Le Mistral

Le Mistral was a lovely surprise. I've had pretty bad luck with food in Houston, and French food in particular. But this really wasn't half bad. The seared foie gras was very enjoyable, and the mushroom soup was nice as well. The wife and I liked our steaks (and we're both incredibly picky about steaks, finding even most high-end steakhouses unacceptable), and the sides were quite tasty. Dessert was nothing spectacular but certainly pleasant. And everything was presented in an appealing way.

The only weak point was the pacing. The food and check took a long time to arrive. There was also a small hiccup with the order. On the other hand, the manager (owner?) was very attentive and helpful. In any event, I do recommend this place, but perhaps only to those who have time for a long meal.

Pros: food

Cons: pacing

Posted 09/10/09

Took the family a week ago, really great food but not sure about a return visit. I had the rabbit and that was fantastic but the kids did not enjoy their meal too much and we ended up stopping to pick up a sandwich for them afterwards.

Pros: Good Service

Cons: Location

Posted 04/29/09

Service: attentive but not intrusive; Serving size: perfect; Ambiance: romantic and friendly; Food: beautiful, delicious, varied but not unrelatable.

I loved this restaurant for all the usual reasons, but the best part for me was that the desserts weren't just tiny reheated overpriced ways to get more money out of the customers. We had the apple crepes and the cheese and fruit plate, and they were clearly made with care in-house, and were as delicious as the rest of the menu items.

Posted 02/21/09

We just went for our Anniversary and had a wonderful time! The escargot was excellent, and the Beef Tenderloin, with the truffle.... the best entree I have ever eaten in my life.
The rabbit was ok, get the beef.

Pros: Beef Tenderloin

Cons: Price

Posted 01/08/09

I've made 2 trips to this place over the last 2 months. While I don't have any complaints about the food, it's not something that ispires me (especially for one that gets such high reviews from others).

Biggest disappoint is the lack of service. Lunch took 3 hours, dinner took 4.5 hours -- the reason is you wait forever for them to take each order (entree and dessert). On last visit, I had to go to the host for them to get my check!!

Final disappointment was the wine list -- pretty good list, but at my dinner visit, they we're out of over 1/3 of the wines on the list.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: Service

Posted 12/17/08

I was surprised. Had hoped for more. A previous visits was memorable. Any restaurant can have an off night.

Pros: great snapper in a bag, good onion soup and baby spinach salad.

Cons: service, attitude,

Posted 09/30/08

Went there for brunch. Ordered one of the brunch specials - Fabulous!!! The salad with blueberry dressing is to die for. I highly recommend this place. I would like to add however....Fridays are extremely busy - if you decide to go on a Friday night - be sure to MAKE RESERVATIONS!

Posted 09/29/08

My girlfriend and I had an amazing experience here. Our server was attentive and prompt. Although, I wouldn't always take their recommendations. Her porkchop was possibly the best I've ever had, while my snapper in parchment was delicate and perfectly seasoned. The wine list is wonderful and full of values.

Posted 06/29/08

Great place, INCREDIBLE food, and nice people. Best restaurant in Houston as far as I'm concerned. Can't wait for the opening of their new location just next door. World-class restaurant.

Pros: Ambiance, Food, Service

Posted 01/11/08

I always feel at home here. The wait staff is attentive, yet gives you privacy. I feel like I'm back in Europe where dining is an event....one to be enjoyed, savored...and never hurried. If you are in a rush, find a warehouse restaurant that will get you in and out. Come to Le Mistral to be pampered, fed beautiful artful food....and treated respectfully.

Pros: The owners are always hospitable....ready to make you feel at home

Cons: None

Posted 01/09/08

I love Le Mistral for brunch, dinner, and for catered events. This is beautiful, delicious French dining in a warm and welcoming setting. My spouse and I love the casual brunches, but the luxurious dinner menus really won us over. Chef David Denis and his brother Sylvain are serious professionals who obviously love their work. They've been great about sitting down with me to talk at length about their food and wine. When I want to have beautifully presented and delicious food that leaves me feeling that I've been part of a very special pampering event, this is my restaurant. Bon Appetit!

Pros: ambience, food, service, value for what they offer, easy parking

Posted 07/29/07

First time to the restaurant ,,thought to give it a try. Do not go there!!!!!!!. Food is ok not great. Service is terrible and very unattentive. It took over 1 hour and 30 minutes for an entree! The appetizer took over 40 minutes. There is no sense of team work between the staff there. The manger seems couln't care less about the guests. The table next to us also complaining about the service. A fine dining restaurant should at least provide a up to par service level. This restaurant's service is worse than in Bennigan's or Denny's! Will definetly not going back!

Posted 06/29/07

My husband and I, after many months of anticipation, had dinner at Le Mistral. Even though the restaurant was not full at all we were seated at a table along the wall leading to the restrooms so that all evening long I had a flourescent type light in my face and a beautiful view of the hallway and computer. The service was slow and unattentive. The food was wonderful and the presentation beautiful but I don't have that urge to dine there again since the entire experience was slightly spoiled by the view. Dining out should be a total experience and this one missed the mark.

Pros: food, wine

Cons: atmospher, view, service

Posted 04/12/07

I chose Le Mistral for my husband's birthday after seeing rave reviews on this and other sites. What a disappointment! First they lost our reservation, then service was incredibly slow and annoying. It took 2.5 hours from the time we arrived until the time we left. During this time, various waiters kept coming by to beg our indulgence because they were so busy, the chef was working as fast as he could, etc. but truthfully, though the dining room was pretty full, they were never on a "wait" - except for us since they'd lost our reservation. In the end, my husband attempted to order a chocolate souffle for his birthday dessert, only to have the waiter tell him to pick something else since it would take another 20 minutes to prepare.

Bottom line: food was good, atmosphere OK, prices high, service horrible. Do not recommend.

Pros: large selection of wines

Cons: slow service, lost our reservation

Posted 10/07/06

Very, very good food. We learned to trust our waiter Stephane, as he guided us through our meal. We usually eat a few appetizers and maybe split an entrée, which did not faze him, and his recommendations were excellent. Every dish over-delivered on flavor, presentation and quality. No skimping here. Very relaxed, comfortable and unhurried. Not inexpensive, but a great date place, and wonderful to have in our neighborhood as a treat. Quite a special find.

Pros: Quality of service, presentation, execution & flavor

Cons: $$$$

Posted 08/25/06

A friend came to visit from out of town and she wanted French cuisine for dinner so we looked up some places on houston city search and decided to try out Le Mistral. The food and service were outstanding. I highly recommend the escargot and the fois gras. You should go and check it out. There is plenty of parking and seating so don't worry about making reservations and the environment is casual but upscale. Feel free to wear your jeans!

Pros: Great food, Great service, plenty of parking

Cons: none, none, none

Posted 03/31/06

The food is #1, presentation #1, service #1. All of the wait staff, Sylvain and Dennis rock! I really believe this is the best French restaurant in Houston and I've been to all of them. Go there if you want to walk out of a restaurant happy.

Pros: Makes tummy happy

Cons: makes tummy too full

Posted 08/27/05

Daytime may not be the best time to experience the ambience. I am sure evening lighting adds to the effect.
Seating not a problem, Open Table reservation was handy.
Reasonable wine recommendation by waiter.
Starter order wrong, but corrected without fuss.
A pleasant meal, but not exceptional.

Pros: unhurried eating

Cons: daytime ambience

Posted 08/11/05

Le Mistral has a great low-key atmosphere and fantastic plates. From appetizers to dessert it's a fine dining experience. Not recommended if you want a quick lunch: you're there to savour.

Pros: Food, Personal service, Ambiance

Cons: Slow

Posted 07/31/05

My husband and I tried Le Mistral for our anniversary. Very romantic atmosphere- dark woods set off with nice warm oranges and yellows along with many colorful paintings adorning the walls. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. The service the entire evening was wonderful...the food even better. The portions were also quite nice. My appetizer and main course certainly satisfied my foie gras craving and the chocolate souffle I had for dessert was definitely worth the wait. The quality of the food was on par with that of our French formal fine dining experiences, but was much kinder to the wallet + the staff was far more pleasant and outgoing than those we've encountered in French formal fine dining.

Pros: Open Sundays, Great Service, Great Food

Posted 07/17/05

My wife and I had dinner there last night and were very impressed with the food. It is definitely one of the best French restaurant in Houston. Our server was excellent and all of his recommendations were great including Foie Gras, Veal chop and Veal shank. The chocolate souffle was the best I have ever tasted. The atmosphere is casual, cozy and not too noisy. Wine selection is limited however. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and we can't wait to go back.

Posted 04/22/05

My wife and I have been going to LeMistral since it opened 3 years ago. The food is nothing short of superb (my wife is French and she is perhaps slightly more enthusiastic!). The "teething pains" in service have long disappeared. If this restaurant was in Paris it would get at least one star!
I am impressed.

Posted 01/26/05

During the 3 years of existence of Le Mistral, owners David and Sylvain have succeeded in attracting a large and steady clientele to this restaurant.
Menue is contemporary and offers good stuff like foie gras and duck confit starters and superb desserts.
Newcomers are generally very appreciative of the ambience, quality food and price level.
Service is professional and friendly. This place is very suitable for a relaxed 2-3 hour lunch or diner (European style), however Le Mistral is able to turn out fast lunch dishes for the business crews in and around the Houston Energy Corridor.
Very much recommended. Look for their monthly diner event with superb wine arrangement.

Pros: Value for money, Ambience, Quiet & relaxed

Posted 01/14/05

We only came here for the chocolate souffle as we decided to track down the best souffle in Houston. And, from our experience, the chocolate souffle is totally amazing and absolutely worth it. We called ahead and informed them that we would only be coming for desert and to prepare it so that it would be ready when we got there. As such, the waiter wasn't the best as he probably saw that we weren't a "big item customer." Regardless, the souffle was fantastic and arrived to the table as soon as we sat down. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare so make sure you're there before then.

Pros: Chocolate Souffle, Call ahead prep, Excellent Maitre'd

Cons: , We live in Lubbock

Posted 01/07/05

The beef tenderloin was made perfectly.. it melted in my mouth and was matched well with the wine reduction sauce and mushrooms. The snapper in parchment paper was good.. all the flavors of the vegetables went right into the fish. The grand marnier souffle was pretty good.. the texture was just right. The apple tartin had a very yummy crust!

Posted 07/23/03

Based on one lunch visit.......
A wonderful restaurant to enjoy some great food and wine. From the starter to the dessert, the meal was way above average in preparation, presentation and taste. It is nice to eat in small place with a good menu and wine list... instead of the usual chain restaurants that seem to all blend together after while. Given the size of the establishment, the menu is not elaborate, but well thought out to please folks looking for French cuisine and remain within the ability to serve people in a timely manner.
I recommend ignoring the lunch time special (we did) and sticking with the full lunch menu.

Pros: menu, wine

Cons: ice cold a/c

Posted 07/14/03

Le Mistral is a great place to escape the husstle, bussel and fast food of Houston and sit, relax and enjoy a lengthy delightful meal. The two brothers that run Le Mistral have created a little bit of Europe right here in Houston. There is never any rush to re-fill tables and the service is provide in a calm unabrtusive manner. To compliment the ambiance and the staff there is a great menu and an excellent wine selection. This is an ideal place to enjoy great cusine and have lengthy conversations and just relax.

Pros: Great Food, Good Wine List, Not rushed

Cons: Limited seating, Small terrace, Poor Curb Appeal

Posted 06/09/03

We had a group of five at dinner at Le Mistral last Saturday night. We were all very impressed by the food, service, wine and attention to detail of this fine west Houston restaurant. I told the owner I was just a tad bit disappointed to not find duck on the menu. He told us if we would give him a call 3 days in advance he would make sure we got our duck next time. We do plan to return as the meal we had was quite amazing!!

Pros: Food, Service

Posted 05/06/03

The food is just great. They have the best onion soup I have had in my whole life. The place is cozy and great for a romantic dinner.

Posted 01/12/03

My wife & I are in the process of moving from Fribourg Switzerland to Houston TX. We had lunch at Le Mistral twice the week of Dec 11th. We were delighted with the simplicity & quality of the food & found the ambiance simple & friendly. Since we will be living only 5 minutes fron the restaurant we will be frequent visitors to Le Mistral

Pros: Diverse menue, very tasty food, Friendly atmosphere

Cons: Decoration

Posted 01/02/03

This is a small french restaurant in the west side, that is modeled after many small bistros in Paris and other French cities. The food is some of the best I have ever tasted (and I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in town) and the service was the absolute best I have ever experienced. Just as an example: our waiter noticed my wife go to the bathroom and timed his movements just right upon her return so that he could hold her chair out for her.
While some of the menu is priced in the high $20's, there are also numerous items around $12 - $15. Extremely reasonable.
Silvan, one of the owners, is personable and makes a point to spend a couple of minutes with each of his guests, adding additional flavor to the evening.
Highly, HIGHLY recommended...

Posted 10/04/02

Buoyed by CitySearch reviews, I began my search for a good French restaurant with Le Mistral. The service was as surprisingly elegant as the fare in this small hideaway at the end of a strip center. Delicious but all a la carte, a frugal glance at my companion clued the waiter to offer to split a dinner salad between us. I'm now looking for excuses to return and sample higher up the menu.

Pros: Taste, Presentation, Friendly

Cons: Pricey

Posted 08/14/02

The best French restaurant I've ever been to. Service was great and very knowledgeable. Would
recommend the cheese plate and the souffles. The lobster bisque was a little overdone.

Posted 07/28/02

The Denis brothers that run this French Bistro are transplants from France. They have the style, flair, & appearance that catchs one off guard upon entering the French Country dining room. Brother David turns out food that tastes so good you'll want to hire him as your personal Chef. Sylvain oversees the front of house with a killer smile and French accent that is a welcome change. Add a jazz trio (Caceres maybe ?) and the Sunday brunch crowd wil block traffic on Eldridge Parkway !l

Pros: small, charming, authenic

Posted 07/28/02

This is a wonderfully quaint, Provencal restaurant. From appetizers to dessert, the food was wonderful and reasonably priced. I have a hard time believing the "3" rating that was given by another customer. The only things working against Le Mistral are its location, and its wine. Keep in mind that I tend to take wine too seriously. The wine list is fairly priced, and the wine goes well with the cuisine. However, it's served too warm, and in bad glasses, i.e. not crystal. However, it is an overall great experience.

Posted 07/12/02