On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
28th St-Park Ave S (6)
28th St-Broadway (R, W)
Mon-Sun. 7:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Loading...
It all started with Anthony Bourdain, whose book, Kitchen Confidential, chronicled the brutally honest life and times of a New York Chef. Since then, Bourdain has become an admired famous TV chef/ personality and Les Halles has become one of the busiest French brasseries in the New York City food scene.
What really welcomes you as you enter thru the doors of Les Halles is the atmosphere of the restaurant that totally engulfs your all your visual senses. First of, this place is usually packed to the brim, then there are vintage French decorations on the wall, waiters and bus boys constantly on the move, dishes clinging, and the background noise of people chatting and having a good time tells you that this is going to be a good meal.
Steak Frites, a classic French meal found at any brasserie, and such is a staple for Les Halles. There are many types of cuts: flank, hanger, new york, rib eye, prime rib. My preference is the dry aged rib eye. Their fries are quite possible one of the best I have ever had, perfectly golden crisp on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Serve this with a side of Bearnaise/Hollandaise sauce, and your basic meat and potatoes dish is good to go. Other excellent dishes as their foie gras, goat cheese potatoes, escargot, or bananas flambé only add to an exceptional meal.
My friend has just told me that the rib eye is no longer on the menu, but still can be ordered off menu, yet I wonder if the meat is still dry aged. Nonetheless, this restaurant is busy not just because its notoriety in fame, but the consistently good food and great experience is what keeps customers coming back for more.
After graduating from working in a restaurant for the duration of college, and reading Anthony Bourdain's Book, i came into this new york-based french brasserie with extremely high expectations.
This restaurant failed to meet (pun) every high note yelp set for it.
1. Basic menu. Was looking for some awesome gourmet items, nothing wowed me.
2. Presentation. A red-neck who watched one episode of Top-Chief could make something more visually appealing.
3. Taste. Mid-rare ordered steak had a faint hint of pink in the middle. MEDIUM WELL - WELL DONE. I worked in a steakhouse, very very very disappointing.
5. Service. Server neglected to define meat temperatures, (which varies from restaurant to restaurant thus a vital part of the diner's experience).
My dream and bragging rights of dining at Bourdain's restaurant were immortally shattered. I've had better steak at lower-level mainstream steakhouses.
I didn't know much about this restaurant before I came in. I had heard that Anthony Bourdain opened it to serve good French food at a reasonable price, but that was about it.
Since the logo on the menu said "American Beef French Style," I figured it would be a good idea to try some type of steak. I decided to go with the steak au poivre with frites.
While the steak wasn't outstanding, it was definitely good. I liked the fact that the chefs weren't afraid to leave it a little on the rare side when I ordered it medium rare. The fries were also quite good, with a firm texture (but what fries aren't good?).
The service was a little spotty at times, but it's a busy restaurant, so I can forgive a little bit of extra wait time.
I found that the real beauty of this place was the fact that I got a full, French-style steak dinner for under $30. I can't think of too many better deals in Manhattan.
So yeah, I'm a total Bourdain skank and was fortunate enough to be staying just a few blocks away when I stayed in New York in September. Naturally, this place was more meaningful to me than the Empire State Building, Central Park and Times Square put together. The food was AMAZING, and maybe yes, I was completely jaded because it was the "home" of my idol, but hey, lay off, it's my friggin review and not yours.
The Escargot was swimming in garlic and oil, truly a great way to eat such decadence. The sausage was as it should have been, with a natural casing, misshapen and uneven. Allowing me to be fully aware of the human element involved in the delicious meat sliding into my belly. The wine was wonderful, the champagne was bubbly and the scenery was nice, as it was the end of fashion week. There is something to be said for how much gratuity one leaves when you are surrounded by beautiful people. Heaven forbid we looked like a bunch of tightwads in this crowd.
Is it the "best" food in NY? Who cares. It is for the most part a tourist attraction and not all that bad considering my share of the tab was only slightly more than the cost of a car service to Brooklyn.
Cheers Anthony
I didn't have any expectations and was very happy with my visit here. I'd walked by this place a hundred times and had never felt especially compelled to go in. I didn't realize this place was related to Anthony Bourdain until two minutes ago when I saw the reviews on Yelp.
It had an authentic, French feel to it. Service was fine, but unexceptional. Ordered a half bottle of wine and liked that they had half bottles. I had the steak au poivre which I thought was great. French fries were very good too. I tried some of the cassoulet and didn't like that very much, but I probably just don't like cassoulet. Finished off with profiteroles which were good, but not amazing.
In total, it's certainly worth recommending and I'd definitely come again.
Went for dinner on a Monday night with a large group. Food came out quick, wait staff was attentive. I love the decor and the music makes you feel like you're not in a stuffy establishment.
French Onion soup - YUM! perfect amount of cheese to onion to broth, not too salty.
Nicoise salad - 3 stars for that, needed some acid or salt, but great portion size
Tartare - i REALLY wanted to like it, but the flavor was off and i've had better, i couldn't even finish it. 1 star
Foie - LOVE the calvados and apple combo with it. melt in your mouth yumminess.
Fries - To die for.
Friends had the meat sampler and from the bites i had of theirs, there wasn't anything i didn't enjoy. Pricing was correct and resonable for what you get.
Overall a fantastic experience and i'd go back in a heart beat.
Surprisingly disappointing. Les Halles was recommended to me by several friends on account of tasty, well-priced food and a celebrity chef (Anthony Bourdain). I came in with relatively high-expectations and found that they were consistently not met.
As has been expounded in some detail by other reviewers, Les Halles showcases French Brasserie food. The setting is casual, the lighting borders on dark, the noise level is moderate.
I went "up the gut" of the repetoire: French Onion Soup and Steak au Poivre. The soup was mediocre at best: moderately hot, nothing really creative about the presentation and nothing really distinct about the taste (except the excessive cheese that was melted on top). As for the steak: while the sauce was tasty, the meat itself was quite average. I found the consistency to be chewy, difficult, and rough. The frites were well prepared: hot, crispy, and salty.
Service was unimpressive. Had to proactively flag waiters when we wanted any attention.
All in all, the meal wasn't terrible but no plans to go back. If you're looking for bistro fare, might be better to try one of the Keith McNally restaurants (Balthazar, Pastis, Schillers, Minetta Tavern) or Bar Breton, which is right nearby.
This was perhaps the first place of my culinary tour. I am fan of Anthony Bourdain, and so this was a must-see. I stopped here after a Mets game, and it became the perfect evening to stay in and eat by candlelight. It started to pour so we headed for the bar and munched on some starter potato crisps.
We took our seat at a nice table in the back, and I rubbed my hands together. And for the first time, I ordered something I never would have ordered in the past, before I read Kitchen Confidential and began to appreciate cooking for what it is. I ordered the Foie Gras, or stuffed baby duck liver.
I can't really say if it was delicious or gross, as I was too excited to be in the Big Apple with my friends and girlfriend and finally in Tony's old haunt. But the place was enjoyable. Next time I'll get steak and frites (fries) and call it a day...
More of a 2 1/2 star meal, but I'll be generous and bump to a 3.
Had lunch at Les Halles with some coworkers; most of the food was decent, but not memorable. The onion soup was satisfyingly salty, the frites were crispy and fresh. I ordered the steak tartare which was prepared table-side; it was flavored decently but does not stand out as better than other tartares I've had in the past.
Recommended if you're in the area, but definitely not a place I would travel for.
I wasn't really a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain. That was before I tried his restaurant.
Something about this guy I did not love. His audacious and somewhat insolent character I did not feel should be around the food he was blessed to try. But boy was I wrong.
Eating at his restaurant changes my view on him... and on food. His restaurant characterizes who and what he is. It's French yet it's also a bold statement. You almost feel like the food is saying "YEAH I'M FREAKING GOOD STUFF". (Substitute the word "freaking" for another F word and "stuff" for another S word.)
I tried the fillet which was good by itself, but the bernaise brought it to a whole new level. I was truly satisfied. My girlfriend had his signature coq au vin... This was an unexpectedly amazing taste. It was overpowering but with bread it was magnificent.
Try it. Love or hate Bourdain, you'll love Les Halles.
I of course was lured here by Mr. Bourdain with high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver.
I got the steak au poivre and honestly? It wasn't the best! The peppercorns on steak were so potent that it was nearly impossible to taste the meat, let alone anything else. Plus, I ordered the steak rare, and it came medium rare-ish. The french fries were amazing so that KIND OF made up for it, but not really. For dessert I got the warm chocolate and banana tart with vanilla sauce. It was delectable. Only caveat- it tasted and appeared more like a slice of pie than a tart. That didn't make it any less delicious, but they should definitely rename it.
Maybe the restaurant downtown is better than the Park Ave. location?
I am utterly disappointed by my dinner last night. This was my first visit to Les Halles after months of anticipation. The food was just "ok". I was with a group of 6. We ordered 1 steak frittes (MR), 4 tartare, and 1 fitness meal (salmon and 5 veggies). Veggies included a small salad, a few haricot vert, fries, and a couple of tomatoes (need I go into detail on the number of seasonal vegetables available in New York this time of year? Well they got the potato right.
It took 10 minutes for the waiter to greet us and another 10 minutes to receive our wine. The waiter poured the wine in seat order rather than starting with the women. I was shocked when the waiter reached over my face to pour a glass for the person seated next to me. The same waiter, which I will name "Grumpy", was also the same person to prepare the tartare table-side. I asked myself, "How can a guy who fails to pour drinks properly prepare a tartare? I decided to push on and give him the benefit of the doubt. What my guests received was a baseball shaped portion of tartare on a plate garnished with a handful of dried tarragon scattered in a sloppy fashon . The steak frittes was simply ok. It was cooked perfectly but seasoned poorly.
We saw grumpy twice more, once when he asked how it was. When we responded that is was just "OK", he shrugged and walked away. Grumpy arrived a few minutes later to present ask about dessert, which we declined. The fastest Grumpy moved the entire night was to present our check (auto-gratuity included). I typically tip 20 percent sometimes more. This one deserved barely 10 ( with the exception of the support staff).
Don't want to leave you the impression that my group was high maintenance, we were simply looking for a decent meal in a place we were sure this could happen. Sad to say I was wrong. I picked up the check or the group as I was embarrassed for the recommending the place.
Good
Decent steak frittes. Cooked properly
They cover most of the French classics and then some
Reasonably priced for New York
Table bread was terrific (classic baguette only slightly softer)
Bad
Too Loud
Inattentive and Unprofessional service (It was pretty bad)
Unprofessional Host/Hostess staff
Mediocre flavor
Would I try again?
No. Too many restaurants in New York that would be pleased to have the business.
It pains me to write this review, but I hope it will save you a poor experience and perhaps a few bucks.
On a recent trip to Manhattan, I stayed around the block from Brasserie Les Halles. I had stayed at the same hotel before and noticed my hotel's proximity to Les Halles. I did not eat there on that trip, because, let's face it. New York is a city of nearly infinite possibilities. There are so many great restaurants in New York. Of all the places I could have eaten, why would I eat at a place that had something of a middling reputation, based on reviews I had read and things I had heard. The answer came to me on a Saturday morning.
I woke up around 8 or 9 am. I was due to meet a friend around 11, and I wanted breakfast. Les Halles was conveniently located around the block from my hotel. I figured that a quick visit to Les Halles would be a nice little gastronomic tourist pilgrimage to Anthony Bourdain's old stomping grounds. I didn't think it would be very good, though, honestly. I just needed a quick, decent breakfast. That's precisely what I got.
I ordered a pot of French Press and a serviceable Oeufs a Cheval, half steak and eggs. It was nothing earth-shattering. It was about what I expected, a decently well-cooked steak at the temperature ordered with some nicely seasoned potatoes. It was quite satisfying to me at that point.
My friend whom I was meeting came into Midtown Manhattan after I had finished my breakfast, and she wanted to go back to Les Halles for some coffee. I obliged. We got some of the pommes frites, which I thought were nothing special despite their considerable reputation. I found them nearly tasteless on their own, but serviceable with some mayo. Maybe, some aioli or Bearnaise would have been better.
Still, the convenience of the location kept my friend and me going back there. My friend had a Confit de Canard, which was, again, serviceable. I had a Boudin aux Pommes and a wild game special, Pheasant Two Ways. I must say that the Boudin was more satisfying than the Pheasant, which was not bad. The Boudin was a good, serviceable blood sausage with some nice potato puree. The only thing I wished for at that moment was an egg or two. The pheasant really wasn't quite as interesting as I had hoped. One of the "ways" could have been just sliced chicken breast in a brown sauce. The other way was some kind of roulade. I can't remember what was inside, but this was far better than the sliced breast.
After lunch, my friend and I went to find a place that no longer existed, Fauchon, the chocolatier. Needing a quick chocolate fix, we went back to Les Halles, and I got an average Valrhona chocolate mousse. The wine suggested to me as a pairing was excellent. Unfortunately, I can't remember what it was called, and I can't read it from my horrible cell phone picture. My friend and I also tried a nice rose from Chateau Miraval, the "Pink Floyd." Additionally, Carlos Llaguno, the Executive Corporate Chef, came out to greet my friend after I had left to catch my flight home, because he had to meet the woman who had been there 3 times over the weekend, and he sent her a bottle of wine too.
I discussed my Les Halles experience with a chef friend who stated exactly what I think of Les Halles. We agreed that it's a decent neighborhood place. I'll be back if I'm staying in the neighborhood. I'm not sure I would jump in a cab to Les Halles if I were staying, for example, further Uptown.
Whenever I go out to dinner with someone, it's always a given that I am to pick the designated eatery. So, acting as if I am some sort of human google search engine, my mother sends me an email reading:
Dinner in New York. Near the Plaza, East Side. French? Cheap. Needs to be cheap. How about Jean Georges? Is Jean Georges Cheap? Let me know. Thanks.
No, Mom. Jean Georges is NOT cheap and BELIEVE me, you would not eat anything on that menu. Let's go with Les Halles. Cheap, simple, quality. Meets most of your criteria. Oh, and did I mention it's cheap?
After days of convincing her that this was a good option and I guaranteed her that our dinner wouldn't suck, we found ourselves running in the icy rain, right through the welcoming doors at Brasserie Les Halles. Noisy and comfortable, it's a setting for a fun time.
First off: I must recognize the magnificence of our waiter, Jean. He was a true Frenchman, from Nice. I guess you can say he was a nice guy from Nice. (Yes, I am aware of the difference in pronunciation. APPRECIATE MY JOKE!) He was attentive, professional, and entertaining throughout our entire meal and even brought my mother a complimentary champagne. He is the MAN.
I ordered a martini and since they were out of martini glasses, it came served in some sort of giant glass. They made me very drunk. Very, very drunk.
BUT, not drunk enough to appreciate the wonderful food that made its way out of the kitchen! For an appetizer I ordered brie on slices of toasted baguette, drenched in honey and served with a salad of baby greens, and toasted pecans. My only complaint is that they garnished the brie with chives. Yeah, it looks fancy and cute but I'm pretty sure honey and onion is a god awful combination. Actually, I'm more than pretty sure. I'm extremely sure. Try something more neutral, like parsley, as a garnish. Your patrons will thank you. My mother ordered the country pate and adored it. I'm not a pate person so I did not give it a try. It smelled horrible but maybe it's one of those durian or stinky tofu kinda things.
I ordered a sirloin steak as my entree, medium-rare with frites. It came out perfectly cooked, amazingly tender, juicy and flavorful. The frites were the ideal texture; crispy on the outside and velvety on the inside; tasting like nothing but fresh, fried potatoes. Everything you could want from a fry.
My mother absolutely loved her lamb chops, which she was wary about ordering. They were cooked and seasoned exactly to her liking and she ate every last one on the plate. She's iffy with lamb and if it's not good meat, she knows. My momma ain't no fool!
Jean also recommended a nice bottle of red wine which complimented our meal very well. Unfortunately, however, it did not compliment the several buckets of martinis slushing around in my stomach. I'm not going to get into details, though. I accept full responsibility for all of my poor decisions.
My dessert, creme brulee, was creamy, crunchy, sweet, and custardy. Mmm. Custard and booze.
We had a fantastic time all thanks to the delicious food at Les Halles and our wonderful waiter, Jean. Hooray for mother daughter bonding love!
Merci beaucoup!
*slump*
I'm a little sad having to write this. But for the sake of all NYers who should be spending their hard earned cash on GREAT food, I just had to.
Anthony (Bourdain), please don't hate me.
I re-visited Les Halles last week. I was really excited because there's nothing like delicious, well made bistro food that could warm you up on a rather chilly night.
I step in and *WHAM* in my face is culture club booming from the bar. I get it - you guys seem to collect some afterwork people at the bar. Thing is, your music SUCKS and it's waaaaaaay too loud. And the music doesn't even suit the decor! So, what gives? My bf thinks it's the bartender doing his own thing. It's just odd, tacky and frankly, tasteless.
We get seated, and I order the frisee salad and onion soup. My bf orders the calamari and their special pigeon salad. Wow... bad, bad...bad. The onion soup tasted like it came out of a can, the frisee salad barely had any roquefort on it, and the pigeon was prepared poorly and drenched in this overly sweet and fruity sauce that he actually ended up spit ing it out. He told me he tasted all this chewy bits (eww) and distasteful parts - but couldn't differentiate those parts from the meat because it's so damn dark in there. My question is - why even place a special pigeon if you're not confident enough to prepare it right?
"What just happened??" is what my boyfriend and I continuously asked ourselves. It's been a favorite of ours, and maybe, just maybe, the steaks, merguez sausages and pomme frites are the best part about this place. But, it's so confusing when they have SUCH an extensive list of food, yet they can only do steak and frites well. It's a shame of menu space, if you ask me.
And, Park Avenue South Les Halles - please do something about the BAD tacky music. Thanks.
I'm not gonna lie.
Before my declared love for Eric Ripert, I was in love with Anthony Bourdain. And…
Read more »
BEST FRENCH ONION SOUP EVER.
(Yes, the all-caps was in fact necessary.)
It was weirdly warm yet overcast and drizzling a little, and we were in the mood for soup. Once we walked past Brasserie les Halles, we discovered that, specifically, we were in the mood for French onion soup. We were not disappointed. The soup was AMAZING. It was thick and rich and had this slight mustardy taste. I cannot summon the words to give this soup justice.
We also split an order of the Portugese mussels, which were in wine, tomatoes, and chorizo ... and they were also incredible. (And huge. The portion was HUGE.) The mussels also came with fries, which excellent.
Our soup craving somehow turned into a decadent French lunch, but that was just fine by us.
My fiancee took me here for my Birthday, after wanting to try it for two years.
We are really into french cuisine and the french culture, and it was unbelievable.
The atmosphere was absolutely amazing. The ambiance was great, with the decor, the restaurant was alive with very happy patrons, and the waitstaff was extremely friendly and nice.
The food was fantastic, and it was what I was hoping for. Everything was cooked perfectly and it made me wish I was back in France.
Being from CT, this was a really easy train ride down to the city, quick 15 minute walk, and then your in a restaurant with a great meal.
We will definitely go back again, and enjoy. This is a must for anyone that love French cuisine.
Cheers!
I finally ate at Les Halles! I have been dying to eat at a Bourdain restaurant for years, and miss my chance every time it comes along. If you know me, you know i'm a sucker for French restaurants. Someone finally took notice and invited me for lunch. I'm sure it is better for dinner, but I was not disappointed in the least.
The escargot was tasty, but lacked the excess buttery garlic I love to sop up with my bread. My company ordered the fois gras sauteed with apple, walnuts and Calvados sauce which was unreal!
For our main courses we ordered the Paleron braised in port wine and ginger. It came with a celery root puree which was surprisingly delicious (I'm not much of a celery fan). I ordered the Coq au Vin which was tender and juicy. The staff allowed us to finish every course before bringing out the new plates (a pet pieve of mine), and our glasses were never empty.
I loved it here, and will definitely come back to try the steak and short ribs, which I hear are amazing.
Not a bad restaurant, nice atmesphere a little pricey, Okay service. When you sit at the table The server will bring you this basket of bread and butter, very tastey sounds silly to coment on but it's soo delicious. For an appitizer the French onnion soup is delicious , I have had the hanger steak there countless times it's served with this like sald thing and on top of the steak is this round small stick of red wine butter (red wine butters also great with bread) also served with this perfectly salt seasoned French frys( so crunchy). I do have a tip when ordering a bevrage ask for them to chill the bevrage . They have the glass bottled coke usually warm. little pricey what good steak place isn't?
Ok, I admit it, I'm a little bit of a chef groupie.
I'm a huge fan of Tony Bourdain, and have been wanting to try the restaurant he was executive chef at. I've also enjoyed watching the episodes of "No Reservations" featuring the current head chef.
Who I saw walking through the dining room a few times on the night I was there...and yes, I was totally stoked I saw him :)
Now, my reason I can't give it 5 stars; the service.
We waited almost 30 minutes after our reservation for our table, and then it took way too long for someone to take our orders. Our server wasn't very attentive, which made our visit slightly disappointing.
Another disappointment was the bread. I expect awesome bread at French restaurants, and this was good, but nothing special.
I had the mussels for an appetizer, and the broth was AMAZING, but the mussels were a bit overcooked.
I did enjoy my tuna, it was cooked perfectly, (and as requested.) The flavors worked well together, and it was one of the healthier choices on the menu, but still really good.
I shared my guy's fries, and they were some of the best I've ever had. I'd go back just for those!
The desserts sounded so tempting, but we were all stuffed.
Prices are surprisingly reasonable, and on Mondays selected bottles are half off.
Nice, comfortable spot. Every time I get sent to New York - unfortunately this is only once a year now - I make it in here.
As usual, I eat at the bar. The service is always ample, if not prompt. And the food is WINNER. Steak Frites w/ Pinot Noir or Rye Whiskey? Yes, that's me. Thanks.
The bar display always rotates. But one of the better alignments I saw was when they had Johnny Walker Blue Label top-center, with Old Overholt to John's immediate right. I should have taken a picture.
(review postdated roughly 6/7 months or so)
I remember Les Halles because how can you forget your first time?
I ate escargot and foie gras here for the first time ever. Drenched in garlic butter as they oughta be, those snails were tasty and tender. The foie gras appetizer was well, as fatty as I imagined it to be, but I can understand the appeal - not exactly something I'd eat every day, but I suppose a little in a blue moon could certainly add to my whole life experience.
I had a steak with fries or frites I should say. It was adequate, not bad, not particularly astounding. My mom's coq au vin was dry and as a result, not that great. I don't remember what my dad ordered. This is never good, when I can't remember foods... That means it was unremarkable - you want to be loved or be hated, 'cause at least then you get a reaction and won't be forgotten in Yelp reviews.
(This is applicable to food and to you. That's right - I dole out life lessons with my star ratings. Don't you feel enlightened?)
The restaurant itself goes for Paris bistro and is satisfactory. I recall thinking that some parts of the dining room look a bit rundown, and not in a cool chic way, but in a "you should really fix that/get that replaced" kinda way. There wasn't anything offensive, just signs of wear and tear - perhaps it looks a little less sorry at night.
Honestly though, Les Halles is good but not great, so it's kind of exactly like your REAL first time (you know - the one involving boy parts and girl parts from two separate human beings, one of them being you).
I have been described as reminiscent of a 10 year old boy. (this is due to a) love of dinosaurs b) scruffy jeans c) hoodies) While I waited in line for Les Halle the looks of other patrons certainly helped to reinforce this. I'm a classy broad, and certainly did not appreciate the fancy pants attitude of our fellow patrons while we waited. I'm a big Anthony Bourdain fan, so I was excited to check this place out. I'm also pretty sure that I saw the head chef from his adventures, standing outside, and I was STOKED.
Had the mussles and frites, which was a perfect blend of garlicy delicious musslely texture and very delicious frites. The most expensive part of the night was the half bottle of wine, making this a lovely date place. loud music changes the atmosphere, which is cool, if that's what you're into. The seating style provided us a chance to catch up with our neighbors at very very close range. If I had wanted to, I could have snuggled with the dude sitting next to me, but I don't think my date or his would have appreciated it too much.
Every other week they have a special menu highlighting a certain region of France. The week I went, it was Languedoc. I had the fish soup and the rabbit, both were interesting new tastes to me. The fish was fresh and the soup a bit spicy, with a taste of the ocean. The rabbit tasted a bit like turkey, especially with the prunes in the sauce and the fresh veggies.
The ambiance was great: old-world marble and wood everywhere, and the service was quick and attentive. They have an extensive wine list but I'm no expert on wines.
For the price, which is half of what you'd pay at a good Gramercy Park restaurant, they have really great food.
We were in town for my birthday, and decided to stop in here for dessert.
The dessert was just ok. I had the chocolate mousse while my husband opted for the apple tartin. The wine was alright.
The service: awful. A couple of model types were seated not far from us and got great service. The guy next to us who was involved in film in some way (the tables are too close...you hear everyone else's conversations) got excellent service from the two women who traded off helping us.
We, on the other hand, were rushed to make a choice on our wine (it wasn't busy and there wasn't anyone waiting for a table). We were asked twice within the first 3 minutes of sitting down, then asked again within another 2-3 minutes about our wine choice...but assured she wasn't trying to rush us. So we chose, ended up they didn't have that wine, so she recommended something that she said she'd never had any complaints about. It was ok.
Dessert came, and halfway through dessert, so did our check. Hurrying us out of here? Couldn't get anyone's attention to get my water glass refilled. Finally an over-worked bus boy saw my glass and filled it.
The second we put our credit card in the folder, our waitress was over. And, we got a dirty look when we walked out. I'm assuming it was the barely 10% we left because we had some of the worst service I've ever experienced.
It wasn't until the next day I realized this was Anthony Bourdain's place. Should have known. Unless you look like you're a celeb, model or someone important, you're probably rushed out since you don't compliment the decor.
Oh Anthony, I am very upset. I have eaten in the Les Halles downtown and it was wonderful. But in Midtown it was a whole other story. My steak was overcooked. So sad in a steak house. It was good, but not medium-rare, more like medium well.
The onion soup was good, the fresh rosemary in it was great.
I've enjoyed seeing Anthony travel and eat, with no reservations so I figured I'd show up at his place with no reservations on a trip of my own. (cheesy intro I know) Overall I'm a fan. The French Soup was great, good flavor and better cheese. I had a NY strip, which was perfectly cooked and a great quality. The magical butter/confit on top made the dish. Unlike many other Yelpers I did not think the pomme frites were that good, just pretty standard in my book. As for price it was good for Manhattan I guess. Atmosphere is not what I expected but very comfortable, I had a beer with my steak and loved every minute of it! (insert boo's here)
Apart from Katz's and Grimaldi's in BK, I made a special effort to have at least one meal here during my most recent trip. It was something of a pilgrimage if you're partial to that sort of thing. For me, it was more of an excuse to go somewhere closer to Midtown, as I'd spent my entire trip downtown and in Jersey.
I was the jerk that came in at 11:00pm on a Sunday night. I didn't WANT to be that jerk, but my stomach never caught up with the rest of me and figured it was 8:00pm. Still, as sweaty as I was at that hour, they sat me with a smile.
Yeah, the lighting was a little dim (almost too dark), but that wasn't such a big deal. I was there for steak, and that's what I got - steak au poivre. This pepper steak is no joke, as they load up on the cracked peppercorns and the accompanying reduction is perfect. Tack on frites done right and a nice cab, and you have a formula for a happily stuffed Tony.
Dessert was a tough decision, given the fact that I'd obliterated my entree. But since I figured it would be probably be another year until I would be able to come back to NYC, I had my friend pick me out something for dessert. I ended up ordering the Profiteroles, which were stuffed with ice cream instead of your typical cream puff filling. Though the actual pastry was a little more dry than I expected, the combo worked out well.
Bottom line: A great meal for way less than you'd expect to pay means Les Halles will definitely be in my rotation the next time I'm in the city.
Was recommended by the W The Court. Packed and "cozy" but then again every good bistro is rather tight. Loved the Croque Monsieur, and their fries are fantastic. Passed on dessert since I was stuffed, but their Creme Brulee and Chocolate Mousse looked great (eyeballed from the next table). Will visit again for sure.
went here after a dessert tasting; needed to get some real food so as to avoid being totally cracked out on sugar. But I wanted something healthy-ish (because of all of the dessert-ing), so instead of the steak frites or the boudin, I got the steak tartare (which I love also), with a salad instead of frites.
The salad was delicious, classic French vinaigrette. The rose I ordered was also quite tasty. The tartare (prepared tableside) had waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much mustard in it--I couldn't taste the beef at all.
I coveted the lamb chops the guy at the next table was having--they looked amazing. My friend enjoyed his meal, though he said his steak salad with ginger had no ginger in it.
The server was fine, a little harried, but nice, and they seated us immediately even though we just walked in. I'll go back, but next time I will order the unhealthy option.
It was really easy to get a last minute reservation to Les Halles Friday. We showed up around 6pm and found ourselves in a nearly empty restaurant. It was a bit warm inside so we asked to be seated outside - and then found ourselves crammed around a tiny table in uncomfy folding chairs, swatting more mosquitoes/flies/ants than I have ever seen in NYC!
The food is alright - I am a fan of the Poulet Roti - which comes with yummy fries. The profiteroles are solid as well. The wine list is long and the bartender was able to successfully concoct a drink that my friend says is all the rage in San Francisco (St. Germain (Elderflower liqueur), Vodka, soda water and lime). That said - it took about 30 minutes to get said drink!
Which leads into the reason I give 3 stars instead of 4 (aside from the miserable environment outside) - the service was ridiculously slow. A 2nd example: our waitress took about 10 minutes to bring an extra spoon for the Profiteroles - by the time she showed up with one, the ice cream had melted. We did not really understand why the service was so slow because the restaurant still wasn't busy by 8pm. I did my regular tip math and then found myself a little bummed that I had been on 20% auto-pilot because the waitress had a large tip for suboptimal service.
If you're in a rush - try somewhere else :/
I love Les Halles ... their Cote de Boeuf is always just absolutely one of the tastiest hunks of cow you will ever put in your mouth. The frites are definitely a plus. This place has never failed to leave us wanting more. Last night, I tried their mushroom ravioli appetizer with goat cheese, and although you only get 2, it was still delicious and I soaked up the rest of the leftover sauce with my bread.
Ending the meal with a chocolate mousse is always my favorite. It was definitely pre-made and chilled, however that didn't bother me at all as it was still plentiful and definitely delicious.
The only one thing I will forewarn anyone about this place is that the noise level can definitely get a little high. Otherwise, if you're up for the great food and the experience, go for it.
I have to say I was somewhat disappointed as well. Steak was chewy, no remedy for that. At least two beers that I wanted were out of stock. Lame. The onion soup and the fries were great. Then again, it's pretty easy to do them well. I liked the interior and atmosphere so I certainly don't rule out another visit.
Cliff Notes version: WHAT HAPPENED??? It used to be good!
My first bad review of a restaurant that I used to like... I took my parents to this location for my birthday 2 years ago. It was a weeknight but even then, the service was a bit slow but still not horrible but all the food was great. Steak frites, duck confit, escargot, desserts, lardons, we ordered a lot of things. It was all good. I ate at the Wall Street location of Les Halles back when Tony Bourdain was better known for Kitchen Confidential and it was also good.
So you're probably wondering, "But this is 2009! What about now??!" OK, so a bit of a spontaneous visit to Les Halles on Sunday night on an aborted trip to Resto (we probably should have gone there). We waited around 20 minutes for a table that was supposed to take 10 minutes. Thankfully we waited at the bar, and the bartender was nice, prompt, good service. He was the most professional server that we encountered all night!
We sat down and it took a while before we saw a waiter. Runners dropped off bread with no plates. When the waiter came by and took our order, that was the last time we saw him until we asked another waiter to get the check for us. In the meantime, the couple seated to my right received their food and were already grumbling about the bad service. The two guys to our left were still waiting for their food when the couple had finished with their meal even though they both sat down at about the same time (according to them). The lady to my right complained to the usher (since the waiter wasn't anywhere to be seen) that when she ordered wine, that she wanted it WITH the meal, not after completely afterwards and she had ordered both at the same time.
OK bad to the food... I mean BACK to the food... Freudian slip. OK, so Tony used to brag that his fries were the BEST. Well, they're still pretty darn good, again still way up there. But it's STEAK frites not frites frites. The steak would have been much better if they had bothered to SEASON the steak. That is a truly rookie error. When the runner came out and plopped the food in front of us, they didn't ask if we wanted pepper. At West Branch none of these mistakes were made, and it's not even a steakhouse! Even Outback and TGIFridays asks you if you want fresh pepper!
Back to the horrendous service... the couple left after complaining about the service (lack thereof) to one of the greeters who basically did the waiter's job by taking the check. The guys next to us had finished their meal and were paitently waiting for their coffee... for 20+ minutes. They weren't happy either. We were just done and waiting for someone to come by to give us the check! We grabbed another area's waiter to get the coffee (which obviously they didn't want anymore since they had somewhere to go and 30+minutes had passed) and our check. So we just wanted to have a steak frites meal (one of their most ordered dishes) and it took us 2 hours.
Maybe it was an off night, but all of it was just one mistake and haphazard effort after another. If this was my first time there, I'd give it one star. Only prior experience as to how good they can be saves it. Eat at the bar... the bartender was very professional he kept everyone there happy.
Meh. Just meh. Wasn't bad, but wasn't great either. I don't know why I ordered the pasta gratin...
We ate there on a Wednesday evening, our reservation was at 8pm and once we got there, our table was ready. The place was a little dim, the noise level was OK, but the chairs weren't quite as comfortable as I'd like. But the service was good.
I had the Foie Gras Poele aux Pommes for appetizer, and it was mouthwatering. Mouthwatering, I tell you!! For entrée I had the Steak au poivre and frites. The steak was medium rare and was tasty. I also got a chance to try my friend's Steak tartare. It was the first time I had raw beef, and the taste was good.
The highlight of the evening was definitely the foie gras. Everything else was just good, not outstanding. I'd give Les Halles a 3-star rating. I might come back if I feel like putting down $50 for a meal again.
I stopped in at Les Halles during my trip to NYC. We waited for about an hour. It was packed! Thank goodness for the speedy bartender. We had some wine, did some people watching...
I had foie gras for the first time here. Foie gras sounds terrible but man did it taste good! I had the hanger steak with fries. Great meal! I was too stuffed to fit in dessert.
I recommend stopping in if you are in the area. If there was a Les Halles in Dallas, I would be a regular.
Le sigh....I am not a fan of French food, but when the boss offers to take you out, you suck it up!
I had my first steak tartar experience here, and I must say I was blown away!!! It was seasoned to perfection, and a perfect portion to boot.
There is also this amazing dish with dough, honey, and brie, served warm....its le chic, le delicious, le pallet sex!
I wanted to like this place but couldn't. Food was mediocre at best. French onion soup was bla, house made country pate was really unpleasant and I'm being kind. Steak was sort of the savior of the meal but not really. It was seasoned nicely with salt but no hint of pepper! Frites were crispy good. Hubby thought his food wasn't bad but he just wanted to finish up and get out.
The place was more than half empty when we were there but our waiter gave us attitude and was more interested in hanging around the bar than paying any attention to us.
1 stars for fries but really, I can make better frites at home.
I can't believe I am giving Les Halles two stars, but if two stars means "I've experienced better" then I feel this is appropriate.
My boyfriend and I used to love coming to Les Halls on quiet midweek nights to take advantage of the nearly empty bar and cozy two top tables. I used to dream about the lamb chops, mussels, and perfectly cooked frites.
The past three times we have gone, we left disappointed. There is no longer any consistency in the quality of the dishes. My lamb (always requested rare) has been brought out medium, or cut so thin it would be more appropriate for a deli sandwhich. The last time we went (about two weeks ago) the chops were mostly fat. It was the first time I wanted to send a plate back to the kitchen. I was so hungry, however, I chose to surgically cut the edible meat away from all the gristle. At this same visit our server was less than friendly, never bothering to stop by to see if everything was in order, and when he presented the check he simply left it on the table without a word and never returned. Although the frites were just as lovely as ever, the lackluster food and service have become the only thing we can count on at Les Halles. We've decided to give it a year and try again.
Biere de Garde: Beer Dinners!
Neighborhood: Nolita
Live Music and Drink Specials!
Brooklyn, NY
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: French
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: French
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: French
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: French
If I got paid like a mili-millionaire, here's…
Because nothing shows respect for a cow's life…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Collecting restaurants, et c., where I have eaten…
A visual-gastronomical tour of New York City.…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Great places to eat if you're hungry or just want…
Where can you get a satisfying French Onion soup,…
