Le Baratin

I really loved this place and came here about a dozen times with my husband and had great food. (Steak frites, Croque Monsieur, great wine) but tonight i walked in at 11:15pm to get a drink alone after a long day –had checked to see if they were still open before I took the trip all the way there. I walked in and it was semi busy. Some people eating at tables and some at the bar. The woman behind the bar looked at me rudely and said «yes?» and I said– «you’re still open right?» and she said «no. we are closed.» (which was obviously not true because i had just seen two people go in and sit down. I said «are you sure? the Unilocal page says you are open till Midnight on Sundays.» and she replied «well nobody here looks at those, and we are closed, sorry.» It was so rude and bizarre. I’m used to French people and I’ve lived in Paris before and love the people and culture and speak a decent amount of French. I honestly thought it might be because I am American? So strange. Sad to not go back here– she was so rude and made me feel embarrased as the guy at the bar laughed as I walked out. Still don’t know why I wasn’t allowed to be there. :(

Came for the two course prix fixe ($ 20) and got the escargot (+$ 3) and hanger steak. The escargot was pretty bland, it did not have the taste of being cooked in the butter, but instead just sitting in it for a little while. The hanger steak tasted like chopped steak (a mushy texture) with heavy thick sauce as a topping to mask the poor quality of the meat. Just look at any of the photos of steak from other reviewers, you will see what I mean about the sauce. Service was pretty good though for a busy night.

OMG! What a lovely experience we had yesterday!!! Never heard of this place before but now Im a huge fan. Small, cozy, very super french, busy, inexpensive (but worth way more than they cost), TASTY — that’s all I can say.
We just had simple appetizers, escargot, onion soup, cheese platter, pâté and cream of spinach and it’s a shame that we didn’t try any entry but we will fix this mistake next time.
And I just have to mention their staff — Rosie, the bartender was attentive and all smiley and Mike, the boss, was kind to treat us with champagne and an amazing dessert.
Definitely a MUST try!

I guess my only regret is that I should’ve ordered more «French» dishes instead of going with a fairly vanilla eggs benedict and another dish that we shared. It was a weekend morning and blisteringly cold. We walked in to find Le Baratin empty, which was a bit surprising given the glowing reviews that I had read. I think this had more to do with the weather and the season (big holiday weekend) rather than anything else though. The staff was extremely warm and welcoming, and we definitely enjoyed our visit. I’d happily go again as it’s an ideal date spot, but also great for groups of four or fewer.
Another casual observation that I made is that foie gras– which is nothing more than liver – is often touted as delicious and a delicacy simply because it’s French and more familiar than something a random Chinatown restaurant can offer you. You give them the same thing (liver) in Flushing and whoever’s eating would surely flip out. That’s why I always try to introduce foods to friends in a form/​format that they’re familiar with. «Oh tripe? Yea that’s just a very chewy type of mushroom. super good for you. Pig’s blood? ah, that’s just really rich pig’s broth served in neat little cubes.»

Nothing like kicking off the first Brunchy Sunday of 2016 at Le Baratin!
My usual brunch compadres and I gathered here for a laid back and relaxed Sunday brunch; at 12:30 on a Sunday, it was relatively empty, save for a few couples also brunchin’, along with two young ladies drinking mimosas at the bar. The interior is small yet cozy, shabby chic with many colorful posters and pieces of French-​inspired art upon the walls. Where we sat, Drunk Octopus wanted to fight! (Heheh.) The French vibe was countered by the melodic sounds of Kendrick Lamar and SchoolboyQ overhead, but, for some reason, it worked.
I was pleased with the food; ordering the Le Baratin Burger with fries and a side salad. Camembert on a burger is a wonderful thing; I never knew how badly I needed it on a burger until I had it! The burger was large, though, unfortunately, a little bit on the medium-​well side rather than the medium I asked for. *shrug* The fries were solid, and being able to dip them in mayonnaise was a small indulgence. My friends each got a Croque Madame, both looking large and creamy, drenched in béchamel with sunnyside-​up egg perched gingerly atop each one.
Le Baratin definitely helped us transition into a new year of Sunday brunches with their winning menu and atmosphere.

Deeeeeelicious!!! Chicken potatoes and plenty of wine! Highly recommended… Unpretentious, nice staff, couldn’t ask for more to start the new year!

Wonderful! ! French waiters & great ambience !
The food is AMAZING! Desert delicious! !!!
Enjoy !

cozy & seems like a neighborhood staple — which is rare to find. there was nothing exciting about the menu but everything was satisfyingly good. the prix fixe was a great deal
i got the beuf bourguinon burger. it was really good & would reco again.

Went here the other night at the spur of the moment with a friend. Obviously, we made no reservation but they were nice enough to offer us a table with the condition that we only had an hour before the table would be occupied. That was fine with us.
We both ordered a glass of wine (rose for me and red for my friend). They were great selections. My friend is super picky about his red wine so to get an acknowledgement is a great feat.
Then we ordered the charcuterie platter that came with two types of meat and a pâté. The pâté was divine! The two meats were really good too.
For our mains, I ordered the coq au vin and my friend got the skate. The dish came a little different than what I had imagined — I was thinking the french style but I guess the belgium style is a little different. It was more stew-​y like and very rich. It was really good. I didn’t try the skate but my friend said it was also very good. My friend originally wanted the Beef bourguignon since the last time he was here (about a year ago), he was in love with it. Sadly, I guess they took it out of the menu so he was a little disappointed.
The place itself is very tiny and super packed. But the waiters are friendly and the atmosphere is very cozy.
I would love to stop by again especially for that charcuterie platter. I love those platters.
Btw, this place is more Belgium food rather than French. This is according to my friend who has lived in Belgium and knows the difference between the styles of food.

This isn’t just your average, run-​of-​the-​mill 5 Star review…
5 Stars doesn’t even begin to do this perfect French bistro justice. I’ve hesitated to write this review for months for the fear of word getting out, and ruining my my little piece of heaven that brunch dreams are made.
I am at Le Baratin at minimum once a week for Brunch, and often times dine both Saturday and Sunday for Brunch. Not once has the food disappointed! Yes it’s small, yes sometimes the small staff has their hands full– but the food and the hospitality from the staff are what keeps us coming back. Easily the best Steak Tartare you will ever eat, The Salmon Burger is spectacular and the Croque Madame is perfectly balanced and so delicious.

I would describe this place as true treasure. I stopped by here when a friend from out of town wanted some foie gras since his state has banned it.
We came during a week day at night. the space is very cozy and intimate, i would keep the party size small, maybe something below 6 people if you do come here. great place for a date though.
delicious french cuisine and who can deny ayce mussel pot monday’s? i will definitely be back

Dinner here is lovely.
The lamb is good, but the duck is amazing. They have probably the best duck I’ve ever had — not too oily/​fatty at all and very tender. Get the duck.
Restaurant itself is intimate yet cozy and homey.
Service is also on point.

It might not compare to Rosemary’s around the corner when it comes to looks, but it sure has food that’s totally on par with them! This is where you go when you want a hearty, homey brunch or dinner :).
Restaurant is SUPER french (makes me trust the food even more), even the waiters who work there have a french accent ;) We were quickly seated during prime brunch hours and we proceeded to order 4 things to share.
Croque Madame — AMAZING. I’ve had croque madames that got way too gross and oily after a few bites, but this one was made perfectly. Not only was the crust of the bread super crispy, the cheese/​ham was still hot when it was served. It also came with a simple salad, and some pretty fresh fries!
Quiche Lorraine — also super good… flaky puff pastry multi-​layer crust with a filling bacon quiche. The sauteed potatoes on the side are also very flavorful.
Le Baratin Burger — I didn’t have any of this, but my brother in law said it was amazing. The portion was pretty big too!
Brioche French Toast — oh my god, best french toast I’ve had in a while. They were thin strips (piece of toast cut in half) that were caramelized on the outside/​crispy/​toasty, and creamy on the inside… to die for! Maple syrup and fruits were also drizzled all over; there were grapes, bananas, blueberries, and blackberries.
I have to come back and try their dinner sometime… especially the onion soup :)

I came to Le Baratin a few weeks ago for my best friend’s birthday dinner. It was a group dinner (about 8 or 9 girls), most of them had already been here and their excitement to return made me happy to try it out.
Upon entering, it has a very intimate and romantic vibe to it. The lighting, music and décor really seal the deal… especially if you’re a futbol fan like I am… not that I root for the French… but this isn’t about their futbol teams, this is about their food O:).
Not wanting pasta because I wanted to err on the healthier side (rare, I know) I opted for their Salmon Burger. It was a nicely-​portioned chunk of thick salmon that was seasoned nicely with a light cream-​based aoili sauce on a brioche bun and served with a light salad and pomme frites.
Others in my group ordered their Boeuf Bourguignon Burger (it was Ingrid S. and she will rave about the deliciousness of her burger if you ask her about it — seriously, she will), the Chicken Cordon Bleu with mashed potatoes (it DID look ridiculously scrumptious), the mussels (I believe they were the «Moules Marinires» which include parsley, shallots, garlic in a white wine sauce) were fantastic and I got to sample someone’s Gnocchis Truffs (homemade gnocchi with black truffle oil pesto filling that’s topped with mushrooms) and it was super delicious.
For dessert we all shared their chocolate lava molten cake, crème brûlée, and a slice of an apple tart. I only tried the chocolate lava cake (it was warm, gooey and really great) but the love of my life (when it comes to dessert) will always be Crème Brulee… it was fantastic. Really great light, whipped texture and the crystalized sugary caramel top was perfect and not too thick.
Rumor has it that Le Baratin turns into a fun dancey place at night, but that particular Saturday night it didn’t (and we were there until about a little past 11pm). I would definitely like to return here for brunch and to try their Baked Brie (I hear it’s out of this world amazing) or their mac n’ cheese… mmmm…mac n’ cheese…

I’m just going to jump straight to the point and main attraction of my dining experience here. The Boeuf Bourguignon Burger. I quietly asked the waiter as a rather large group of us were sitting down for a birthday dinner of one of my close friends what his favorite dish was and if I should get the Bourguignon or the Le Baratin Burger. He said this was by far the better option. Oh, Man was he correct. It tasted like Julia Child was slaving away all day in her kitchen with a huge chunk of beef and whipping up a decadent bourguignon in her dutch oven just for me. Everything else from that night kind of just evaporated away. I didn’t order any wine. I sampled a few of other people’s dishes. But those hunks of beef slathered with a decadent and tangy sauce (almost like a pink hollandaise for beef) and smothered with a rich camembert cheese on a brioche bun. It started with my hands and turned into knife and forking it with the dripping meats falling apart into ribbons of glory. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a meal just as superior.
I sampled a mussel or two. The sauce was delicious. Steph had had a salmon burger and was pleased. A couple of people ordered another star attraction dish: Chicken Cordon Bleu with mashed potatoes and honestly that chicken was juicy and out of this world tasting but still not as grand as my brioche of Julia Child’s tender meat. I can’t get over it still. All of this continued with chocolate molten cake, crème brûlée, and a slice of an apple tart. I had a bite of each and each desert kept continuously tasting better. A delightful and calm evening and followed by a serious food coma. Apparently, on some nights Baratin turns into a huge dance party around 10pm but for some reason it was just a tame summer night on our visit.

KenScale: 8.0÷10
While French cuisine is probably not at the top of my wish list on any given night, I do have the craving for straightforward and satisfying bistro food every once in a while. Le Baratin, located in Greenwich Village, was one place I’ve had on my radar and I recently visited on a Friday night. At first glance, it felt more like a café that draws crowds for wines and coffees, but by the end of my meal, I found that they weren’t playing with the soulful French bistro food coming out from the kitchen.
There is no «modern bistronomy» type food at Le Baratin. It’s a collection of all the French classics that you can think of. Obviously that doesn’t necessarily mean the food is dull; actually, the food here has that hearty touch that makes you feel good. Salade Lyonnaise looks simple with frisee lettuce, bacon and poached egg but it still pulls off a very delicious salad. Mussels with parsley, shallots, garlic and white wine also was a winning dish, and my dining companions couldn’t stop dipping bread on the flavorful white wine sauce. Sautéed skate in a light lemon, butter and caper sauce was cooked nicely, and the black truffle oil gnocchi topped with mushrooms was addictively good, with rich but not overpowering flavor of the pasta dish and silky smooth texture. It was definitely one of the best gnocchi dishes I’ve tried in NYC. The steak frites came in the form of NY strip steak with pepper bordelaise sauce that came with pommes frites; I liked the medium rare texture of the meat that worked harmoniously with the pepper sauce. Coq au vin, another classic French chicken dish in red wine sauce accompanied by mushrooms and various vegetables, was also very solid, with rustic touch of the dish that made us finish it within minutes. For desserts, we had decadent crème brulee and warm apple tart, both simple-​looking yet decadent dishes with sweet flavor that I enjoyed very much.
Getting a reservation wasn’t that difficult at Le Baratin, but the restaurant started packing with people also at the bar and became more like a small festivity as the night went on. I noticed how most of the diners spoke and looked like French, which is probably a good sign that this restaurant is doing its job. There is full bar with French-​oriented wine list, which I feel needs a bit more work, and the restaurant could do a better job with services (it felt a bit distracting according to one of my dining companions). Le Baratin is a sleeper among French bistros that have started making a comeback to the NY dining scene after getting shoved aside by New American, Italian and Spanish cuisine. If you’re in for a classical French fare, this is definitely a place worth visiting.

Ladies and gentlemen, mount your horses.
If you are even remotely interested in French food and/​or culture, zip over to Le Baratin ASAP. Trust me when I say if you are not French, you are in the minority. And this is a good sign for your experience to come.
Hospitality. Let’s talk about hospitality. I’ve seen some other Unilocalers snub Le Baratin for their «lack» of hospitality. Stop right there, naysayers. The customer service is just fine, TYVM; just different. If you are looking for an Applebee’s sycophantish server, then sure, turn around and hit the road. The waiters won’t coddle you, or smother you with kisses. They’re the down to earth, functional type. They’ll advise you on the menu choices and entertain you for hours BUT most importantly, your glass shall never be empty.
The entire night, glasses were being topped off, champagne bottles popped. For an undefined special occasion, sparklers were attached to champagne bottles and paraded around the small dining area. Quoting a bartender to the young maiden who asked for a gin and tonic, «We sell wine, we sell beer… and we sell champagne.» No liquor to be found here, and you don’t need it. Drink from the chalice of goodwill, friends! May your glass never be empty.
And with drinks, came unadulterated happiness and dancing. The bartender controls the music, but you must trust his taste. Feel the fire in your bones. Please see above re: sparklers on champagne bottles. Belligerent screwups are not welcome here. Be happy or go home.
And dear god, the food. I can feel the excitement building up already. Our charcuterie plate was NATURALLY boss. The crème brûlée topped the charts. The French the legends of charcuterie, so I am not surprised. I didn’t know what the other patrons were ordering, but I wanted ALL. OF. IT.

I recently came here for a birthday dinner and the staff was very accommodating. I had called a month in advance to request some special options and they were able to meet and exceed our expectations.
Our seating was a bit late, but they made up for it with champagne and appetizers!
The best part about this place is when the dancing starts! it’s definitely a lively atmosphere and everyone in the restaurant becomes friendly and has a great time.
I’ve been both for a brunch and dinner, personally i liked the brunch food better than the dinner but the dinner has the fun dancing!

I’ll start with the entire staff of young French men starting our experience with lackluster hospitality and directing us to the bar since we didn’t have a reservation. Which was perfectly fine, but could you perhaps smile? Say hello? Welcome? Oh yes, how may I help you? You know, that thing… hospitality.
The bartender was all over the place (which I can empathize since I’m a fellow sufferer of ADHD, it’s hell sometimes, trust me, I get) and serving his customers at the bar seemed to be a penultimate priority. When I asked if he had a bottle of sparkling water, and then asked «And what else do you want? No wine?», and he delayed about 10 minutes before he remembered to go find the water! Then he served it in glasses that were dirty (I literally pick a hair off the rim of the glass WHILE he was pouring) and then had the sense to get new glasses. But just poured the same water into new glasses.
Ended up ordering the super garlicky escargot (I’ve had better), the baked brie (to die for), and a bread basket with this heavenly butter sprinkled with some rock salt. I did indeed get some wine (house sparkling brut) that was… «merh». I think that’s the word we used to describe it.
Nonetheless, I was in good company, the food was enjoyable, and the ambiance was fun.
Notes to keep in mind: it gets LOUD, expect rambunctious 80’s and 90’s international music hits. The crowd is French, just about everyone. So know that you’re in Europe here. The service is very laid back and not trying to impress or please, so it’s not the same standard of expectation you’d be used to in other places here.

Amazing place!
First of all, you come in and you are in France!!! I am French too, and as I came in I was transported home, the decors reminded me of bistros and almost every table was speaking French. That alone says a lot about the legitimacy of the French cuisine at Le Baratin.
We went for the $ 20 prix Fixe menu, an appetizer and an entrée, there is also a $ 30 option with desert. Amazing deal, and the portions aren’t smaller because of the price.
We had escargots and pâté for appetizers. It was delicious, the pâté is just like my grandpa used to make and the escargots were perfectly buttery, garlicky, and herby! The bread also was quite delicious, authentic baguette!
The entrees were cordon bleu and steak frite. Portions were gigantic! The cordon bleu was clearly home made, the piece of meat was succulent, the fries perfectly cooked and the mashed potatoes, homemade!
So full at the end of the meal, not sure how we would have managed to have desert! This place amazing, the deal is awesome, the food is succulent. It’s just like being home! Merci Le Baratin pour représenter la France aussi délicieusement!