Left Bank – Menlo Park

Used to be my favourite 15 years ago when I was in college and I’m glad it’s still around. A decade in NYC has really boosted up my expectations of a French Bistro and I can say that while LB is not a mind-​blowing experience, I find myself wanting to go back for brunches and casual dinners. Be prepared for an older crowd here (folks 50+ I’d say) but the service is good, the food is solid and it’s got a nice ambience that I just enjoy.
Plus outdoor seating if you have a dog!

We recently held a client dinner in the private room upstairs for 40 people. The experience was wonderful throughout. We worked with Nicki, the event coordinator on the planning and found her very helpful with tips and guidance. Our meal was delicious and the staff was exceptional. We felt very well cared for by our appointed waitstaff. They were true professionals (but still fun to work with :) We received lots of praise from our clients.
Tips on holding a private dinner: The room is big enough for a 50 person sit down dinner. The large video screen is good for presentations. They even provided bar stools for our panelists.

When the Left Bank is good, it’s very good. However occasionally, service is very, very spotty and the food inconsistent.
Yesterday, we visited at about 2 pm. There were only a few people in the restaurant. However, the service was mediocre and my wife’s risotto was so oily and undercooked, she refused to eat it.
On top of that, two noisy little girls were running around the restaurant sitting at different tables. The staff didn’t say anything.
Should you decide to visit the Left Bank, I would suggest you go for dinner. The staff seems to have its act together in the evening.
It’s clear to me – the problems in this restaurant pertain to poor management.

The salmon was excellent, the bread was tasty, no complaints about the food. But the staff, they have the French snobbery down to a fine science. If I want this attitude, I’ll go back to Paris where the food is so much better and the snobbery is expected.

We have started going back to Left Bank again recently and it has become one of our destination restaurants for lunch and brunch.
We have to drive 20~30 minutes to get there but it is worth it.
Their food is excellent and authentic.
I am very well versed in French cuisine and their interpretations of some of the classic French dishes are spot on.

Came here during the Xmas season, on the day before Xmas Eve.
Located on a fairly visible corner in Menlo Park, aesthetics lends itself well to the demographics of the community. Note that the space is rather large, and the ceilings are high, so the noise level here is amplified.
They were definitely busy, and rushed, and this was reflected in their mannerisms, the way they seated us, and in their service for the whole evening.
This is what we ordered —
1. SEARED AHI TUNA NIÇOISE ($ 16.00) — green beans, fingerling potatoes, radishes, avocado, olive tapenade, anchovy, hard-​boiled egg
So, they brought this out WITHOUT the avocado! Fortunately, I didn’t skip a hearbeat in having them get me some.
Ingredients were really fresh-​tasting, though the green beans still tasted raw, whereas they really should’ve been al dente. Furthermore, since the ingredients have a really «bulky» texture, there was nothing to bring it all together («cohesion»).
Unfortunately, the dressing lacked any WOW-​flavor, and the salad could’ve used some salt — esp if potatoes are in the mix.
2. HOUSEMADE PORK SAUSAGES AND LENTILS ($ 18.00) — smoked bacon, whole grain mustard vinaigrette
We ordered this from the Chef’s Seasonal Menu, and was my favorite dish of the evening. I was kinda worried at first because the presentation looked kind of lifeless, however, this was super good, and the smoked bacon provided for the right amount of fat to balance out the lentils.
3. CABRILLO FARMS BRUSSELS SPROUTS ($ 6.00) — smoked bacon, sherry vinaigrette
We also ordered this from the Chef’s Seasonal Menu, and this was my other favorite. As in the Pork Sausages and Lentils dish, the smoked bacon balanced this out really well.
For the price point, food had good flavor profiles, but the overall experience wasn’t right on the money. Service was so rushed, and so standard, that they really didn’t provide the personal touch that you’d expect at this price point — cuz you’re paying for the service, right?
Unless I was part of an organized dinner to come here, I’m not apt to come back.

Nice French themed restaurant with lots of great food and drink choices! Speedy, gracious service, fantastic choice for a cold winter lunch or dinner.
I have to admit that once in a while I have a sudden urge for fresh seasonal French cousin; Left Bank is #ONE place I can think, and, usually, it doesn’t disappoint!
My friend and I met here for an impromptu dinner. I had POULET GRAND MÈRE-​Rocky Jr. natural roasted half chicken, winter squash, chestnuts, chicken jus. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.
My friend had a daily special beef short rib. The dish tasted excellent [I’ve double checked]! Warm well-​seasoned hearty broth with seasonal vegetables and tender meat had a great effect this cold winter night!
We had LES PROFITEROLES, for the dessert. Warm chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream tasted so good, even though the pastry could have been lighter. The sweetness of the warm chocolate combined with vanilla ice-​cream never disappoints craving sweetness tastebuds.
The service was speedy and polite. I’ve learned that our server is a future writer! Young ambitious man was full if hope and energy. I wish the whole writing thing will work out for him.
Thank you Left Bank fir the great food and hospitality. We will be back!

Passed this place as I was shopping in Menlo Park. Very nice! Had a little brunch, my husband had the steamed muscles and I had the onion soup, both were outstanding! Service great. & friendly too. Quaint French bistro! Coming back again!

I don’t eat in the Menlo Park area often, but seeing as how we were in the area we decided to give this a shot.
I’ve been to the one in Santana Row a few times, but we never overly impressed. However, it has been a few years and tickle me surprised when we found out how much we liked this location! It wasn’t overly packed for a Saturday night and we were seated almost instantly. Perfect.
I’m always weary about trying burgers in places that don’t specialize in making burgers, but the American Burger was actually great. They even had the sunny side up egg option. The escargot was great as were the drinks. Service was fast and efficient which is just the way I like it.
It was a shame that this place wasn’t more packed and while the reviews are a bit on the lower side, I was not disappointed. Thumbs up.

This is the first time I’ve ever had French food, so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about…
But our meals were amazing.
I ordered the duck and pear, and my boyfriend ordered the Coq Au Vin. The duck was cooked deliciously, and went well with the pear, the sauce, and the presumed-​to-​be potatoes. The presentation was very clean and well-​put together, as was the restaurant.
The noodles, vegetables, and chicken were also all cooked very well. My boyfriend especially loved the wine marinate.
We finished our meals off by sharing a crème brûlée. It was the first time I’ve ever had one, so again, might not know what I’m talking about, but the cool cream, paired with the raspberries and burnt layer, which was crispy? Heavenly. Seriously.
I don’t see us coming back because we don’t know a lot about French food and what we got were really the only items that interested us, but we really enjoyed our dining experience.
Our server was always around to refill our waters and make sure everything was going well. I recommend this place to anyone who enjoys fine dinning.

We attended a private party here and had dinner in the room upstairs. The downstairs area of the restaurant is nicer but the room definitely served its purpose. Service was below average. It may have been due to the larger group e.g. we had to repeatedly ask for more water and bread.

The food was very good. The breading on the Calamari appetizer was light and crunchy, and the calamari itself was very tender. The Fondue had a lot of flavor. We had two orders of fondue at the table and I thought it was odd that only one came with vegetables. The other one was all bread. A mistake? The Rainbow Trout was enjoyable. The fish was delicate with a light breading. My husband’s Skirt Steak was excellent! The meat was very, very tender.
I stayed to have a drink with a friend after dinner and the bar area was quiet and the service was good.

Menu is not as creative as it once was. Trout was good. So was flank steak and roasted beat salad. Prosciutto and melon with figs was excellent. Service was very slow.

Charming atmosphere and great outdoor seating area. Good for a romantic date or just a chill evening with friends. Escargot, beet salad and mussels — how can you go wrong? The escargot was tender and garlicky. The beets were delicious. Mussels are always a favorite. Had a nice Pinot Grigio also. Our waiter was very attentive and lively.

This location is cute for Menlo Park, away from the absurd traffic around University Avenue. Parking here is a plus too!
Came here for HH with coworkers ($ 7 appetizers and drinks run from $ 6 – 7). Service is a bit slow…
Calamari — super fried, tiny pieces of calamari, barely anything! Comes with butt load of onion strings
Oysters — Why bother, its not fresh and smells fishy, not the place for this!
Sliders — the best on the HH menu, pretty big portions too, comes with side of fries. I got the trio to try all three verisions; pork sausage, lamb, and American
Salmon croquettes — soft fried little balls, they’re okay
Truffle fries — pretty good, tasty, perfect with a light beer

Left Bank was such a let down after i’ve had a great experience at their sister restaurant LB steak!
CUTE restaurant and it seemed like people were taking advantage of their happy hour in the outdoor seating area, but the food didn’t justify the prices
—they start you off with complimentary bread
—escargot: a nice appetizer if you like snails!
—summer spinach and stone fruit salad: standard salad, the plums were my favorite part
—french onion soup: TERRIBLE, way too much cheese drowning the soup and the amount of sweetness was not enjoyable
—salmon: didn’t get to try the bf’s but he said it was a bit overcooked
i guess i’ll stick to the steak and stay away from the french food

Great happy hour beautiful outdoor dining
Very attentive staff
The happy hour has some fun new cocktails

There I was, waiting for my friend to arrive and not knowing that she was already inside! Finally a nice waiter noticed this and showed me someone in the restaurant waiting for a friend to come. Yep, we connected. Hooray
I waited outside and noticed the tables lined up ready for diners. The outside was very pleasant but the weather was not as pleasant so we decided to eat inside.
Restaurant was clean and neat. Our waiter was attentive and came to our table when needed. We both ordered the croque poulet which was a rosemary chicken breast, carmelized onions, brie, apple chutney and fries.
We were offered a basket of delicious breads and butter. Fresh with a crusty outside and soft inside. Very good. Within a decent amount of time our meals came. The sandwiches came on a wonderful onion roll which added to the taste experience.
The crème brûlée was delicious. The crème was not too soft nor too firm with a delicate firm coating on top, served with one raspberry.
Overall the sandwiches were unusual but okay but the dessert was fantastic. Don’know if I’ll be back soon but not totally off my list of restaurants to go back to.
We could not finish our meals so we asked for take out boxes and they were given prior to leaving.

We ordered the
La bouillabaisse $ 29.50 — did tomato broth cream sauce was absolutely amazing. The dish came with rockfish, muscles, and shrimp. The seafood itself was just a tad overcooked and the French bug get crostini’s that came with were a big greasy, however the potato sauce that came with the crostini and tomato broth truly were the stars of the dish,
Salmon-​$ 24.95 The boyfriend ordered the station and he quite enjoyed it. The salmon was a bit overcooked as well and slightly on the dry end but the dish was nicely put together with a cucumber salad underneath.
you can definitely tell it’s a high-​end restaurant as portions were definitely not generous. The cheese fondue was quite good though I would have liked a bit more than just bread to go with the fondue. Food is alright, I really did enjoy the tomato broth before this price tag I’m taking my dining options elsewhere

We had our office holiday lunch at Left Bank complete with a set menu and wine to boot. The restaurant was dressed beautifully in tasteful, holiday décor that left me wishing I were spending my holidays in Europe instead of plugging away in Silicon Valley.
My team occupied the second floor private room overlooking the entire restaurant. It was a nice large space that comfortably accommodated my group of about 20. Though I am sure they could fit up to 30 in that room no problem. We had several entrees to choose from and I chose to go with a delicious butternut squash soup with roasted chestnuts and a drizzling of crème fraîche, a seared skirt steak (medium rare) salad with gem vegetables and for dessert, profiteroles filled with ice cream and a smothering of chocolate sauce. Each course came through timely and wine poured accordingly to meet the courses. Our waitstaff of two was just an amazing pair that really made our group comfortable and well taken care of. No qualms here.

I came for my team’s end of season banquet. We got the party space upstairs. I really just found the good adequate. Each time they brought us bread, it was different. Olive bread, French?, and cheese breads. I was pretty confused. We had a set menu to choose from, so limited options and it was $ 40.00 each. Appetizer: salad or butternut squash soup. Main dish: vegetarian ravioli, chicken, and red snapper. Dessert: sorbet or crème brûlée.
Soup looked good. Presentation was nice. Salad was good, but very small. I ate so much bread because I was so hungry.
The dish ware was random for our main dishes. Some green, some peach colored, and some white plates for the main dish. Only tried the red snapper and it was just okay. It had a very strong smell of the ocean, but I don’t think it was particularly tasty until after I squeezed a lemon over it. The topping was good though. I think it was sun dried tomatoes.
The sorbet and crème brulé were pretty big. Two huge scoops of sorbet, passion fruit… And… Something else. Both delicious. But they didn’t have enough wide ramekins for the crème brulé. So two people got small mini ones while others got a big one :(
Its not a place that thrills me. Other than the dessert, nothing was particularly amazing