Le Bistro

We’ve tried them all, but this is our «go to» French place in Hawaii. Better food and best romantic quaint ambience than all others on island. Staff is amazingly responsive here. Best prices makes it all even better.
The desserts are to die for. We usually start with dessert! You won’t regret it. Absolutely best on the island.
The short ribs and/​or sea bass are favorites. Skip the duck.
No better place for a romantic French dinner in Hawaii!

Wow. I’ve been wanting to try Le Bistro for over a year, and had the opportunity when I decided to take my boyfriend here for his birthday. I made reservations for 6:30 pm because Unilocal said the restaurant was open to 8:30 (but, I think that might mean last seating?). Anyways, the restaurant is very small, but cozy. I think they have a small back area for a bigger party? We were sat on the side two-​seater table and handed our menus. I was really hungry, so the waiter for our server to take our order took a little long. I didn’t mind though because the restaurant was full.
We started off with the escargot as our first appetizer. I’ve had it before at another restaurant and did not care for the taste, however Le Bistro has made it into a MUST get appetizer! The sauce it was cooked in was so buttery and garlicy, I couldn’t stop dipping my bread into it after. Good thing that didn’t fill me up before the main course. Haha. We also got Kahuku Corn and Mixed Baby Greens Salade and the Tartare of Ahi. Both were great for starters. As for our entrees, I ordered the Beef Quartet because it appeared to be a popular choice on Unilocal,and was recommended by friends. Okay… actually I wanted the Pan Roasted Sea Bass, while my boyfriend try the Beef Quartet, but after hearing the night’s specials, he went with the «from the land» special, which was basically a sirloin steak. Everything was great.
What was kind of funny was because it was my boyfriends birthday, I just so happened to pay close attention to all the other birthdays throughout the restaurant. Well, because the servers would sing happy birthday. During our first hour in, I counted 6 birthdays! By the end of our dinner there was about 10 birthdays. That’s a lot of singing. I was surprised for such a small restaurant, probably half were celebrating a birthday. For that many people wanting to celebrate a birthday at this restaurant is a strong statement. Oh, also they gave a small complimentary chocolate cake, but we had to order the Apple Tart! It was pretty sweet and savory. I almost ate the whole thing myself haha.
Overall, it was a great first experience and although it was all the way in Niu Valley Shopping Center, I will definitely be back. I want to try that sea bass next time!

If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion but not too mainstream, you might want to look here. My boyfriend and I celebrated our anniversary during the holiday season and we were so glad that we did! The decorations on the inside def takes you away on what’s on the outside. It was quite dim but they had beautiful Christmas decorations, which made it extra special.
We ordered the escargot and the bone marrow for apps. The escargot was amazing with its garlic butter and my boyfriend enjoyed the marrow. For entrees we ordered the lamb and the short ribs. Each of them were outstanding with a lot of flavor. The short ribs literally was so soft, it could cut like butter. For dessert we ordered the famous apple tart with extra cream, which was really good considering my boyfriend and I not liking desserts much. On the house because of the occasion we received a crème brûlée.
Overall the staff was really great and the food was amazing! If you haven’t been, you def need to try it out :)

It was third time here but my first during restaurant week. The food is really good. Really love our beef trio and the desserts. It was a little small. I wish they gave more but it was just about enough. But I really loved there escargo. So yummy. I would definite come back one day. The service was awesome however the only complaint I have was I had a reservation at 7 and i dint get seated till almost 730. I had to ask the hostess if my table was ready and seemed like she forgot about me and told me I can seat you now. So I really didn’t appreciate that. Other than that it is probably one the best restaurants I know in the Hawaii Kai area.

I went there on the weekday. This place was packed because of the «restaurant week.» We ordered a special course menus for the special even. The first choice was a French Onion Soupe Gratinee, a full flavor of onion, love it! The second choice was a Le Bistro Bouillabaisse, Manilla Clams, Prince Edward Island Mussels, Pacific Shrimp, Monchong, Maine Scallops. Came in a big, very big, I mean huge plate! The actual portion of the food was not too big, could finish everything on the place. This main was «must try» dish! We love the source sooooo much that we dipped breads into the source to suck everything off the plate.
I do not really care for apple pie, but I had to try this after reading all the good reviews about the apple… and I was so right!
Minus one star for the hot chlorate cake, is a little too sweet and saggy, even without the whip cream. The price is a bit steep. They offer the special menus for the even of restaurant week, and they serve reasonable course menus ($ 49). But everything else in the regular course manus are pricier. Also the almost all the bottle wines run $ 55 and up, with only a few wines that are less between $ 35 to $ 45. I would be be very happy to see more wine selections so that I won’t hesitate to order the second bottle :) Not often, but I will definitely come back one day! Love the flavor!!!

I have no clue how Le Bistro has evaded my epicurean talons for so many years. Perhaps it’s the consistent blooming of new restaurants that has lured me into every door EXCEPT for Le Bistro over the last decade. It definitely wasn’t on purpose. I love French food. If it wasn’t so darn rich and overindulgent, it is my favorite cuisine style. And driving by it on my way to work for 13 years without ever stepping foot should yield a Unilocal badge of self control.
How lucky am I that my gorgeous clinic gals decided to take me to Le Bistro for my birthday.
Thanks to my coworker Mie Y. and a very generous man, all I had to do was show up and the rest was taken care of. Order whatever your heart desires, and be merry.
I totally dig the ambiance. It’s as if I walked into the Loire valley and nestled in the town of Amboise to feast on my last French meal. Paintings and low lights were calming on the senses. The hostess was cordial and had our table of 16 waiting for us. Service was prompt, we were greeted immediately with drink orders and daily specials were articulated. Our waiter answered all of our burning questions and mentioned the most popular dishes, citing why they were noteworthy.
It is said that kids will order escargot and absolutely love it. True, not ALL kids will enjoy eating snails (especially if they know what it is), but the point is that the flavor overrides the stigma. The escargot was AH-​MAZING. Truly one of the best, and that garlic butter was zesty and robust with flavor. The Doctor had the French Onion soup which was pretty rich, but to be expected. For my entrée, the beef quartet suited me nicely. Laid out in Andy Warhol fashion were four unique arrangements: Braised Short Rib, Filet Mignon, Ribeye Steak, and Foie Gras Slider. Potatoes au gratin and spinach flanked the dishes and the surprise winner of the evening were the short ribs! So full of flavor, so tender, and unbelievably juicy!
Dessert always accompanies dinner in my book, so we gathered forces to share a bunch of specials on the House. The apple crisp and assorted tarts were enjoyable, but I was looking for more… I needed a decadent chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. My wish was their command! I ate every last piece and my blue dress was showing a fine silhouette food baby.
J’ai trop manger, mais je l’aime. (I ate too much, but I love it.)

One of my favorite places for dinner! Our server’s name was Curtis and he was wonderful! Knowledgeable, attentive but not intrusive, he was my favorite server from Le Bistro! We had the foie gras appetizer, escargot, two filet rare topped with foie gras (lol we love foie gras), and the apple tart for dessert. Consistently delicious and great service, we’ll be back for another date night!

I dined at Le Bistro many times when living in Hawaii and even after moving away. It’s been 3 years since I’ve been here for dinner, so when thinking of a place we could take my mom to dinner in East Oahu, Le Bistro came to mind. I remember this restaurant as being very popular, always packed and reliable on excellent service, food and wine. Now 3 years later, although it’s no longer a problem getting a 7:00pm reservation on a Friday night, I found Le Bistro has kept up its consistency in delivering a high quality dining experience.
The duck, rib eye steak and new zealand lamb chops were superb. Cocktails were well done (dirty martini) and our waiter suggested a full bodied red (darn, can’t remember which one) that perfectly complimented our dishes. And better yet, I had everyone end the meal by ordering their famous apple tart ala mode which I fondly remembered from past visits. It was again, divine, biting into that caramelized, flat, dense apple tart smothered with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla bean ice cream on top. Absolutely delightful, delectable and worth cheating on the diet.
Bravo Le Bistro. Thank you for an exceptional dining experience.

A little piece of my soul withers each year as I get older. And I’m not even thirty yet. How will I make it to retirement?! To celebrate my post quarter life crisis, my friends decided to treat me to a nice dinner.
FOOD: For appetizers we had the escargot and the foie gras along with complimentary bread. This was definitely the best escargot I’ve had so far! I did think the bread they serve is subpar for such a great restaurant. Maybe some focaccia would be better. For my entrée I had the chicken au jus while all my friends had the lamb. Again absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. We had some champagne and a bottle of red wine to pair with our meal (which I’m punching myself for right now since I didn’t get the name of that delicious red wine). To finish the night I (reluctantly) shared my birthday crème brûlée. We could barely eat that since we were so full from our meal. FULL? At a fine dining restaurant?! That’s unheard of.
SERVICE: Five star service. We were the last table in the restaurant but we were never rushed. Our server was polite and personable as well.
AMBIANCE: Dimly lit restaurant, great for a celebration and anniversary dinners. Eating here gives you the chance to get all fancy and dress up ;) Not a place to walk in with your bikini and slippers.
Five star experience! More so because I didn’t have to pay for dinner hehehe. But I definitely would come here again.
Other info:
Loads of free parking, in the same lot as Gyotaku
Last reservation of the night is at 830pm
Entrees range from $ 28 – 60
Aside from salads, no full vegetarian dish from what I can remember

I came in all full of disdain, thinking: «Great, some old French place still doing the same old escargot and French onion soup thing – yawn.»
But from the first bite of a nice, simple salad, I swallowed my pride along with the greens and a glass of champagne. What floored me was their rib eye. You can get the whole thing bone in, which is about 20 ounces, or get the smaller version consisting of several slices of excellent beef instead. It was cooked just how I wanted, it, served it on roasted vegetables, surrounded by a perfect red wine sauce. Also at our table were lamb chops and duck, and both were flavorful and cooked just right. Say what you will about traditional French cooking, when it’s right, it’s a force to be reckoned with. These folks really do a splendid job.

Colorado lamb was fantastic and the beef trio was divine the salads were fantastic and
The crème Bruele was Divine along with the warm chocolate cake

The only reason I did not give Le Bistro 5 stars is because I don’t have very much experience with fancy dress restaurants.
But to say that the food is cooked to perfection and that the staff and décor are elegant is an absolute understatement.
From the moment you walk in you are transported to another time and place where dining is an event to be shared with loved ones or that special someone. I’ve been here a couple of times, both for special occasions, and the experience has been exquisite.
I had the lamb shanks and they were amazing! The lamb was juicy and fell right off the bone and full of flavor. The potatoes were delicate and delicious. I’m not a wine expert and I don’t pretend to be… so the waiter was nice enough to recommend a few wines in a range of prices. This was especially nice because I’ve had waiters recommend wines that are the most expensive and that’s always a turn off for me.
This is not necessarily a place that I would go to all the time. It is definitely a special occasion kind of restaurant experience. But for those looking to try something a little different and to experience a French bistro without traveling all the way to France… this is a great place and a hidden gem in Niu Valley.

Went there on a Saturday night and we had reservations for a party of 5 at 7:00 pm. It was the first time for two of us. One of the ladies chose this restaurant to celebrate her 50^th b-​day.
When we got there the hostess said our table was not ready. Then 20 minutes passed and still not ready. A few minutes later a waitress came out and asked if we wanted to order drinks and we said yes. She handed us the menu and said she’ll be back. When she came back out, we knew what we wanted and ordered. As she was returning to go inside, I asked if we could sit on the chairs with a table outside, she said yes but I was puzzled she didn’t offer instead of me asking. We waited another 25 minutes before our table was ready.
The wait staff was very apologetic on the wait time and offered us escargot as appetizer on the house. Yummy my favorite :-). Once we were inside, service was great and the food was exceptional. I had the twice cooked duck, birthday girl had the fish special, the others had the short rib, which she said was one of the best ever short ribs! one had the cioppino special which was presented in a rectangular plate instead if a bowl.
I was a little disappointed on the chocolate cake as it was not warm and was just room temperature :-(
Overall this is a great place and will return, but giving it three stars because of the wait time even though we had reservations and waited another 45 minutes for our table, and the dessert was not what I expected.

Savory. Elegant. Memorable. Perfect. That’s how our dinner was at Le Bistro. From the time we walked in, we were greeted with wonderful customer service. Our waiter was so kind, thoughtful and patient with is as we decided on a bottle of wine and apps to order.
Wine: Sonoma Chardonnay
Appetizers: ahi tartar and tomato/​cheese fondue.
I must say, the ahi was FAB!!! It was perfect, melt in your mouth tartar! Ahi with capers, avocado and all that goodness on some bread was the perfect combo! The fondue is not your typical fondue– the chefs version is creative, innovative and quite frankly unique. I won’t spoil it for you– you just have to try it and appreciate the savory flavors that was created.
Entrée– the beef quartet, seabass with mushrooms
First off, the beef quartet is very popular and it does NOT DISAPPOINT! If you enjoy your beef, you’ve got to try it. It doesn’t look filling at all, but it sure was for my husband.
The sea bass… oh the seabass!!! Dang! Who would have thought seabass could taste sooo good! This is the most delicate, moist fish I have had that’s flavored so elegantly that you just have to sit back and enjoy every bite. Amazing!!! I love mushrooms, so the array that was perfectly arranged around and under the sea bass was just another exciting step to be inhaled.
Ok, I’m not done! Surprisingly, we were full… by HAD to order the chocolate cake. Thanks to all the wonderful Unilocal comments I knew it would be a hit. AND IT WAS!
I really don’t think our dinner could go any better. Our waiter was so kind and generous, and very aware of the volume in our glasses. Food was perfectly cooked, presented and served. Ambiance was comfortable– although it could have been a bit colder and the tables are a bit close together. Parking is easy and so close! This is a must!!! Thank you Le Bistro!

I’ve been to many fine dining restaurants and would consider Le bistro a top favorite. Was my first time here.
Parking: open parking
Atmosphere: quite sophisticated and was not that busy considering I went on a weekday.
The restroom was kind of an issue considering the fact you have to go through a walk way and pass the drink station where the servers are in your way and kind of made it awkward. There are two stalls in the ladies room and one stall was locked filled with im assuming cleaning supplies which consider to only have one stall
Open.
Service: the service was quite professional and knowledgable on their recommendations when you aren’t sure about what to order. I went with a group and we all ordered different appetizers and entrees and I would have to say all delicious and tasty! If you ordered meat, sometimes asking how you want it cooked doesn’t really
Come out the way u want it. But I’m not going to make that an issue. It was still tasty and delightful. My top dishes: escargot, veal, and the peach sundae to top it off!
Overall pricing: considering spending $ 50-​$ 60 per person. Ordering wine can be quite more.
Great for date nights and family occasions. Don’t be afraid to bring the kids if they can be well behaved.

Bravo, Le Bistro! Four Stars!
I came here for dinner with three very close friends who touted this restaurant. I agree. It was a very nice experience. The restaurant is located in the old Swisse Inn location in Hawaii Kai next to Lung Fung. The restaurant has about 15 tables and it is a pretty tight squeeze. I found myself bumpping into people sitting at the next table often, and people walking in the aisles kept on bumpping my chair.
For appetizer, I had the foie gras! BRAVO! The duck liver was served seared just right, with plenty of pink inside. It was served with a caramelized onion. Delicious and well prepared! Grade: A!
For my main meal, I ordered the Sea Bass, topped with an extra order of Foie Gras. The Sea Bass was well cooked, as it had a nice char on the outside and it was tender on the inside. The foie gras was absolutely a perfect pairing for me. It was delicious. Although the fish was prepared well, I thought that the dish actually lacked taste. Perhaps it was becasue the foie gras was so important of a taste for me? Grade: B+
For dessert, I was tempted ot order another serving of foie gras, but decided on the Lychee Sorbet. The sorbet was nicely made and refreshing. No complaints. Grade: B+
Service was excellent. Prices were a bit high, but I’m willing to pay money for good food — which I got.
Food Grade: B+
Service Grade: A–
Worth the Money Grade: B+
Oberall Impression Grade: B+

Le Bistro is worth every penny, every star, every rave review!!! I have been dreaming of dining at Le Bistro ever since I heard about their roasted fig salad and it was such a treat to celebrate a special occasion here.
There is plenty of parking since Le Bistro is part of Niu Valley Shopping Center. The restaurant has an unaffected elegance and romantic ambiance that are sure to please and set a nice tone for the evening. We had a reservation for 5:30 and were seated immediately.
The service continued to impress throughout the evening. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He brought us warm bread with butter as we waited for our appetizer. When I unwittingly dropped my dinner napkin, our waiter noticed and promptly got me a new one without making me feel embarrassed. When he arrived with our salad, he asked if we would like him to split it for us. Our water glasses were attentively refilled by various staff members. Needless to say, we felt very taken care of.
For appetizer, we went with the roasted fig salad, which was pretty much as amazing as I had hoped it would be. Stuffed with Stilton blue cheese, lovingly wrapped in delicious bacon, and drizzled in a balsamic reduction sauce… the figs were phenomenal!
For entrée, I went with the pan fried truffle oil sea bass, which was stunning. The bass was moist and delicate with a killer sear. The shimeji mushrooms and truffle oil complemented with divine waves of umami. My boyfriend went with the short ribs, which he enjoyed.
For dessert, we went with the roasted pear sundae, which I highly recommend. It came deconstructed with separate dishes for the ice cream, caramel, chocolate sauce, caramelized pear, and whipped cream. We wanted to try something we wouldn’t usually see on a menu at other places and had so much fun eating this!

Perhaps it was an off night for them because of several execution issues with what is supposed to be their signature dishes. Let’s start with the appetizers.
The escargot ($ 10) has too much garlic and butter, it overwhelms the dish. The french onion soup ($ 10) has the right amount gruyère cheese, even has a nice crisp to it, onions were sweet but it is missing the intense beef flavor. The foie gras ($ 20) was good but lacked the sear and crispiness. Average appetizers.
The entrees: the duck ($ 33) was slightly undercooked, meat was a little rubbery as a result and the skin was not crispy. A little disappointing. The beef quartet ($ 40) was excellent, it gives you a good sampling of the different beef styles. But one disappointing thing is the foie gras burger was way too salty and burnt, a big miss, The star of the night was the rack of lamb ($ 39), cooked to a perfect medium, very tender, seasoned perfectly, and the presentation was well laid out.
The dessert star is the apple crisp, a must order.
It was my mother in laws birthday and my wife had to tell them not once (when making reservations), not twice (told the waiter after ordering) but THREE (after getting the bill) times when finally came around to wish her a happy birthday. This is a gigantic faux pas and not what you expect for the prices you are paying in this restaurant. We are really irritated by this and almost dipped the rating into two star territory.
If are looking for a place to celebrate a birthday and similar food, check out Café Miro.

Whenever Le Bistro is mentioned, I always hear good things about it. People love it here! We recently had a girl’s night out and met here… I wanted to see what the hype was all about.
I decided to order two appetizers and split an entrée. I needed to try the French Onion Soup (my fave). Loved it!!! The soup itself wasn’t too salty (like most versions elsewhere), the onions were sweet, and it had just the right amount of cheese. Savory and delicious! Will have it again. I also ordered the escargot… I liked it too. Paired with bread, it was the perfect dish. Yumm. The soup was $ 10, escargot $ 12. Worth it.
I shared the New Zealand Salmon cooked to perfection. Not rare or dry, but just right. It was mixed with fresh greens, which made it healthy and refreshing. That was $ 30.
I didn’t order dessert but my friends ordered the bread pudding and an apple tart. Both were thoroughly enjoyed.
The restaurant is quaint and very busy on a Friday night. Special thanks to our server Curtis, who offered suggestions, explained the dishes, and was very attentive.
An overall good experience. Will be back for another delicious meal.

My girlfriends and I came here to celebrate my birthday, which was a popular idea judging by the numerous times we heard the servers singing happy birthday.
I had the surf and turf which included onaga and lobster, kobe slider with foie gras, and wagyu filet. It was delicious and I cleared all three plates.
For dessert we ordered the roasted pear sundae and apple tarte and they gave us the crème brûlée complimentary for my birthday. The apple tarte is a must order. I probably could have eaten it by myself.
Service is excellent. Le Bistro is a great place for a date night or dinner with friends. If you can’t find parking in the lot, be prepared to park on the street and walk.

Le Bistro, pour moi, est la Crème de la Crème.
AMBIANCE
I went to Le Bistro with my mother for the first time for a belated birthday dinner. This place absolutely lovely. If this restaurant were on the mainland, you’d be expected to wear more than a polo and shorts (for a guy). The ambiance is nice for an intimate dinner with family, special friends, or a date.
NIU VALLEY
Awesome location, ample parking, and fairly easy to find! Le Bistro is located in the Niu Valley Shopping Center by Gyotaku.
BREAKDOWN
Caprese Salad — 3 generous cuts of Hauula tomato and Buffalo mozzarella, garnished with basil & fleur de sel (sea salt). It was perfectly salted and even more delicious than it looked.
Warm Fig Salad — One of their specials.
A bacon-​wrapped cheese-​filled fig next to a bed of greens. The perfect combo of sweet and savory.
Escargot — The escargot came with warm French Bread. The flavors were much more complex and tasty than the usual escargot preparation at most other restaurants (garlic butter sauce). It’s a lot more appetizing than it looks ;)
Rack of Australian Lamb — I’m a huge fan of lamb, so I knew I would somehow regret going with the beef quartet instead of trying the lamb first. I’m extremely happy and proud of my selection. (Always go with your first instinct!) However, on my next visit I will be trying to beef quartet. :)
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy the flavor of the lamb meat itself, so this was an excellent choice. There is a bit of sauce, or jus, on the meat but it’s more complementary than lamb-​flavor-​masking. And, I was ecstatic about the portion size! At Alan Wong’s my 3 chops costed about $ 60. For more than double the quantity given at Alan Wong’s, Le Bistro charges slightly under $ 40.
*Crème Brûlée — My mom and I were both given crème brûlée on the house since we were celebrating our birthdays. OH EM JEE. This might be the best tasting crème brûlée I’ve ever had! (Other than in France of course.) It was incredibly creamy without being rich and it was just the right amount of sweet! I ate mine and half of my mom’s. I actually considered ordering one to go!
SERVICE
Service was impeccable. Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming. Our server was especially pleasant and very attentive.
VERDICT
Excellent service, delicious food, generous portions, and the crème brûlée are several of the many reasons why I am an official Le Bistro fan. I cannot wait to eat at Le Bistro again.
(Shout out to my mom! Thank you for taking me here for my birthday dinner!)
Unilocal 385 — #067/​365

Je pense que c’est une option fantastique pour une cuisine fusion française à Hawaii. Je suis ici depuis à plusieurs reprises et avoir constaté que le serveur français fait réellement l’expérience plus agréable. J’ai pris française au lycée (inexplicablement, car il était à San Jose et a une des plus grandes populations de langue espagnole aux Etats-​Unis, c’est la vie) et peuvent obtenir l’essentiel des conversations, même quand il est filant débitant les spéciales du le jour et autres.
La présentation des plats ainsi que l’ambiance donne le ton pour une expérience culinaire agréable. Je suggère le Quatuor de boeuf, d’agneau, ou Soupe à l’oignon française.
L’atmosphère est intime, mais peut être vraiment occupé. Ils ont généralement debout réserves, de sorte téléphonant à l’avance est conseillé. Il est situé dans un centre commercial dégradé légèrement dans la vallée de Niu. Inhabituel pour Oahu, il ya beaucoup de stationnement gratuit.