La Sen Bistro

Love it ! We have been there a number of times and the food is consistently excellent. They may have the best onion soup in Northern California.The atmosphere reminds one of a true French neighborhood bistro. Thankfully, La Sen does not adhere to the premise that more is better. The portions are adequate and enables the diner to enjoy appetizer and dessert as well as an entree. The pricing is very moderate and in our opinion a bargain. The only possible negative is that the service can be hit or miss, especially at lunch.

Make sure to make reservations. We were very please with the food, everything was excellent. We ordered a couple extra items to try because everything looked so good.. We will definitely be back.

We went here to celebrate Valentine’s Day and our anniversary. I wish I remembered my waitress’ name because she was awesome. I called earlier to verify our reservations since we had bad luck on Valentine’s Day for the past few years. She remembered me. During that conversation she said that they were going to break our streak of bad luck of awful meals, awful service, and overall just awful time dining out on Valentine’s Day. Well she was true to her words. Her service was impeccable. She was warm and friendly. The tables were situated outside where parking is usually on the street. There were no awnings or umbrellas but they had heaters interspersed between the seven tables outside. Every table had a sanitizer bottle on it. Tables were spaced 6 feet apart. The waiters all wore masks. I felt safe there. We had the lobster bisque as the first course. That was to die for. They must have simmered the broth for hours to get the taste to be so infused with lobster perfection. Earlier,I overheard the patron seated at the table across from us say “I could live on this! “ after finishing the bisque. Attached are pictures of the entrée and dessert. We complemented the meal with a bottle of sparkling wine from Alsace. Sorry I don’t remember the winery. I have to say, everything was perfect. There was not a glitch in the service, the food, the wine, the Covid precautions. Lastly, the waitress gave me a rose at the end of this perfect meal to celebrate my anniversary. Let me tell you, they were not giving out roses that day. So this waitress had to go out of her way to do this for me. Or at least that’s how I felt. To my waitress, Thank you for making our anniversary dinner so memorable. When I tell you the last several years were horrible I am not kidding. We went to some very nice restaurants which I will not name here but they were so bad that this year we almost didn’t go out.My husband and I had a wonderful night. Your kindness just warmed my heart and I can’t tell you how much you made it so perfect for us. 💕

Great Mother's Day. Thank you La Sen. Truly a special meal. Great food, great service and great ambiance. Our favorites were the mushroom soup, escargot and dessert. Or maybe the wine.

This was one of the best restaurants we have ever been lucky enough to enjoy. Right on service, we were a party of 8 we ordered every appetizer to share they all were delicious. The Duck, Beef, Salmon, Chicken main courses we're loved by all. This is a must do restaurant, make sure to make a reservation.

Always I nice experience. Unlike many restaurants, I don’t continually order the same favorite dish, although the salmon with the olive tamponade is hard to resist. The staff and owner are routinely efficient and friendly.

Amazing! Can't believe it took us so long to finally eat here. The beef bourguignon was to die for. Everyone was impressed with their meal.

+1

Fantastic food, fantastic server, pretty restaurant and location. Also tried Escargot for the first time.. I did not expect to like it.. but we did! Give it a shot if you're ever at this place

Best French Restaurant in the Bay area!!! The food is always consistently yummy and delicious. And the service wonderful. The owner is very charming. We always have a wonderful experience .

Awesome food. Must try.

I went with 4 people and we all enjoyed our delicious meals. The dessert was wonderful too. Service was outstanding.

The cuisine at La Sen is beyond great food. The owners, chef and staff are so much of what is great about this bistro! I have never had a dish that I was not impressed with. Appetizers, desserts and entrees…you will be taken back by fabulous tasting and masterfully prepared food! Enjoy your experience!

Enjoying a meal at La Sen Bistro is always an extra special treat! Outstanding, fresh food expertly prepared and beautifully plated. Fabulous service, never rushed and always allowed to enjoy the experience. Beautiful ambience inside of the restaurant, with comfortable seating. A very nice wine list at good price points. Do try La Sen Bistro if you haven't already!

I think it is a great place to go especially during the weekdays. Very quiet and good is delicious! Services got one less star because the order was not delivered correctly - missing items, etc. But overall it’s great and highly recommend!!

Humble little restaurant with great French cuisine. Duck Liver Foie Gras was fabulous. Raw Beef Tartare was excellent. All four main dishes are creative and fantastic - Corn Cake with Broccolini, Beef Bourgogne, Puff Shrimp, Duck Breast. The price is very reasonable.

One of the best kitchens out here, in Walnut Creek. Always tasty, Always friendly. Amazing! Pure satisfaction!

Service: 3 Atmosphere: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Value for money: 5 Food Taste: 5 Recommendation: absolutely give it a shot. Food was delish. Service was not the best, looks like our server was new and nervous. We all have been there. :) Please see good pictures. Escargot and crab cakes are recommended for appetizers. Main course - Duck breast and lamb are highly recommended.

Five-star experience! If French food is your choice of cuisine, I highly recommend La Sen. We were a party of four and we enjoyed all of our dishes, from salad to dessert. Parking was a challenge. I got a $35 ticket at a nearby lot.

Nice cozy French bistro… we had a party of 8 birthday dinner…. Excellent Food and Wine. Escargot, Duck Confit, Beef Bourguignon, Scallops… a must try. Just share some of our favorite dishes of the night Highly recommended

Do yourself a favor and make a reservation here. All the food is so good. Anything on the menu has been incredibly delicious at an appropriate price point. Highly recommend.

What a gem! Curated menu means everything is delicious. Can’t miss their French onion soup - order as soon as you’re seated as it takes some time to make. Soup, moules and frites, and a shared salad made for a perfect lunch today with my family. The dip/spread for the bread was very good as well. I’m sure dessert is excellent too but we didn’t have any room. Next time! Charming interior and quality service. I’ll be back!

Cozy French bistro, perfect for celebration dinners. Highly recommend the French onion soup, very flavourful and loved the perfectly golden brown cheese crust. Scallops were a great entree choice if you want something on the smaller side.

M S

Humble little restaurant with great French cuisine. Duck Liver Foie Gras was fabulous. Raw Beef Tartare was excellent. All four main dishes are creative and fantastic - Corn Cake with Broccolini, Beef Bourgogne, Puff Shrimp, Duck Breast. The price is very reasonable.

Praneet Raj

Service: 3 Atmosphere: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Value for money: 5 Food Taste: 5 Recommendation: absolutely give it a shot. Food was delish. Service was not the best, looks like our server was new and nervous. We all have been there. :) Please see good pictures. Escargot and crab cakes are recommended for appetizers. Main course - Duck breast and lamb are highly recommended.

Luna Salaver

Five-star experience! If French food is your choice of cuisine, I highly recommend La Sen. We were a party of four and we enjoyed all of our dishes, from salad to dessert. Parking was a challenge. I got a $35 ticket at a nearby lot.

Suechu Taing

Do yourself a favor and make a reservation here. All the food is so good. Anything on the menu has been incredibly delicious at an appropriate price point. Highly recommend.

Edward YK Cheung

Nice cozy French bistro… we had a party of 8 birthday dinner…. Excellent Food and Wine. Escargot, Duck Confit, Beef Bourguignon, Scallops… a must try. Just share some of our favorite dishes of the night Highly recommended

Adora Lee

What a gem! Curated menu means everything is delicious. Can’t miss their French onion soup - order as soon as you’re seated as it takes some time to make. Soup, moules and frites, and a shared salad made for a perfect lunch today with my family. The dip/spread for the bread was very good as well. I’m sure dessert is excellent too but we didn’t have any room. Next time! Charming interior and quality service. I’ll be back!

Natsuko Konishi

Cozy French bistro, perfect for celebration dinners. Highly recommend the French onion soup, very flavourful and loved the perfectly golden brown cheese crust. Scallops were a great entree choice if you want something on the smaller side.

Our go-to French restaurant in the East Bay, with excellent service every time. It’s cozy, intimate, and all of their dishes have been delicious every time. I love both of their duck dishes, their calamari is addicting, and their French onion soup is rich and inviting. They accept reservations on Open Table, which makes it quite convenient. Wine and beer only. Highly recommend!

Really great French place! Fois gras was delicious, the appetizers were great and I actually really liked the escargot! The best I've ever had, and I'm really not the escargot type 😂. Oh the creme brulee of course was fantastic too. thanks so much guys!

Had a great dinner as usual! The food was exceptional and we could actually have a quiet discussion. A new twist is that there was now a non-alcoholic white wine (Sea Monster) available. It was not on the wine list, but pointed out to us by the waitress. Few restaurants in WC offer a decent non-alcoholic wine, so this was a nice surprise.

I have been here many times and loved every single thing I’ve ever ordered. This is the best restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek. Consistently high quality and delicious. Perfect for any date night or special occasion.

Not a posh place, but attractive. Very good French cuisine including the French Onion Soup. Special of the evening was Lamb shank which was like good short ribs falling off the bone.

How is the is place not more famous? 🤔 We showed up at around noon/12:30p, no wait, warm welcome, great service. We (table of 3) grew up or live in Lyon/France, and this is the first time in 10 years living here that I’m finding great French food in California. Highly recommend the place, I’ll be back soon.

The best French restaurant in the area. The chef is astounding in his skill. His sauce technique is unrivaled and unmatched. The place has the feel of a small French bistro, and the staff is always wonderful. Favorite entree is probably Vol-au-vent, shrimp and an outstanding sauce baked inside a puff pastry. Do NOT miss dessert! Every single dessert here is excellent. My favorite is the rissoles. Small, *baked to order* apple and blueberry pies with vanilla gelato drizzled with honey.

Stacy Kaufman

Our go-to French restaurant in the East Bay, with excellent service every time. It’s cozy, intimate, and all of their dishes have been delicious every time. I love both of their duck dishes, their calamari is addicting, and their French onion soup is rich and inviting. They accept reservations on Open Table, which makes it quite convenient. Wine and beer only. Highly recommend!

Greg Knudsen

Not a posh place, but attractive. Very good French cuisine including the French Onion Soup. Special of the evening was Lamb shank which was like good short ribs falling off the bone.

Ashton Lawrence

I have been here many times and loved every single thing I’ve ever ordered. This is the best restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek. Consistently high quality and delicious. Perfect for any date night or special occasion.

Peter Schmidt

Had a great dinner as usual! The food was exceptional and we could actually have a quiet discussion. A new twist is that there was now a non-alcoholic white wine (Sea Monster) available. It was not on the wine list, but pointed out to us by the waitress. Few restaurants in WC offer a decent non-alcoholic wine, so this was a nice surprise.

Franck Verrot

How is the is place not more famous? 🤔 We showed up at around noon/12:30p, no wait, warm welcome, great service. We (table of 3) grew up or live in Lyon/France, and this is the first time in 10 years living here that I’m finding great French food in California. Highly recommend the place, I’ll be back soon.

Jeff Saylor

The best French restaurant in the area. The chef is astounding in his skill. His sauce technique is unrivaled and unmatched. The place has the feel of a small French bistro, and the staff is always wonderful. Favorite entree is probably Vol-au-vent, shrimp and an outstanding sauce baked inside a puff pastry. Do NOT miss dessert! Every single dessert here is excellent. My favorite is the rissoles. Small, *baked to order* apple and blueberry pies with vanilla gelato drizzled with honey.

tom koretke

This was one of the best restaurants we have ever been lucky enough to enjoy. Right on service, we were a party of 8 we ordered every appetizer to share they all were delicious. The Duck, Beef, Salmon, Chicken main courses we're loved by all. This is a must do restaurant, make sure to make a reservation.

Really enjoyed eating here for my Dad's birthday. It had a nice quaint French cafe vibe that takes you away from all the hustle and bustle of Downtown WC. We tried to escargot as the duck liver pate (a rare find in CA!) for appetizers. For entrees, I had the Magret De Canard Roti while my parents had the Vol-au-Vent and the Gateu de Crabe. While my dish was nice, I personally thought my parents' were better. We're a big desert family, and got three of them to end a wonderful night!

Delicious duck pate & duck confit. Great atmosphere and service

Service was OK, not the most attentive and a but slow. Food was good, a but light on flavor. Duck breast was perfectly cooked

My wife and I came to this French restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. We both enjoyed our food, the good service, and the atmosphere. However, we both felt it didn't have that extra "oomph" to take it to that top level. Whether, it came to our bread, the french onion soup we both had, our entrees and our desserts, our consensus was that we've had it better. Now I understand that it might not be fair... I compared the duck breast I had to one I had from a restaurant in Montmartre in Paris. You expect there to be a difference. Or maybe I just wish I was back in Paris again, haha. But the duck was very good, and I did enjoy it. I would definitely recommend the food and the restaurant, but in my book, it just barely falls shy of five stars.

Food was great! Service was a bit slow but they were attentive and nice. Food was maybe a little pricier than you would expect for the portions but it's a pandemic and price increases are to be expected. Small and quaint. Ambiance was nice for a romantic night out. Highly recommend.

Ordered several dishes and the food was a little saltier for my taste but it was well prepared. And the olive oil for the bread was very good and tasty

Faisal Malik

My wife and I came to this French restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. We both enjoyed our food, the good service, and the atmosphere. However, we both felt it didn't have that extra "oomph" to take it to that top level. Whether, it came to our bread, the french onion soup we both had, our entrees and our desserts, our consensus was that we've had it better. Now I understand that it might not be fair... I compared the duck breast I had to one I had from a restaurant in Montmartre in Paris. You expect there to be a difference. Or maybe I just wish I was back in Paris again, haha. But the duck was very good, and I did enjoy it. I would definitely recommend the food and the restaurant, but in my book, it just barely falls shy of five stars.

Ishuia Credit

Food was great! Service was a bit slow but they were attentive and nice. Food was maybe a little pricier than you would expect for the portions but it's a pandemic and price increases are to be expected. Small and quaint. Ambiance was nice for a romantic night out. Highly recommend.

H M

Ordered several dishes and the food was a little saltier for my taste but it was well prepared. And the olive oil for the bread was very good and tasty

Roxana Spakovsky

Delicious duck pate & duck confit. Great atmosphere and service

Service was mediocre - From walking in, the first impression was a little unwelcoming. The greeter didn’t greet us, just looked unhappy and not too friendly. The server (Melissa, only know her name as we overheard her introducing herself to other tables) seemed equally chilly, not much interaction or small talk when we tried. The food was good, not worth the price to be honest. I asked for a little more bread, never came. When I leave a restaurant thinking how the service ruined the food then I know not to return. Too bad really. Also, no mention of the Birthday we were celebrating which I did mention in the reservation, although the table next to us did have their Birthday celebration observed. The smallest things go a long way.

Got the beef bourguignon which was good, actually, other than the Brussels sprouts which came with it which was rather...odd? Gf got the beef lasagna which didn't have very much beef and was ok but just didn't look very elegantly put together which I would expect for the price. Service was a bit slow as well. So, overall it was ok but too pricey for the quality and missing the refinement I would expect for the cost.

Good and lively atmosphere. Great service. Ordered Coq Au Vin - chicken marinated with red wine. Was very salty. The dessert - Apple & Blueberry Rissoles - was very good though.

Mao N

Good and lively atmosphere. Great service. Ordered Coq Au Vin - chicken marinated with red wine. Was very salty. The dessert - Apple & Blueberry Rissoles - was very good though.

My table service very bad. I walked in restaurant sit down no one serving us. I saw waitress walked around serve other tables and other employees provided the bread to other table two couple just walked in restaurant 😏 I has been sitting down for 20 minutes and than they provided the bread to us. All employees in restaurant was try to ignore us, I had to call her serve us. All my food came out but a waitress didn't bring my wine out. The service very slow. The food came out one by one😏. The food very salty. I'm not from China. Iam not requirements this restaurant to anyone I know. If you are Asian don't go there and you'll be unhappy with your dinner.

I made a reservation last week Saturday, but despite that, I had to wait outside for about 30 minutes before being seated. The service was poor — they didn’t refill our water, and we could see the kitchen area, which had an unpleasant smell and looked dirty and disorganized. Eating food prepared in such an environment feels risky for health. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

efujvc peng

I made a reservation last week Saturday, but despite that, I had to wait outside for about 30 minutes before being seated. The service was poor — they didn’t refill our water, and we could see the kitchen area, which had an unpleasant smell and looked dirty and disorganized. Eating food prepared in such an environment feels risky for health. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.