Bistro Elan

You are sure not to find such atttude even in France!
Good food does not allow for such nastiness!
We were there with a large party for a very important Birthday and,
A. They wouldn't let us bring in a Birthday Cake (even for a corkage-like fee)
B. They wouldn't allow us as a party of six to sit in the garden, trying to insist we sit in the crowded, loud table area inside - we insisted and sat outside where we had planned to do so, but not until after a back-and-forth fight
C.If attitude towards paying clients count for anything in ratings, their 1-star should be taken away from them!
D. Thus, we passed on dessert and coffee/after dinner drinks and took our cake and our party home (where we had after dinner coffee/drinks - they missed out on a larger payday from us)

I will never initiate going there again - the food is good, but the experience was ruined by their nastiness - shameful in such bad times; you should cherish your clients, not fill them full of dislike for your establishment. Palo Alto and surrounding areas offer many equally good dining experiences where you are treated like someone who pays their salaries - which you do!

Avoid Bistro Elan

Posted 08/28/08 | Report Abuse

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you?

The level is just not where it should be given the prices; nothing fell flat, but nothing was that good either. There is also a tendency to over-complicate: a duck confit served with "risotto" (really more like polenta), pumpkin seeds, and a red wine sauce was an unsuccessful hodgepodge, both in terms of texture and flavors.

Posted 11/10/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I work just on the other side of El Camino, so quite often I walk to California Avenue for lunch with other colleagues. We have always been impressed with the delicious food at Bistro Elan, especially their soups and unique salads. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed!

Posted 08/16/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

We love this neighborhood Bistro. The food is seasonal and priced
very well for the quality of the ingredients. The service is friendly and
professional. We visit whenever we have the $$ and are in the area!

Posted 07/27/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

Although the food is great brace yourself in advance for a very nasty experiecne when the bill comes. After adding an $80 tip (16%) for a party of six, my waiter retured to ask me if there was something wrong with the service. When I said no he informed me that he usually gets 20-25%. Then I said in a joking voice that I normally pay 15% so he should consider himself lucky. When he continued to complain in a loud voice halting conversations at our table as well as those near us I asked to speak to the owner. He said she was out. I said fine I'll talk to her tomorrow. He storms off. Two minutes later a very nasty little man with a heavy accent returns to start shouting again about how I should pay "at least 18%". I told him that he was making a terrible impression, was ruining the experience for me and my guests and that they would tell this story over an over. He said, "I DON"T CARE. TELL THE STORY A MILLION TIMES. NOW YOU GET OUT!"

We ignored his last requet, finished our coffees and left. If I was the owner of this place I would want to know that the staff is does not care about the pople that pay their salaries.

Posted 06/13/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I dined here last week and had a stellar meal, with expert service. This is one of my favorite restaurants on the Peninsula, with consistently excellent food, and a delightful staff, with a high degree of professionalism. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, but this is a place I will return to as often as I can afford to do so. Not a Tuesday night place, because of cost, but very fairly priced for the food and ambience.

Posted 02/01/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I also had a lousy experience at this restaurant where we had an incompetent waitress and we were over-charged. I urge you not to patronize this place. They will rip you off!

Posted 01/02/07 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

My friends and I dined at this restaurant recently and ordered a $26 bottle of wine with our meal. We did not realize until we got our bill that the waitress had brought us a $350 bottle of wine instead. She also managed to screw up our food order and was very rude to us about having to bring new dishes to us. The manager refused to acknowledge that she had made a mistake about over-charging us, and refused to make any adjustments to our bill. The worst part is that nobody apologized for the appalling service or for the disrespect that was shown to us. DO NOT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!

Posted 12/28/06 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

I was craving for good bistro cuisine near palo alto before i found this fabulous little place.

Ingredients are fresh, presentation is impeccable and cuisine is thoughtful and original.

the place has a fantastic garden in the back, which is great for both romance as well as a nice small gathering.

it is a bit expensive to go very frequently, but its certainly worth the monthly visit.

PROS: fresh, thoughtful cuisine
CONS: a bit expensive, but worth it

Posted 07/27/06 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

We had great food the night we ate Bistro Elan. The lobster tail appetizer was superb. The lamb main course was tender and came with a sauce that perfectly complimented the lamb. Unlike most restaurants that over cook halibut, the fish moist and perfectly cooked; it had a little more salt that I would prefer, but it was probably salted as most people would like. After our appetizers and main course, we did not have room for dessert. The menu had less than 10 main course offerings and was typed a plain of paper indicating the menu changes frequently. The appetizers were generally in the $6 to $16 range and the main course offerings in the $20 to $30 range. We are looking forward to our next visit to Bistro Elan.

Posted 05/13/06 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

This is my husband's favorite place to eat in Palo Alto. He would eat here every day if he could. The atmosphere is nice. I really enjoy watching them cook. The skirt steak is a favorite of the husband's.

Posted 05/12/06 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?

Bistro Elan is one of those unique restaurants that serves an unpretentious but creative fare. Both lunch and dinner offerings are delicious. Definitely world class.

Posted 04/27/06 | Report Abuse

Was this review helpful to you?