French Roast Reviews

Chef here is dynamite. All dishes superbly executed. PLUS: fancy wines by the glass. I had a St. Joseph, a cousin of ChateauNeuf-du-Pape, and it was sublime, full-bodied, concentrated, deelish. Always crowded, as the medium-to-high prices don't keep the UWS crowds away. Welcoming atmosphere. Grilled salmon was superb, as was their quiche. Tables by the windows are great -just don't sit under a loudspeaker. This is more than your ordinary brasserie. Kudos.

I do like the food, but most times the clattering noise makes eating at the French Roast an unpleasant experience. I like to be able to carry on a conversation or be somewhat relaxed at a restaurant. The service can be good or very bad depending on who is serving. Nonetheless, it is convenient to our apartment and we did go there rather often. I liked the food and we put up with the noise and bustle. However, I had an exceptionally bad experience there about two weeks ago when I returned to New York from a four day trip to my mother’s in Connecticut. I arrived at the Port Authority about 6:30 pm on a Tuesday night. I called my husband from the bus station telling him I arrived and would take a taxi to the UWS and we would meet at the French Roast for dinner, I would call him when I got there. It takes him five minutes to get to the restaurant from our apartment. I got to the restaurant about 7 pm. It was not crowded. I asked for a table for two, my husband would be there shortly. I had planned to relax with a glass of wine and wait for him to order our dinner. The receptionist said that she could not seat me if I was going to wait for him, even though the place had plenty of tables and it was not a busy night. She asked when my husband was coming. I said I had to call him. So here I am, tired, with a carry bag, bundled up because it was freezing outside, and she would not seat me. It was restaurant policy; she said I could sit at the bar. I did NOT want to sit at the bar. I noticed that a young man standing there also waiting. I asked if he had the same issue. He had. I started to call my husband to tell him we would choose to meet at a different restaurant, and man, who was also waiting, got angry and said he wanted to see the manager, NOW. This was ridiculous. Did I mention that I am 79 years old? He said I should be seated, he wanted to talk to the manager, NOW. After a few more words the receptionist went to talk to the manager. As I was talking to my husband on the phone about going to a different restaurant, she came back and said, “Right this way, I will seat you” and gave me one of the several empty tables. She also seated the young man. If it weren't for him, I would have had to pick up my luggage and walk in the freezing cold to another restaurant. Never an apology, or “sorry to askyou stand unnecessarily” and I don’t think they really care that I will never go there again.

Even on a Tuesday night, the atmosphere was lively, fun, festive. Unfortunately the food was not really very good. My friend had the Leek and Potato soup that was so salty it was almost impossible to eat. His fish was ok—a little over cooked. My bœuf bourguignon was a big disappointment. The pieces of meat looked like they had been cooked and then reheated many times—crusty and flavorless—the accompanying carrots and mushrooms were also so over cooked they had lost any flavor or color. With this dish in particular, it should be VERY easy to make a good stew, freeze it and serve it. Shame.

Ordered a main dish and a side and received a very small portion for each. Photo attached, really not impressed with portion size.

We often went late at night for a bottle of wine and something light - excellent value and service; one of our favourite places!

Nice friendly neighborhood restaurant. Prices are moderate. NY Strip was prepared just right. Staff was very attentive and helpful.

So, we were only in Manhattan for a couple of days and had already eaten at an American diner near our hotel in Hells Kitchen and wanted to find another elsewhere. We took the subway up to Upper West Side as we wanted to pop into Zabar's. We were so pleased to stumble across French Roast! We eat in a lot of French restaurants (the in laws live there) so were slightly bemused/amused at the idea of eating breakfast at one in NYC. It was superb. Only negative is that my wife talked me into having an order of French toast to complement by Eggs Benedict (which was superb by the way) which upon delivery I could see that I clearly didn't need. Ate it anyway, but it spoiled by lunch at Zabar's as I was stuffed to the gills! The French toast was just excellent. Other than the coffee (which the French would have been ashamed of) everything was well cooked, extremely tasty and the service was efficient even though it was 25th December and busy. Impressed and will definitely return next time we're in NYC.

This was a dinner for 6 and everyone was very happy with the food and service. We had Caesar salad, hummus appetizers, roast chicken and salmon and everyone was pleased. A plus is that the manager was going around to check if everyone was satisfied and happy, always a good sign in a well managed restaurant.

My wife and I met another couple for lunch on Saturday. We chose this restaurant because they participate in NYC Restaurant week and we found items on the menu. When we sat down and looked at the menu, we asked about the Restaurant week menu. The waitress told us they do not offer that menu during weekends. I looked on their website and nowhere does it state this fact. This seems me to be a classic bait and switch. At any other restaurant, the Restaurant week menu is offered every day of the week including weekends. The food was OK not great or a restaurant I would ever go back to. My wife had an omelet and did not even come with toast. The portions were no better than average. The restaurant also does not serve hot tea. This is a bit confusing since they serve unsweetened iced tea. Service was slow and not the friendliest. Overall not the best experience and I would suggest to stay away.

Unexpectedly delicious; food was unique, served quickly, hot and fresh from the kitchen. Zucchini Noodles with pesto and parmesan made for a nice light and gluten free lunch! Lively, pleasant and snug dining room, a perfect respite on a cold and rainy day. Gabriel, our waiter, was efficient, relaxed and friendly. We will be back!

My girlfriends son recommended this place. Small but nice. Decent menu with NYC prices. I had the pancakes and fruit. They are not Ihop size or prices but they were good and filling. Our waitress was the best. Make the meal that much better. Coffee was ok. Small so we had about a 25 min wait. Good place.

tables are set so close together that one hears the conversation of the tables near you-very noisy--and pricey for this type of ''restaurant''--did not expect to be charged separately for bread @ $1,25 per slice and for coffee to be $2.75 per cup--it is a very short step above a diner--

Cozy little french cafe. The christmas lights made it even better. Was so nice to sit by the window and enjoy our dinner. Service was great and the food was delicious!

Went three time during my visit to Upper West Side and can't express how great the breakfast and lunch options are at French Roast Cafe. Ordered pancakes which came with fresh fruit on the side, amazing taste, light and fluffy. Also had a Spanish omelet with fresh avocado. One of the best I have ever tasted in all my travels. Service is exceptional and was well looked after on three occasions by different staff members - always good. One of my favorite spots in Upper West Side.

We dropped into French Roast for brunch one morning. The decor is pretty cool - sort of retro/vintage and that was what attracted us initially. We were greeted at the door and shown to a table right away. We were offered coffee and brought iced water too. Service was excellent and the food was brilliant too, I had smoked salmon, bacon & eggs. The atmosphere was really nice, with a combination of locals, tourists and families all enjoying their morning.

I had dinner and it was really ordinary to bad. The service was excellent but the food not great. Had brunch and it was very good so I recommend you stick to brunch at this place.

Went there for brunch. We had chicken sausage (offered as side dish), zucchini soup, brie with baguette (sandwich), bran muffin, almond croissant, and coffee. All were good, except the almond croissant which was sort of OK. The coffee was also OK. Service was a bit slow.

Our server was fantastic... but the food was just okay. I had the eggs benedict...it was edible. My friend had the croque monsieur and it was the worst I've ever tasted. The coffee was absolutely horrendous and tasted burnt. This was very convenient to our hotel but we did not visit again.

everything about this restaurant is perfect. The food, the service, the view - it is a must experience for a casual brunch! Prices are reasonable and tables turn quickly

We went for brunch on a freezing cold Saturday. It was bustling and cheerful. Excellent menu, good array of choices, good beverage selection. Service was efficient and patient. We had a larger group of 5 which put us right in front of the door, which meant a lot of jostling and bumping from the waiting customers. It's a cozy size, so there may be a wait (we made a reservation). The bar looks like it would be very neighborly and a good hang on a weeknight. Try the Salmon Hash with 2 Poached Eggs, French Toast, or Omelette. All excellent.

My husband took me here for our first date in 1999, so it has a special resonance for us, but I love the food! It's delicious, not too fancy or complicated. Today, we went there for lunch. I had croque monsieur. It was wooonderful! cooked just right, nice mixed greens salad with a good, simple vinaigrette. I had the cinnamon apple fritters with cinnamon gelato...melt in your mouth. I couldn't stop going "mmm-mmmm-mmm" through the whole meal! Andy had steak frites & loved it. And he was mmm-mmm-ing through his chocolate dessert. :-) The wait staff, and management, especially Johnny, are all friendly, warm & great!

Pleasant dining room with a distinctly Euro ambiance. Had the caesar salad and organic chicken. Both were tasty. Staff was friendly.

great place to have lunch. the food is more creative than a diner, less expensive than a brasserie but the ambiance has a je-ne-sais-quoi of french which makes the whole experience very pleasant for a quick or not so quick lunch. Now this is not Bouley but, for lunch, it is very pleasant food. so it is 4 stars for what it is . it is not a 4 star restaurant by any means. . there are large windows on two sides which let the light and the sun stream in which i like a lot. but be careful , it can get a bit crowded if you arrive around 12.30. and the tables are smallish.

Is nice to come to a place and feel around Family my Christmas Eve was Grandeur an amazing evening Best Food and Deluxe ambience the service as usual my hat off to Sam the Manager who is around their guest and my thanks to Adam always pleasant and smiling and of course Adrian simply paying attention to the little details that made our evening experience unforgettable. Thanks for such a great service I promise to bring more clients next year

We dined here on a Sunday morning. It was very quiet, which surprised us. Most of the tables were empty. So we were surprised that no one came over for about 10 minutes to ask if we wanted coffee. Finally the manager came over and gave us water and took our coffee order. Throughout the meal we had 2 different waiters. The food was excellent. My hubby had the Mexican omelet and I had the eggs benedict. I especially loved their side of potatoes. I am not sure we would go back due to the service.

We stopped into French Roast for a quick brunch because of it was conveniently located. The food was good. However, the service was awful. Several times we had to go find our waiter to help with such things as ordering a beverage and paying our bill. We ended up asking passing waiters and waitresses to help us with the things we needed. A restaurant can have wonderdul food, but if there is bad service, I won't be back.

I stopped at the French Roast Café on Broadway several weeks ago and had a fairly good breakfast. The sauce on the Eggs Benedict curdled a bit, however, spoiling the look but not the taste. Service was fast and very friendly, and cleanliness appeared to be good.

Roast chicken was rancid!! Not just bad taste but actually spoiled! The fact that it was served instead of saying the roast chicken wasn't available amazes me. Management initially argued that it might be the butter or spices that just didn't taste good, then finally admitted that the other raw chicken was spoiled too. I'm the end they wouldn't comp the meal. Kinda ruined a nice meal with an old friend... there are so many other places to go to, highly suggest skipping this one!!

We've been brunching at the French roast since we met on there on match.com 14 years ago. We are locals and live only four blocks away and visit usually once a week. The food is always fresh and tasty. It's a bit more expensive than the diners, but the food is at least a level or two better. Friendly and experienced wait staff.

If you just need a spot to chat and hang....great, easy. Could use some more shareable bar snacks but hey....

Randomly stumbled across this place on a weekend ladies trip with some friends. So yummy!! The brioche French toast is amazing but the home fries were by far my favorite part of the meal!! Best I've had in awhile!! Check it out!

People love French Roast. It has a cache, I suppose. But it is so average that I hadn't gone there in many years so decided to try it again. It was exactly the same. The waiters were extraordinarily friendly and helpful though it took a lot of work to get their attention and 20 minutes to get our drinks. But it is crowded, noisy, has very tight seating and the food is just okay. I ordered the 1/2 chicken and it came out less than done, so we had to send it back (which I hate doing). My husband had the croque monsieur, which was good. The whole experience was very average.

We had diner with a party of three on a Saturday night. You would expect a French germ looking at the menu and the fitting but this ambition was not met with at all. It started with the server who after returning from holiday still had to get used to the apparently changed menu and from then it was Murphy’s law: the starters were served with a time gap of almost ten minutes but the disappointing climax was achieved when we finally after a long wait got our entrees: reddish raw looking chicken, over burned steak with accompanying over salted fries and a dried out trout. When complaining the manager informed me on other complaints and a chef who apparently thinks that serving semi raw chicken or pork is in accordance with FA regulations. The significant discount we got on the check couldn’t neutralize our disappointment. The only tip I could give to the server and manager was to either fire the chef or let Gordon Ramsey pay him a visit.

The French Roast used to be a fairly unpretentious place to grab something and chat with a friend. I haven't been in awhile and they have changed for the worse. The tables aren't just close together, they are on top of each other. The tables by the banquet are ridiculously close to each other, too small to hold the plates, and the banquet is uncomfortable. The menu is sparse, which would be ok if the things they served from it shined. However, tried and true things like eggs benedict are dry and paltry. The omlette was plain boring. I guess the noise level (beyond loud) of the place has one benefit - you don't want to linger over your food.

Food is always excellent and tasty. Very affordable. Nice atmosphere for couples, friends and families. I always bring all my friends there so they can experience it too!

I felt like I took a step back in time with this restaurant. It was a fairly hot day. We sat outside, which I would not recommend if you’re going to plan on getting hot food. I had the escargot and the muscles and my daughter had the steak frite. I love that the muscles came in an insulated pot to keep them hot. Our service was great. The prices were reasonable. I would definitely come back.

An unforgettable Bastille Day celebration at French Roast! From the vibrant ambiance and festive decor to the exquisite French 85 cocktail and hearty bouillabaisse, it was a night of pure delight. The creme brulee was the perfect sweet ending to a fantastic evening. As always, the service was top-notch, welcoming and warm. A consistent 5-star experience that never disappoints!

I am unsure wether it was so very busy because it was a rainy day in NYC and everyone wanted to get inside. Or maybe its just always poor service at French roast. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt and say it was simply for the rain, but still. ordered our drinks practically first thing, got the drinks ( my ginger ale turned out to be flavored fizzy water, not very good) long after we finished eating. but thats just the drinks. Our food came quite quickly, my mothers pancakes, to me at least, tasted a bit like Bisquick mix. But my Pain Au Chocolate tasted fine. it wasn't a great time at French Roast. But I hope it was just because of the rain.

I have eaten here many times, always hoping for better. It is always adequate, and occasionally slightly better than that. Today I had a caesar salad for lunch, which was a very small portion for the price. They have an excellent hamburger though.

French Roast was easy walking distance from where we were staying. good thing -- after a tiring day of being tourists (besides having flown to NYC earlier that day) we needed to just sit, soak in the vibes (so to speak) and have our own mini-party. the service was prompt and almost intuitive. though somewhat reknowned (sp?) for breakfast and coffee -- we were there for wine and beer -- both in plentiful and a variety of supply.

I remember when French Roast first opened many years ago. It warms my heart to see a restaurant last this long in a neighborhood desperate for better cuisine and one that lasts this long. I recently revisited it and it still is a charming place with a consistent flow of people who don't know or care about good food. The room is packed with mostly women from the neighborhood ordering salads or a cup of soup or coffee. On this occasion, I ordered the Escargot and the nightly special Pork Chop with black eye peas and greens. The dinner began great! The bread was served warm and that is always a plus for me when dining out. Then the escargot arrived. It was so salty and greasy and served with a "puff pastry" that was as hard as the concrete paving Broadway. I ate two and had to send it back. I told my server, Stan, to ask the kitchen to make my Pork Chop medium if not medium rare. He immediately went to the kitchen to ask for my request. My entree arrived a little later and while it was edible, it certainly wasn't worth writing a postcard to my relatives in France. It tasted like a Mexican version of French food. When I want Mexican, I'll go to a Mexican restaurant. When I want French... Locals and philistines will continue to pack this cafe because they don't know any better or they simply don't care. The best thing that I came away from this experience was the dessert, a cocktail and the service of the bartender, Stan. Will I return for the cuisine. I'll have to think about it.

A quaint little place to enjoy time with family and friends staff was friendly,my only problem was some of the food. I had pancakes it was a cheap brand not fluffy at all and the egg is powder or mix with milk. Just altered my enjoy for my beginning day. And still happily to say I will return because The atmosphere was great and the rest of our Food was tasty.

The food is French but the menu adjusted for American appetites. My companion's hamburger was huge, as were the accompanying sides. She enjoyed it. I ordered a flatbread pizzette with duck confit, artichokes, gruyere cheese and truffle oil. It sounded superbly elegant but arrived smothered in so much cheese that duck and artichokes only intermittently graced my fork and then too encased in cheese to savor. I also never tasted a hint of truffle oil. Something not the restaurant's fault was two people behind us seated at opposite sides of a large round table and yelling across the table to converse. The place was attractive, service okay. Maybe it would have been better to order something else

French roast is always nice to stop in for a nice casual meal. My chicken breast was prepared just right and was nice and juicy. Duck special was just as good. Service very good. Price just right.

This is my husband and my favorite spot to get breakfast when visiting NYC. The croque madame is out of this world delicious. Also the salad lyonnaise is wonderful. Can’t wait for our next trip.

We had great service with a lovely waitress. Service was prompt and straightforward and food was served quickly. We both had the pancakes which were actually glorious and I had a side of chicken sausages with Canadian bacon (because if you’re in the USA you eat a ton so don’t judge). Noodle had a nice cup of decaf coffee and I had a tea. I thought the decor and atmosphere was very pleasant and perfect for an early morning breakfast on a freezing cold day. Very pleasant indeed!

Very busy spot but worth the wait for a table with relative privacy … not bunched in! I appreciate that greatly !

My wife and I had dinner here last Saturday night, and we have eaten here before. The food is excellent--tasty and imaginative. (A long time ago I had a parsnip soup that was unexpected and out of this world.) Many helpful touches including a board with a small loaf of bread for the table and always enough to eat. The wine selection is always excellent and surprising. The atmosphere is French, older, European; it is lively but quiet enough to talk (and be heard). The entire staff is especially and genuinely friendly and efficient; they check up on you frequently so that you're never left needing something. The prices are reasonable and fair. What more needs to be said?

Looked a nice French restaurant with outside seating which was the main reason we decided to have lunch. Ordered our meal of Steak Frites 32$, salad Nicoise 19$, onion soup 11$ and a Cabernet Sauvignon red wine which was small, average and cost 14$. I know its New York but expensive. Waited 45 minutes and asked where the meal was which turned up shortly after. Waiters never approached or asked how the meal was, never filled the water bottle, asked for a Creme Brulee after waving around for attention. Table cleared and Brulee eventually arrived. The food was average, steak ok but chips awful, as if fried in old oil, however the salad Nicoise was good according to my wife. Asked for our bill from another staff member, waited again for about 10 minutes, in the end took the bill and credit card inside ourselves, noticed about four staff chatting around a counter. Lesson appearances not what they seem, pity because with a bit more attention, dedicate waiters for each table etc.. it would be great. Oh and it seems they allow the local populace to wander in and use the toilets!!!! Would not go back, pity!!

We stopped for brunch on our way to our hotel and enjoyed their delicious brioche french toast and pancakes. One of my companions had an omelette which wasn't as good as the french toast but their great coffee made up for that. The service was efficient but indifferent. There were plenty of locals, which is a good sign. Recommend it.

My wife & I arrived without a booking on Dec 22nd. We were seated & greeted without delay but we were a little disappointed with the delay in taking our order. It also took an inordinate time to get our order. The waitress who took our order & the waiter who delivered our order were pleasant & helpful. The salmon cake & the banh mi were pretty average but the drinks were pretty good.

Great restaurant on Broadway. Ate here 5 times and was not dissapointed. Great food with plenty of flavor. My favorite was the pasta with chorizo for lunch and eggs Benedict for breakfast. Love the decor with many fun old enamel posters hanging on the walls.

For some time I have been ordering mussels here. They have been very good. When they began to add curry to them, I was able to order without the curry. Now they added saffron which I dislike. When I inquired about getting the mussels without the saffron, I was told that I could not. I had grilled scallops which were OK, but the plate was filled with unappetizing greens and full of onions. In addition the wait staff took forever to pick up my payment. They offer sangria only in the summer and have a sparse menu. Not sure why they cannot offer mussels with wine sauce as other establishments do.

I just ordered a vegetarian pepper and onion omelette at the 85th & Broadway NYC French Roast. The omelette came filled with sausage. When I spoke to the manager, he apologized, said it "should never have happened". There was no offer of any complimentary anything. I left without eating.

The food is delish, the atmosphere is charming and the service is consistent. A wide selection of menu items and the coffee is the best the city has to offer.

Warm, welcoming and attentive service with spectacular food and coffee. I savored every bite of the beautifully prepared croque madame (and my children enjoyed their nibbles of it too.) My son devoured the buttermilk pancakes (lovely fruit on the side) and my daughter had a simple egg and toast but it too was presented beautifully and cooked to perfection. I don't usually pay $$$ for breakfast - but this was worth the splurge. I'll be back again soon for another cup of coffee and will try one of their other offerings...the croissants looked good!

The food was excellent and the service pleasant this visit. Four stars remain in place. Here is the deets: Pinot noir, glass, happy hour, 7 Sauvignon blanc, glass, happy hour 7 Cotes du Rhone red, carafe, 13.78 Duck mousse, 11.25, tasty, pleasing presentation and warm toast points Cod special, 19, excellent, well-seared Hanger steak special, 20, excellent, steak can be hit or miss, and this time it was a hit Brownie coupe, 10, how can warm brownies with chocolate sauce and salted caramel gelato in a parfait glass topped with whipped cream be anything but delicious? A crowd-pleaser TOTAL 95.84

This place is convenient if you are in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way. The food is good, basic with nice presentation. However service can ignore you for stretches at a time. Most importantly, it is quite overpriced, expect a hefty NYC sized bill.

On the corner on the upper east side. Lovely enough of a place with really cool music playing. We came with friends that have a gluten allergy. The gluten allergy was clearly explained and asked to omit certain items from a dish. When the meal was served everything that was explained regarding gluten allergy was ignored. Fortunately, it was corrected but, the waitress never came back to apologize for her ignorance. The bathroom is a hideous mess. Not sure of the cleanliness of the kitchen.

I have been to New Orleans many times for the incredible delicious food. Therefore, I was excited to see that one of my favorite restaurants, French Roast, was offering a special New Orleans “Mardi Gras” menu. Unfortunately, my partner & I made a bad choice for our entree: the Soft Shell Crab Po’ Boy. It was a “Poor’ Boy, not a Po’ Boy! The crab (if there was any) lacked flavor and did not taste fresh, but was a bit fishy & stale tasting, and was overcome by the other components: too much bread, red cabbage slaw & raw green tomato (should have been fried!). Also, the appetizer: the Sweet Potato Seafood Chowder was a bit too salty for my taste. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Instead of being the “Big Easy” (as New Orleans is referred to) meal I hoped for, it was the “Big Uneasy” meal!

Three of us enjoyed dinner here last night. One had the onion soup which was exactly as expected. One had the cucumber soup of the day and the roast chicken and loved both. The third person enjoyed the leg of lamb. Service was attentive and friendly. The outside patio on the side allows you the be joy sitting outside while having some privacy (or on Broadway allows more people watching).

Pancakes, eggs benedict, omelettes, the best lemonade ever, .... great service and lots of people, great athmosphere and buzz here, well worth visit.

Went for breakfast and so pleased with the food and the service. Quite expensive but worth it. Would definitely go again.

We tried French Roast for brunch. Thought how bad could it be? Well almost everything that we ordered was wrong from coffee to croissants. Eggs were over cooked and bacon cold. It was just disappointing as there are so many better alternatives in the Upper West Side - it felt like a waste being there.

We had a late night dinner. Sandwiches and salads were delicious. We were both very impressed with the quality of the coffee too. Service was excellent, mami g this a wonderful experience.

This was my first time at French Roast uptown and I can only assume this used to be an amazing place. My friend whom I came here with for brunch today is a regular and suggested we come here. We even had a reservation. We had to wait for a table and once seated, we had to wait for a waitress. After 15 minutes passed, we finally asked for a waitress to take our order. The order was quick and the food was ok, but it was impossible to get our waitress to come over and get us another mimosa, get more water or even order dessert. I understand Sundays are busy, but this was not acceptable, given the cost of the food. I would not return here.

My 20-30 something relations chose this place. We were seated immediately, though there were some confusions about where (even though we called with a reservation). The place is very crowded so we were sitting practically on top of the table next to us and were squished together. The staff was nice. I had Escargot for the first time and it was very good. Prices were high (as they are everywhere) and my chicken was just o.k. I wouldn't go back.

Been coming here for years because of their mint hot chocolate - new management? They charge $1.00 for whipped cream but didn’t mention that and charged but didn’t remember the mint! The French onion soup was marginal and tasteless as was the quiche

FRench Roast is a good choice for ordinary Gallic cuisine. The prices are reasonable and the fare is standard if not exciting. Unfortunately last night my duck confit was awfully salty. Service is good and the atmosphere inviting.

We visited for breakfast one morning as this was close to our hotel. The staff were very friendly and we were seated and served quickly. We both ordered the pancakes which were delicious and came as a huge portion. The setting is nice, with it having an atmosphere of a mix between an American Diner and French Bistro. It was expensive but well worth it for a breakfast which set us up for the rest of the day.

We come here on a regular basis, usually for a late night dinner. Since so many restaurants in the neighborhood close their kitchens at 10:00, it's great to have one that's open late. We were there recently; my burger was great as always and my husband very much enjoyed the duck special.

This is a comfortable cafe with very helpful staff. It was near our destination and we stopped in with our suitcases. There was no problem placing them out of the way. The service was friendly, fast and attentive. Best of all our food was tasty and the coffee was delicious.

Our group (two families of four) ate here at the recommendation of a friend who lives on the block. Thoroughly enjoyed the Eggs Benedict, pancakes and Brioche French Toast. Slight hiccup in service on one order, but it was corrected. Would eat here again and would recommend. Adorable French cafe atmosphere.

I expected a better quality Christmas meal A little disappointed by the duck in ľorange. The mouth's a little stuffy. I think we could have done better than the price

We were in NYC for the weekend and stopped here twice for breakfast. Staff were super friendly, helpful and attentive and the food was excellent.

This cozy cafe has become increasingly expensive over the years, and also, alas, increasingly more corporate. This used to be a place where managers and servers knew your name and you were welcomed with a smile. No more. Down to business with good food and getting you out as quickly as possible. Very noisy atmosphere. Go in the afternoon when things are quieter. Don't even think about brunch!

My wife and I were in NY and wanted a mid-morning coffee and snack. We saw French Roast across Broadway and went in. It was busy and crowded, but our cafe au lait and croissants were excellent.

Had breakfast/brunch here with a friend. We shared a shakshuka - it was EXCELLENT! Requested a chai off menu and it was so delicious with just the right amount of sweetness and spice! Service was prompt, friendly, and authentically joyful from a variety of servers. Have to say I was pleasantly surprised as not expecting such well made fare, but props to this place! Just a tad more pricey than I think should be, but will come back for the shakshuka and chai. Definitely recommend!

The cafe is in a super little spot on Broadway and 85th and open 24 hours a day. Their brunch menu offers an array of French staples and some American diner staples... mainly in the form of pancakes. The restaurant was busy at 11am on Sunday, we sat outside as the weather was lovely, but inside is incredibly charismatic; antiqued mirrors, signposts and chandeliers, etc. I had a vegetable omelette which was delicious. My friend and I were there with her dog and the waitress promptly brought out a dish of water for him. Great service and the omelette was perfectly. You can see my full review here: http://thediscoverynotebook.com/2014/08/02/a-french-roast-brunch/

On a recent visit, we got a 'first in New York' experience. We were promptly seated, as the place was half empty, and ordered. However, after an unusually long, like over 30 minutes, wait, there were still no signs of our order. At that point, several tables who came after us got their orders. So we flagged down the waitress. She checked but came back with a surprise: kitchen had lost our order! She apologized and said she couldn't do anything except retaking our order. We said that certainly was a first for us, having been here and their Village location many times before. So we went up to a manager about the 'lost order' by the kitchen. Surprisingly, he didn't seem concerned at all, casually asking us whether we wanted to leave or reorder. That 'nonchalance' is the deal breaker. Had we read the recent reviews before going in, perhaps we wouldn't have been so surprised/upset. We for one would not come back to a restaurant that 'loses' customers' orders without an explanation, especially one managed by people who do not care for service. At all.

Some of the menu choices were not available and portions were very small! Service was sweet but inefficient.

I have tried this place six times in one trip to NY. sometimes good, sometimes bad. the wait staff spend more time chit chatting with each other and you can often wait twenty mi nUtes to. BE served. their forte is the omelettes, the. Breakfasts, and the salads at lunch. the morning coffee is bitter, acidic and stale. AVOID it at all costs unless you want to be sick ALL DAY. The Cappucino is made with the same stale coffee and too much milk. Word has it that they fire the staff so often and that this translates into sub par service during these transitions. My advice : Only for a quick bite if nothing else is open.

The French roast café is a delightful restaurant that includes a menu for all, as well as food that maintains a variety of delightful tastes. Sometimes a little noisy, but when seeking a friendly French flavor neighborhood restaurant, French Roast is not to be missed.

Very disappointing. I was recommended this place and went there for a quiet dinner. The place was empty, it was about 10:00pm and shift change. So I waited.... And waited. No water came -- plenty of times the server walked by. Finally I got served and the onion soup was ok but left a foul taste in the mouth. Wine was ok, water was warm and no ice. I would have ordered more but made a beeline for the door and went elsewhere. The servers were huddled around the cash register and I had to get up and ask to pay. I hope this was an anomaly but with so many other good options in the area I won't return. They're open late - but so is Jacob's Pickle near by....

Met a client from out of town at this cafe for brunch. It is really not the place to hold a business meeting but we also wanted to catch up so spent much of the time chatting and eating a delicious brunch. They let us sit there for quite a while (I did tip the server very well for this). Nice local place to eat and catch up

after a morning of looking at apartments to rent, we came upon the French Roast and viewed the menu. It was just what we needed; perhaps eggs or a sandwich or French onion soup or a salad......... so we sat down inside (as they also offer outside sidewalk table,) and placed our order. The waitress was pleasant and eager to please. The food was well prepared and priced appropriately. If you have the time and some hunger pains, just stop by.

We decided to have breakfast and my friend wanted either eggs Benedict or shakshuka do we searched places within walking distance and ended up here The place wasn’t full and were seated right away She ordered the shakshuka and I the duck confit hash ,both good ,I didn’t like the idea of using sweet potatoes/yams in the hash as I didn’t think it paired well with dish her dish was large with 3 eggs and spinach with some French baguette

After so many years, - the food remains fresh and cooked to order; - the prices remain only just on the wrong side of intolerable - the waitstaff and hosts were pleasant, though a bit slow To be noted: everywhere on the UWS is overpriced; this place is not alone in that

This authentic French bistro (open 24 hours a day) never dissapoints. Whether a burger, the excellent French onion soup, or the steak frites (a good value), the food is consistently good and the prices are moderate.

Good neighborhood restaurant with a French emphasis - feel like it is more of a local place than a tourist destination. Service was warm and welcoming, as well as attentive during the meal. Escargot was well-prepared, as was the seafood. If you enjoy a local moderately priced French restaurant, would recommend.

this is a pretty comfortable place that was perfect for breakfast. nothing special but plain good food. staff was ok but not attentive and took several tries to get it right. altogether tough it was good.

My wife and I needed a place with decent food as we were both very hungry. We came to this 24 hour eatery and in retrospect maybe we should just have stuck to the coffee and espresso. I got steak and eggs with my steak medium. Steak came out well done and a tad rubbery, my side potatoes were undercooked and lacked flavor, I resorted to eating the better cooked potatoes on my wife's plate. Mango mimosa was good so that much I enjoyed. I'm tempted to say I would only return just for a cup of coffee and espresso which they didn't mess up at least.

My husband and I both studied in France, so we love classic French bistros, and this restaurant nailed it. We came here with the kids for a Sunday brunch when we were in town. It would have been a fabulous experience except that we had the worst waiter in the place. People sat down after us who got their food, before our waiter even got to us to take an order for drinks. After we finally ordered, I watched as our coffee drinks sat on the bar a good ten minutes before he bothered to get them to serve to us. That said, the food was good. Both kids had the Croque Madame and it was yummy. I had an omelet, which was very nice. My husband had the duck confit and poached eggs. He liked it overall, but thought the duck was a bit dry. I'd go back again, but would avoid sitting in that waiter's area again.

Food was good but they didn't have a whole lot of variety for breakfast. Very busy place. Good service and clean and good coffee.

We ate here twice, it was so good and convenient. Terrific coffee, flavorful omelettes, delicious French toast, and the perfect spot for breakfast or lunch ... or any meal because it's open 24 hours.

We stopped here during a winter's walk in NYC for a late breakfast/early lunch. After a cup of Cappuccino, I had classic eggs over easy (cooked perfectly) with bacon and home fries and my partner had a Croque Madame - also delicious. The waitress was very attentive. It was a great find - an escape from the frigid cold to a warm, friendly restaurant with good comfort food!

We actually stopped in here on our way to an outdoor play and hoped to pick up something quick and use the rest room. We ordered a salad to-go at the bar and the staff here treated us as if we were their only customers. They went out of their way to make sure that all our needs were taken care of. Since the place is small and they were starting to fill up for dinner, we moved several times to stand out of the way of staff and patrons. Each time we moved, a different staff member asked us if we needed anything. When our salad was ready, there was no plasticware readily available and three staff members went on a hunt until they found what we needed. We were there only about 15 minutes, but felt as if we were a treasured regular, not just people from out-of-town who happened to stumble upon this establishment. We ordered a mesculin and beet salad with chicken and they packed the meat separately, as they said it would wilt the salad by the time we arrived at the park. It was one of the best salads I ever had the pleasure of eating. We will be returning and continue to recommend this gem!

Very generous portions, attentive professional service and fair prices for a special dinner. The salmon, lamb chops and chicken were perfectly cooked. Excellent bead and generous salads rounded out the meals. We’d look forward to going back!

French Roast has been around for YEARS - which says a lot. It is reliable and fun and in a warm summer evening quite romantic. A great choice.

Rushing to make an afternoon Broadway show, French Rose staff made sure we had a wonderful meal at the bar and were able to get on our way in a timely fashion. Obviously very popular, the atmosphere is eclectic and origional. The pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread was delicious; the hot cider tasted just pressed. The rest of the family had croque monsieur and crogue madam sandwiches and were very pleased. We cannot wait to go back.

We were lunch there with a perfect waiter Melissa who was REALLY nice and friendly with us. I can recommend the roque monsieur and tarting. The service perfect and it's opened 24 hours

I had a dinner date with two old friends, was looking for a place on the Upper West Side, and knew that French Roast would be perfect. We had a delicious meal (I had the salade Niçoise, which was spectacular), but more importantly, we had a lovely, relaxed time. And it's the restaurant that creates that ambience, yes? Our server was Sandro. He was wonderful, charming, a real pro. I will definitely be going back soon: I've already made my next reservation.

The quality of the food seems to vary, but this is a reliable place to go pretty much any time of day or night. Good for lunch, good for dinner. It is open until 2AM, so is the place to go for a late dinner. It has been around for ever, so they must be doing something right.

Love this place and have for long awhile. Always feel welcome no matter what time of day it is. The truffle fries are a MUST!

I had heard good things about this restaurant. Unfortunately, my son and I did not have that experience. I had to return my tuna wrap, it was extremely grey on the outside and raw on the inside. My son returned his food after a bug crawled out from under the spinach. The manager was very apologetic, but we had pretty much lost our appetites.

The good was really good French breakfast fare. I was with my family including teens. We all agreed we would definitely go again. It’s casual but in the nicer side.

Had a late dinner with two very picky friends. They wanted to change tables and had very specific food issues. Although yhe cafe was very busy, our waitress was extremely helpful and patient. Food was good and reasonably priced.

Love it for breakfast when it is less crowded and quieter. But good for lunch, dinner, or in between! Great service, friendly staff, good interesting food, good liquids assortment, and reasonably priced.

On our resent visit, we enjoyed the dinner at French Roast. Our party included three adults, teenager and a child. We all were very happy with the Parisian cuisine and service of this restaurant.

French Roast is an Upper West Side gem that is a step up from the normal diner. Its menu is French bistro with fresh, tasty ingredients - I enjoyed the avocado toast that came with a side salad - fabulous! My friend and I hadn't seen each other for a few years so we stayed for 3 unhurried hours - great service from the wait staff and the bill was reasonable. Highly recommended.

The front facade is blocked by scaffolding but don’t let that deter you. The stuffed croissant with egg and cheese was perfect. You could add a breakfast meat if desired. The value in such a charming place will be hard to beat. My entree was $16. I chose a side salad. It was simple and refreshing. The service was quick and met every need. Make a reservation as it’s very busy particularly during weekend brunch.

The soup du jour was broccoli soup. Fine taste but a little salt and pepper. The red wine was way too hot but that is apparently standard in NY. With these temperatures outside, the wine quickly becomes too hot. The steak au poivre was very good. So fine food.

French Roast has always been that never fail place for us, but they changed their early day menu and it is great. We had eggs florentine, shakshoky (eggs poached in a spicey tomato sauce w spinach) and a merquez (lamb sausage) and goat cheese omelette. Those dishes were worth the $12-15 each, as they came with small salads,well made home fries and quality breads. Im a cafe owner and the coffee was also very good.

Really good food and service. They bring you the food very quickly, and they are very polite too. The only thing that I didn´t like is the atmosphere, it was very recharged

Went here last weekend and I was not too impressed with our very small table for 3 and we were on top of other tables. Also, the salad was nothing special and of course, over priced. I wouldn't go there again.

I was close by when an associate of mine told me he was here and said why don't you join us for some dessert and coffee. I took him up on it and had a very pleasant business meeting and to boot the some delicious cappuccino. Really delicious.

This restaurant was not too far from our hotel and which we discovered by accident one evening. As with other French restaurants we had seen in the city, it was more of an American take on French food rather than authentic. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was good but I wouldn't say it was especially memorable. Prices were pretty average for the area.

We were staying nearby and looking for a yummy but casual dinner spot for two adults and a child on a Friday night. We wandered into French Roast and it was perfect. The menu was enticing and had both interesting and more basic items. They were very welcoming of our 3 year old (including kids menu) although he was the only child in the restaurant and the place was bustling. We got lucky with a table available right away.. Service was excellent. I had Salmon which was very good. My partner had steak frites which was absolutely terrific!

I've been there thrice already, it is a great choice for late night dinner. Also, it's ambience makes it a good place to have dinner and a conversation.

Service was attentive and pleasant. We weren't an easy party, 7 persons divided into two round tables with two waiters. The food is good bistro food. I had a cassoulet which was tasty. Three of our table had hamburgers which everyone enjoyed. The other tabke was more adventurous with octopus among the choices. They enjoyed. Worth a visit but it is very popular so to have a more relaxed visit I suggest you choose a less busy time...

I went to this charming cafe for a late breakfast on a Wednesday morning. I had the eggs benedict, and I truly believe that the hollandaise sauce was the best I have ever had. I had some fresh greens on the side, and they were dressed with an incredible honey dijon dressing that had a great kick to it. The latte was delicious. My companions all seemed to enjoy their meals as well. I would have given 5 stars instead of 4, but our server, while very friendly and efficient, seemed to disappear toward the middle of our meal and we had to flag down someone else to get our check.

I went to this place expecting to have a good time .. So I decide to drink something but I forgot my Id and explained this to the waitress. She explained that drinks are not serve without ID and I understood that. However she came with the manager to start an argument with a rudeness attitude. I couldn't understand why she had to make a big scenario over that when we just wanted to have a good time.

Had a fabulous meal here recently. Food was good. I had an incredible chicken breast and the Caesar salad was very good too. Service was excellent. Server Apo was sweet and quick. It's not cheap, but prices aren't bad for New York City. I highly recommend this French restaurant.

Enjoyed a delicious brunch with our family of four and it was spectacular! Perfectly charming ambiance, gracious and attentive service (thank you, Lena!), and wonderful meal! Warning: come hungry because the servings are plentiful! Belgian waffle order comes with TWO giant waffles (!)…also highly recommend the French toast, and the French Roast BLT (with avocado!)—absolutely scrumptious! Don’t hesitate to book here…there’s something for everyone and we left very happy!

Excellent breakfast. The spinach Benedict had lots of spinach, perfectly poached eggs, and a light hollandaise. Coffee kept coming, too, and the corner location is great for watching the UWS parade.

By far one of my all time favorite restaurants in NYC! It is like stepping into a bistro in a tiny French village. The food is beyond delicious! And don't forget to get a cafe au lait!

Called in for Saturday lunch asked for a pint draught beer and was told that as it was draught it only came in one size ! turns out it is 9$ a half pint should have made an exit then but instead had the special which was a quiche, tasteless soggy worst food experience on my trip to NY. Place was full , don't understand why. Dreadful place

Don't come here if you are in a hurry. The food for breakfast was quite tasty but the waiter was an amateur, did not know how to work the computer device or to coordinate with the kitchen. The manager on duty was not much help either. In addition, it seemed a bit pricey for this kind of venue

Went here for weekend brunch. Wife and I each had a different sort of Middle Eastern style brunch item. Hers was Israeli, mine was Moroccan. Both were very good -and out of our ordinary breakfast routine. Service, though, left a lot to be desired. Quite slow and difficult to get refills on coffee or water. Long wait for our check as well - and we weren't there at a peak time either.

Been on the upper West Side for over 40 years and today was the first day I visited French Roast Café Uptown. Glad I did. Wonderful high ceilings, delicious food, adorable waitresses and great location. The prices on Happy Hour made it worth trying and the quality of the food and drink made it worth returning to sample the main menu. Really classic items that taste great and are traditional in every respect. Their hours are very convenient especially if you'd like a late night snack OTHER than pizza or hot dogs. Write the name down. Take a date or impress your wife. Very European and charming at the same time.

Fine eggs with salmon. Not fabulous but good and fish was tasty. Green salad okay. Coffee good!! Price was reasonable...for New York and wait staff was very friendly and efficient.

I've gone here for years, primarily for dinner, and am never disappointed. The food is always good and priced very reasonably. The waiters are great and the wine selection is top notch. You can dine along the windows or outside. I find the fish dishes are great as are the vegetables. And, who can't pass up les frites!! Yumm.

I loved the place, the atmosphere, the service, the background music… The food was spectacular, the service of the supervisor and the server advising us to choose the dishes was the most important thing! I loved it, I recommend it and I would always return

Lovely place for brunch! Fined there with family and enjoyed French toast, eggs Benedict, assorted pastries and hot beverages. Service was stellar and food was prepared deliciously. Beautiful fresh fruit even in January!

We dined here for brunch. The food was creative and well prepared. The service was excellent. Look forward to returning soon.

On Christmas morning, staying in the upper west side, we found ourselves in need of a late breakfast, and after a little wandering around we decided to try French Roast - we needed somewhere that could accommodate our party of 9, which ruled out some of delis and bakeries nearby. Luckily, French Roast had space for us, and we had a really good brunch - lovely light pancakes, delicious french toast (with some really great crispy bacon) some fine porridge, and the best coffee that we had on our NY trip.

Group of us had a late dinner and was welcomed with a friendly staff! Great French bistro! Definitely recommend the burrata tartlette. Will be back!

I observed when people don't get what they want, like a table they loved in the past, etc., they give a bad review. I am reviewing the food and the service. Party of 3, tourists, brunch. Two Croque Monsieurs and a steak & egg, hot chocolate. A beautiful meal. Very tasty and well thought out. Beautiful French cafe food. We loved it all. Who would complain about the food? Nice spot in to have a meal. They serve a very special hot chocolate. I lived in France and I love the spin on traditional food so much. Atmosphere was great, the waiters were special, really great.

We were in NYC for the King and I and visited a couple French restaurants. A very friendly upscale Manhattan neighborhood - the staff were friendly and welcoming, the happy hour drink specials (Cosmos for $8, a steal!) and small plates (well priced at $6.00!) were exactly what we needed before we hopped the metro back to Lincoln Center area.

This is a great café with very pleasant interior and environment on Upper West Side. I love the French Roast Cafés and am sorry they closed the one on 11th street / 6 Av. However, when on upper West side this is the place to go. Good food, coffee and drinks, and especially a pleasant environment - with the light and big windows to the street.

Went in for a quick lunch and wasn't disappointed. We had the quiche (a special) and the frittata. Good quality food and service.

Cute cafe in uptown. Lots of menu options and drinks. The hummus was great! So was the passim fruit mimosa! Plenty of shade of you decide to sit outside.

We had a great time at French Roast. We had great drinks, yummy breads, and the atmosphere was very appealing. The food was good, but we were a bit disappointed by the Moule Frite and Steak Frites. The "frites" were limp and not what we expected from a quality French restaurant.

Have been enjoying French Roast for over 20 years. Has always been a gem on the West side with it's laid back bistro atmosphere, friendly staff, good food/beverages and wonderful mix of patrons. Despite periodic changes with the menu and upward pricing little else has changed over the years. One of the prime reasons I belive has kept this place a destination spot is that they were open 24 hours which is what attracted such a diverse, interesting group of patrons ranging from post performance Lincoln Center artists, New York locals, tourists, business people, students, family occassions, etc. While it is certainly understandable that times can change, think the corporation that owns FR should be mindful of what made the place unique and stand out from the rest over time. Needless to say lnow ast call is at 11:30 weekdays and 1:30 weekends. Now they are headed to being like all the rest...hope FR can maintain the culture of the place unlike their downtown restaurant that recently closed.

Welcome to NYC,where even breakfast can be expensive.3 of us went for a quick breakfast before heading back home.Scrambled eggs,bacon,home fries,delicious,bagel,smoked salmon,delicious and our relative had a bowl of oatmeal.We also had 2 cups of Cappuccino and an ice tea.Most items on the menu are $12.00 and up.Was it worth $56.00? Not really,but it depends on how you look at it when you're on vacation in NYC.

Mrs. M turned 60 on Thanksgiving day and since she has always been a big fan of the Macy's Day parade we booked a hotel room, took the train from South Jersey and played it by ear. Well we got to see the parade, which was great, and then saw the new Rocky movie, which was also great. But it was then 7:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day and we needed something to eat. How lucky for us that this cute little bistro was not only open but serving a great turkey dinner. We have a lot to be thankful for but on this day we were both thankful for the folks working at the French Roast Cafe who gave up their day with family to serve us "out of towners." MERCI!

Looking for a good quick lunch, this fit perfectly. Had the lamb burger, excellent. Also soup and Sandwich. Pleasant good service. Tables a little tight. Would go back for any meal.

I've been going there since 2001 and it never disappoints. Breakfast or late night drinks and snacks are always yummy. On my last visit I had the banana and nutella crepe with strawberries.

The location… Is easily accessible… Food is decent… Name it they have it… Good American food… Decent prices…

Visiting family, and decided to stop here for lunch yesterday. I loved everything! Nice staff, cleanliness and the food was superb. So...came again today. And had the dinner special- softshell crabs with mango relish, manific! Highly recommended for salads, chicken sandwich, pizzete food is of high quality.

Whenever I go for lunch in any French style bistro, I try their Salad Nicoise. The salad here was not great. In fact disappointing. Why? The tuna came from a can. Probably Chicken of the Sea....and the potatoes were on the aged side..in other words, there was an acidic off taste that was almost a pickled flavor, but if you are fan of authentic Salad Nicoise, pickled potatoes do not have a place. So this test was not a good one. However, my friend had an onion soup that looked and smelled awesome, and his half sandwich that came as part of the combo looked good. The prices are pretty high for mediocre food. I probably won't try this restaurant again even though the staff was pleasant and the restroom clean.

Great gem of a restaurant! Food was delicious and the service excellent. The general manager was helpful with a billing issue. Would definitely go to French Roast again!!!

I stopped by twice this time around. This place usually doesn’t disappoint. I had a variation of the Tuna steak they often have on the menu. I asked for medium rare I got practically well done. The second visit I got the Canadian bacon grilled cheese and tomato on sour dough. The sandwich was a soggy mess.

Great staff and unique drink and food. Reasonable price and bar. Great place for family and friends.

We went for brunch and sat outside. The service was good and friendly and the brunch menu looked pretty good. They were not offering the normal lunch menu. I ordered the Salad Nicoise. It came out and looked pretty good until I started picking around and found more brown, old lettuce than fresh. It was not a good salad to say the least. The coffee was very good however.

So the cassoulet was very French - more meat less beans than the poor Frenchman's dish The wine was good & fairly priced It is noisy but not overwhelmingly so I will return - may be my near home French but another (with less good wine but better bread) is closer to home

Restuarant was a short walk from our hotel. We loved the dinner menu & had Scottish salmon, chicken & mussels. We loved the wine selection as well. We also took dinner to go for family & they enjoyed the duck confit & tuna. The restaurant seemed to be a neighborhood favorite. Lots of patrons & to go orders too.

I have to admit I was VERY skeptical and didn't really want to go when I heard French Roast was open 24hrs a day. HOWEVER.......I have now eaten there many times and the food is great, very consistent. The wait staff is always nice and the prices are spot on, even considered low for NY. If you are on the Upper West side doing touristy things, don't get caught up by the nice looking restaurants on Columbus around the Natural History Museum, they will only leave you disappointed. Take a stroll over to Broadway and 85th and have a nice meal.

I remember French roast when it was in Greenwich village and was delighted to find it on the UWS. You can’t go wrong here- great food and prices with all the classic dishes

I had cafe au lait and croissant here yesterday and was charmed. So I returned today for lunch. Although there were lots of available seats, I was stuck next to the wait station. Not a problem until a waitress poured a pitcher of ice water down my back. Her solution for this gross infraction was to apologize and hand me napkins. She did not attempt to dry my clothes or my hair and no other member of the staff, including my own waiter, lifted a finger to help. I was not offered complimentary coffee or anything else. Everybody just acted like it was normal to give the ALS ice bucket challenge to unsuspecting diners. My Salade Nicoise, which tasted pretty good up until this point, suddenly was not interesting. I asked for my check and was given it for the full amount, not so much as an apology. Mind you, this wasn't a few drops of water, it was at least a glass full.

A great little place open 24 hours situated at 85 and Broadway. Great for brunch. French decoration but it's really american-style diner. Food filling and reasonable value.

Looks like a standard French bistro, but don’t fall for it. Head to nearby Nice Matin or La Mirabelle instead. I don’t know how you screw up such basic French classics, but the food is laughably awful, cafe au lait scalded/undrinkable, sausage disgustingly sweet and full of cinnamon. Then there’s the service. A salad took 25-30 minutes to get to me, as I watched the host take videos on his phone and giggle. He told me he’d get me a new coffee. It never came. I finally complained. The manager came over, clothing weirdly disheveled, told me my food had only taken 15 minutes (even when I ludicrously showed him the podcast I’d had time to listen to). I explained I work in the food industry and couldn’t understand why he’d argue with a guest. He raised his voice and shouted at me, front of house, that I was “unprofessional.” It made about as much sense as the rest of the experience.

We have been going to the French Roast for 20 years. Love this place for a great breakfast. It is cozy (a bit tight) and filled with interesting decor. Locals fill the place...that is always a good sign.

Stopped in here on a Sunday around 11:30 a.m. We got one of the last open tables. I ordered the Florentine omelet and hash browns which was excellent. My husband had the Irish Oatmeal and a chocolate croissant. Nice sunny restaurant with big windows to the street.

I wouldn't go here to drink. Some locals and industry workers do. The bar area is small but there are usually seats available. Wonder why? The drinks are tasteless and the barkeeps don't seem creative. The food menu changes according to time of day. And this spot does get busy.To accommodate the queue, tables are positioned one next to the other. Houdini would have a hard time getting in and out of a non-aisle location. You'll actually rub elbows with the customers sitting next to you. Some will be French. Prices are moderate for Manhattan and this is about the best continental selection in the neighborhood until you get up a bit north around Columbia. It's open 24 hours so maybe try late night when it's far less busy. Or better still, try the Greenwich Village location. Service there is friendlier though the menu and management is substantially the same.