L’Antagoniste

Go for BRUNCH. The Steak and Eggs was very good. Also the fancy schmancy hamburger. One of our party seemed to really enjoy the Duck hash served with a duck egg! Yumm. We all shared the Charcuterie board for an appetizer. Be sure to ask the price if you you ask for a wine recommendation and you don’t see it on the wine list. They have a very wide range in prices — the highest priced bottle is over 3k! They’re pretty serious about wine. I pointed to the section that were $ 19 – 25 per bottle and asked what he’d recommend and the waiter made a recommendation — then it was on the bill for $ 36… That seemed like bit of a communication glitch. Next time I will be more explicit. We sampled two desserts and YUMMO indeed. If you are able to find a shady spot in the outdoor garden, you will enjoy a little slice of european dining… the service could be called a tad slow, but on a Sunday afternoon on a beautiful day, it was more like a slow, luxurious meal the way one should eat every day.

Cozy spot in a location lacking quality establishments. Only had brunch, but will be coming back to try the full menu. Good so far!

I have little to add that many others have not already commented. I do give L’Antagoniste five stars and I hope it continues to succeed. The menu is not overwhelming, the wine list is magnificent and the staff is fantastic. I started with the Lobster salad and had the magnificently prepared Canard A L’Orange as my entrée. For dessert I had the Paris-​brest, which was also well done. Not too sweet. Highly recommended, and will be back. Often.

My favorite place in the neighborhood! Exceptional food and one of the best wine lists in all NYC!

Had a lovely dinner here with my boyfriend a few months ago. The location is a little out of the way, but it is 100% worth it!
Food:
To summarize, this is classic French food done exceptionally well.
For appetizers, we had the Soufflé au fromage (cheese soufflé) and the Foie Gras Poche Aux Petit Legumes (poached foie gras). The soufflé was beautiful, light, and not overly cheesy. I had never had poached foie before, and found the presentation in a mason jar novel. To be honest, I prefer seared, but I think this was wonderfully done and a fun alternative to how foie gras is often served at restaurants. The vegetables provided a nice contrast to the fattiness of the foie.
For our main courses, I had the Canard A L’Orange (orange duck). This is the best orange duck I have had in the US. The duck fat was rendered perfectly to a crisp and the orange sauce was sweet, without being too sticky or cloying. It was perfect. My boyfriend got the Chateaubriand (filet mignon on a bed of shoestring potatoes). He seemed very happy with how his steak was cooked and the quality of the meat. My one (minor) complaint was that the shoe string potatoes were a bit difficult to eat gracefully– they were too crispy to easily stab with a fork, but I felt a bit awkward just grabbing them with my fingers.
The deserts were the real stars of the show. Wow. My boyfriend got a chocolate torte that was incredibly rich and he loved. I got the Paris-​Brest and I really cannot recommend it enough. The quality of the pastry is very high.
The wine list has a nice selection of affordable bottles to compliment your meal.
Service:
Service was good, and we even got to meet the owner who was very friendly and obviously cared deeply about the restaurant and its food.
Ambiance:
The restaurant has a wall covered with black and white photos of antagonists from famous films. I thought it was very fun and unique way to pay homage to the name of the restaurant.

For Mother’s Day my girls took me to this little quaint French place in Brooklyn. It’s perfectly decorated in the tradition Moulin Rouge style…
Farm to table fair. The appetizers were escargot with bone marrow and a platter of liver pâté charcuterie with Brie and cured meats. Delicious! My daughter had the lobster bisque. I had some, it was a little thin but very good. Like the ocean.
The main course: my one daughter’ bf had a filet mignon, cooked to a perfect rare as requested. Flavorful and super tender. She had the home made fresh pasta. Very good. Cooked to the right testier.
My younger daughter had the lamb, huge portion. It was very tender. The chop portion was cooked to a perfect med rare with sides of fingerling potatoes.
I had the Hudson Valley duck. Fatty tasty to a med rare with a balsamic vinaigrette. Side of mashed potatoes.
We also had a side of mushrooms and veggies. Cauliflower, string-​beans, white asparagus, carrots and pea pods. You can almost feel like you picked it yourself. We finalized with a puff pastry filled with ice cream and hazelnuts. Fabulous.
They are serving brunch sat and sun. Can’t wait to be back.
The entire staff was super friendly and attentive.
The restaurant looks to be a little out of place for the area but a lot of local patrons. Excellent!

A new favorite!
I loved my meal at L’Antagoniste. Actually, I loved the whole experience. The restaurant itself is simply charming: classy but rustic, and altogether welcoming. Entering, I knew I was in a special place. The owner greeted me. The food is *top notch*. Truly. It was high cuisine. The waiter was super friendly, and knowledgeable about all the food. They have an extensive wine list. This is a place to go on a date, to treat yourself, to remember why Brooklyn is so fabulous. I loved it and hope to go back many times.

one of our favorite NYC restaurants happens to be right in our neighborhood. I thought when we moved to Bed-​Stuy we’d be spending a lot of dinners in the city after work or Greenpoint our old neighborhood. Imagine our excitement when we discovered one of the best French restaurants we’ve ever been to right down the road.
The real test has been bringing my European colleagues and friends in who’ve conceded that indeed it is one of the best in the city!
Like most restaurants in Brooklyn (and the world) transitions have occurred and after tonight’s meal, we’re excited by these. A comforting yet modern take on Coq Au Vin and a delightful Lamb Confit were our mains but the stand out of the evening was the Lobster Bisque for which I have no words.
The wine list is always stellar (though we really just tell them what we are in the mood for and they never fail to please).
The thing that makes L’Antagoniste so special though is the people. A dedicated and passionate owner who truly cares about his customers and business. While most of the servers are fairly new I trust they will take the same care with the menu and guests as previous staff have done.
Worth a trip for those outside of Bed-​Stuy and worth a weekly one for those in the neighborhood!

Ate here last night for the first time. Neighbors had tried it closer to when it opened and said it was really good, but the portions were small. They must have listened to others because between the two of us we had two entrees and the lobster salad and we had a little leftover too. Entrees (steak and duck) were both really good.
I’ll definitely be going back. Oh, and the waiter was very attentive and very polite.

I went for my first time and dined solo at the bar where I met the ever-​kind and knowledgeable owner — who generously sent over complimentary fruit tarts after my meal. The food was delicious and well-​executed. Wine was French and delicious. The ambiance was lovely and the young staff was attentive and eager to please.
I was almost deterred from dining here by the recent Unilocal reviews that there is a new chef/​staff, which might hurt the value people have come to expect. I assure you, this spot is still so very worthy and I am happy I decided to check it out for myself! Found a new local spot in my hood.

The time is precisely 8:30 pm on a Saturday night in April. I arrive at Decatur St in Brooklyn too early for a party. My girlfriend will not arrive for another hour. I am alone, carrying The Object and I am without purpose. And without sustenance.
Betrayed by my early arrival, I flip through Unilocal.I find a pizza place, but pizza alone will not fill the pit that is arriving too early somewhere and not knowing what to do.
I see a 4.5 star French restaurant and am intrigued.
I buy cigarettes and smoke on the way. It is, after all, a French restaurant. I enter. At the door I am greeted by a kindly elder Asian gentleman. I inquire if I can sit at the bar. He smiles a wrinkled smile and answers «Only if you’re hungry.» I am home.
The bar is a small but spacious four sent affair close to the entrance. Seated there are a couple, one with a beard and a jean shirt. I pay no close attention. The host introduces me to the bartender. She is new. I am promptly served water and provided with menus.
I contemplate a poison. Red ale. It comes quickly and in a chilled glass. I pour it myself. It is delicious.
The couple next to me has ordered salad. The woman’s bowl is enormous and wooden. There is much salad. I am not phased. I want steak and I order steak, medium rare.
Seeing my no-​appetizer-​bravado, the bearded one becomes jealous and also orders steak frites, but rare. I call his raise, the post-​hipster scum.
It is at this point I see the couple has a tinyperson with them. I am incredulous — it was not spotted originally. I wonder if it had recently been birthed in my presence. I do not dismiss the possibility.
The steak arrives. The steak is a visually appealing affair, neatly glazed. It comes with béarnaise sauce. The cook is even and fairly good, but it somehow lacks some flavor.
The fries at first are appetizing but over time reveal themselves as thin and somewhat hollow, like my soul. I am vaguely disappointed and eat all of them.
The sauce is good and like a certain rug, ties it all together.
I see the bearded one is holding his fork in reverse, like a dagger. I nearly stab him for his transgression but instead order more beer.
I finish my meal. One of the waiters provides a dessert menu. I ask for a recommendation. He provides one quickly enough and excitedly enough that I associate it with his going-​on portly demeanor.*
The dessert is the best part of the meal. It is something to do with chocolate and passion. It is presented well. I pay, pick up The Object in the foyer, and depart. The meal was satisfying but perhaps pricier than warranted. I am still early for the party.
*Note — the waiter was in fact not overtly portly, but by my estimation, he would be approaching portly were he to consistently eat the dessert in the manner that his endorsement suggested he does already.

Devastated the Chef is gone as of last week. His food was incredible and I’m afraid everything is about to dive off a cliff with the apparent mass exodus of the staff.
And at my meal last night (which was good as usual but a little clunky and slow), witnessed such bizzare /​distracting /​unprofessional behavior. Conflicts between staff and generally bad atmosphere. At least the creepy drunk owner wasn’t lurking around as usual. Sorry to see my favorite local place in such a tailspin. I hope they can pull it back together. At least there are now other good options popping up in the neighborhood so I can avoid the negative vibes at this place.
Also, still can’t believe that after over a year they have failed to make any overtures to the community in spite of the uproar over their giant wall of white men mural. Either completely oblivious or just totally obstinate (afraid perhaps the later– implying a kind of exclusionary agenda– that this place is really only meant for the new white gentry moving into the neighborhood en masse) on the part of management /​owner.

Another excellent meal here.
Had the escargot served w bone marrow, duck confit, and steak frites.
Everything well flavored down to the side salad, with nice reductions on the beef as well as the bird.
Staff are smart, courteous, and accommodating, as is the wine.
Always a smart choice to come here.

After 8 years living in NY, I’ve found the best restaurant in town. Can’t believe how nice the food and the place is

Let me start with the positives:
Atmosphere was great: cool wallpaper, nice ambiance, and good 60s-​70s music. There is some artistic nudity on the wall in the dining room and very sexual wallpaper in the bathroom so it may not be the best for young kids. However I think It’s a great place to bring a date for a romantic evening.
The wine selection was great and very reasonably priced.
Now here is where they lost the 2 stars:
The service was very good except for one thing. Please bear with my long explanation: they had «wild Atlantic salmon» on the menu. It is illegal to buy and sell WILD Atlantic salmon (it’s all farmed raised). I’m sure they meant ALASKAN instead of atlantic. When I asked the server about it she was adamant that they had wild Atlantic salmon. I used to work in a restaurant and it bugs me when a server doesn’t know about the menu. Otherwise great service.
We had the beef tongue (excellent!) And the Pâté’ (good) followed by the Sea Bass (ok). The sea bass wasn’t too fresh (I grew up spearfishing and know fresh fish when I taste it). Overall everything was good but I expected better for the prices. Maybe their NY steak is the way to go here?
I might be back, but I recommend trying this place out.
Review update: it’s now a few hours after eating here and my wife and I both have upset stomachs and the runs… neither of us ate anything else since lunch: over 5 hours earlier… just thought you might want to know =/

I haven’t written a review in a while because, for many reasons, I have slowed down my expensive foodie lifestyle. However when I heard that a French restaurant opened up just a four minute walk from my apartment, I knew I would eventually try it. I have complicated feelings about the rapid gentrification of my beautiful, historic, neighborhood. A French restaurant on Malcom X Boulevard is surreal. These feelings, (coupled with my restaurant hiatus), are why it has taken me almost a year to walk three blocks to L’Antagoniste’s red door.
I’m very glad I did. My meal gave me everything I needed after a long and difficult day. I had the Soufflé Au Fromage to start, Steak-​Frites for the entrée and Paris-​Brest for dessert. I don’t feel like doing a play by play on how moist the steak was or how much I really loved the side salad. I’m not an eloquent reviewer – just someone who loves good food. But, I can say that everything was delicious. I drank water and mint tea. My past reviews always included tales of wine but I think I mentioned in another review that I went back to being vegan, (at least 99.9% of the time), and I no longer drink alcohol (!). No need to go into all that, just suffice to say that this meal of animal products was worth it.
And, what was even more amazing was being able to walk home in less than five minutes after a lovely evening.

Charming little French place on the edge of Bed-​Stuy! The service was great and the brunch itself was super tasty. It was a bit empty, which was great for our seating time, but I hope they can keep it up.
I had the Duck Hash with a fresh-​squeezed OJ mimosa – and, after, my friends I and shared a chocolate Pot aux Choix and a selection of daily house-​made sorbets.
Totally worth the trek I made to get here.

Heavenly food — perhaps the best brunch I’ve had in New York. Only one problem, and it had nothing to do with the food.
Salad Du Marche — The dressing is a dill cucumber sorbet tucked beneath the greens and it was so delicious I wanted to take a bottle home.
Hudson Valley Duck Hash — Extraordinary!
Quiche Lorraine — I’m no fan of quiche, but that changed after a bite of my friend’s order. Became very jealous very quickly.
French Toast — Perfect way to end this perfect meal.
The place itself is absolutely adorable, minus the back wall: a mural of French antagonists, all of whom (save one or two) are white. It’s out of place for the neighborhood, and there are many French antagonists of color. Why not include more?

I feel so blessed to be within walking distance of L’Antagoniste.
Since moving to my new apartment less than a month ago, I’ve visited 4 times and my foie gras consumption has reached a terrifying new level.
They change up the wines by the glass fairly often, but I’ve never been disappointed by a pour.
The plat du jour is a great deal and if you’re lucky, it’ll be the duck confit.
Super cute date spot, but don’t be afraid to treat yourself and shamelessly sit alone at the bar.

Food: very high level of execution on all dishes, appetizers and even the bread bowl. I had the filet which was exceptionally tender. My dining companion had the steak frites which gave an excellent counterpoint — very flavorful with natural cut fries. The bread came out with good crust but soft and warm on the inside with a good salty butter.
Service: our server was incredibly accommodating and knowledgeable about the menu. We had a one year old in our party, she and the owner went out of their way to make us and the baby comfortable. She had great recommendations for the appetizers, mains and desserts.
Atmosphere: Sunday night was not terribly crowded, we were seated immediately and never waited long for any part of the meal. The décor evokes 21^st century brooklyn restaurant — nothing avant garde but pleasant and elegant.
Value: this meal was very expensive when compared to every other option in the neighborhood. Based on the quality of the food, the preparation and the service I could justify the expense, but it still is a lot of money for one evening.
Caveat: the liquor license is not completely resolved so your wine options will be limited for the time being.
Recommendation: this is a great option for a celebration or an event. You can count on great food and great service but you definitely pay for it. Enjoy!