The French Gourmet

Chelsey Gray

2024-02

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Michelle Call

2023-12

We stopped in for lunch the day before Thanksgiving and the food and service were outstanding even though they were also dealing with large takeout orders.The crepe florentine (we ordered without meat) was delicious with a lemony hollandaise. The burger, while a simple choice, was juicy and very tasty.Then we got way too many goods to take back from the bakery and a few baguettes. We’ve only sampled a few so far but top notch!Gluten Free - the macaron, carrot cake, crème brûlée, and spring basket are all Gluten Free (as of now, check when you go)!

Claire Taechangam

2024-03

Valentine’s day menu.4th time we’ve been to French Gourmet. We liked the food here a lot previously and even took parents there for a family dinner when they came to visit. The duck confit sauce was too sickly sweet today. Lobster bisque had a weirdly thick consistency and didn’t taste very good - I had two spoons in and didn’t want it anymore (and I can definitely eat more… I’m 7-month pregnant). My husband thought it was not good too. We told the server when she asked and she replaced it with escargot (which we know would most likely be very good - we had it before).Surf and turf came out and my husband commented that the filet mignon was chewy and seems more medium than the medium rare we ordered. The chef came out and berated us. He said we’re “abusing” their kindness and that the steak was cooked medium rare. Well, I had a bite after that and it really was tough and chewy and didn’t have much taste to it sadly.Desserts were great. They’ve always been great.A friend made a comment when I told her where we’re going for Valentine’s day that the food at French Gourmet have slowly gone downhill. Perhaps I should have listened. Not sure if it’s because they’re having a busy day or it’s just par for what they offer these days. Certain items were great and then some were a miss by a mile. Not being able to point out that that some of the dishes wasn’t up to our satisfaction without getting yelled at was also not awesome. We’ll probably opt to go elsewhere next time for a special occasion.

T M

2024-02

First time I finally came here. I bought cakes and pastries for this time.The sweetness is subtle, making it very delicious.I haven’t tried the eat in restaurant this time but I want to try the food next time.Oh the lady who works here she was very friendly and nice girl. The Asian girl was very good customer service 😊

Anna Webb

2023-08

We stumbled on this place and totally had a great afternoon. He ordered the coffee which was traditional French and delicious, and I ordered the bloody Mary. I like mine mild and they accommodated! It had just the right amount of celery seed probably one of the best bloody Mary’s I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a few 😂). They brought out French bread, which was exactly what you expect from a French bread, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with sweet cream butte. In addition, we ordered dessert. He ordered the tiramisu, excellent flavor and I ordered the marzipan raspberry cake. Perfect blend of almond marzipan with fresh raspberry filling. The cake was perfectly baked, not too dry not too moist. We will definitely go back again for brunch or dinner at the menu looked wonderful. Great music, service was impeccable and the atmosphere delightful! I highly recommend The French Gourmet.

Jose Contreras

2023-05

Ooh La, La! We ordered a bread appetizer that was the BEST bread ever. The croissant so flaky, cheese very sweet & chocolate chip roll tasty. We also got a bread basket w soft butter. We had an awesome salad w a poached egg & potatoes. We also had delicious cooked veggies in a tomato paste.

Diego Lundquist

2023-05

I came here for my anniversary on their couple date night special. The French Gourmet did not disappoint!! My girlfriend and I were very much impressed with the food and service. Knowing of our special occasion, chief Alberto brought us our food and described in detail their cuisine. My new york strip was to perfection, as was her oven roasted duck breast. Even our salad and desserts were an absolute hit. Our waitress was also very attentive throughout our meal.We weren't sure what to expect, but we left so elated that we had to go went back over the weekend to pick up from their bakery for some authentic French pastries reminding us of our trips to Paris. Unfortunately my pictures do not do their food justice.

Haylee Jane Monteiro

2023-05

We had really good expectations from this place. Better definitely did not meet them.Server took a really really long time to take our order and then didn't even get them all correct.I asked for a Cappuccino with Almond Milk but what he got me look more like a latte. And it also ended up being oat milk instead of almond milk.The Escargot came out very quickly so that was a plus. Flavor was on point. Soft and garlicy and definitely did not taste likes snails, haha.We loved the fresh baguette on the table. Soft inside and crusty on the outside.Florentine Crepes actually looked like quite a mess on the plate but they tasted good. Creamy spinach filling was very nice.Portion size was very small though.Croissant Monsieur was sad. Too much cheese and bechamel sauce that it actually tasted like too much fat at once.. Croissant was also not flaky :(Nicoise Salad was the biggest disappointment!First of all it took the server at least 20 minutes to bring it out. And that's after I asked him about it in the middle. After he got it, I realized there was no boiled egg as expected. When I called him about it he said he would check with the kitchen. Got back and said there were no more boiled eggs and something they tried to boil actually blasted which is why there was nothing in the salad.The flavor of the salad would probably be a 1/10. It was very salty. The boiled egg was needed to balance it out. We didn't even end up finishing the dish.

Alicia Ji

2023-05

Patio was perfectly shaded and had just the right amount of breeze! For San Diego Restaurant Week, the $25 lunch was extremely worth it! The appetizers didn’t stand out as much as the entrees & dessert. We especially loved the Raspberry Bagatelle and Eggs Benedict!! The 1/2 Pound Burger and Steak Pommes Frites were also cooked perfectly! Bread basket was delicious too

Pramiti Bhargava

2023-10

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Katie Osburn

2023-05

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Iliana Vera

2023-08

The French Gourmet was so easy to work with, and our cake came out beautiful! They also provided small desserts for our guests which were just delicious. Trang was absolute delight to work with, she was so patient with me as we had to switch our selections several times and she was most accommodating which is so nice to have throughout the planning process. You will not regret working with this vendor, they were just the best!

Elaine Elefano

2023-05

I've been here for regular and SDRW. Amazing as always. It's small and comfortable. I like the servers and the atmosphere. Their menu is great. Honestly, when someone asks me where to go for French food, I always recommend this place. I am not quite sure about authenticity but I'd like to think it's similar to what I'd get in France.Highly recommended 👌Update 9/30/22: I don't know what happened but the onion soup wasn't very good. The risotto was also a bit underdone. I ate as much as I could, but it was disappointing. I'll still return, but maybe not for a while.

B Rey

2023-05

We went here during San Diego restaurant week with a reservation. My review is based on that menu and service. The restaurant dining area on the first floor is small because there's a bakery and wine racks sharing the space. I'm assuming there's a second floor that we could not see. Parking is street parking and hard to find so make sure to arrive early to find parking. Our server was attentive. Food- Bread with butter before meal was good. Truffle fries tasted good but was overcooked. Escargot was delicious. Steak Pommes Frites was meh. The crust on the steak was too salty and the fries were overcooked. The French dip was good, lots of meat. Dipping sauce was a little on the bland side. Cafe Mocha is good. Cappucino was also good. I looked at the bakery products and I was disappointed visually. They don't look like your typical French pastries that are presented nice visually (check out the presentation of their cakes and zoom in on the macaron feet) and the price is slightly on the high side ($5.75 for a slice of 1x2 inch chocolate mousse cake). We will not return. There are other San Diego French restaurants and patisseries that are better IMO.Parking: Street parking, hard to find.

Christopher Johnson & Ken Repp

2022-05

We purchased pastries from the bakery and also ate in the restaurant. The pastries were delicious with the exception of the macrons. They were too sweet and weren't nearly as good as you would get in Paris. We bought 10 and didn't eat all of them - and we love macrons.The restaurant was a lovely experience. The staff were relaxed and friendly, totally giving a sense of "settle in and enjoy yourself". The beet/pear salad (which was new to the menu) was a huge hit. I can't tell you the last time I had a salad that I raved about. We had the carpaccio as an appetizer, which was quite nice. My husband had the flatiron steak. He really enjoyed it. I ordered the rack of lamb, which was quite good. Both plates had very generous servings. We didn't have desert. When in San Diego, we will definitely be back.

Tran Lai

2023-07

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Andrew Roberts

2023-05

I wish I could give this place more stars!The french toast, the brown sugar glazed bacon, the escargot, the payson salad!!!!!Let's start with the French Gourmet Toast. 4 thick boy slices of french toast, perfectly cooked with blackberries, raspberries and strawberries! Omg, so good.The brown sugar glazed bacon......once they bring it to the table let it sit. The glaze will harden a little and give the bacon a slight snap to it. De-licious! The perfect contrast of sweet and salty!The escargot was a little slice of french cuisine executed perfectly in San Diego. Very hard to find good escargot in San Diego.Payson salad was perfectly light, the greens were crunchy and just the right out of vinaigrette.We accidently popped in here after our first choice was 40 mins wait to be seated for brunch. After this visit, I'll never want to go to the other place. This place just earned my top spot for brunch.The seating area is outside under partially shaded canopies and they have heaters. It's in between two building, there is a mural painted on the side our their building to make it feel less like a space between two buildings. They have done a good job. When you come here, expect to be greeted by their friendly staff, who have smiles on (you can hear the smiles they wear!) and be ready to eat with a smile, because the food is delicious.Update 2/20/2023Not sure what has happened to this place. The food is still good, But.Order french toast.....sold out. Changed to crepes. Ordered brown sugar glazed bacon.....got regular bacon which isn't even on the menu.The food was good, but it took us about 45 mins to get our food and it wasn't even correct. It was not busy when we got there, there was 3 tables outside with people and no one inside. Staff is always friendly, but I do expect a level of service above what we got this late morning. From five stars downgrading to 3.

Peter V

2024-02

I recently had the pleasure of trying the Florentine Omelette at this charming spot. The omelette was an absolute delight – perfectly cooked, incredibly fluffy, and bursting with a delightful blend of spinach and cheese. The servers were not only efficient but also exceptionally friendly, making the overall dining experience truly enjoyable. A must-try for any omelette enthusiast!

Elizabeth Uslander

2024-02

We've hosted several events with the catering services of The French Gourmet, and each has been better than the last. From planning and preparing for the experience to the delicious food we all enjoy, and every detail in between...it has always been a delight. I particularly recommend working with Jennifer to plan, and having Cory and Thomas as event staff. To say they've all gone above and beyond would be an understatement. Simply spectacular!

Roger Lim

2020-05

I tried this place on a Friday at about 10AM. There were 3 other groups in the restaurant, casually dressed. The interior is casual nice with crystal clean glasses and upscale plateware. I ordered their egg and bacon breakfast, soft scramble, crispy bacon and garlic parsley potatoes. It came out in about 5-minutes, steaming hot and everything was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Very rarely have I had house potatoes cooked perfectly, slightly crispy outside and soft inside. Most of the servers were Hispanic, which is simply an observation, as I naively expect French servers at a French restaurant. My servers were polite, attentive, polished in their dress and mannerisms. I also had the strawberry bagatelle which served partially frozen. As I relaxed in my booth, sipping my coffee enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, the desert softened and was pure decadence. My only complaints are that parking can be a little challenging and a table was being meticulously cleaned close to me, causing me to catch a whiff of the cleaning solution. My only warning is to exercise self-control when passing by their pastry display.

Jonathan Tachibana

2022-05

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Diane Nivens

2024-04

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Joanna Sarinana

2021-05

Love their bakery! I've almost had all of their desserts and they are such a treat! My favorite is the palmier and the apple turnover and the mixed fruit tart (and all the other tarts too) and the Danish, and they definitely have the biggest most chunky chocolate chip cookie around. It's hard to pick wheat to get because it all looks so beautiful and tastes even better. The customer service is great and everyone is super friendly, and they even have a rewards system 😁 If you're not so much into sweets, try the breakfast egg croissant with ham/bacon- its delicious! Haven't taken pictures of everything we've ordered because we usually take the bites before I remember to take some pics, but I have managed to take some. Right now during COVID, they have hand sanitizer stations, and they're maintaining social distance and safety practices. They're really fast and when there's a line outside, they'll even start asking if they can get started with your order. I'd definitely recommend you try this place 👍👍👍

El Henry

2023-06

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Muffie& EBGking

2024-03

We just waited an hour in line and we didn’t even have a reservation. They need to get organize and have a better hosting system because people were waiting for an hour in line outside in the cold rain after their reservation time. We didn’t even eat there we left because of how terrible their service and staff is. The whole management and being a team as a restaurant is the worst I have ever seen. There was even an extra girl worker who wasn’t even helping the main host guy she just stood there and watched him set up umbrellas and it was terrible. The food here is really good but they need to get it together management wise.

Alfred Checa

2022-05

We went for San Diego Restaurant Week 2022. We always like to come back to this cozy little place. We always love ❤️ their food and great service. On this time there was a fixed price menu due to the SDRW, but with their best dishes, so it is a good deal to try it. They also have a bakery so you can buy your favorite desserts to take home. We always come back and we usually do on special occasions, since we know we'll have a great experience.

Steven Scharboneau

2024-04

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savina tisnado

2024-03

Had the best birthday dinner here, set up a large table in the back for my friends and I, amazing strawberry birthday cake and cocktails. The service was 10/10!The owner even suprised me by singing happy birthday in french to me.Now I'm obsessed with the bakery for breakfast too

Jena Monetti

2020-05

Every exquisite facet of our visit was perfect and phenomenal! The service was polite, patient, and friendly, and the casual atmosphere and decor made us feel like we were at a friend's villa. The prix fixe selections offer elegant options at very reasonable prices without sacrificing flavor. All menu options were very reasonable and tempting. Our choices were escargot, zucchini fritters, and warm olives as the appetizers. This was followed by the Salmon Dijonnaise, Flat Iron Steak, and the Pan Roasted Crispy Skin Frenched Chicken. Desserts chosen include the Crème Brulée and Millennium. We will never forget our visit or the wonderful food. I pray we can come back from VA to visit again soon!

Dustin Markley

2024-01

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