We have been going to The Left Bank for a decade. There are other French restaurants in the Bay Area, but when you find something good, you keep coming back. The ambiance is wonderful.. open, airy, windows or patio seating. The menu has a large enough selection of classics and extras, without being overwhelming. The service is consistently excellent. When we have a craving for French food, The Left Bank is where we find our car steering too, even coming from the East Bay. read more

Perhaps poor management caught up with the company.... "Abruptly closing all of its 7 restaurants..." FINI https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/vine-hospitality-restaurants-closing-22315654.php read more

Went here for a work dinner. We were a group of 8 and seated promptly. We ordered drinks some appetizers and entrees. The drinks order was mixed up and they got someone the wrong drink. I ordered a lemon grass non alcoholic drink, which was not worth the price ($13). The blood orange and shaved fennel salad was sub-par with a plate of arugula topped with some shaved fennel (some of it browning at the edges) and some slices of blood orange. The dressing was drizzled on it like an afterthought instead of being mixed with the salad. Oh well! After about an hour of waiting, we got our entrees. I got the salmon as my entree and it was served with a corner of the piece broken off and sitting on the plate. This was served on some very gloopy looking cauliflower puree and some tough asparagus. My coworkers got a variety of dishes - steaks were mostly overcooked compared to what had been requested. One person from our party got his food almost after everyone else was done eating, he had the same salmon dish as mine, so no idea why it was so delayed. Overall, a dated place - the idea of French food seems to be using copious amounts of butter in their food and lacking in attention to detail or flavor. read more

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11/25/25 Update: I appreciate the public reply from the business, but after sending my information as requested, I received no further contact. It seems the response was for show rather than an actual attempt to resolve the issue. ----------------------------------------- Pros: food flavors are decent. Free birthday dessert Cons: inside the restaurant was freezing. They charge you $5.00 for bread and they don't inform you in advance of the charge--which would have been okay, however the bread was stale and hard as a rock. Had to sent the Hanger steal back as it was WELL done. Waited over an hour for the food to arrive. Super slow service although are server was nice. Bathrooms are NOT CONVENIENTLY located upstairs and waaay back and so out of date--think your middle school bathroom. Portions super shrink-flation = small portions. Not coming back--not recommending to my friends. read more

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Ugh.. the soup came out right away and was good.. the duck came out over an hour after the soup came out, after a reminder. Did they have to call in the duck chef, who lied about being able to cook duck? It was tougher than jerky, and I couldn't get a decent enough amount of meat off the bone. Pretty sure it was frozen.. for a long, long time. We were charged $9 for non sparkling water. I get it, yall are French. But this is America. We do not charge for water here. If you're going to charge people for non-sparkling water, you have to tell them it is almost the cost of an appetizer. I won't be back. Which is, I feel, how they prefer it anyways.. read more

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Went in for a delicious yet light meal and it's exactly what I got. Had some fish and green beans with a fantastic flavors. Service good as expected and the place always looks good. read more

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We came here with high hopes, but unfortunately this location fell short. First, the steak portion was shockingly small (see photo). For the price, I expected a meal -- not three bites. We also ordered a kids' salmon meal, which arrived undercooked. We sent it back, but it didn't return to the table until everyone else had already finished eating. Not exactly kid-friendly service. What made the experience worse is that the restaurant was nearly empty--aside from a private party--yet our waiter seemed to prioritize the party over us. We were largely neglected despite the lack of other diners. The San Jose location is far superior in both portion sizes and service quality. After this visit, it's no surprise this restaurant was empty on a Saturday at peak lunch hour. read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - STEAK FRITES - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

If I could get one thing, it would have to be the French Onion soup! So delicious, warm and a classic read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - French Onion soup - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

We came around 7-8pm on Valentine's Day knowing it would be a prix fixe menu, but we weren't quite expecting the overall experience to feel so... just okay. For the prix fixe, we ordered the fried oysters, mushroom truffle soup, roast beef, scallops, and the only dessert option available--a chocolate raspberry cake. Service: Our waiter was genuinely kind and polite, which we appreciated. However, the pacing was questionable. We noticed tables who were seated after us receiving their appetizers and entrées before we did--even though they had ordered the same items. Our appetizers came out about 30 minutes after ordering. I understand it was Valentine's Day and the kitchen was likely busy, but the restaurant didn't feel overwhelmingly lively, so the delay stood out. Food: Overall, the food was good. The fried oysters were unexpectedly room temperature rather than hot, but they still tasted good. The mushroom truffle soup could have been warmer as well--though it wasn't cold. The entrées were the highlight: both the roast beef and scallops were delicious, and I would honestly come back just for those. The chocolate raspberry cake balanced richness and sweetness well and was enjoyable without being overly heavy. Ambiance: The vibe felt like an upscale Cheesecake Factory--nice, but slightly inconsistent. The lighting leaned into romantic, though some lights seemed off or not working, which made it feel a bit uneven. Tables were fairly close together; we could easily hear neighboring conversations even though no one was being particularly loud. We also noticed mismatched cutlery sets. Staff were constantly moving around the floor, but not in an overbearing way. Overall, I'd consider coming back on a less busy night. Longer wait times tend to make small details more noticeable, so take this review with that in mind. I went in with an open mind, but for my personal experience, 3/5 stars feels fair. read more

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Nice menu selections, the escargot was good. The onion soup has decent flavor but the cheese is not the right kind, a lot of onion but not enough soup, it was missing the bread/crouton. The beef bourguignon and trout almandine were good. Beef tartare was not as flavorful. You can't go wrong with creme brûlée and they have Calvados! A popular after dinner drink in France! Food service and friendly staff. We went early on Friday so we got a nice booth, it got busy after 6:30 pm. read more

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We wanted to have a French evening and pregamed HH at the Left Bank. Sat at the Bar, ordered glasses of bubbles and a dozen oysters. Tasty buy on the small size with vinigrette, horseradish and cocktail dipping sauces. Another dozen oysters and then their house white blend. The blend was ok, should have stuck with the bubbles. Ambience is very nice and service prompt, professional and serverrs unobrusive. We walked next door to Bistro Vida for dinner. We had a bottle of wine, nice appetizers and left because of our server Masha was rude and decided to to to HAVEN in the Willows. Look for my reviews on both. read more

I first tried Left Bank in June 2024 sitting at their outdoor patio during a nice summer day. I really enjoyed the meal since they had a dish (cassoulet) I had not really seen on menus at other restaurants, so I was impressed they served cassoulet. I returned this past month just for a light late lunch and got the moules frites with a French onion soup. After two visits, I would say this restaurant really tries to serve authentic dishes. My soup wasn't the most "wow-ing" and the mussels were fine. Service has been nice (and actually spoke French during my first visit), and so I would still come back to satisfy specific cravings or just have a light meal, but nothing worth driving out of your way for. read more

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I grew up going to this restaurant to celebrate birthdays. The dessert was always my favorite, but now that I'm older I can finally appreciate the fondue appetizer and selection of entrées (and cocktails!). Servers serve at a regular pace, I never felt like I waited too long for the dishes to come out. I love the calm downtown location in Menlo Park, it's perfect to take a stroll after you eat. read more

Calamari was horrendous, barely had enough for 4-5 bites. For $23 you would expect more read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - Fried Calamari - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Always good. Consistently. Great Moules Frites! Excellent Steak au Poivre! Been a fan for over twenty years! read more

So sorry to hear LB and LB steak are closing. Went yesterday to the Menlo Park location and they were trying to accommodate customers for a last meal/drink. So sorry staff found out so late about closure. read more

This area was very spacious and bright. I enjoyed the natural light and open atmosphere. I came Saturday evening and the restaurant wasn't packed. We started off with the French onion soup, fried calamari, and bread. The appetizers were great and flavorful. The drink selection was great, I really enjoyed the wine. As for the entrees. The duck was subpar, I really wanted to like it but the portion of duck was very small and the couscous didn't do much for my taste. The moules frites were good just not as flavorful as I hoped. The service was not what I expected. When we finished our appetizers the servers didn't clear our table. They just added our entrees and left. This left for little space which was quite uncomfortable considering there were four of us. I'd like to come back to try the other entrees like the steak frites and cassoulet but probably during their happy hour. read more

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Paid by card. Left Bank is located on the corner street and offers some street parking. I went here on a Tuesday night for a private, corporate event upstairs. The restaurant was decorated nicely for the holidays and the servers were attentive. This was great for a group event since we got our own space and bathrooms upstairs. Appetizers, drinks, main dishes, and desserts were served and the food was good. I would recommend this place and would go back again. read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Left Bank - Menlo Park is one of those local gems you almost stumble into by accident -- and then wonder how you hadn't been sooner. We walked in after passing the Walgreens nearby (where the after-school Menlo Park teen energy can get a little... lively). Stepping into Left Bank felt like crossing into a completely different atmosphere. Calm, refined, and welcoming. They offer outdoor seating at the bar and a more intimate back dining area. My partner and I chose the back room and, for a while, had the entire space to ourselves before a few more patrons joined later in the evening. The ambiance was impeccable. The large statement painting on the wall immediately catches your eye -- bold yet thoughtfully integrated into the space. It adds a modern touch without feeling pretentious. I'll admit, restaurants with this level of polish can sometimes feel intimidating or overly formal. But Left Bank strikes a balance. The setting feels elevated yet comfortable. We split the steak frites and an order of calamari. The calamari was lightly battered, thin, crisp, and served with fresh lemon -- simple, flavorful, and well-executed. Lightly salted and satisfying. The steak frites delivered exactly what you want: classic, reliable, and done right. After our meal, a kind gentleman stopped by to ask how everything was. It was such a warm and genuine interaction that we later learned he was Pablo, the owner, who has been serving patrons for over 20 years. What stood out most was how grounded he was. No grand gestures or "owner presence" theatrics -- just someone working alongside his team, clearly passionate about hospitality. In a brief conversation, you could feel his dedication and the loyalty he's built among both locals and visitors. Left Bank doesn't just serve food -- it creates space for connection. And maybe that's what great dining is supposed to do: carry the conversation beyond the meal and bring people together. If you're looking for a warm, refined, and genuinely welcoming restaurant in Menlo Park, Left Bank is absolutely worth the visit. read more

The service is on point, and the decor is adorable. The fondue appetizer is a MUST TRY!! I think they spike it with a little roquefort... The bread is NEXT-LEVEL and I would be remiss if I overlooked the crunchy, succulent calamari. Know this, though -- it's noisy as heck in there. This morning I had laryngitis! read more

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Chose this place for lunch to celebrate co worker's retirement. It is a beautiful fine dining French restaurant. Not very crowded on a Sunday afternoon. Menu is somewhat limited. Personally I didn't like my French Toast. Bread was just dipped in syrup. Someone in our group who had tried this before said it did look different. Salmon Hash is also not the same which they use to serve few years ago. Cafe latte and Mocas were delicious. Highlights were deserts, quiche and Ahi Tuna tartare. Servers were attentive and took multiple pictures of our group which was really appreciated. Parking can be somewhat tricky but they share parking lot with Trader Joe's or you can park on the Laurel st in front of the restaurant. read more

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very aggressively mediocre french food. half the items on the menu aren't even french, but rather american or italian. hard to reconcile the price of the items with the value of the meal. the half chicken and mashed potatoes had a good jus, but the chicken itself was overcooked in some areas, and the mashed potatoes unevenly mashed. overall lacking in flavor for the price point. service was good and fast, though the ambiance of the restaurant itself felt a bit dated. read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - half chicken and mashed potatoes - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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My office came here for their holiday dinner outing. I thought that it was a pretty good experience as they know what they are doing for corporate/office night outs. I had a cocktail -- and it was marvelous. Drinks would be 5 stars from what I have tried and recommend this restaurant for drinks. We had many appetizers and they were ok. Calamari was crispy but some of my coworkers did not care for it. We had the escargot and I thought the grilled toast that came with it was a bit burnt tasting. Oysters were very good, and presented well. My entree was the beef bourguignon. It was almost very good but it just did not reach the tenderness level I think. Perhaps it was the concept of the dish and what the side elements should have been. Overall, great for parties but I did not think this was an over-the-top fantastic restaurant. My co-workers felt about the same. We appreciated they could handle our group, had good service, but the restaurant-related stuff was just good. read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - Creme Puff Dessert - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

This was my second--and likely last--visit to Left Bank. Here's what we ordered: * Prawns Provençale: Tasty, but $20 for just five pieces felt overpriced. * Beef Bourguignon: Full of flavor and worth returning for. * Pork Chop: The waiter recommended this dish to my wife and mentioned it would include two slices of pork chop. However, she was served only one--and it was overcooked. We initially thought the waiter might have misspoken, but later, we saw another patron served two slices. When we pointed this out to the waiter, he responded, "Oh, the cook made a mistake, but you should have told me earlier--now I can't do anything." There was no apology, discount, or offer of a complimentary dessert, as many other restaurants would provide when mistakes happen. The only highlight was the live jazz band playing during our visit. Without that, it would have been a thoroughly disappointing experience. read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - One pork chop - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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We grabbed a late lunch here last Saturday and we sat outside on the patio since it was a nice day out. We decided to order different dishes to share among a group of 4. Our favorite item has to be the PRAWNS PROVENÇALE. It's a must order and the prawns were so flavorful, but there are only 5 prawns per order. My second favorite it's the ravioli! The salad was fresh but that was it. Honestly everything we ordered was pretty and the service was great. Our server was attending and helpful. read more

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Haven't been for years but had decent brunch here in a nice dining room setting. Food: 4 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 5 Cost to worth it: 2.5 prices bit high for what you get Opentableable: yes Caltrianable: yes Return worthiness: yes Highlights - Shrimp appetizer: loved these shrimp cooked just right with a great combo of lots of different flavors with capers, basil, olives, and butter. 4.5 stars - French toast: big hit being bit custardy yet crispy on outside with berries and cream. 4.5 stars - Fries: crispy, thin, and salty to appease our fry connoisseur family. 4.5 stars - French onion soup: bit sweet but packed w onions and gooey cheese. 4 stars - Steak sandwich: special that day of thinly sliced filet mignon 3.75 stars - Nice interior: huge dining room with high ceilings that felt classy yet comfortable - For brunch had lunch and brunch items which was good to please a breakfasty and non-breakfasty crowd Midlights - Prime rib dip: just ok and expensive at almost $30. 3 stars Lowlights: - Waited til end of meal for an egg I asked for twice - Omelet wasn't a French omelet which my friend expected at a French bistro but a standard omelet shell filled with few items inside Wasn't sure on the reviews, but we enjoyed a relaxing weekend brunch here. read more

Came in for a quick dinner at the bar after work. The place has good ambience, and my drink and sandwich weren't bad. That being said, I barely saw my waiter, and when I did it was rushed. Took forever for him to get my drink order in, and I waited for 10-15 minutes with an empty plate and glass trying to get my check. read more

The cafe was cold, the onions soup lacked flavor, and the wine was overpriced and mediocre. The restaurant is going downhill. The music was satisfactory. However, the customer service required improvement. After 25 minutes I felt sick from my stomach. I do not recommend this restaurant. read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Tonight was amazing. I want to thank Rodfor reaching out after a grim review. We had an experience that we hoped for. Gerand sorry if I misspelled his name. Amazing server. Jillian the best host and of course Pablo the busser with the best attitude. Thank you. You have restored our faith and we will be back. read more

Food service and amazing ambience. The French onion soups is hot but pretty good with some patience read more

Nice location, prompt service but a little overpriced for the portion size on some items, specifically the quiche tart - I was so hungry I had to order another item. But I still always appreciate having an outside, dog friendly restaurant option so I'm happy to have this restaurant in the area. We were able to easily get an OpenTable reservation last minute. Restaurant has a nice ambiance that reminds me of a French cafe as intended. There is a really nice outside patio space. There's plenty of public parking nearby. read more

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I went today October 8th to eat at Left Bank, that place is just keeps getting worse and worse. The bartender was so rude! It was a terrible experience, she was incredibly unpleasant and unfriendly. Instead of greeting us or taking our order politely, she acted like we were bothering her! She didn't seem happy with her job at all; she served us reluctantly the whole time, and we even heard her respond to others with irritation several times. At one point, she even kicked the chairs with her feet. I honestly wonder how they can have someone with that kind of attitude working there. Awful experience, her attitude completely ruined the atmosphere. Definitely not coming back. read more

Enjoyed live Friday night music on the patio from 6-8pm. Fantastic food, service and ambiance. Will return! We ordered calamari, lobster roll, bread & butter, and chocolate based desserts. Both desserts had vanilla ice cream. One was with cream puffs and the other similar to a sundae w/espresso sauce . The other had dark chocolate sauce. Holler! Our table neighbors thoroughly enjoyed their hamburger, artichoke ravioli, and French Dip sandwich. They recommend those items. The servers & staff are attentive and kind. Clean and organized restaurant. Variety of menu items to choose from and you'll leave with a smile. Nice to walk around the avenue before and/or afterward. Check out their live music if possible. The music wasn't too loud- it was gentle & classy. read more

Several years ago I would have given LB four stars and debated about what they could do to earn five. Now I'm giving them three stars and wondering if they'll only be two when I come back next. This location used to be the better of the two as compared to Santana Row but not any more. The food and the service are both... average. Calamari: still tasty but much smaller portion. Shrinkflation is real. Tomato salad: the tomatoes are fresh and crisp. Points. The goat cheese was flavorless. Sigh. Niçoise Salad: this is perfect example of a dish that used to be great and now disappoints. Barely any Ahi, too much dressing. MUCH better in Santana row. Beef Bourguignon: still outstanding. Somehow I always eat it all. I'll keep coming back just for this. Pork chop: fine. Truffle fries: I mean, it's truffle fries. Enjoy. I still come here regularly and still eat outside in the lovely terrace. I just want more from them. read more

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Came here for a holiday party and was genuinely shocked by how unpleasant the manager's demeanor was. His attitude toward our group came across as rude and dismissive, which completely soured the experience. For the price, the food was very basic and lacked flavor nothing memorable or worth the cost. The ambiance was just okay, but it couldn't make up for the poor service and uncomfortable interaction with management. If my holiday party is hosted here again next year, I'll be skipping it. read more

3.5 stars Easy to make reservations, great location, and great customer service Interior is cute, a bit of dining hall like, can get loud but it's not bad. Food is the reason I gave this spot a solid 3.5 Beef bourguignon was super salty, like inedible amount of salty food that I couldn't eat it. I had the best beef bourguignion in Paris so I was so looking forward to this spot and trying it here but was disappointed Calamari- it was good, I like the sauce, some pieces were chewy so either overcooked or old, though it didn't smell fishy so it was fresh but overcooked I assume French onion soup: was delicious, so much cheese but it was good! Truffle Fries - no truffle flavor at all, it was odd Drinks- drinks were good, I like their gin drink with lavender read more

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Darvin the host was great! The food was amazing! The restaurant is so nice and clean. I shared the salmon and skirt steak and it was just delicious. Def want to come back to try the brunch read more

Left Bank Menlo Park - SALMON* - French Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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I have been going to this place for many years and it's always one of my favorite restaurants. I took 8 friends last night 1/15/2026 for dinner and it was not the same as before... 1) French onion soup has very little cheese. 2) Fried Calamari was very greasy 3) Escargots were tasteless 4) French fries taste like McDonald's quality 5) Beef Bourguignon was salty 6) Duck Confit was very dry In summary, they have changed the chef. I won't go back and won't recommend any of my friends to go there. If any one has positive experience recently please share with me. I sincerely hope just one time bad luck. read more

We just had dinner at Left Bank in Menlo Park. The beef bourginion was apparently delicious and tender. The lemon pasta was very good as was a salad. However, the skirt steak, which I ordered, was as bad as any piece of meat I have ever had. It was flavorless, it was unbelievably tough, I wasn't sure it was skirt steak, as it was so bad. To make matters worse they served it with a bear aide sauce that was like scrambled eggs with no flavor, absolutely disgusting. I have never had a worse sauce than this was. I would be embarrassed to serve such meat and such sauce to anyone and they should feel that way too. I don't think they know how to prepare steak, if it was even skirt steak and they certainly don't know how to make a bear aide sauce. The asparagus soup was excellent as was the cheese fondue. read more

Revising the star rating after the management team was responsive and reassuring following the initial review: "Our server was gracious to return my dish to the kitchen because the chicken was slightly warm but served with cold (room temperature) mashed potatoes. It was stunning that the replacement chicken and potatoes were both colder than the first. It seems the chef was missing pride in plating, or possibly unaware and uncaring for quality. This was not the Left Bank we have enjoyed for so many years." read more