L'Ardoise Bistro

Such a wonderful bistro. We went for a birthday celebration and everyone enjoyed all that was ordered. The atmosphere was cozy and service, attentive, though I will say we did feel a bit rushed toward the end of our meal so the table could be turned over. Still, that minor element wouldn't deter me from returning or recommending.

We enjoyed another lovely, relaxing evening at l'Ardoise, this time at the 9:15 seating on a cold and rainy night.

We again shared the delicious Tiger Shrimp ravioli as a starter. My husband also remembered loving the Coq au Vin from our visit last summer and was very happy with his choice.

I had the excellent and fairly priced salmon and cod special. The fish was wrapped together in a chard leaf and seared, placed on a bed of fresh crunchy cucumber and butternut squash spirals on top of mashed potatoes, then finished with a lobster sauce.

The dish was beautifully prepared, the ingredients complemented each other, and the fish was tender and flavorful. I had a glass of white Sancerre, recommended by the waitress, and liked it. I asked for a half-pour to go with the rest of the meal and was accommodated, which I appreciated. Not all SF restaurants will do this! We would love to have a wider choice of wines by the glass as we are not big drinkers.

Dessert to share was a special double swan puff pastry they added for Valentine's Day filled with hazelnut cream and "floating" on a lake of creme patisserie. Dinner was hearty, so we did not want a heavy dessert. The double decaf espresso was excellent and went well with it.

The beautiful aspects of French culture are expressed here--the excellence of the food, comfortable atmosphere, and emphasis on enjoyment. We never felt rushed and enjoyed a lively conversation with our waiter. Several groups of friends hung out, talking and laughing as the restaurant emptied. There's something magical about a place that lets you retreat from the urban rush and be in the moment. It was a bit of a splurge for us, but it's worth it, and I think it will now be a regular feature of our SF trips.

This place was amazing!! I came here to celebrate a birthday and we enjoyed every moment. It's very intimate, the food was amazing and the service was great! I fell in love with the duck confit and those potatoes...Chef's kiss!

This is by far my most favorite French restaurant in SF! When you come to this restaurant, make sure to order this Brussel sprout salad, it’s really tasty 😋. The other foods I orders were well cooked and L’Ardoise Bistro should be a must try restaurant if you ever crave French food.

Very nice ambiance and cozy place, service was great, we had the Goat Cheese Salad, Black Angus Hanger Steak and Traditional Duck Leg Confit, and for dessert we shared Valrhona Chocolate Fondant, food was scrumptious. The place is small so It’s recommended to get a reservation.

Wow! What a wonderful find, a small intimate very French restaurant right here in San Francisco. This is a terrific dining experience! The food was amazing at every turn and the service was exceptional!

Excellent choice for a celebratory dinner in SF, in addition to being insanely good French cuisine. We had read the escargot was the best in the city, and that was correct! The sauce was so luxurious and soaked up the baguette nicely. The apple tartin was a stellar end to the evening, truly can’t deny anything we ordered. Service was attentive and kind. 5/5 all around!

Authentic French bistro: setting, conviviality, right down to the accent but not the attitude. Warm and welcoming, with a real human touch & humor. Tables were close-set, without much elbow room or privacy.

Oh the food was also excellent. Truly exceptional prawn ravioli (whoops that's Italian, haha), the pasta melts in your mouth and the sauce...mmm. In fact, the sauces here are a standout in all the dishes.

Next best is the flourless chocolate "cake" over raspberry coulis. Very dark chocolate of outstanding quality.

Entrees were both excellent: rack of lamb and scallops, both with their subtle & rich sauces. I wish the scallops were seared more - I think the chef was aiming for tender.

The butternut squash soup had a light creamy texture with a deft touch of seasoning, which made a distinctly sharp sprinkle of fresh-ground black pepper stand out a bit too much. Worthy.

The goat cheese salad had an imbalance of a (large) lump of goat cheese on a soft bed of salad greens, with (presumably) apple croutons (more croutons than apple). Would have been better if the cheese weren't such a great lump and thin apple slices were actually added.

The disappointment of the evening was the apple tarte tatin. The apple pureed but too sweet, made less so by the accompanying whipped cream. Not the best version of this dessert.

Great small and romantic restaurant serving outstanding French cuisine! We had two salads the Brussels sprouts and the beet. Both were good but the beet salad knocked it out of the park! The goat cheese with small cubes of beets was an incredible combination. We also had the Coq au vin and the rib steak. They were Both outstanding. I’ve recently eaten the rib eye at Harris and Joe’s of Westlake and this ribeye was another level above those! Fairly expensive but worth every penny, tender melt in your mouth with a wine and bacon sauce it was incredible. Finally my ribeye came with Pommes landaises potatoes but both of us couldn’t stop eating them, it was a cross between potato chips and a fried scallop potato. Brilliant!

What a San Francisco gift! I came in on a Saturday night after a long work week for a treat-my-self solo meal. Warm, polished service. Snug, charming ambiance. And a deeply satisfying, decadent meal worth every rich calorie. Thank you Chef Clement and team.

Great outdoor dining set up for authentic French food. Easy to get in and very fast service!

The food is always consistently good! I always get the soup of the day special (they will split the bowl for you if you’re sharing),appetizer ravioli, and two mains: the duck confit and the fish dish.

Everyone I’ve recommended about this place raves about it!

Awesome service drinks and food. It was Ash Wednesday but couldn't help but try the lamb which was heavenly fabulous our appetizer with the seafood ravioli was also very good and buttery the chocolate dessert was good. Overall food was excellent. A bit on the pricey side and the portions could be bigger. But overall would recommend this place... Especially if someone is taking you ouy

A real French restaurant! Many restaurants say they propose a french cuisine, but it is not the real french cuisine (too much US). I don't think that Americans want an poor copy of french food.
Here no problem! Chef is french, most of employees are french or are speaking french. Decoration is very french! The food is excellent escargots are marvelous, duck was great! Don't go their... RUN! It's a french who is telling you...

A little hidden away in a beautiful neighborhood. Wonderful atmosphere and very romantic, dimly lit and slow setting, which I loved. The waiter knew all about the food and was very quick to bring us our meals. The food was delicious - I got a medium-rare rack of lamb which was cooked to perfection, brussel sprouts salad, and strawberry island for dessert. Everything was incredible, and I would definitely try to get a reservation here again!

Had a nice dinner at L'Ardoise, the highlight for me was the duck. We also tried the ribeye steak which was good but nothing special. Finished the meal with a floating island and creme brulee (always a winner).

Amazing food, great service! We had a great time here. Delicious lamb highly recommend!

Stumbled upon this intimate, cozy, candlelit bistro tucked into a quiet corner in Duboce Triangle and, in keeping with tradition, had a delectable duck confit as well as the floating island dessert. The service was a pleasant combination of friendly and formal, which added to the experience. Nice wine list, too. The only downside was a too loud table nearby.

If you want a wonderful, intimate French dining experience, this is your place. We dined on the recommended daily special. Loved the food, nice wine selection and excellent service.

Great french restaurant on a quiet street. Enjoy 4 course meal french style! We started with brussel sprouts and ravioli for appetizers with a bottle of red. The wine was delicious! I had the rack of lamb for entree and it was the best lamb ever! Floating island dessert with a digestivo made up the perfect dinner.

We love L’Ardoise! My husband and I have been going for many years and it is always a pleasure . The food is consistently very good and the service friendly and attentive .
Very cozy French restaurant , one of our favorite!