Le Bilboquet

Three years ago I used to like that place, it was a little snobiest but the food and the service was still good. Today , it turns out to be a very unpleasant experience. Terrible! Today, the maitre party with their friends ... If you are not one of them forget it, try another good restaurant over the counter, they wouldn't mind, and we can definately have better food. We don't need to spend your money in a snooby little place, like this one. Sorry they still thing ther are good .... it used to have good food. more

This is not really a restaurant...it is a private club....they do not let you in if you are not a regular...they should be sued for discrimination...they do not take reservations..except from regulars...and even when they are empty if they don't know you or like the way you look you are very rudely told that they are booked....the attitude is unbelievable....they should be shut down or made to adhere to the rules for private clubs....New York is better than that.... more

Ohh Le Bilboquet…There is just so much to say about this tiny French Bistro, which is packed with a big... more

Ohh Le Bilboquet…There is just so much to say about this tiny French Bistro, which is packed with a big French attitude. We all know that a certain... more

Went for late lunch this weekend and it was empty, however the hostess and the waiter had the nerve to ""serve us"" from the bar while reading the paper.....as if they weren't affected by a recession or a new and better French restaurant in the meat packing district. What once was a trendy restaurant is now an empty 15 table restaurant with rude service and an ok menu. We did not stay, of course, nor we intend to ever return. Cons: Horrible service and empty more

I have been going to Bilbo for about 9 years now - essentially everytime I'm in New York. It is such a great spot. Some things to consider - Don't come here unless you are interested in loud music, great food and heavy drinking. Its really not a place to bring your grandmother. However, if you want to have a great meal and a rowdy Saturday - you really need to check it out. It's one of those places that you can go for lunch and stay for dinner. A six hour meal is not uncommon. Its a fairly expensive, European style place. The Cajun Chicken is the best thing on the menu, hands down. Don't even try anything else. Order that, a bottle of Sancerre and get ready to have fun. Pros: Super fun, great music, delicious food and a no-rules type management attitude Cons: Takes a while to get seated more

AVOID THE BILBOQUET (at least) ON WEEKENDS!!! Unless you are willing to endure the aboslute LOUDEST most annoying euro-trash music you've ever encountered, super slow service, and shouting matches to order a diet coke in an ill-designed extra crowded space. You'd rather find yourself another brunch-lunch place. Pros: GOOD LOCATION Cons: THE REST more

I used to frequent Bilboquet quite often, though had stopped for no apparent reason until last night's rememberance feast. To put it simply... I missed it so, so much. The tuna tartare is by far the best in the city and the cajun chicken is my favorite chicken dish... anywhere. Sure the bartender, waitress, etc. give off a sightly pretentious vibe, though the'yre going to treat you the way you treat them. Their wine prices need to decrease significatly, or they should atleast bring in a few bottles under $50. Looking forward to coming back, especially on a weekend night Pros: the food, thurs, fri and sat night Cons: wine list more

This place used to be a quaint little restaurant that you could enjoy great food, good wine and a modern yet comforatble atmosphere. I have been going there for 10 years on and off and it has become a very different place lately. The staff is rude, the service lousy, music loud, and crowd obnoxious. They will with no problem sit regulars in front of people that have been waiting for a while. Recently i was there and ordered a bottle of white wine. Since it was one of the least expensive bottle on the menu ($60) the waitress looked at us as if we were pennyless people. The bottle arrived open, was immediately poured into our glasses without even asking us to taste it, and i do have to admit it tasted quite watered down. The food still remains quite unique despite all the above. Pros: Great food Cons: Rude service, obnoxious crowd more

I just returned to Le Bilboquet after a hiatus of a few years. What happened??!! Eww! This place used to be a charming slice of French authenticity tucked away in a postage-stamp-sized room, but it has somehow devolved into a depressing crowd of loud, flashy, Paris Hilton wannabes and their overly-hair-gelled suitors. If this is your scene, you'll have a great time. If you enjoy club music played at such a deafening volume (esp. in such a tiny space) that no conversation can be had, this is the place to go. It's so unfortunate, because the food is of high quality and the french staff is quite charming... but even they seem to be straining under the load of the noise and tacky crowd. RETURN TO YOUR ROOTS, LE BILBOQUET!!! Pros: The hope that it might become a good restaurant again Cons: Deafening noise, tacky crowd, no reservations for parties of 2 more

After hearing so much about this restaurant from my roommates, I decided to go have dinner there with one of my old friends from high school last week. We are both attractive ladies working in the fashion industry, I at an Italian couture fashion house and she in pr for a major department store in the city--we are very well dressed and presentable women. We arrive at this restaurant and are told by the maitre d that we would be seated in 20 minutes. Others come into the tiny restaurant while we are waiting and he offers them wine while they wait. He never asks us. Then, he proceeds to seat about 5 tables--all who arrived at the restaurant after us. I end up running into another of my friends from college, who frequents the restaurant. He proceeds to try to seat her and her friend. Fortunately, they were nice enough to give us their table after over 1 hour of our waiting. So, my friend and I go and sit down at their table. After we are comfortable and seated, I look up and see none other than the maitre d staring at me in disgust as if i were a bum off of the street that just came in and sat at his table. He instructs the bus boy with evil glares and even more horrible jestures to oust us from the table. So, after 1 hour of waiting, being rudely ignored and utterly disrespected, we were so rudely thrown out of the table that we deserved!!! With that, we left the restaurant and went to have dinner elsewhere. I will NEVER go back there again. I wouldn't give them a PENNY of my money!!!!! more

Meal was fine, however night was RUINED after the Maitre D' rushed us out there to use our table. We ordered a full three courses, including bottles of wine, spent almost $300. the time that lapsed from the moment we sat down to the moment we paid was an hour and half at most (again...several courses). The staff kept clearing away our plates when we werent even finished eating from them! i have NEVER seen anything like that before. when we commented to the Maitre D', he was not apologetic at all, instead tried blaming us - was FAR from a gracious host. Even the people around us were so shocked by what he was saying and his terrible attitude. I eat at very high end restaurants frequently - never has this ever happened before. Terrible service, absolutely rude Maitre D' - never coming here again. Horrible. Cons: Maitre D' is incredibly RUDE and obnoxious more

too bad it is so eurotrashy! the food is great though! why cant the employees be a little more service-minded. the place would be great then! Pros: food Cons: style more

Friday night, Packed, way too loud. I asked the dorr man about the music..he stated,""it has been this loud for 20 years"". I left! If I wanted to goto a club..I would! more

Not sure what that guy was talking about Ive never had a bad experience here. Always find the staff very friendly and accommodating even when they are extremely busy-as they usually are. Theres also something known as a reservation. Call ahead and you will most definitely get a table sooner. But keep in mind that clients will sit and linger so not every reservation can be honored immediately; especially at such a small establishment. Pros: Good scene, music overall ambience Cons: Small more

Showed up last night around 8:00pm with a date per a recommendation from a friend. We were told to wait outside in the rain (due to such small size of place), for about 25 minutes for our table. So we sit down at an outside table under the awning to have a glass of wine while we wait. In the 20 minutes we spent waiting just for a server to take our wine order, the host of this establishment proceeded to let couple after couple walk right in in-front of us because he obviously knew them. The kicker came when he told another couple in French (I speak French so I caught on to this), that the wait for them was only 10 minutes! Hello, we've been standing out here and he tells us 25, but them 10? Keep in mind I was with a very beautiful girl and we had lots of $$ to spend. This place is not worth the hassle. We went across the street to Nello's and had an amazing meal. Save yourself the trouble unless you are best friends with the Host or speak fluent French. more

You will enjoy this euro haunt if you are open to a tiny crowded space, and not terribly concerned with waits or US style ""service culture."" Patrons (us included) go there for a good time, consistently lush and delicious French bistro food, and simply being.... elsewhere. Never been treated rudely, always leave with spirits high and appetite for next visit. A sexy place. more

Good Cajun chicken, fun place, attitude of all kind but you either like or hate it...I LOVE IT more

This is the kind of place where if it's your scene you will love it, if you don't then you probably don't get it and never will. The food is good, the service outstanding and the ambiance...spectacular! It's a very fun Euro scene. The loud music and people ""flickering the lights"" are all part of what makes this place a unique spot in NYC. I have been there for both a quiet romantic dinner as well as late night dancing with all the tables cleared out (and mind you this was a Tuesday night!). It's a great find and the ""snobby"" staff just want to keep it that way! more

I have seen several bad reviews, but have to let you know I have really enjoyed Le Bilboquet every time I have visited. During my last visit, my friend and I did not have a reservation. The waiter told us it would be 20 minutes, so we went across the street to The Post House for a drink. As promised, our table was ready. The food was exceptional (especially the Cajun Chicken), the service was impeccable and the atmosphere was fun and lively. Definitely worth a wait (but obviously not outside)! more