Parking is metered on the street (or a block away from the Metro Gold line)!
Went here with a friend for a dineLA lunch and was a little disappointed with the food. I ordered the lobster bisque, the lobster, shrimp, and scallop black pasta, and the tiramisu for the 3 courses. My friend got the stuffed mushrooms, the lobster panini, and the flourless chocolate cake.
For the appetizers, the lobster bisque was a little bland. It had a pretty strong fishy taste (I enjoyed it, but not all people will), but it seemed to be lacking in plain salt, so you didn't really get to enjoy it as much. The chicken and spinach stuffed mushrooms were alright; they also seemed to be a little bland and had a weird texture, similar to that of a hard scrambled egg.
The main courses: the pasta looked amazing and the seafood on it was cooked perfectly, but the pasta itself was a bit mushy for my tastes. The sauce used in the pasta also seemed very similar to the lobster bisque, which was weird. The lobster panini was actually pretty good. It had a lot of lobster in it and it came complete with a salad or fries (the salad was a spring mix).
For dessert, the tiramisu was alright; a strong liqueur taste to it. Wasn't a huge fan of the flourless chocolate cake; it was a bit "granular" if that makes any sense.
Overall, I don't know if I can complain for a 3-course $15 lunch with lobster in it, but I guess I expected something a little better-tasting that what we experienced Saturday for a dineLA restaurant.
Also, only one bathroom! Be prepared to wait. Nice ambiance, pretty good service, but with the food experience, probably wouldn't return, especially at regular price.
My friends and I came to Cafe Bizou during DineLA. The host greeted us pleasantly and brought us to our seats.
The restaurant is small and cozy, the lighting is fairly romantic.
I ordered a lobster, shrimp, and scallop black pasta. Although it was packed with seafood, the taste was fairly bland. The lobster bisque, however, was very tasteful.
One problem we experienced was when my friend wanted to order the Steak and Lobster dish presented in the DineLA menu, and our waiter told him that they were out of it for the night. That would not have been a problem, except that for the rest of the night, waiters were bringing the Steak and Lobster dish to all the tables around us!
I'll write this situation off this one time only because I think the waiters were probably just too busy and flustered from all the DineLA folks. Still contemplating whether I could give it another try.
It's my second time doing the DineLA event at cafe bizou. The first time I came here was back in 2009 or 2010 for DineLA dinner and I just remember we got a veal dish and that wasn't good at all. So I always had a bad impression of this place until my friend asked me to try the dineLA lunch with her here and the lunch totally changed my perspective!
Lets start with the lunch menu and price, it's $15 dollars for literally all the lobster dishes we got. So we ordered lobster bisque, lobster panini and lobster pasta, also in addition, got the baked mushroom with crab cake on top and substitute the dessert for two glasses of house white wine, which to our surprise, was really good wine. So overall, we each spent $18 bucks on lobster meal with wine. This deal would be hard to find anywhere else in old town Pasadena because just a glass of wine at places like mi piace or Cheesecake Factory would be around $14 to $18 dollars. We definitely got what we paid for and was so full off lobsters that we even had leftovers. The pasta was full of goodies such as two jumbo shrimps, two scallops and lots of lobsters. The creamy tomato sauce was not too creamy or oilly, and our substitute angle hair was cooked perfectly with the exact firmness. I personally really enjoyed my dineLA experience here and definitely will recommend friends to come and try their DineLA lunch menu for $15 dollars.
We ate for about an hour and half, and the server was good at checking up on refilling  water and asking us about our food. I felt comfortable to not be rushed like some of the other dineLA places, and definitely had a great time eating here.
Tip on parking: there's a 90 minutes free parking structure on holly street, I used to work on the building next to cafe bizou, so it's either that parking structure or the street. It's just easier to find parkings at the parking structure and save a few quarters on the first 90 minutes of your parking fee.
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=AHOoSYzqdNW-N5Gyr3DGAg&userid=S8lmPHaZK1RoSc5gtaZtWw">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>
Day 4 of DineLA
I came here for two things : Lobster bisque and flourless choco cake. The lobster panini is a new item on the DineLA menu so I wanted to give it a try. Surprisingly, it tasted better than the lobster sandwich I had in Parkway grill 3 days ago!
Hidden gem in Pasadena! I took away one star for some minor flaws: the soup was not hot enough and the french fries were soggy.
Like everyone else, I came here for DineLA
For the appetizer, I had the french onion soup. It was pretty good. The soup was light, and it had an okay amount of bread in the soup. The cheese was melted to perfection. Overall, the soup was ordinary, nothing special.
For the entree, I ordered the Alaskan Halibut. The fish was too salty on the outside, but the inside was very tender and moist. It came with steamed veggies, and this red sauce, which was pretty good.
Finally, the dessert. I ordered the tiramisu. It was also just okay, it didn't have pizzaz.
The service in the restaurant is great. My table never had a cup less than half full. The waiters were very hospitable and nice. They checked up on us quiet frequently.
I don't think that the quality of food was worth ~$30 a person though.
This was the only restaurant that I tried for DineLA week and for lunch. I have been to another Cafe Bizou location years ago and I recalled that it was pretty good - not fantastic but I do remember that I had some seafood dish for dinner and it was good - probably would have even given it three stars if I had a Yelp account then. However  this time around and at this location, it's a different story.
Since we came here for the prixe fixe menu, naturally we ordered what was on the DineLA week menu. I started with the stuffed mushrooms, followed by the Grilled Lobster Avocado Panini and then finished off with the Tiramisu. My bf started with the Lobster Bisque followed by the Salmon cooked on a Cedar Plank and finished off with the duo Sorbet.
So the stuffed mushrooms were okay - there's only two of them.
The lobster panini wasn't bad either - real big chunk of the lobster claw meat plus avocado - which at first was to me a weird combination but it turned out pretty okay.
The Tiramisu, on the other hand was pretty gross....it was already pretty sweet but they added this white chocolate raspberry sauce on the bottom which made it even sweeter - Tiramisu with white chocolate raspberry sauce is just a no-no.
My bf's Lobster Bisque was really watery, everything on the cedar plank was bland - the salmon was cooked alright but they didn't even season it - actually none of the vegetables on the plank was seasoned either - not even with salt. It was super bland. The only thing that was good from his meal was the sorbet.
Now onto their service.....
The service was pretty bad - almost as bad if not just as bad as the food. So the waiter, I felt was either absent minded or he just didn't want to serve us. After taking our orders and giving us the food he just disappeared.
We got the appetizer and entree fairly quickly but  they forgot about the dessert completely because the table of 3 that came like 15 minutes after us got all their food plus almost finished their desserts (which was three sorbets) before we even got ours. I was kinda pissy already about that - but on top of that he threw away the half of the lobster panini that I said I wanted a box for. So I didn't get my left over half of the sandwich but also took forever for him to get us the dessert and bill.
It was a good thing that each meal was only $15 because I would have been pissed to have paid any more for it.
Overall I was super dissatisfied with the meal, the service and the place in general. The restroom - if you are claustrophobic - then I advise you not to go in - cause it is super super tiny.
I found this spot on DineLa's website and I thought I'd give it a try.
I was happy with the quality of the food, salmon was great, veggies were good, but they may have been under salted for most. The food got 4stars but the wait staff needs to be worked on.
Twice, two dished were brought to us and we were asked was this our order. We had 3 various waiters throughout our lunch perhaps this is why they forgot about us for about 30min they just assumed each other were tending to us. 30min between the time they cleared the table of our main dish till they came to get our dessert order is a bit much. Everyone looked as if they were playing catch and there was no consistent flow through the restaurant .
As I mentioned food was good but I cant see myself back here to deal with such a weak wait staff.
Came here for DineLA lunch for $15, and was pleasantly surprised. I came in a group, so I'll try to cover a few things on the menu.
First of all, we were seated promptly, and service was great. They were just a little slow on refiling the bread basket, but that doesn't really matter too much. But anyways, back to the food...
Appetizer:
I got the lobster bisque, and also sampled some of my friend's French Onion. The two were delicious, I loved the amount of lobster in my soup! The soups are a little less salty than what I usually am used to at other restaurants, which I liked. One of my friends got the stuffed mushrooms, but I don't think it looked as good as my soup. Plus, his plate only had like 2 mushrooms on it. Bummer for him!
Main course:
Almost everyone on my table got the pasta, since it seemed the most "worth it". The pasta is Black, and the waiter told me it was made with squid ink. It was in a red-ish sauce with lobster, scallop, and shrimp. It tasted a little bland to me, but nothing a few shakes of the salt shaker can't fix (it made a HUGE difference). The black pasta tasted like wheat pasta, which is not one of my favorites, but was still pretty good. I must admit, the food did not look that appetizing when it arrived, but it tasted better than it looked. It wasn't a whole lot of pasta, but just enough to get me full.
Dessert:
You can't go wrong with either the sorbet or the tira misu, both were delicious. Did not try the flourless chocolate cake, so cannot speak for that.
I think the meal was totally worth my $15! Service and food were both good (Not the best I've ever had, but it was very good for the price I paid for).
I'm bumping this place up from three stars to four because EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE $2 CORKAGE FEE. Wish I could give this place 3.5 stars.
We had the combo plate appetizer with the tuna tartare added on. The lobster ravioli and baked mushrooms were delicious. Tuna tartare was nothing to write home about. I ordered a Caprice salad (do we have to call it that because we're at a French restaurant? I ordered saying "Caprese" and the waiter looked confused). It was nothing to write home about - but the black pasta with seafood is awesome! 20 bucks for a totally gourmet dish. And, the tiramisu was great! Not watery, just right. Not too much cocoa powder.
I have to say, there wasn't a lot of traditional French food on the menu. The only duck was a duck salad, and there were escargot on the menu. When I think French I think whole chickens for two, duck, a selection of pate and cheeses...none of that on the menu. So if you're looking for authenticity, look elsewhere.
All in all I will keep coming back here for the corkage fee. Most French places are obscenely expensive, but I'm totally willing to skimp slightly on quality and menu selection for the prices I can get at Café Bizou.
Ate dinner at one of three outdoor tables and feel really lucky to have found this place for dinner. Â Everything was cooked perfectly and priced very reasonably. Wish we had brought our own wine bottle for the $2 corkage fee!! Â Asian Pear Salad very nice way to start the meal. Â Go there, you'll enjoy.
Review Source:What a find, tasty French food at good prices with some OK wines and a ridiculous $2 corkage fee!  We're not talking true "gourmet" food here, but at these prices it's a good deal and good enough.  They offer a Caesar salad for $2 with a dinner entrée, and while the dressing is kind of wimpy, the garlic croutons are really tasty and the portion size is just right for a starter.  The menu is rather large with plenty of choices, another plus.  Some of the meat dishes offer different portion sizes, which is cool as well.
I had the roasted monkfish (can't remember the last time I saw this fish on a menu), and it was cooked just right (although I made sure to ask the waiter to make sure it wasn't overcooked). Â It was served atop what was supposed to be "lobster risotto", which was more like cheesy rice with some lobster in it, which was OK, and the "fried carrots" on top of the whole thing were kind of a soggy distraction; onion strings would've been better. Â The plate was *really* hot, which was a nice touch. Â The serving was generous, and tasted good; the snow peas were a sweet counterpoint to what was primarily kind of a "salty" dish, although the seasonings were not extreme.
Café Bizou is walking distance from the Gold Line Memorial Park stop, so you can enjoy some wine with dinner and not worry about a DUI, another plus.  The service was attentive and the vibe is pleasant and enjoyable.  I will definitely be back. Â
Recommended.
We had dinner here and it was one of the best experiences we had in Pasadena. Â Great ambiance, quick and professional service as well. The food is to die for. Â We had the lobster bisque as an appetizer, and it was the best lobster bisque we had. Â A lot of lobster chunks with a great taste. Â I had the pork tenderloin and my girlfriend had the short ribs. Â The sauce on the tenderloin was creative and delicious and the short ribs were so tender that they melt in your mouth. Â Unfortunately we were running late for a movie and had to skip dessert which was a shame because everything looked delicious. Â Great prices here too! Â Go here and you'll have a great time!
Review Source:We had a dinner there yesterday. That was good.
I felt kinda greedy yesterday and was trying to find a "not that expensive" Â near Pasadena. And I found this place and I thought "Oh my Gosh!! French restaurant with such a low prices!"
The place is very cute in fresh-american style with white cloths and real candle on the table.
We ordered couple of salads and their special for the night NY Steak.
I loved Asian Pear Salad - amazing! blue cheese and pear make such a good combination.
My usual Capreese salad was good too.
I didnt try the steak because I didnt want to pig out at 10 pm but my bf was very happy about it.
I would definitely come back one Monday: their Monday's special is a lobster.
Very simple and casual place!
To the owner: some quite french accordion music would make this place perfect!
This is a perfect example of the need for half stars. I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could, but I am going to give them the benefit of a doubt. Cafe Bizou, on the northern edge of Old Town Pasadena, is like Miss Havisham before the downhill slide. She's an old dame who could use a new dress. Bizou is filled with dark woods that have been abused by countless customers and worn green carpet that bunches around corners. Though labeled as French, the menu is decidedly more muddled. When we sat down, the background music was 40s chic, which I thought complemented the place nicely, but by the end of the meal they were spinning the 80s, which was just odd.
We had no trouble getting a reservation at 6:30 pm on a Saturday night, even when contacting the restaurant two hours prior. When we arrived, there were many open tables, but the place was filled within an hour. A big basket of bread was on the table almost immediately. Service was attentive.
We opted for the smoked salmon blini appetizer, steak frites (it's supposed to be French after all), and wild white king salmon. The blinis were topped with smoked salmon and a dollop of sour cream. The blinis were a bit too doughy and mealy for my taste, and the smoked salmon was a bit too fishy, a sign it was past its prime. I really can't recommend them.
The steak was a large portion of tenderloin, grilled to perfection, served with a generous side of frites (think McDonald's fries). There was also a slice of grilled tomato, which provided a nice brightness, and some asparagus that seemed like an afterthought. There was also a burgundy sauce, but it didn't really bring much to the party. A small honey mustard dressed salad (or cup of soup of the day) can be added to any entree for $1, and that's about what it's worth. A small Caesar can be added for $2.
The wild white king (or Chinook) salmon is a genetic oddity. About 1 of every 100 Chinooks lack the deep red coloring so common in wild salmon. In my experience, it doesn't affect the flavor at all. The salmon was perfectly cooked, but underseasoned, and served atop garlic mashed potatoes, which were delicious. There was also a side of fresh mixed veggies, including snow peas and green beans.
All in all, I'd say the food is decent, though not stellar, and the ambience could use an update. Bizou isn't what I would call a destination, but I'd try it again if I am in the neighborhood.
Came during dineLA. Pretty bad service, waiter doesnt take our empty dishes before serving our main course?? ive never had that happen to me..he just pushes the dirty plate aside while serving the next dish! Unbelievable..and Food was pretty bland..also to top it off - i found a hair in my escargo! So Disgusting!
However the sorbet was great.. Maybe the best thing there. But not enough to make me go back to this place...sorry but cafe bizou didn't represent themselves well during my first visit.
Aw, hadn't been to CB in quite some time and was looking forward to trying it again. I think we visited during DineLA by coincidence. We ordered off the special menu and a friend and I split two meals so that we could try a variety of offerings.
Sadly, the escargot is the only thing that stood out. I remember it being good, but everything else being mediocre. Too bad, I really enjoyed the ambiance and service.
I might try CB again and order off the normal menu to see if it's any better. But the sad thing about a blah meal in a land-of-plenty-restaurants, is that it takes one forever to return and try again.
Thesis statement: Cafe Bizou does not live up to its hype!!
It is also not as French as its French name may cause you to believe it to be. In fact, the food served here not French at all! It is more like a casual western cafe with in an eclectic atmosphere.
Came here for a late Saturday afternoon lunch with my homie g. We ordered the Lobster bisque ($6.95) and the Chicken pomodoro ($12.95). There was also a basket of complimentary bread and butter. The bread was fine but the butter was so hard that it was impossible to spread on the bread.
When the lobster bisque first arrived at our table, we were surprised that it was such a tiny serving. I'm not joking, the cup was so small that it looked like a demitasse without the handle. We figured that would have been acceptable, because the soup was quite rich. However, about five minutes later, a busboy (not our waiter) came by to let us know that there was a mix up and presented us each with another small cup of soup LOL. The busboy told us that our waiter made a mistake and that we were not supposed to receive such a small serving for the price we were paying.
We were surprised that the busboy was notifying us instead of the waiter, who, by the way, seemed to be floating around the restaurant in a stupor- perhaps drifting off to lala land! Anyway, back to the soup. Served with a few turns of freshly ground black pepper, it had way too much tomato, preventing us from tasting the sweetness of the lobster. There were also notes of basil in the soup. However, the soup had a tart and sour taste that completely detracted from the sweet seafood flavor that is supposed to permeate a traditional bowl of lobster bisque. It was so sour that I couldn't help but purse my lips with each spoonful of soup.
The Chicken Pomodoro was extremely bland- the chicken was dry and did not have a hint of salt, the basil was not enough to declare its presence amongst the spinach leaves, the pesto sauce did not help moisturize any of the dry textures of the other sandwich ingredients, and the tomato was there just for show. The frites were also highly undersalted. Homie g had to slather on the ketchup in order to flavor her sandwich enough for consumption. She ended up using the rest of the ketchup in my dish to finish the french fries.
The quality of the food here sits far below what can be expected of a casual "French" cafe.
We had been to Cafe Bizou 13 years ago for my mom's 50th birthday, and back then it was a real top-notch place. Â It has declined somewhat since. Â Don't get me wrong, the food is still good (I enjoyed my filet mignon), the drinks are well-done; but the service is somewhat lacking. Â First, this is one of those places that won't seat you until your whole party shows. Â Why? Â We had a reservation for 7 people--they need to hold the table anyway. Â Next, my knife had a big, gross, greasy fingerprint on it. Â I asked for a new one, and the new one also had a more faded greasy fingerprint (hmmm...). Â Also, my water glass was empty often, and I really think a meal involving copious amounts of heavy food and drinks requires constant replenishment of liquids. Â Cafe Bizou has lost its shine. Â I would return if my familia wants to go again, but I wouldn't return on my own.
Review Source:A few months back my Fella and I took my Grandparents out to dinner for my Grandmothers birthday. Cafe Bizou being one of their long time favorite establishments to patronize, it seemed like an obvious choice. I hopped on my phone, opened yelp and made a reservation. Very simple process, I was worried about it being lost but my worries were soothed when I received a conformation email though yelp, and a phone call from the cafe itself confirming my reservation. Talk about the extra mile of service. :).
  The night of the dinner, my Fella and I were running a bit later than we had hoped. I was very glad that Cafe Bizou has a valet stand right out in front. It was nice not having to deal with parking in one of the huge structures in old town, and even nicer not having to walk  to and fro in my massive and somewhat painful heels. Also you don't have to remember where you parked either. Obviously we valeted, I can't remember what the charge for it was, but I do remember it was cheaper than average or about average.
  As I mentioned before we were running late, so we arrived to find our party already seated and waiting for us at a lovely round table for four. Actually we were the only patrons sitting in the middle portion of the restaurant. I didn't mind the segregation, it had been far too long since I had had the priviledge of seeing my Grandparents without all the hustle and bustle of family gatherings. Â
  We ordered a round of cocktails and sipped them while conversing and catching up. We definitely took our time, and our server was very good about sensing the kind of lazy non scheduled timing that was appropriate for our party. I am not usually a fan of fruity martinis but the list of offerings had quite a few amazing sounding cocktails, that I just had to try one. I want to say i had a vodka based martini with pineapple juice, which I can not remember what it was called. I do however remember that my Fella had a Key lime martini, that I will never forget. It was just like a cool silky piece of pie, just fortified with copious amounts of liquor. My Grandmother, who isn't a big hard alcohol drinker, even ordered one of these martinis after dinner. That thought makes me smile, my proper Grandma getting a wicked birthday buzz.
  For our first courses everyone but the Fella went for the salad options. I had the mixed green salad with blue cheese, candied walnuts and a mustard dressing. Every flavor balanced out the next in perfect harmony. The walnuts sweetness blended with the sharp flavor of the cheese, oh my, Heaven! Even the mustard dressing was awesome, subtle but flavorful. My Fella opted for the onion soup, which we ended up splitting. It was so good, it had the innate ability to flashback my memory to the fall in which I visited France and had this traditional soup made by a real french chef. I felt as though they had the same great flavors and spices. The onions were perfect, in flavor, color and consistency. Truly the start of a perfect meal!
  Our second courses were much more decadent. My fella had the short rib special, which I had to try, for the sake of a fully accurate review. It was so tender and fell off the bone with a small nudge of the fork. For my dinner I chose the New York Steak, done in Au poivre. It was to die for, perfectly prepared and with a great not overwhelming pepper flavor. I really feel like they have the best French taught Chefs here, or at least have such a passion for the art that everything comes out tasting great, maybe it is passion, or love for their art. Whatever it is, it works.
  I know we finished off with dessert, how can you not at a Birthday celebration? I just can't remember what it was. My guess is either the Tiramisu or the bread pudding, since I am a sucker for both. I do remember that it was dilightful and tasted great. I look forward to the next time we stop in for dinner, as per usual I know it will be a lovely time had by all.
After a quick trip to Target, my husband and I were craving some red meat -- I had a long chicken week, to say the least -- and we instantly thought of hitting up the burger place around the corner. Â However, due to the popular sports events going on, the loud crowd, and the lack of parking to eat at that restaurant, we decided to find the nearest parking space and ask our fellow Yelpers for the closest meat fix.
Right around the corner from our car was Cafe Bizou. Â The menu prices seemed fair -- New York steak and fries for $17 -- so we walked the 30 feet and into a very nicely decorated restaurant. Â At this 8PM Sunday dinnertime, it looked like typical clientele would be your older crowd, and there were a few celebrations/parties around this large restaurant. Â We saw the white table cloths and instantly asked our host if our attire -- one of us in t-shirt and shorts -- was allowed, and they were very welcoming. Â They sat us at a lovely window table.
Our service was exemplary. Â Although the food is not the best we have had -- even for the prices -- the service and ambience are great and therefore this restaurant sits high on my list of Pasadena eateries we are trying for the first time so far.
We had:
New York steak w/fries
Spicy Chicken Pasta
lobster bisque
tomato & mushroom soup
gin martini
another cocktail (I forget the name)
bread basket
Again, the food was nothing to write home about, but the experience is what we needed to have a pleasant Sunday dinner night out. Â We will come here again, next time for the brunch or lunch specials.
Cafe Bizou has been around in Old town Pasadena for decades, and because of that I expected that they are doing some things right. Well I was wrong. I came here with a group of friends for the Dine Pasadena special. For 27 bucks you get an appetizer, entree, and a dessert. I was excited to retry this restaurant because the only other opportunity I had was 10 years ago and I figure I would give it another chance.
First when you walk in you realize you are in a previously upscale restaurant that has passed it's prime. When the only way you can tell the restaurant is french without looking at the menu is the dated la chat noir (the black cat) posters that about in every college dorm room in the 90s. The booth we were in was reasonably comfortable. The service was reasonably attentive but they epicallly failed on FOOD.
While I maintain that ambiance, company, and service are incredibly important in a dining experience, if the food is shit that all goes to naught. For an appetizer I had some beautiful french snails that were ruined in butter and no other seasonings. What did it taste? like a buttery congealed mess.
For the entree I ordered the giant shrimp, steak, and scallop dish. I assumed it was some play on surf and turf but instead I get a play of overcooked and over seasoned.
The steal was ordered medium rare. That means enough pink in the middle to make any teenage kid happy. Instead it was dried up, chewy, and disappointing.
The shrimps are overcooked and a bit rubbery. But was more disheartening tho is i like a nice sear on my seafood. to bring out the aromatics. To be fair, there wasn't much aromatics when you cook shrimps in tomato sauce (which again doesn't' seem that french) but now I'm getting away from myself. Finally the scallop sat next to the shrimps and i forgot about it for a bit. I like my scallops to be cooked on a hot plate. To be totally well seared on the outside and still juicy but cooked on the inside. My scallop was mushy. it tasted like e she boiled it and put it on my plate. NO SEAL IN THE GRILL . NO GRILL
As Jerry Springer would do in a somewheres my two cents.
When a restaurant attempts to increase sales through providing exposure to a set menu then they need to hit every plate out of the park . i want to be at the end of the night pray in for it to never end. Sadly, I left extremely hungry and with a bottle of resentment
All in all the food was edible but it just felt like a breach of promise because of the expectations that were created
We had such a nice time with their food selection here for both lunch and dinner. I've been to Cafe Bizou twice now for dineLA and I always love their menu choices. They have a nice variety of items making it so that everyone I bring will have something they like from the menu.
I wouldn't say this is somewhere you'd travel 50 miles for, but if you're in a local city around Pasadena and would like a semi classier French dinner, this would be a great place to go. The ambiance is dim yet chatty, but everyone who walks in is pretty casual. I love the way they prepare their fish and the dessert is super yummy. My suggestion is their Sandabs. They serve it with capers and the fish is lightly fried.
Parking can be found just a little bit north of this place in a parking garage, or you can find find street parking around, but be careful, it's surrounded by one way streets so just be cautious when you drive and pay attention to where you are going.
If you want to wait for DineLA to come around, you should definitely check this place out, but even without the dineLA menu, their prices are pretty fair. Definitely recommend!
Fancy meats budget dining! The food here is great. The price is even better. And parking is down the block with a 90 minute free.
My boyfriend love to come here when we are in the mood for a more romantic night out. I have to also agree that Cafe Bizou has become one of my most liked restaurants. They have their prefix menu all the time so I don't have to wait until DineLA week to dine here. For about $27, you can get good seafood or steak. Comes with your choice of appetizers and dessert.
Here are my favorites:
Lobster ravioli. Delicious and seems the best bang for your buck kind of appetizer.
Lobster Bisque. Once of the best I've had.
Steak and Jumbo Shrimp and Scallop. C'mon, the title of the entree says it all. Just don't expect a 7 oz steak. That's not what you're going to get.
Seafood pasta. The pasta is black and can sometimes be overly cooked. Nonetheless, the do not cheap out on the seafood toppings. Great sauce too.
I am not a huge dessert fan so I usually go for the Sorbet Trio. They are more known for the flour-less chocolate cake though. If you're on a tight budget but want to take your significant other on a nice date, Cafe Bizou is the place for you!
P.S. They also have good cocktails that are sweet and strong to get your significant other drunk too.... just saying.
You fancy huh?!
Came here during DINE LA. Honestly, ended up coming to Cafe Bizou because it was one of the few openings Open Table had available for the time I was looking for. But it turned out to be a great dinner.
It was pretty busy, but since I made a reservation the bf and I were seated immediately. It was a nice corner table at the front of the restaurant looking onto the street. I felt a little out of place, because I felt it was a fancy place ... I mean Cafe Bizou punched me in the face with AMBIANCE, AMBIANCE, AMBIANCE! And I LOVED it!
Ordered off the the prefixed DINE LA menu which was 3 courses for $25/pp. The boyfriend ended up ordering escargot, lobster, sea scallops and shrimp pasta and for dessert the sorbet trio. I ordered the baked mushrooms, the steak, sea scallop and jumbo shrimp with the tiramisu. The portions were a good size and very delicious.
The service was what is expected from a fine dining restaurant. Everyone was pleasant and you never had to look for a server. It was like they could read your mind and they would come by the table every so often to see if you were doing well.
It was also MY FIRST TIME eating escargot. And for the weary minded and stomachs, it tastes like chicken! Seriously! It's a bit chewy and I couldn't get over the fact that it was a snail, but it tastes like chicken!
I've een here three times, and the food has always been anywhere between mediocre-decent. It's a semi-casual restaurant that is on the verge of going into semi-upscale, but I have little faith that it will be anything but. From my three visits, there was nothing memorable although I had a good time wining and dining with my friends.
One more thing- do not sign onto their email list. They do not use a third party service and you will never be able to unsubscribe. I've been bombarded by emails constantly and they refuse to take me off their list. I actually didn't even subscribe to their list, but went to DineLA week and have been receiving emails for the last 2 years.
I have tried this place twice and Ugh, Yuck, No way! Â What is the deal here? Â How does this place stay in business? Â The staff is beyond bizzarre and rude. Â Are they union employees? Â No joke, are they? Â No caring about the quality of their work and the feeling like they are doing you a favor by just being there. Â This is not based on just one waiter...they are all rude, unprofessional, and seemingly so unhappy to be there!
The food reminds me of cafeteria style. Â It is okay, but NOTHING great. Â I would prefer anything over this nastiness. Â Now mind you I did not try the lobster bisque. Â Perhaps that is their claim to fame.
Stay away from this place, it is not worth your time or money.
Sorry guys....ugh!
First, this place is one of the best deals price v. quality in all of Los Angeles.
Second, this is the problem with Yelp. Â In and Out Burger gets 4 1/2 stars and so does this place? Â What? Â This is not about In and Out Burger, it's ok for fast food, but it's fast food. Â Cafe Bizou is fine dinning.
This is one of my favorite places and would love to give it five stars but I save that for truly mind blowing meals, you know like In and Out Burger... sigh.
Anyway, I always have their spinach salad to begin with. Â I think it is one of the best. Â Now I will admit that at times the amount of dressing changes from night to night but it still is great. Â I've had a few other main courses but the best for me is the rack of lamb. Â This is the best lamb I've ever had and it is very reasonably priced. Â As I said above, for the price, this food just can't be beat.
I've eaten at the Sherman Oaks location and that one is always more crowded and I don't think the facility is as nice. Â However, the food does seem to be slightly better. Â But as I can walk into the Pasadena location without a wait, I'll take this place any time.
This place is great for a date, romantic enough, food is great, wine is not bad to help with the social lubrication and the bill will leave enough to go do something after dinner. Â It's a better experience all around than In and Out Burger... sigh.
Sorry folks, hate to break it to you, but they don't serve French food in this restaurant. Â They have French posters on the walls, but this is an American restaurant through and through. I Â went to Cafe Bizou for dineLA Restaurant Week with my coworker back in January. It was $15 for 3 course lunch. Â
The complimentary bread didn't taste as good as Cheesecake Factory's bread. Â
My coworker ordered Lobster Bisque. Â Lobster bisque always tasted too salty for me at other restaurants, but Cafe Bizou's version was just right. Â There were A LOT of lobster in the soup. My other coworker and i got the French onion soup. Again, French onion soup usually tasted too salty but this is just right.
My main entree was Lobster Tagallini Pasta. Â Lobster, lobster, and lobster. Â There were so much lobster in the dish. Â It's like "they give you lobster like it's free in this restaurant!" Â Fresh tomato and mushroom with the black tagallini pasta was great. Â I finished the entire dish, every bite of it. Yum!
My coworker ordered New York Steak. Â The steak was cooked good, but it didn't have any taste. Â Like I mentioned before, seasoning was really light in this restaurant. Â In this case with the steak, it was a bit too light. Â Steak had no taste, and the brandy cream sauce also had no taste. Â She had to dip her steak in to the ketchup for some flavor. Â Fries was good though.
The other coworker got this salmon salad. Of course, I took a bite of her salad. I don't like the dressing because it tasted herby. The salmon on the hand is delicious.
I got Trio of Sorbet. Â I thought it was too sweet, and preferred ice cream over sorbet. Â There were three flavors, raspberry, mango, and lime. Â I love the mango one.
Homemade Tiramisu was great the first few bites, but it was a bit too sweet. Â I only ate half of it. My coworker didnt want hers so I killed it too. The flour less cake was gross and the texture was weird. Not a fan
It was a very relaxing lunch with my coworkers. Â Service was really slow. I didnt get eter cup refilled until I had to ask. But after I asked, they took forever to come by and refill my cup. No one came to check on us. We felt a bit ignored. Seriously, there is no one else in the restaurant, so I expect a little more attention?
Well... Â Food was good for my coworkers, who likes light and simple food. Â But for someone who's used to heavy salt and flavor, the food at Cafe Bizou will probably be too bland. But for $16, it sure was a great bargain!
Actually been here twice. But the first time I was here, I didn't have a smart phone and yelp wasn't around for me to check into places, and duck liver was still on the menu.
The restaurant definitely has it's own charm, but too bad the food was just mediocre.
Last time I was here for Dine La restaurant week. Cafe Bizou was close and it had one of the cheaper menus around. The menu also sounded quite appetizing. Did a little digging on yelp, corkage fee is only $2 here. So it was looking to be a very promising night. Save money on booze, interesting dinela menu, and 10 min drive from my place.
Service had it's up and downs. Overall I was content. No major complaints.
The food: $28 per person.
Appetizers:
-Escargot
-stuffed mushrooms
Entrees:
-Steak, Sea Scallop, and Jumbo Shrimp
-lobster seafood pasta
Dessert:
Tiramisu
Flourless Chocolate Cake
The appetizers were the best part. The entrees were a bit disappointing. Steak wasn't evenly cooked, the portion is super dainty, the scallop was cooked perfectly. Jumbo shrimp is an oxymoron that wasn't very jumbo. Â The sauce they put in the pasta is the same sauce they put in the surf and turf. So essentially, it all tasted like the same thing. The desserts were ok, nothing spectacular.
The restaurant has a very romantic ambient, and the service isn't bad. I think I'd probably come back to drink some wine and order a few appetizers next time. It's seems like a nice fancy place til you order the entree.
I first ate at Cafe Bizou a year or two ago and remembered it being a good experience, so I decided to take advantage of the last day of dineLA and go here for date night. We made reservations for 9 pm, but arrived 30 minutes early. They were very accommodating and sat us rather quickly. Boy, were we glad we booked a table because it was mad packed and we were mad starving! I highly suggest everyone make reservations ahead of time.
So we paid $25 for a 3-course meal. Not too shabby.
-French Onion Soup: surely not the best I had...
-Escargots Persillade: it was my first time. Mainly tasted butter and garlic.
-Steak, Sea Scallop, & Jumbo Shrimp: not sure if it was for the dineLA promo, but I would have been highly disappointed if I paid full price for such a small portion.
-Flourless Chocolate Cake: it was good, but didn't think the raspberry sauce paired well.
- Tiramisu: I enjoyed it
I wouldn't say I was completely satisfied with everything, but it was decent. Feels like the quality of the food isn't quite up to par like it used to be. The lobster, sea scallop, & shrimp pasta looked so much better than our steak dish. I would recommend ordering that instead.
Went here for dineLA week and was disappointed by their FRENCH ONION SOUP.
It was bland, and cheese was stuck together. Not presentable nor enjoyable.
Other than that, the pasta and white fish were great.
Two 3-course lunch totaled about $33 after tip and tax.
I would only come here during dineLA..
Made reservations for restaurant week, and when we arrived, the restaurant was PACKED. Even though I made reservations, I still had to wait for my seat in the uncomfortable lobby, trying not make eye contact with other customers or be in the way of the the waiters.
We didn't even order from the prix fixe menu for restaurant week. I ordered a steak frites and my boyfriend ordered a steak also. Then we waited, waited, waited, and waited. I didn't like the bread they gave us, was it brioche? Either way, it was too heavy to be a starter, and neither the bread was warm nor the butter was soft.
Overall I enjoyed my food. The highlight of my meal was the grilled tomato, what did they do to it? It's delicious, plump, juicy! I want to try this at home.
I would come back with a bigger group of people though, because their corkage fee is only $2! Not a hefty price to pay, each person can get drunk off their own bottle of wine AND have a good meal to go with it.
I came here for DineLA on a Saturday. Â I had a reservation for 8pm and it was packed so make sure to call ahead to make a reservation. Â My party of 8 had to wait a little bit. Â They don't sit you until everybody in the party is there. Â
The food was good for the price. Â We had a three course meal for $25, with tax and tip it came out to $32 per person. Â The salmon was great! Â The tiramisu was ok. Â I had told the waiter to put a candle on the dessert for my sister's bday but they forgot...
Service was definitely slow and we had to wait quite a bit for the food to come.
My sister loved the food there!
This was a good Dine LA dinner deal!
I've been here several times, most of the times during dineLA. Although I loved the $15 lunch for a 3 course meal during dineLA season, I honestly thought that the quality has gone down over the years.
I ordered the lobster bisque. I was disappointed because it was watery and very very fishy. It wasn't a hearty soup like I expected.
I also got their lobster, sea scallop and shrimp pasta. Man, this entree used to be so good! What happened??? The lobster meat in the pasta was as big as my little pinky. The shrimp was scarce and I tasted shredded up scallop. I must say that the black tagallini pasta was cooked well. As my friend said, "It seems like someone took the lobster bisque soup and dumped it in this pasta cause it tastes the same."
Lastly, the flourless chocolate cake. That is the only 5 star dish. The chocolate was so rich, creamy and sooo dark. Topped with some whipped cream and strawberry sauce, wow!
I ate here years ago and I remembered it to be very good so it was definitely on my list for DineLA, but I'm sad to say that I was not satisfied so it probably won't be on my list again :(
The french onion soup came in a reallyyy small cup, the seafood pasta was bland (although the scallops were cooked perfectly... I really should have gotten the sand dabs! =/ Â I was definitely eye-ing other tables), and the tiramisu (which was the highlight of my meal) was TINY! And I was given a dirty spoon and plate. What's going on back-of-house??
The front-of-house staff was on top of their game though. Thank goodness :)
Thanks to DineLA Restaurant Week, I was introduced to Cafe Bizou. My bf and I were looking through all the restaurants listed and this was a last minute dinner decision, but the menu that Cafe Bizou offered stood out to us and half an hour later... We were seated!
Our waiter was great. Unfortunately I didn't get his name... But he was very friendly, funny, and attentive. We got basketfuls of bread to begin our meal, which was accompanied with butter. The menu for restaurant week consisted of a starter, entree, and dessert.
I got the baked mushrooms to start, and had the shrimp and lobster pasta. Mmmmmmmm, the mushrooms were stuffed to the brim with a chicken filling, which was sitting on a puddle of sauce - deeeelicious. Definitely different from stuffed mushrooms I've had before. Then my entree came, and I enjoyed the shit out of it. Lots of lobster chunks, big pieces of mushrooms and tomatoes, and succulent, plump shrimps adorning the inked pasta. The sauce tastes a little bit like lobster bisque, which tied the whole dish up nicely.
The bf got the lobster bisque and prime rib burger. I tried both - so good! He loved it too. The prime rib burger was so juicy, even though my bf likes his red meat medium well like a noob... It was still really good. The burger was huge! He couldn't finish it all and he's a pretty big boy.
And of course, dessert! I got the flour less chocolate cake and bf got the sorbet. Both delicious and mine was surprisingly light - which was perfect cos I was already really full.
Thank you DineLA, otherwise I probably wouldn't have found this place on my own :)
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