Le Turtle

Wow whoever said pretentious was spot on. This place is food junk. The price will make you believe this place stands out but I assure you. if you enjoy decent food. this will not do for you. Choose anything else and you’re ahead. The appetizers are a joke at best. I don’t mine spending money on great food. but this is not even mediocre. The chicken for 2 is. well not good is the nicest way to say it. you’d be better off getting a pre-​made grocery store roasted chicken. it will definitely taste better. The salad that comes with the chicken will definitely make anyone used to eating decent food gag. No lies gag. It’s bitter and disturbingly bad. Disturbingly bad. At the end of the horrendous meal you will be served a bill that is soo far away from the foods quality that you will understand why someone like myself would even bother posting on Unilocal.Terrible stay away. Do yourself a favor and choose any Asian place in the area. Wow. Just stay away and let this place die

The menu and design of the place is tasteful in a knowing, post-​modern sort of way. The main reason I wanted to go to Le Turtle was because of the design (I had already heard the food was so-​so). Still I would have thought the food and drink would be better.
The actual choices of dishes are great. Inventive but not trying too hard. I only wish the taste was more exceptional.
Le Turtle reminds me of The Pines in Gowanus. It too offers bread you buy as a dish. At the Pines this bread dish had something special about it. I would almost return only for that dish. There are 3 different hunks of bread and a generous portion of homemmade, whipped butter. In contrast, the bread dish at Le Turtle seemed a rip off. Nothing special about it. It came with 3 types of butter which were no more tasty than any of the glorified gourmet butters you can get at a speciality grocery store.
And now the service: we were one of the first seatings and our server already miserable. He was pushy, impatient and had no sense of humor. We asked what size the chicken was and he said it’s the size of a chicken. Ah, ok, right. Dumb question. All chickens are exactly the same size.
The people who brought the actual dishes to us and cleared our plates were extremely sweet. They should be the servers.
With all this said I can see why Le Turtle was full with Summer tourists; they do not know there’s much much better out there with less hype.

I really enjoyed Le Turtle, it is stylish (sexy vibe), has great food, and the price is reasonable for the quality of ingredients/​inventiveness of the food.
We had the scallops, chicken liver mouse, the crudo, and the chicken for 2. The chicken for two was beautifully presented and tasted great. It is less rich and a bit less flavorful than the NoMad’s chicken, but it is also easier to eat and in a way more refined (due to its simplicity).
Overall, I think Le Turtle is a great restaurant, especially to go on a date where you are trying to impress. Highly recommend.

You can get a five-​star chicken at a four-​star restaurant. The Sasso chicken is as good or better than either of the chickens we’ve had a Le Coq Rico, and less expensive — 58 versus 96. The schmaltz salad was a delicious companion. The chicken was buttery to my taste. The intense flavor and distinctive texture of the meat made up for the absence of crispy skin. Service and seating were fair; props on the presentation of the chicken on a now-​famous bed of smoldering hay and the subsequent, out of view, carving (06/​11/​2016 — Sat). Here are the deets:
Raffault, rose, bottle, 48 — lovely
3 meat and cheese, saucisson sec, beato de tabara, Prosciutto, nice baguette, 18
Clams, 18 — excellent, though small
Sasso poulet, 58 — the 5-​star chicken
Dufaitre, beaujolais, glass, 15
TOTAL 157
BONUS — you can order a meat and cheese plate, instead of just a meat plate or a cheese plate
TIP — the place starts getting scene-​y around 8 PM

Brunch! Brunch! Brunch!!! Le Turtle is the place to be for brunch. Such a hip but relaxing atmosphere. My husband, my brother and sister in law had a great time. Our experience was fantastic from the initial greeting, to the service, to the FOOD! We recommend the omelette with the thick cut side of bacon, the salmon plate with rye toast, the sticky bun and the waygu beef hash… all AMAZING! I know we will be back soon!

Trendy place, cool door guy. When our waitress appeared, I was taken aback since she was wearing a mechanic’s onesy outfit. Seemed odd and noticed all wait staff had baggy onesies on which was strange for a French place. She recommended the Main lobster dish. Really good, but expected an actual entrée. Instead, we got half a lobster tail. Menu should really say lobster tail at least and not «Main» lobster. Otherwise, a decent place — excellent garlic salad and decent wild bass. Dessert was supposed to be hazelnut and chocolate which was good but didn’t taste hazelnut. Wouldn’t go back, but good for a quick drink and app if in the area.

Enjoyed a fun group meal here. Highlights of the night were the signature roast chicken dish (a must order), the wagyu steak and fresh cheese with ramps. We started with the bread and butter which is pretty insane. I had to control myself to not eat too much. I have a weakness for warm and soft bread. The roast chicken comes out with so much flavor and it is really moist. Really delicious and definitely one of the best roast chickens in NYC. The wine list is interesting and is driven by natural wines. Service could be friendlier but the timing out of the kitchen was near perfect.

Went back to the Turtle to try the spring menu. It was even better than the winter menu. We ordered a bunch of things from the menu including the famous roast chicken. The wagyu, fresh cheese and the lobster were out of this world. I don’t really like steak but the wagyu was cooked perfectly and it came with broccolini, which was insanely good. The fresh cheese had some sunflower seeds, onions and grilled ramps — great combo. I would come back here for the fresh cheese alone. The lobster was on point. The lamb belly was also a huge hit — super tender.

From the moment we walked into the restaurant to the time we paid out, it was a top notch experience. Here’s what we got:
— Romaine salad– perfectly dressed with and love the anchovy touch to it.
— Bread — was expecting the butters to have more flavor. They weren’t bad by any means but just weren’t all that special either.
— Lobster — definitely not a huge portion but was amazing. Not too much butter.
— Chicken — hands down the best chicken I’ve ever had. Make sure to place your order as soon as you walk in as they run out quickly and would be a shame to come here and miss out. It easily can feed three people assuming you get a few sides to share
The waiter also comped us a microgram salad and roasted asparagus. Both were good if not great but the chicken alone is worth the trip.

Dinner Saturday. Had to be perfect. Lobster, Flaming Sasso Chicken for 2, Romaine, Bread w escargot butter, all delicious. A MUST for all romantics.

KenScale: 8.0÷10
There are so many things out of the ordinary for Le Turtle, which recently opened in Lower East Side as «new wave» French restaurant. I’m not sure what that exactly means, but then I visit their website and see all these weird videos (including a clip from the excellent movie Ex Machina starring Oscar winner Alicia Vikander as a mesmerizing robot). It certainly triggered my interest in visiting this place, even more so when I stepped into the artsy dining space with all servers in jump suits. If there is a place where artists frequent in a futuristic setting, Le Turtle looks like the kind of place that fits the bill. I was hoping that the food would be as good as the creative force behind these surreal settings, and found a lot to like here.
The relatively concise menu at Le Turtle, with the kitchen helmed by the critically acclaimed Brooklyn tasting menu palace Blanca alum Greg Proechel, displays plenty of modern twists on French cuisine. While it would be somewhat of a travesty that bread is charged for $ 6 at other restaurants, I actually didn’t mind at Le Turtle because the bread is excellent, especially when accompanied by butters with interesting flavor like escargot. Kabocha squash and fresh cheese was a light appetizer that should be on your table to start the meal, too. My favorite dish at Le Turtle was kohlrabi bisque along with lamb belly and smoked cabbage. I absolutely loved the rich, aromatic flavor of the bisque that was so elegant without overpowering your palate. My dining companions and I made a quick work out of this dish, and I secretly wished I had this just for myself. Some dishes felt a bit pedestrian. Maine lobster, which came with pickled aji Amarillo and Asian pear, felt slightly overcooked, as was the lamb that came with squash and roasted carrot. But then the restaurant made up for it with this insane whole chicken for two that was accompanied by rutabaga and chicory salad. The server brings the entire chicken as a show (I’ve actually seen photos of the chicken with burning flames but unfortunately all the fire died when I saw it, leaving only the ashes and smoke), and then carves it in different pieces. It was an excellent chicken (definitely one of the better ones I’ve had recently) that had juicy, tender meat with moderate seasoning to make sure people enjoy the texture of the dish. Desserts were also delightful without being overly sweet. I enjoyed the simple-​looking hazelnut financier with yogurt sorbet and pear purée that was deceptively elegant, and dark chocolate sorbet was also a winner.
As mentioned above, the vibe of the restaurant itself is something to visit Le Turtle for. Getting a restaurant could be a challenge due to the relatively small space and its recent attraction to young, artsy crowds in LES, so make sure to book advance. There is full bar menu, with some nice wine selections (some natural wines sprinkled in between). LES is really experiencing an explosion of good restaurants lately, and Le Turtle certainly fits in that category. I’d love to see how it evolves over time.

I have to say, first impressions of this restaurant were not so good. My party was honestly running late for our 6:15 reservation, on March 11, which is naturally our fault. 2 of us showed at 6:30 and were told we could not have a seat at our table as the whole party of 3 hadn’t arrived. Typical NY busy restaurant rule, however they had just opened at 6 pm and only 2 two tops were occupied.
They told us we could order a drink at the bar while we wait, so I did and the bartender was absolutely lovely, served me a delicious glass of wine. I spoke with my mother about how the policy of not be able to sit «in an empty restaurant» was absurd but on the other hand if it was full I would have totally understood. A man overheard us, who I later found out worked there, offered a glass of wine and I told him that I could order for myself as I thought it was just a guy who was trying to hit on me. He provided no introduction or apology, thin shorter and greying haired man.
Right after ordering the wine, the Host came (tall thin black man with glasses) and said he would sit us, but we had to make sure we left by 8:15 pm. I don’t like a time limit, and his tone was quite rude. He could have said the time limit in a much nicer way.
Our other party member didn’t arrive until well after our reservation at 6:50. We were late, no question. But there’s a way to manage people and still provide a good outcome for both the restaurants business and their patrons.
After we finished our first bottle of wine, the waiter asked if we would like wine by the glass, I told him I have felt rushed and treated poorly the whole night. Isn’t it a waiters responsibility to upswell? Why not offer another bottle? There was 3 of us drinking and it was only 7:20 well out from our 8:15 curfew. When we left, only 4 tables were occupied. We were rushed out for no reason at all. Unacceptable.
One final note, the company website didn’t offer an email for the manager. I would much rather have reached out to him personally than in such a public forum.
Also wished that the staff would have sent the manager over to listen and respond.
I must say, the food was absolutely phenomenal, the Foie Grais was absolutely amazing!

Yum! We came here in a whim for a Sunday night dinner and really enjoyed the place. The décor is simple yet refreshing, and love the architecturally innovative touches.
In terms of food — we had the chicken (a must!), mushroom dish, kale pops, and the bread starter (surrounded by delicious sample of butters). We paired our food with a few beers and wine options — all very good and unique. Highly recommend.

Le Turtle, in the LES, is TRENDY — the type of place you’d expect to see Derek Zealander. or perhaps Jennifer Aniston… who was actually seated at the table next to us. Like a good New Yorker, I 100% kept my cool and DEFINITELY did not stare. (So, Jen was there, with Justin Theroux… as well as Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. All celebrating Jen’s birthday. I die.)
The wait & bar staff wear a highly chic, seemingly inmate-​inspired outfit — a super baggy, olive-​green onesie. They all looked fabulous.
The menu is a little difficult to decipher, but the star of the show is certainly the chicken, which I’ll get to. We started with fresh cheese & squash, which was delicious and light. The foie gras is good, as foie tends to be — however, it’s prepared a little differently than I’m used to seeing (in a pâté form, with crusty bread.) This kind is served seemingly pan-​seared, so it becomes a gelatinous, fatty bubble, with a bit of crust at the edges, atop a sweet sauce. Definitely a new-​age rendition. Lobster with aji dulce — my second-​favorite — is just a tail and a claw, but beautifully presented and delicious.
And now the chicken– It comes out atop live coals, sizzling, with the head still attached and feet aflame, to be presented to the diner for their approval. The waiter will pause for pictures, which comes out a little graphic on the iPhone, but I’ve seen journalists capture it epically (below, not my photo.) They then take it back to the kitchen to be broken-​down so it’s easier to share — and it’s incredibly good. The crispy skin is a treat in itself.
Definitely a place to see & be seen, so I’d take an attractive, well-​dressed friend or date when you visit — one that can keep their cool around celebrities (aka, not me.)

Was it good? Yes I think so. Is it a meal I remember ten days later. Unfortunately not, I had to check and Inthink Inhad the wagyu. In the past I probably would have given 4 stars because yes, it is good food and trendy and nicely decorated and busy. But today I need more to make it something that stands out in the LES crowd.

Le Turtle is what I imagine when people talk about a great new restaurant opening up on the Lower East that won’t break the bank. Lobster and Squid were the highlights (aside from the hazelnut dessert. The Mushroom plate was surprisingly good. Parsley Root dish was a miss.
If you’re in the neighborhood visiting Dirt Candy, Wildair, Prune, Rebelle, Beauty & Essex, etc… put Le Turtle on your list.

It’s not often that I return home and immediately fire up the Unilocal review. However, after tonight’s awkward adventure, I felt the need to do so. For a place that’s all about «the scene» and with an eclectic selection of individuals dining there, you’d think they would care a bit more about following thru and attention to detail.
Started out ok. Ordered a good bottle of wine. Sat at the bar. Had the cheese and meat plate. Bread came with it. More bread showed up at some point. Bartender accidentally broke a glass, meaning everything had to be cleared. We were more concerned about his welfare than really being annoyed, as the wine in our glasses was almost finished and most of the cheese/​meat plate was finished. He apologized profusely… we told him not to worry about it and we’ve all been off our game at one point or another. More bread shows up.
Then our lobster dish. Tasted great. Did I think it was worth $ 29 for a claw and tail? Not so sure, but hey… it’s NYC, so whatevs. Moved onto the wagyu beef, which bartender had said was his favorite dish on menu. Soooo… let’s just say that I had to excuse myself at some point bc there was so much fat in the piece of meat that I had, that it was like chewing gum. So it was either spit it into the cloth napkin at the bar, or bathroom. So there was only two large pieces of meat… which meant that about ¼ of mine… was sheer fat. Greeaat.
Anyway, brushed that off too… kept going and bartender tells us that he’s getting our desserts bc of the broken glass debacle. Awesome. Nice and not necessary. So out comes 2 desserts that he picked for us… the hazelnut cake thing and a vegan chocolate gelato. My friend is allergic to cheese/​dairy… so she couldn’t have the lemon frozen yogurt with the hazelnut, but was perfectly happy nibbling on the cake and the chocolate vegan gelato.
Ordered 2 last glasses of vino. Then bill comes…
We were CHARGED for the desserts that he chose for us. Yep… $ 12 for the cake. another $ 7 for the other gelato. WE WERE ALSO CHARGED FOR THE EXTRA BREAD. Ummm… didn’t ask for it. just showed up… and you charged us $ 2 for it? Seriously?!? Nothing was taken off our check. We didn’t choose the desserts, nor were we asked if we wanted bread or made aware that it was going to be an up-​charge!
The saddest part is that the bartender cheerfully told us where he works elsewhere and told us that he hopes we’ll come in… Why? So you can fool us into thinking that you’re doing us a favor and then charge us for it? No thanks!
The décor was cool and I think we would have come back and tried the chicken for 2, had we not been «taken for a ride». Sorry, it’s only $ 21 between the dessert & bread, but the general style of not one person coming over to ask if we were ok when glass was shattered across from us… and then lying to us… yeah, that’s not the way to gain repeat business. Way too many other places to check out instead. NEXT…

Came here the day before the blizzard for a late-​night catch-​up dinner with an old friend. Décor is modern and not warm, but intimate and interesting. We, like so many others, ordered the chicken for two and shared the fresh cheese and kabocha app. The flavors in both were spot on and the best part of the dining experience was the the feeling that you could take your time and enjoy, even with the snow starting to fall in soft, persistent waves out of doors.

You have to try the lobster dish! WHO in their right mind puts a chile (aji dulce) with lobster? Add a citrus beurre blanc and you have an explosion of flavor. Several dishes that we tried were combinations of flavors that I have never had before. Another of my favorite dishes was the fresh cheese dish wtih Kabocha, burnt onion petal and rye. Creamy, sweet, and the rye adds its own punch.
I will definitely need a second visit to try the chicken dish– somehow I missed that one the first time. I’m looking forward to my next trip to NYC and my next visit to Le Turtle.

The chicken for two is plenty for three. The mushroom dish made me want to be a better person. My only regret is that I didn’t order that very affordable magnum of Chardonnay.
I’ll be back, a lot. I only hope I can get a seat next time as I am sure the secret will be out by next week.
A true NYC original.