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(212) 420-7520

170 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002 40.7212 -73.9884

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Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, Downtown

Hours:

Monday To Thursday From 05:00 PM To 12:00 AM Friday From 05:00 PM To 01:00 AM Saturday From 11:00 AM To 01:00 AM Sunday From 11:00 AM To 12:00 AM

Price:

$$

Last updated 8.10.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash

Restaurant Special Features:

People Watching, Group Dining

What People Are Saying About Cafe Charbon

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – The owners of Flea Market, the French-bohemian haunt in the East Village, have recreated a Parisian street scene, Epcot-style. Faux storefronts lead into Cafe Charbon, a veritable Gallic bar adorned with aged-wood tables, white tiled floors and Gauloise-puffing bon vivants. Next door, Epicerie's casual dining room is playfully postmodern: Stocked with everything from French laundry detergent to fancy foodstuffs, it looks like a Target advertisement en Francaise. – – The Food – The daily changing menu, scribbled on chalkboards and translated by friendly,…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
DJs draw a crowd on Wednesday through Saturday nights, though there's no dancing allowed--it doesn't have a cabaret license.
Know Before You Go:
Epicerie opens an hour early (10:30am) on Saturday and Sunday for brunch. On Friday and Saturday nights, the full dinner menu is served until 4am.
What to Drink:
Wines by the glass range from $5 to $10 and the bottle list includes many excellent French values less than $35.
ambiance
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. was hoping for a warm & cozy atmostphere and what we got was hard wooden chairs & tiled kitchen floor hidden by the fact that the place is only lit by a few candles on the tables.
  2. Food and ambiance was great.
  3. The atmosphere is nice, both inside and outside.
  4. Great atmosphere, very cute, moderate prices.
  5. The entrance, the bar area and the dining room all have very unique and well-done decor.
  6. Icky food - cute ambience - no air conditioning
  7. The staff knows well when a couple would rather have a romantic meal together without an intrusion, and the food is great.
  8. The atmosphere was nice, and we were seated at the perfect table, it was inside, but right next to the open window, so it was kinda like it was outside, too.
  9. fun atmosphere & good food.
  10. The decor in this place is great.
  11. Food is decent but nothing special, but I liked the warm atmosphere of the epicerie.
  12. The service and atmosphere was fine and pleasant enough but the food was gross.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. Waitress was friendly and very good and the big profiteroles with dark chocolate were delecious.
  2. Starters were good; the desserts were good but nothing surprising.
drinks
89.80999946594238% positive
  1. the tables were kind of annoying but the bar was nice.
  2. This dimly-lit, very chill gem of a bar is a great place to grab a cocktail or yummy pint of imported Belgian beer - and they have great music to boot!
  3. had the mussels in wine sauce and I couldn't believe I was served a large pot completely filled with delectable seafood.
  4. great value french wine and selection.
  5. The bar looks nice, and they have a wide range of wines available.
  6. their Stella on tap was almost flat, i saw the bartender "whisking" our beers to give them any sort of head.
  7. Good food avoid any non-alcoholic drinks.
  8. We didn't even have a tea or a coffoe because "there were no clean mugs available
  9. Had a great meal on Sat night at this cute French bistro/bar with my partner.
  10. The bartender was great and we had an impromptu wine tasting which was fabulous.
  11. The great bar area in the front is a great place to just chill and have a few drinks.
  12. And the brunch deal is a real steal -- ten dollars gets you grub, OJ and coffee which is just perfect for people like me on a NYC-work-in-entertainment budget.
  13. The entrance, the bar area and the dining room all have very unique and well-done decor.
  14. First had a cheese platter at the bar and then enjoyed a nice dinner with friends.
  15. the food is school cafeteria friendly and the clientele ranges from drunken soccer fans singing on the top of their lungs while inhaling beer and the local traffic fumes on orchard street, to America's Next Top Model wannabes in k-mart knock offs.
  16. Prices are decent for food, but pricey for drinks as there is an extensive beer and wine list.
  17. Otherwise, this is a great place to celebrate Nouveaux Beaujolais along with other wine lovers and even some francophones!
  18. On our way out ~11:30pm the bar area was full also with cool types.
food quality
82.41999626159668% positive
  1. Prices are decent for food, but pricey for drinks as there is an extensive beer and wine list.
  2. My mom and I split the best creme brulee either of us have ever had.
  3. The service and atmosphere was fine and pleasant enough but the food was gross.
  4. I've had numerous delicious dinners at Epicerie and thoroughly enjoy the super-fresh, ever-changing menu.
  5. Calamari was fantastic, and definitely recommend the hangar steak with pepper sauce - YUM!
  6. The food was fantastic.
  7. Ingredients were fresh and food was OK but definitely not worth putting up with the terrible attitude of the waitstaff.
  8. This dimly-lit, very chill gem of a bar is a great place to grab a cocktail or yummy pint of imported Belgian beer - and they have great music to boot!
  9. We had a chance to try a lot of dishes and the food was not great - some plates were ok, others were bad.
  10. Great food
  11. The staff knows well when a couple would rather have a romantic meal together without an intrusion, and the food is great.
  12. the food is school cafeteria friendly and the clientele ranges from drunken soccer fans singing on the top of their lungs while inhaling beer and the local traffic fumes on orchard street, to America's Next Top Model wannabes in k-mart knock offs.
  13. and with great food.
  14. Good food, hip scene and great value
  15. If you go, you must decide whether the good food is worth the horrible service.
  16. Had a great meal on Sat night at this cute French bistro/bar with my partner.
  17. The fries are great, cheap, and rival those at Les Halles for quality and taste.
  18. He had a burger which was really yummy, even the fries tasted better than most others I'd tried.
  19. had the mussels in wine sauce and I couldn't believe I was served a large pot completely filled with delectable seafood.
  20. Our waiter brought us a very very nice cabernet - it was sooo delicious!
  21. Great food, awful attitude by the wait staff
  22. The food was a bit slow to come out, but definitely worth the wait.
  23. Good food avoid any non-alcoholic drinks.
  24. had a delicious meal here!
  25. The menus were scrawled on blackboards a la Parisien and the food was quite decent (the duck was a little dry).
  26. Juicy and tender, and the frites were so yummy.
  27. Icky food - cute ambience - no air conditioning
  28. The mushroom ravioli was rich and tasty.
  29. The food is REALLY good.
  30. It has a wonderful, unassuming feel, great food, and good service.
  31. The mango mojito is delicious, the poulet roti is fantastic, and the waiters/hosts are great.
  32. great spot for a tasty, well-priced dinner.
  33. We finished our mediocre meal and left the place as soon as we could.
  34. Decent food but fraudulent billing.
  35. Enjoyed my meal here.
  36. Everything down to the bread was delicious.
  37. the steak frites and duck confit were very delicious.
  38. The food was quite good, but the experience was ruined by the service.
  39. The food was decent, but not great (possibly because of how busy they were).
  40. fun atmosphere & good food.
  41. The crispy chicken w/stuffed roasted peppers was good, nothing special.
  42. Don't order the regular salad greens because it's nothing special and some of it already comes with the steak frites.
  43. The mussels w/french fries were good, but I've had better.
  44. crispy salmon in corn puree is delicious.
  45. The steak frites were superb.
  46. Good & Bad - our meal was tasty, staff was somewhat inexperienced but nonetheless helpful.
  47. The food was good.
  48. The food was excellent, but the band was better.
  49. The bread given as an appetizer seemed stale and airy and the olive oil smelled bad.
  50. Most importantly, the food is authentic French bistro fare.
  51. Best Hamburger in NYC and excellent bistro food
  52. The coq a vin is especially delicious and the mussels are fresh and lovely.
  53. Four of us were seated promptly and I had the best hamburger ever in NYC for $7.95 - served on a beautiful fresh brioche roll, about 1/2 lb, cooked to order, with excellent french fries, and a small salad.
  54. but great food!
menu variety
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. I've had numerous delicious dinners at Epicerie and thoroughly enjoy the super-fresh, ever-changing menu.
  2. great value french wine and selection.
  3. The menus were scrawled on blackboards a la Parisien and the food was quite decent (the duck was a little dry).
  4. Prices are decent for food, but pricey for drinks as there is an extensive beer and wine list.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. Otherwise, this is a great place to celebrate Nouveaux Beaujolais along with other wine lovers and even some francophones!
  2. This honestly was the very best restaurant experience I've had!
  3. The great bar area in the front is a great place to just chill and have a few drinks.
  4. great little restaurant to frequent if you're in the mood for french and are looking for a low-key night out.
  5. This dimly-lit, very chill gem of a bar is a great place to grab a cocktail or yummy pint of imported Belgian beer - and they have great music to boot!
service
52.69999980926514% positive
  1. The waitress asked if everything was good and I replied yes.
  2. Our waiter brought us a very very nice cabernet - it was sooo delicious!
  3. The waiters were very friendly and funny.
  4. the food is school cafeteria friendly and the clientele ranges from drunken soccer fans singing on the top of their lungs while inhaling beer and the local traffic fumes on orchard street, to America's Next Top Model wannabes in k-mart knock offs.
  5. The staff knows well when a couple would rather have a romantic meal together without an intrusion, and the food is great.
  6. The mango mojito is delicious, the poulet roti is fantastic, and the waiters/hosts are great.
  7. The service and atmosphere was fine and pleasant enough but the food was gross.
  8. terrible service.
  9. Awful service
  10. their Stella on tap was almost flat, i saw the bartender "whisking" our beers to give them any sort of head.
  11. Good & Bad - our meal was tasty, staff was somewhat inexperienced but nonetheless helpful.
  12. polite call to the manager, who told us we weren't the only ones in this predicament, has yet to result in a credit despite the promise to fix it "immediately
  13. My boyfriend and I came here and we had a really great dinner and the service was swell.
  14. He helped us with our touristy questions as well as provided excellent service.
  15. "poor service" would be a gross understatement
  16. The food was quite good, but the experience was ruined by the service.
  17. And the brunch deal is a real steal -- ten dollars gets you grub, OJ and coffee which is just perfect for people like me on a NYC-work-in-entertainment budget.
  18. The manager is very nasty.
  19. If you're looking to be treated in a rude and disrespectful manner, then this is the place for you.
  20. Great food, awful attitude by the wait staff
  21. In the french tradition, the server was rude.
  22. We had a party of seven and, although the service wasn't especially attentive, it was better that way -- we were all much more focused on hanging out with one another than having some fancy epicurian experience.
  23. although the service was pretty slow, we had a great time and never felt rushed.
  24. Our group of 10 was treated fantastically, although the service was a bit slow.
  25. The bartender was great and we had an impromptu wine tasting which was fabulous.
  26. The waitresses were pretty friendly, and most of them could speak french.
  27. The lighting was mellow, crowd friendly and stylish, bartenders were attentive and friendly and music kicking.
  28. It has a wonderful, unassuming feel, great food, and good service.
  29. Our waitress was attentive but also not annoying as some wait staff in restaurants can be.
  30. This was truly the worst service I have ever received in a restaurant.
  31. No problems with the service compared to the other reviews, but the quality was terrible.
  32. have rarely experienced such rude service.
  33. This place offers good value and friendly service.
  34. service wasn't particularly attentive, and you can hear everyone's conversation around you.
  35. However, I must say the service was pretty obnoxious.
  36. Waitress was friendly and very good and the big profiteroles with dark chocolate were delecious.
  37. If you go, you must decide whether the good food is worth the horrible service.
value
80.55999755859375% positive
  1. Prices are decent for food, but pricey for drinks as there is an extensive beer and wine list.
  2. And the brunch deal is a real steal -- ten dollars gets you grub, OJ and coffee which is just perfect for people like me on a NYC-work-in-entertainment budget.
  3. Great atmosphere, very cute, moderate prices.
  4. Good food, hip scene and great value
  5. Ingredients were fresh and food was OK but definitely not worth putting up with the terrible attitude of the waitstaff.
  6. If you go, you must decide whether the good food is worth the horrible service.
  7. If you like places like this save your money and drive to the local mall for a cheaper night out without the noise and traffic.
  8. The fries are great, cheap, and rival those at Les Halles for quality and taste.
  9. great value french wine and selection.
  10. Food was a great value as well.
  11. The food was a bit slow to come out, but definitely worth the wait.
  12. This place offers good value and friendly service.
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. The food was a bit slow to come out, but definitely worth the wait.
  2. although the service was pretty slow, we had a great time and never felt rushed.
  3. Our group of 10 was treated fantastically, although the service was a bit slow.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/11/10

I had a delicious meal here!

by accidentalvoyeur

My boyfriend and I came here and we had a really great dinner and the service was swell. The food was pretty cheap, compared to other French places I'd been too. We left here feeling very satisfied and very full. He had a burger which was really yummy, even the fries tasted better than most others I'd tried. I had the mussels in wine sauce and I couldn't believe I was served a large pot completely filled with delectable seafood. Everything down to the bread was delicious. I'd definitely return here.

  • Pros: The food was yummy and fairly priced
  • Cons: The bar can be a bit noisy
1 Star Rating: Poor

02/15/10

Just don't go

by dnrpr

This was truly the worst service I have ever received in a restaurant. My boyfriend and I arrived at 8:30 for dinner to a 3/4 full restaurant. By 9:00 we inquired about whether or not we actually had a server. At 9:20, someone finally comes over to greet us. We order everything at one time because we definitely don't want to wait any longer. Our server does not write anything down which always makes me nervous. At 9:45 (third request) we finally get some water along with two appetizers that aren't ours. Moreover, the waitress came back twice so we could "remind" her what we ordered. Finally our food comes at 10:20 and we are so peeved at this point, even after we spoke to the manager. You would think the manager would be at least be apologetic but he couldn't care less.

Overall, this was a disastrous and disappointing experience. I've been here for brunch several times without a problem but for dinner, do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. I would give this ZERO stars if we had the option.

  • Cons: I wasted several hours of my life here I won't get back!!
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/01/09

excellent vibe

by girlgirlgirlie

I recently went here for a friends going away party and was very happy w/ the whole experience. The lighting was mellow, crowd friendly and stylish, bartenders were attentive and friendly and music kicking. I ordered a Heffe Blonde and the bartender gave me a small wine glass of skittles to go with it and it was surprisingly amazing! I tasted the rainbow. Mingled with some hotties on the dance floor and the bathrooms were big and roomie with enough room for two! Great great great night and place. Would go again for sure.

1 Star Rating: Poor

11/09/08

Bad for Business

by Tee17

This place was awful! First we had to get our own drinks since the waitress was nowhere to be found. Then they spilled tomato sauce all over me since the kitchen staff decided to serve the dish over my head. Ruined my white sweater and favorite scarf. Would have been a funny story if they had not offered to comp the meal till we asked. None of us will be going back!

  • Cons: Bad business practices
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/14/08

"poor service" would be a gross understatement

by arealnewyorker

The atmosphere is fine and our food was o.k., but the service was beyond atrocious.

After dining, we waited almost an hour, for our waiter to return. I decided to talk to the manager. That's when our waiter sprung into action and rushed over to find out what he could do for us. Too late loser. The apology and the two free drinks didn't take the sting out of it.

I will never return. Unbearable.

  • Pros: atmosphere
  • Cons: "poor service" would be a gross understatement

The Details on Cafe Charbon

Place Categories:

  • terrible service
  • great place
  • really great nice dinner
  • mediocre meal
  • nice warm atmosphere
  • not annoying waitress
  • gross food
  • great value
  • bad attitude
  • nice bar
  • great mussels
  • great bartenders
  • delicious everything
  • great decor
  • rich mushroom ravioli
  • rude manner
  • great mussels wfrench fries
  • warm atmostphere
  • fantastic desserts
  • very friendly waiters
  • big bathrooms
  • worst dining experience
  • great bistro food
  • yummy steak frites
  • very best restaurant experience
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