Baguette et Chocolat — Restaurant in Bee Cave

Being from the UK and travelled to France for many weeks every year and my husband grew up in south France we know and love French Cuisine. This place doesn't come near to decent French food. The croissants, pastries and breads are dry and overbaked (teeth splinteringly so with the "crusty" baguettes). Clearly skimping on the butter and eggs and too high a temperature on the steam.

The prices are also hugely inflated for such under average food. $26 before tax for an overbaked, dry and sunken quiche? The best part about every meal is usually the side salad (decent dressing).

But the biggest issue I have is the terrible customer service. Cold, brusque. No warm welcome, no genuine smiles. But I am British and accustomed to a slightly chilly demeanour. Two occasions particularly stand out for me. Once, as our breakfast was being served, a young child vomited all over the floor and the back of my chair. I handed the poor mother napkins and grabbed more while the staff watched on from behind the counter. The manager eventually came with towels to clean up. The smell and sight of the vomit was so off putting and I said I couldn't possibly sit and start my breakfast (croque madame with a runny egg on top) which hadn't been touched yet. There was no apology for the inconvenience (of course I didn't hold them responsible but some acknowledgement of the situation is logical damage control, surely?) or offer to move us to another table or even to recook our breakfast for us to take home. Nothing. She just walked off with the dirty towels and didn't come back out again. My party left feeling queasy and disappointed with none of the food touched and $120 poorer.

Fast forward a year. In desperation we stopped by Baguette et Chocolat again because our daughters really fancied crepes. We got there before it was too busy. As we entered 2 teenage girls were seated on one table and another 2 young boys seated at another table, all waiting for their parents. In the queue in front of us was a mother with 2 boys. As she reached the counter (3 or 4 customers in front of her still) she told her son to grab a table as the queue was beginning to get crowded and reaching the door. When we reached the counter we told our 2 girls to go and sit while we ordered too. 3 minutes later they ran back saying that the waiter had bullied them twice to get off the seats as we had not ordered yet. They were scared (a stranger adult male suddenly accosting them) so they ignored him as we taught them when a stranger talks to them. A father with his children saw and went over too and bullied my girls telling them they wanted the table. This was while the 2 teenage girls, the 2 young boys and the one young boy were all sitting at their tables waiting for their parents too. The male waiter went back up to them and barked at them to get off the table so they ran to us, my 8 year old in tears, and told us what happened. If people were waiting for tables it is very right and proper that you should wait to sit once you have your food but why were only our girls targeted and none of the other 3 sets of children? Why did none of these big grown men ask who their parents were and take up their issue with us nearby? Why target and frighten 2 young girls, one who left the cafe crying because she thought she had done something terrible for getting into so much trouble when nobody else did? Why not deal with this adult to adult, not 2 grown men against children? My husband told the male waiter off for the way he handled the situation and that he should not have bullied them them but spoken to us. The waiter wouldn't even make eye contact with my husband, let alone interact as an adult talking to another adult. So you're only happy to be abrupt and rude when you're dealing with children? When you actually have to deal with another adult you're too much of a coward? You feel so much braver being mean to little girls? Shame on you! Sort yourself out Baguette et Chocolat! More interested in money than their customers...

We love love Baguette et chocolat. First, I would like to say that the person who gave only one star is not being fair with their review. They had it on their website that there will be no fève. It was their choice bc in America, unfortunately, you need to be careful with things that you could choke on: they probably didn’t want to get sued in case something happened. This person forgot to mention how delicious the galette des rois was. We had leftovers bc we are a family of 3. It was perfect reheated in the toaster oven for the next 2 days. The crust was perfectly flaky. The almond cream was sweet but not too sweet, the right amount of sugar and almond. This place hasn’t changed since it got bought back a couple of years ago. The quality is still the same: it’s still the same pastry chef. The owners are so nice and friendly. I love going there and having my chausson aux pommes, they’re definitely my favorite. I love how flaky are their croissant, pains au chocolat. It’s always hard to decide between a plain good old croissant, pain aux raisins or chausson aux pommes. Sometimes I have to get all 3 😂 I’ve never had their breakfast for some reason, I should try. I’ve had plenty of their lunch items. Their salads are really good and fresh. I love their sandwiches: I feel like I’m home. Their croque monsieur are my favorite thing on their lunch menu: if you haven’t tried them yet, do yourself a favor and head over to get yours. So good!!! Love the sauce on top. I don’t like when other French bakeries make them without that sauce: to me, it’s what make a great croque monsieur. Everything is made fresh so if you’re in a rush, order ahead and your food will be ready when you get there. Being French, sometimes I miss home. If I need comfort food, Baguette et chocolat is where I go. Keep on supporting this...

Maybe I am missing something or I just went on a bad day because I soooo wanted to love this place and after reading the rave reviews and craving some french food action, I drove VERY out of the way to go here. But, Alas!

So the place is very cute and seeing the pastry case (especially the lovely display of macarons) when you walk in ignites a Pavlovian response...the line, however did not. I couldn't believe there was a such a long line when we got there on a Wed afternoon?!

So I ordered the Paysanne and a coffee and a couple of macarons. This place, I should warn, is NOT cheap, so I expected the food to be reflective of the price. Sadly, not only did it take waaaaay too long to find out what the food tasted like (I had to go up twice to follow up with my order, the first time it was not put in for my crepe, the second time after I saw a couple who came in after me get their food) only to get the wrong order (they brought me someone else's Campagnarde), so again I waited. I finally did talk to the manager as this was just ridiculous, so they comped me my crepe, for all the good it did because when it came out it was so bland. Needless to say after waiting over 30mins for an uninspired savory crepe and eating my macarons so as not to perish from my the hangry-ness brought on by my food suspense, I do not think I will be back.

C'est la vie in Bee Caves I...