10/01/09

A good experience, HOWEVER...

by MRS19129

I had a great experience at Le Bec-Fin. I've always heard about it and the luxury it brings to those who could afford it. Aha - Restaurant week! A chance for us young working class! So my boyfriend & I decided to give it a try & got all dolled up. We had to push back our reservation an hour due to work, but they were very cordial & obliging on the phone.

SO, great experience, lovely & really nice place, BUT I wouldn't go there again, even if I could afford the $800 bottles of wine. Too stuffy in there & the place reaked of people who want "status." The food was good but not the best. The atmosphere was really elegant but not the most romantic place i've ever been to.

It was a nice break from the norm though, & I'm glad I got to try it out.

• Pros: Elegant, formal & friendly
• Cons: Stale bread, unfilled water, It's a status thing.

07/31/09

Shocked-Was the "B" team on duty that night?

by MKGFoodie

Having moved to Philadelphia recently we heard nothing but good things about Le Bec-Fin and how it was one of the top fine dining restaurant in the city. My husband and I decided to check it out on a Tuesday night in May 2009 for our 2 year wedding anniversary. I've dined at some of the best restaurants in the world such as The French Laundry, Benoit in Paris, and Grammercy Tavern (to name a few). I was severely disappointed with our experience at Le Bec-Fin across the board from the service to the presentation to the taste of the food itself.

I don't even know where to begin. From the moment we arrived, we decided to order a drink before we picked a wine from the wine list. The server mentioned they had wide selection of cocktails and some beers available. When we asked what type of beer they offered, he could not remember was completely thrown off by our question. We also felt pressured to make our wine list selection quickly. There was a lack of seasoning in all our entrees. My husband had the scallop dish as an appetizer. The shellfish was not cleaned properly since there was still sand in the broth. We opted for the cheese course and the server could not give us a clear explanation of the cheese's origins. The restaurant's only saving grace that evening was the selection of wines from the wine list and the dessert cart.

What happened here? Did I just go on an off night?

03/18/08

Go for the experience

by oxjinixo

You are in Philadelphia - the best thing the city offers is dining experience. And of the restaurants, Le Bec Fin is the one most talked of. So go.

The service is what differentiates this place from all others. Sensible, sweet, suave - Impeccable. It's not in-your-face service, but the staff is very considerate. They know they're upscale and they are leisurely about it. It feels nice.

Food is great. The presentation beats the taste in my opinion, but that's not to say the taste is bad either - the presentation is just done really well.

The famed all you can eat dessert cart - truthfully, they are all very decadent but so rich that you can't and shouldn't eat too much. Again, go for the experience.

I have been to LBF once in a group of five and once with just one friend. The first time was with the group and we did the mini 4-course with wine pairing. The bill was $880 for the group, but for a dinner that lasted 2 1/2 hrs and is still fondly remembered, it was well worth it. The second time was great too, and even better because it was shorter but still sweet (much cheaper because it was during restaurant week )- for that review, see Le Bar Lyonnais.