French Laundry Restaurant
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RestaurantsPrix Fixe Menu
Top Sentiments among French Laundry Restaurant Reviewers
Overpriced wine list
Best vegetable dish
Delicious ten course menu
Overpriced bottles
Bold citrus flavors
Great Saturday lunch
Extraordinary tastes
Very dessert offering
Good lobster ravioli
Fresh oysters
Customer Reviews (53 reviews)
dmenkes
on Citysearch Feb 28, 2009I made reservations two months ago and dined tonight. During that time, I had spent several weekends researching all I could about Thomas Keller, his restaurants, his philosophy, studied the 100+ page wine menu,... (more)
epicuriousinsf
on Citysearch Dec 07, 2008I dined at the French Laundry & was a bit disappointed. Started w/ oysters with a sabayon sauce, which I would have preferred chilled, I guess I wasn?t expecting the oysters to be poached, however the caviar was briny &... (more)
Citysearch User
on Citysearch Oct 13, 2008My husband and I ate here for our anniversary. It was different from all the restaurants we've ever eaten at. First they treat you with first class service (10 STARS instead of just 5 STARS). The menu prepared for us... (more)
aanraku
on Citysearch Sep 20, 2008We dined with a party of ten in Sept. 2006 and 2007. At our 2007 seating they forgot the promised birthday cake and 5 of the 9 dishes were the same as the previous year. When we emailed and asked them to vary the menu for our... (more)
DaveMSanFrancisco
on Citysearch Aug 24, 2008Due to character limitations, I can't show my full review, but it can also be found on the Yelp website. Look up user "Dave M" under the French Laundry reviews. Simply put, the food was incredible. A culinary... (more)
FoodieJr5
on Citysearch Jun 30, 2008We went here for our 5th anniversay, after a wait of nearly 4 months. The dishes was okay, but far from spectacular. I am a pretty nice guy and maybe my expectations were higher, but this is truly a classic example of a... (more)
Likestotravel1954
on Citysearch Apr 04, 2008After waiting the apparently "required" 2 months to get a reservation at The French Laundry, my husband and I were extremely excited to experience this "world class" restaurant. The wait staff, though attentive,... (more)
Hansell
on Citysearch Apr 01, 2008I like to be offered a drink before dinner when I'm about to sit down for 10 courses. I had to ask twice and they would not serve our champagne until everyone had arrived at the table. 2/10 courses were truly magic. The... (more)
Citysearch User
on Citysearch Feb 23, 2008We made a reservation, and they called us that afternoon to tell us the choices on the menu. Our reserved table was ours the whole night, no one was there before us or after us. The prices are upscale but it is worth it for... (more)
Citysearch User
on Citysearch Oct 06, 2007Took my family to the french laundry for dinner. Wonderful cooking. Great Service. Worth the wait. Pricy however, and not the kind of place to go to on a budget. (more)
310valleygirl
on Citysearch Apr 01, 2007Get ready to close your eyes, open your wallet, and sign a blank check. This is not your average restaurant. The service can be compared to no other. (Not that you would, but intentionally bump into a waiter and they... (more)
Citysearch User
on Citysearch Dec 07, 2006I went to the French Laundry last year for a friend's birthday. It can be hard to get a reservation normally, but we ended up making a reservation for 6, which is much easier to get and we got a private room. It was amazing.... (more)
E. M.
on Judys Book Nov 03, 2006We went to The French Laundry a couple of years ago. It was a friend's birthday and his wife wanted to take him somewhere special. She organized a group of 6 of us and was able to get a reservation for lunch relatively... (more)
Christina M.
on Judys Book Oct 26, 2006Following these instructions I was able to get reservations at French Laundry.http://www.thesandersens.com/res/french.laundry.reservations.htmlThe food and wine was definitely good, but just like other... (more)
binkbink
on Citysearch Oct 22, 2006The French Laundry served up very good food. We had some clear favorites - tuna tartar and the oysters with tapioca and caviar. Food was pretty flavorful. But felt we have had better food elsewhere. Service was very... (more)
hezmodo
on Citysearch Sep 14, 2006The food is everything it's said to be; Innovative. Interesting. Delicious. Noteworthy. Discussion inducing. Unfortunately, the menu has already "been there, done that". Everyone knows the salmon tartar in... (more)
shane94116
on Citysearch Jul 10, 2006I was fortunate enough to have a friend get me a reservation for two friends and me for my birthday and thought I had it made. The day of our reservation one of my guests was called into work at which time I notified the... (more)
ghettogourmet
on Citysearch Apr 25, 2006This is the best restaurant in the bay area, hands down. The food is spectacular, the setting amazing, and the service beyond compare. From the opening amous bouche to the final surprise package, the night passes... (more)
annse
on Citysearch Apr 24, 2006The food was the best I've ever eaten, and the reservations were surprisingly easy to get. Just call at around 2 in the afternoon and ask if they've had any cancellations. Out of 7 phone calls, we found 3 openings, with... (more)
Contributor
on Citysearch Mar 12, 2006A wooden clothespin at each table setting reminds you that this, perhaps the greatest restaurant in America, began life in the 1890s as a French steam laundry. The upstairs dining room of the two-story stone house is... (more)
lbfoodlover
on Citysearch Nov 11, 2005For all the hype about the FL, the experience fell way short of what this highly rated restaurant should be serving. Every single item out of their kitchen must be a "to die for" dish with no excuses for mediocrity. The... (more)
lblotusgirl
on Citysearch Nov 11, 2005After hearing so much about the French Laundry, I expected that the food would be phenomenal. Service was excellant. The ambience of the restaurant was also wonderful. The foie gras and lobster ravioli were... (more)
alexsf
on Citysearch Oct 12, 2005I've been once again for dinner and was as happy as the last time I was in Napa. This is a great locale for a special night. I had a wonderful dinner for two with an absolutely charming server who took care of us from... (more)
mateo594
on Citysearch Aug 02, 2005This restaurant has the best food and best service. It was worth the price. A meal at the french laundry will be a meal remembered forever. Everyone should dine here once in their life. Make shure you make reservations... (more)
odejesus
on Citysearch Jul 31, 2005The perfect tasting menu! Expensive but worth all the money. Bring your wine (can not be on their list) and pay the corkage. Excellent wine service (more)
suzie515
on Citysearch May 27, 2005ABSOLUTELY the best meal I have ever had. We had the Chef's Tasting Menu where each course is complimented by exquisite wine. I have never had fish, caviar, oyster or lobster before in my life because usually the smell... (more)
dylan_thomason
on Citysearch Oct 23, 2004Dazzling, Innovative, Perfect; all words I would use to describe The French Laundry. Even though Thomas himself insists '...there is no such thing as perfect food, only the idea of it'. Good luck getting... (more)
atomicltwister
on Citysearch Sep 19, 2004We have been to French Laundry twice in the past. I'll go anytime if I can get a reservation. The food is cooked perfectly, and the flavor is just unbelivable. I had foie gras prepared in four different way in one dinner,... (more)
jpsalazar
on Citysearch Aug 09, 2004I'm a big foodie, I've been to Charlie Trotter, True, Pump Room, I even got the chance to eat at all the five restaurants in AOL Time Warner building prior to their opening but The French Laundry was the pinnacle of all my... (more)
B_Corp
on Citysearch May 27, 2004This is still be far my favorite restaurant. I just got back from New York and dined at Daniel, among other top restaurants. In the Bay Area, I have had the fortune of dining at Gary Danko and Masa's. The French Laundry,... (more)
primaz
on Citysearch Dec 19, 2003On a recent 2 week vacation to France, Paris, and 10 days touring Dijon, Lyon, Nice, Perrigord and other cities and making sure to make two months ahead of time reservations at Paul Buccasse and other well known places... (more)
sgrosul
on Citysearch Oct 21, 2003My husband and another couple recently dined at the FL (10/18/2003), and we all agreed it was by far the most incredible dining experience we have ever had, including restaurants in France, NY etc. The staff was... (more)
hhoffar
on Citysearch Sep 23, 2003The best dining experience of all time. The most delicious food...very hard to get a reservation but worth it for a special occasion. Wonderful! (more)
lern
on Citysearch Aug 21, 2003We have had the opportunity to dine here twice. First time was a romantic special occasion, just the two of us and it was fabulous. The second trip was for a special birthday with another couple. We had the best time... (more)
ashlata
on Citysearch Aug 05, 2003French Laundry is in it's own catergory. This restaurant is heaven to diners like us. I had the most wonderful meal there. Though is is quite hard to get reservations here, it is worth the wait. I had chef's tasting... (more)
xvs
on Citysearch Jul 16, 2003I've been to the French Laundry twice. The service is very good to excellent, the ambiance is fine, and the food is fine. So why do I only give it a 7 overall? Because only a few dishes were truly sublime. All the... (more)
soma_foodie
on Citysearch May 11, 2003Believe me, the pleasure of The French Laundry is in the hunt for a reservation. Yeah, it's a great experience, but relatively all down hill once you get the time slot. The food is great, the service is friendly and... (more)
cg2jasmine
on Citysearch Dec 11, 2002A memorable experience. It is very difficult to get reservations, but it is definitely worth the effort. I have been fortunate enough to dine at the French Laundry twice. Both experiences have been wonderful. The... (more)
coffee4roni
on Citysearch Dec 05, 2002Masterful...unbelievable service, food like an art form,every need or want anticipated and met..fantastic... (more)
RolandGarros
on Citysearch Nov 12, 2002This place is very good but overpriced and a bit over-rated by everyone. If this puts you in nirvana then, by all means, fork over $500 and enjoy yourself again. Or you can get a $400 off-season ticket to France and enjoy... (more)
y3n0
on Citysearch Nov 11, 2002We tried Keller's taster's menu. This is the first time in a meal where every bite made me go, "Oh my god!". Truly astonishing food---the detail and meticulous care involved in preparation...amazing!... (more)
U187559
on Citysearch Oct 28, 2002I'm not a 'foodie' and didn't expect to appreciate the French Laundry when I was dragged there by a friend, but I was blown away by the place! The setting was very tranquil, the food was excellent, the service was stuffy... (more)
steelmark1
on Citysearch Oct 16, 2002One of the best meals I've ever had. It ewent on for hours, one dish after another. Can't recomend highly enough, so long as you don't mind spending some money - IS NOT CHEAP in any sense. Expensive ingredients used... (more)
rchappel
on Citysearch Sep 18, 2002We had heard much about the French Laundry and were anxious to go for our anniversary. Reservations were tough but we did get them. Food was excellent and the service flawless. The price is quite high but for a special... (more)
noefoodie
on Citysearch Sep 18, 2002I just came back from Taillevent in Paris (Michelin stars, etc. and where Thomas Keller trained when he was younger) and I have to say that I enjoyed my meal at FL as much as I did at Taillevent, at 2/3 of the price. Now I'm... (more)
sobrien
on Citysearch Sep 15, 2002Words cannot describe my amazement at this place. Just go. I have been fortunate enough to have eaten at the Laundry a few times and every meal has been a treasure. I just returned from France where I dined in some... (more)
NeoPrincess
on Citysearch Sep 11, 2002Having eaten at French Laundry and Gary Danko in the same day (talk about indulgence) I feel that I am able to acurately compare the two and can't understand the hype for French Laundry. First off the lunch cost over... (more)
love_lucie
on Citysearch Sep 08, 2002Admittedly, I have not yet tried Gary Danko's. However, my dining experience at The French Laundry took me back to France. The integrity of service and quality of food was unsurpassing.... (more)
dslifer
on Citysearch Sep 02, 2002The food is as good as one can find anywhere in the US or Europe. The setting is charming. The service by a young, mumbling staff that seems overawed by their role, is distracting. (more)
FinickyCat
on Citysearch Aug 31, 2002Accompanied by a regular (at least once a month), my companions and I got the full, six-hour Monty. There were some truly fabulous dishes- the coddled egg was probably one of the two finest dishes I've ever eaten.... (more)