Really awesome little French restaurant serving no frills, delicious French food. The food here is not fussy, you won't see the chef pull out a pair of tweezers to perfectly garnish a dish (plus there's probably no room even if he wanted to). But oh man, the food is delicious. Hanger steak is of course good but the grilled asparagus may be the best rendition of asparagus I've ever had. Everything here is absolutely packed with flavor. The menu seems to rotate a bit but don't worry, it's all good stuff. Service here was pleasant, but please do note that while it's not slow, food is delivered at a leisurely pace. This is a type of place where you chill for a bit, drink some wine, and catch up with a friend. It's also walk-in only, and there will probably be a wait, but don't worry, it's worth it.

Wow, this place was a dream! I cannot wait to go back. This service was super friendly and the place is really cozy. The restaurant itself is really small and does not take reservations, but it is absolutely a hidden gem and worth it. Got here around 545 on Thursday night and it was still fairly empty. The place filled up around 630 though and people started having to wait. Would definitely recommend getting there before 630 if you do not want to wait. Below is our ordered food in order of my preference 1. Hanger steak Wow this was absolutely delicious and I could not stop eating it. The steak itself was perfectly cooked. It was so tender and just melts in your mouth. Paired with the sauce was just unstoppable. The potato on the side was also so flavorful and so good. It pairs really well with the steak 2. Octopus One of the best octopus I've ever had. It looks like such a simple dish--just two octopus tentacles sitting there, but it was perfectly cooked. Just the right tenderness. Moreover, the sauce that came with it was great. It really alleviated the octopus's taste. 3. Steak tartare This was good, however nothing too special! The garlic oil bread pairs really well with it though 4. Escargot This was my least favorite item, but still good. I think the sauce could be a little more flavorful, but overall still a good dish!

i knew i was going to love it and i did - you've got to drop everything and come here PRONTO tips: line up at around 445 - the first group is a handful of ppl and the second group gets in depending on the first, waits i've seen can be up to or past 3 hours. come in a group of 2 (trust) the food: insane. hanger steak and potatoes is a must, octopus was juicy. need to try the salad next time! the drinks: skin contact wine - superb. the service: so friendly and lovely the space: small but intimate

Amazing. We really loved this. The chickpea crepe, octopus, steak tartare, and steak, were all incredible, and the duck was among the best I've ever had. The only thing we'd probably sub out next time was the escargots -- the salad and a couple other items looked really great so we'd probably try those next time.

Amazing, intimate dining experience. My BF and I tried to come here twice before we finally got a spot. The whole place seats about 16, doesn't take reservations and can get really busy. The times I didn't get in I put my name in around 7/7:30 for two. This time, determined, I came around 6 and was quoted 30mins for 2. I went to go wait and after 45 mins and I heard nothing and went back to check. The host/server said he called me twice and that I hadn't picked up. I showed him I never got a call and he was apologetic while we both wondered what had happened. He said he would put us back on the list but it would be another 30 mins. I appreciated this considering others came in and were quoted much longer, he was really doing us a favor. True to his word this time we were seated about 30 mins later in the cozy corner of the bar. Seating is tight but in a very NYC way where it feels authentic and lovely. We asked for a wine recommendation between a couple bottles and ended up loving what was suggested. Wines were reasonably priced and unique. To eat we ordered the socca de nice, escargot, octopus, steak tartar, grilled hangar steak and the panna cotta dessert. It was probably too much food for two but everything was so delicious we couldn't help it. Favorites were the steak tartar (classic and delicious), grilled hangar steak (still thinking about how amazing this was) and the socca de nice (never had something like this before. The octopus and escargot were good, just not as good as the others. The panna cotta to finish had tart cherries and was refreshingly not too sweet, almost like a Greek yogurt. Overall an amazing meal, great staff and food - we hope to come back soon.

Wow wow wow. Cannot give enough praise of this place! I truly was not expecting to be blown away. I'm always hesitant about French spots in the US, but this place did not disappoint. A very small space with an equally small menu. Where they may seem like they lack in variety, they specialize each dish to a T. The menu size reminds me of mom and pop restaurants in France. Loved every dish we had, but the ones I truly adored were the beets salad and the quail. Absolutely amazing. Service was also on point. Note that this place is small and very popular. You may very well be waiting over an hour. Tip- Go with one other person. Any group bigger than 4, good luck.

It has been a long time since I have had a meal out in this city where I left thinking I am in love and want to eat here every day. This hole in the wall restaurant fills up fast the moment the door opens and the staff are very friendly. We were very happy paying for the meal and it was worth every cent. Got the chickpea crepe, escargot, grilled octopus, hanger steak, and mixed berry panna cotta dessert + a glass of wine. What a gem of a place, every dish seasoned and cooked to perfection. I love the low key ambiance, lack of pretentiousness, simple (and yet not simple) menu, and intimate setting.

Still as amazing years later! I haven't been to Le French Diner in way too long and decided to stop by on a holiday weekend. There was no wait! The dishes are understandably pricier than they were years ago, but worth it still. We shared several plates and didn't have any bad dishes. Everything was perfectly cooked and incredibly delicious. Musts: green salad, steak, grilled octopus, panna cotta of the night Le French Diner is such a charming spot, perfect for a date night. One of the best meals we've had in a long time and will be back soon!

Ok, so I'm pretty much an amateur when it comes to eating French cuisine and it became one of the focuses of my trip into NYC from Houston. I didn't want to pick a French restaurant that was '$$$$' because quite frankly, I was just too intimidated, and can I really appreciate what's in front of me without knowing what the "norm" is? Mayhap I was afraid I would set the bar too high for French cuisine. I knew I was coming in rather late into the city, and thankfully, this place had relatively late hours. One thing most travelers must know about NYC is their listed closing time is when they're trying to turn off the lights, meaning there leaves a lot of room for interpretation on when last call is. Though they might continue to serve you drinks (and maybe the occasional snack), their kitchen could close an hour, maybe even 2 hours early. I thought I arrived well within good time, but it was quite the opposite--again, my mistake. I'm not from around here. The friendly host, chef, and server (quite possibly the owner) initially turned me away stating they don't have any seats available. I asked if I could be put on a waiting list, that I just got off the plane and was looking forward to a meal here. He said he couldn't guarantee me a spot, but I did not hesitate to state that I would take a chance, even if the odds were low. I think he liked that response because he ended up grabbing a clipboard from across the room that had some scrap paper on it and took my number down. We mosseyed on over to the nearest burger and fries joint and at least softened our hunger. Eventually, about half an hour later, we got the call that we made the cut. I was super stoked and it just made the experience all the more exciting. The restaurant is a bar-turned-to-kitchen. The front had just enough room for some high tables. Regardless of the rather tight spacing, it felt comfortable. It's a rather low-lit place, but the energy in the room felt amazing, and the host's friendliness and energy only added to the experience. The menu is condensed into a page, and my instincts tell me they switch it up pretty often and reprint often. Prices seem quite reasonable, especially for items usually found in fine dining. If you're sitting at the bar, which would've been a fantastic experience, you're sitting just a few feet away watching them cook up a storm. It smelt amazing in there. We ordered a lot. A LOT. The pacing was noteworthy. The suggestions for food? Spot on. The food itself? Absolutely delicious. The ambience? Cozey, fun, uplifting, yet strangely...romantic. I absolutely would recommend this place for a date night, as you can find good beverages to pair here, as well. It honestly feels like you're fine dining at home, and to me, that's just the best way to do it. (It's been more than a few months since I've been. I'm just now finishing this review because I really think they deserve the recognition--that's how much this restaurant has impacted me.)