On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
A Pleasant Surprise.
Although it doesn't look like much from the outside, the inside looks nice and the food was very good.
The breakfast/brunch items were very good. We had an 'Avocado and Brie Omelette' and the 'Italian Sausage and Cheddar Frittata.' Both were generous portions served with potatoes (hash browns, fries, etc) and toast and prepared with a minimal amount of oil.
Compared to Cafe Milan across the street (which is also good), I'd say Bistro du Soleil is a step up. It will cost a little more, but the quality and decor is a step up, I believe, so 'dollar-for-quality', they're both on a comparable level.
Now that i moved to playa, i decided to give this local place a go.
On Saturday I invited my coworker over to see my place and walk over to Bistro. C'est tres formidable!
Authentic French food in PDR? Who knew?
I had a very large and filling chopped salad with chicken which was sooooo good. The veggies were all finely chopped, fresh and tasty.
Sherri left very happy . . . and walked all the way home :)
This place was up against tough odds when my boyfriend I visited for the first time: we were in a rush to get to LAX, I don't eat most French food and all I was craving was sangria.
So how Bistro Du Soleil ended up with a five-star review is worth reading.
Upon discovering that they didn't serve sangria, the owner (whom we discovered through a lovely conversation about his joy of living and working in Playa Del Rey, is named Jean Claude) whipped me up a pitcher himself.
We chose two pastas because we needed dishes that traditionally don't take up too much time.
What we were not expecting was better pasta than we've had at any Italian restaurant.
Order the linguini alfredo or the linguini masion, both simple but decadently delicious pastas. The linguini alfredo tastes more like an amazing carbonara sans bacon.
After several hours of biking between Marina del Rey and Palos Verdes and getting severely sunburned, I deserve some YUMMY food!!!!!!
And Bistro Du Soleil was the lucky candidate :D
I had the salmon salad and mom had the angelhair salmon.
The angelhair salmon was mediocre . . .
salad was quite tasty, generous portion only wished the morsels of salmon would be more tender, definitely something I would order again!
One reason I chose this place was because I saw on their online menu that they serve crepe suzette which I am a HUGE fan of..... but apparently they don't anymore :( sad.... so a savory start but no sweet ending...
service was attentive and quite pleasant though
o yeah.. and they do have parking in the back
Go on the weekend for the DELICIOUS benedict selections. Also, order the BLOODY MARY- the best I've ever had and I'm not typically a fan of bloody marys. Perfect spiceyness, not too tomato pastey or peppery... the waitress said it was so good because she drinks them- a lot. My kind of gal ;-)
Dinner is also excellent here.
Half bistro, half mammoth mountain ski lodge, this place is found stretched along the corner of Culver and Vista del Mar. It kind of wraps itself around inside and there are plenty of hidden corners. The food is full of taste and flavor and the place has an upscale yet non stuffy feel. The service was friendly and helpful without being over bearing. A great find, I highly recommend.
I must have gone there on a bad day...or maybe I should have gotten the eggs Benedict everyone's talking about, but I didn't. I went during the week about three months ago...and can't remember what I ate... I think that says something, but maybe the chef was out sick.
In any case, I might check it out again, but I wasn't really satisfied with the food.
Tip: If you're in the area and need some food- Cafe Milan across the street near the Giant 8ball satellite has GREAT omelets and sandwiches
I come here for dinner... most go for breakfast/brunch/lunch. You are missing out on dinner! Give it a try! Jean Claude is a fabulous host. Favorite dishes are Steak Frites, Sand Dabs, the artichoke special and chocolate mousse to finish the meal off. Ahhhh!
The bistro is a cute little place with a short menu.
We came for a casual dinner. I had the fillet mignonette in a wine and mushroom sauce. The plate came with veggies and mashed potatoes as the sides. Overall, the food was simple but hearty.
The owner was friendly, the waitstaff was also good.
Summary: pretty good neighborhood place. Not too expensive.
It's always the divey shack looking place that has the good brunch and that's no lie here. Although the place is on a corner of a major intersection that everyone just passes by on their commute out of manhattan beach to santa monica or where ever, this place should be a brunch stop on your way into town for your errands. I had the smoked salmon eggs benedict and it was delish. the right amount of everything to make it perfect. also, the side of potatoes were also equally amazing. I'm definitely coming back.
If you love Cobb salad, you have to try the one at Bistro du Soleil. Everything else I've eaten here is yummy, too. Plus if you feel like you've overindulged, you can take a nice stroll down to Dockweiler Beach.
One star off because the service is friendly, but reeeeaaaalllly slow.
I came here for brunch around 11am on a Sunday and was surprised to be promptly seated given the small space. I wanted a mimosa but forgot to bring my ID dammit (I kinda knew my date would pay so I didnt even bring a wallet..muahahah). The manager came over to evaluate the situation when we told our waitress I didnt have an ID, and I think they would have served me if I didnt look about 14 years old without makeup.
I had an omelet with cheddar, avocado, and spinach (about $9). The eggs were fluffy, but they were a little cheap with the avocado and the cheddar wasnt melted completely. I aboslutely LOVED the Soleil breakfast potatos though - prefectly crisp and nicely seasoned. They give you toast too, but I didnt even touch it -- who needs potatos AND toast??
Theyre super attentive with water and coffee refills, and Id give them 4 stars if my cheese was melted and I got more than 2 anorexic slices of avocado.
*** good way to start the day following a drinking nite w/ yelpers ... ***
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*** opens 11am weekdays, yum ... i was there @ 10:55am. (lol) ***
*** wow, i'm surprised by the # of mediocre reviews here. ***
i remember when this place opened about…
Read more »
I've visited this cozy little restaurant nook for both breakfast and dinner, and can recommend both experiences. The inside dining room is quite small, but perfect for an intimate dining experience. The patio is enclosed, with a "front porch" feel, and good for people-watching at breakfast or brunch. The food selection veers toward the rich side, but there are options for the more health-conscious, and the staff is very accommodating for dietary restrictions. The preparation is generally excellent, but a little hit or miss (beware: the filet and jalapano omelette literally has a mass quantity of giant chunks of jalapeno that will set your mouth on fire and many dishes are laden with salt). So is the service (you will have to ask for water refills with the a.m. staff). But overall, the experience and food are consistently good enough to recommend if you're local and looking for good fare.
One of my french co-workers brought us here the other day for lunch.
Sadly, it was his last day with our team and so... it was his "last meal".
Parking is almost non-existent, the parking lot will hold 5 cars, one of them being taken up permanently by the classic Citroen project of the owners. We uncovered the car... it was beautiful.
The exterior of the place looks like it used to be a home, converted into a diner.
The place is cozy with a beautiful view. The owner saw my co-worker and they greated each other with hugs.
... to say he frequents this place is an understatement.
I ordered the Steak Frite, medium rare and we all shared a bottle of wine.
The wine was excellent, as well as the food.
And the dessert... oh la la! C'est magnifique! We all shared two desserts, Creme Brulee and Tarte Tatin.
I could have easily eaten both myself... the Creme Brulee was perfect. Not too sweet, not too sour...
Solid spot, friendly service.
Come on in if you want to try some french cuisine.
I've now had brunch here, as well (we can ride our bikes up the beach here!) and they make a pretty decent Bloody Mary and my omelette was very very yummy.
My one complaint is that they made us wait for about 15 minutes for a table and when we got inside, there were literally about 6 empty tables.
Boyfriend and I ate here last week on a Tuesday nite around 8:45. The place was nearly empty (as… Read more »
Yum! Bistro du Soleil is a small corner lot that I drove past a couple times. Still, we were there early enough that we waited a few minutes for the restaurants 11 am opening. (In hindsight, I am surprised more people weren't out there waiting with us).
We sat outside in a solarium-like area. Service was great. It could be because we were the only two at Soleil at the time, but I'd rather believe their attentiveness was due to their passion for their restaurant. The food. I had Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad, which was weird in that I usually don't order salads, and the Le Cubain. Spectacularly delicious!
Bistro Du Soleil is by the beach. Grab a bit here and head to beach for a perfect day.
review 2/9/2008
I.M.Y.
I have yet to stop in for breakfast here and not be absolutely floored by the food. TO DIE FOR! I usually stick with one of the specials to keep it fresh, however the crab cakes benedict is some of the best I've ever had.
But what prompted me to review was the monte cristo sandwich that I had last weekend. Holy Moly! And with a side of breakfast potatoes..... put a fork in me and roll me on home. Still haven't had dinner here yet, but it's just a matter of time.... the menu looks incredible.
In my search for a nice brunch spot, I searched Yelp for something near by. Bistro Du Soleil came up. The place is in an interesting spot near the beach. It has a lot of potential, but the food was only ok. I ordered the eggs benedict...which is my test entree to see if the place is good. It was only ok. I've had better and I don't think I will be back.
The food is good, but the place is losing so many stars on my review because of the following reasons:
1. The place FORBIDDEN you to share.. and they charge $3 for sharing food. I was... WTF.. but whatever...
2. When we ordered the food... it LITERALLY took an hour before we got the food.. So, if you were very hungry.. don't come here...
3. We ordered egg benedict.. it was great besides that the egg that is supposed to be poached was over cooked. DUH!!
4. When we were eating.. the owner came up to us and ask how the food.. when we didn't answer or I think we said it was good... and she replied... ".. only good..?" we didn't respond... she left angry!!! WTF... she didn't even apologized for the long hour of wait and overdone food!
5. When my friend got really hungry after waiting for an hour... (she wasn't when we ordered the food) I shared with her.. and the owner got pissed because she thought we cheated her for freakin $3.. Yeah right!!!
6. The place overcharged us for something we didn't order.. and when they took the order out... they didn't even adjust the price! Yeah right!! once again, good thing I checked my bill!
So, because of all of the reasons above.. I would think three times maybe four before visiting the freakin place again!
Had brunch on a nice Saturday morning.
I ordered coffee and the eggs benedict with bacon. Since my morning started off with a donut, I decided to forego the sugar in the coffee. Coffee was strong and good,without the burnt taste. Good cup of coffee with the cream alone.
Eggs benedict was very good. Eggs perfect, holandaise sauce just right, and the accompanying potatoes were perfect (crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, all with a hint of rosemary, garlic and salt). Plenty of bacon on the dish. The only complaint is the english toast - it was toasted/fried with butter - definitely a little overkill with such a rich dish. They could have just toasted it and it would have been fine.
Service was great, prices reasonable. Parking is a little tough so beware.
This quaint, unpretentious French bistro serves my all time favorite quiche Lorraine -- a savoury indulgent dish made primarily of bacon, cheese (likely Gruyere), chopped meat (here, ham) vegetables blended with eggs and heavy cream in a pastry crust. Caveat -- this is a very filling dish ergo food-coma inducing, so have an espresso or some shut-eye after. =)
I had an early lunch here awhile back (They open at 11 a.m. during the week and serve brunch on the weekends) and the food was delicious.
We were the first people there since we went in as soon as they opened and everyone was very welcoming and attentive. They let us take our time to order and came by every so often to check up on us or ask us if we needed anything. The bread was hot and fresh and everything sparkly clean.
We had the Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad and the Le Cubain (grilled chicken sausage, black beans, wild rice). Both were absolutely delish. Yum.
HIghly recommended for both food and service. Two thumbs way up.
the service is unbearably slow. and, the food is just okay.
i think that bistro du soleil would be perfect for older couples wanting to spend some quality time together. basically, a semi-romantic night out without all the fuss.
it was just not what a bunch of 20-something single girls were looking for before heading out for a night of debauchery.
ok . . . thinking about it now, i guess it would be unfair for me to give bistro two stars. i'm giving it three because the stuffed mushrooms were pretty good, and the wine selection was pretty excellent. if you order the filet mignon, make sure you order it a step less cooked than you usually do b/c my medium was pretty well done. . . . three stars it is.
Fabulous for brunch on the weekends. Great view and lots of different brunch dishes to choose (all your old favorites too.) The service was fine, not expecting much from brunch, but the restaurant itself is a little dirty. Maybe because it's by the beach... I don't know, but it could definitely could use a scrub.
I will certainly go back because the Benedict was fabulous!
Fabulous for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The food here is always great, and the specials are always worth a try. A great first stop, or last stop of the day. Service is friendly and quick.
I highly recommend it.
Though I've only been here for brunch on a Sunday, I am in love with their egg benedict. I think it's the best ones I've had so far. The sauce is very creamy and thick, but goes very well with the spinach (the one I had). A very charming place with excellent service. The owner even came out and asked us how good it was and when we said it wad delicious, he asked if he can have some. Great sense of humor and not arrogant french-y at all.
This is a charming and laid back place. They have good cappuccinos and sandwiches. The fries are really good. They do not have a lot of vegetarian options but you could probably find 2-3 items. It is nice to sit outside and you can ride your bike here from the bike path or park easily in the nearby park for free. It is a good place to go on a Sunday or any day when you just want to take a breather from life and smell some ocean air. Very Comfortable.
Had one of those http://restaurant.com gift certificates so my friend and I decided to go. The wait staff was super nice and the food was good, but not for the price. I had a $17 chicken parm with veggies and my friend had a $14 pasta primavera. Both good, both very garlicy! I might go again, but I would probably order a salad or appetizer.
I've had dinner here many times and the food has always been amazing. Very intimate.
Very quaint place. Service was exceptional. The specials were absolutely delicious! The maitre'd even refilled our glasses for free, since we were 'out'. Loved it.
Bad and slooooow service for lunch. Mediocre French food with minimal flavor. I won't be back.
Great place for brunch that offers traditional french breakfast dishes and more American fare. Orange marmalade stuffed french toast was usually my first pick. The bistro is less than a block from the beach, so a post-brunch walk is in order, of course!
Great food and wonderful service. Always options for any sort of mood your in, and something for everybody. I love the brie quesadilla myself!
Fresh juices but the place seems to be turned around a great deal. Great breakfast pancakes and a delicious omlette well prepared for those even of the pickiest in selections.
I love this place! It's got a great brunch, great for lunch or dinner. I've had the Chicken Dijonnaise, the breakfast quesadilla, and a few of the salads. Each time, the food has been amazing. The wine list is incredibly extensive for a place this small, but then, it is French. Really.
cute place, friendly service. accepts take out and credit cards. the food was ready in ten minutes. The eggs benedict is good. the egg whites, tomatoes and cliantro was not that great. recommend trying something else
this place looked like it was gonna be really really good. it wasn't bad, but not terrible mind-blowing either, like most french restaurants. go there for brunch on the weekends on a sunny day, it'd be a nice treat
great place to start sunday mornings... serves hearty breakfasts... huge portions with fast service... the friendly staff adds to the charm... parking can be a challenge...
Neighborhood: Playa Del Rey
Category: Italian
Playa del Rey, CA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Playa Del Rey
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Neighborhood: Manhattan Beach
Category: Italian
Non-AYCE places to spend a nice Saturday or Sunday…
Loading...
