Et Voilà! French Bistro — Restaurant in San Diego

Et Voila meets most every expectation you can have for French Food. "A little more haute cuisine than country French", to quote Jan who is at our table. And away we go!

Jan continues and says: "The Garden Salad and the way they combine butter lettuce, my favorite with endive for crunch, and pomegranate seeds for more crunch and flavor, it is just perfect"! Erika says: "I agree with Jan and I really enjoy that we ordered a light white Burgundy pairing it with a salad that has gorgonzola cheese".

Mushroom Ravioli. Mushroom Ravioli. No one is speaking. Everyone is thoroughly enjoying!

Both Erica and Shirley are looking forward to the Trout and it does not disappoint! Erica says: "it is really crisp and the Fregola Pasta that looks like couscous that comes with it, is very good". Shirley likes the sauce. She says: "It's tomato based".

I think we all love the presentation of the Shrimp with linguini. Dari says it first: "Amazingly flavorful and beautiful presentation". Jan says "delicious". Bob says: "Tasty". And Shirley says:"The linguine with the basil pesto was it for me". Erika agrees. She adds: "I am really impressed with how the shrimp is presented. I am almost excited and I don't even eat shrimp"! We all laugh. Jan adds: "It's a beautiful dish". Bob agrees.

Erika says: the Seasonal Vegetables are surprisingly delicious. I didn't know they could taste that good". "Surely one of the better dishes" Jan chimes in. "Perfectly cooked". Bob adds: "what a nice variety of vegetables all done properly".

Jan says: "I really appreciate the service they are giving us, replacing our plates and silverware after each 'tasting', and the fact that we send back a Pork Chop to be cut up, since it was hard for us to do and it comes back so beautifully presented". Seriously, this is customer service at its' finest.

The pork is fatty but Bob mentions: "That's what gives it this great flavor".

Duck Magret and the Duck Croustillant, a duck breast and duck confit are good. The appetizer confit is beautiful and is tastefully wrapped and presented. Erika says: "I thought I loved duck but I was wrong. I love THIS duck more"! We all crack up!

For dessert it is Beignets and a Cheese Plate. After dinner Shirley and I sneak off to the bar for what I really came for: Profiteroles. And let me tell you, they are every bit as good as any I have made, French chefs have made for me or that I have had before. Magnifique!...

We love Et Voilà, and our latest visit was another fantastic experience. We were a party of five and were able to secure a same-day reservation for a Saturday night, which was great. The restaurant has been recently updated, and the interior feels more open and inviting while still keeping its cozy charm.

We started with the cheese tasting, where the chef selected four different cheeses for us. It was a perfect portion for sharing, and everything was delicious. We also had the escargot, which was garlicky, herbal, and incredibly flavorful. Two people in our group had never had escargot before, and they absolutely loved it. The dish comes baked and served out of the shell, making it super easy to eat and not intimidating at all.

For mains, I had the butternut squash and mushroom pasta, which was light, fresh, and exactly what I wanted since I didn’t feel like having meat. My husband ordered the beef bourguignon with thick pasta noodles, which was rich and comforting. One of my favorite dishes here is the scallop entrée, and while I didn’t get it this time, one of our friends did. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu—perfectly seared scallops served over greens and a buttery, crispy potato base. The scallops are huge and cooked perfectly every time.

To round out our meal, we shared a crème brûlée between the five of us, which was just the right amount since we were already so full. We also got a side of French fries, which might sound random, but they were so crispy and delicious—definitely worth ordering!

The service was outstanding. Our server, Nancy, was absolutely amazing—attentive, thoughtful, and genuinely friendly. She was so knowledgeable about the cheeses, explaining each selection thoroughly, and she had the kind of warm, welcoming energy that makes an experience truly special. Even after we got home, we were still talking about how great she was.

Overall, it was a fantastic night at one of our favorite spots. Great food, a cozy atmosphere, and top-tier service—we’ll...

The food was above average though not exceptional given the price point, and the service did not hit the mark for a few reasons. The latter is why I may or may not return.

We came on a weeknight and were told that reservations were full for the next 3 hours; we didn't have one. Fortunately though, there was room at the bar and we sat immediately, which was nice. As we settled in we asked about specials and suggestions. Bartender then told us about date night special. After flipping through the menu a bit my girlfriend mentioned she wasn't feeling very hungry and would just eat a little bit. In front of the woman next to me, there was another menu that was a happy hour menu. I asked if there was a happy hour. The bartender then mentioned there was one; there was still 1.5 hours left for it. I felt like the specials were intentionally not being disclosed, perhaps to get us to spend more by not mentioning them. We started with a wine and a beer from the HH menu.

Since she wasn't too hungry we conveniently ordered from the HH menu: mussels, frites, lamb belly, and mushroom ravioli. After ordering everything, I later ordered a second frites. As we waited, we were nearly finished, so I asked the bartender to cancel the frites if they were not already cooked. The reaction was one of contempt more than understanding. In all, I felt like we were treated differently, either because we were younger than the other patrons, we looked different, or decided to do HH instead of full course dining. I do fairly well, and I previously spent almost a decade in restaurants. The food had solid execution, but I did not feel hospitality in my visit. At this price point, great service is as important...