Le Chat Noir — Restaurant in Washington

April 2021 Excellent, delicious food and so-so service. They require masks except when you're at the table and groups are seated every other table. Staff wear masks and they also disinfect the tables after each group.

I was going to give 4 stars because the food is truly excellent with good quality and decent portion sizes for the price. But the more I thought about the service, the more it grated on me, so I'm giving 3 stars.

First, when we arrived, it took over a minute for the staff to notice us. There were already one or two groups seated and the staff were in the back within eyesight of the entrance. But the lady in view was chatting with someone and not looking at the front where we stood waiting. That was a really awkward wait, especially since there isn't a waiting area and the podium is inside the tables. So we were waiting inside around the tables and the groups already seated. Second, I had made a reservation a few days earlier but they somehow didn't have it written down. It didn't really matter since we came soon after opening and there were plenty of tables open, but it was still annoying and baffling.

Then came the service for the meal. It started okay, but it deteriorated after they served the appetizers and salads. When the staff paid attention to us, they were very friendly and efficient. But we had to get their attention first, which usually took a few tries, each time. I suppose I could excuse them since there were only two wait staff for all the tables, but I noticed they were very proactive and attentive to the people seated around us, refilling drinks and quickly clearing finished courses and offering the dessert menu without being asked. Whereas they only offered this excellent service to us if we could catch their attention first. Which, again, took multiple tries.

I don't know if it was because we were a larger group (six people), seated out of their direct line of sight in the back corner, or it was a deliberate or unconscious snub. Whatever the reason, the service really grated on me.

The food was excellent quality and a good portion size for the price. The NY steak was cooked a little more done than preferred, but still juicy and excellent cut of meat. The Canard Confit was very good and falling off the bone tender. The french fries were crispy and tasty. The salmon was delicious and served with an interesting and yummy spinach flan. The savory crepes were a good size for a meal and also delicious. For dessert, we had various yummy sweet crepes and the Tarte Tatin. The tart was really good, yummy and not too sweet. Also, the whipped cream was hand-whipped, not from a can or tub. I approve👍.

Overall, if we do come again, it will just be for takeout, not dining in. The service still annoys me a few...

I don't know where to begin listing all of my highest compliments about Le Chat Noir where I had lunch on a beautiful autumn Wednesday. To begin, I travel with two Standard French Poodle service dogs. Upon entering the maître de greeted me warmly and assisted me to my choice of table where there would be room for my dogs. As I was waiting for a friend to join me I perused the regular full menu, that contained helpful detailed descriptions of each item, along with the day's prix fix menu. The maître d cheerfully brought water for my dogs' water bowl which I'd brought. I let the maître d know that I would order in 15 minutes if my friend wasn't able to join me. He remembre the time and came to see if I was ready to order. I ordered the Escargots (in parsley-garlic butter) and Crêpé Fourrée (crêp stuffed with crabmeat, Bay scallops, mushrooms, in Chablis cream sauce). While waiting for the Escargots, he served me cold water, an iced tea, and a hot roll with a large wedge of butter. The Escargots were sooooo délectable and prompted me to ask for two more rolls just to dip in all the parsley-garlic butter. I did not feel at all rushed or pressured to hurry my slow eating style. The Crêpé Fourrée came promptly after I'd finished eating every last morsel of the Escargots. The Crêpé was served piping hot and on a very hot plate, which I was warned about. I again took my time eating this most delectible entrée. It was so succulent that I believed I'd been miraculously transported to Paris, where I had only ever eaten anything this excellent. I requested that the chef be given my compliments and a bonus so he/she would remain forever at Le Chat Noir, which is a duplicate of the finest small Paresien bistros. It is meticulously clean, quiet, and perfectly decorated without being ostentatious. I particularly liked that the two servers did not 'helicopter' over the diners asking, "Is everything okay". Instead they kept a keen eye out for any signal to come to the table. My bottom line is "save the airfare to Paris and wend your way to Le Chat Noir" at 4907 Wisconsin Ave., NW, DC. There is easy side street parking and none of the constant horn honking of Paris. ...

There was a Groupon for the restaurant that resulted in the most unpleasant confrontation with the manager and the waiter (who wants to be an attorney and practices his legal skills on his clients).

After having a relatively nice dinner (my 8 year old son ordered a steak and it was overly seasoned with too much pepper; my 6-year old daughter ordered a chocolate crepe that she found to be too bitter, the tuna was pretty well paired with the salsa). The waiter and the manager knew in advance that we were using the Groupon because we made a reservation right before we came in - 2 adults and 3 kids - celebrating 2 birthdays. Waiter suggested a bottle of wine for us and said that Tuesday nights were specials 1/2 off bottles. At the end of dinner, we were presented with the check. Yet, when I presented the discount, there was the most unpleasant confrontation that killed both birthdays. Sam-the-manager, who spent most of the evening chatting very loudly with his friend at the neighboring table, decided that it was a great idea to raise the price on our dinner. He began blaming me for not asking him personally when we sat down (we were one of the 2 occupied tables, with the other one having two women), and then he refused to take the Groupon all together, threatening to call the police if I didn't pay the full price. I warmed him repeatedly to cool down and that he was ruining my friends' birthday. Sam continued to use very rude demeanor, raising his voice, threatening to increase the prices (which he did), holding on to my credit card and threatening to call the police. Needless to say, that we won't be back there again and will tell this story to friends. We live in the neighborhood for 12 years, and go out pretty much almost daily. I guess there is a good reason we have been avoiding this place, and after trying it for the first time, won't come back. The food was pretty decent, but the manager is a scheming kind of guy.

Oh, and if you are looking for Suzette crepes done right - try the Bonaparte Cafe in Georgetown. They serve it much better. And for duck dish and salads, try Matisse. Much more elegant for basically almost...