L’ardoise Bistro

If you want a great French restaurant experience without the French attitude you get in France, visit L’ardoise. It feels like you are in France. a hidden gem in SF.

Cute little place to have an intimate dinner. Went with some coworkers after work for dinner and the staff is really friendly and patient. Food is really delicious but it is quite pricey. The dessert is to die for. I would definitely come back!

Escargot was delicious, duck confit and cod were fantastic, and the vanilla meringue in the“Floating Island” dessert special was perfection. Ambiance, food, and service quality = highly recommended for dinner for two.

Terrific, quaint, highly-​authentic French restaurant cutely situated in Duboce Triangle. Great service (as you would expect) combined with delicious fair and French wine. Coq au vin, braised lamb, escargots… all superb.

Wonderful dining experience. This was a special date for my boyfriend and I, and they did not disappoint. Great service. The quail was delicious, but the fig bread pudding stole the show!!!
I can’t get it out of my head now.

Fantasic experience. It’s almost like I’m in Paris.
Food is good, service is even better.
We had the fillet mignon, another friend had the duck confit. They are fantastic.
Food is one thing but the services and attention they have on us will be one big factor for me to come back to dine there.

I went here on Valentines day with my girlfriend. We had a good time! Reservations were easy to make but parking is difficult to find although my girlfriend and I got very lucky for a Valentines day night. The service is very good and very attentive. The food was good and designed as a 3 course meal w/​appetizer, entrée, and dessert. The ambiance is dim at night and difficult to take pictures in but the upside is that it is a very intimate environment.
In the end, the food, service, and ambiance is very good and attentive. My total bill came up to $ 200 with two-​3 course meals and wine glass. On top of that, they gave my girlfriend a rose at the end of our time there as part of the Valentines day event.

I like the ambiance and the intimacy of the dining experience but the food was average. Jumbo prawn ravioli is a nice way to start but the entrees were a little dull. We ordered the duck confit and the flat iron steak, both of which was served with very ordinary salad and fries /​chips as sides. The meat was good but not overly impressive in flavor or texture. Just seemed like very ordinary food and overly simplistic for a higher end establishment.

Overall rating: 3.75
Notes:
— great service
— excellent monkfish
— good for romantic setup
— infinite bread
— expensive, the lamb rack wasn’t that great (but still good!), especially for the price (nearly 50 USD for one single dish

Amazing fish entrees! We loved everything we had here on Valentine’s Day eve including the butternut squash soup. The service was great and because we had a reservation we didn’t have to wait. A nice little spot for a romantic date.

This is my new favorite restaurant in SF. The staff is all amazingly friendly, and the food is to die for. If you are looking for a fancy night out, or a casual dining experience, I would recommend this place. You will not leave disappointment! Thank you for such a great dinner and dining experience!!!
They have made me a happy Jew!

I took My boyfriend there for a belated Christmas present. I had the rack of lamb and the potatoes landais. It was simply delicious. The experience took me back to when I visited Paris. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. If you want a romantic dinner, you must go there!

I just moved here from France and my friend had the wonderful idea we dine French. I felt like a part of me was home. This is your typical French bistrot. Starting from the décor to the food and the service and waiters. They’re all French!
These people have been able to bring a piece of france to a very cute neighborhood in SF. The food is just amazing. They have a pretty good selection of French and Californian wines.
The cuisine is delicious. Their meats are very tender. The service is great and they’re all very friendly.
It’s a little bit pricy. But definitely not something you’ll regret.

Soooo yummy! Second time here! Service is amazing! Perfect date night place! :)
It’s secluded and perfect little get away in the city. The food is always good and the desserts are very unique! Never fails us!

Wow. What a terrific surprise!
My friend and I went to CPMC to visit a patient. When she was asleep, we had some time to kill, so we headed here for dinner. What a great choice!
Super-​tasty, beautifully prepared food. Cozy, warm environment. Amazingly friendly and helpful staff.
Sit at the counter if you can. So fun to watch the goings-​on the kitchen.

What we ate:
— foie gras terrine
— escargot
— duck leg confit
— filet mignon
— floating island (dessert)
All dishes were pretty darned good. Both of our entrees were served with pommes landaises which is an excellent potato side dish. If I had to eliminate an item, it would be the escargot. We liked it, but it wasn’t as outstanding as the others.
I really enjoyed the cozy, intimate atmosphere and warm, friendly service. Will definitely be back.

Dangerously good. I live so close to this place that I can see it from my living room, and apparently that’s Pandora’s Box, because now every time I walk by it I have flashbacks to the smells, the flavors, and I crave.
Animal (in LA) is still my favorite restaurant in America… but L’ardoise is now clearly my favorite in the Bay Area.

A super cute neighborhood bistro with delicious food and a lovely, cozy atmosphere. It’s perfectly romantic, especially if you don’t mind that your neighbors are inches away from you, but also a well-​suited choice for dinner with a close friend. I’m not a particularly large person, more like a medium-​sized adult, but as I made my way to the back of the room to meet a friend, I suddenly felt like an elephant in a china shop! It’s pretty tight in there. Just thought I’d mention that in case anyone considering dining at this amazing establishment is claustrophobic or has personal space issues. Anyway, yummy French food and exceptional, attentive service. Place was packed, but we didn’t have to wait long for drinks, food or the bill. The server checked in on us to make sure we were happy with the food and if we needed more drinks or anything like that.
*Haricot Vert Salad With Goat Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes, Almonds, Balsamic Reduction — yum!
*Pan Seared Black Angus Hanger Steak With Pommes Frites and St Emilion Sauce — yum!
*Apple tarte Tatin — yum!

We loved this place — super good food, really great service, perfect drinks, open late, great atmosphere, top rate desserts, good location, thoroughly recommended.

L’ardoise Bistro is a classy French restaurant, perfect for dinner with a romantic partner or a close friend.
Food: ⁵⁄₅
So many great choices on the menu as well as a few specials to consider. We shared the excellent Tiger Prawn Ravioles and the tasty Warm Sonoma Goat Cheese to start. For the entrée, I had the Seafood Cassolette that was delicious with a tasty sauce and very fresh and generous seafood. We finished with the meltingly soft Tarte Tatin and had the sweet surprise to get offered the sublime chocolate fondant de la maison with a glass of Muscat. A real festival of flavors…
Service: ⁵⁄₅
The waiters are attentive, and even exceeded my needs.
Setting: ⁴⁄₅
Intimate and omantic atmosphere. A compact spot though, but it never felt overly crowded, just very Parisian in a way :)
Value: ⁴⁄₅
This place is an absolute treasure!

I love L’ardoise — it actually is really romantic, the waiters actually all do speak in French accents, and the food is super warming, comforting, and delicious. I really would not change a thing. First time I went, I told them my name and was seated immediately, service was on point, food melted in your mouth… really could not ask for more. It’s also really small and kind of crowded but not annoying crowded, more like really cozy and comfortable crowded. I only discovered this place a couple weeks ago and have already been back, twice!

Amazing food with exceptional service, and I loved the intimate and romantic atmosphere.
FOOD:
All the dishes that my boyfriend and I tried were amazing!
— Tiger prawn ravioli: Came in a creamy sauce, but still managed to be delicate and light.
— Foie gras terrine: Hard to go wrong with this one. Super rich and creamy, in a pretty generous portion too!
— Duck leg confit with pommes landaise: L’ardoise is clearly not lying about the slow cooking time – the meat fell off the bone. Generous portion of scalloped potatoes on the side, which were crispy yet super soft, and the salad paired perfectly with the duck to cut the fat.
— Filet mignon with pomme landaise and white truffle oil ($ 34): Oh my god. Amazing. Probably the best steak I’ve ever had! The steak was melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender, plus perfectly cooked and seasoned. The truffle oil was a great touch, and the scalloped potatoes (same ones that came with the duck confit) were once again, great.
SERVICE:
The server checked up on us often but not too often, and he was super friendly, polite, and attentive.
We brought our own sparking Shiraz wine bottle (corkage fee was $ 25), which is apparently much harder to pour than most wines, and in between making sure that our glasses were never empty, he actually apologized for occasionally not pouring smoothly. Of course, we didn’t care at all, but I appreciated that he cared enough to mention it. When I left the table for five minutes, he even folded up my cloth napkin that I left on my seat and put it back on the table. It’s the little things.
I’ll be dreaming about this meal for a while.

This place is an absolute treasure. In my opinion, the absolutely best and most authentic French bistro in San Francisco. After the sun goes down, with the low lights, the rustic décor, and — yes — the French accent of most of the staff, you’ll swear you’re dining in a intimate bistro in some small village in Provence.
I have been here a number of times, and have never had a bad experience. I have been on dates (super romantic), with groups (they happily accommodate, and it’s fun getting to sample more dishes with more people), and on my own (the bar is very intimate and comfy, I think it only seats four). Service is friendly and efficient.
I *always* start with the butter lettuce salad with a simple vinaigrette + white anchovies. I do not see how something so simple can be so delicious. (I ask for extra anchovies.)
Also on the starters menu are the tiger prawn ravioli with a simple sauce vierge. Delicate and lovely. I have not had them in a while, but I recall the escargot and goat cheese start being special as well.
The coq au vin is exactly what you hope it would be. Julia could not do it better.
And their beef dishes are always done to perfection:
— a hangar steak with pommes frites (as you’d expect)
— the filet with pommes landaises (both the pommes frites and pommes landaises are done in duck fat)
— a rack of lamb served with either of the ‘pommes’ above with a really beautiful garlic-​parsley butter
— a melt-​n-​your-​mouth pork tenderloin with a garlic and mushroom sauce.
You will never go wrong with their meat dishes; yet, while I have never had one of their fish dishes, they look lovely.
Oh yeah, and just cut-​n-​pasted from the menu: «Traditional Duck Leg Confit, Cooked 7 Hours in its Own Fat, Served With Pommes Landaises and Garlic Sauce.» The only better duck confit I have ever had was quite literally in Paris.
The desserts are consistently wonderful. Most recently I enjoyed the ‘Floating Island’ with a caramel sauce and strawberries.
Enjoy!

I thought I knew what an authentic French dining experience was like, but I was wrong. Then again I have also never been to France, so my knowledge only goes so far. Anyways… L’ardoise Bistro is a classy French restaurant, perfect for dinner with a romantic date or even a business partner. The service is amazing. The waiters are attentive and patient with my lack of knowledge about anything related to French cuisine.
My boyfriend and I started with the calamari special which was quite fresh and tasty. I would definitely recommend this. We also had the Kir Royal — classic French apéritif with crème de cassis and champagne. Regular Kir is crème de cassis with white wine instead. This was tasty, though I wish we had ordered red wine to go with our main entrée.
For our entrees, I ordered the Filet Mignon with Pommes Landaises and White Truffle Oil. My boyfriend got whatever the Duck Breast special happened to be that evening. Both were filling, though I was overwhelmed by the amount of Pommes Landaises (potatoes) that were on my plate. Both meats were very tender and flavorful. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert, but I heard that the Floating Island is wonderful. Overall would recommend L’ardoise Bistro!

This place is definitely authentic French… Lamb and steak frites are always delightful! Ambiance is also very intimate and cozy.
What u didn’t like was that everytike I went there I had to wait 10+ mins after my reservation time to get seated. And because it was a small restaurant, I had to wait outside in the cold.

L’ardoise Bistro is a nice little French restaurant with a very nice homey décor.
== Food ==
Duck Leg Confit. The meat was so soft that it just falls off the boat. The skin has a very nice crispy texture. The potatoes are the best I had. Soft and crispy.
Floating Island. It’s a meringue floating in crème sauce. It’s simply amazing! I did not know such a thing existed, but it’s simply the best dessert. Highly recommended.
== Service ==
Serving is amazing. The waiter is attentive and very nice. The food comes out really quick. Also I’m not usually a wine drinker so I had the waiter recommend a pairing for the duck leg. The wine he suggested fit perfectly with the duck meat.
== Overall ==
A very nice and charming restaurant. Great place for delicious french food with an absolutely perfect atmosphere for a date.

This is such an unsuspecting find that I wonder why it took me so long to try it. Random people have pointed me to this bistro for several years as a go-​to spot for an intimate evening. Why they keep telling me this, I don’t know, but my subconscious must have kicked in since Jamie W. and I were sitting in the parklet in front when I exclaimed, «We should try that place. People look happy in there!» (photo:
). This brilliant observation was followed by my bold move to make a reservation for dinner there for the following Saturday. We were in the middle of birthdays and anniversaries, so it appeared to be the right excuse. In a very un-​French move, I made the reservation for 5:30PM, and I was assuming the staff just got up.
But no, they were alert and accommodating, and we were seated at the table next to the window where there wasn’t a single passerby who didn’t give the place a lingering look of Gallic-​infused envy. So many great choices on the menu as well as a few specials to consider. A baguette and a bottle of butter-​crisp 2012 Macon Village Nicolas Patel Chardonnay eased us into a back alley in Montmartre. We both wanted to try their special, the $ 12 Heirloom Tomato Salad because it was the peak of the season, and the colorful slices were lovely under a pile of arugula leaves with bits of blue cheese and red pepper. The vinaigrette was a nice complement to the freshness (photo:
). Back to the menu, we shared the delicious $ 11 Tiger Prawn Ravioles.
The shrimp was minced and tucked in light pillows covered in sauce vierge and fresh herbs (photo:
). We went our separate ways with the entrees. Jamie ordered the $ 19 Bistro Coq au Vin, tender chicken thighs bathing in a red wine sauce and hiding the mashed potatoes underneath with pearl onions, mushrooms and bits of bacon for added garnish (photo:
). Mine must be one of their signature dishes, the $ 29 Traditional Duck Confit, which they state in the menu as being the result of a seven-​hour cooking time. Indeed the meat was falling right off the bone with little effort, and in contrast, the skin was divinely crisp and it was sitting comfortably in a roasted garlic sauce. And yet, for the finesse shown on the mortal duck, he plate stealer were the Applewood Smoked Bacon Pommes Landaises.
They were the decadently buttery scalloped potatoes that came on the side but looked to be piled high to satisfy my sizable appetite (photo:
). Sure, that would have been a fine enough meal for an army of French war orphans, but dessert was calling our name, and we kept looking at the mini-​chalkboard on the wall that listed all their sweets. Jamie went for one of their specials, the $ 8 Blueberry Tarte sitting in a pool of crème anglaise (photo:
). However, my old-​school classic was the winner, the $ 8 Floating Island with Strawberries, a lighter-​than-​air meringue topped with fresh strawberries and almond slices floating (literally) on a sea of crème anglaise (photo:
). It was the perfect ending to what may be my new favorite French bistro, at least my favorite that doesn’t require a passport.
FOOD — 5 stars… traditional French dishes executed impeccably and packed with flavor
AMBIANCE — 4.5 stars… a compact spot that seats less than 40 but it never felt overly crowded, just very Parisian in one of the less crowded arrondissements
SERVICE — 5 stars… so attentive, so accommodating, so unexpected for a neighborhood French bistro
TOTAL — 5 stars… this place is a true gem and not necessarily for a special occasion, just because you’re worth it

3.5 STARS
I’ve had L’Ardoise bookmarked forever. But I’m not much of a planner when it comes to dinner. They rarely have same day reservations around 6pm, so I’ve never been able to get a table. When my dad suggested we get together for an early Mother’s Day dinner, I checked OpenTable a couple weeks prior. Luckily, they had a table for 4 on Thursday, May 7^th at 6:30p. I booked it right away.
Appetizers:
*Warm Sonoma goat cheese on baked apple croûton, mixed lettuces & walnut vinaigrette ($ 13)
*Charcuterie plate with housemade pates ($ 14)
*Terrine de foie gras with huckleberry jam, brioche maison ($ 19)
*Escargots en gueusaille (in fried potato cups) with garlic and parsley cream sauce ($ 12)
Pretty solid apps. My favorite was of course the foie. Great creaminess and foie flavor. The charcuterie was great as well. A nice assortment of meats and pates. The salad was good, but I’m not the hugest fan of goat cheese. This was my dad’s pick. My least fav was the escargots as that didn’t seem to be the main component of the dish. It got lost in the potato and all the creamy parsley sauce.
Entrees:
*Pan seared all natural black angus filet mignon with Applewood smoked bacon, pommes landaises, white truffle oil ($ 39)
*Pan roasted rack of lamb with pommes landaises, garlic & parsley butter ($ 42)
*Pan seared all natural creekstone farm black angus flat iron steak with pommes frites & st emilion sauce ($ 24)
*Pan seared Alaskan halibut filet with barley, arugula, roasted squash, lemon olive oil vinaigrette and chardonnay glaze ($ 32)
I love my meat rare. So the preparation of the meat was a little disappointing. The filet and flat iron were more of a medium rare. And the lamb we ordered was more of a medium. Since my family normally likes rare plus, we didn’t complain. The halibut was just slightly overcooked as well, so it didn’t have that silkiness to the flesh. The bites I took were slightly dry. The fries and chips were a hit though. Everyone gobbled them up. They provide an aioli which I love, but I know my fam wanted some ketchup for contrast.
Desserts:
*Special dessert: Raspberry tart ($ 8)
*Vanilla crème brûlée ($ 8)
I loved the raspberry tart. It tasted fresh, creamy with a slight tartness due to the raspberries. The brulee was a good size, but it wasn’t very firm. Super soft and creamy. But it had a nice sugar topping.
Drinks:
*Honig, napa 2012 ($ 75)
*Frog’s leap, napa valley 2012 ($ 55)
*Coffee ($ 3)
Of course, dinner isn’t complete without wine. I enjoyed the Honig more, but my dad thought the bottle was half the price since he looked at the half bottle line item. Not sure if he would ordered it knowing it was $ 75. But I was paying, so who cares right?
Given that a lot of French places are throwing a contemporary twist into their dishes, I like that L’Ardoise offered more old school french fare. Reminded me of my Dad’s old restaurant when I was younger. Very cute neighborhood restaurant.

It was a dark and stormy night and the rain began to fall as I ran down the block in heels to L’ardoise Bistro.
Opening the door and moving the heavy burgundy velvet curtain aside, I was immediately charmed by this small, cozy bistro. It was tight in the restaurant and I squeezed my way to the bar and shook off my Friday night chill with a nice glass of red wine.
The food was delicious — pâté plate was yummy, the beef filet was also very good.
It was a perfect evening — the rain was falling and I was inside eating a wonderful meal with my husband and friends in a dimly lit, super charming and cozy restaurant. Loved the experience, I highly recommend this spot for a romantic date or a nice, casual meal with friends.

FOIE GRAS.
i’m a sucker for this. and this place does it right.
they also have a great wine list and good rack of lamb. a little overcooked but the cut is juicy and super flavorful. pretty small place so make a reservation and be on time. love that it’s tucked away in a little corner with a tiny garden out front. great for a date night as well if you manage to snatch a window seat!

++++
— They get five stars because the wife and i ordered one dish, and they split iot for us rather than making us eat from the same plate
+++
— Floating island was a great dessert. It’s something that I’ve never had, and it’s light and airy.
++
— I don’t believe I’ve been to a restaurant that serves kir, this side of France
— Steak frites was good
— Wait staff great great recs, and they weren’t restless with all of our questions, as I would have probably been
+
— Goat cheese salad was pretty big and tasty. Between sharing the salad and entrée, we were both pretty full.

Un peu de Paris ici à San Francisco!
La terrine de foie gras, confitures de mûres et de sel de mer était très magnifique. Nous avons eu ce avec une belle sauternes réfrigérés. Notre soirée a été un départ fabuleux!
Notre deuxième parcours était moins spectaculaire en toute équité et l’honnêteté. Je ai eu le coq au vin, qui était juste correct, belle présentation, mais un peu dur et le cartilage. Ma femme a eu le porc osso bucco à nouveau belle présentation, mais sans profondeur de saveur.
Nous avons terminé notre soirée avec un tatin de pomme de tarte et café. Prix raisonnable et était surtout notre serveur était positive à l’écart dans un très (bonne) manière français!
Nous aimerons dîner ici! Ah oui, ce est le triangle Dubois et le stationnement des cours suce!

Très bon restaurant français, il faut mettre le prix mais les plats sont délicieux!

Tros bonne!

I have just 2 words to say about L’Ardoise: pommes landaises