Le Pere Pinard

crushed by the rent... oh new york...i can't afford to love you anymore............................................................ .............................................................................. ..................................................................... ........................................................... more

I have dined here several times and have never been disappointed once! The wine list is absolutely amazing! The food has always been great. Definitely a New York Gem! If you are a true foodie, you will not be disappointed! more

Arguably one the best restaurants in the city. Beautifully prepared plates of food. Impeccable and attentive service. Delicately balanced flavors that will satisfy both sophisticated palates and novices. Unparalleled selection of fantastic wines.I will definitely come back again. Pros: food,wine list more

5 stars to the ambiance. This place really is a surprise after you pass the entry. This is a definite romantic little spot. 3.5 stars for the food. It had good presentation and tasted alright, but was somewhat over priced for the quality. I've definitely tasted better for the same price. Also, our appetizer and main course were barely luke warm. Pros: food Cons: service more

I've been to this place a few times and each time was out of necessity. Too hungry, rain, don't feel like looking around, etc. And each and every time, the consistent factor has been hateful staff. Where do they find these people? Food is sub-par and forgetable. Pros: location, if you can't think of anywhere else to go, open late Cons: everything else that counts more

Pere Pinard is one of those restaurants that you're excited to go to no matter what the weather. If it's rainy, then the place feels cozy and comforting. If it's sunny, then the open-air garden is a perfect accompaniment to the tasty food. The one HUGE eyesore though - and it appears as if this is a common complaint now - is that the service is really quite AWFUL. Although I love the food, I now find myself hesitating to make a reservation because I don't want to put up with the rudeness. As a 4-year veteran hostess, I understand that it's tough to work in the service business, and I'm not expecting smiles and rainbows - I just want adequate, cordial, service. Not service like the time I ordered a glass of champagne and it came in a dirty glass. I asked for a new glass, and the waitress glared at me and said, "really? it's not that noticeable." Pros: Delicious food - everything tastes good when it's cooked in butter Cons: Rude waitstaff more

Based on the comments from another reviewer I decided to make a reservation. I arrived with time to spare, and much like the gentleman who commented on 1/15, was dressed well. There were many open tables, but I was offered a choice of sitting at the corner of the bar, near the door; or sitting in a cramped corner (also by the door) between two couples who had already used what would have been my seat for their coats and shopping bags. I asked if there was any way of sitting in the dining room or at one of the 2 tops in the bar section, but I was brusquely told they were spoken for. So, I chose the bar. I hadn't even sat down before the bartender was demanding my drink order. I told him I'd need a few moments and he shot me a look as if I had said something rude about his mother. After that I knew it was time to go. Very disappointing as the menu, while typical, had still piqued my interest. Now, I wish I could give them a half star instead of a full star. The morale of the story... If you are dining solo be prepared to be demoted to the bar at Le Pere Pinard regardless of whether you have a reservation; and regardless of how many open 2 tops you see. My suggestion... Go somewhere where you'll be treated with respect instead! Pros: Ambience is casual, but romantic. Cons: Not a good choice for solo diners! Horribly rude service. more

I have been coming to this restaurant for YEARS, but a new maitre'd seems to have taken over and is beyond rude. We arrived at 7:45 on Sat night looking for a table for two and were told that there was absolutely no way that we could be accomodated at all that night. Last I checked, this restaurant did not take reservations at all, and there were various empty tables throughout the restaurant. We certainly would not have been turned away because of the way we were dressed (stylish gay couple - if I do say so myself)...so I don't know what it was. The prior host was always super friendly and accomodating... more

Le Pere Pinard has consistently been one of my favorite spots to bring friends/visitors. I've had dinner there many times and never had a bad experience. French menu is eclectic - enough of a continental assortment to please various tastes - and the food is delicious (especially the whole fish, which shows up occasionally on the specials menu, and the mussels). I always appreciate the well-chosen wine list, as well. Rustic atmosphere is cozy - very warm in winter (almost too hot in summer) and a bit smoky from the kitchen, which has never bothered me. Service has been great each time I've been, even despite the presence of large parties/big tables. I highly recommend for a fun lower east experience! Pros: Cozy, good wine, great food Cons: Hot in summer, very busy on Friday/Saturday nights more

I've always had a great time here. Yummy food, good service, unusual atmosphere. Remember your cash!! :) more

The setting is cool but the food was bad. My girlfriend and I had dinner at Le Pere Pinard a few weeks ago and both of our entrees were not good. She could not stomach to finish her steak and the duck confit was barely edible. If you want a cool place to chill for a drink on the LES, this is a good place. Just don't order dinner :-) Pros: Nice setting Cons: Bad food more

Snippy comments - unacceptable. $15.99 Pre-Theatre Menu in exchange of service - a foodish disaster! This is perfectly disappointing considering that we (meaning our group of 25) all came in good spirits for a birthday celebration. Mind you - nobody was there yet except for another group of 4. How could it be that there is not enough plates not unless the staff does not want to wash additional dishes?! What a bummer since a number of us has eaten there before and had no trouble with the place. Good cheap food is great but at the end enjoying the ambiance and service is what makes dining out worthwhile. A FRENCH restaurant with no bread plates - give me a break! more

This is a cute little place with great ambience and a nice selection of wines. Frequented by many French customers, which is a good sign of its authenticity. more

i love the cozy romantic atmosphere, maybe because my date was a sweet romantic Frenchman. Tthe host greeted us in French and promptly showed us to a secluded corner table where the candles where lit. The wait staff was attentive. For appetizers the blue cheese and goat cheese were very flavorful. I had the hangar steak, it was very tasty and cooked the way I asked. My date sat beside me with the other table and the waiter was sensitive enough to put his plate in front of him instead of across from me so we could sit beside each other, actually we used two tables instead of one! We had to hunt down the waitress later for the water and bill because it became busy later and it was hard to catch her eye because there were too many people standing in blocking the view, but she was very attentive during the rest of the evening. Overall, I had a wonderful experience, the atmosphere was definitely romantic, the food was excellent, I would come back again (maybe on an anniversary). I'm regretful at the bad reviews because I had an amazing experience, it was probably the company I kept that contributed to this experience too (meaning my incredibly romantic swashbuckling date) I would highly recommend it for dates or group outings. Although my date said the decor wasn't typical of a French Bistro, I still liked it, he said the food was excellent so it must have been good coming from a Frenchman. I give it five stars. more

I am french and i can tell you i had never seen a place like this. It's a really bad image of France that this restaurant is showing. This restaurant represents arrogance. gros connards. more

I was hungry and wanted somewhere to go where I could eat, relax, sip wine and read a book. I was staying in the neighborhood and I actually found this place on citysearch. When I got there the place was empty except for a couple drinking wine at the bar. I was seated promptly and ordered from the prix fixe menu. Steamed mussels were brough out with a nice hunk of French bread. They were out of the white wine I asked for but the waitress asked the bartender for a reasonable facsimilie and it was just fine. For my entree I had the hanger steak and it was cooked medium rare, the way I like it and I had no complaints. I was the only dining customer as it was early, roughly 5pm and sat in the window with a nice breeze coming in. When the check came I handed her my credit card and was told they only accept American Express. The waitress was very kind and let me have her hold my ID while I walked down the street to where I was staying to get some cash, and when I came back all was well. I had a good experience there, but I always tend to when I dine alone in off-peak hours. Try it then. Pros: Pre-theater Prix Fixe Menu for $15 Cons: No credit cards more

My company just had a party there for 41 people. They were incredibly attentive, the ambience was fun, the food was delicious and everyone had a great time! What a great find! What a great place! Don't hesitate to eat there! more

Horrible is the word. We went for a birthday party, had to breathe the SMOKE that their non existing airing system cannot handle (seriously, people at the table were rubbing eyes and stuff) having been seated right in front of the open kitchen, and across from the only fan in the room that airs the smoke right back at you! Get this, they have to keep the garden door open since it's their only source of ventilation, but won't let you out there when you pass out from the smoke and need the oxygen, since they've been ticketed for God knows what. The food is no-no, (they could only bring out 70% of the food ordered in 3hrs) and God knows what type of rodents live in that kitchen next to your fish. The manager, and the waitresses are rude by no measure. But I guess if there's anything worse than being a customer there, it's to be a waitress... Don't go, stay away, this place should be closed down by sanitization department. You will never have such a bad experience in anywhere in the world. Pros: none whatsoever Cons: Everything you can imagine more

I made a reservation for a big dinner party on Saturday night for 10PM. I called three times that weekend to confirm and they said "Of course you are confirmed. When we arrived there was a party already sitting there. At 10:45PM I ask the arrogant host politely when we would be seated and he replied.."Do you have somewhere better to be." No apologies were given just complete attitude. I've lived in the East Village for 8 years and never received this sort of treatment. If you want good French food without the arrogance try Casimir on B and 6th. I regret not going there. Cons: Horrible service and attitude more

I went to this place last night at athe urging of a friend. Although a cute atmosphere, that's about all it had to offer. We got our entrees 50 minutes after ordering. They didn't clear our appetizer plates until before the entrees came (so we sat there w/dirty empty plates before us for like 1/2 hour). I asked for my steak to be medium well, saying specifically that I wanted it pink inside. The thing was mooing. I didn't bother sending it back because it had taken so long just to get the thing in the first place. So, I spent $20 on a dish I barely ate. The service was HORRIBLE. My friends got their drinks about 15 minutes after ordering. Two of them got the drinks AFTER already finishing the entree. When we asked for the drinks, our waiter said "Our bartender is busy." No apology, just an excuse. Anyway, when we left, we noticed one of the waitresses at the bar drinking wine. And she was definitely still on her shift. If you want subpar French food (there are WAY better French restaurants in NYC), poor service and a bad attitude, by all means, eat here. Otherwise, save your money. more