The French Laundry

Fantastic meal. Service was also superb. Thx to Caitlin we had a lovely tour of the kitchen after our meal

We were a group of six, all very excited for our long-anticipated evening at the French Laundry.
The food was incredibly unique and beautifully prepared and presented....and so delicious, of course. We all agreed we had a magical evening, topped off with a wonderful conversation with Thomas Keller as we were departing. It was a special evening.
However, I was disappointed in the constant "fussing" around our table. What was intended to be attentive service became, in fact, very disruptive to our socializing. There was constant activity from the staff, refilling water glasses after every sip; likewise with wine, and glasses removed, glasses added; cutlery removed and added....not to mention the flourish of servers and plates for every course. It just all became very hectic and disconcerting after awhile.
I would suggest fewer servers hovering, and a less frantic pace to the service.

An amazing experience, service, staff, atmosphere and food/dining experience exceeded my expectations. You definitley pay for what you get, no doubt they are a 3 star Michelin restaurant. I plan to be back very soon.

Great service and excellent food as expected

I had mixed reviews about TFL. I had high hopes and for the most part they were met but there were a couple of hiccups including our sommelier/captain who steered us in the wrong direction for wine pairings. Twice. At the risk of sounding like a #firstworldproblem, we didn't have a wine with one of our courses. It diminished that course. I wouldn't expect this at such a renowned restaurant such as FTL whose food and service should be flawless and impeccable. We got to meet Chef Keller so that was a nice surprise but I'm still thinking about that damn wine-less course.

Phenomenal experience! Service was exquisite. Food and wine pairings were spot on. Truly a once in a lifetime culinary experience.

One of the few Michelin 3-star restaurants in the bay area that doesn't leave you hungry after a three hour dinner! Absolutely top tier menu featuring a lot of local seasonal produce (they have their own garden across the street) along with impeccable yet friendly service. This place and Saison (San Francisco) belong at the top of a list already very short.

We had an amazing experience. Starting with the beginning, all the way to the ending when we were offered a tour of the kitchen and we had the great pleasure of meeting Chef Thomas Keller, who was a complete gentleman. He made us feel as though we were the only ones there that night. The food, the service, everything. The best culinary experience that we have had in the entire world. Believe me we have been all over, but this was the best by far!!!!!!!

Best meal of my life. For such a highly rated and well known restaurant, we were happily surprised to have such down to earth waiters and service. Not rushed or snooty, just an all around unforgettable experience. Took our party back to the kitchen after lunch. An awesome meal and great family time. Will definitely return.

I read reviews and got nervous. When you're spending this kind of money on a meal, you want perfection.

I had read that Thomas Keller's goal is to make you want just one more bite of each dish, but by the next course you're feeling the same way about it. He delivered perfection on 10 plates last night. The service was impeccable, the staff friendly, and the food was absolutely perfect. It was the best 2 hours of this foodies' restaurant life. We are still talking about dishes, ingredients, tastes, etc. I walked away thinking TK deserves every star he has. We have visited lots of highly rated restaurants; this is an experience like no other.

Been waiting a long time to dine at this restaurant , exceeded our expectations .
Tyson was absolutely amazing
The food was so exciting and flawlessly delicious
Yes, it was hugely expensive, but it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences
Our som was fantastic

The French Laundry has been on my bucket list for years and it was well worth the wait! The food and wine combined with the outstanding hospitality made for the most beautiful family dinner in Yountville. Half of our group chose the Tasting of Vegetables and half chose the chef's Tasting menu. If you have ever considered trying rabbit and octopus this is the place! On the vegetarian menu stuffed morel mushrooms, potato crusted la ratte potato and almond wood grilled cabbage are never a regret. All delicious and artistically presented. The dessert course was filled with fruit, chocolates, ice cream and more. All decadent and once in a lifetime delicious. This was one of the most fantastic "foodie" experiences for my young adult children. It will be a lifetime memory for our family and The French Laundry is back on my bucket list. One must experience this twice in a lifetime!

This was a truly fabulous experience and the food and wine were only surpassed by the service. We read a tremendous amount of reviews that The French Laundry was overrated. In all honesty, a couple decades ago we dined here as well and we were not wowed; so we hesitated to revisit. However, something about this trip was fabulous. We all found it to be very worth it. Four of us dined and all four enjoyed every course. The recommended wine pairings were spot on and the selection was endless. Three in our foursome are quasi sommeliers and they were appreciative of the wine selections.

It is certainly not for those on a budget, but if you are one who can manage it, I highly recommend giving it a try. It is worth the trouble and I would bet my first born that if you feel anything is not absolutely perfect, politely communicate your concerns and the unparalleled staff will be immediately remedy any issue beyond your satisfaction.

I am confident that everyone in the restaurant on our night left with smiles on their faces and I am confident you will too.

This was a once in a lifetime dining experience for us. This is a dining experience - food, service, ambiance - it was all amazing. However, you do pay for amazing. It was the most we've ever paid for a meal, but we had an amazing time.

Once in a lifetime experience loved it The interior could use an update

My dream come true!Best restaurant in the world!Must say even though expensive it's so worth it! Really want to come back for my birthday dinner. But it's hard to book :((

We visited the French Laundry, flying in from the East Coast, specifically to celebrate a special birthday with another couple. Perhaps we are completely spoiled, but we have also dined at the Inn at Little Washington and Paul Bocuse's L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges within the last 2 years. They were both a much more impressive experience, the food was way more impressive and creative and better presented (one of our courses at The French Laundry was a uniquely shaped piece of bread). The most disappointing of all was the lack of ambiance. There were 4 wall lights within view on the top floor where we were seated, but absolutely no decor or artwork anywhere to be found, except for a beautiful flower arrangement on the back wall near the ladies room.
We will not go back again, although we were still glad we tried it. Oh, and it should be noted that the wine list begins at $150. We were shocked that the restaurant (in the heart of Napa Valley) didn't offer some unique, well-priced local wines to round out the dining experience.
In short, no ambiance, good food, great service, but we left disappointed. So-so value.

This is the most impeccable out of this world dinner

An unbelievable experience. Menu, food and service were all on point. With all the expectations coming into a restaurant that is as highly rated, reviewed and renowned as the French Laundry, we wondered if it would be as great as we had heard. They did not disappoint and instead exceeded every hope. It was a joyful, fun, and wonderful experience-one we will never forget. Cannot thank them enough for making my husbands 50th birthday so perfect.

Wow! The dining experience was outstanding. All courses were great the presentation equally as great. Our server Anton and others were awesome explaining each course as it was presented. Our Sommelier Oscar was on point with his recommendation. Nick the Maitre D' gave us a tour of the newly open kitchen which was very informative and fun. All in all a great time out. We were celebrating my wife's birthday and they had all the details with the personalized menu with a Birthday greeting for her. The passion for what they do there is quite evident from top to bottom.

Superb meal!

Pricey - and worth it! We were pampered every minute from the time we walked in the door until we left 4 hours later! Unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Simply stunning experience. Without a doubt, one of the greatest dining experiences of our lives.

Once in a lifetime dinning. A bucket list item. Unique

Amazing. I don't think my words for Thomas kellers restaurant will do it justice.

Best restaurant in the world still! Must say even though expensive it's so worth it! Go there, eat there and have a memory for life!

Fantastic. Lived up to the hype. The food was spectacular, especially the wagyu beef. It melted in your mouth like nothing I have ever tasted. The tour of the kitchen after dinner was great. Thomas Keller was cooking on this night and was gracious enough to take a photo with my wife and me. After the photo, he went back to cleaning the work surfaces. A true leader.

French Laundry is absolutely spectacular. The French cuisine is both beautiful and delicious. The wine list is incredible, and the sommelier is truly a gem. Be prepared for very rich food. It will be one of the best meals of your life.

Absolutely perfect. Lunch 3 1/2 hours. The food was incredible but also very noteworthy is the service. The employees are all extremely gracious and kind, not only to us but to each other. As one of them said, we work in small quarters so we need to get along. I also appreciate the parting "gifts", including a folder with our menu as a momento.

In a word, spectacular. 5 stars in every category. It continues to be a great, great restaurant and amazingly worth the tariff for memory-making experience. Still, there is a tarnish on the silver. Let me focus first on the big picture.

There are several dishes here, I will mention the foie gras with its accompaniment of salts from around the world, including those from a 150 million year old copper mine and the incredibly pure from beneath the sea in Japan, called terrine, that are worth a journey. Let me mention also the smoked trout and the yellowtail, both melt-in-the-mouth delicious, and the little amuse, the salmon tartar starter, the gougere that exploded with wonderful flavor rather than passively melting in the mouth, the egg custard with truffle as a bonus dish with sublime texture! Our CIA graduate loved the pappardelle with white truffles, since we were lucky to be in season. The diversity of the tasting menu is intriguing all by itself. If only one had an unlimited digestive system! But it is too much food, and for today's market, a little too inflexible in terms of not offering a more limited menu, in my view.

Hardly any superlatives suffice to describe the wine list. World-class, but at the same time, interesting.

So what I regret to say, is that although in general the staff was outstanding, and even memorable, there were more than one or two errors that were surprising. A special order forgotten, more than one instance of dishes given to the wrong guest of our table of 4. So, we were the rare holiday lunch guests, so perhaps that's the explanation. Also, the seasoning of one lentil side dish seemed awfully salty to all of us.

Back to the big picture, if you have the time and the $, one of the most wonderful culinary experiences available in the US! Whatever your expectations, you cannot be disappointed

Mediocre food for a 3 Michelin star restaurant no bottle sparkling water in the house only purify.no black napkins for a black dress, definatelly need more for the 3 stars. Sorry
Overprice wine list creazy over priced wines !

A fantastic experience. I loved the food but what was just as wonderful was the service. Not pretentious but attentive and approachable. A memorable evening for sure!

I've been to this fabulous restaurant 8 times now and I can honestly say, that each time, is like the first time. Looking forward to another fabulous dinner on New Year's Eve. Great staff, great food and an all around amazing experience.
P.S. My husband LOVED the cigar on the patio after lunch. It was a great way to cap off a wonderful meal and I highly recommend it!
Celia

truly lives up to its billing as one of the greatest restaurants in the world

Wow, what an experience! The French Laundry is absolutely something to be experienced, as I feel no words can do it justice. The service was impeccable and the food was phenomenal. A must try!

It was everything everyone says it is. Absolutely fantastic!

Amazing ! Everything you should expect from a restaurant of this level!

Disappointed only in the fact that they forgot to give us the take home box of cookies.

Exceptinal service.! Really good food and wine. Would def. Go back again.!

The experience was not as expected. Having dined at multiple Michelin 3 restaurants I expected the level of service to exceed everyday service. Upon arriving the greeting was cold and somewhat callous- not welcoming.

Once our party was seated it took several minutes for the staff to greet us. Upon greeting we were simply given menus without a discussion of what to expect. At this point I asked about having glass of champagne or other "intro" drink as that was not offered. I also had to inquire about the wine options as we were not provided with a wine menu or told about the wine pairing option. At that point the sommelier gave us a run down of options. The fact that we had to ask was unexpected given the expectation of service.

During our dinner the level of attention by wait staff was spotty. There were crumbs on the table. One member of my party had his jacket on the back seat of his chair and was never asked if he wanted it to hang. Another dining member had on black velvet slacks. She was never offered a black napkin.

If these things happened at a normal restaurant they would be overlooked however given the cost of 5 people dining and the expectation set by the Michelin rating we expected more.

Positive. The wine was good.