La Bonne Soupe
(212) 586-7650
48 W 55th St
New York,
NY
10019
40.7622
-73.9766
Neighborhoods: Midtown, Midtown Center
What People Are Saying About La Bonne Soupe
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
A universal quest: "Where can I find a restaurant in the Theater District that serves good food, has a lively and comfortable atmosphere and is inexpensive?" For nearly three decades, La Bonne Soupe has been providing just that. The colorful main dining room has all the trappings of a real bistro--red-checkered tablecloths, neighborly banquettes, amiable French waitresses--and, indeed, the soup is good.
The Food
The soup-centric bistro menu offers plenty of familiar favorites. The more adventuresome might go for the excellent brandade de morue, a garlicky puree of salt cod and potatoes that you scoop up with toasted baguette; other specials to watch for are the copious bouillabaisse and an authentic Moroccan couscous. Three-course meals of salad, bread, soup, a glass of house wine and dessert start at $14. Theatergoers should keep in mind that the kitchen serves late, so it's a great place to pop in for dessert.
User Reviews
Jen78
March 18, 2009
So, I had this place recommended to me by a business lady I was talking to on the plane. I love French food and asked if she knew any good places... Since the place is named the "good soup," I figured, I should order soup. I think that's primarily where I went wrong. Their minestrone soup was fine but lackluster. French food is usually creative and tasty not just okay. That would have been okay, but this is what I was offended by. So, they offer this deal: Les Bonnes Soupes $17.25 Each Of Our Soups Is Served With Bread, Salad, Dessert And A Beverage (Glass Of House Wine, Beer, Soda Or Coffee) A bowl of soup is 6 or 7 dollars, so I figured I would be getting a decent side salad and some yummy fresh bread for the extra $10. Oh, no. I got a bowl of green leaf lettuce with dressing on it. Not a single other vegetable in it. That's lettuce not a salad! And then the bread was anything but tasty it was a crusty cold piece of baguette. It would have been much smarter to order a bowl of soup and one of their dinner salads. I think they serve the baguettes if you order a bowl of soup anyway. I do have to say that their salad dressing was very tasty and the chocolate mousse I had for dessert was good as well. I'm wondering given the reviews if their other food is more interesting. I wouldn't go back for the soup but maybe their salads or other entrees are good? I'm in agreement about the wait staff. Not friendly or attentive. They weren't rude to us, just did nothing and weren't personable.
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jewels41
December 27, 2008
I've visited several times in the past, with positive experiences. Recently, however, I visited for a weekend dinner during the holiday season and it was busy. The dinner was good, desserts, ok, as usual. But the service! When I asked for a table the manager barked that I needed a reservation, when it hasn't been a problem in the past. The maitre'd told us 40 minutes, barked that it couldn't be any sooner, and when we came on time, had given our table away. She was distracted and I had to wait to even ask how long the wait would be! Our waitress was unfriendly, and barely stopped by. Our busboy didn't refill our water. Perhaps one bad night, but the restaurant clearly needs more staff to handle higher volumes. I won't be there anytime soon after such poor service.
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YBY
November 16, 2008
My wife and I stumbled on this restaurant by pure chance. We ventured in with no hesitation after reading a few reviews online. First, we were placed in a table by the corridor, all the traffic from the kitchen to the main serving area went by us. As if this was not enough, the busboy was ordering my wife to change her chair position to give his staff more room when they walk by. Note than my wife is barely 85lbs lol We ordered the steak haches. The sauces were good, French fries perfect but the steak themselves were below standard. Simply you get what you pay for. The Caesar salads were basic with super market dressing. Finally, being in a French restaurant we wanted to taste their desserts: Creme caramel & mousse au chocolat. My humble advise, save your money. I'd rather by a flan from the supermarket than eat that creme caramel. The mousse au chocolat was average, no comparison with a genuine French mousse au chocolat.
read full reviewThe Details on La Bonne Soupe
Know Before You Go:
Lunch is very busy, so call ahead for a reservation.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Lunch Spot, Prix Fixe Menu, Private Rooms, Theater District Dining
