Random Les Chefs de France Review

[cbg1027]

I'm sorry but I don't have any photos. This review is based on a dinner I ate with my grandmother in late March or April of this year.

First off, let me say that I am a huge Francophile and lived in France for a year. So perhaps my mistake was eating here with expectations of real French food and quality. I'm sure I would have been more pleased had I eaten in a pavilion of a country I haven't actually visited. But eating here makes me think Paul Bocuse and his fellows Chefs have sold out. If this place was in France, surely their Michelin stars would be taken away.

Service was ok, but a little lackluster by Disney standards. Nothing really to complain about, but nothing to rave about.

I had the Onion Soup to begin with and it was decent, but I frankly think my own is little better. The most important thing onion soup is cutting the onions paper thin. The onion pieces at Les Chefs were too thick and thus didn't have that melt-like quality they should.

I had the chicken and potatoes for a main course, and both my grandmother and I agreed that the roasted chicken I make at home is better. This was by no means bad, but for the price, I expected something a little more...special.

My grandmother ordered the Goat Cheese and Tomato Tarte for her main course and it failed to impress either one of us. Instead of whole sliced tomatoes, it had tomato sauce with a few sad little disks of goat cheese. When she commented to the waiter that she did not like it, he simply said he was sorry and did not offer to bring her something else, as they would have done at most other Disney restaurants.

I had the Creme Brulee for dessert, and again...it was good, but I could make the same thing at home for 1/10 the price.

I have to comment the decor and atmosphere were very nice and authentic - it really felt like a Parisian brasserie.

I suppose if you don't know a lot about French food you might enjoy Les Chefs de France more than I did. But I wanted to come here so I could feel like I was back in France, and I got that a little....but the most important aspect of that for me is the taste and quality of the food, and that just fell really short for me.

 

[Robert P]

Thank you for the review. I have been feeling the same way about Chef's since after our second visit. Good, nothing great, and definitely overpriced. Not terribly indicative of what French food has to offer. And the service on our 2 most recent visits has been passable at best. Very indifferent.

The Bistro de Paris upstairs is a whole different experience, all around.

 

[onelilspark]

I agree with the PP, if you want more of a French experience, try Bistro upstairs. I think a lot of the regular restaurants around the WS have been dumbed down a bit. Great for people who want to expand their horizons a bit and try something new...not so great for those looking for something authentic!

(Personally I enjoy Chefs de France because I find it tasty, not because I think it's a "true" French experience!)

 

[cbg1027]

I was wondering about Bistro. I kind of want to try it and see if it's more French, but I've been hesitant due to my Les Chefs experience. I know they have a separate kitchen though...so maybe one day. Thanks for the info though.

 

[onelilspark]

I did a review of Bistro in my February report. The pictures are dark because I didn't want to use a flash, but it gives you an idea. My brother spent a summer in France. I wish he was with us! (He was with us when we did Chefs, he didn't really comment on it's "authenticity" but we've generally come to accept than anything that isn't signature isn't going to be "authentic." It helps!)

 

[Wrexie]

I've never been to the downstairs restaurant, but the Bistro de Paris upstairs has been one of the dining highlights of my last two trips. My husband is from the French part of Switzerland and knows French food well, and he says it's very authentic. The servers are from France (at least on the occasions I was there) and were thrilled to have a fellow Francophone there. I can't recall that many specific dishes but everything was excellent and I really felt like I'd traveled to France. I do recall an excellent dessert crepe prepared at the table. I'm looking forward to returning this January and it is the first place I'll make a reservation!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Sorry you weren't impressed, the food there is more provencal.

I had a good experience there at lunch, I had the cheese plate and the meat plate and will say that the meat plate was very "French" as was my ham and cheese sandwich. It was the best Ham and Cheese sandwich I have ever had! My soup was very good.

I would also recommend the Bistro, I think it is what you were looking for in Chefs.

 

[BingBang]

We also just at at Les Chefs a few weeks ago and were pretty unimpressed. Had eaten there a few years ago and thought it was just so-so then but deserved another chance, so I booked it while on the DP.

The service was just OK - not great, not terrible. DH and I both ordered the onion soup because we had heard so much about it. Again, it was OK, but certainly not the best I have ever had. I ordered the braised short ribs and they had a somewhat odd, strong flavor that I wasn't too crazy about. DH had the rotisserie chicken, but we actually both thought that the rotisserie chicken at Costco is better! Creme brulee for me (Le Cellier maple creme brulee was MUCH better) and profiteroles for DH - they were pretty good.

Over all, a disappointment and dont' think we will ever have the need to go back again. Too many other good places to try. Oh, and just to top it off, we also missed Remy and that was one of the things I was most looking forward to. Bummer!

 

[IheartDDuck]

As other posts have mentioned, I think that a more genuine french experience for food would be found at the Bistro above the restaurant. I like Les Chefs de France, but I do agree that the experience is a little watered down. I have to say that before the advent of the dining plan, the selections were different at many of the restaurants in the World Showcase. However, now their menus are a bit smaller and more on the generic side. While the food is tasty, I love to be more adventurous with my dining experiences as well, and I wish that Disney would bring back more food that fits in with the country.

 

[MarilIncredible]

We also just at at Les Chefs a few weeks ago and were pretty unimpressed. Had eaten there a few years ago and thought it was just so-so then but deserved another chance, so I booked it while on the DP.

The service was just OK - not great, not terrible. DH and I both ordered the onion soup because we had heard so much about it. Again, it was OK, but certainly not the best I have ever had. I ordered the braised short ribs and they had a somewhat odd, strong flavor that I wasn't too crazy about. DH had the rotisserie chicken, but we actually both thought that the rotisserie chicken at Costco is better! Creme brulee for me (Le Cellier maple creme brulee was MUCH better) and profiteroles for DH - they were pretty good.

Over all, a disappointment and dont' think we will ever have the need to go back again. Too many other good places to try. Oh, and just to top it off, we also missed Remy and that was one of the things I was most looking forward to. Bummer!

When I went DH got the onion soup and I got the escargot for starters. We thought both were good.

Our entrees really disappointed. I, like you, got the short ribs, but I found them completely lacking in flavor. And I thought the plain noodles were a poor match for a side- a root vegetable mash would have been better.

My DH got the duck and it was cold and bland.

Service was slow [and we felt completely ignored, to be honest, while other tables with different servers were getting much more attention] until we got our entrees, then the server was back every 3 minutes or so asking if he could take our plates. It wasn't like we only were there for dessert and he felt he could forsake service b/c the bill wouldn't be large enough for us to tip well. Our total was well over $100 (we had drinks, too), but only left about 10% tip b/c his service was so bad.

We decided to skip dessert (we don't do DDP), and picked up a pastry at the Patisserie to share later instead.

I don't think I'd bother going back there again. Just not impressed.

 

[cbg1027]

Sorry you weren't impressed, the food there is more provencal.

I had a good experience there at lunch, I had the cheese plate and the meat plate and will say that the meat plate was very "French" as was my ham and cheese sandwich. It was the best Ham and Cheese sandwich I have ever had! My soup was very good.

I would also recommend the Bistro, I think it is what you were looking for in Chefs.

I wish Les Chefs was more "Provençal"! They should re-tool Les Chefs and make it "Les Chefs de Provence!" - Salade Nicoise, Bouillabaisse, and dishes from the Mediterranean region of France!

I'm hard to please when it comes to French food since I lived in France for a year.

A lot of people think French food is all fancy, lots of meat, heavy sauces, etc. It's not always like that. I wish they could come up with something more like a typical French cafe. A more casual experience with simple, REAL French food - not what people THINK French is.

 

[Sagginit]

i ate there last week and as a francophone and francophile i was disappointed too. the service was bad, our waiter was soooo hard to understand my mum wanted me to speak in french but she doesnt speak it and i thought it was rude and she shouldnt have to be excluded just to order a decent meal. i had a salad, and the roasted chicken with potatos. my waiter thought i would want to drown my meal in ketchup and was confused when i wouldnt take it. the food was so hot i burned my tongue eating a potato. i wanted lorina to go too and they told me no since i wasnt allowed to take a glass bottle.
for dessert i got sorbet since i was eating gluten free. they were also a bit rude about asking what was gluten free, like i have the allergey so i should know what i can and can not order, why am i making a fuss asking them? i was glad we went since remy was there but thought the food was like americanized french cuisine. the lady at the table next to us ordered the croque monsieur and complained about the bread being "dry and crusty" lol. did she want wonder bread? i was like where are the omlettes, ham & butter on baguette sandwhiches and hearty salads. and yeah they had creme brulee but it seemed to be EVERYWHERE in WDW.