Les Enfants Terribles

NOW CLOSED
«Le restaurant etait faible.» Squint. It was really hard to see at Les Enfants Terribles. You needed a cell phone to read the menu, but on the bright side (see what I did there?) that made for plenty of dim corners to escape into.
They were a dependable spot for drinks, and service was always there for us. Glasses were refilled, bottles were enjoyed, and when it was time to go home, the subway was a short stumble away.
My biggest gripe? They were cash only.

Thoroughly enjoyed the couscous with chicken and caipirinhas. The ambiance was very Bohemian and laid back, and the drinks weren’t weak. I would absolutely come back.

What I imagine a French dive bar might be like. Stopped in for a drink on a Monday night. Few patrons so there was a chill, serene vibe. Beers were $ 6, wines by the glass $ 9 – 14, and you can sit at the tables without having to order food (a big plus if you don’t like being relegated to a bar stool.) Would go back for a drink if I’m in the neighborhood.

None of the items we had were anything but mediocre. Cheese plate-​really small and uneventful, salmon and tuna tartar-​pretty good, but too salty for my taste, mussels-​ok, grilled octopus-​bluh.
Ribeye steak was served barely warm-​the compound butter couldn’t melt on it. It wasn’t cold enough to send it back, and it wasn’t warm enough to enjoy it. Vegetable couscous was plainly bad. Duck breast was ok.
We had 3 different bottles of red wine and none were any good.
Fries and service are great though, so a star for each.
Oh, and it’s cash and amex only.

I’m so jealous of the «laid back» and «friendly» and «courteous» service that other folks have referenced in their reviews! I had my first experience at Les Enfants last night, and while the food and drink were very tasty, our treatment left much to be desired.
I was with a group of four other people and we’d just had a delicious dinner at Joe’s Ginger in Chinatown to celebrate a friend’s recent success at work. We decided we’d like to continue our celebrating and walked to Les Enfants. The restaurant has two dining spaces, including a front room with a bar. When we came in (about 8:30 on a Saturday night), there were plenty of empty tables so we asked the hostess if we could be seated for just drinks and dessert. She agreed that would be acceptable.
We ordered one of everything from the dessert menu (3 delicious options) and a round of cocktails. Everything was delicious, and while we had to wait some time for dessert, we were enjoying the ambiance and drinks so didn’t mind the wait. After we’d finished dessert, the waitress returned to ask if we wanted to order another round. We thought about it and decided we would, in fact, like to order a bottle of champagne, and requested another glance at the drink menu.
The waitress brought back the drink menu, but as we were making a selection said, «I have to warn you, my manager may ask you to stand up at the bar now, to free up the table for people who are going to eat dinner.»
We were confused. We’d asked beforehand if tables were available for dessert and drinks, and had been given the green-​light. We’d committed already to spending nearly $ 100 (before tip), and were prepared to spend more. The waitress was taken aback by our decision to change our minds and request the check. «The bar is fun!» she protested. But we hadn’t decided to come to Les Enfants to stand at the bar. And when we’d been seated we hadn’t been alerted of the time limit on ordering drinks from a table.
I’ve never been asked to give up my table in a restaurant before — it didn’t sit right with me. As we walked out, at a quarter of ten, we walked past more empty tables.
Luckily we found another bar happy to take our money not that far away.

I like the quiet laidback atmosphere at this restaurant, and unlike other reviewers found the service to be prompt and courteous. The noise level is vibrant but not so loud that conversation is drowned out. The bar is the centerpiece of this restaurant, which is nice in that it creates a casual yet trendy feel.
I was generally unimpressed with the food (went for dinner). We ordered the calamari appetizer, and it was more of a glorified salad than anything else. The steak tartar entre was acceptable but not particularly original, and not worth the $ 20 in my opinion. My two dining companions agreed that the dessert we ordered — a chocolate mound in some tangerine sauce — was too bitter and unappetizing.
Also this place is cash only, which is clearly a negative.

3.5 stars…
I’ve been here twice and overall its a pretty good spot! I didn’t experience slow service like other people are saying because I sat at the bar, which I prefer at most places when I go out to eat unless its a fancy date night thing. It’s on the expensive side but the food is fresh and tasty which makes up for it. I wouldn’t say the food was AMAZING though.
Love the ambience here and also love their lychee martinis!

Their menu appears to be seasonal, which means all the wonderful lamb dishes I read about were not available (during summertime). I ll rate on a 1 to 5 Unilocal scale (5 being as good as it gets) :
4 — tuna salmon tartare. Very good. Given that this involves no cooking, as long as u have fresh fish it’ll be good.
4 — branzino fish — only had a bite but it was nice
4 — white chocolate panicotta. Delicious and refreshing
3.5 — pork chop. Was good. Coathanger and therapist eyes enjoyed it. But I’ve had better at cheapie joints like Saigon Grill or Spice. Wasn’t moist enough or flavorful enough for me. I’ve also had much better polenta at the Meatball Shop. Sry I’m being really critical here
3.5 — octopus salad. Octopus was really good but so little of it.
3.5 — duck samosa. Note singular, not plural. U get one friggin samosa. Come on now?! Decent flavor
3.5 — scallop risotto. Good but not wow. Scallop was slightly undercooked. Which is better than overcooked, so that’s fine.
2 — steak tartare. This confirms I dislike steak tartare. Last time I got it at Les Halle’s I didn’t finish it either. This one had an additional weird flavoring to it, not good imo.
I was disappointed by the food. Maybe during wintertime when the stews come out and they slaughter and silence the lambs (get it?) it’ll be better. Won’t be back til then. Cute place and ambience tho. FYI they do NOT take credit card. I hate Unilocalers who write inaccurate information as it cost me a whopping $ 5 ATM fee outside. No Amex no nothing. Just cash. Would come back for drinks tho.

Never before has slow service been so great.
I love Les Enfants Terribles, the waitresses/​waiters are super polite and friendly. Although they do take their time to get you water and the such, they also take the time to chat with you. So you should assume they’re doing the same for other people. Besides, when you’re in a restaurant that is as pleasantly decorated as this place, whats the rush? I think that is the understated beauty of Les Enfants, take your time and enjoy.
I first came here on a visit to New York with my girlfriend. This is her favorite restaurant and she also had a huge crush on Charles, apparently now a former a employee when we inquired why we haven’t seen him. Anyway, the first time we ordered a wine from Cote d’Ivoire and it was fantastic, every time after that we’ve order cocktails that are always well done. I ordered the steak tartare with fries and it was grand. Perfect for a hot summer night, not too heavy but you still get a nicely portioned dish with all the benefits of having meat and fries! My girlfriend ordered the whole roasted chicken, to my surprise very juicy. The salad she had was also very good.
Since the first visit I have tried beef couscous, the roasted chicken, and the lamb shanks. All very well cooked and enjoyable. On every visit we’ve had and enjoyed the Appetizer Tasting Plate for Two, a sexy tasting with quail a la Jawaad, Camarao Grelhado, and lamb bourek. It is delicious.
When you ask for the check also ask for your last round of drinks, because that whole process will take a while. But again, what’s your rush? Enjoy, chat, and take in the ambience while you enjoy your last drinks.
J’adore Les Enfants Terribles!

Cutie Patroller report
This is one of the first restaurants opened more than 10 years ago in the LES/​Chinatown much before Bacaro and Fat Radish were still going strong. They were always clouded with young neighborhood regulars until new customers found this destination location. In the springtime they have outside tables and the inside bar counter is always busy with people enjoying cocktails and snacks. The food is bistro with a twist of african influence. Most of the dishes are under $ 20 to reasonable. I recommend to come here with a friend any night of the week for casual dinner and drinks.
by Cutie Patroller

The atmosphere here definitely gets a 5 star rating. It’s small quaint intimate and definitely a good place to scam on some cuties! If you are single that is… However, the food wasn’t as awesome as I thought it was going to be. I was with a group of 9 and we were seated in the back of the restaurant in an area that was pretty quiet and almost all to ourselves, except for one other party of 4. We took up a lot of space, that’s for sure!
We ordered 4 appetizers to share amongst the table.
— Steak Tartar
— Cheese Plate
— 2 shrimp platters
The cheese plate was pretty standard and the cheeses were pretty dang good, but I love cheese, so… you get the hint. The shrimps were small but very yummy. The potato kanish in the center of the shrimp dish was probably the best thing I had all night. Wow was it amazing, it just melt into my mouth. I didn’t eat the steak tartar but it looked fresh and good.
I ordered the mussels as my main dish with a side of sauteed spinach. The mussels were only fair… I am really into mussels and I was definitely not impressed. My spinach was pretty good too. Im not sure what everyone else had as their meal but my boyfriend had a steak and he said it was only fair. I would probably go back just for the location of this place… and the drinks I had were also pretty darn good. I indulged a little for my friends bday and had 2 Caprihna’s! WOW they are awesome! LOVE LOVE LOVE
Birthday dinner was a success though– even with 9 people :)

First stumbled in here on July 4^th weekend after an afternoon on Governor’s Island. My friends and I just needed a drink to celebrate our nation’s independence and to placate our indulgence for alcohol and general intoxication. Little did we know we’d be coming back here time and time again. Great for spring and summer time. Wine selection is good, and when the windows and doors are open, the outside breeze cools the dampness lining your skin from sweat. I’ve only had 1 appetizer here and it’s the Lamb Bourek, which was good. Not mind numbing good, just good. The décor and style are a little confusing. There are pictures from France, which plays to the language of the restaurant, but the menu had a very Brazilian, south american feel to it.
The first time we were there, we met one of the bartenders, who was basically our personal bartender as we were the only ones ordering drink after drink. He claimed it was a Brazilian restaurant. We asked why the name was in French with french décor and yet its a Brazilian restaurant. To which he replied, I don’t know, I just pour the drinks. So we ordered another round and he gave us a few shots on the house.

In one last ditch attempt to make his uneventful night look up, Peter C. dragged me kicking and screaming into this fine establishment (well, not really.) for some alcoholic beverages. On a cool summer night, in the middle of nowhere on Canal St, this place was very. unexpectedly charming. I liked it.
Chill vibe, intimate but not overly crowded space, nicely decorated, dark wood, unpolished floors, metal stools, and a square bar that makes up the bulk of the furniture. Seemingly limited selection at the bar, but surprise surprise, they had Chambord. I mean they are French after all. so I guess I’ll just have to check next time if they have St. Germain (the true litmus test for Frenchness).
p/​s: love the name of this place!

This place provided the WORST service I have EVER gotten in NYC as far as I can remember, and I was born and raised here.
The waitresses, once you finally got their attention, would take your drink order and not return, so after 15 minutes or so we kept having to go up to the bartender to order.
A plate was dropped and broken and they told us they’d clean it later — it sat there at our feet!
We literally could not get any of the waitresses in a not-​crowded place to give us any attention unless we waved them down. Our quick afternoon meal and drinks turned into a 2-​hour issue.
The atmosphere was nice because it wasn’t crowded at that time, and the calamari appetizer we had was pretty delicious, and had a nice variety of other foods on the plate, though it was just a bit salty.
For the hefty price we paid and the terrible service we got, I won’t be going back. There are way too many other restaurants to go to instead of being treated like shit when you’re a respectful patron.

I came all the way from Brooklyn for that? I started off with the Jericoacoaco cocktail which was absolutely disgusting. It tasted like ginger mixed with vodka and a lime popsicle.
For dinner I ordered the Brazilian seafood stew which looked really great, but lacked serious flavor. It came with an orange sauce that strangely had no taste. The rice was waaaaay beyond overcooked as well.
The service was okay, except they forgot about us after our meal was complete. The ambiance is strange and looks as if it was pulled together after a serious of trips to a flea market. In the back room they had a speaker just sitting on a chair to supply music to the back room.
Their mens room has a giant window in the door so anyone can see right in. There was even a lock on the door, but I’m not sure what the point would be.
When we walked in there was just music playing, but when we walked out we noticed there was now a DJ crammed into a corner. I think this place is all over the map. They might want to considering changing their name, because it makes for a great opening to a scathing review.

Terrible it is. This place is located in the middle of nowhere in the Lower East Side in the corner of Ludlow & Canal Street. Very european scene here with so so service but the food here is awful. I ordered the famous shell steak (Koroghofefemugu) and it was extremely chewy and rough. I understand that shell steaks is not exactly the tenderous part of the cow but this was funny. My friend ordered the Casbah Lam-​Shank Tajine and that was very tender but lack flavor.
Overall, we were very disappointed. On a side note, it’s not the cleanest place either. We saw a mouse run under the table. Having worked in the restaurant industry for several years, that didn’t bother me.

Food/​Cost: (2) I came here with two other friends for brunch; accordingly, please note that my review only extends to my brunch experience. I got a croissant with ham, cheese, and avocado (approx. $ 5). Both my friends ordered an egg white omelette, which came with sides of fries and salad. The food was average, which pretty much means it was forgettable. I realize that I ordered something a bit off the menu or meant as a «side», so I do take some blame, but a good restaurant will make sure that all its offerings are great. With all the great brunch joints in NY, I would not recommend Les Enfants Terribles.
Ambiance: (4) Les Enfantes Terribles has a bar that takes up most of the space and table seating along the walls. In the summer, they open up one wall so that people can sit outside as well. In the daylight, the décor seems to be in need of a facelift or at least a bit more cohesiveness. They may be going for a hipster, french charm here, but the result seems a bit confused and without any elements typing the overall décor together.
Location: (3) Les Enfants Terribles is located on the outskirts of the Lower East Side, in an area bordering Chinatown. Specifically, its on the corner of Canal and Ludlow. Though there are other restaurants and bars around, I think this area may be less bustling compared to other areas of NY. It seems to be slowly revitalizing as I spotted a lot of empty storefronts that were being prepared for openings. Still, I don’t live in NY so take that with a grain of salt.
Service: (5) The staff here are super friendly and helpful. I was on my way to the airport so I had my carry-​on suitcase with me and my friend had a huge gym bag on her. The staff very willingly and happily put both our items in the back room for us.
Overall: (3) I don’t think I would trek out to this area [for brunch] if I didn’t live close by. Other reviewers have commented favorably on the dinners here, so that might be a different story.

Tried lamb shank, steak tartar and duck shepherd pie. Solid 4 stars for food. Hearty yet very flavorful, filling yet not very overpriced.
The configuration of this place, with a bar in the middle of the room and crammed tables along the walls is a baffling result of trying to be a bit of everything at the same time. On an uncrowded DJ-​less Sunday night it’s not a problem though, even (or especially) for a large group dinner, when tables are placed together for a reason as opposed to out of necessity.
$ 46 bottle of french wine was quite disappointing, I would avoid.
Waiters clearly aren’t aiming to make this their lifelong profession, but would you really expect that from a place between chinatown and LES?

Unlike most the reviews, I came here with my friends for brunch. This place was recommended by the front desk staff at the hotel we were staying at down the street (Hotel91). French restaurant/​bar in Chinatown, was a little surprised to find it.
There was only couple of people there when we came and the waitress was very nice and helpful. Food was good and it was nice just chilling there and relax, people watch, very french.

Les enfants aren’t the only terrible things here. I went here twice: once for brunch and once for dinner.
Brunch: dirty silverware, dirty water! Tables could have been wiped down too.
Dinner: a friend really liked this place for whatever reason so I figured I’d give it a second chance. First off we asked for a table outside and the hostess wouldn’t give it to us even though there was nobody sitting outside. Towards the end of our meal the hostess sat a mother with a couple kids on one of the tables but the others remained empty.
The music was so incredibly loud – the place is small – that it was hard for my friends to talk to one another. We asked if they could turn the music down but of course that couldn’t be done either. The white wine was served barely cool and we had to keep asking for water (though it was still light out on a summer day, we were a corner too dark for anyone to notice if there was anything floating in the water).
We ordered a few of the Brazilian dishes and maybe it’s just because I am Brazilian and have eaten the dishes the way they’re supposed to be but what a HUGE disappointment! I ordered the moqueca, which is supposed to be mix of seafood in sauce. There were 3 shrimp, 5 mussels, and some 3 or 4 pieces of fish in a tiny bowl of watery red liquid for about $ 22. The taste was of course not the taste the dish is supposed to have because it was missing the ingredients it’s supposed to have.
I tried some of the dishes my friends got and they were just ok but overall we got ripped off for the price we paid and the quality of the food we got. Of course there was the bad service too.