Le Bouchon

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Sarah D.

Joined 6 months ago

Lovely Meal, Great Service. We were jonesing for some great French food and I thought of Le Bouchon. We'd never eaten there but a friend had once raved about their meals and we thought it was high time we checked it out.

It was a dark and stormy Tuesday night (heh) in Portland, but we were still surprised to be the only customers for Le Bouchon. We started to worry that we might have made a mistake... fear not! It was a lovely dining experience and we thoroughly enjoyed every element - I had the Lobster Bisque, which was lovely and he enjoyed the Broccoli Cream soup. We were celebrating, so a nice glass of champers was ideal.

The main course - I had the special Quail and my guy had the Pork loin. Both were classic examples of the French style and very tasty.

Our server was super friendly and nice, and very considerate in leaving us to our own devices as well as sharing in stories, etc.

The *only* gripe we have is that the prices seem a bit inflated. It's a highly competitive eating area - surrounded by great establishments that are just a few dollars less per plate. The food is made from scratch, fresh and delicious, though - don't let the difference of a few dollars at the end of the night discourage you from giving Le Bouchon a try!

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Mimi2

Joined 4 years ago

what with the crazy reviews ?. it's been a while we went there (we live in Seattle), but I can't believe the reviews.... How all these people can be writing about the same place. I have to believe some are having fun destroying restaurants, just like kids on blogs. It is not possible that there would be such a difference at the same place ! So, this place was quite nice when we went, good service, food was fine. I am from France and it was a pleasant, if not memorable experience. We are coming down this week end and will have go back and will post comments !!

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authorjohnpdx

Joined 3 years ago

Thanks, Mr. P for negative review ... We had not been to Le Bouchon for a couple of years but seeing the negative review about the very fun and funny chef made us return. Wonderful experience yet again. I cannot imagine the experience expressed in an earlier review, we've had nothing but a warm reception even when the chef was under great duress when his wife was seriously ill. Thanks for sending us back.

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nightout

Joined 7 years ago

Real French food in UNpretentious BISTRO. This is probably our 8th time dining here and we have our favorites like the lobster Bisque, so velvet-like and incredible flavor, but this time we tried the Mussels Mariniere (white wine sauce that was just like in France) and I had my stand by: stuffed Quail ,which is always delicious and not something I would try making at home. He had the Confit of duck over a goat cheese and potato galette which I Tasted, rich and flavor, flavor flavorful! We just had 2 glasses of house wine which was a nice suggestion from our waitress....A Bordeaux. The service was good and unintruding and even though I love to hear people speak French I understand that you can't always get a French Server! Sometimes the Chef comes out to talk to people and he's really nice about answering food questions with his French accent! This is the only place we come to for BistroFrench and it's a relief that there's nothing uptight about the place. Cute provencial tablecloths, french music and wonderful food in an environment where wecan relax. That's what we like!

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mandalynns

Joined 5 years ago

Perfect, elegant, simple. Perfect dining experience. Excellent menu and fantastic specials. We had the duck & beef specials of the night and couldn't have been more satisfied with our choices. The sauces were fabulous!! Meats perfectly prepared. Our waitress was wonderful, perfectly attentive and had all the right suggestions of wines & cocktails to go with our meal. Ambiance was casual, comfortable, cozy and romantic. We couldn't have had a better dining experience. We will definitely be regulars.

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matthewmary

Joined 5 years ago

Dependable, tasty food and friendly atmosphere. It is always a pleasure to go to Le Bouchon. Lunch is reasonably priced (most entrees are $8) and the french onion soup is a warming treat ($7.95). Never fail friendly service with french pop music in the background. Monsieur, the chef, is French with a capital F. It is more Lyonnaise than Parisien. More Bistro than grand restaurant. A great place for lunch. Over the years have never been disappointed - they are wonderful with children and it is romantic in a very European way. Lots of good talk, good wine, good food.

Doesn't Recommend

henry1

Joined 5 years ago

worst food in all of Portland. Friday night erperience ---we were on ly customers and there were only 2 people working then--a waitress and a cook ----no French people around. French onion soup

was very disappointing, entres were barely edible --i had the bouibase and wife had chicken dish ----no sauce no seasoning --mussels were old and tasted tainted --- 2 appetizers,2 entres, 2 glasses of bad expensive wine --total bil was $75. We felt lied to by previous reviewers and that we had been robbed of

$75--we could have had a better meal at Carls Jr. for lot less.

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lomsch

Joined 4 years ago

Authentic small French bistro fare. Le Bouchon is the type of bistro one would find in the neighborhoods of Paris and many smaller cities throughout France. It is family owned and largely family operated. Monique, until recently, was at the "front of the house." Claude remains in the kitchen. This is not L'Arpege. Nor is it Le Grand Vefour. If you are thinking Paris, think Peraudin (but a century younger). The food is French family cooking--in a family with a very good cook. The lamb shanks are wonderful. The white fish with butter, onions and white wine is always good. The entrecote makes one think of just how good Steak Frites could be in France if they had American beef. The wine list is short but includes some interesting selections--including a fun Languedoc. The seating is a bit close. The volume can be a bit loud when the place is busy. Which, to my mind, reminds me of wonderful trips to cities abroad. If you try it, it might remind you of a fun vacation or of a restuarant you and your family have gone to for years--if your family lived on the other side of the Atlantic.

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Euroyank

Joined 5 years ago

Excellent food and wine, friendly owner & staff, authentic french family bistro atmosphere. Contrary to some rather negative reviews recently posted, my wife and i find Le Bouchon to be very similar to a small french bistro. I have beeen travelling to France on business for the last 22 years and have eaten in many different styles of resturants ranging from the most expensive in Paris to small family-run bistros in quaint, rural villages. The owner's are an authentic french family, the premises are somewhat cramped, just like many of their counterparts in France, the food is good, as is the wine list. True, the atmosphere can get to be quite noisy on a busy night, again just like a comparable bistro in France. These are the things we love about Le Bistro, it reminds us of our times spent in France. If it doesn't suit you then perhaps it would be a wise decision not to visit France either as you will probably find things to annoy you there too, from an American perspective.

Doesn't Recommend

seankmr

Joined 5 years ago

Extremely Marginal (at best). Having enjoyed a good number of Portland's great restaurants, Le Bouchon lacks much of what makes so many other restaurants great. Ambiance: This small establishment has a loud, & crowded atmosphere so don't expect a romantic evening. Parking can be a nightmare, and the tables are covered in garish orange plastic tablecloths that remind me of my grandmothers breakfast table. Waiters: The wait staff was helpful, and the food got to the table quick, but that's about it for the positives. Food: The steak was over cooked, and the fish marginal. Portions were medium to small but low quality. Don't order the creme brulee either. The custard was grainy, not at all creamy as the eggs were curdled. This meal was on par with what you'd find at a Claim Jumper, but without a decent portion or reasonable price. Save your money folks. This is not fine dinning.