LES Enfants de Bohème — Restaurant in New York

Note that this restaurant only takes CASH. Food is relatively authentic and nice. However the alcohol is absolutely disgusting (don’t ever order the specialty cocktail called filthy husband, I ordered just for name).

The waitress was extremely rude during payment. Cuz it’s only cash, my friend and I gathered some and put it on the table. She was annoyed of how scattered the money was and said “come on guys”. But seriously, aren’t you the ones requesting only cash???

What I am recommending is don’t indulge in their greedy practice. We all know the meaning of only cash.

Edit: I am changing it from one star to two since the food is fairly good

Edit reply: In response to restaurant’s reply

It’s extremely ignorant for restaurant to call out customers for giving a candid review. Just because it’s frustrating for you doesn’t mean that it’s incorrect.

I would say that I shouldn’t generalize all drinks offered at this place. However I really doubt anyone would enjoy your supposedly “most popular” filthy husband.

People are allowed to express their own discontent against culinary offerings as well as beverages. If you can’t handle criticism, maybe someone need you give you a wild awakening that your business depends on customers whose opinions shouldn’t be shunned.

“We would prefer if customers would tell the bartender or server if they disliked a drink or a dish so that the problem can be fixed at the spot”.

People tend to shy away from confrontations. That’s why online review provides a safe space for fellow customers to fully inspect a place before entering. If someone is not appreciated by a customer, no matter if it’s being “fixed” or not, it shall still be presented as some form of advice. Don’t blame customers for taking it online, blame your own place for not making it right.

As for the CASH, I would like to put it in perspective.

The cash scattered on the table is a direct proof of the vast inconvenience that the restaurant imposed on customers. If you have this policy that’s outright inconvenient, you have to respect and understand how customers can get flustered. A “come on guys” after we tried hard to gather all cash we can seemed extremely rude.

Posting your CASH only policy online is simply not the way to do it. Why would every customer check your website? It’s not some place customers usually go to in search for food.

Also please don’t pin CASH policy on the convenience of customers and humanitarian practices. Anyone with a sane mind knows what CASH only means. You say you care about customers’ savings. How about the transaction fees, which is not cheap, imposed on cash withdraw from the ATM (if it’s not your bank). A business that does CASH only screams “I don’t care about you”. I recommend anyone who reads this review also google why New York restaurants do cash only.

Edit: I change the ratings back to one star because I can’t reply to the owner and the restaurant’s attitude is not very pleasant.

Edit: in response to the restaurant’s second reply

Your business has the right to practice CASH only policy. It’s up to you to decide on the model (whose legitimacy is still debatable, but I won’t make any insinuation).

However, customers are also allowed to make criticism against such policy.

Also, your initial argument settles on “helping customers save marginal credit card fee”, which I called out for due to the transaction fees from ATM withdrawal. I am not sure why your second response did not mention that.

No matter what your intention was, CASH only policy is still vastly inconvenient for customers who are entitled to the right to complain.

You are right on how customers can choose where to go based on their liking. Then why am I unfair for simply letting fellow customers know that this restaurant practices such rule?

Your rudeness is evident from saying “this review is frustrating” and “maybe...

Looking for a nice and interesting breakfast in the Lower East Side, around 9 or 10 o'clock, is a real challenge. We have done that before. Be it upscale Dirty French, Public Kitchen by the celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, or Izakaya Blue Ribbon, all the choices you usually get are 2 or 3 egg dishes, granolas, oatmeal (if you are lucky) and maybe an avocado toast. Brunches start usually at a later hour, around 11 AM. Les Enfants De Bohème is a happy exclusion. The menu offers you a lot of unusual and exciting choices, such as CROQUE MONSIEUR/MADAME, TARTARE DU BLED (steak tartare), SALMON BURGER, BOHEMIAN CHEESEBURGER, and BOHEMIAN EGGS, just to name a few. All of this in addition to the wide selections of both sweet and savory crêpes (the latters are the traditional Bretonne galette de sarrasin, made with blé noir, gluten-free buckwheat flour and served with mixed green salad). The prices are very budget friendly, the service is great, and the interior is cozy, inviting, and informal, reminiscent of a non-touristy corner bistro de quartier somewhere in Paris, off the beaten path. That was the intention of the restaurant's owner, the Parisian Stéfan Jonot, known by his previous successful restaurant ventures in the neighborhood. The restaurant is located on the corner of Henry and Jefferson streets, off the Eastern Broadway, once a hub of the Jewish communal and religious life, with numerous synagogues, small prayer houses (stiebels) of the various Eastern European hasidic groups, and the imposing building of the daily newspaper Forverts (now converted into condos). Starting from the 1980s, the area became a center of the Chinese immigrants from the southeastern China's Fujian province, and was (and still is) known as Little Fuzhou. The crime in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s was rampant (so much for those lamenting the sprawling gentrification), but right now the neighborhood is enjoying a gradual revival. Please make a mental note, Les Enfants De Bohème is a cash only joint. There is an ATM available on the premises, but better off, just come in carrying some cash on you. Next door, on Jefferson St., there is a take-out place, Les Enfants Delice, offering some of the spacilaties the restaurants is known for. They do accept credit cards there, with a minimum of $10 charge. Les Enfants De Bohème used to be a part of Open Table, now the reservations are...

Did not have a positive experience at the restaurant, especially the service. Came as a party of two on a Friday night. Not overly busy, there was a party of five, three, two and one, all in the middle or end of their meals. We had to wait a little bit before being seated which was fine as we did not have a reservation. Then this other party of two came in 30 seconds later, they were asked if they had a reservation they said no but they had just called one minute ago and the restaurant said no wait time. This pair was seated before us. It really rubbed my party the wrong way that we were outrightly overlooked since we had entered the restaurant and asked for a table first. A phone call one minute before entering the restaurant is not a reservation, the couple even said they did not have a reservation upon arrival. We were then seated in a reserved table on the condition that we leave at 8p, it was 7p when we went into the restaurant. We agreed. We understood that plans could change quickly in NYC.

The tables were separated by hard plastic screens. However there were no hand sanitizers or napkins on the tables. For a table that needs to absolutely turn around in an hour, the wait staff was not attentive to turn our attention to the specials, get our drink orders and answer questions we may have about the menu in a timely manner. In general, during the course of our dinner, we could not really get the attention of the wait staff. I understand that the staff want to limit interactions with customers during covid but it was difficult to get their attention to move onto the next course, get another round of drinks or receive the check. One would think they would want to service and sell more in covid times.

We got the tartine du jour for appetizer to share, it was the proper size for one (we shared) but it was very good with the sauce, greens and chorizo. Got our entrees at 7:45p. My friend thoroughly enjoyed her duck confit but I had to send my steak back as it was under cooked. The steak was lovely after it was cooked to a proper medium rare like I asked for the first time. The only reason we were not kicked out was because either the 8pm did not show or another party left so they had room...