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C'est La Vie, Lancaster, PA

C'est La Vie

4.8 (1422)
$31 to $50
European
18 N Market St, Lancaster, PA 17603

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2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 20 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Casual Fine Dining…with Character
Life is made of the places you go and the people with whom you go there. C’est La Vie is a bistro that invites you to enjoy the small things in life, in the company of good friends. Our inviting, playful atmosphere along with our delicate yet satisfying cuisine makes for a place truly like no other. We invite you to experience everything C’est La Vie has to offer — and watch the world go by with us.
Artisanal, yet casual, and above all deeply enjoyable — that is the philosophy at the heart of our food. At C’est La Vie we craft both large and small plates meant to excite the senses and appeal to a wide range of tastes. As another way to pay tribute to life in Lancaster, we source our ingredients from the rich community of local farmers, butchers, and more. Discover our frequently changing menu.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Bistro, Comfort Food
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:30 am–4:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (717) 299-7319
  • Website
    http://www.clvlancaster.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Resort Casual
  • Executive chef
    Daniel LeBoon
  • Location
    18 N Market St, Lancaster, PA 17603
  • Neighborhood
    Lancaster
  • Cross street
    West Grant Street and Market Street
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

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Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,422 people are saying

C'est La Vie reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Lancaster County

    Best Overall

  • Lancaster County

    Best Food

  • Lancaster County

    Best Service

  • Lancaster County

    Best Ambiance

  • Lancaster County

    Best Value

  • Lancaster County

    Healthy

  • Lancaster County

    Hot spot

  • Lancaster County

    Neighborhood gem

  • Lancaster County

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Lancaster County

    Lively

  • Lancaster County

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
C'est La Vie offers a delightful dining experience with "delicious food" and "outstanding service." The restaurant is praised for its "sophisticated French fare," "beautiful atmosphere," and welcoming outdoor seating. Standout dishes include the "berry gazpacho," "crab cakes," and "smoked trout macarons." Servers like Michael and Benjamin are frequently commended for their professionalism and attentiveness.
1,422 Reviews

  1. Diane

    Philadelphia County1 review

    2.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    have loved this restaurant since they opened because they had the best crab cakes in Lancaster, but I have been highly disappointed my last three visits. The crab cakes are very disappointing and the meal my niece ordered was the same. Won’t go back again

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  2. Bryan

    Philadelphia County6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Beautiful restaurant with great food. A fantastic dining experience.

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  3. David

    Philadelphia County19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was prepared to perfection, and the service was outstanding. My wife had the Chilean Sea Bass and I ordered the surf and turf. My steak was very tasty and the crab cake was filled with lots of lump crab. We truly enjoyed the atmosphere of the outdoor seating.

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  4. Cricket

    Philadelphia County2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waiter was a delight! He seemed to enjoy his job. He took the time to describe the food and tell us some of his favorites. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely. We were seated in a booth by the window so we could people watch as well.

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  5. katherine VIP

    Philadelphia County61 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an A+ lunch in all respects - food, service, and ambiance. C'est La Vie's kitchen continues its steady improvement (compared to pre-pandemic), offering a delicious menu of dishes that are all well-executed. We particularly enjoyed the berry gazpacho, fried green tomato sandwich, and the two amply-sized berry salads. Everything hit the spot on this very warm day!

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  6. Daniel VIP

    Baltimore / Maryland18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent Service all Around. We had some communication errors on our part, so two of our seven arrived an hour late. Then we were a little rushed to make our theatre show (and had forgotten to mention that to our server). He was amazing. Never a remark about it. Working hard to help us at every step of the way. The food was excellent as well, but we really appreciated the kindness of the staff above all.

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  7. Jessica VIP

    Pittsburgh / Western PA7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was amazing! The ambience, the food, the service…Benjamin was incredible!

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  8. Jyuji

    Philadelphia County1 review

    3.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Halibut did not smell fresh. Chef special, red drum fish was good but pineapple salsa on the fish skin made the skin soggy. Surprisingly, at a French restaurant, no bread or baguette was served.

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  9. Amy

    Philadelphia County5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    C'est La Vie is our go-to place for special events, quiet dinners, and chatty lunches. We had tickets to a Fulton Matinee and had a relaxing and delicious lunch before the show. I especially love the outdoor seating with umbrellas and great atmosphere.

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  10. Yann VIP

    Los Angeles1 review

    2.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Even thought the service and ambience experience were positive , food quality and preparation didn’t match the price nor overall reviews . The bourguignon was the only good dish that I could recommend , bouillabaisse felt blend and didn’t taste fresh . The pizza was nothing like other pictures posted online and felt like a frozen pizza from the market, jumbo shrimps were dry probably over cooked . My wife was given a broken wine glass . Far from impressed

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FAQs

C'est La Vie offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (717) 299-7319.

C'est La Vie is rated 4.8 stars by 1422 OpenTable diners.

C'est La Vie does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Philadelphia County
  4. Lancaster County
  5. Lancaster

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 20 times today
Google Map for C'est La Vie

18 N Market St, Lancaster, PA 17603

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    West Grant Street and Market Street
  • Neighborhood
    Lancaster
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:30 am–4:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    European, Bistro, Comfort Food
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Resort Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Daniel LeBoon
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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