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2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
Grand St (B, D)
"Their $28 prix-fixe lunch offers fantastic value, my co-workers and I had a fabulous time dining here! Although the food is prepared by the…" read more »
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I know it sounds awfully cliché, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Wow. In all honesty I wouldn't have taken this place seriously if it wasn't for my friend's enthusiastic recommendation. Not knowing much about the place except it's really tiny and serves good French food, me and my sister had no idea what else to expect. Our first impression of the restaurant wasn't that great to be honest, we weren't exactly sure if we dig the shabby ambiance and the claustrophobic space. It's extremely tiny and quirky, so LES, and so LOUD (the stereo was blasting mostly indie rock). It's a "diner" all right but feels more like a bar. The decor is a weird eclectic mix of French, punk, grunge, freakish and funky art, and a bit of urban bohemian, if it makes any sense. I haven't met Zucco himself, but I imagine him to resemble someone like Manu Chao, or Helno from Les Negresses Vertes, someone eccentric and bohemian. As you can imagine, it's a kind of restaurant you either love it or hate it, and my guess is that it was intended to appeal to young cool hipsters, and not old uncool fartie people. Anyways, I'm glad I decided to put faith in my friend's words because food here was darn good and authentic!!! C'etait superbe!!! J'adoreeeee!
We ordered:
1)escargot - 5 star!! Very meaty, they are bigger than my usual French places I go to. Yum!! I love dipping bread in these garlic butter sauce! Mmmmm!!!
2)French onion soup gratinee - Very good & authentic! Lots of gooey cheese on top and the soup is so flavorful,the sauteed onions give a nice touch of mild sweetness. I still prefer Pastis version but this is cheaper and good enough!!
3)hanger steak -4.5 star. This rocks! I love the portion size!! And the red wine sauce was tasty! Excellent! Good value for $20.50!
4)Le saumon grillé - This is exactly how I want salmon to be cooked!! Perfect medium, so juicy inside and crispy outside, and the accompanying creamy sauce was lovely! 5 star! One of the best grilled salmon at this price range ($19.50)!
We were really stuffed and happy. Merci beaucoup Zucco! For this price category this place rocks but I'm subtracting a star for the uncomfortable and claustrophobic seats and the high noise level. Dang I sound so old and constipated! LOL.
After attending a concert, my friend and I wanted to eat something light but tasty so we decided to check out this place. Ok, anything ending with "Le French Diner" has to be adorable and good, right? Talk about first impressions but Zucco's quirky accents and intimate space imbued an effortless charm often associated with French wine cafes.
Luckily, the food did meet our expectations. The bread was warm and fresh. (I believe the test to a good restaurant is found in the complimentary offering such as bread so Zucco passed the test!) We ordered the spinach quiche and the mussels, both turned out to be light and quite flavorful-- the quiche was a delightful surprise! Just wished the french fries that came with the mussels were more crispy, but hey this isn't Pomme Frites so it's all good.
Zucco is a nice little restaurant. It's laid out more like a bar than a traditional restaurant as it only has three or so tables. It has bar space for the rest of the seating along a counter. The kitchen is right behind the counter and you can watch the staff cook which I tend to like to make sure that they are being hygienic, etc. Zucco himself takes orders, clears the tables, accepts payments, and greets customers himself which adds a nice personal touch to an already small intimate space.
On this occasion myself and my significant other ordered spinach quiche and the seafood tagliatelle with mussels, clams, and shrimp. The quiche was made with either a goat or sheep cheese as it had a nice aromatic flavor which was a nice touch. The tagliatelle dish was a tasty blend of flavors with the seafood mixing flavorfully with the cheese sauce. The bill came out to $28 and some change. We didn't order appetizers or drinks and just stuck to the water.
I really like Zucco as a place for a low-key dinner with a friend. It's almost even better as a very late afternoon brunch alternative. Zucco, the salty French proprietor, is attentive and gracious despite his grizzled, leather-clad aesthetic. The food is no-nonsense, classic French fare, all done very well. Wine, priced reasonably, is served in the daintiest of glasses (probably half the size of a pour at a more American-style place, so don't get too excited about the $4 burgundy). Besides the food, the main draws for me are the relaxed (and relaxing) intimacy of the space, as well as the location, which is just far enough from the part of the LES that teems.
This place is amazing! Just glancing at the menu brings a smile to your face - so many interesting combinations of delicious foods!
I know that "hole in the wall" is a look that can come pre-fab as easily as "Irish Pub," but Le French Diner feels... real. It's cozy, welcoming, the food is delicious. And everything about the presentation feels genuine. THUMBS UP!!!!
I'm down with this place. It's quirky and they don't really give a shit what you think. It's places like this that remind me of why I love New York (and of course, the French).
I had brunch here and it was solid and a ton of food. I ordered an omelet with spinach, mushrooms and goat cheese. It was a pretty big omelet and it came with a side salad AND french fries. Score! Usually at brunch spots you get a side salad or potatoes, not both. I didn't finish all my food but it's nice to know that they're not being sheisty. Plus, you get a couple pieces of a warm baguette at the beginning of the meal. It was perfect for scooping up goat cheese chunks. Yum!
My noisette was good too.
Great music.
Awesome French dude behind the counter.
AmEx and cash only.
This place is seriously tiny. I wouldn't recommend coming with more than 1 other person.
Firstly, I've only ever been here for brunch, so I can't say anything about dinner other than that I still reeeeally want to go. Anyway...
Let me say that this is NOT a shit show "Woohoo wasteddddddd" brunch place. If you're looking for a quiet place to recover from the night before or if you need to take your mom or visiting younger sibling some place civilized - this is it. It's wicked small, but the decor is adorable, eclectic French, and definitely has an "only in New York" (or Paris!) feel to it, which will be impressive to visitors.
The food is delicious. I love that when you order a cafe au lait, it comes in a bowl... literally. Anything here is good - from the baguette and nutella to the omlettes (my personal favorite is tomato, goat cheese, and mushrooms).
Overall, charming, different, low key, yummy. The end!
Great brunch spot on the LES, but if you have more than 2 people in your party, you're totally screwed, as there's only one table (and it's outside) that can accommodate large parties.
That being said, the food is excellent (I just love French brunches!) and the owner is the one who waits on you and is exceedingly polite. Good portion sizes too. I would love to try Zucco for dinner.
I wouldnt even think about goin in there if i walked by there... but my friends took my wife and i there for dinner... total of 5 ppl... the place is small so we had to wait a while until we were seated... a little dark... my friends have been there many many times... and they guaranteed that this place is good...
tonite, we had the snail... it was good... we cleaned the dish with the bread... for entree.. i had the duck confit and my wife had the lamb chop... both dishes were actually pretty good... my other friend had the steak and sea bass... they were high end restaurant quality... i enjoyed it... i definitely will go back again... my friend also told me that the burger is good there as well... i guess i will stop by for lunch next time...
Based on the Yelp reviews, I was anticipating some deliciousness coming my way. However, the vegetable risotto I ordered was pretty meh. I ate about a quarter of it, and just couldn't make myself take another bite. It was very creamy, but had no actual flavor, aside from a slightly bitter aftertaste.
The place is pretty cool though, and my guess is the risotto is not their strong suit. The other patrons seemed to be enjoying their food, and it seems many Yelpers have had a great experience here, so maybe it was once again the curse of the vegetarian. Treated as the ugly stepchild and doomed to mediocre food.
Zucco is a strange place. The place is tiny, with very diner-esque looking decors, and rock-n-roll playing in the background. The setting instantly brought up memories of the typical diner food in NYC, and it wasn't too appealing. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a shot, given the good reviews from Yelp.
The price here is a bit higher than the average diner. I got the $15.50 French southwestern sausage, and my buddy ordered a burger for $13.50. When the food arrived, both dishes looked like they came from a nice restuarant instead of a diner. The portion was also on the small side respectively (I got ONE medium-sized sausage and some mashed potatoes, lol). However, it was delicious!!
This place's food is definitely restuarant quality, and not your typical diner.
I'm giving 3 stars, not for the food, but for service.
My girlfriend and I shared the la quiche aux epinards with mesclun salad. We ate little so we could drink and eat more at Sixth Ward (I'll get back to Sixth Ward later). Anyway, the quiche was delicious! The mesclun salad that came alongside was real good.
The service, however, was a bit lame. Before walking into this establishment, we thought the place was closed. I had a hard time opening the door. There were 3 people outside the restaurant watching me. A few minutes later, one of the 3 people got up and opened the door. What?! This guy was the server for the restaurant. Wow...
We sit down and order. Ate and wait around for our check. I say 'wait' because our server had this clever idea to run across the street to Sixth Ward. Not sure for what, but very unprofessional. If I were feeling like an ass that day, I totally would have walked out. But we waited. He gets back and does not apologize.
We pay. We leave.
I really would like to try the food at Zucco again. I mean, I only had a quiche. Service wasn't the worst, but it was definitely bad. I would give Zucco another chance if I were around the area. But there are so many other restaurants around! I don't know. We'll see...
I ABSOLUTELY love this place. It is my favorite restaurant in New York. The Carbonara is amazing, the Truffled Vegetable Risotto is incredible, the Croque Monsieur is exactly as it is in Paris, the salads are always fresh, the Coq a Vin is delightful and they give you napkin holders with your new nom francais.
The wine selections are few but are all great.
The setting is cozy and sweet, though you sacrifice often having to wait for the ambiance, I don't really mind. If you want a unique meal in an adorable place and you love french food Le French Diner is a MUST.
Went there with a friend from Paris... Good / okay place, but did not leave us wow-ed.
Food:
Food was nice, but according to my French friend - not AUTHENTIC. I had a salad, which was fine. My friend has a quiche, which she said tasted nice, but weird. So there you go.
Negatives:
- First of all it is a tiny, tiny place.
- Music was waaay too loud for anyone to hold a conversation at the table
- They don't accept anything but American Express
Putain il est délicieux
Pardon my French.
I saw an article in the New York Times talking this place up a great deal and with a quirky picture of the owner I was tempted to give it a whirl.
First off, this place is tiny. Its perfect for 2-3 people. I sat at the bar and ordered what the owner said to be the special of the evening. But in all honesty, i couldn't understand what he was saying because of his thick parisian accent which was lovely to get lost in by the way.
I few minutes later a plate of a lamb stew arrived and it was divine. Down home authentic simple french cuisine. It was great on a cold winter night, Needless to say, i highly recommend this eatery.
The food was good. The atmosphere was quirky, but good. The service was fast, but there was only one waiter for the whole place (10 "tables" squeezed into a very small space).
I ordered the chicken/ratatouille sandwich, which comes with fries. I asked for ketchup and the waiter said they don't have ketchup but would I prefer mayonnaise or mustard?
If I ever go back to this place, I'm bringing my own ketchup. I realize it's a french restaurant, but the decor would lead you to believe it's very laid-back about things, especially ketchup.
If you're looking for a decent, relatively quick, relatively cheap meal, this is a good spot to take a friend or two. If your party is 3+, you might have a problem finding a seat.
Zucco le French is all about character and the individual expression of the chef and proprietor, a wire thin French man who's eccentricity is matched by the strata of random photos, decorations and paraphernalia adorning the walls and ceilings of this cozy little restaurant. When asked "what's good on the menu?" the chef/owner enthusiastically replied, "everyzeeng!!"
Noticing the generous portions of our neighboring diner's entrees, we opted to pass on app's and split a French onion soup. The soup was good, not totally remarkable, but unlike a lot of French onions soups that i've experienced, was much cleaner tasting, and not too salty. It's a soup that I would order and enjoy again.
My main course was a clumsy mess of slightly wilted salad, potato gratin, and a somewhat chewy, though very flavorful hanger steak. Large portions not-withstanding, the dish was rich, filling, and mounted in butter, cream, and cheesy goodness. Not diet-friendly, but a perfect wintertime meal. A delightfully peppery side of ratatouille helped to round out the meal, and cut through the fat and opulence of the mains.
The food was very good, though not great, but the character of the chef/owner, the coziness of the restaurant, the reasonable price point, and the enthusiasm of my fellow diners will definitely draw me back here again.
It was freezing outside, and we were walking by, looking for a spot to get a late dinner. This tiny place was filled to the brim, but as soon as we walked in, two diners vacated their seats at the bar. We sat down, and were quickly warmed up by the blazing oven and stove a few feet in front of our faces.
A quick glance around revealed professional wrestling on the TV, a small Christian shrine in the corner, and countless polaroids of previous customers.
Over the soundsystem, Biggie was imploring us to give him the loot; that song later melted into Morrissey, then Led Zeppelin's Dancing Days (which elicited an impromptu sing-along by several patrons), and then several other inspired choices.
The restaurant was staffed by three people, a dishwasher/busboy, a bartender/server, and a cook, all of whom seemed to perform each other's duties periodically. We were given warm, fresh bread, and wine in the tiniest glasses imaginable.
On the advice of the bartender, I ordered Le Cassoulet De Castelnaudary, which is baked duck confit and several types of sausage in a bean stew, topped with bread crumbs. My date ordered the French onion soup.
The soup was delicious, although slightly burned, but I have to say the cassoulet was only OK. Every dish that went out around me looked more appealing, especially the coq au vin.
This is perhaps the most charmingly eclectic place I've encountered in NYC to date, and I can't think of a better atmosphere for a late, intimate dinner on a blustery, NYC night. I can't wait to return to give them the five stars they rightfully deserve.
Zucco is an extremely cosy, French spot in the LES. There are only about 6 tables in Zucco, and a bar behind which the chefs whip up the dishes. My girlfriend's jacket zipper got stuck into her scarf, and the place is so small that we had to go outside to pull, tear and disentangle the mess! The funky art and the super french owner/waiter makes you feel like you're in Paris and the tiny wine glasses seal that notion. Zucco has a lot of character, and I always have a positive bias for places which do.
Right, on to the food. We ordered the cauliflower and potato au gratin, fillet mignon with mashed potatoes and french fries (as opposed to freedom fries). My girlfriend says her fillet mignon was tender and fantastic, but my au gratin was average at best - it lacked salt and the potatoes had a funny, uncomfortable, squeeky feel to them in my mouth. The french fries were good but not "WOH" good, and same goes for the mashed potatoes that came with the fillet mignon. Since most Yelpers and my girlfriend seem to be really impressed with the food, I will chalk my experience down to a one-time downer. Currently, I'm torn between A-OK and Yay! I'm a fan, so I give Zucco 3.5/5. However, based on how impressed I was with the feel and character of Zucco, I really want it to be a culinary success in my books...so I will go back, try something else on the menu and report back.
Zucco Le French is not only a five. It's my new favorite restaurant.
What's not to love? On a blustery Sunday, slip into this toasty hole in the wall. Sit at the long counter. Watch Zucco spin around the kitchen, belting out French songs and merrily snapping his rag, as the latino helpers dubiously look on.
Watch your french onion soup bubble under the open-faced broiler. Devour said soup, even though it burns your tongue so, bite after delightfully chewy bite.
Compliment the food, and receive as thanks a heart-breaking grin and stream of rapid French. Understand none of it.
Love. It can only be love.
Everything on the menu is divine!!! The man who works there is also very nice and cool to talk to.
Must have french onion soup to start or else you'll be missing out big time!
cutest place in lower east side
-Small Interior with friendly service
-Delicious French Onion Soup
-Very soft and succulent medium rare salmon with fresh vegetables
-and warm soft bread to start off!
I really enjoyed the atmosphere in this tiny diner with about 3 tables and a bar counter. Sitting at the bar counter you can see the bartender/server/coffee maker multitask to serve the customers. You can also see the tiny kitchen in the back where this amazing chef manages to cook and plate presentable 5 star dishes . I like it!
I tried the carbonalla and the steak I think it was OK,
It was not like "Oh my god I am going to die" kind of experience for me, though. Maybe I am expecting too much, but since it was such a cute small store I couldn't help but have high expectation. Its so small I felt bad if I stayed too long, but then again its alittly on the pricy side so I didn't feel like Ok lets have a fast bite and go have a drink after this. So it made me in a hard place which is why I am rating it for three stars.
If you are not as stingy and have decent money in your hand, give it a shot its a nice restaurant. But in terms of carbonalla, I think the diner in chelsea was better (portion wise And taste wise)
They don't accept Master or Visa, so its better if you bring cash.
I love this place. This is what I want when I say I want French food. It's small, super small. But that's okay, because I can watch them make my food(if I sit at the bar). Although their secret sauces are already mixed so I couldn't steal any recipes.
This place is quaint, cozy, and unpretentious. The food is good and reasonably priced. The eclectic decor and calm Frenchie make me miss Paris.
Although the wine glasses are as unFrench as you can get. I almost burst into laughter when they were brought them to the table. I thought it was a joke. Don't waste your money on a glass, order a bottle. But they are kind of cute.
This place is as good as it gets, perfect for 2 people, sandwiches very good. great place.
NOT Giraffe Friendly.
Really great goat chesse salad (in phyllo), love the tuna steak sandwich (cooked rare), risotto, french onion soup, sea bass. Diapointed with coq au vin. Very very small (seats prob 7 at table and another 4 at bar. Stand out dishes r truely standouts.
love the goat cheese salad, risotto, tuna sandwich and hanger streak. surprisingly large menu for… Read more »
we used to walk by this place once a week and make fun of the name. it was our suggestion almost any time we couldn't think of somewhere to eat and whomever thought to suggest zucco's would do so in the thickest most exaggerated french accent possible. when it came time to pick a place for his birthday dinner, i thought it'd be funny to come here as a joke. the joke was on us, for sure, because this small, charismatic bistro turned out to be perfect.
we burst through the door and entered le french diner and we pretty much stopped short in our tracks, marvelling at how small this place really is. there was nowhere to sit. and "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians was playing somewhat loudly, and everyone started at us for a brief second. two patrons got up from the bar and we settled in to sit in their place at the counter.
before we even tasted the food we agreed this place was very similar to cafes we hung around in Paris when we first met. the menu was so accurate. the owner was there and he & gabe spoke in french to one another for...too long to be honest, i maybe understood every ninth word, and i was getting hungry. but zucco was so friendly and charming that the personal touch of warm conversation with the proprietor made the experience that much more intimate and memorable.
we had wine in dainty little glasses and started with snacks. i had the escargot with garlic & butter, he had the french onion soup. for a minute we stopped talking and just ate. i offered him a snail but he declined. what a sucker.
our meals were great. gabe got the grilled rosemary loin lamb chop served w with fresh french fries & a generous serving of steaming, flavorful ratatouille. i got a personal favorite, les chemoules marinieres. it was incredible.
i ordered the birthday boy some creme brulee, and we had cappuccinos to finish, but i was so full i could barely finish. i had a spoonful of his dessert and it was rich, thick, sweet, and creamy.
dinner at zucco's was delicious and perfect. eating at the bar felt cozy and romantic, like we owned the joint. i know we'll be back soon, and often.
Food was delicious--I just had a cheeseburger and fries, but even those had some nice twists (besides being so ridiculously juicy). I esp liked that the server made little swirls with the dijon mustard on my plate--very inspired.
The wine glasses were tiny though. I was tempted to see if they offered it in "large"
Had dinner at Zucco's a few nights ago after reading countless rave reviews and continuing the quest to find both great restaurants in my neighborhood as well as a decent french bistro. Well, Zucco's pretty much delivers on what I wanted.
It's TINY. There are four small tables and seating for about eight at the bar. But it all contributes to one of Zucco's strong points--really charming atmosphere. A man, who I can only assume is Zucco, is behind the counter, taking orders and managing the FOH. The rest of the staff consists of one chef and his busboy/prep guy.
Had to get the french onion soup, as it's one of my favorite soups that is hardly ever on the menu. Pretty excellent soup. Plenty of cheese with a nice piece of bread and, of course, tasty tasty broth. My one complaint is a lack of onions, as I prefer lots of onions in my french onion soup. One quick note, the soup is certainly large enough for two people to split, making it's $8.50 price tag a little more tolerable.
For an entree, I wanted something a little bit lighter. So why I ended up picking the lamb sausage with red pepper sandwich, I'm not exactly sure. Even though I ended up incredibly full, the sandwich was totally worth it. Plenty of delicious sausage and hot pepper, yum! Although, some people have suggested it on yelp, it's totally true--Zucco's uses Pillsbury bread. It's great...but it's still Pillsbury! A real french bistro is making their own bread!
Overall, Zucco's is another great neighborhood joint to add to the list. I'll certainly be stopping in for a lot of french onion soup this winter.
I was in the lower east side (first time visit to sugar sweet sunshine) and I did a quick wifi yelp search over at "the liquor bar" (free wifi) on the corner of rivington and norfolk and found this place was just a few blocks away with solid reviews.
I gotta say, this is one of those rare occasions where I'm completely baffled by most of the reviews.
The cafe itself is tiny...the bar takes up most of the room and there are a few small tables inside and a few outside. No real complaints here, I wouldn't call it quaint...if I was being generous I'd say its urban, but really its just kinda grungy. The decor didn't impress...I've been to france and been to some great little restaurants there...big deal, you're french...you have a grungy restaurant.
I'll admit I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about this place now and I'll explain why.
I come in and a tatted up guy in a leather vest comes up to me and just stares at me. No greeting...no can I help you...nothing. I tell him I want to eat in and he hands me a menu and hovers around me waiting. It was an uncomfortable experience...all the menu headings were in french and it took me a little bit to translate what I was looking at and the whole time the guy is leaning on the bar looking at me. Go polish a glass or something.
I felt pressured to order so I start to order the risotto and then I notice there's a sandwich section and I ask for a little more time. The guy sighs and walks off. I order a sandwich with mozarella, basil, prosciutto, and tomato...a sort of salad caprese sandwich for 10 bucks.
The sandwich was satisfying enough. It tasted pretty fresh, filling, it didn't blow me away by any means but no big complaints...it was pretty good. It came with a side of fries...the guy handed me a bottle of mustard...I asked if they had ketchup..."no ketchup, only mustard and mayo". Of course not...why would you have ketchup with fries. Thats ridiculous.
They serve wine in these tiny glasses as some of the other reviews have pointed out. Apparently they're cheaper...4 bucks a glass. I'm baffled as to why they'd do this. Maybe they do this in france... or maybe they just don't have any room for big glasses. But most wines need a big, wide mouth glass to breathe...small glasses limit the nose and taste. I don't mean to be a wine snob...but its not like its difficult to use large glasses.
When I read the name, I was sort of expecting a small family run french cafe with a friendly old couple running the kitchen. This was more like sloppy hipster diner with a menu that was more french that its food and jaded, can't be bothered employees to boot...come to think of it, the employees might actually be pretty authentic french.
I will temper this whole review with the possibility that maybe I just came at an off time or an off day. Coupled with the fact that I didn't order any of the more specialty items, maybe on a different day with the right dish this place might be a lot better. But now remembering seeing the cook realize he'd put sauce on the wrong sandwich, scraping it off with his finger and applying it to the other one, I can't say I trust them enough to pay 16-25 dollars for another entree.
I've never posted a review before anywhere, but I'm so shocked by what happened last night at this place that I feel like I have to say something. I've eaten at this place before and generally liked it. The food is good and it's close to the Mercury Lounge, so it makes for a good spot to go before shows.
Well not last night.
After sitting down at the bar area for and waiting to order for what seemed like an eternity, the waiter/bartender started raising his voice at a customer. Now, I can't say for sure what happened, because I only tuned in once I heard the words "I have your credit card you dumb f**k.
Many more loud exchanges occurred, with the waiter/bartender continuing to swear and using the term "you f**king piece of s**t over and over and over until the customer threw a punch and broke some glasses.
Which happened right in front of us since i basically was sitting next to the cash register.
There may have been a back story, with both of them being French and the customer saying he was a friend of Zucco's, but regardless of your hatred for this man, you have paying customers at the restaurant and you really should never ever let something like that happen.
Lucky for us we hadn't ordered anything yet so we hightailed it out of there, but I felt bad for all the people who were enjoying their meals only to have it spoiled by an employee with a bad temper. That place is too small for that stuff to happen.
I loved this little restaurant. It's a tiny place, and it was full when I ate there, but I never felt crowded even dining at the bar. The guy serving us was quiet and attentive, and the food was well-prepared.
Zucco, you have never let me down.
I've been here five or six times over the past two years, and every time is just as jaw dropping as the first. Cloudy soft baguettes make for perfect sandwiches... great saucy steaks... all day brunch......omnomnomnom.
I almost want to apply for an Amex just to make eating here more convenient, since its cash only otherwise.
Good joint with a few caveats. Most importantly, the food was quite good and the place has a certain charm, due in large part to an interior not much bigger than most GAP changing rooms. Service was adequate and casual. Chances are you're going to see a lot more of your waiter when there are only four tables in the whole place.
My one bit of solidly applicable advice - if you're going to drink wine go ahead and buy a full bottle. Though the glasses are only $5, the sweat that comes off my forehead in an average social conversation could fill three of them. (It should be noted that I sweat a fair amount, but also that these glasses are damn small and I couldn't think of an appropriate example.) Perhaps the thimble-sized wine glasses are used in an effort to make the tiny interior appear larger or maybe most Frenchmen have exceptionally small hands. In either case, go with the bottle. Having three of these tiny glasses each bumped the check up a bit.
I had the sirloin burger with fried egg on top - unusual and good. The goat cheese appetizer was also quite fine, and the fish looked good as well. Definitely a place I'd return to, keeping in mind what I learned the first time around.
While I still think of this place as THE joint in the neighborhood to scratch a Gallic itch without dropping a ton of cash in a fun setting, I have to say the lobster risotto with truffle oil I had there last night was about as good as ANYTHING I've eaten.
Because this place has quite a bit of character it's not for everyone. I like the fact they enforce a "no Bud, no ketchup" policy, and wish more places would do the same!
The place is minuscule, but the food is good and it's a great value. Because the few seats are… Read more »
Some sort of urban-trend-French-Euro-punk atmosphere. Certainly not for laid-back casual diner like me. Quite unique alright. That's been settled. Let's see if that's a good thing.
First of all, this place got me so uncomfortable I wanted to walk out the door. Loud shitty music blasting right next to your ear drums, trendy new york youngsters yelling at each other over the loud music.
And I may be highly biased in this review, because I really didn't like the atmosphere of this place. The food was good, with French classics, but I've had French food before and this place was only mediocre.
Lot of the customers here just enjoyed the fact that they were eating 'ohh lala' French food in a cool hip environment. So it's definately the atmosphere that brings this place into the light. But the food was mediocre, I tell you.
Unnecessarily noisy places, besides the sounds of slurping and chewing, are among the top pet peeves that I have. After that point, everything started to piss me off.
I constantly had many many people (porters, customers etc), including the so called the 'waiter/bartender' (one guy managing both the bar and the tables) brushing up against my leg everytime he passed by the narrow space, and no apologies, as that's the norm here.
And half the time he'd be bumping onto the tables as well, and as if the tables weren't small enough as it is, a dozen times I had to save my beer from spilling over my cellphone.
I literally wanted to punch the next person that brushed against me. the 7th time it was a middle aged lady who bumped into me, she quickly said sorry. My anger subsided just from her 'sorry', and I just stared back at my end of the table. But this day was really the first time in my life that I felt really uncomfortable in a restaurant.
Slow orders, as I assume they only have one chef cooking the dishes table by table. So by the time the table next to you got their food, expect your that your food has just started to cook. After being fed up waiting, we had to reach over the barflies and tell the bartender/waiter what we wanted (i guess that's the norm here?). And wait another 40 minutes to get one order in.
And the food. I could definately tell that they were using good ingredients. I could taste every bits of vegitables I bite into, the fish really tasting like 'real fish'. So their prices were somewhat justified, to say the least (13 dollars for a sandwich, 6.5 dollars for a beer, rabbit-turd size of a glass of wine is $5 etc. It's Manhattan, eh...).
Too bad they can't execute all these good stuff. Even with all these fresh ingredients, they just don't know how to use them well. Every dish they serve always leaves you wanting a bit more, and not in a good way. A bit more spice, a bit more kick, a bit more control over the greens, there's always SOMETHING.
How did yelpers find it in their heart to overlook all these unfriendly atmosphere and odd tasts? Am I the crazy one??? The comfort level was absolute 0. And I'm reading other ppl's reviews, saying it had a nice atmosphere. WHAT???
Given, that my party was there on saturday night 9-10pm (when all the night crawlers of NY start showing up). But hell, it was SO OFF.
Over all, this one was a dead flop for me. I can't believe it has such high ratings. They should not call themselves a Diner (having 2 available tables and bar, you call that a diner?) Don't even call it a gastropub or even a brasserie. You'll be pissing on a sacred name. Call it 'a wannabe trendy tiny french bar that serves food'.
The funny thing is, I'm usually the one that values quality of food over atmosphere. But this time it's the other way around. I literally hated everything about this place except for the quality of their ingredients.
Unique, to say the least. But being different doesn't always mean it's going to be better than where you've deviated from.
p.s. If you're into this sort of unique, exclusive, small, loud type of place. Then you'd love it. If you're into enjoying food as you sit at your own table, expecting a typical restaurant atmosphere, you'll be in for a surprise.
I will have to give this place one more chance. The day was busy, and perhaps it was just having a bad day. Perhaps I shall return in a slower service time and try out a different dish.
But to say the least, the place is definately catered towards 'living-on-the-edge-of-coolness' young people.
After reading some yelp reviews, my sister Stephanie, visiting from out of town, and I agreed that this would be the perfect start to our evening. We had little time as we'd agreed to meet friends at Lucky Jack's down the street, but since we were arriving on the early side for dinner in NYC (7:30), we thought we'd be fine.
There was a spot at the end of the bar near the server station, if the restaurant has such a thing, but there was only one spot, and it was hot because of the cooking taking place immediately in front of us, and we couldn't very well *eat* there--one of us standing and one crouching over a bar stool.
When Zucco came over, we asked about a table. He said ten minutes, and we watched anxiously as plates were cleared, checks were paid, and two guys got up and left a perfect little table for us.
Because the focus that evening was to be on drinking ourselves silly, we purposefully ordered less food than is typical for us since we knew there'd be some drunk eating later. Hey, when you're partying on the LES and your late-night choices range from San Loco Taco, The Creperie, Dash Dogs, and a slice on every corner, this is not a bad idea. So, we chose mussels (which came with perfect fries), and a goat cheese and spinach phyllo pastry thing over greens dressed in a mustard vinaigrette. It was all awesome.
The wine came in the tiniest glasses we'd ever seen, but for $3.5, we were pleased.
I can't wait to go back sometime soon, sit at the bar by myself and try one of their homemade pasta dishes.
Amex or cash only.
After such glowing reviews here, I was excited to try out this tiny little spot last night. Oh yelpers, why did you lead me astray??
The place was empty when I got there around 6pm, much to my delight. We got a nice table, and I ordered a glass of rose. Having read about their mini-glasses, I was prepared for the honey-i-shrunk-the-glassware glass. Priced accordingly, and I wasn't in the mood to pound them back so I appreciated the small quantity.
We ordered our food, and feasted on the yummy warm bread. So far, so good. My friend got her lentil dish, but my saffron mussel soup was nowhere to be seen. I had filled up quite a bit on the bread, so I kept mum. The lentil dish was quite yummy- simple, tangy from some vinegary dressing, and quite plentiful. I knew my yelpers wouldn't lead me astray...
until the entrees. I got an omelette with mushrooms, onions and spinach, and my friend got the cassoulet. My omelette was tasty, but in truth not anything tastier than you might find at your favorite diner. Too thick to be a real french omelette. The salad that accompanied the dish had a tasty dijon dressing, and the fries were nice and crispy. The dijon mustard and malt vinegar (which I requested) lent quit the Gallic flair. While I found my omelette dish solid and tasty, if not exceptional, my friend's cassoulet was an utter dissapointment. The entire dish was completely underseasoned. The beans were a bland mush, the duck confit lacked any seasoning whatsover, and one of the sausages that came with it was downright bad. I would have been pissed to spend $10 on the dish, let alone twice that.
While the service was nice and attentive, the small quarters combined with the, erm, aroma emanating from the owner did not induce us to linger or savor our meal. My friend, who is blessed with an usually keen sense of smell, said after that she was barely able to eat the three bites of her disappointing cassoulet that she swallowed down, because she kept having to hold her breath to avoid the unsavory smell.
I still harbor a (perhaps misguided) hope that this was an off-night or the wrong dishes to order. I have to admit, the meat and cheese plates enjoyed by our neighbors, as well as what looked like a lamb shank, looked tasty. Maybe I will have to come back and give Zucco a second chance with a cheese plate... at the outside table.
You know a 5 when you see it. It can be a $2 cup of coffee, a $200 sushi dinner, or in this case, a $8.50 cup of French onion soup, but in all cases, the experience transcends the price, food, or any other isolated elements. No amount of excellent adds up to 5. 5 comes from somewhere else.
What the hell am I waxing on about?
Zucco Le French Diner packs everything I want from a restaurant - delicious, unique, reasonable, memorable, and seductively excellent. I foresee myself looking for excuses to return time and time again.
Live Music and Drink Specials!
Brooklyn, NY
Happy Hour !
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: French
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: French
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: German
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: French
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