lobster tomalley taste which unfortunately was slightly overwhelmed by the cream . Filet Mignon was delicate and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The duck however, was overcooked and very dry. read more

My friends and I came here on a Friday night to celebrate all of our birthdays together. This place was tiny so we missed it twice when we were on El Camino. When we arrived, there was a sign that says it only fits about 40 ish people. The proximity between tables to tables were very close too so we definitely heard other people's conversation. My fiance and I decided to share the lobster bisque. When it came out, it smelled fishier than usual and it was extremely watery! We both thought: shouldn't bisque be thicker?! We had three slurps and left it at the table. The waitress asked if we were done with the bisque when she clearly saw the cup was still full. Any good waitress would ask if something was wrong with the taste but she didn't. I decided to get the filet mignon in medium rare. It was more like medium. I was really disappointed because any French restaurant I've been to nailed the temperature of the meat. However, the sauce was very flavorful. The waitress asked my friends and I whose birthday it was. We replied and said it was everyone's since all of our birthdays were only a week apart. Any restaurant would have complimentary slice of cake or something on the house. But she didn't bring out anything for us. One of our friend had to order creme brulee on the side and the waitress stuck 2 candles on it. Overall, I wouldn't come back to have a 'fancy' dining. It was expensive, service was sub-par and food wasn't great. read more

I brought my parents here after Christmas while they were visiting me from Colorado and they wanted to try some of the international fares that Mountain View has to offer. Le Petit Bistro is a small dining room that seats maybe 40 guests, so although it employs only a handful of staff it is easy to get the attention of the servers, and even the restaurant owner/head chef came out to chat with us. Both he and our server were from France, and overall it felt like a very authentic ambiance. The food was delicious. As an appetizer we shared the escargot, which was flavorful but not so filling that it spoiled our appetites for the main course. I chose the filet mignon (perfectly cooked and tender), my dad picked the salmon special in a creamy shallot sauce, and my mom had the rabbit special. We expected the rabbit to be gamey, but it was a pleasantly light and soft meat with a mushroom sauce poured over the top. For dessert we had some coffee (a nice bold roast in true French fashion) and my dad and I chose the Grand Marnier Cheesecake (the orange flavor really enhanced an otherwise traditional cheesecake with a nutty crust) and my mom decided on the Chocolate Mousse, which was wonderfully rich and creamy. Overall we had a really nice time and a wonderful meal and I would recommend this restaurant for a lovely night out! read more

Great cuisine! Delicious. And more important, fantastic team. Go there, you won't be disappointed ;)

Delicious French authentic cuisine. I found this restaurant on Yelp and I go every last Thursday of the month with my French group "les Gaulois". Every body appreciate this Little French nest. read more

Le Petit Bistro - Delicious salmon - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

A petite hole in the wall in the best way! We've driven past this small restaurant on El Camino countless times without seeing it. Once we stopped, we've been back multiple times having tasted a delightful menu of authentic French cuisine. Intimate ambience, affordable prices and white tablecloth settings. Helpful hint: ask for additional bread to soak up all the fabulous sauces that go with the dishes. read more

When we went there last week we were told that the chef is only offering a few dishes for the night. We decided to stay anyway Staff was friendly, atmosphere was comfortable and quiet. We had the watercress soup, which was very good, and an appetizer recommended by the waitress. I forgot the name of the dish, but it's like a mini tarte with crab meat on it. It's SO GOOD. We also had sole and salmon for entree, then creme brulee for dessert. The creme crulee was very smooth and creamy. read more

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Not good at all :( The duck liver was messed up, the lamb chop was over cooked. The place is old, not well decorated, not good for dating read more

This is what Yelp is all about. This restaurant is in an unassuming stretch of El Camino. What you see is a somewhat dated restaurant with a simple menu, old fashioned place settings and cutlery. What you can't see from just looking is the warmth of the lovely French lady who makes you feel like you're a long lost friend joining her at home for dinner. Good service of course can never be the final determining factor in a restaurant's success- it's all about the food. Luckily, Le Petit Bistro delivers on that front as well! I treated my parents to an early Father's Day dinner. Everything we ordered was good, but several stuck out- the French onion soup- deeply flavored with just the right amount of toasted, dunked bread and cheese. Intense, yet not overly salty. The lobster bisque was delicious- lobstery and decadent. For mains, the duck with cherry sauce (orange sauce in winter I think) was phenomenal. A very generous half-duck serving, deliciously seasoned and roasted till crispy, then cooked through to perfection- not overcooked, and not at all rare. Portions are pretty generous, so we didn't make it to the dessert menu, but the crepe special looked nice. All in all, great food, warm service. I would highly recommend to anyone craving traditional French bistro fare. read more

Completely unassuming and you'd miss it if you weren't looking for it. It is a little gem in a dated building along El Camino. The interior is anything but modern but to a certain degree it is a nice change. The service is warm. It is as though you've stepped into someone's home. I had the coq au vin which was tender, flavourful and the meat just fell apart. My husband got the steak which he found cooked perfectly. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and happy we decided to give this place a try. read more

In order to make myself more credible I must admit my shame: I am part French. Yes, that is the truth though you will not see it in my eyes for I have buried it deep, deep down in the dark baggage of my psyche. I have also grown up on French food, grandpa having been chef and proprietor of French cuisine back in the day. Before I get to Le Petit Bistro let me also ramble on, perhaps even wax philosophical a bit, in a tedious and long-winded fashion about gastronomy and food in general. The way I see it, no human activity engages as many senses at once as eating. Appearance, taste, smell, texture, even sound are all accounted for at the same time. Next time you sit down to a meal, try to pick out each one of these sensory experiences as you eat--you'll find they're all there. It's a delightful waltz of sensation, verily. And you know, there is a singular sort of pleasure to having all of your senses stimulated at once in such a cohesive package. For me, it is a transporting experience to eat something truly excellent--it sucks me into the gooey core of the moment, where I cannot be touched by extraneous sensations except those being stimulated by the food. It is, dare I say, downright spiritual. All that of course was a needlessly lengthy wind-up for this: Le Petit Bistro makes downright spiritual food. There is not a single thing I tried among their dinner options that did not transport me, make me melt into a sticky pile of concentrated sensation. I have tried 4 of their entrees, 3 of their hors d'oeuvres, 2 of their desserts, and a wine whose name I now have forgotten...some bordeaux from Pauillac? All of it pure bliss. The scallops with emmantal cheese, the brandy and beer marinated chicken, the filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce, the escargot, the mussels in lemon butter sauce, the lobster bisque, oh god! But my favorite of all was the roast duck. Anyone who is a fan of duck is probably also a fan of pork, and they are a fan of those meats for one reason: fat. The fat gives the meat a certain indulgent richness and with a crisp skin to top it off, not even the Rapture could diminish the experience of eating good duck or pork. Duck is a fatty game bird and if not done right, it comes out greasy and with leathery skin. But at Le Petit Bistro the meat was moist and rich without greasiness, and the skin perfectly crispy--not crunchy!--just crispy, just right. Really, I should also mention something about the restaurant facility itself and the service and the environment and atmosphere, but I can't get away from the duck. In my mind, a nubile young cheerleader is undoing her top, from behind which pieces of Le Petit Bistro's roast duck are floating toward me. It's really kind of disturbing. But in all fairness, the environment at Le Petit Bistro did nothing to distract me from the food. The restaurant is small and cozy and humble and homey and not some disdainful high-dining affair where you must feel uptight lest your social status is showing as some French dining in the states turns out to be. It really was all about the food. read more

I have been here a few times and every time I have been impressed with this place. This place is pretty small and if you don't know about it, you will drive right pass it. The most recent time I came with was last night with my brother-in-law. He wanted to try some good places in the south bay, so I suggested this place. This is a true French restaurant and is owned by a French family. The Lady that took our order was French and I think she is the owner of the place and her husband is the cook in the kitchen. The ambiance of the restaurant feels really warm and welcoming. The decor does make it seem like your are in a French Restaurant. We got seated right away as we made reservations. If you are a big eater and expect big portions, this is not the place for you. As for me, the portion size is perfect and I'm not the typical girl that just eat a little bit. People that knows me, know I love my food and I'm not shy on eating. I've been told that I eat more than a girl my size would eat. The menu is very simple, but they do have the meats you may want (beef, pork, chicken, duck). I started out with the Lobster Bisque. Absolutely delicious with chunks of lobster in it. You can taste the lobster in the bisque with the perfect amount of spice. The bisque was also very creamy. I convinced my brother-in-law to try the Escargot as I have tried this in the past. This is a MUST TRY dish. The thought of eating snail doesn't appeal to his appetite, but at last he was willing to try it. This was his first time eating Escargot and he absolutely loved it. The sauce compliments the Escargot very well. After finishing the Escargot, he was trying to get every last bit of the sauce to put on the bread. This is how much he enjoyed it. I got the Medallion De Porc Aux Champignons for my main course. Although the pork wasn't as tender as I liked it to be, it was still very flavorful and delicious. It also came with a small side of carrots, green beans, and mash potatoes. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, not too soft and not too hard. The presentation of the food was also very nice. The portion was just right, although I had a little bit left on my plate. You can tell by the taste and the presentation of the food that they put a lot of time into perfecting the dish. My brother-in-law got the Coq Au Vin De Chanturge. He wanted something light because he wasn't hungry to start out with. When his dish came out, he devoured it and left only the bones of the chicken on the plate..... (and I thought he said he wasn't hungry)...Luckily, before he started eating, he gave me a little piece to try. The chicken was very tender and melts in your mouth. Very savory and delicious. He also said this place is by far the best French Restaurants he has ever been to and will definitely come back here to try other dishes. We were too full to have dessert, but did try some of their desserts the previous times I've been here. My favorite is the Chocolate Mousse. They have the best chocolate mousse ever! read more

Small, but not too small. And very French, but not *too* French. It was rather strongly suggested, when we called about 7:45 on a Friday evening for an 8:30 reservation, that 8:00pm would be better. And it was - we finished our dinner just as the last table, but just barely. Service staff was French-speaking, and seemed a little skittish, making sure that we knew what the sweetbread course we ordered was; that we were not expecting a dessert or something. Started with a delicious, if somewhat variably colored duck liver pate and some of the best escargots I've had recently - neither too strongly flavored nor soaked in butter. My companion had their fish special - salmon with hollandaise sauce, advertised as on the side, confirmed with the server as on the side, and served directly on top of the large portion of perfectly-cooked fish. The sweetbreads were wonderful, achieving good flavor and excellent texture, again some of the best I've had. Wine may be had by the glass - either a red or a white. They were pouring a Napa Sauvignon Blanc that night. The pour was generous and the wine tasty. My companion chose a mysteriously-named Belgian Peach Beer, which turned out to be one of the Lindeman's family of rather over-sweet lambics. They have an interesting wine list, but many of the descriptions are unusually vague, requiring further consultation if you happen to care who made your $60 bottle of Chateauneuf de Pape, and in what year. We chose the tarte tatin for dessert over the strongly suggested crepes, perhaps a mistake. Though the apples were only disappointingly mushy, the crust was completely soaked and tough. Overall, they were very friendly, and the food was surprisingly good for a little door on the side of El Camino. read more

OK, this place might not have the best French food I've ever had in my life, but for the price, atmosphere, and service, I have to say they do a pretty damn good job. I made a reservation to celebrate the boyfriend's recent promotion here (since he's a fan of French food) and I was a little taken aback when they didn't have my reservation on file (I got an email confirmation and everything). Luckily it wasn't super busy, so they were able to set us up with a table no problem... though I wonder what would've happened if they were busy... Part of the reason I think I thought this place was much better is probably because I just recently experienced Chapeau! in the city and was sorely disappointed with the service we received. In contrast to the uncaring and slightly rude waiter there... Le Petite Bistro seemed *much* better. It will also not empty your pockets as much (pricing is way more reasonable for a dinner... you can splurge a little and still walk away feeling like you didn't empty your wallet!). The food wasn't anything ridiculously fancy, but I don't think that was the point of this restaurant. They have a much more "homey" feel rather than super fancy feel (I've only been to two French restaurants, so take that with a grain of salt). I got the feeling that it was meant to be more affordable. I haven't had French food too much myself, so I had a hard time judging if the food was just ordinary/extraordinary. We started with two appetizers, the lobster bisque and the mousse de foie de canard. Both of them were very tasty, and the portions were incredibly generous (compared to Chapeau!). I usually don't get what the hype is about liver/pâté is, but I did actually like that dish more than I would have thought. Our main courses were the coq au vin de Chanturgue and the medallions de porc aux champignons which were both quite a bit of food. I wouldn't say they were ridiculously memorable in any way, but they were cooked perfectly and I didn't have any issues with them. The dessert was also not particularly memorable. Tasty, but not memorable. All in all, one of the biggest reasons I give this place four stars is because the waiter/waitress was extremely accommodating. In contrast to our experience at Chapeau!, when I asked the waiter for a recommendation for the wine and he just looked at me stupidly and said I should figure it out because there are hundreds of wines, here they gladly recommended a couple to get us started and even poured a generous tasting glass for us to try! How refreshing XD The meal ended up costing around $125ish (with tip included) for two appetizers, two main courses, a dessert, and a bottle of wine! That's affordable for sure. If anything, I'd much rather support people who work hard and really try to make the experience fantastic :D Would come back to try other things for sure, but I can see why some people might not have thought it was the most amazing experience ever. All and all, don't expect something super fancy and you'll walk away pretty pleased. read more

I'm a big fan of french food and have tried most of Bay Area's restaurants. I was very disappointed by the food and the high price of Le Petit Bistro . The escargots had no taste at all (and I know what I'm talking about). The lamb was so so, the fish was not fresh. The worst was the desert. I took their "crepe au chocolat" the worst I ever had: the crepe was uncooked and was cold and the chocolate was low quality. There are so many better french restaurant around. read more

What a little gem right on El Camino Real in Mtn. View. Had dinner there tonight. Some of the finest food, for sure, in that immediate area of Mtn. View to include Castro Street. Went early when it opened with a friend. We were seated immediately. It is a small operation, and I can see how they may be much slower if it gets packed. Our server was the Russian lady, and she was very attentive to our needs. We both had salad, main course and dessert. Salad was a butter lettuce with some cheese, apples, and a nice dressing. Very fresh and tasty. I had the medallions of pork, and my friend had the special which was a filet. My pork, was tender and covered with a great French reduction glaze. My companion's steak was cooked to perfection as medium rare. The red wine reduction sauce was unbelievable. Rich and complex flavors exploded (we get to taste test the other's meal). I offered to trade, but was refused. I had the crepe full of whip cream and strawberries, while my friend had the tiramisu. Both were delectable. You can check out their other menu items here: http://www.lepetitbistro.biz/dinner.php A note on the wine: for some reason they have a red and white house wine by the glass and only one of each. I taste tested and yuk. Hard to believe that a great restaurant like this would have such bad wine as their house wine. I thought, oh well, there goes your Yelp rating. But, when I explained the issue to my server, I told her that I really would like the dark cab from Bennet Lane to go with the steak and pork (it was listed as bottle only on the menu). To my surprise, she said no problem, and said she would pour it by the glass). Now that is service. The Yelp star meter really shot up after that. Overall, the place is small and cozy and nothing fancy. I wouldn't make it the real special occasion restaurant (birthdays/anniversaries) as it is just not quite up to that class (go to Chez TJ for that). However, for wonderful French food with California infusion at very reasonable prices, Le Petit Bistro should end up as a regular stop in the neighborhood. read more

This place is a joke. The only thing that is french about this place is the accent of the woman who runs the place. The dish is tasteless and definitely is not prepared by French chef. The silverware is old and dirty. If you want to spend money , there are plenty of decent French restaurants in the bay that deserve your time and money. read more

Another great neighborhood restaurant. I love French food and LOVE authentic French food. I lived in Paris for almost a decade and miss the food there. Many French places on the Peninsula and South Bay miss the mark for me, but this is not the case with Le Petit Bistro. The owner here is a delight and chatted with us throughout our meal and even sent us a free port after our meal. We were served by an array of people and we tipped well because we had such great service. The food was delicious. We started with Lobster Bisque and a Salad (shared both) and both had steak for our main course. We splurged on dessert as well and chose the indulgent creme brulee. The atmosphere is cosy and warm. I look forward to returning. read more

WHAT A CHARMING LITTLE GEM! I've been feeling really keen on trying French food lately ever since I ate at a darling French cafe, Cafe Rolle, in my hometown of Sacramento. As a belated Valentine's dinner, my boyfriend and I found Le Petit Bistro on Yelp and wanted to try it, considering it seemed more affordable than other French restaurants in the area. My oh my, were we pleasantly surprised! As we were driving to find the restaurant, we drove past twice because we were expecting such a small exterior. Once we parked and were inside, I was already smitten. Dimly lit and quite romantic, the decor doesn't try too hard at all. It's quiet and comfortable, elegant but casual. We made reservations, so we were seated promptly. We were started off with complimentary baguettes and an extremely tasty spread ( garlic and roasted pepper aoli with homemade mayonnaise). The aoli was so good we could've probably licked the bowl clean.......... My boyfriend has an adventurous palate and is always pushing me to try new things, so we ordered the escargot and lobster bisque to start off with (the former being obviously more adventurous). The escargot was good - any "snaily" taste was covered by the garlic herb oil. The texture was much like a soft abalone (I think..). It was more pleasant than I thought it would be! The lobster bisque was so yummy, although I do wish there were more lobster pieces. For main courses, my boyfriend ordered the scallops in bechamel sauce and I ordered the duck with fruit sauce - can't remember the fancy French names! THE SCALLOPS WERE SCRUMPTIOUS. The cheesy, creamy bechamel absolutely made the dish. Boyfriend wouldn't let me steal too many scallops, but I was a happy camper dipping the extra bread in the sauce. Moving on to my duck...I'm Chinese so I'm pretty partial to our cantonese roasted ducks which are greasy, juicy, fatty birds of goodness. Having never tried duck that wasn't prepared a non-Asian way, I was excited to try. The duck was good, but not too memorable. The French preparation was much less greasy and fatty, and paired with the sweet fruit sauce, it made it much lighter than I'm used to. Don't get me wrong, I still very much enjoyed my duck dish, but I still very much prefer my Chinese prepared ducks. Overall, we had quite a pleasant experience. Le Petit Bistro makes me more excited for more French culinary adventures! My only complaint is that our water glasses weren't filled enough...not at all, actually...until the end of the meal. read more

Came here for my 9th years anniversary, it was quite an experience , all the hosts and servers are French and they all have that lovely French accent . Our server was a sweet blonde woman who was always attentive. in fact the chef forgot about my order and we ended up not having any bread or appetizer for 24 minutes but I didn't know bc the server was so friendly and I thought that service was suppose to be slow here , well that wasn't the case, our server immediately tells us the problem and offered us complimentary desserts , 2 desserts dishes ! If that isn't great service I don't know what is Atmosphere - ****dark, intimate yet cozy / interesting mix I know. The lightning is very dim and the restaurant is small , There's Van Gogh, Picasso and of course monet paintings on the wall and candle light on every table Basket bread - **** really good bread but I'm not surprised Appetizer - ***** escargot ! Definitely my favorite part of the meal , it was hot, savory and I swear the garlic and butter literally melt within your mouth Entrees Filet mignon- ***quite flavorful but not as tender as I imagine it to be Crispy duck -**** I love duck! The meat was dark and flavorful, skin is quite crispy and the sauce gives and sweet and salty balance to each bite I endeavor Desserts Creme brûlée -***** oh my the the richness of its taste is still melting in my mouth Crepe- ** eh not that great, crepe was to thick and fruits is way too sour Wine **** Why am I allergic to sulfite? My husband loves the wine read more

I really, really really want to love Le Petit Bistro, it has all the potential to be a 5 star restaurant but fell ever so short. The 5 stars could have been earned on the food alone. Which I mean, is why you go to a restaurant anyway, right? Everything my boyfriend, brother and I ate was excellent. For starters my brother chose the French onion soup - classically made with the distinct tastes that make you feel at home, the boyfriend went with lobster bisque - creamy and delicious, and I opted for the duck pate - equally creamy and delicious. For the main course I went with the filet mignon, served in a cognac and green peppercorn sauce, the dish was exceptional. While I requested the meat to be cooked to medium it was quite red (not pink, red) for my liking however it had the taste and consistency of melted butter, so no complaints there! Where the restaurant fell short was in the service and the atmosphere. Extremely small and what could be very cozy ended up feeling tight and wedged in as more and more dinner guests arrived. By small I literally mean there were under 20 tables, maybe even under 15. And with all tables seated the wait staff was visibly struggling to keep up. I almost felt bad for how many times I requested water but I felt less and less bad as time went on and that request was ignored repeatedly. Again since the restaurant was quite small the setting felt like it should be intimate however with no music playing there was an awkward hushed din across the restaurant, making it difficult to really hold a conversation. Pump in some classical French music, et voilà - you would have a perfectly romantic setting. I felt Le Petit Bistro was fairly priced for their offerings, while on the slightly pricier side I wouldn't expect much less from a high quality French fare restaurant. read more

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A restaurant with delicious food, friendly staff, and an intimate atmosphere. Arrived without reservations one Saturday evening with the family. Even though they had many reservations (the waiter advised us to reserve a table on weekends), they fit us in. I had the roasted half duck in orange fruit sauce, and I loved it. Doesn't seem like you can go wrong with their menu. read more

The decor is dated, like an 1980's restaurant, but the staff is very nice. Their menu is minimal, which would be fine if each and every item was spectacular. But we came here as a group of 8, and many of us ordered the duck in orange sauce, and the dish was just ok. It just wasn't spectacular. I just don't think they used the freshest ingredients, and I say this because, to me, the flavors just did not pop. And I'm someone who can be happy just with a slathering butter in a sauce! This just wasn't there. I really wished it were, especially since I live a mile away, but sadly, no. They need a new chef, or perhaps a sioux chef who knows how to turn this place upside down :-) read more

Started with the fois. Tasty, but lacked company. The accompaniment was a host of stuff that seemed to be there just to fill the plate and not seasoned at all. Then I ordered the filet mignon and requested it pink inside. It was so pink inside that it was raw! I returned it to the kitchen for repair. The waitress came back with it and said that the chef had opened it up for me!!! So my chunk of filet had been butterflied all the way through to create 2 pieces. One piece was now overcooked and the other ones still had raw meat inside. I have never seen anything like this! I told the waitress about this and she said she would tell the chef. I got some dessert wine - with the chef's apologies for the filet. Nice gesture, but the damage was already done. The rest of the plate was fine. The meat was under seasoned, but if he butterflied my filet, you can't ask for much more. Dessert was the worst. A peach something rather. The dough was mush and it had peaches baked in to it with mangoes and strawberries around it with some non-descript sauce. It was so gross, I could only eat a couple of bites. I really don't care what the place looks like or whether a place has convenient parking or not. I go for the food, and this place does not have good food. The filet could have been good, but the chef lacked technique to cook it in the first place and continued botching it when asked to correct it. The dessert confirmed it. The food here is not good - period! It is difficult to believe that the 3 items I ordered, all had severe issues. This restaurant is on my "do not repeat" list... The dessert wine was good. read more

We had Saturday night dinner. We made reservations. I think you can do walins and be okay, but not sure. They were pretty busy when we went at 5:30pm. Parking was interesting. Its not the best. They share a lot with Danish Concepts next door and I believe a private residence. All the different parking spots are marked with who has what spots for their customers. Le Petite Bistro has about 18 spots. Their parking is in the back and along the side of the restaurant. There are also spots along the curb on El Camino. To get into the parking lot, you have to go to the second driveway (not the first) past the restaurant. There are arrows on the pavement to indicate if the driveway is for going in or out of the lot. If you go in the correct driveway just go the end and hang a right to get into where Le Petite Bistro parking is located. Food was delicious. We had glass of wine French Onion soup , some crab thing, Coquille St. Jacque, the special vegetarian entree, dessert crepe, creme brulee, and coffee for 2. It came to about $125 for two people including tip. I was comfortable with the price. I expected it to be about what it was. You can't have a nice French three course meal for less. Service was quite good. Not exceptional, but not bad at all. They kept our water filled without asking and offered a second cup of coffee without being asked. I have no complaints at all. Place was clean. No dirty dishes on tables and no litter or debris on the floor. Can't ask for better. Atmosphere was really nice. The walls were covered with French themed items (paintings and so on). No complaints, no suggestions, and no observations. The decor was effective, thematic and appropriate. We were welcomed and thanked for our patronage on the way out. When we arrived we were told to pick a seat and we did. That seemed sort of funny. I cant say I have been to many places where they just tell you to sit where you like. There are about 18 to 20 tables with no outdoor seating available. I liked the place. I would come back. I would bring friends here and be confident that the restaurant would do a good job. read more

Somehow reviewing french restaurants seems to bring out the worst in people - I haven't seen such snippy reviews anywhere before! Well, you won't get one from me. I've been to France, and know that it's almost impossible to get true french cuisine here in the States, except in the rare circumstances a true frenchman (or frenchwoman, as the case was in the lately lamented Brigittes restaurant) decides to try to replicate the experience over here. Even with such an effort, the differences in available ingredients and food sensibilities make it difficult. In fact, my experience is that there are no restaurants in the Bay Area that can duplicate some of the best meals I've had in France. None. In fact, I've stopped looking. But Le Petit Bistro succeeds admirably in coming close to the French Brasserie experience (minus the cigarette smoke and illegible menus, of course.) Granted the decor is tired, but not dirty or off-putting except for those who are easily distracted from their food and dining partners. With that out of the way, let's move on to the food, wine, and service. I eat at Le Petit Bistro regularly (every few months) and find that I'm always pleased with the food. It's brasserie food: more simply prepared with less courses, sauces, garnishes, and generally less 'garde manger' than the pretensious high-end French restaurants use. Expect good flavor, but probably not layered flavors. However, the dishes are competently produced, tasty, and there are always specials to tempt the palate. The beef is soft and tender in a mouthwatering red wine reduction, the duck exquisitely roasted with a deep, dark, alluring sauce, the salmon perfectly poached, and the coquille st. jaques tender and cheesy as they should be. Hors d'oevres are typically french, a bit on the small side for sharing. Desserts are home-made, and don't have that cookie-cutter premanufactured look you get in even many high-end restaurants. The wine list is similarly unpretentious and reasonably priced with selections from France as well as California. The owner will come to the table and make suggestions, even offering to take a bottle back if you don't like it. However, his recommendations have never steered me wrong. The service is typical of service in a family-owned Brasserie. Competent, a bit overwhelmed at peak times, oriented around a slower pace of meal (hey, this isn't "mag-doh-nahlds, n'est pas?") The restaurant is small enough that getting attention if you have an urgent need is no problem. I've never felt friction or frustration with the staff. Finally, the price: it's typically $18-$25 a plate, for a total of $50ish per person for a group of 4 including a bottle of wine. Reasonable for this level of restaurant, IMHO. read more

The staff at this restaurant is friendly, however, I can't say the same about the food. The mushroom soup has no taste and honestly, I've had better mushroom soup from a Campbell can. The crab cakes tasted awful as if it was reheated after sitting out for a while--I could not taste any of the crab and the crust was chewy instead of pastry. The filet mignon was so bland that we had to add salt and we did not finish steak. The Fresh Sea Scallops, was not much better--the cheese sauce was runny and did not taste like quality cheese and the scallops were not fresh. Overall, an awful dinner. The food is not restaurant quality. This is not the first time I've been to this restaurant but it is likely the last. read more

A great place. it is very small. you would miss it if you weren't looking for it. it probably doesn't seat more than 30-40 people. from what i saw there we 2 people working up front plus some people working in the back. these people are true french people. the owner said that he is about to go back to France and spend 2 moths there. the people working the front was the waitress (who was very rude. when she served us our dessert she tossed my plate down and didn't bother to walk around the table to give it to me.) the other person is the owner and i believe the chef as well. he was really nice. because we had a party of 8 people he let us add soup to the pre-fixed menu and that we brought out own dessert because it was a birthday party. he decreased the price of the menu because since we had our own dessert. 1st stepping in it looks like a little bistro family run. they play quite french music in the background and the owner come out and chats with you a lot. while we were there 2 other parties came in and one was a very cute old couple (must have been at least 80). the other party had been coming to the restaurant for the past 10 years and they loved it and are good friends with the chef. Had/Tried: crab tartlettes, muscles, french onion soup, lobster bisque, fillet minion in red wine sauce, rack of lamb, and the sole. crab tartlettes, muscles, and french onion soup were all AMAZING have to try them the lobster bisque was watery so i didn't like it i ordered it because i saw on yelp that a lot of people liked it so i got that but it was just too watery and not creamy at all. the fillet was nothing special same with the sole. but the rack of lamb is a different story. it was great tender, juicy and crispy on the outside. i don't have lamb unless i go out to a nice place to eat and this is by far the best lamb i have ever had. read more

This place just did not do it for me. All seemed A-Okay or average at the best. I had the lobster bisque and sea scallops, my partner had escargots and the crispy duck. The soup was tasty at first but it had very little lobster meat in it, actually i wasn't even sure if it was lobster meat, it tasted more like shrimp or crawfish meat. Whatever meat that was, it was very little. For the scallops, the texture was kinda rough (not tender at all!), they were covered in heavy cream, and no taste inside the scallops, it was bland inside, but creamy outside, almost too creamy, I had a couple and did not want to eat the rest. They had very limited selection of wine by the glass, only 2 whites and 1 red by the glass. I normally drink only red wines and did not like the taste of their only red, so I ended up not having any wines at all. Because of the disappointment in the food, I did not want to order any dessert. My partner had the apple pie for dessert, i tried a bite and it was nothing special, actually kinda on the weird side, for both the flavor and the texture of the pie. I don't think I will revisit this place again. I think the food was cooked by Mexicans and not French chefs. read more

Apparently, we had been here about 15 years ago but forgot -- overheard the server mention the restaurant has been around over 28 years! Restaurant is in a pretty non-descript building that shares a parking lot with the Danish Concepts furniture store along El Camino in Mountain View. When you walk in, you can't help but feel you are transported to a casual bistro in an old town in France -- from the dated furnishings and decor, to the soft 70s/80s cafe tunes piping over their sound system, to the very French waitress who gets you in French. The food was generally good, with a good selection of French and American wines. (We actually stumbled across a very delightful Niner Edna Valley Pinot Noir priced at a reasonable $40 for the bottle.) After ordering, we were treated to some complimentary warm French bread with a (I think) salmon cream cheese spread which was quite addictive. For starters, I had the Escargot which were served in shell and very tasty with the usual garlic butter drenching as expected. The escargots were relatively large and some were difficult to hold in the special escargot spoons. I also got to try my Dad's Lobster Bisque, which was quite good -- not overly heavy cream, good lobster flavor without being fishy, and a touch of sherry I believe. My only gripe was that the lobster bits in the soup were a little overcooked and tough. Also got to try a Crab Tartlette starter that was a special for the night...it was very good with fresh crab, seasoned well, in a light flaky Phyllo cup. For mains, I ordered the Pork Medallions with Mushrooms. I thought it was decent, like it had a home cooked feel to the dish, but nothing fancy. My father had the Roast Duck in Orange Sauce, served tonight as just a breast. It looked a bit meager for the price ($30+), but he said he liked it. My nephew had the Coquilles St Jaques (baked scallops) which looked good and he enjoyed. I also got to try a bit of the Lamb Chops my niece ordered. It was a generous portion which she enjoyed. I found the price I got to try to be just ok and not as tender as is like my lamb chops. Most of their dishes are tasty but probably slightly under salted, but I actually like that aspect as you can always add a bit more salt if you want. We shared 3 desserts...the Apple Tartin, the Creme Brulee, and a Pear Tart Special. All were nice, and unlike many typical American style restaurants, were not so sweet, but still fresh and delicate. Overall, the food was good but a bit pricey for the less than high end fine dining, the ambiance was pleasant and eclectic, and the service was friendly. Although I have to mention...the waitress saw me struggling with picking up one of my escargots and decided to come over and "help" me, but instead lost control of it and ended up splattering garlic butter all over my shirt. She did apologize, but didn't offer anything to make up for the mess. Maybe I was expecting a little too much of Le Petit Bistro. read more

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I had been wanting to try Le Petit Bistro for a few years now, and have driven past it for most of my lifetime. It's one of those places that you barely even notice, as you drive by on El Camino, yet it's been there the entire time. With such a long history, you know that it has to be good! As far as service and food go, it was great! Our server was very attentive from the moment we walked in. But I would have to say that what turned me off was that the restaurant has a stench of old that I couldn't get over. I don't know if it's in the carpet or seeped into the wood, and while it could add character to the business, it does remind you that the business has been there for a long time. Some people can get over it, others can't. I would love to take my parents to try the food, but I know that they wouldn't last 30 seconds in there. If you're one who can get past that, then... *You can make a reservation *If you get there too early in the evening, my reservation was at 6pm, the restaurant was empty, and there wasn't enough ambient noise for my friend and I to chat in, without being shusshed". It wasn't a problem an hour later *The servers use an ipad to show you the daily specials, so you don't have to strain your eyes, looking across the room at the blackboard So my girl friend and I ordered: * Lobster tartlettes * Lamb Chops * Roast Duck * Creme brulee While French food isn't served family style, both entrees were perfect to split. Everything was well prepared, and delicious. It's everything that you would expect in a French restaurant. Unfortunately, this place may not be calling out my name, the next time I'm looking for French food. read more