06/08/09

Rude staff

by foodlove

We have lived in the neighborhood for 10 years & haven't been there for a long time. Arrived at 10pm....person standing at door didn't acknowledge us for atleast 5 minutes so we continued looking at menu....then another waiter joined him & flirted w/ a girl...growing impatient, we walked in & asked a waiter if they were still open...he was very rude. We sat down & noone came to us for another 5 minutes...no water, nothing! when waiter came to table (with no water) we said we had questions...he hurriedly answered one question then walked away immediately, not allowing us to ask another question. We walked out and never going back & won't recommend. It's sad that wait staff can leave such an impression on a restaurant since I know the food has been good.

05/05/09

Consistently the worst service on the UWS

by NYCgrl09

I'd give them no stars if I could.

I live nearby and have gone to C du S a number of times since they have opened ( many years now). The service is unbelievably bad- the waiters are pretty much always RUDE, you have to wait unbelievable amounts of time to get served. Tonight I stupidly forgot all of this and ordered ONE dish for delivery. I was told it would be 40 mins at the most, and I have now been waiting 1 hour and ten minutes. When I called to enquire how much longer, they gave me so much attitude just for asking. The man who answered the phone said " What do you want me to do about it?"

It's just not acceptable service, especially for the prices.

03/16/09

Good Brunch poor service

by Copine

I went there on Sunday for Brunch and the place was busy (good sign). We were 4 and only had to wait for 5 minutes to get a table. 2 seconds after we sat down the waitress came to ask us what we wanted to drink so we kindly ask her to give us couples of more minutes... We all order eggs and weren't disappointed but our glasses of water were never refilled, waiter kept on pushing our chairs (we were next to the door) and asking us are you finish every 10 minutes...it was just a very stressful and noisy atmosphere and not typically what you are looking for Brunch.

• Pros: Food, decor
• Cons: service, noise, rush

11/05/08

The Best Gem on the Upper West Side

by TravelRiter

All I can say is WOW. Cafe DS was truly an amazing experience.

I travel to New York on business at least once a month and always look for interesting restaurants I can dine solo. I went to Cafe Du Soleil on a Tuesday night and was surprised to find amazing live Jazz music and what seemed to be a young hip local crowd. I sat at the bar and ordered an amazing ( and inexpensive) Bourdeaux and an appetizer. The bartender suggested the mussels. The were so flavorful I had to stop myself from ordering more. I opted for a chocolate dessert that was so delicious it was devoured very quickly.

Everything was fabulous, from the food, to the service and even the chef ( I had the opportunity to engage in conversation with Chef Tivy)

I will definitely return on my next trip to NY

• Pros: Excellent menu and wine list. Has a great local charm
• Cons: None

08/25/08

From a more modern country who likes all to WINE and DINE

by Skippy23

I visited Cafe du Soleil when last in New York, as a visitor to New York from a more modern country I was relieved to find that they would serve my son and I wine, (my son is seventeen and after being through America I found it difficult to eat a meal without him being able to enjoy it properly.

The waiters are well traveled and can speak to you about a variety of countries, I found this entertaining and after living in France for 10 years I can say the escargot was as good as any on the Champs-Elysees.

In short however I would like to say that as one living in Queenstown, New Zealand now it indeed was a relief to dine like I wasn't in the United States, (I love the place, can't stand some of the picky rules, you know how it is). I commend Cafe du Soleil, I can do it no justice, the meals were dirt cheap, they could double the prices, I will come here with my son every time we come to New York.

• Pros: Somewhere I could fully enjoy eating in America
• Cons: none at all!

04/21/08

THE WORST DINING EXPERIENCE!

by Kimmeal

Dining at Cafe du Soleil was the WORST dining experience! The food was tasteless and the service was awful! The restaurant is small and noisy. The managers put as many tables and chairs in the small space that they possibly could. The waiters served coffee and meals over my shoulder. My chair was pushed each time a waiter went pass me. My vegetarian burger was tasteless. My sister ordered the whole wheat pancakes and only the top pancake was whole wheat. The pecans that was suppose to be a part of her meal was missing.

We didn't eat most of our food but while we were having conversations with our friends, bus boys took our plates without asking if we were finished. And when we finally said we were finished, they cleared out the place mats, silverware, trash, everything as if they had to clean the table for a fungus!

It was as if we were not welcomed there. I have eaten all over the world and this experience was the absolute worst! Save your money and go to a better restaurant.

• Cons: poor service, noisy, tasteless food

11/14/07

Mussels are better than in Belgium!!!!!

by emna

I really wanted to eat the same food that I am used to eat in France, in Nice. I came to Cafe du Soleil, not only the food was the same, very good, but also the atmosphere. During my dinner with my friends I forgot that I was in Manhattan. The staff is very nice, many of them are french. So If you want to discover or to feel like in France go to Cafe du Soleil.

• Pros: Food, staff and atmosphere
• Cons: little noisy

10/25/07

Overpriced and poor service

by clembeauchamp

Unless you have endless patience for average food, go elsewhere. This place needs new management. I think the many other Citysearch reviews complaining about the service have said it all.

• Pros: kid friendly, if that's your thing
• Cons: bad service, mediocre food

09/28/07

Savory Food

by jimmo76

Overall good place, the food's great and service, while certainly French and in some ways needing a jump start, was on point my last visit. The waiter was attentive and recommended the lavender creme brulee for dessert, which was delicious. For my neighborhood, this is one of my mainstays for brunch and a Tuesday or Wednesday night dinner - when you can hear your guest talking to you. One last thing: go for the garlic fries, if nothing else.

• Pros: good music
• Cons: shaky table

08/28/07

One of my Favorite UWS neighborhood places--Great Specials !

by tiffany_o

I go to this restaurant about once a week since moving to the neighborhood back in May. The staff are courteous and friendly--if not the most fast or efficient. The wine list is good and everything I've had on the menu is great--the baked tomato appetizer with goat cheese is especially good. And they have Kronenbourg beer on draft, which goes down great with steamed mussels. I'm always looking over at other people's dishes, and everything always looks appetizing. I never tried their takeout or delivery service...It's not a 5-star dining experience by any means, but what keeps bringing me back is the down-to-earth ambience, the airiness of the decor, and the great people-watching (the place is always packed.) It's a fine neighborhood hangout--perfect for a lingering lunch or dinner with a close friend.

• Pros: Fast seating almost always, great atmosphere especially in warm weather.
• Cons: Spotty service.