Bistro de la Gare

Thank you Unilocal for helping me find this place. I needed to find a good restaurant for my dad’s birthday. He doesn’t like overpriced pretentious places, just a nice atmosphere and good food, and this is exactly what this was. The neighborhood is lovely, and we found a parking spot just outside. The service was great (the waiter actually speaks french), the food was amazing. They have a great list of French wines as well as more local wines. Everything we ordered was packed with flavor, and the portions were perfect, not too much, not too little. I definitely recommend it, and I look forward to going back again.

Great food. We ordered the crispy pig salad and white asparagus as appetizers. The salad was very interesting, tough chewy texture of the pig ears combined with sweet and tangy salad dressing made this dish a winner.
For entrée, I had the trout and my friend had the lamb. Kind of wasn’t impressed by either, they were good but no spices or flavors stood out to me.
For me, the highlight of the meal was crème brûlée. Truly perfection — custard right on point and the sugar crust is just thin and thick enough to let the spoon crack through without overwhelming the dish.
Would try this place again but would order different entrees. And will order 2 crème brulees. For myself. No shame.

This bistro was highly recommended to us by a friend so we have it a go. It was great. Our waitress Lorena was so nice and explained each dish and answered all of our questions. On her recommendation my husband ordered the mussels and I ordered the risotto. We shared both dishes and they were really good. The broth for the mussels was fantastic all by itself and the risotto was creamy and yummy. You have to order the French fries — they were sooooo good! And come with your appetite– the servings are very generous. Bön appetit!

Great food. The chef’s terrine (with veal, pork, duck, blueberry and hazelnuts) white asparagus (baked with a creamy hollandaise) and charcuterie platter were marvelous starters — the service was attentive and relaxed, the music was soothing and the noise level inside (though the place was packed) was perfect for conversation. We had a bottle of chateauneuf du pape (reasonable and sensational) and then the entrees came, «incroyable!»: I’ve been here twice and through some judicious sharing, have been able to taste many of the main courses which I can heartily recommend — The pasta is perfectly cooked with rich, decadent sauces (both the spaghetti bolognese and the penne with foie gras); the Filet mignon with french fries and mashed potatoes was cooked to perfection, and above all: the lamb shank (which came with pureed white beans and fennel) was fall-​apart tender with a savory wine reduction sauce. We all shared crêpe Suzette and a mini blueberry tart for dessert — and practically licked the plates clean. I can’t think of a more ideal spot for a date or a heartfelt dinner among friends. It’s a short walk from the South Pasadena Gold Line station so it’s great for those who would rather not drive —

Always hits the perfect note. Has never disappointed me once. Not one time, for any reason.

Our dining experience at Bistro de la Gare was top notch! Personalized and attentive service– an increasingly rare commodity in the LA foodservice world was the highlight of the evening, with the food being a close second. The chef made an effort to visit each table for a quick «bon appetit» during each course and I thought that was nice too.
My experience indicates that Bistro de la Gare could be my go-​to neighborhood restaurant, bang in the middle of casual home style and fine dining. If one went with that expectation I don’t think it will disappoint!
We’ll be back!

I cannot speak highly enough of Bistro de la Gare. It feels like we took a 2 hour detour to France with the sounds and flavors. I brought my mother and family here for Mother’s Day, knowing that South Pasadena would be a quiet, quaint location to bring my mom, but having never even seen this restaurant before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It is located just off the main road, and if you are seated outside you get to enjoy the quiet mellow street and the occasional train driving through only a few blocks down.
My reservation didn’t specify an outside table but when I asked to be seated there, they were able to easily accommodate. Once we were seated we were given a simplified menu for Mother’s Day, unfortunately French onion soup was not included on the menu and I will have to come back so my mom and I can try it. I ended up ordering the escargot to start, and my mom and I shared the mussels and ribeye.
It took a bit of time for the food to come out, but we really didn’t mind because the ambiance itself was wonderful. If you just sat there with nothing to do, you could hear the clank of silverware and glasses, and the joyous conversations in French. Did I mention every staff we encountered spoke French and they were warm and friendly, and especially accommodating. The ambiance alone is worth coming here. So until our food came, we had much to do in way of appreciating our surroundings. The chef even came by twice during our meal to check in and see how everything one. These touches of service really added to the experience.
If you have never had escargot, I will warn you that the texture is a bit chewy but once you acknowledge and accept that, you can allow yourself to appreciate the buttery goodness of this dish. The texture reminds me a bit like a mushroom, maybe a bit less soft, but the flavors are butter, first and foremost, and a pestoy aftertaste. With bread, it’s so delicious and warm.
Now the entrees are where the magic happened. Both dishes originally were supposed to come with fries but we asked for vegetables since my mom and I are currently trying to slender down for the summer and they easily changed it for an extra charge. I would recommend this, as their vegetables were a mix of cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus, and mixed with the juices of the ribeye or the mussels I could have eaten that for days. The ribeye was perfectly cooked; I asked for it medium and it was delivered perfectly soft and tender with the creamiest sauce. The mussels were also in a delicious sauce and each one was huge. The portions are surprisingly substantial here, and we were all left perfectly satiated but not overly stuffed.
We finished off our meals with a cappuccino, which always reminds me of my times in Europe, and we left happy and full of life. I would love to come back here. Every aspect of our experience, from the ambiance, to the service, to the food, was beyond our expectations.

We came on Mother’s Day around 6:30pm, thinking we had reservations but realizing only after we arrived that I made the reservations for the wrong day (WHOOPS!). Thankfully, they had room for us, and sat us immediately. I noticed though that when we were leaving around 8pm, there was quite a wait — so to be safe, I would recommend making reservations in case you aren’t as lucky as we were!
Food was great! Plenty of street parking around. Really cozy ambiance with an authentic feel. Awesome service. Will definitely come back if I’m looking for a nice night out.
Appetizer: We got the day’s special of pâté for an appetizer. This was just alright for us — flavorful but a little bit chunky for my taste. It came with some gerkins and lightly dressed greens.
Entrees: Day’s special — Lobster and zucchini pasta — solid pasta dish with plenty of flavor! Regular Menu Item — Lamb shank was a delicious mix of rich sauce, figs, and mashed potatoes with a very generous serving of lamb. But my ultimate favorite dish was the day’s special of salmon+spinach tarte. It was a very delicious combination of salmon, spinach, cheese, and sauce, sandwiched between flaky layers of pastry. Think of it as a yummy salmon pie! It came with a side of lightly dressed mixed greens.
Dessert: we went with our server’s recommendation of the apple tartin and were not disappointed. It was a little on the sweet side, but delicious nonetheless. Apples were plump and juicy — perfect texture. The layer of apple jam-​ish thing on top was a wonderful combination with the pie-​like bottom and the vanilla ice cream. Definitely wish I had room for the other desserts as well, but all the more reason to come back next time!
We will be back! And hopefully with reservations for the right night!

I had a delicious bowl of pasta here for lunch, and we always enjoy dinner here. It’s a relaxed atmosphere and fun to eat outside on a warm summer evening.

Nice neighborhood french resto in south pasadena. Went during Thursday farmers market day so it was bustling. Had the terrine for appetizer which was substantial. Had the entrecôte for entrée which I ordered medium rare but it came medium. Decent wine selection and the server was nice.

Kind of liked the place — quaint, cozy, peaceful ambiance, but not sure I like it enough to come back.
The main course were pretty delish. Liked my Short Rib with Penne Pasta. Bf got the Cod Special. We could have sworn it came with spinach. When we inquired about it, our server said the spinach is on another dish and we could order a side of it if we like. Well, don’t feel like ordering a side of veggie. Quite positive it said spinach on the menu, but whatever. Not going to argue & fuss over a few pieces of leaves.
We both got the French Onion Soup. Neither of us were a fan. It tasted ok upon the first sip, but the more we had it, the less we like it. It just doesn’t appeal to us. It was really sweet and kinda salty… a bit hard to describe. Also, it was a lot of things going on in that bowl of soup. Bf calls it a gravy soup, lol~ I thought it was more like a chili soup. Didn’t think it was worth the $ 11/​bowl.
Service was inconsistent. It was good in the beginning, but later on our server just disappeared. Don’t know if she’s on break or what the deal is, but had to track someone down (first, a bus boy, then another server) to get the check and waited quite a while for it.
Overall, We liked the relaxing ambiance of South Pas (a little too slow pace for me actually — maybe weekend brunch would be fine) and the main dishes, but everything else… not so much.

At one time, this was one of our favorite French restaurants. But our experience two years ago was so abysmal that it triggered a negative Unilocal review and we never returned until last night. We dined with friends who also had pleasant memories of the bistro and we all decided to give it one more chance.
I am delighted to report a very positive experience. The Bistro de la Gare is back in a different décor but with its former quality. First of all, the service was terrific… prompt, friendly, unobtrusive but attentive, and very knowledgable. Other Unilocal reviewers have severely criticized service quality, but that certainly was not what we experienced.
For dinner I chose to have exactly the same dishes I had in my previous experience. This was, after all, a test. I selected escargot as a starter and entrecôte as a main course.
The escargot had been first rate in all our previous experiences and this was no exception. The entrecôte was excellent. The quality of the beef had been significantly upgraded and the sauce was perfectly balanced. I requested rare and rare it was. The pommes frites were right out of Paris.
The wine list has been dramatically expanded in quantity and quality. We selected a 2009 Rhone blend that was fairly priced at about $ 55. It turned out to be a real value.
We all skipped desert. I might add that the restaurant was absolutely full at about 8:00 so the word must be getting out.
In short, it is a pleasure to write a positive review about an old friend that has returned.

Went there for Valentines day and it was a really good choice! Loved it. The food was outstanding. The service was alright, they were busy obviously but it was fine. I dont get the negative reviews. I loved it because of the special attention they give to details. It s just little things that make everything better. For example the mint branch inside the water bottle, or the way they dress the tables. The owner gave a nice rose to every women in the restaurant. So many little things that make this place stand out.
I had the onion soup and the risotto. Both were delicious. My gf had the Terrine and the Duck Confit and she loved it.
I will definitely be back !!

Had an absolutely horrible experience at this restaurant tonight. Kept us waiting to check in for a few minutes. Then when we sat down it was 10 minutes until our waitress came to check in with us. After she took our order we never saw her again until I had to get up and track her down just to get more water (I asked a bus boy but he didn’t bring it either). She brought it a few minutes later!
The food was mediocre at best and hugely over priced for what it is. My steak supposedly came with fries according to the menu. Those never arrived. After eating I asked for the check which took 5 minutes to arrive and then another 8 minutes to get picked up with my card.
The food is uninteresting and the restaurant is both poorly and under staffed.

OMG… What used to be a favorite local French restaurant has hugely disappointed. Over an hour late after our reservation time we finally got seated. So many issues I have to use just list them:
Didn’t have wine glasses for 20 minute so we sat staring at our bottle of wine…
No entrecôte rib eye by the time we finally got to sit down…
4 small pieces of bread for 5 people…
Fois gras was so small… Less than a small bite…
Told that they were very low on bread after we got our escargot without any…
Wet naps that were bone dry…
I’m not sure I want to go on.

I rarely give one star reviews to establishments however unfortunately I must give bistro de la gare a one star for their service on New Year’s Eve. First of all we had a reservation at 815 and did not get seated until 850. Yes they did give us complimentary champagne however this does not make up for the wait. When we were finally seated we were all ready to order however they informed us they were missing the rib eye which half of our party wanted to order. We also brought a bottle of red wine to enjoy and since there was no red meat, we could not enjoy our wine! But we could not enjoy our wine anyways because they ran out of wine glasses! This is a complete travesty to our New Year’s Eve plans but at least I have learned something for 2016; I won’t be eating at this establishment for a long time. Purely awful and unprofessional.

Our experience was so disappointing, we won’t be back.
Its been months, but we had colleagues in town and brought them here for lunch on a beautiful Sunday.
Made reservations thru Opentable; however, when we arrived, it took us over 5 minutes before someone was available to seat us. We opted to sit outside.
The Brunch/​Specials of the day were all rather heavy for the lunch time hour (lobster ravioli, osso buco, etc. and for a french restaurant featured a lot of pasta while the board didn’t list the quiche of the day). Also, they were out of French Toast.
I ordered the mussels. One member of our party asked what vegetables were in an omelette (server didn’t know) so instead she ordered the Croque monsieur without the ham & mushroom sauce. The other 2 members of our party ordered the Croque Monsieur, too.
We waited a LONG time. Went thru a large bottle of water (which took them a while to refill, as well).
First out? My fries. Just, my fries. I shared with everyone, knowing everyone was hungry.
Then the rest of the food came out. Uh oh, ALL of the Croque Monsieurs had ham and mushrooms sauce. When we flagged the server down, he said that the sandwiches are premade in the morning with the mushroom sauce, so there was no way to order without (that would have been good to know an hour ago). So my colleague asked about that omelette, again. Server knew there wasn’t broccoli or cauliflower in the omelette, but didn’t know what other vegetables. Colleague just ordered the omelette.
I HATE eating my food in front of another party member when they don’t have their food. Considering they were starting from scratch, they brought out the omelette relatively fast. Colleague said it tasted fine, but I was mortified.
As for my mussels?
Some of the mussels were overcooked and shriveled up to nothing. And server didn’t bring out a dish to put the shells until after our lunch was finished.
Our lunch lasted almost 2 hours.
Embarrassing & disappointing experience.

I’ll start with the good. The wild mushroom soup was excellent, flavorful and fresh tasting. Everyone liked the french fries. The atmosphere is very nice, mellow and there is a fun view of the street. The bathroom was spotlessly clean.
Here is what we ordered:
Wild Mushroom Soup — See above
French Onion Soup — Not a broth so much as a gravy. Too thick for me. Little flavor, I couldn’t really taste onion. A lot of cheese, maybe too much, maybe generous… on the fence. Three of us had it, no one was impressed.
Eggplant au gratin — OK, but I wouldn’t order it again. Fresh, but boring.
Escargot — What you would expect. Good, but nothing special. I would order it again.
Red Mullet (fish) special: The only entrée with flavor. Too fishy for everyone at the table but me. I liked it. Came with a potato/​califlower mash that seemed pointless, and some sautéed spinach that was alright.
Duck leg confit: very dry, not a lot of flavor, chewy. We thought about sending it back, but didn’t. I would actively warn you to avoid this dish.
Ribeye special with fries: Ordered MR, I think it was closer to Rare, but that is nitpicking… at least it wasn’t over cooked. The problem is I think it was not a very good cut of meat. It was poorly trimmed (too much side fat) and the meaty portions were tough. No taste. I would avoid this dish as well. Everyone liked the fries.
A nice looking place. Nice atmosphere. Good service. I think there was only one waitress and she was very good. Her assistants were nice as well.
The bottom line, I will not return to this restaurant. Except for the duck, it is not bad, but it isn’t very good either.

It’s a quaint, cutesy restaurant, perfect for weekend brunch. Came with a group of 12 friends to celebrate friend’s birthday on Saturday. Even though we are a big group, the orders doesn’t take long.
Salmon Benedict is sooo good! It’s a simple dish but because of its simplicity and presentation, I will give this dish a 5 star. Salmon is fresh, poach eggs is cooked perfectly, potato is soft and crispy.
For Deserts, Crêpe Suzette and Chocolate Mousse too sweet for my liking. Took 2 bites and I can’t stand the sweetness, but well you might like it, everyone has different taste bud some may like it some don’t.
Tips:
~ 2 hours street parking right outside

Be stroll’in into this Bistro…
* GET — Salmon benedict = fresh salmon, homemade hollandaise, nice crisp on the garlic-​potato chunks, on brioche toast… pretty good
* GET — Florentine benedict = oooh, they seasoned the spinach in this… such a win! (there’s nothing worse than a bland-​spinach benedict)
* YES — Friendly waiter service
* YES — Takes reservations
* YES — Good for dates, friends and groups
* WOA:
— Free 2 hour parking out front (except Thursday evenings)
Cute, quaint place for weekend brunches ~