4. Restaurants

Bistro Moulin

867 Wave St, Monterey, CA, 93940
  • (831) 333-1200
  • Store is closed

Bistro Moulin Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Monterey for healthy meals suggestion.

Monterey Cookhouse ( 2149 Fremont St )

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  • Tracy L.

    A friend of ours recommended Bistro Moulin, so a group of us ended up trying it after an afternoon at the aquarium and some wine tasting. This restaurant is conveniently located by the aquarium, but slightly off the beaten path of Cannery Row. When you walk in, it's like walking into a quaint local restaurant in Paris. It was very cute, and the hostess and wait staff were very welcoming. The aoili they started us off with was very tasty. The warm basket of bread was even better. The escargot was described as good, and the sauce was great to dip your warm bread into - garlicy with butter and herbs. My husband's mussel dish was generous in portion size, and the fries it came with were perfectly tasty and crunchy. My chicken and mushroom crepe dish was very tasty and I would order it again. We ended the night with their pumpkin tart and meyer lemon tart - both were fantastic. For what we got, especially in a touristy area, I thought that their prices were decent as well (we paid about $50 for two of us).

    (4)

  • Katie L.

    The gnocchi...that is the only reason you need to visit here. It was so good we contemplated getting the smaller appetizer portion for dessert instead if an actual sweet (we ended up trying the chocolate mousse and was not disappointed). This was a great dinner in Monterey. The coq au vin is tender and mouthwatering. The service was quick and excellent. Definitely a must stop when in Monterey. Did I mention the gnocchi??....

    (5)

  • Kyria W.

    I love this place. It is small and cozy and does not feel at all like it is near one of the more touristy spots in Monterey. I have been there twice and both times the food was delicious. We got the last order of gnocchi appetizer and it was like heaven on a spoon. I ordered the duck confit and it was fall off the bone yummy. My boyfriend ordered the duck breast special with fois gras and it too was like butter. None of this food was healthy but boy is it good! We finished off our meal with fresh berries which, even though they were not in season, were also very delicious and a great way to end the night. The ONLY thing I would complain about is that they are not open until 5 pm. We went by for a late lunch and were really sad. BUT, we waited it out because they are that good!

    (5)

  • jenn w.

    Super cute little restaurant near the aquarium. Service was fantastic and the food portions were huge. We had the escargot as an appetizer and while I only ate one, the garlic butter sauce it was drenched with was absolutely delicious. We also shared the cannelloni and paella. Portions for both were huge that we could have probably just ordered one entree to share. But both entrees were delicious and we were glad to have leftovers.

    (4)

  • Janneth P.

    THEY ARE NOT FRIENDLY WITH kIDS!!!! They kept us waiting for 5 minutes just to let us know that there was not table and that we didnt have reservation in advanced! BULLSHIT!!! There were lots of table open. They just didn't want kids in it!! The service is unfriendly and never coming back again

    (1)

  • Laurie W.

    A visit to Monterey Peninsula would not be complete without an evening at Bistro Moulin! You are greeted by the lovely and beautiful Colleen, and you will enjoy fabulous service and fantastic food created by Chef Didier! What a treasure having Bistro Moulin nearby!

    (5)

  • Alan P.

    me and my girlfriend was looking for a place to eat. something different and not crowded. BIstro Moulin is def the place. i had the mussel and it came out better then i expected.

    (4)

  • Lori H.

    We were disappointed! We were hoping for the French meal of a lifetime (granted that is a tall order)...and it was marginal. Good service...but the food was (for the most part) bland. Escargot was good. Bread good... The Coq au Vin...described as super rich...was very bland. I had the Vol au Vent Normand - which tasted very similar to a chicken pot pie...sans peas...good...but nothing to write home about. Decent wines by the glass. Won't go back for the price.

    (2)

  • Vivian L.

    My boyfriend and I visited Monterey for Valentine's day and we had the valentine's day dinner here. EVERYTHING was so good! I was thrilled to get a reservation even at 9:30pm. We had the esgarot and it was delicious! We had several baskets of bread to soak up every bit of the garlic oil it came with. Our had the cannelloni di mare and the scallops which were amazing. Overall we had a fantastic time and an excellent meal. We are definitely coming back for more.

    (5)

  • Britt G.

    Bistro Moulin was a last minute restaurant change for us based on Yelp reviews. We were staying on Cannery Row so it was a quick 3 block walk from our hotel. We were immediately seated and greeted with a yummy carrot tapenade and bread and butter. The staff were incredibly friendly and our bread bowl and water glasses were never empty. We ordered the beet salad and the tapas plate to share which was excellent! The gigante beans, beets and goat cheese were our favorites from the plate. Our waitress seemed very excited to hear our entree orders: coq au vin and the spinach gnocchi, again, prompted by the overwhelmingly positive reviews recommending the gnocchi, especially. And, wow, we were not disappointed! The chicken melted in your mouth and had a wonderfully rich sauce (we paired this with a beautiful bordeaux) and the gnocchi was everything the reviews said and more. It was rich but we had no issue eating every bit of it, even sopping up the extra cheese sauce with the bread. Portions were just right. All this under $100 prompts a 5 star review. And while it is hard to believe, even to us, we had no suggestions that would have improved our experience. Great location, quiet and quaint ambience and incredible cuisine to top it off. Well done Moulin! We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Amy O.

    Mmm...exceptional! Upon entering, you are greeted by a very warm personality -- not overbearing, but perfect. And then they give you this awesome dip and crispy toasts. I think we had two bowls?!!?! We had escargot. Oh...man... And then I had the beet salad with mache on top. Perfect. For dinner, I had the mussels and they were super. Accompanying them was the best fries that they serve with a garlic aioli. Everyone at my table stole them. Oh wait, completely forgot the wine. I had one of the best pinot noirs ever and my mom's syrah was great too. We didn't have a dessert...didn't need to. We were completely satisfied with our really special dinner.

    (5)

  • Ginger A.

    Loved this little place down on Cannery Row. It is just out of all of the madness, while still being in an interesting location. We had a reservation and we needed it, even on a Thursday night, because it is fairly busy primarily it seems with locals. There aren't a great number of tables, about ten. The servers seemed to know a lot of the customers. Service was excellent, attentive without being obtrusive. We had a spinach gnocchi and a duck confit, both of which were perfect. The duck in a bad restaurant can sometimes be either greasy or dried out. This was perfectly moist while completely cooked. Prices are just a little on the high side, but in this case you got what you paid for. We will be going back as soon as possible.

    (4)

  • John R.

    What a fantastic experience. After our entree and before dessert the owner/chef came to talk to us. He is from Normandy, and takes the local dishes very seriously. Everyone who works here was extremely friendly and I highly recommend this fine restaurant!

    (5)

  • Cindy B.

    I have always tried to avoid places near Cannery Row, thinking it would too touristy. But once one found a parking spot around there, it would be foolish to drive off somewhere else for food only to return later and search for parking all over again. That's how yelp came to rescue with the suggestive of Bistro Moulin. We arrived few minutes after 5pm to beat dinner crowd. The hostess (owner?) surveyed the room for a minute and sat us promptly even without a reservation. The decor was down-to-earth, feel more like a country side restaurant. Starting with the French onion soup, it was one of the better ones I have had: rich and flavourful. As for entrees, steak bordelaise was definitely worth getting: tender and cookbook correct medium rare. I couldn't stop eating the fries because of the garlic aioli. Chicken a la king, the special of the night, was slightly bland and chicken a little overcooked but I liked the rich creamy sauce and the flaky pastry shell. The best part was the service. Our server was delightful and attentive. Also considering the hostess who seated us, this is definitely French food without French attitude.

    (4)

  • Tiffany M.

    We started our meal by sharing an order of the mussels. They were okay, but not great and could have used some seasonings besides onions. Perhaps a little wine or garlic or a touch of spice? However, they were extremely fat guys from Washington. So much for buying local products. My husband had the halibut special and I had the cog au vin. I'd like to try this place one more time. I'll skip the mussels and try the escargot or the gnocci next time. If those are any good, I will change my rating to 4 stars.

    (3)

  • Marci L.

    We had a fantastic meal at Bistro Moulin! Service was excellent. The waiter knew the wine list and was able to recommend a perfect bottle to accompany our meal. The cannelloni is not something I'd usually order but was recommended so I gave it a try and I'm so glad I did it was perfect. Overall an excellent place in Monterey for when you just don't want to go to another touristy restaurant. Important - MAKE RESERVATIONS. we reserved 5 days before. While there I saw many people turned away or making reservations for later times in the week. Also not the best place for kids although I'm sure they'd accommodate. The room is fairly small and there are many other places in the area that are probably better suited to kids.

    (5)

  • doreen g.

    We came here for my birthday and had an amazing experience! The food and the service are excellent and the ambiance is perfect! I had made reservations and we were running late, but they were considerate enough to call and see where we were! Upon our arrival we had a huge candlelit table set up for us. As for the food, the spinach gnocchi is hands down amazing! Other delicious dishes were the Coc Au Vin and the Poulet Roti. I would definitely recommend this cozy taste of France by the beautiful Monterey Ocean!

    (5)

  • Greg T.

    I visited here for the first time yesterday. We tried to get a table the previous day but they were too busy. I recommend getting a reservation in advance. This place is frequented by many locals and they seem to know the staff on a first-name basis. This is a local garden-spot to be sure. The food was excellent. I had heard about the excellent spinach gnocchi so we ordered that along with the duck special. The gnocchi was the best we had ever experienced, bar none. The same was true for the duck-- better than any I had tasted. The sauces were exquisite. We also had the tapas... it was pleasant although not spectacular. We finished with dessert: tiramisu and a chocolate mousse. The desserts were as fantastic as the main dishes; that was the best tiramisu I have ever tasted, with a proper consistency throughout the layers and a wonderful sprinkled powder across the top. A few key points about this place: - It is a bit upscale and spendy: Our meal for 2 cost $120 after taxes/tip/etc. with only one glass of wine. However, even though it is upscale the atmosphere is comfortable and almost casual. - The food portions are somewhat small. However, the food is so richly prepared we were nearly over-full by the time we finished. - There is local parking for restaurant customers. The parking lot entrance is along the right of the building as you face the front. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Cool C.

    Seriously, the Gnocchi are fluffy clouds of heaven. I ordered the small plate, glad I did I could only eat 3 of them they were so rich. The sauteed spinach was good as well. The bread divine. My omnivorous one ate the pate, duck and the other 3 Gnocchi. Servings were on par for the price. The Savignon Blanc was nice.

    (5)

  • Yolanda B.

    This is a lovely little French bistro. The decor is nice and inviting. The menu is small but the selection of choices should accommodate any palate. We had a long drive ahead of us so we decided not to over indulge and we shared a salad and entree. We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the portions. We had the red beet salad and the hanger steak with pomme frittes. The beet salad included spinach and goat cheese. I've never been a beet fan but this was very enjoyable. And the steak! Very flavorful and tender. There was a light gravy over the meat and it worked well with the steak and pomme frittes. We were VERY pleased with the meal and would return if in the area.

    (5)

  • Brian S.

    My girlfriend and I stopped for the night in Monterey on a road trip to San Francisco. We stayed on Canery Row, which is nice but very touristy. We used Yelp to find a restaurant and Bistro Moulin lived up to its 4+ star rating. Authentic bistro style restaurant, great authentic dishes and terrific service. The chef is the owner, so you can feel great about supporting a true locally owned restaurant.

    (5)

  • Jen B.

    One of our favorite restaurants on the Monterey Peninsula, if not our most favorite hands-down! Zero complaints ever about food, service, wine, ambience. I could eat here every day of the week and never get bored.

    (5)

  • Jeffrey W.

    The spinach gnocchi definitely awesome dish. The french onion soup was superb. However those are all the fine points that we can post about our experience. The duck confit was dry, and when I say dry it was almost like jerky and truly a disappointment. I had the canelloni which was an overload of cheese. It was more of a enchilada than something you would say as delicate and savory. Nevetheless it was tasty for the few bites but afterwards you just felt like a glutton. For the cannery row area definitely not bad but as far as french cuisine goes this does not rank well. Sorry there definitely has been much better...

    (3)

  • cjc c.

    DEEEELISH!!!! Super friendly & accommodating to us and our 3 very young kids. Spinach gnocchi, holy yummmm!

    (5)

  • Bill H.

    Didier was the chef at Casanova for years, and deserves credit for most of the fare on the menu of that Carmel landmark. He has brought his talents and obvious passion for food to Monterey. If you want the Carmel experience in Monterey, this is the place.

    (4)

  • Yamona M.

    Stars for the service. I asked for a special pasta - just penne with a little ratatouille. There is only one other vegetarian option on the menu - the Spinach Gnocchi - which is wayyyy too creamy and filling for my taste. The pasta arrived - it was okay - big pieces of peppers which are always unappealing to me. Apart from being unappealing they are somewhat of a sign of being disinterested in a dish. There was no sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly though. Every meal that I have had in the past at Bistro Moulin has been excellent, including a halibut dish that I had more than two years ago which I still dream about to this day. Total price for meal $99.00 plus tip - $119.00. That's a restaurant which is pricey and not the $$ that it gets.

    (3)

  • Ashley G.

    The food was delicious and the staff was super friendly! We were given complimentary champagne just because! What a great little gem!

    (5)

  • Mitra W.

    Just think of anything that would be great about a restaurant and apply it to Bistro Moulin. You should try the gnocchi. They are like little pillows of heaven that melt in your mouth.

    (5)

  • Ocean P.

    Classic French cuisine, the chef is from Normandie. The spinach gnocci appertizer was served in a small skillet. The cheese sauce was rich but not overwhelming. Tasted good, but likely not healthy. Today's roasted quails special was tasty. 2 quails, lightly roasted served with red cabbage in a port sauce. The osso bucco was too salty, and the accompaniment reminds me of Vietnamese ragout. The marrow in two bone-in pieces of meat was nice, but probably not heart healthy either.

    (4)

  • Juan P.

    Stopped by for dinner, excellent service, the plate of Jamon Serrano and Manchego was amazing, the escargot, out of this word. For a French restaurant the portions were moderate, excellent wine list. the ambiance, very romantic. It has that home cooked feel, really pleased.

    (5)

  • Deborah M.

    In response to the owner: I would not say I didn't care for the dish, that's not it at all. I love mussels and have had them at many restaurants. The mussels here had tasted definitely spoiled and when I smelled them they had a smell that... well was like poop (really no other way to put it). Also my mom ate a couple and later was feeling sick. I do believe I have a right to post my honest experience on Yelp and keep in mind this was my particular experience. Clearly there have been many people who have enjoyed your food. Indeed freshness is of the utmost importance especially with shellfish and if I was a business owner and had any complaints I'd take them very seriously and look into it and not just blame the customer.

    (3)

  • Michael T.

    Third time was even better than the first two! My wife and I chose to celebrate her birthday at Bistro Moulin. We were greeted as if we were honored guests and ushered to a corner table by the window. An amuse bouchée of fried coconut was an excellent forerunner to our meal. We both ordered the duck breast with caramelized peaches and split two appetizers: spinach gnocchi with parmesan cream sauce and country terrine; both appetizers were sublime: excellent preparation and plating. The piece d'resistance was the duck. Excellent preparation and wonderful flavor and taste. We finished dinner by sharing a creme brûlée, which was a perfect ending to a perfect meal. We brought our own 2001 Tantara Garys Vineyard pinot noir, which was a worthy accompaniment My only question: I understand the $20 corkage charge; however the $20 was for white wine glasses, while the corkage charge would have been $30 for larger red wine glasses1 I have never heard about such a policy. Best to Didier and Colleen..

    (5)

  • homer a.

    This is really a good deal, as long as you have a reservation, because it is small with limited seating. With the reservation, we were promptly seated and in for a treat. I had the pork chop, which was great and not dried out as happens with some restaurants. Perfect preparation. My GF had the Gnocchi, which can be filling but she has a big appetite. I sampled it also and it showed that they care about the food. Good service, no view but close to Cannery Row so you can avoid some of the crush. We will definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Nate H.

    My wife and I dined here after dropping the kids off for an overnight stay at the Monterey Bay Aquarium (one block away). Spinach gnocchi appetizer was terrific albeit quite expensive. "Cup" of oyster chowder was very small but tasty, mixed greens salad was ordinary. My hanger steak was a perfectly cooked medium rare. My wife's chicken breast was also juicy and perfectly cooked and I thought was the better tasting of the two entrees, being the garlic fan that I am. Skipped dessert, bill with tip came to right around $100, so IMO this restaurant should really be rated $$$, not $$. (Other reviewers should note this in their reviews, the price range rating is set by us reviewers!) Very good meal, but a little too pricey to warrant a 5-star.

    (4)

  • Valerie N.

    Let me start out saying I am a creature of habit. I don't tend to branch out into new things very often. Well this time I'm glad I did. I got on yelp early yesterday to get some ideas. The ratings on this restaurant were phenomenal so I figured we would give it a try. Parking - not good. It's in the cannery row section of monterey, so show up a little early to get a parking spot. Atmosphere - it was cute inside. A lot of things to look at but not cluttered. It had a romantic ambiance to it. It was quiet too, probably because it is very small so MAKE A RESERVATION! Service - Our waitress was very nice. I had a bit of a tough time understanding her because of her accent, but she was very helpful to us in choosing our meals. Never had empty drinks for more than a moment. Food - We had the Spinach gnocchi to start! It was delicious! Like a little spinach marshmallow (not sweet though!) is how I described it last night. I had a strip steak that was cooked perfectly and was super tender. I normally wouldn't have had fries,I didn't know they came with the meal, but they were very good too. My boyfriend had the sea bass with mango and loved it. He even got me to try a bite (I am NOT a seafood person) and I found it quite good also. To close we had the creme brule and once again, delicious (although after this meal I do feel the need to run about 4 miles!). Overall, I highly recommend this place. We had a great experience here.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth B.

    OMFG. Everything was outstanding, from the amuse bouche of garlic crostinis with carrot tapenade to the decadent desserts. I started with the beet salad, which was perfectly prepared and offered a lovely balance of flavors. My husband had the soupe du jour, a cream of mushroom soup that he said was very good. We enjoyed lovely crusty bread with our starters. For an entree I had one of the specials, a seared duck breast with green beans and scalloped potatoes, all finished with an intensely flavorful jus that included dried cranberries. I told the waitress that I don't usually like scalloped potatoes -- I've had some renditions so bad that I usually just don't eat it. "If it were always like this," I told her, "I'd eat it all the time." (I'd also weigh like 800 pounds and have arteries of iron.) I finished every bite, wished for either a spoon or a mini vacuum to deliver the remaining jus straight to my mouth, and finally settled for sopping it up Miss Manners-style with the last of the bread. (I used my fork. It would have been super messy to use my hands. Also I'm trying to be less gauche, LOL.) My husband had the spinach gnocchi, which must be the house specialty because I saw many orders coming out of the kitchen. That's the best gnocchi either of us has ever had, bar none. Dessert was creme brûlée and chocolate mousse, both of which were amazing. If you want me to give rave reviews to your creme brûlée, you had damn well better show me the vanilla flecks, and Bistro Moulin delivered big time. I have only two small complaints, neither of which is worth docking even half a star: the music was a little too loud for such an intimate space (though it didn't make conversation difficult), and seriously, for the love of good food and all else that is holy, do NOT offer me crappy Bigelow tea. That's like serving Folger's Crystals to the coffee drinkers. Try Numi or Mighty Leaf or even freakin' Stash. At least they had an organic chamomile from a company I didn't recognize, and it was fine. The service was also outstanding and the space very pleasant. Highly, highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Jimberly W.

    Don't come expecting a bargain, generous portions, or overly friendly service, but worth every penny all the same.

    (4)

  • Linlin L.

    Came here for dinner the other night, and expected to be blown away based on the reviews I read on yelp. Unfortunately, my experience at Bistro Moulin was only standard. The food wasn't particularly memorable and the service wasn't anything spectacular. I tried the gnocchi, sea bass special and cannelloni con tartufi. Gnocchi tasted like dough to me, I've had better elsewhere. Sea bass was alright, I've had better elsewhere. The cannelloni was alright as well, and be careful of the pan that it serves with. Extremely hot and I burned my arm when I accidentally brushed against it reaching for my glass. Judging by how standard the food was, I decided against trying the dessert. I'll be trying other restaurants next time I'm in the area.

    (3)

  • J L.

    Amazing escargots! They're getting 4 stars because everything else I tried was mediocre but the escargots were so delicious. The buttery sauce it comes in is divine with the bread! And the service was decent.

    (4)

  • Debra T.

    Dumpy atmosphere. Needs serious updating. It reminds me of our family owned grocery store that has been there forever and never reinvests in its business to update. Both doors were slightly opened when we arrived because when you entered the place, it stank and it was hot inside. The salads were nothing more than some greens with oil and vinegar. I can do that myself. The gnocchi was way too salty in a pile of slimly sauce. The prices were that of a 4 star restaurant but the food was something you might find at Granny's Kitchen in Orlando Florida. Don't go there. Go anywhere else. Although I must say, we have yet to find ANY decent food in Monterey. Tomorrow night we will try The Chart House.

    (1)

  • Right A.

    Wonderful. Don't miss this place if you are close to Monterey. I had the tapas-fabulous. The gnocchi were outstanding and the Tartuffe to die for.

    (5)

  • Jon B.

    To set the record straight: The Gnocchi are 5 stars. Having said that, we also had an excellent cannelloni and a Coq au Vin that was good (but not the best I've ever had). The staff was friendly enough, and the setting is small enough to feel fairly intimate. Our waiter recommended a very good wine for the meal, but spilled some while pouring one of our glasses and never bothered to clean it up. The desserts were good, but not mind blowing.

    (4)

  • Ryan L.

    Really enjoyed our recent dinner at this little french restaurant. The food was great, especially the gnocchi. The menu does not have that many choices, but they have specials nightly. I hear the paella is excellent here, but was not available at the time. Service was excellent...friendly and attentive. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Ni N.

    texture, taste, presentation, ambience, staff, portions... just perfect to a t.

    (5)

  • Nicole F.

    I hardly ever give out 5 stars - but wow! Spinach gnocchi - delicious. Escargot - exquisite. Osso bucco - perfect. Halibut cheeks - heaven. Service, superb. Menu may appear small - but why mess with perfection? I like to try new restaurants but the next time I am in Monterey I will have to return to Bistro Moulin!

    (5)

  • Aaron A.

    Welp. Yelp. Yep! I put faith in you on a daily basis and this is the reason why. I'm tempted to rate Moulin a full five stats, but will need to go back again and again and again and again until I have devoured the entire menu. If all goes well and I don't die of a heart attack first, this rating will change. For the better. Stay tuned.

    (4)

  • Sonny W.

    I normally don't consume duck but decided to order this French staple. It turned out wonderfully. Their wine selection is also pretty decent and fair for accompanying the meal. All around, the 6 of us enjoyed the meal.

    (5)

  • Laura C T.

    Two dollar signs are misleading. I would put $$$ at least. Food here is excellent buy the service a found a little slow. We got the escargot which was so good and buttery. We got the two daily specials. The lamb leg with potato au gratin and asparagus. Tender and juicy I got the sea bass. Fresh flarvourful and flaky. With butter shallot sauce and on top of spinach For dessert we got the chocolate mousse. It was good but seemed pre prepared. ($8) It was quite romantic. Great dinner yo splurge on.

    (3)

  • Andy F.

    Quaint restaurant one block back from the tourist trap of cannery row. Food great, service excellent. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • J R.

    We were able to call yesterday afternoon & get dinner reservations for 8:15. Service was friendly but a bit inconsistent. The food was amazing. I started with escargot; gf w/the soup de jour (a tomato/veggie concoction). The snails were served in a scalding hot metal dish in butter-garlic-sauce with finely chopped herbs (basil &/or parsley?)--perfect with the fresh, crisp-crusted bread they served us. (The first batch of bread--thin & crisp, served with some kind of unidentifiable orange-colored spread, wasn't to my liking, but the basket that followed was delicious.) Gf's entree was Petrale sole in a lobster sauce, served over spinach. Melt-in-your-mouth delicious! My Spinach Gnocchi au gratin in parmesan cream sauce (also served in a scalding hot metal dish), one of their signature dishes, was quite good as well, though a bit different from most gnocchi (I think I heard them tell another customer that there are no potatoes harmed in the cooking of this food), though it reminded me some of the Stouffer's spinach souffles you can find in your grocer's freezer section. Excellent food, fairly reasonable prices.

    (4)

  • Edda O.

    Was looking at places to try for dinner, that is not a tourist trap but served honest good food.. and found it! I made reservations about 5 days in advance, Lady on the phone was really nice. Great start. Got there 15 mins before reservation, got seated right away. We ordered: Spinach gnocchi - amazing fluffy things swimming in rich creamy sauce. Escargot - escargots were tender but way too salty so i had to turn the dish back. Duck Confit - Amazing crispy skin, salty and flavourful meat. It was everything a good duck confit should be. Accompanied by simply seasoned lentil and baby carrots. The duck just left the best aftertaste that I can't get over. Seabass special - I could not get enough of how delicious the cubes of mixed veggies were and I am not even a vegetable person. The beurre blanc was great on the basil crusted fish and veggies. The only sad part was the generous filet of sea bass was way way way overdone. Not a tad but very. Chocolate tart - I am all about the visual, even before looking at the dessert menu I saw this tart and decided I wanted it. A tad disappointing, the ganache was grainy. Tasted good but textures off. Coffee - good coffee Reisling - for $7.75, what a steal! generous pour and tasted amazing. To be honest, the flavours of the entrees were spot on but the execution was a tad off. That being said, I would not hesitate to return because the good outweighs slight food issues. Service is pretty good, when I mentioned that the escargot was way too salty, without hesitation or any rudeness, it was removed from the table and we were asked if we wanted to change it. The rest of the evening went well. Dishes cleared promptly, check backs and water refills. But I do have to mention that the moment the coffee cup was placed in front of me, we kind of lost the attention of the server. No offers for more coffee or check back on the dessert. P/S: They took the escargot off the bill, greatly appreciated. The prices were great as well. All that food for less than $100 after tax!!

    (4)

  • Katie C.

    Unreal! I mean, so unbelievably good! My husband and I shared our 2nd anniversary here and I would not have had it any other way! Such a nice and intimate little place. I had the French onion soup (A MUST!) and the gnocchi. He had the cannelloni. Both dishes were very good. We will be coming back next time we visit the Monterey Bay area! LOVE LOVE LOVE!

    (5)

  • Topher M.

    RESERVATIONS. Make reservations, people. This place is way très petite. And bring coins for the meters outside. Enough quarters for four loads of laundry. What a racket, the parking patrol around Cannery. Bistro Moulin has all the ambiance of family-run, romantic, tiny and fun... and there are party hats hidden all over the place. And boas. I imagine what happens here when the doors are locked? Well, look on the restaurant's facebook page. The hats are used. Started with escargot - nothing out of this world, but the little guys were swimming in a pool of olive oil and herbs that were tasty when soaked in the free bread. We chose the hangar steak with pommes frites - and baked sea bass (special for the evening). The steak was awesome, fries crispy and plentiful. I was fortunate enough to be offered a taste of the sea bass, prepared to perfection. This is not your run-of-the-mill heaping-portioned American restaurant. Of course it's not. So come here if you enjoy authentic French fare and pleasant service to boot. Last, but not least, I can't wait to come back and try the "Soupe à L'Oignon" that I admired from afar...

    (4)

  • Jessica H.

    Spinach Gnocchi is as good as you've heard! Get it! Make sure you reserve early since they get booked fast.

    (5)

  • Liza T.

    A great dinning experience. This restaurant is conveniently located near the aquarium. It was a small restaurant, so reservation was a must. We arrived there 30 minutes prior our reservation but good that they still had table for us. The atmosphere was causal and cozy but pretty romantic. The hostess and staff were super friendly and very welcoming. They started us the aoili was very tasty. Then they gave us a warm basket of bread and was very good too. The menu was very simple but the selection was comprehensive. Here are what we ordered: Crêpes Normandes: two crepes with roasted chicken & mushrooms. The presentation was so nice and the taste was GREAT. The sauce was so tasty but not heavy at all. Coq au Vin: braised chicken in a red wine sauce with mushrooms, lardons, and penne pasta. The chicken was tender and the sauce had great flavors. Pommes Frites with Aioli: The fries was so crunchy. One issue that I had was it took quite a while for the food came out. Overall, I still had a wonderful time there. I will go back there when I visit Monterey again.

    (4)

  • Veda P.

    Where do I start? This little restaurant was fantastic, it was awesome, it was wonderful. The food was so good, I had the special which was sea bass, my husband had the osso buco, he loved it. It's quaint, with great service and even better food. I wanted to lick my plate, and I'm known as the picky one! I've been all over France and let me tell you--this place has even better food.

    (5)

  • Ahmed H.

    The food was great here. I got their special seafood pasta dish, which was just the right amount of food. For starters I got the escargot, which was also very tasty. Next time I am in Monterey I will come back here.

    (4)

  • Jeremy L.

    This is quite a little spot for a romantic dinner. It's spunky in the inside with walls of wooden shelves showcasing their collection of wine and their random dresser or desk that gives the whole restaurant some character. Every staff in Bistro Moulin are very hospitable and accommodating, which adds to the dining experience nicely. Be warn! It is small! Really small! Reservations are definitely recommended! When my wife and I arrived at around 7ish, it was pretty packed and there was more patrons trickling in! Anyway, down to the meal! For starters, it was the Escargots! I'm big about strange food and snails are pretty strange to me! The Escargots came in a porcelain...dish that had six cavities in it where the escargots rest. Now the escargots were cooked in butter, garlic and hazelnut oil! I thought it was well-made! And if you like, you could use the bread from the bread basket and dip it in that aromatic butter and garlic! For our entree, I had the Confit de Canard (Duck Confit) and my wife ordered the special of the day: Sea Bass. First off, my duck was extremely moist! It was fall-off-the-freakin'-bone good! One of the best duck dishes I ever had! My wife's Sea Bass was equally awesome! Creamy, flaky and fresh sea bass! Unfortunately, this is where dinner ended. No dessert...but this is a great place! Great staff, tasty food and comfortable ambiance! If you are planning a romantic dinner, this is a good place to start!

    (4)

  • Louise K.

    Man I love those gnocchi. They are so good but so rich I can never finish them. This place is a gem. Everything I've ever had was great. we'll be back!

    (5)

  • Michael d.

    We wanted a quiet, romantic dinner that had none of the touristy feel of Monterey. Monterey, like Berkeley has a plethora of mediocrity when it comes to dining options; options that range from the "calamalone" (whatever the hell that is) steak that can be found at one of the dockside restaurants to the ubiquitous churro. Fine dining is a tall order indeed, in a town that survives because of the military (DLI, NPGS & the USCG) and the tourist trade. Unfortunately this combination of profession and activity is one that has proven a death knell for for the fine dining dinner bell in most towns whose economy relies on these lucrative dollars. But then there is Bistro Moulin. The ambience is exactly what Mai & I were looking for... romantic, warm and inviting with wonderful aromas wafting into the dining room from the open kitchen. Our noses were greeted by subtle hints of garlic, duck fat and wine. The lighting is set low but not too low. The room is cozy and intimate and the tables are not too close to each other. The service is excellent. I never once had to pour the wine as our server was spot on. She explained the specials and even the method for confit (obviously not knowing that I make my own). The food is fantastic. Yelpers rave about the coq au vin but I was a bit disappointed. I found the chicken to be dry and stringy and the sauce needed to be mellowed a bit with some butter. Escargots were fantastic and are really only a vehicle for butter & garlic but the little devils were quite tender. French onion soup was wonderful with a nicely thick, melted slab of gruyere on top and a perfect ratio of soup to crouton... this soup is almost as good as mine. The osso bucco was perfect with the marrow still intact inside the bone...it's always such a heartbreaker when the shanks are, umm not-so-fresh, that the marrow has melted away. We will go back to Bistro Moulin on our next visit to Monterey and I feel confident recommending them to anyone who wants a nice meal in a romantic setting.

    (5)

  • Ashley B.

    Hands down best French food I've had since my last trip to Paris in 2009, and the cafe ambiance was romantic and authentic. We arrived at 8p with no reservations (what we were thinking, I don't know), and they seated us 45 minutes later (time to go to a bar down the street for a glass of vino). The Soupe à L'Oignon (french onion soup) was out of this world. I never wanted it to end, and I regretted my decision to share it with my man. I literally haven't enjoyed soup like this since stumbling upon an alley cafe near Odeon. We were served by a mother and daughter who were friendly and didn't at all mock our mispronounciations of the menu items (we are Spanish speakers). The wine list is stellar, and if you need help deciding just ask. I am normally a red wine drinker but enoyed a lovely Pinot Gris from Oregon, in the spirit of branching out. Did I mention the soup??

    (5)

  • Erica L.

    We LOVE this place! The food is always excellent, and their wine selection matches their meals. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • A X.

    My first impression was I DID NOT LIKE IT. My 28 dollars meal: french fries with steak. I am not sure what this is all about but it was not worth 28 bucks. I had better french food and were disappoint with this restaurant. However I gave 2 stars: the inside of the restaurant is very nice and romantic. I definitely won't come here again :-(

    (2)

  • Kim M.

    Another absolutely stunning meal at this little gem of a bistro! I talked my date out of ordering the escargot appetizer only because I wanted 1 spinach gnocchi! He was enchanted. So was I as always. :) Thank you for a wonderful meal! Moulles & frites for me, osso bucco for him. Satisfaction all the way around!

    (5)

  • Peter V.

    This was one of the best meals we'be eaten in a long time. The confit de canard and the sole were superb. But the true test of is fine restaurant is the coq au vin-magnifique. And the desserts--the meringue and chocolate Apache tartelets.....well, they were the best. Alas the mousse au chocolat was not as good as mine. All in all--4 stars!

    (4)

  • Rachel H.

    Fabulous! We had our anniversary dinner here last night...what a great experience. We loved how non-touristy it was - intimate and cozy. We started with the escargot and the gnocchi appetizers. This was the hubby's first time with snails and it is lucky they were perfect - he loved them! The gnocchi was the best I've ever had. Fluffy, which isn't a word you would usually use for gnocchi. Next, hubby had the duck confit and I had the sea bass special. Both meals were perfectly prepared and delicious. For dessert we had the lemon meringue tart and the mousse au chocolat. The mousse was stellar, the tart also pretty good. Coffee was excellent - hubby raved about his cappuccino. I am giving this place five stars because it deserves it, but some honesty they need to hear is that the service was top notch for the first ten minutes, then pretty much non-existent. We had to flag down various servers to get any attention. No one asked how our meal was, but it was fabulous so it was fine. Our server was nearby many times, but never stopped. Finally, a buser helped us with the end of our meal and dessert. This would not stop us from returning, tho. Loved the ambiance especially.

    (5)

  • Nina L.

    This place is truly a gem. The space is small and cozy and gave me flashbacks to our vacation in Paris. We had the spinach gnocchi as an appetizer and they were perfect...pillowy, creamy, and full of flavor. We also shared the onion soup, which was mouth-watering and rich and the cheese/crouton combination was just right. Mmm... For my entree, I had the mussels with pommes frites, which were devine. The mussels were HUGE that night and the fries arrived at the table piping hot with a side of aioli. Husband had the duck confit that was savory and tender with a nice pairing with lentils. For dessert, we shared a lemon tartlet that was tangy and smooth with a huge swirl of toasted meringue. The servers were all so warm and friendly and offered us tastes of the wine before making a decision on a full glass. And can I just say that they are GENEROUS with their pours?! We had a great meal and experience. This is going to be my new favorite restaurant in Monterey. Make sure to call for a reservation. We snagged one with a call on Saturday afternoon for the same evening.

    (5)

  • Madison T.

    Great food! The escargot was really good and filet mignon was the best! Don't miss the creme brulee.

    (5)

  • Jennifer K.

    Wow! This was the best meal of my trip to Monterey. Charming ambience, attentive service. And the food was the shining star. Don't miss the spinach gnocchi! The onion soup was also great, as was the cheese plate. If I lived nearby, this would be a regular haunt.

    (5)

  • Megan C.

    Delicious little place in Monterey! Hubs and I celebrated our two year anniversary there and are so glad we did. They offered us Champagne upon arrival and a delicious appetizer. Coq a vin was amazing! A romantic and delicious spot in Monterey we will be going back to.

    (5)

  • Sarah R.

    Came here for appetizers and drinks. The fromage plate was good, and the service was good.

    (4)

  • J K.

    Yay for my yelp app! After running through the aquarium we were tired and oh so very hungry. I yelped the area and decided to give this place a try because of their reviews. We were not disappointed! Of course we didn't have a reservation but it was a week night and they sat us immediately. The service was excellent! I forgot our waitress's name but she was very helpful and patient with us. The food was better than average but not the best thing I've ever had. We had the escargot (excellent!), mussels (awesome!), some kind of fish (which I didn't really care for) and a lemon tart for dessert (very awesome!). Parking is horrible so you're better off parking on the street. If any of our friends ever ask about this area we will definitely recommend this place if they are looking to have a nice dinner.

    (4)

  • Jeremy W.

    Don't believe the stars, this is very mediocre food. My wife and I ordered the cheese appetizer, onion soup, seafood soup, steak, and mussels. The cheese was very disappointing: there were a couple of very tasteless bits, and then some over-the-top blue cheese and finally some fruit chutney (which was, sadly, the best part of the "cheese" platter). My wife loved the onion soup (I didn't) and the seafood soup was decent but neither of us really liked it. Then came the decent but not great steak ... with french fries :-( Someone please tell these people that french fries aren't french! As for the mussels (also *sigh* served with french fries) ... I've made better myself, and I'm a terrible cook. How sad is it that someone who almost never cooks (me), using a random recipe off the internet (from Salon.com ), made significantly better mussels than a French chef who does it for a living? If you want my advice, look elsewhere for good food in Monterey. (The last time we were there we went to a seafood place that was kind of on the wharf; I don't remember the name, but it cost about the same and the food was MUCH better ...) P.S. Oh, we did order a bottle of Reisling that was pretty tasty, so at least the other reviews are right about the wine.

    (2)

  • Ana B.

    Great food, lovely ambiance, friendly staff, romantic atmosphere--what more can you ask for? Went here instead of the Sardine Factory and I just fell in love with the setting. I thought, wow, this really is what Bistros in Paris must look like. Small, quanit, romantic. Now on to the food. The complimentary bread with spread was so darn good. It was a perfect way to start the evening. Then we had what I call the "I forgot my name" gnocchi because it was probably THE best gnocchi I've ever had. It was creamy and delicious, and I couldn't have asked them to make it any better. Then we proceeded with the main course, Osso bucco milanese with Parmesan polenta. This dish is full of flavor and just melts in your mouth instantly. What set me over the food porn edge was the bone marrow inside the osso bucco. Oh. My. God. I typically would prefer potatoes over polenta but this was very very tasty. Then the bf had their lamb special, which was cooked to a tee. We ordered a side of Pommes Frites with aeoli sauce which was a delight! This is definitely a go-to place if you are ever in the Monterey/Seaside area.

    (5)

  • Glenn L.

    Fell into Bistro Moulin after watching the golf @ Pebble Beach yesterday. They could not have been nicer to us either! Served a bottle we had from the golf course for minimal corkage and we enjoyed the terrific Comte Audoin de Dampierre Blanc de Blanc BTG! Spinach Gnocchi and cheese plate made for great appetizers. I wish we had gone for dessert to accompany the lovely espresso we had to keep us awake on our drive home. I look forward to dinner and the 1999 Pommard sometime later this summer!

    (4)

  • Joe S.

    Fine dining and wonderful ambience. Jamón Serrano and Osso Bucco were very good. Wine pairing was perfect. 2008 Mercy Pinot Noir.

    (5)

  • Liz P.

    Came here after dining nearby to get dessert and coffee. They were more than happy to accommodate us for this as a walk-in, which was very nice. We loved the atmosphere, very Parisian-feeling (but lose the red, white and blue little flags draped inside!)....Anyway, my creme brulee and my husband's lemon tart were delicious and my cappuccino was great. We would love to come back for dinner!

    (5)

  • Carla N.

    Best French food on the Monterey Peninsula. Quit reading this review and: 1. Make a reservation (it is a small place). 2. Go there! 3. Eat and Enjoy. Favorites include the rose champagne, escargot, and the hanger steak (do NOT miss the French Fries, people!!) Wine list is small but very good. If you're not sure, ask! Colleen (the manager) is very knowledgeable and can suggest a bottle to accompany your food (and your wallet). Great date place, but think bistro: it can be noisy when it's full. But the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. I've eaten here regularly since they opened, and had ONE experience where the dish was not to my liking. I didn't even have to say anything! Colleen noticed that I wasn't eating, came over, took the dish back to the kitchen, and had the chef make me something else (which I selected). She apologized and removed my main course from the bill. Classy! Thanks to Colleen and Didier for creating a FiDi experience in Monterey.

    (5)

  • Jak K.

    A great little french restaurant just off the main drag of Monterey. The experience was charming and delicious. There aren't many seats to be had so make reservations! The customer service was warm and welcoming. This is a mostly family run restaurant and the head chef's daughter was our waitress. The wine selection was wonderful and not overwhelming. The food was delicious overall and we enjoyed every bite. The only sad moment was when we realized that the creme brulee didn't have a fresh crust of sugar (it had been fired earlier in the day). Eventhough we were the last diners to leave the restaurant we were never hurried. I can't wait to come back here again.

    (5)

  • Julio L.

    Great food. The duck confit was great. The creme brule delicious. The chocolate mouse amazing. But it took one hour and fifteen minutes for the duck and three tables that came after us were served up to twenty minutes before us

    (3)

  • Claire D.

    Bf and I met my parents here and had a nice time. The parking was a bit of a pain. The ambience was decent. I really enjoyed the bread and butter. The truffle gnocchi gratinee they had which we tried as an appetizer was so soft it stuck to the dish it came in, but it was pretty good. I had the cannelloni which was pretty good but did not taste at all like truffle. My parents both had the cassoulet in which the duck, lamb, etc. were presented in discrete sections of the plate on a bed of beans. They said it was delicious, but upon tasting it I could not help saying it was not as flavorful as the one I made from cookinglight's recipe, which I now feel obligated to prepare for them. The steak frites my bf had had the best fries I've had in as long as I can remember. There is something magical about those fries. It's not that they are twice fried or whatnot; I know my fries, and these were different. Maybe they were starched or something, but they were opaque and light in color with a crisp unlike any I can remember...I had very much wished we had ordered a cone of them to share for the table. We had dessert and coffee; I tried the lemon meringue tart with low expectations (I was a pastry student and have had much experience with lemon curd) but was pleasantly surprised. The lemon filling was less tart than I am used to and therefore a bit overly sweet, but the delicious with a good crust. The bill was about $209 for the four of us, including a nice bottle of wine. Overall, a solid dinner with pleasant but not overbearing or overwhelmingly solicitous service.

    (4)

  • A M.

    Tapas platter was superb. Each individual item (giant beans, toasted tomatoes, artichokes, and sausage) was good, but together were exceptional. The coq a vin was well above average, and the spinach gnocchi was the BEST I've had at a restaurant. It is made without potato, and melts in your mouth. Wine list was full of French bottles I wasn't familiar with, not much from local area. Skipped dessert as the portions were perfectly sized to fill one up without feeling stuffed.

    (5)

  • Apple L.

    I ordered Coq du Vin and Osso Melanese for entree. Both are well-cooked with thick sauce. Also had escargots for starter. It was a bit salty, and not as good. Service was fine. Food choices were limited. Surprised they don't have pate de fois gras.

    (4)

  • Tessa M.

    My husband and I went there for our anniversary two weeks ago. We've been wanting to try it for a while, and all the good things we heard about the place were definitely true! For starters, I had the spinach gnocchi and he had the escargot. Both were excellent - especially the gnocchi! For dinner, I had the chicken and mushroom crepes, and he had a special rabbit dish. Since the gnocchi and escargot were so good, I had really high expectations for the entrees. They were both good, but I enjoyed the gnocchi more. If I go again, I think I'll just order the gnocchi as an entree instead. I wasn't as big of a fan of the desserts, either. My tart tasted like it had been sitting the fridge for awhile... But the creme brulee was good! I would definitely go again, though. Too many restaurants in Monterey serve the same over-priced stuff, so Bistro Moulin was a breath of fresh air!

    (4)

  • Christian C.

    My wife and I went here to celebrate our anniversary. We had reservations (highly recommended!), arrived 5 mins early and got seated immediately. Service: Good service, definitely enjoyed our evening, but not necessarily spectacular - which is ok, the venue is small and intimate, it's all about enjoying the delectable food & wine. Food: Excellent food -- for appetizers we had the famous spinach gnocchi in cheese sauce, a must-have if you come here. The gnocchi literally melt in your mouth, and you just can't soak up enough of that delicious cheese sauce (it's light -- not the typical heavy cheese sauce you may have had elsewhere). We also had the escargots, which were awesome -- not too salty in our opinion (as one recent reviewer commented). For our mains, we had the duck confit and the the moules frites. Absolutely spectacular on both fronts; the moules (mussels) were cooked to perfection, extremely moist and plump. The leek & shallot broth was delightfully light, with a great hint of sauvignon blanc. The duck was excellent, with a perfectly crusted skin. We enjoyed a glass of the pinot noir, and the bordeaux (i thought the pinot was the better of the two). For dessert we split the chocolate mousse -- again, done delightfully light so as not to weigh your soul down. The coffee was surprisingly flavorful and crisp. Only reason we didn't give this a 5 is because we had an even better dinner the next night at a different restaurant.

    (4)

  • Mia S.

    Ambiance- Wonderful! after a 15 hour day it was nice to head out for dinner at a low key place. Food- Good. The escargot was amazing. I had the duck confit which was tender but not crisped as I had hoped. Everyone else at the table seemed very pleased with their choices Service-Excellent, Excellent! Other Comments: I was expecting more California wines on the wine list but most were French.

    (4)

  • Nils A.

    Have had dinner there 3 times now, and every time come away with the feeling that this was really overpriced for what it was. The mussels were overcooked The gnocchi were too heavy for my taste. Ossobuco was so-so and kind of bland. Hanger steak bordelaise was excellent though as was the tiramisou.

    (2)

  • C.G. T.

    Omfg... Amazing food. Gnocchi, duck Confit, fig chutney, osso bucco, lemon tart & gnocchi again because it was so good.

    (5)

  • mio F.

    take me out to dinner here anytime. Delicious I had the duck breast special w/foi gras and enjoyed my dessert too. Compliments to the chef he has a nice big smile and the hostess looks like Marion Cotillar.... la vie en rose

    (5)

  • Christian P.

    My wife and I grew up in cultures where French cuisine is the norm. We really enjoyed our dinner at Bistro Moulin. We were there with our two young children (5 & 8). Our waiter, was very accommodating for them. He made us feel welcome and was very attentive to our special requests. Excellent food accompanied by great service. I can't wait to come back to Monterey to eat here again!

    (5)

  • Walter J.

    Sunday night at bistro moulin was wonderful. The service staff is friendly and professional and the food is top notch. The Osso buco was great !! I really think this is one of the best eats anywhere.

    (5)

  • Darius D.

    My wife and I were celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary and I wanted to try someplace special. All of the food was great, I had a salad and my wife and an assortment of olives for our apps. The salad was fine only spring greens and a few slices of tomato but the dressing was delish, and you can't mess up olives (they were good). For the entrees we had the Sweet roasted chicken and the lamb shank. The chicken looked and tasted amazing, the lamb shank was plated a little differently then I expected and while it was very tasty it looked a little blah..beans, sausage and lamb, all shades of tan and brown. Oh the pommes frites w/ ailoi were crispy and exactly what I wanted. I ordered a 1/2 bottle of wine but they opened a whole bottle before I realized there was a mistake, so I kept the bottle. The atmosphere was nice (very French), we enjoyed every minute there. We took a cab there since I was drinking and I didn't expect to have a problem getting a cab back to the hotel...boy was I wrong. There was a concert going on and we could NOT get a cab at all. This is were the staff at Bistro Moulin above and way beyond! The hostess Colleen tried for an hour to get us a cab and when they never answered the phone she offered to have her daughter Robin (our waitress) to give us a ride back!!! We are so unbelievably thankful to them, this truly made our night! It would have been a total disaster without that act of kindness. Whenever we are in Monterey you know we will be back! So Colleen & Robin and the chef at Bistro Moulin we can't thank you enough but thank you again!

    (5)

  • Janna G.

    My favorite. I have never been disappointed with anything. The gnocchi are melt in your mouth good. The escargot are the same. My husband always has the soup followed up with the steak. They are busy for a reason, they are the best so make a reservation.

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    We enjoyed a lovely dinner here when we were in Monterey for a weekend visit. The atomosphere of the place makes you feel like you are somewhere in Europe.The food was delicious, but rich. You will definitely have a food hangover the next day so be prepared. The escargot was delicious! They have a nice selection of wines by the glass. Our creme brulee was perfect.The service was excellent. I highly recommend this place and would go back again on another visit to Monterey!

    (4)

  • Tara D.

    The food was delicious, we even got a free-bee appetizer of carrot pate! Unfortunately, from my vantage point in the small restaurant, I saw the hostess (who could have been an owner, or the owner/chef's wife maybe?) do some terrible things: yell at a waiter - she even followed him to continue yelling!, and put a bite of something into her mouth in the kitchen (yes, she put her fingers into her mouth), then resume her work. At a restaurant as nice and classy as this one, one would expect a more professional hostess.

    (3)

  • Peter H.

    After reading rave review after rave review this place was a huge disappointment. I'm tempted to give three stars because it was still an Ok dinner, but Yelp's definition of 3 stars is "A-Ok" and for $25 an entree you have a right to expect better. There's three basic components of any restaurant experience: service, atmosphere/decor, and the food. To justify entrees in the mid-$20s you should excel on at least two out of three. Quite frankly, Bistro Moulin distinguished itself in none of these factors. To start with the service: it was cold and unfeeling. Walking away I thought "maybe I expect to much out of the wait staff." It took a trip to El Torito, a nearby mid-scale Mexican chain, to restore my confidence. There we had a waiter who was friendly and engaging, and I realized that the staff can be pleasant and service can be fun. At Bistro Moulin -- where entrees cost twice what they do at El Torito -- our waitress didn't stop by once to check on us. The decor was french countryside decor with some generic French posters lining the walls. The tablecloths were something you would expect to lay down on a picnic table while enjoying the countryside on a fine day. Hanging across the room where some Christmas style lights and mini-flags that reminded me of a south of the border Mexican restaurant. Which brings us to the food. First, it was incredibly slow. She ordered the three course prix fix menu for $35 and I ordered Steak Bordalaise for $28.50 and onion soup for $8.50. The prix fix started with a beet salad (which they brought out first) and followed with a butternut squash soup that arrived at the same time as my onion soup. All of these were quite good -- the butternut squash soup especially. The prix fix entree was Chilean Sea Bass [edit: apparently not Chilean], which was tasty but (IMHO) slightly overcooked. My steak, on the other hand, appears to have been a result of an incorrect answer to the age old question "where on the menu do you put your weaker dishes?" The answer, of course, is that you don't put them on the menu. The sauce managed to be both heavy and overbearing and yet also rather tasteless. The meet was tough and difficult to cut into with the steak knife, and equally difficult to chew. Even at half the price I would not have been satisfied with such a steak. The other problem was that everything happened so SLOWLY. A wait for the salad to arrive. More waiting for the soup to arrive. And finally, a terribly long wait for our entrees to arrive, as if they hadn't used the time from the two previous courses to get things ready. With no wine, no desert, and having left quickly after finishing our entrees, it still took us 2 hours to get out the door.

    (2)

  • Gerard L.

    gnocchi spinach!!!!!! The restaurant is quaint and good size for a bistro. The place was cozy and pretty romantic for a laid back dinner. The service was very very good. It is one of the key to get good review from me. No need to dress as we came in with our soaked clothes from almost being swept off the high tides during the weekend of the mavericks. Yes scary. But now back to my review. I thought the gnocchi spinach was the best. It melted in our mouths and the sauce was amazingly delicious. My girlfriend had the lamp chops especial for that the evening. It was really tender and pretty much oozing with good meat. The bone marrow was wow! But the tomatoe sauce wasn't the best and most appealing. It made seemed like menudo. Being Filipino, I've had something like that before and had expecting something new and unique. I had the sea bass. It was really good but again there something missing, but the mash potatoes was really good accompanied with it's white sauce. My girlfriend had the pino noir {red} and chardonnay {white} for my fish. Kinda pricey for wine that could have costed the same from Safeway and I'd be leaving with a bottle instead of a glass. Bill was around $90 not including the tip. To sum it up, I'd come back there again but I'd have to taste other Monterey restaurants first.

    (4)

  • Linda S.

    YUM! We were visiting from the Bay Area and had made dinner reservations at Tarpy's Roadhouse. That afternoon we decided we didn't feel like driving so I started searching online for someplace within walking distance to our hotel (we were staying at the BW Victorian Inn, which was GREAT). My hubby loves moules frites so we decided to try Bistro Moulin. I felt fortunate that we were able to get a reservation at the last minute. What a great meal! We had the pate as an appetizer and it was awesome. Hubby had a hard time deciding what to have for dinner because everything looked so good. He ended up ordering the moules frites and was NOT disappointed. I had the spinach gnocchi which was ten times better than I expected. The service was great. The staff really has its' act together. We will definitely come back here the next time we're in Monterey. In fact, I want to book a trip just so I can try some other items on the menu! :-)

    (5)

  • Hendrik S.

    Another great restaurant my wife and I visited while vacationing in Monterey. I loved this place for its intimate and friendly atmosphere. The food was fantastic. In particular the spinach gnocchi were amazing. Very reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    Gnocchi was excellent. (although most things cooled in cream tend to be that way) I don't care for it when restaurants charge $2.50 for a can of coke though. The restaurant is worth trying.

    (4)

  • Patricia O.

    Most excellent cannelonni! Wonderful service! And the chocolate mousse was fantastic! Just a delightful evening. Can not thank you enough. Will return often!

    (5)

  • Funfloury N.

    Quaint restaurant with a lot of flavor! Service was great and food was delicious. We ordered Escargots as an appetizers and they came out boiling hot. We enjoyed dipping the free bread in the garlic butter sauce. Let's just say we didn't leave anything left for the imagination. Hubby ordered the Coq au Vin. He's not a fan of dark meat but was complimenting how delicious it was. The meat fell of the bones so no knife needed. I ordered the nightly special Truffle gnocchi.cream sauce was delicious! My only complaint was the dessert. The profiteroles tasted stale and store bought. Seemed like they drizzled Hershey's chocolate on top. Other than that the experience was great.

    (4)

  • Mellissa G.

    Started with spinach gnocchi and escargot finished with a rack of lamb, beef tenderloin cannelloni and profiteroles. Everything absolutely delicious, tres bien!!! Absolutely no complaints...

    (5)

  • Greg P.

    All around excellent experience. Service: Philipe, our server, could not have been better. The food... Escargots were rich and garlicky. The gnocchi like light clouds of deliciousness. We had the specials - sole over arugula risotto with a tomato lobster broth and a rack of lamb - both wonderful. Especially the lamb which was as close to perfect as I've experienced. And the chocolate mouse... It's what you hope for but rarely get. Don't miss this place.

    (5)

  • Henry H.

    the mussels and the duck confit is very good, its 4 star but the other food are just ok, the price is reasonable.

    (3)

  • Eswhy L.

    was looking for a nice romantic xmas eve dinner at monterrey and stumbled upon this place. iys got a small cozy kinda atmosphere and the food is pretty good too. great place to try ftench cuisine minus the snootiness.

    (4)

  • Brent V.

    Bistro Moulin continues to be my favorite French Restaurant..... The food is fantastic and the Service is friendly and unpretentious :-)

    (5)

  • Anthony L.

    French cooking at it's finest. This is a hole in the wall restaurant with TONS of charm! The french onion soup here is probably the best I've ever had. I ordered the duck confit, and it had so much flavor. The atmosphere is wonderful, and the service was excellent. The creme brule was great. I will definitely be dining here the next time I visit monterey.

    (5)

  • Noel J.

    unbelievably rude. an older woman who answered the phone does not let you finish your sentence and then hangs up on you with a patronizing "thank you very much and goodbye" "click" we spoke maybe 7 seconds. i was trying to book a post wedding thank you dinner and i didn't even get to ask for the reservation as she assumed i only had one question and hung up on me while i proceeded to speak. this place was referred from a gentleman at post ranch inn, he was embarrassed to say the least.

    (1)

  • Jerry C.

    okay, the wife decided to take a break from battling the Jedi Council to indulge in a little R and R here in Monterey and Carmel. The good thing first...it was V day, and we had reservations at 6:30.PM. Our fat asses couldn't get there until 7PM, but they didn;t even bat an eyelash as they sat us down right away. Then for a little free treat, they gave us some bread and some carrott/ ginger spread that hit the spot. This is the main reason this place is getting three stars from me. It all went to the Dark Side from that point on. We were starving like a bantha to try their famous Mussels and frites..only to have our Twi'Lek waitress tell us" oops.. I did it again I played with your heart...we are actually out of that dish.." This was at friggin 7 PM. They open at 5Pm. Are you telling me Jabba the Hutt was there during that time and ate up all the damn mussells? either this was poor food management or they didn't feel like serving their precious mussells to us. whatever... had the hanger steak, and it was drowned in thick gooey sauce that i didn't care for. The frites were ok, but the server forgot to give me aioli. If i was Boba Fett I would've fried her ass with my torch gun by now. The wife had the chicken in red wine sauce, and it was okay..not great..okay. the special "Sea food chowder" was something my mother in law makes at home..and better too. So, anyway..the Force was not with this one.

    (3)

  • Daniel R.

    This was one of the nicest French meals i have had outside of Paris since Le Mutton Noir closed in Saratoga. The food is excellent and the service and staff are friendly and attentive. We started our meal with a cheese plate and the roasted beet salad. The cheese plate contained a nice combination of three cheeses, nuts, and a fig compote. The beet salad was nicely dressed with a light dressing that allowed the flavor of the beets to shine. We continued on to one of the specials, a roasted rack of lamb. The lamb was perfectly prepared and very flavorful! It had two sides, a delicious potato au'graten and a nice ratatouille. We also had the confit de canard, a beautifully prepared quarter of duck with a interesting lentil ragout. In addition, we had to try a side of pommes frites, which were wonderful; crispy on the outside fluffy inside and only lightly salted. Even though we were nearly ready to pop, we couldn't pass up dessert. Both the creme brulee and pear tarte tartin were wonderful, not overly sweet. The next time we are in Monterey I plan on making another stop here, the food is too good to miss!

    (5)

  • Martin O.

    Walking distance (2-5blocks) from hotels on Cannery Row. Nice ambiance but no "romantic ocean view" like some of the other fancy restaurants on the Wharf. Sommelier made a fantastic suggestion to pair with our meals. Started with the appetizer spinach gnocchi (now $12.75) and french onion soup, both excellent, reviews here were spot on! For our entrees, we chose the Steak Bordelaise and Mussels and were both pleased with the dishes. The Mussels were cooked perfectly, broth delishhhh! Homemade Tiramisu was also light and flavorful, paired well with our local Cabernet. Just under $200 for two people, bottle of wine, two appetizers, two entrees, one dessert, tax and tip. Great food and ambiance, no Ocean view.

    (5)

  • Shiho F.

    Reservations almost a must. Finally got to try this lovely little gem with some close family friends. Everything that I tried was delicious. From the little toasts served with the garlic and carrot spread to the chocolate mousse. I got to taste everyone's dish but first we started off with the Escargot prepared with garlic and Hazlenut butter. Much more cleaner (not heavy) aftertaste and very easy to enjoy. I chose the Pate which was served with cornichons and dabs of what I think were balsamic reductions. Perfect. Osso Buco Milanese was solid. Tender, fell off from the bones and I would have licked the marrow out with my tongue if it was polite, I used the mini spoon instead. So rich (so pretty, best piece of ass in this whole damn city)! Sorry, love Mickey Avalon. The Paella was insane. It was this weeks special and oh my was it special. Now I know that this is a French restaurant but they sure did justice to this Spanish inspired dish. A nice piece of lobster awaited in the middle, as were mussels, chorizo, baby octopus, etc... I think this was my favorite dish. It was somehow delicate, how can such a rustic dish cooked in one pot be so lovely?!? The best part of the paella is that the broth was simple and the seasonings did not over power the rice dish. The rice had a subtle hint of the mussels and everything else that was in that plate. Unbelievable. The Moules Frites... superb. I enjoy mussels but the frites... haha... I ate so many! They weren't even mine! I also got to try a bite or 2 of the Steak Bordelaise. Grilled Niman Ranch Hangar steak prepared in a shallots and Cabernet sauce. Very good. Again everything was served light (but still held its own) in a sense that nothing seemed to over power the main ingredient which I think is very rare these days. The sauce and seasonings are made to accentuate each dish not to take on the dish if you get my gist. That is what I was most impressed by tonight. I look forward to going back.

    (5)

  • David G.

    Well, Bistro Moulin has no atmosphere to speak of, but the service is friendly and the feel is "comfy", so it all comes down to the food. This is not an "experience" restaurant -- it is a place to go if you crave expert cooking. All four of the dishes we tried were A+, including the sole almondine (I usually hate sole), onion soup, beet salad, and chicken crepe. I'm willing to bet the rest of the menu lives up to these standards. Whoever cooks there really knows what he or she is doing.

    (5)

  • Gillian C.

    Yum. Small and welcoming. We loved Bistro Moulin after a day at the Aquarium. Delish moules frites, seafood stew, mezze and champagne. Also well-priced--$150 including tip, for dinner for 3 w/ a lovely bottle of French bubbly, dessert, coffee and entrees.

    (4)

  • Greg H.

    I dream about this place in my sleep. Been here twice and thoroughly pleased with the dishes I ordered - excellent presentation and food quality. They have a nice selection of wines and if you get it by-the-glass, the pour is generous. Definitely save room for dessert though; I'd be hard pressed to choose between the chocolate mousse and the crème brûlée. The wait staff are also pleasant and efficient, I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • MC B.

    My husband and I dined at this gem of a restaurant last week, and I can recommend it to anyone visiting Monterey or Pacific Grove. Although unimpressive from the street, once inside you are transported to the Left Bank, complete with delightful, funky decorations. Our meal started with some simple toast rounds and an extensive wine list. I can only say that all aspects of the meal from preparation through presentation were first class. The servers are spot on with unobtrusively professional service. My husband had the spinach gnocchi and I ordered tenderloin cannelloni (which I shared with my husband). Both were outstanding. In a town that caters toward seafood lovers, such menu items proved most welcome. Best of all, the prices at Moulin are very fair (given the tourist reality of Monterey). We enjoy visiting this city, and I know we will definitely return to this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Cece L.

    I had high expectations from all the reviews, and I was not let down! My mussels were the best I'd ever had, and the spinach gnocchi is amazing, though really creamy and heavy. My bf ordered an entree sized which was too much to finish, even with my help. the place is small and cute and there is a parking lot right behind it (we paid $3 for the entire evening). service was excellent as well loved this place and will def come back next time i'm in the area :)

    (5)

  • Michelle A. D.

    I went again last weekend- tried the escargot and the boeuf bourguignon. Their escargot is truly the best I've had anywhere... I've been told this place is difficult to get into, but this is the second time I've walked right in. Just meant to be, I guess :) I think I'm officially in love with this place (please don't tell Bistro Jeanty that I'm cheating on it!)

    (5)

  • Elise O.

    What a quaint restaurant, set in beautiful Monterey. I came here with my husband on our honeymoon for dinner on our last night. The restaurant is cozy with only a few tables, so it is best to make a reservation. To start, we both had french onion soup: usually I would say the broth was way too salty for my liking (yes, I know it's french onion soup...) but this was absolutely delicious. The bowl came out with the cheese bubbling on top and underneath was a perfectly seasoned broth with tender slices of onion. I moved on to the "steak bordelaise" for my entree, while my husband had the spinach gnocchi. My steak was cooked perfectly, was extremely tender, and full of flavor. The pommes frites were to die for--the aioli on the side for dipping was packed with flavor! I would highly recommend the spinach gnocchi (not for an entree, but definitely as an appetizer). A few bites of the gnocchi were outstanding, but about halfway through a heaping plate of it, it became boring. The flavor was there---I blame it on the texture. For dessert, you have to order profiteroles: they are a perfect way to end this wonderful meal! I would definitely come here for a date night or special occasion. I would not recommend it for larger parties (it's too intimate).

    (4)

  • Tara M.

    Small, quaint place. Very friendly staff and food was excellent, but at a price. For 4 people our bill was over $300 (with 2 bottles of wine). The spinach and truffle gnocchi was out of this world! The sea bass was also excellent. The duck was just ok and a little on the dry side. Will go back but maybe bring own wine at a corkage fee.

    (4)

  • Deb E.

    Lovd the Bistro. It was everything we were looking for and nothing that we weren't. Would go again.

    (5)

  • Janet J.

    My husband and I enjoyed an intimate dinner at this little gem we discovered by accident. We had a reservation but we didn't need it as we ate early, as we arrived just as they were opening. My hubby had the gnocchi, which was amazing. I had the sole which was a tad salty but still delicious. The ambiance was lovely and the service was great. We plan to eat here next time we visit beautiful Pacific Grove.

    (5)

  • Niktug I.

    We've got onion soup, chef's selection of appetizers, crepes with chicken and special fish dish. My sole fish dish had too much sauce in the plate but nevertheless everything was tasty.One thing is that they charged $8 for a bottle of Pellegrino. come on!

    (4)

  • David P.

    This was definitely a covert operation mission. With only 2 hours before having to get to a wedding venue, the officiant and I ran off for some Monterey french faire. Yelp lead us to this place, and I'll have to admit. Though quite delicious and filling, french flavor comes at a hefty price tag. The two of us ordered fries with aioli, a ratatouille dish, osso bucco, and spinach gnocchi. Everything was pretty delicious, although we could have done without the ratatouille. The all star had to be the gnocchi, definitely fresh home made in a light cream sauce topped with cheese, with only 8 pieces, it definitely had us wanting more. Small, homely, with great attention to detail. A fan for sure.

    (4)

  • Michael K.

    What a wonderful restaurant! It's in walking distance of Cannery Row, but away from the tourist crowds. We had the Steak Bordelaise, and it was cooked perfectly and the sauce was heavenly. The service was wonderful. If you're in Monterey, this is the place to go!

    (5)

  • Dave Y.

    for some reason, every time i've eaten french food, i never remember what i ate a while later, even if it was supposedly very good. i think it's because good french cooking is about technique and ingredients, rather than a particular style; it's too subtle for my lack of any foodie knowledge to really appreciate. anyway, this place is good. i had the duck confit with caviar lentils, and i don't think i'll forget this meal. this is a nice place, especially given all the tourist trap restaurants in the area. it's relatively unassuming, is very pretty and cozy inside, has a bistro menu, pricey but not overpriced, and food is very good. if you're looking for a good high quality restaurant and/or are avoiding the corporate feeding holes for tourists, this is a good stop

    (4)

  • Christina G.

    Love it, love it, love it! I just attended a winemaker's dinner here tonight and it was amazing! I truly felt like I was at someone's home for dinner. Such a comforting, wonderful atmosphere. The food was so perfectly paired with the wine and the service was outstanding. Try the duck confit.....probably the best in town!

    (5)

  • T. Viv D.

    Coq au Vin was so tender, I could hardly believe it! Boyfriend's escargot was garlicy and delicious! Osso Bucco was fantastic as well. Lovely, clean restroom, great, friendly wait staff (family-run business). Expensive, but worth it!

    (5)

  • Oakland E.

    Okay. I understand it's a Saturday night and Halloween. The staff is totally entitled to have some fun. But the hostess, as a few others have alluded to here, was really over the top and off-putting. The food was a little better than average, with the pork loin special the highlight. But on our way out the door after a $120 meal for two, the hostess, while posing for yet another photograph with the staff or her friends, snipes about us, "Well, I guess they didn't GET me." Lovely. When she realizes we've heard her, she runs into the street trying to semi-apologize and then goes back inside to make more cracks about us. No, we DID get you. We just didn't LIKE you.

    (2)

  • Timothy K.

    Had to push a reservation due to arriving in the area later than expected; the hostess was very accommodating in pushing the reservation; Parking wad kind of expensive.. There is a lot behind the restaurant that charges 16 all day and 5 after 4p; a nice person offered to let me use his permit but had already paid :( The bread they initially give us was the thin crispy kind with a red spread (didn't ask wat it was) but if asked for it, they also give you the regular soft bread Ordered the beet salad, the gnocchi that many reviewers of this place mention (the appetizer), and the chicken (coq au something or other).. The salad was great, the gnocchi was awesome and the chicken was soft and tender. Was glad we asked for the soft bread bc it was great eating it with the gnocchi sauce..personally I wish we had gone with the entree version of the gnocchi and a smaller version of the chicken if that was possible.. We also had coffee and the chocolate mousse after our meal - coffee on the strong side and the mousse was a good way to end the meal One thing that stood out to my wife and myself was their service..they know how to take care of you here - you don't have to ask for more water bc they regularly fill it for you and they are pretty timely in taking finished plates In addition, if you are into small talk, we noticed the hostess having conversations with some of the other tables but for us who are not, we got to enjoy the evening without that aspect Overall, for their great service, great gnocchi, warm atmosphere, and for leaving me with a happy wife, 5 stars

    (5)

  • David J.

    This place was awesome. Wasn't sure what to think at first, but definitely turned out to be one of the better restaurants on this trip. The Cannelloni Con Tartufi was amazing. Service was good, and setting was perfect for a quiet dinner.

    (5)

  • caroline b.

    Awesome service, parking lot, great wine list and even a view... Love this place

    (5)

  • Clarence A.

    4 stars I don't like fish or spinach but this place made me a believer their Gnocchi con Spinach is amazing buttery, creamy goodness in every bite. 5 stars for just this dish their chowder not the normal white but red and watery completely different taste lil tangy taste to it I ordered the special which was Halibut that nite.. flaky, soft, tender, super flavorful the wife ordered the Moules Frites mussels with fries in a decadent sauce very well prepared and very flavorful food **** all there food very good very happy with all the everything they offered ambiance **** super small, quaint service *** waitress in front a lil spacy remember to make a reservation if you can they are big on reservations good for first date a must is the spinach gnocchi

    (4)

  • Elcio B.

    Best meal experience in Monterey. A perfect place if you're looking for cozy, great service, amazing food, and definitely not too touristy. Off the main strip.

    (5)

  • Peter B.

    Superior bistro food. One of top two or three dining experiences on the Monterey Peninsula. Gnocchi is epic . Each dish is authentic and outstanding. A gem of a place .

    (5)

  • Wendy T.

    The atmosphere is very cute, with chandelliers, paintings, and wine cellar decoration. They served us carrot dipping bread crackers and it was lovely. We also Loved the spinach gnochi, french onion soup, french fries with aioli, and cananoli with veal ragu. Will want to try the osso busco, escargot, capucinno, and tiramisu next time. Please make reservation next time.

    (4)

  • Rita Y.

    3.5 stars, I would've considered 4 except they added too much salt to the food and really ruined it. It's not really that small a restaurant. There are 2 rooms and about 12 tables, a few two somes, and 4 somes and a table for 6. The wait staff was nice enough and we didn't feel rush. We called earlier in the day and got reservations for 7:15pm on a Monday. The kitchen is really tiny, barely fits 3 and I think that's why they pace the amount of customers in the restaurant. I'm not a fan of gnocchi in Italian restaurants. But, the spinach gnocchi is nothing what I expected. Hubby ordered the appetizer which came with 6 green fluffy gnocchis. It was like eating a puffed spinach ball. Really good and expensive, $12.75, they were only the size of a large marble. My onion soup, $9.50 was OK. Extremely hot, I mean scorching hot. It had lots of cheese on top. Hubby liked his duck confit, $24.50 which came with beans. I had a bite of the duck and thought it was good. I was not happy with the Osso Buco, $27.50 because it drowned in salt to the point where you can't enjoy the meat. They gave me 3 large pieces and a tiny spoon to dig out the marrow in the bone. I couldn't finish it all because it was too much food. Portions are good size. My Osso Buco came with a square of polenta and some green beans. We also ordered a side of French Fries, $5.75. It wasn't the skinny kind, just regular fries, no need to order this. The 2 glasses of French wine, $10 each of Brouilly was good. Decent amount of pour. We wanted to try dessert but just could not fit any more food in. I might consider coming back for another try in the future but will have to ask them to not add any more salt to my food, as it made it too hard to eat.

    (3)

  • Judi W.

    The best meal ever!!! The gnocchi is to die for - melts in your mouth... my boyfriend had the cannoli, also amazing... Cute and quaint restaurant. Warm reception when we arrived. We had reservations and although we arrived early, we were immediately seated. Only negative was the waitress who was aloof and was only an order taker. When asked about the wines, gnocchi (we were wondering how much was in the appetizer vs the entree) and whether an appetizer would be too much with the entrees we had chose, she was completely unhelpful. She never checked back with us... at all! So basically she took our order and delivered the check. Our food was delivered by someone from the kitchen. Despite the waitress fail, the food and presentation was off the charts!!!! Highly, highly recommend this restaurant!!!

    (5)

  • Greener D.

    Nice ambiance and good service. Saw the reviews on here and decided to stop by for dinner while staying at the intercontinental hotel. Unfortunately the sea bass special for the night was extremely dry, overcooked, and disappointing. The rest of the dish was tasty and so was the bread.

    (2)

  • Bernice M.

    Came here on a Saturday night for a date with my husband. We had made reservations for 7:00 & arrived at 7:10 and were still seated right away. Wonderful friendly service. Cute little romantic place & even Better Food! Prices are a little higher than average but not ridiculous for what we got. No complaints here! We will definitely be back :)

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    If you're staying near Cannery Row and the aquarium, I highly recommend this little restaurant for dinner! Easily the best food we had during our stay. Excellent wine selection and quality bread on the table. We started out with a cheese plate, which had some interesting and tasty offerings (sheep's milk cheese? Wild). For dinner I had the gnocci au gratin, which could have been a little more substantial for a main course but was delicious none the less. The gf had jambalaya, which she loved (even if the little tiny squid tentacles were kinda freaking me out). The service was great and the prices were reasonable for a classy joint. They take reservations, which you'll probably want to make because the place is pretty small. All around we had a lovely dining experience!

    (4)

  • Cassie P.

    Since my last review three years ago, they are no longer open for lunch. Last night we had an earlier reservation. They are a must, don't even try walking in. I am not a foodie and def not a French food BUT three things here are the bomb for me. Spinach gnocchi, French fries and chocolate mousse. Good thing I ran 5 miles and I'm about to do the same run right now to make up for the fries. I ate the whole basket. Worth every calorie!

    (4)

  • Kelly M.

    Ran in the door about 20 minutes before they stopped serving one night, our waiter (who is a chef himself!) Philip made us feel like we had all the time in the world. The service could not have been any better and the food was out of this world. One of the best steaks I've ever had. The sauce...oh my god... so good. If you want to forget about the world for a couple hours, do yourself a favor and go here. Very romantic atmosphere. When people have a passion for things, it shows, and we got to experience it not only through the chef's food, but also through the warm words and knowledge of our serveur, Philip.

    (5)

  • John K.

    I've been here twice and both times it was a wonderful experience. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is charming and the staff is friendly and helpful. Last visit I had the confit de canard and it took me right back to dining in France. This visit my partner had the osso bucco and I had the filet of sole with meyer lemon sauce. Both dishes were sublime and we again left thoroughly sated and pleased with the experience. As others have said, it is small so do make reservations. I like that it is not as touristy as many of the places nearby. While it is not cheap, it is good value for the money. I'll return again next time I am in Monterey.

    (5)

  • Sonya C.

    At this price, I have definitely experienced better. The food was okay, but extremely underwhelming. We started with the tapas which was decent and light. My spouse ordered the veal which she quickly noted was not impressive and that her dad can cook it to more tenderness. I had the mussels which were good but not mind blowing. The desert was very good. The problem with this place is that the service was not good at all. We felt like we waited a long time for everything and we noticed other people got better service. We eat at nice places at most once every two months, we're not rich, but we know good food. For this price we can get way way better food at other places. This may be a problem with Monterey in general. The rating of restaurants here is a bit inflated. Even if a place has high ratings, expect it to be medium to good compared to good food in other places.

    (2)

  • Dynise B.

    I made a reservation based on previous reviews and was very happy I did so. We actually arrived early in the hopes they could takes us early even though we normally eat late. They accommodated us pleasantly and we were very happy. I had the pate and the duck confit and finished with the cheese plate. My husband had the soup and mussels. We had a half bottle of Sancerre and a half bottle of Gigondas. We were happy with every dish, the service, the timing and the ambiance. We will happily go again.

    (5)

  • John C.

    I apologize this review should have been posted in Sept 2010: Saturday eve, I made a reservation the week before. I had one of the specials, totally forgot the name but is was either manicotti or a crepe stuffed with fresh seafood and it was amazing! I was very surprised the dish was only $19.00 and change as I would've paid $30.00 without hesitation. My date had the Coq au Vin, it was the first time she ever tried the dish. She was very pleased - I had to try her dish (first time for me too) and the everything about it was fantastic, the penne, the chicken (leg and thigh) were cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious! Highly Recommend!

    (4)

  • Alex F.

    One of the best meals I've had in a long time! Tucked away in a small space off of Cannery Row, this intimate dining experience will knock your socks off! Everyone mentions the spinach gnocchi, and yes, you must order it. They are perfectly cooked, proportioned, and served. A decadent treat to start off your evening. The tomato/eggplant bisque was absolutely amazing; the flavor was so rich. As an entree, I had the cannelloni with truffle and beef filling in a pink vodka sauce. I don't typically eat beef (or meat at all), but I savored every bite. Paired with a full-bodied red wine (Bordeaux Superior) that left me wanting more. I would travel to Monterey simply to eat here again, no joke! As others have mentioned, a reservation is almost a must considering the size and number of tables.

    (5)

  • J C.

    Coq au vin and Duck confit were soooo good! They are worth of ruining a summer diet and feeling guilty :) very attentive staff and friendly environment. It's good for both family dinner and dates. and the house tiramisu was AMAZING! again, worth of the guilt afterwards!

    (5)

  • Tashi D.

    Totally yum! I even ordered chicken; a complete never. And it was excellent! The staff is on point and kind. A yes!

    (4)

  • Brad O.

    This place is such a treasure, I am hesitant to write too much for fear I will not be able to get in next time! Really fantastic place if you are looking for real, well prepared dining with a warm, quaint feel. The owners and friends/family were present at both the front door and leading the kitchen, and therefore it is hard to miss the care and quality of the place. Great wine available also if you know your french wines. In my experience, good French chefs strive to find the perfect balance of not over-powering the core ingredients, and my experience was chef hit the mark eloquently. Bistro Moulin is on our favorites list on our trips to Monterey and will be back as many times as possible. After dining for many years in the area, I can easily say this is one of the best restaurants in Monterey.

    (5)

  • Mike V.

    Yelpers absolutely nailed this one. Post-Monterey Bay Aquarium (Bistro opens the moment the aquarium closes), I can't think of anything better. The Coq Au Vin is to die for. And right now, they have dungeness crab and seafood crepes in a cream sauce which I practically inhaled. The french onion soup was delicious on a cold and semi-rainy day, but the escargot was better. As for the desserts.... I know the tartlets look good, but you would be CRAZY not to order the creme brulee. Trust me. It's the chefs signature dessert and i can't think of a more perfect creme brulee in recent memory. Excellent service as well. very knowledgeable of the menu, the specials, and very attentive. Call ahead just in case, this place filled up fairly quickly even on a Sunday night! PS: they play amazing music which I can only describe as quintessential french cafe music.

    (5)

  • Edgar T.

    It was delicious! We came up from Santa Barbara, cool small restaurant, food was great

    (5)

  • L V.

    This was the first meal I shared with my Husband after our wedding night and it was a great choice. I would say this place is worth the price for a special day or if you need to warm a date or prospective business partner up. If you aren't loaded and it is not a special day I don't think you will leave understaning why you paid so much. The staff is friendly and this place seemed to have many return customers as many people walking in hugged the hostess (who I suspect may be the owner). We ate the special seafood crepe and the mussels. The mussels were the stars but I don't understand why they aren't an appetizer and little cheaper. They are the best mussels I have ever had but they come with french fries!? I don't eat much french food so maybe this is normal but I found it a bit rediculous that I was paying for an entree that was essentially two appetizers combined. In any event the food is good so if you want good food and this is in your budget than it seems to be a great place to spend it. I will be back at least one more time to try the pasta.

    (4)

  • Cathy K.

    I LOVE this place! the place is small so make reservations. It is a cozy place with two different rooms for dining. The kitchen is in the middle and you can get a view straight into Chef Didier while he works his magic. It is delicious comfort French food without all the stuffy atmosphere that often comes with some other French restaurants a bit farther South. I thank Rafael for recommending this place to me. He is there on Thursday nights, so stop by and say hello. He knows a TON about wine too, so trust his opinion, since he knows his stuff. One of my favorite places on the Peninsula is Casanova but I found out that most of those amazing creations came from Chef Didier. Needless to say, I had to try the original! You know that old Intel commercial about a "different kind of rock star?" That is how I feel about Chef Didier - ROCK STAR!! Everything was stupid delicious! I went into a food coma over all this wonderfulness and woke up with a butter hangover. We started with the crostinis and a delightful dip they bring to the table (I can't remember for the life of me what it was though). We then ventured into the pate and fromage platter along with a couple bottles of wine. They have a nice selection of wines and the list is largely French. I am not very versed in French wine, so I needed a little help with the selection. I think we did OK, though. I picked a Latour Pouilly Fuisse and our friends picked a lovely red. If they have them by the glass, you can also taste it to see if you like it before you commit to a bottle. The staff is patient and ready to help you pair the best selection with your meal. They also serve you a fresh and warm crusty bread basket with sweet unsalted butter. Don't go crazy with the bread just yet, though. Even though you will be tempted, there is so much more to come. The fromage platter was a little on the smaller side, but the price is also commensurate with the volume. They don't serve you huge plates so you can actually enjoy multiple courses. The Fig chutney is absolutely delicious and was my favorite on the firm cheese. The platter came with a lovely firm cheese (I don't recall the name of this either), a triple cream and strong Roquefort. Following the appetizers, we ordered Cannelloni con Tartufi, Gnocchi con Spinaci, Moules Frites, and Coq au Vin for our main entrees. The Coq au Vin was so tender that it just melted in your mouth. The sauce was rich and velvety and paired wonderfully with the red. The Cannelloni was delicious and the truffle was not overpowering and sublimely balanced. This was important to me, since I am often overwhelmed by the strength of truffles in many dishes. The Gnocchi was what I came for and it was heaven in a dish. It was creamy, toasty on top and SO rich! This is the kind of food that will change your religion. There was a healthy portion of gnocchi in the dish and it will let in your mouth like cotton candy. It is a French gnocchi, so it isn't made with potatoes, like you may expect. I had to take my giant spoon and drink about a cup of the Parmesan cream sauce from the bowl once I ate my little pillows of love and temptation. Finally, the mussels are delicate in flavor, tender, fat and juicy! They were huge and the sauce was absolutely wonderful. It didn't overwhelm the delicate shellfish. Again, there is lots of dipping sauce left over for the delicious bread. The bonus with the mussels were the Pommes Frites. These things were DELICIOUS! I am not sure what they fry them in, but it has to be some kind of duck fat or something. These were crispy, toasty and the perfect textural contrast to the tender and succulent mussels. Haven't had enough yet? Well, you have to save room for dessert. We had Profiteroles, a lemon meringue tart and creme brulee. What can I say? French Dessert, Chef Didier and good company....no contest. This place is TOPS. If you are in Monterey, you need to go here. Even though it is close in proximity to the aquarium, I would say that you are lucky if you manage to stumble onto this place as a tourist. This is NOT a tourist trap and it seemed like nothing but locals when we went. We were the last to leave and the kitchen was already cleaned. The staff was hanging out having a glass of wine and we never once felt rushed. Our server never forgot about us and the service was just as good as the food. The price is right and it is very reasonable for the quality of food and service you get. Bravo!! We will most definitely be back and plan to bring all our visitors there to share the love.

    (5)

  • Adrian L.

    Coq au vin! Osso buco! Both excellent as were the other dishes ordered by our table. Service was excellent. Highly recommend! Will want to return to try other dishes. The dishes are more of a European variety than pure French as hinted in the restaurant name.

    (4)

  • Joel K.

    What a fantastic little place - great food and great small restaurant. A must stop for any stay in Monterrey.

    (5)

  • Bella F.

    Such an amazing dinner here. The Brut rose was fantastic and my chicken was tender and finger tasting good. It's set up like a cute french bakery/wine shop. They have french music playing in the background and the staff is friendly. My boyfriend ordered the Spinach gnocchi and he said it was phenomenal! We also took home a chocolate pastry which we enjoyed at home in san jose with a bottle of champagne. The table we were using was a bit wobbly, but overall experience was delightful. I will come back and try other items on the menu. It is a block and a half from the aquarium and away from the row. Very easy to miss, but don't because this place is a gem :)

    (5)

  • Stefanie C.

    Cute little unassuming restaurant on a quiet street, one over from cannery row. Once inside, the place is cozy and has a quiet ambiance. Crowd was mostly older retired looking folks. French onion soup - BEST I HAVE EVER HAD. The broth was perfected flavored, with the right amount of cheese and onions. Truffle gnocchi - little fluffy pillows of decadence in a bed of creamy sauce, each bite was better than the next. Seafood crepe - perfect crepe, stuffed with lobster, shrimp and scallops, not sure what the sauce over it was, but it was also nearly as delicious as the gnocchi. AND this place is beyond reasonably priced. Would totally go back!!

    (5)

  • Raul N.

    A friend of mine was asking me about lunch at Bistro Moulin today and I realized I needed to update my review to reflect their new hours. Bistro Moulin no longer offers lunch service--they're open for dinner seven days a week starting at 5:00. Most nights they'll seat until 8:30, often later on Friday and Saturday nights. Of course, reservations are recommended since it's a small spot that fills up quickly. Re-reading my review, I'm pretty bummed they stopped lunch service--the crepes are indeed fantastic, but better as a lunch special than a dinner. (Seriously, who eats crepes for dinner? Not me! But as my father always said, that's why there's chocolate and vanilla.) The regular dinner menu is full of French and Mediterranean classics--nothing terribly special or unique, but always executed to perfection. Here's a tip--stop by over the weekend and you'll find some unique additions to the menu like a seared duck breast in a cherry reduction or seafood cannelloni in a pink vodka sauce. Sign up for Bistro Moulin's weekly email blast and you'll get updates about these weekend specials delivered to your inbox every Thursday. I'm already waiting with bated breath to see what Chef Didier is cooking up this weekend!

    (5)

  • Eva H.

    The tiny quaint cafe was surprisingly packed and loud when we stepped in. The inside definitely had a romantic, lively vibe- dim lighting and votive candles on the tables. The decor definitely had a French countryside feel to it (hence the ceramic roosters). They started us off with a free small appetizer with toast pieces and a creamy carrot dip. The service was decent, I could tell that this was really a family owned place and they had certain customers they were really closed to. We picked the Crepe Normande (chicken and mushroom) and the Spinach Gnocchi. The food came out fairly quickly considering they bake the gnocchi. The gnocchi was pillowy and melt-in-your-mouth surrounded by cheesy sauce and perfectly baked so that their were toast marks on the gnocchi and sauce. I got a couple of taste of the crepe- very different from my gnocchi but equally as good- very light and the sauce complemented the chicken fillling. It was a fairly short dinner and there was nothing exceptional that stood out besides how wonderful the food tasted. PS. parking is free after 6pm I believe or else there's only metered parking in the area.

    (3)

  • Brittani R.

    What a darling restaurant. I have wanted to eat at this bistro for some time and finally managed to make it in last night. The atmosphere is charming, intimate and welcoming. appetizers: The pate was very flavorful but not heavy, really very good. The spinach gnocchi- amazing! Entrees: A sea bass special that was perfectly cooked and served with spinach, a celery root mousseline and a light blood orange balsamic. fantastic. cannelloni (a very large portion that could easily be shared) in a light vodka sauce was incredible. They have a reasonably priced and extensive wine selection that includes many local offerings as well as French.

    (5)

  • Ying Y.

    I must say, eating well is easy in here.

    (5)

  • Patrick D.

    For anyone visiting Monterey who would enjoy excellent French food in a very quiet relaxed atmosphere, hurry over to Bistro Moulin. So many of the Monterey restaurants look like tourist traps, Bistro Moulin is set apart, not only by its location but also by it's very soothing ambiance. You can tell it's a good restaurant by all the local residents who frequent it. We had the duck and the Osso Busco and both were very good. For an appetizer we shared the tapas selection which was tasty but nothing special. The desert menu was fairly ordinary, but the wine selection was extensive with many French and California wines to choose from. The service was extremely professional and courteous as well. Our overall impressions of Monterey are mixed but our thoughts on Bistro Moulin is that it is a top shelf restaurant. I hope you get a chance to try it.

    (4)

  • Jennifer C.

    We were seated right away, and the staff was always making sure everything was great and if we had enough water. I thought the ambience was cute, not sure how to explain why it was cute but it was. Maybe I thought it was cute because I used to have a thing for anything french related when I was really young, but who knows! One thing you should probably know before you read on is that I probably love cheese more than the average person, so my review might have a little cheese bias. I tried dishes I've never eaten before here, so I don't really have anything to compare it to. However, I loved everything I ate. I think the first thing that came out was the sliced bread & dip. I loved the dip probably because I love cheese, but it was yummy. Then more bread came out but with butter this time. And then the appetizers came out, which was the gnocchi and french onion soup. I've never had those before and I now have a new favorite food, well one of my favorites. I thought the gnocchi was the best thing ever invented and I felt like I can sit there and eat it for hours and wont feel guilty. I can go on forever about how great that sauce was. It makes me wish this place wasn't three hundred miles away. I've never had french onion soup before, and I only like soup when I have a choice between soup or salad, when I'm sick, or when I'm really cold. I liked the cheese with the onion even though I felt like I ate all the cheese in it. Then the entrees came, which were the mussels and chicken. I usually don't like chicken because I don't like white meat because I always think it's super dry all the time, but it sure wan't dry and gross. The mussels came out yummy too, but could be better. With the mussels, were the french fries with the I think garlic aioli as a side. If i could buy a jar of that aioli sauce/dip, I probably would and buy some french fries Out of everything I ate, I love the gnocchi best.

    (5)

  • Ashley H.

    Spinach gnocchi were very good, although after reading so many amazing reviews about them, I felt like they were a bit of a let-down. They also didn't seem especially French. Their bread too was nothing special. It was definitely not French dinner bread quality. It was served with butter (which they would not do in France) and with plates (also not French... bread goes on the table by your plate!) Escargot were lacking to me. The nuts were too strong and the rest didn't have much flavor. The ambiance was nice (romantic and casual) and the water refills were prompt. The best part of the dinner was the pomme frites (french fries) with garlic aioli. The garlic aioli was PHENOMENAL! If you feel comfortable making a reservation at a fancy French restaurant and only ordering fries with this dipping sauce, do it! It is so rich and deeply garlicky. If you are planning a special occasion dinner and willing to spend $150 or so for 2 people, this place would be a good choice. But it still wouldn't blow me away.

    (2)

  • Annie L.

    Staff and service were great. However, have to give 3 stars for food. We had the coq au vin and the salmon, which was the special for the night. The sauces were good but the coq au vin was a little bit dry and the salmon was way over cooked.

    (3)

  • Bryant N.

    having come from Paris last year my wife booked this place looking for a authentic french restaurant. She ordered the free range chicken thigh while I ordered the hanging steak. We even dared to escargot :-) While we wouldn't order escargot again the accompany sauce was great with break. My wife was surprised how flavorful her chicken thigh was and I enjoyed my hanging steak. The ambiance was a small boutique kinda place and their wine selection was impressive. Phillip one of our servers was extremely attentive and even explained how to eat escargot. Parking is a little of an issue in that if you are lucky there might be some parking in the back or you will have to park in the metered parking across the street which are 4 hour time limit. If you are into authentic french food I would recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Ana O.

    Great treat off of the main drag of cannery row. Extensive wine list, small menu focused on what they do best - flavorful french dishes. We had the mussels and frittes (highly recommend the garlic aeoli) and the chicken dish - both had very deep and developed flavors, tons of garlic and seasoning, and the actual protein as well as the sauces tasted as fresh as it gets. Had a delicious light, right chocolate mousse for desert as well. Would give it 5 stars but they hadn't advertised their beer menu and wish they had so we knew we had options. Nice small and intimate restaurant away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist location - even on a mid-week evening at 7pm, almost didn't get seated, so do take the advice and make a reservation if you want to try eating there!

    (4)

  • Mark E.

    This place is breathtaking in every way: the food is the best French I've ever tasted (maybe even the best food I've ever tasted), the wait staff is extremely friendly and the whole place is passionate and authentic. The chocolate mouse is to die for-absolutely heavenly.

    (5)

  • Chris G.

    I would be more inclined to give it 3.5 stars, however since I can't, the service was very good so I'll round up to 4. Like most everyone else, I am very pleased with the spinach gnocchi, however for a few bucks more just order the gnocchi dinner plate instead of the appetizer plate (double the amount for a few bucks more). Wine selection was terrific and the wait staff was very attentive. So why the lower rating? I ordered the the steak and even though the flavor was decent, the quality of meat was probably the worst I have EVER experienced. I am talking EVER! This is comparing it to meat that you would get at a hometown buffet or something. I would say this would be similar to military grade meat. So chewy and grainy it was almost impossible to eat. It was bad both before and after I sent it back... And of course this was the most expensive item on the menu, so I'm thinking it probably should've been better... Again, great staff and wonderful ambiance, terrific spinach gnocchi and wine, terrible quality of meat...

    (4)

  • James W.

    Great service and food! Also, Bistro Moulin has an authentic wine list, from St. Emilion bourdeux to Provence rose. We chose a light bourgogne to accompany our astounding French onion soup (cheese, bread, onions, broth--all perfect). Then the duck confit: a huge, delicious serving with lentils (mixed with carrots and celery) plus a small arugula salad. (The cannelloni tartufi was also really good.) We were first in at 5:00, and were offered corner seats with a partial view of the bay. We noted the French owner speaking pleasantly on the phone with potential customers hoping to secure later reservations even though the restaurant was mostly booked. This is the real deal and not a tourist trap even though it's close to the Monterey Aquarium. It's a little pricy, but worth the experience. (And avoid the "other" French restaurant in the area: phony and over-rated.)

    (5)

  • Derek M.

    Duck breast was delicious, reminded me of duck I had in Paris years ago. Tiramisu looked unusual but was excellent.

    (5)

  • Louie A.

    Doesn't look much from the outside, you can easily miss it, but once you are in its nice and has a feel that you traveled away from monterey! Just right if you want a romantic dinner. I made a dinner reservation at noon time though they are still closed they picked up and they called back 2 hours after to confirm. Food is great! Menu is short but they are all delicious. I had the duck breast and it was good, sauce is perfect for it, sides which had green peas that I normally dont like was suprisingly good, when I ordered my entree they didn't ask what side I wanted, but glad they didnt I think she figured out our group is not familiar with french cuisine. For appetizer I had the escargot, really good except for some pieces that is a bit gamey. We came as a group and shared our food though not really meant to be shared but it is worthy of it and not sharing the experience felt like you are selfish. Best caneloni I ever tasted, and also the spinach gnochi! Chicken breast cooked perfectly, not dry or oily, its sauce is great and did not overly power the meat. White wine they served was excellent, they have good choices of wine. I would have to say this place is not meant for big groups and definitely not for kids. Overall food and service was excellent. I will definitely be back. great place for a date or to impress a business client or in laws lols.

    (5)

  • Jabez J.

    Went to Monterey with my cousin for my birthday and had a ball. We went to the wharf, Monterey Bay Aquarium amongst other attractions. We compared the area to our last visit years ago and saw that a LOT HAD CHANGED! We knew in a few hours that we would be hungry after so much walking around. My cousin found Bistro Moulin on Yelp which had great reviews so after considering several other restaurants we settled on this one. It was highly recommended that we make reservations; the catch was that it opens at dinner time 5pm. We had a few hours to kill so we walked around some more but once we got to dining at the Bistro Moulin I can truly say that it was worth it. People were coming up to the door to see a SOLD OUT FOR THE NIGHT sign! I've never seen that before but I can see why! The Gnocchi aux Epinards and Carpaccio de Betterave were delicious. So we ordered another order of Gnocchi aux Epinards before we had our dinner. Did I say that It was so delicious? Then we had our entrees which were delicious as well but the Gnocchi aux Epinards were the highlights of our meal. Bistro Moilin is a small, quaint place where you can see Chef, Didier Dutertre in the kitchen as he creates the various types of masterpieces of course one of them being you guessed it the Gnocchi aux Epinards. His Gnocchi aux Epinards was so different than I've had before it was unreal. If you ever get to this area make sure that you MAKE YOUR RESERVATION at Bistro Moulin. We will be going back again soon and will definitely include the Gnocchi aux Epinards amongst the dishes that we order. Hope to see you there.

    (5)

  • A J.

    The only restaurant where we order chicken. It's sooooo gooood! The Lamb with Mayer Lemons is exceptionally good. The proprietors are kind and delightful. A terrific spot to eat at whether local or destination.

    (4)

  • Simon C.

    The spinach gnocchi was excellent! Definitely worth trying.

    (4)

  • Brandon C.

    Amazzzzzing. Simply Amazing!!! From the moment you walk in, to when you leave. Ambiance is beautiful with all the wine bottles and the food is delicious there is not much to be said other than this is an experience you do not want to miss out on. 10 Stars!

    (5)

  • Alan B.

    Wonderful dinner here. I had the rack of lamb special and it was fantastic. My wife enjoyed the duck confit. Service was good and the Tiramisu was great.

    (5)

  • Andre B.

    This is a regular dining spot for me when visiting Monterey. While it's close to Cannery Row, the experience here is miles away from that touristy hell hole. Reasonably priced, great wine selection and a fantastic menu consisting of traditional French cuisine. In addition, it's romantic, without being snobby.

    (5)

  • Bastien B.

    Wonderful little French bistro!!! Amazing food, reasonably priced, wonderful service! ++++

    (5)

  • Tiffany M.

    Delicious! Had a reservation for 8 at 6pm. They sat us when we got there-20 min early. Service was prompt and attentive and friendly enough. Loved that the waitresses worked together and didn't just pass by a table without refilling a drink. I ordered the gnocchi entree. Heaven. Absolute culinary heaven. Just make sure you're sitting there when it is served, so they let you know that the pan and handles are piping hot. Oops! Husband had the coq au vin. Divine. Chicken was so tender and cooked perfectly. Reasonable, also! We has the coq au vin, gnocchi, crab bisque (cup. Yum!!), and a pasta with butter garlic sauce for my daughter and one soda-70.00ish including the tip (because it was included for the 8 person party). Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Gillian Dawson Y.

    I would love to give this place a 4.5. Service was very nice, food was excellent, and the ambience was comfortable and cozy. A special plus was that my husband and I could actually talk -such a rarity these days. We had a 7:15 reservation on Christmas Eve and the hostess seated us within moments. The waitress was attentive enough but not intrusive (I can't stand it when a waiter interrupts your conversation to get their business done). Our starters of pate and gnocchi were very tasty (we ordered these because of the rave reviews on yelp) and my duck confit and my hubby's petrale sole were very well prepared. Would we come back next time we are in the area? You bet!

    (4)

  • Mr Sharon O.

    By far the best bistro in the Monterey coastline with probably the best gnocchi this side of the moon....we go there every time we are in the Monterey area...great little bistro with some great wine list and a small yet amazing menue! Our favorites are the spinach gnocchi and filet mignon cannolli...we love it so much we actually went two consecutive nights our last visit, though....the 2nd night was a bit of bittersweet. ..the wife had her gnocchi. ...amazing as always. ..yeti decided to try the steak. ..the steak bordelaise, sauce and pom were amazing! But the meat cut was just..,,, too muscle. ...even the staff agreed with me...but u would think an anniversary dinner and for sure a bad QC on the meat will bring an effort to redeem, or remove from the check or ..a desert maybe? (Mind u I have money plenty. ..but the thought. ..), only 4* and even that is with grace...hope the owners are reading yelp....,

    (4)

  • Jo G.

    Have been wanting to try this restaurant for some time and finally did so as a drop in on a Sunday evening. ENVIRONMENT: one side is hard tables and chairs set close together with cheapish tablecloths and the other is warm and welcoming....the difference in where you are seated is based on reservation? Don't know but we were seated on the hard chairs which did not add to the food experience. SERVICE: Excellent and attentive - given bread and water with regular refills. The tapas plate came out quickly and our main course was timed to arrive after we finished the tapas. FOOD & BEV: We split a tapas which was excellent with white beans, beets, prosciutto, goat cheese, and eggplant. Then moved to split the special of the day (we are not voracious eaters) - a seafood filled crepe with a hollandaise sauce and zucchini threads on top. Although the sauce was not true hollandaise and was disappointingly more like a tomato basil soup repurpose. The wine was a Bourgogne banc and excellent with a decent pour. COST: Tapas = 14.00; Crepes=24.00; wine=14.00; total 66.00 For the cost the atmosphere was disappointing, but I would eat here again, albeit it just a tapas and some soup. I would have given it another star except for the difference in the dining areas.

    (3)

  • Andrew S.

    We enjoyed a wonderful dinner on Christmas Eve at Bistro Moulin. The wait staff were very attentive. The wine list is excellent. The escargots were fabulous, and the lamb was cooked to perfection (if not as flavorful as sometimes). The ambiance is wonderful and we will definitely return when next in Monterey.

    (5)

  • Jackie E.

    Had a wonderful first visit with my hubby and toddler. The service was great and the ambiance was charming. I dined on spinach gnocchi and filet mignon. The steak was so tender and juicy it practically melted in my mouth. The gnocchi sauce was sinfully delicious. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone who is or is not a fan of French cuisine.

    (4)

  • Debby D.

    This has become our favorite place in the Monterey Bay area. Love the mussels, their "French" fries, the steak and always the specials. The spinach gnocchi melts in your mouth and my husband loves the escargot. They all know and advise well on their wine list. I know it's CA, but really should try the French wines and they know them well. Had the fish special and am always impressed by the delicate sauces Chef does that compliment a delicate fish. Service is always very attentive and good.

    (5)

  • A H.

    This is a French island full of goodies in a lukewarm ocean of clam chowder, which constitutes most of Monterey's restaurant scene. You should come here for the braised pork cheeks with caramelized onions. Try the Bouillabaisse! You should have the steak bordelaise or the roast chicken breast. I am soon coming back to eat my way through the rest of the menu. The chef is a nice man from Normandie, he obviously focus on quality ingredients and French rustic, classic, quality food. This is not crossover or surf n'turf, mille mercie! The atmosphere is great, the service informally excellent. We were here with three kids, they took good care of us all, but it is wise to be early if you bring young ones ( just because real French gourmet bistros like this are crowded after 1830). Creme brûlée, chocolate mousse, fresh berries and espresso for dessert. Tres bien! Au revoir!

    (5)

  • Umesh L.

    Great food Gnocchi to die for!!! Overall gave it 3 cause both me and my wife had an upset stomach after eating there one night but still would go back just to re flavor all that we ate!!

    (3)

  • Craig W.

    The food was superb. However the waiter was extremely rude and surly. He commented that he was too busy to converse with a customer. I travel a lot not just in the states but throughout the world and I have eaten in some excellent restaurants...service is just as important as the food.....too bad that this waiter is going to ruin the reputation of this Bistro.

    (4)

  • c b.

    We must of hit a bad night. Felt Rushed, french onion soup was missing a large amount of cheese, not like picture on yelp. . My spinach gnocchi were good. Had the chicken was very dry. My husband had the fish which was just ok. We ordered a bottle of wine. $42. Had dessert and coffee Bill came to over $180.00 for two. Would not go back. Although it has Lots of great reviews, you go and try it for yourself.

    (3)

  • Patrick F.

    Loved this place, the food and ambiance as well as the location. First time there recently, wont wait so long till next time!

    (4)

  • Lilly W.

    My husband and I came here for our anniversary, and it was the first time we tried authentic French cuisine. I had the spinach gnocchi and he had the chef's recommendation of seafood crepes. Then we had creme brulee for dessert. The food was out of this world amazing. Sauces for both the gnocchi and crepes were so rich in flavor, and the creme brulee had such a deep vanilla flavor - it was just decadent. Everything tasted of quality ingredients, and the restaurant definitely did not disappoint. The restaurant decor was also very quaint. We would definitely come back again!

    (5)

  • A C.

    This is my second time at le bistro. And it has impressed me again. The service is great and the food is well rounded and you can tell the chef put time and effort into the dishes. My foodie-partner-in-crime ordered the pate, spinach gnocchi, braised lamb, duck confit and tiramisu. The wine selection is vast, but since, im not a big drinker, i cant rate the booze. Pate appt (9.50): It was very fresh and flavorful. The warm french bread was a perfect partner to the pate. The pate plate came with strong mustard and sweet caramelized onions. I could eat this pate all day. Gnocchi (12.50): The pasta dish was served in a cast iron dish, beware it is hot! the parma and cream sauce was strong and amazing with french bread. The gnocchi melts in your mouth and is very fluffy. Lamb Leg(28): It was braised with meyer lemons, root veggies and plums. It was a very rustic dish complete with lots of sauce to mop up with bread. The lamb chunks were tender and broke apart easily. The plums were sweet my themselves and added a nice tart to the dish. Quack (Duck) Confit(24): By far one of the best confits i have had. The meat is juicy. tender and fall off the bone. The skin was seared to crispy perfection. It came with black lentils and a bed of arugula. I like arugula but only when its a sprinkle, so i could have done w/o it. I have rediscovered my love for lentils, now i will reintroduce them to my daily meals! yay! Tiramisu(8): The whipped cream was thick and heavy, just the way whip cream should be :) The sponge cake was flavored with a bit of brandy. it was a simple and yet yummy dessert. Overall: I think the price is great for the type of food, area and ingredients. I wouldn't be able to get duck fat to make confit at home for 28 bucks! The service is great, we were well taken care off. i'm already thinking about the next time i get a chance to come here for dinner! I made reservations about a week ahead of time to be safe. The setting and ambiance is relaxing and being surrounded by classic french movie posters is always a plus.

    (5)

  • Emily L.

    We don't come to Monterey very often but every time we visit we have to have a meal at this restaurant. We've been here a few times since discovering Bistro Moulin a couple of years ago. The spinach gnocchi is the best! Can't get this anywhere else so that's a must-order. As for what else to order, that's always tough - get something that we've had and loved or try something new? Everything is good from the appetizers to the desserts. The decor is super cute. It reminds me of my trip to the countryside in France. Service is attentive but not overbearing. Can't wait until our next trip to Monterey!! Wish we lived closer.

    (5)

  • Nicole D.

    Another terrific night at Bistro Moulin last night. The Spinach Gnocchi was absolutely incredible. When I took the first bite, I was rendered motionless for a minute or two while the spellbounding flavors coursed through my body. Soft spinach and ricotta dumplings tossed in an amazing majestic cream sauce delighted all the senses. Having already ordered this dish on my last two visits, I thought I was poised and ready for the powerful hit. The gripping flavors still took me by full surprise. This was one warm bowl of goodness that I believe rivals the epicurean delights of Paris and Rome. My friend also ordered the Spinach Gnocchi and absolutely enjoyed every bite. Gnocchi paired perfectly with a couple glasses of Joullian Syrah (Carmel Valley, 2010). The service is always wonderful; second to none. Happy 5th anniversary to Bistro Moulin next month! My pasta search is officially over!!

    (5)

  • Judy H.

    Bistro Moulin can be described in one word: underwhelming. Maybe I'm being too harsh and I will admit that I'm not a particular fan of French food. However, anything that tastes delicious, no matter what the cuisine is, I'm all over it. My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary dinner and we did our research. I'm not sure why they have such a high rating on Yelp. The service is OK, not super attentive nor intrusive, and the atmosphere is alright. It's not very intimate or cozy. Perhaps because there are a bunch of noisy kids and babies in the restaurant. We ordered the spinach gnocchi, and I can't comment on it since I don't like cheese (gasp!) but my boyfriend thought it was pretty good. I had the coq au vin and my boyfriend had the special of the day, halibut. Both dishes were ehhhh. We were not blown away. In fact, we were both very disappointed. The flavor was seriously lacking in both our dishes (maybe this is how French food is supposed to be?). For the money you're paying, it doesn't seem worth it. But I understand Bistro Moulin is located on prime Monterey real estate so the prices are higher than usual. I'm giving it an extra star because a very cute baby sat next to our table and she made our experience much more enjoyable (of course I had a nice time looking into my boy's eyes too). Overall, one star for the food, three stars for the service, four stars for the cute baby...I think that equals to two-ish stars.

    (2)

  • Steve N.

    We really love this restaurant. The first time we were there, we ate at the little table in the front with our pet and everything was excellent. The food was outstanding and the service was very impressive. The second time we were in town, we ordered some of their delicious gnocchi for for pick up. We had a little issue with some spillage and all of it didn't make it home. We called back a short time later and the manager was very understanding of our situation. I was pleasantly surprised at how they handled this, as I was only calling to inform them so they don't have any incidents in the future. I highly recommend this restaurant if you enjoy French food. The Spinach Gnocchi is very tasty, and the Steak Bordelaise and Osso Buco Milanese are both excellent dishes. The next time you visit the Monterey Aquarium, you can walk one block to Bistro Moulin for dinner.

    (5)

  • Shane O.

    I am so glad that we asked the taxi driver for his recommendation for a restaurant in Monterey. Beautifully prepared food in a warm inviting setting. I had the soup, fish (fried petrale sole) with sides of sautéed spinach and frites with delicious aioli, and the lemon meringue tartlet. I cannot remember what the other dessert was but it was also delicious. The service was excellent. If I was to make one complaint, it would be that my fish was a little salty although bear in mind that this is coming from someone who rarely adds salt to his food.

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    Maybe we went on an off night, but my girlfriend and I weren't impressed. It was good, but it definitely wasn't mindblowing. We go in, and ask for a table for two. The hostess seemed a little bothered we didn't have a reservation, and I can understand since the place is tiny, but we were seated immediately. We didn't order any appetizers because we had a late lunch. My girlfriend ordered the Quail, and I had the Osso Bucco. She also ordered a glass of syrah. I didn't have any wine due to some medicine I was taking. The syrah was okay, and the pour was very generous. The wine list overall was small but okay. The food itself was also decent. Again, nothing mindblowing. The girlfriend's Quail was okay, and my Osso Bucco was good. But nothing really screamed out to us to get more. We ordered coffee and creme brulee for dessert. Both were good. The coffee was actually quite good. Total bill was about $80. For the price, I feel the meal wasn't worth it. Again, everything was decent at best, but I don't think we'll be coming back.

    (3)

  • Jeannie C.

    Very nice little bistro! We were on our way back from a nice day in Big Sur, made a reservation about half hour before we arrived. We were seated immediately upon arriving. We ordered serrano ham and french onion soup for appetizers. For entrees, we got osso buco, coq au vin, cannelloni, and duck confit. I tried all 3 except the duck confit and thought they were very delicious. The meat was tender in each dish and the sauce was bomb! For dessert, we got tiramisu and creme brulee. Only thing weird about the tiramisu was that it was only a layer of cake and creme vs multiple layers, but still tasted pretty good.

    (4)

  • Lauren N.

    The tapas appetizer that we ordered was disappointing- $12 for a small plate consisting of some various pickled vegetables (beets, olives, beans), a few slices of sausage, and roasted eggplant. The pickled veggies seemed like something that could have came from a can. The eggplant was the best part, but there wasn't enough. It was a good size for an appetizer, but it should not have costed that much for something that was assembled more than cooked. It was not representative of the tapas in Spain. Overall, pretty overpriced and it seems overrated. The food wasn't as amazing as I would have expected from such great Yelp reviews.

    (3)

  • Heidi G.

    Started with the French Onion soup and the cheese plate. Entree was the spinach gnocchi. Gnocchi? More like YEScchi.

    (5)

  • Chanel K.

    OMG!!! You cannot visit Monterey without visiting Bistro Moulin! Got the pâté and was in instant heaven!!!! My friend had the Duck and it was super good. The fries and sauce was really really good too!!! The mussels, which I had, were so delicious!!!! As a bold finish, I had the chocolate mousse as dessert. It was sweet, airy, chocolatey heaven!!!!! Will definitely be coming back next time i'm in Monterey!

    (5)

  • Max Y.

    WooW very unfriendly place :( refused service when seen kids. Sad defiantly would not recommend

    (1)

  • Hunter L.

    This review is regarding the food taste, price and service. The food at Bistro Moulin had prestige quality, though the taste was extremely disappointing! The escargot tasted like Mountain Mike's Pizza, the Gnocchi had your typical Olive Garden chicken Alfredo sauce, the Veil tasted like the mystery meat in your typical school cafeteria Spaghetti, such a shame that their quality ingredients were wasted since the taste was lacking (A+ for the fries, but anyone can get fries). In N Out would have been much more satisfying (Taste and Portion Wise) and Save a lot of your bucks! I went with my family for an impromptu road trip and we decided to eat here after all the great yelp reviews; we were not dressed for the occasion( Imagine workout clothes and Running Gear).The second we walked in, everyone had condescending looks on their faces, and the waitresses looked like they did not want to serve us. Our server, she personally looked offended and did not even pretend to smile like the other waitresses. She was the Ms. with the long Brunette Ponytail, it seemed as if our presence offended her because she was friendly serving others who sat around us, but had somehow made it clear that we did not belong when she served us. We were polite and excited to try their menu, though we were taken back by the horrible service. Perhaps we got weird looks because we were the only family dining there, who weren't a couple/friends/business associates or maybe the waitresses were having a bad day from their Typical Upper Middle Class clientele, but regardless the quality was superb (thus the one star) though their taste was lacking/basic/a rip off of your fast food chains, portions were ridiculously small, therefore resulting in it to be overprice, and the waitresses made us feel alienated. Skip out on Bistro Moulin, and go to In N Out for fries, Mountain Mike's pizza(with garlic) for the same taste as their escargot, and head back to Junior High to pick at the meat in the cafeteria Spaghetti.

    (1)

  • Kim K.

    This is a wonderful place for dinner. It's a bit off the main path but well worth finding. Service excellent - food excellent -- wine list excellent. The only reason I gave it four stars is it would have be nice if they had more than one vegetarian selection for dinner. Otherwise it was a really nice find when my husband and I visited Monterey.

    (4)

  • Markus J.

    This is a pearl. It is the only place I know of within easy walking distance to the aquarium that has really nice food. Too bad they are only open for dinner.

    (4)

  • Halie S.

    I love French food and this is my favorite French restaurant! The owners and the staff are wonderful at making your dining experience the best you have ever had. I cannot leave Monterey without having the Coque a Vin, it is to die for! The spinach gnocchi is amazing as well.

    (5)

  • Heather L.

    My husband and I ate here for our anniversary and were very impressed with the food, ambience, and staff. We were seated near the partially open kitchen, so we could see the busy chefs preparing everything, which was fun. The head chef/owner is the former chef of Casanova in Carmel and I was obsessed with his light and fluffy gnocchi there; great to see he's even improved it at Bistro Moulin. You can order an appetizer-size portion, or the entree. My husband had the lamb special--a tagine with almonds, lemon, plums, and some delicious spices. They have a nice wine list, though we were hoping for a few more local vineyards to be represented. It would be good if they had a few more moderately priced wines by the glass--bottle selection is great. The location is perfect for anyone visiting the Aquarium and looking for someplace upscale that isn't "wharf food" but still walkable from tourist attractions. Because of the price, we won't likely be back too often, but for a special occasion, this is a lovely spot. Four stars because I wish it were a bit more affordable, but food is outstanding.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    Awesome! Had the gnocchi appetizer (get the dinner size portion, you'll eat it all, trust me! ) and it was amazing, as the reviews that we read had mentioned. Also the beef cannelloni was excellent! Try the wine pairing too, they pair them excellently! Not too crazy about the jamon, but I think that's a personal choice:) The service was a+++ as well:) will go back if I'm in the area.

    (5)

  • Orkhan N.

    Great food. Very tasty. We really enjoyed our dinner in this place. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Ashley M.

    I've got to say that as locals, we are very spoiled on the Peninsula. There are many terrific places to eat and we tend to frequent our favorites. However, we thought that we'd branch out and try a new place. So, tonight, in celebration of a friend's birthday we went to Bistro Moulin. We had a 6:30 reservation and when we arrived it was quite busy. The entire experience was pretty pleasant. The food was alright. It wasn't the best in Monterey, but it wasn't the worst. We probably would have returned except that at 8:30 on the dot, after drinks, appetizers, main course meals and desserts we were asked by the waitress to leave because THEY NEEDED THE TABLE.....Really? After we have just spent a lot of money in your establishment you have the nerve to ask us to leave? (If she had been paying attention to us in the first place she would have noticed that I had put on my jacket and that my friend and I had our purses on our laps in preparation to leave.) Sorry - we work too hard for our money to be treated like that. Having worked in the restaurant business for many years I understand the concept of turning tables, but you NEVER ask someone to leave. This was beyond rude and very disappointing. Au Revoir, Bistro Moulin.

    (1)

  • Fei L.

    Yelp, you've lead me to an absolute gem in Monterey! What to Order Here: Gnocchi con Spinaci (18) Glass of Riesling (2009 Heinz Eifel Spatlese) (7.75) Every review mentions the gnocchi dish for good reason! Although I am not particularly fond gnocchi, both the presentation (served to you in a pan filled with parmesan cream sauce), texture (not too dry or sticky as can be with potato gnocchi), and taste (perfectly balanced) is the best I've ever had of anything comparable period. The glass of riesling I had was fabulous as well. It was sweet, fruity, and bursting with flavor. It was the first time where I felt compelled to write the wine label down so that I can purchase a full bottle to enjoy later. What to Skip: Coq au Vin The coq au vin was too salty for my taste but the gnocchi definitely made up for it.

    (4)

  • S. T.

    Given the reviews I was expecting more. We had dinner here and were happy in general. The Jamón Serrano was pretty good. My dish, which was the special seafood crepe, was also good. I'm not sure how authentic the crepes are though; they were quite different from what I have had in places like Chauvigny, France, known for their crepes. It was delicious nonetheless. The main problem was my BF's dish. He had the steak and it way too chewy. Perhaps he got a bad cut of the meat...It just wasn't good at all; except for the sauce. The tiramisu we had for dessert was very good and looked homemade. I might go back to try something else.

    (3)

  • Christina B.

    Absolutely love this little french restaurant! Great food, service, atmosphere!

    (5)

  • Hang B.

    Expect a slow paced meal that's well worth the wait. With decor of period French art and wine bottles, this cute little restaurant is perfect for a romantic dinner or very small group of 4-6 unless you completely book out one of the two rooms. Everything I've had here deserves 5 stars. The gnocchi is lovely, but the quail, duck confit, Osso bucco, and seafood crepes transport you to a cafe on the Seine, which is all complimented by rare offerings of half bottles of wine.

    (5)

  • Harrison V.

    I came here after visiting the aquarium. I did not make a reservation and walked in right when it opened. My girlfriend and I was seated and quickly received four pieces of bread with a carrot dip. I ordered the gnocchi which was absolutely amazing. Its like a fluffy ravioli. We also ordered steam mussels...the soup was so good we could not stop. Make sure to dip the bread into the mussel soup. Overall the experience was positive and I would visit again.

    (5)

  • Cindy Z.

    Came here on a date. It was nice, quiet and the food delicious!

    (4)

  • Rita M.

    What a wonderful dining experience! We were expertly served. Wait staff was very attentive but non obtrusive. We had the French onion soup! Wonderful! The spinach gnocchi was fabulous! We used or bread to get the rest of the sauce! My husband's veal was so tender, he never used his knife. My pasta was light and the sauce flavorable! We don't live in the area, so we had to have dessert! Yummy! Chocolate mousse and creme Brule! Our waiter had recommended a flavorful bottle of wine that complimented both dishes! We wish we lived closer!

    (5)

  • Behrouz S.

    Simply superb French food, as authentic as anything you can get in an unpretentious, upscale Paris bistro. Unpretentious is really the byword for this gem by the sea, from the outside and past the entrance it feels welcoming and friendly. The staff has to work hard, but the service is cheerful and prompt. I tried the gnocchi appetizer, coq au vin and the hanger steak, each of which has created dining memory. The sauces are perfect, rich but not heavy or cloying. My favorite has to be the coq au vin with morsels of melt-in-the-mouth boneless chicken and whole mushrooms in a mind blowing red wine sauce arranged around a mound of the fluffiest mashed potatoes imaginable. If you like good food and you don't mind splurging a bit while on vacation in heavenly Monterey, you can't beat this.

    (5)

  • Jonathan P.

    I love love loved this place! I'd love to go back on the weekends for their special menus. The Spinach Gnocchi was amazing! Soft velvety, pillow soft, fluffy green gnocchi in the most decadent buttery parmigiano-reggiano cream sauce. I felt guilty about it, but I couldn't help but go back and dip my bread into that creamy sauce! Canneloni in Vodka red sauce - delicate baked pasta rolls with fine beef and ricotta filling. You know what they say about French Chefs...judge them by their sauces! I can say, that vodka tomato sauce is probably the best I've ever had! Seriously! The sauce was so savory and sweet in that naturally sweet tomato kind of way. While the sauce itself very smooth and tasty, the chunks of fresh tomatoes added that extra natural sweetness that just made this sauce incredible. It must have been some kind of chopped cherry or grape tomatoes. They took away my gnocchi cream sauce, so I was forced to dip my bread in my vodka red sauce....poor ole me ;) The Duck Confit with spinach, golden beets and arugula salad. The fat in that duck was rendered down so well, I barely detected the texture of unsizzled fat in the skin of the duck. The meat was so delicate and tender, the skin amazingly crisp! Some good eats! All in all, I love this place. In fact, I am now upgrading my initial 4 stars to 5!

    (5)

  • Cassandra O.

    The service here was impeccable, I loved the shabby chic decor and ambiance too. The food was delicious and I appreciated the reasonable portion sizes, I can not control myself from over eating high quality food and didn't feel like I needed to be carried out of there. A great date spot for wine and fruit and cheese platters and a solid dining experience overall, we will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Olivia S.

    OMG...great food...great ambiance...great staff...amazing experience. Split three dishes with a friend....with a few glasses of their Brut Rose, good with all the dishes, especially the salad... First was the Gnocchi. Creamy, soft, tangy, aromatic wonderfulness literally melting in the mouth...hands down the best gnocchi on the planet. Second was a simple butter lettuce salad with peaches and shaved goat cheese, perfectly seasoned with a light champagne dijon vinaigrette. Great between the two richer dishes we selected. The last dish was a puff pastry.....the real thing... buttery and crisp .... filled with tender chicken and local fresh julienned vegetables in a light but sinfully tasting creamy sauce.....can't remember the name, but it was a perfect marriage of all the ingredients.....Comfort food to the max. Dessert was over the top choc mousse. I read somewhere that good bread and good coffee are the hallmarks of a great restaurant. Bistro Moulin has both nailed.....and that's just the beginning. You know those sounds you make when you are really enjoying a meal? This is one of those places you go if you want to make those sounds.

    (5)

  • Jesse M.

    Loved the ambience but felt the food was a bit lackluster. womp.

    (3)

  • Laura M.

    What a gem! Small place, but I choose to think of it as quaint, with charming pieces of furniture placed about as if in your quirky aunt's own home. We were seated next to The Wall of Wines, or La Paroi de Vins (it should be given a name of grandeur like that if it isn't already). I had the coq au vin which was beautifully succulent and surrounded by that rich wine sauce and mushrooms, however it was my friend's spinach gnocchi that I kept stealing. That was a parmesan cream sauce that dreams are made of! By the way, all of these fantastic things were served up by some of the most charming staff I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Enjoy a meal here and say hello to the staff - you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Meghan F.

    Skip all of the tourist trap restaurants on the pier and come here for dinner. Make sure to order the gnocchi (either as an appetizer or entrée). I am not a big fan of spinach and even I found this delicious. I've been here twice and everything that has been ordered was delicious.

    (5)

  • Shirley C.

    Love Bistro Moulin, it's one of the reasons we frequent Monterey. This cute little bistro is tucked a block away from Cannery Row so it's in a convenient location but far enough away from being a tourist trap. Starters: -We are always served some fresh toasted baguettes with their "special dip" of the day. This one is on the house and a great way to start the meal. -Escargots - oh so good! Snails drenched in garlic and hazelnut butter - delish to the last drop...and that's after I soak up all the garlic-y goodness with my bread...I am drooling thinking about this! -Jamon Serrono - a ham and cheese platter, the hubby loves the Manchego cheese here while I love their Spanish ham, the olives are pretty good as well. This is the perfect platter to complement a glass of wine. Entrees: -Gnocchi con Spinaci - don't let the green gnocchi scare you off, these are absolutely the best gnocchi's outside of Italy! So light and fluffy it's covered in cheese and broiled to perfection. This is the reason we keep coming back to Bistro Moulin. I get a craving for this every 3-4 months and make the trek out to Monterey with the hubby specifically for the gnocchi. If you're like me and live too far be sure to order a portion of the gnocchi to go. Tastes almost as good the next day! -Confit de Canarad - duck confit served with a side salad, lentils, and fresh beets. The duck is cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside yet moist and tender on the inside. The beet salad complements this perfectly, cutting the fattiness of the duck. Bistro Moulin is a hidden gem in Monterey. They have a small open kitchen so you can see how the food is made. Be sure to call in to make a reservation, seating is limited so get there early if you don't have a reservation. The service is always great and the food is excellent!

    (5)

  • John C.

    My wife and I went to Bistro Moulin for my birthday yesterday. When the waitress brought me my food and sat it in front of me, I saw something moving on my plate. I asked the waitress what is that? She said " a carrot". I took my knife and lifted out a live bug and put it on a white napkin. She said " the food was organic". She asked if I would like to send it back? I said " yes". She took the plate back talked to I believe the manager, re- plated the food, came back later to remove the bug. Kind of killed my appetite. Surprised the manger didn't come to the table to apologize. My suggestion is to avoid what the "Bistro Moulin" calls carrots.

    (1)

  • JY L.

    Came here for my birthday and it was definitely a birthday dinner well spent. It was pretty pack the day we went so good thing we had reservations. the place is small but super cute. Love the atmosphere!!! ~ escargot for appetizer: love love love the garlic and herb over the escargot. The escargot tasted fresh too. we love the sauce so much we cleaned the plate out with our bread. YUM!!! ~ Duck confit: crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. not too salty and flavored just right!!! ~steak tartare: paired with arugula it was a good combo. the flavor wasn't too strong that it over powered the steak. ~ desert: a slice of chocolate mouse cake which was the only disappointing item of the night. nothing special. ~ wine: Syrah from Carmel ridge. decent price (~$36 per bottle). service was great. glad i came here for my birthday and would definitely come back.

    (5)

  • Catherine J.

    Bistro Moulin was a wonderful end to a week spent in Monterey. Upon entering the establishment, my husband and I were instantly greeted with a smile and only had to wait for a table for a few minutes. The restaurant is small, only about ten tables, and is decorated very well. It was trendy, yet comforting. Our waiter did a wonderful job of helping us make our wine and entre selections without trying to up sell us on things (always a plus). I ordered their Melbac wine with their Salade Verte (baby mixed greens with Dijon white balsamic vinaigrette) and their duck confit, both which were delicious and paired well with the wine. The duck was extremely tender and well seasoned, and the black lentils were delicious when eaten with the golden beets. I was very pleased with my experience, and will be coming back again.

    (5)

  • Don B.

    Tasty little restaurant just off the busyness of Cannery Row. A small menu that points to quality over quantity. The special rack of lamb I ordered was devoured fairly quickly. The gnocchi everyone else has raved about is worth raving about. "Pillowy goodness" is about right. The servers seem like old hats. More than a few patrons were long timers. All good signs. Make a reservation and enjoy an intimate friendly night.

    (5)

  • Brittany B.

    Good semi-pricey French food. The escargots were delightful, with super-big chunks of fresh garlic. The cannoli that my husband ordered was the best bet, with my kiddie's steak coming in a close second. I liked my rack of lamb but I guess I'm not much of a lamb person after all. Chocolate Mousse was top-notch. Our server was awesome, and the vibe was casual: perfect for a family with kids. Metered parking in front, or a pay lot next door. Walking distance to Cannery Row.

    (4)

  • Stephanie D.

    My husband and I have eaten here three times, and each time has been wonderful. The gnocchi is to die for. Cassoulet special - perfect. Meats are always cooked tender with a hint of spice. We have enjoyed a variety of red wines that aptly complement our meals. Service is a three and a half stars, but the food more than makes up for it.

    (5)

  • Jane V.

    We were in town for three days and had already had our fill of seafood so we wanted to try something different, so French it was. I wish I could give the place more then 3 stars. The Good: My wine was excellent, syrah something. Service was excellent. Cute decor, cozy. Not overdone. My husbands steak and frites. Steak was perfectly done and the fries were kept plain because of the rich/yummy aioli that came with it. Bad: Escargot. These bad boys must have been injected with steroids because they were huge and chewy...which kinda freaked me out a bit. So it could just be a person preference on my part. Duck confit was salty. This isn't my first duck confit. Super salty. Creme Brulee. The custard had the consistency and taste of pudding. I really wanted to like this place but alas it was not to be.

    (3)

  • Patrick F.

    We walked to Bistro Moulin after cruising cannery row and looking at the motorcycles from the Moto GT. Amazed we could get in without reservations. We ordered the capri salad, which was average. Having just spent several weeks in Tuscany it was not a fair comparison as the tomatoes could not be as good. Still the meal was very, very good but it knocked the rating from a 5 to 4. We had 3 fish-of-the- day in our party and I ate the GF chicken breast. My wife rated her fish as the best she had eaten since she had a sea bass dinner years ago at Terra in St Helena. My chicken was superb. The fat trimmed away, the breast grilled to perfection and the clear reduction with garlic and almond slivers was amazing. Being gluten free, I tend to get a steady diet of chicken breasts, and this was a good as I have eaten for awhile. I love a brick smashed chicken but this was as juicy and very crisp. Nice location, nice wine list, good service. Not a bad unexpected stop over. My last trip I ate Mussles and frites, my next visist will be the chicken with frites. Can't wait. I will eat a different salad and most likely I can then rate it a 5

    (4)

  • Rols R.

    been here twice, separated by over a year and both times were fantastic. Food is soooo good, waitstaff is attentive and friendly, as good as it gets. Food came out really hot and fresh and tasted perfect. Unpretentious, excellent restaurant.

    (5)

  • Kenneth F.

    Guess this is now the 3rd or 4th time to this lovely, French/Euro country style gem just up from Cannery Row. As standard, we were warmly greeted by Colleen and we sat immediately for our 7:30 reservation... Food was best we've had, not that it could get any better. French onion soup is truly the best I have had. The Osso Bucco was good but not fabulous and the Pork Chop was divine. We asked for a wine recommendation and were surprised that Colleen recommended an all Grenache Chateauneuf... so glad we went with the recommendation... was wonderful!!! Great service, great food, so glad we keep coming back! Haha just read my earlier reviews... hey at least I'm consistent!

    (5)

  • Puneet G.

    FABULOUS! This was by far the best meal we had during our anniversary weekend in Monterey! Super small restaurant, and the waitstaff was very nice and accommodating. Loved the romantic, Parisian decor! My husband had the Poisson Du Jour which was salmon along with vegetables, and I had the much-reviewed Gnocchi Aux Epinards. He said the salmon was delicious, and the vegetables and onion were awesome (and he doesn't like vegetables!). My gnocchi was hands down the best I've EVER had! The spinach gnocchi literally melted in my mouth and the parmesan cream sauce was AMAZING (I ate the whole thing with the bread we'd been given, which was also delicious). I would go back to Monterey JUST to have this gnocchi... I wish this place was in the Bay! If you're ever in Monterey, this is THE PLACE to go for a delicious meal!

    (5)

  • Matt T.

    Bistro Moulin is scrumptious. I was on a day trio to Monterey and just chanced upon it. despite the crowd, the hostess did her best to seat us in a timely manner. I got the Coq au Vin. It was good.

    (4)

  • Eli T.

    This will be a long review (I'm an English major, sorry), but the bottom line is that you should not miss this restaurant. My wife and I came here for our fifth anniversary because it was highly-rated and the online menu looked amazing. I had my meal picked out before we even showed up. However, as most of us know, the best laid plans often go awry. In my case, they went awry in the best way. One of the specials for the night was a filet mignon with a burgundy black peppercorn sauce. I will be able to quote that for the rest of my life because this was the best steak I have ever had, and one of the best meals ever, too. We were lucky enough to be seated on the side of the restaurant that was very near the open kitchen, so we could watch the chef and his sous chefs working, which really enhanced the feel of the restaurant. It is small, but in my opinion, that enhanced the French feel of the restaurant. It feels like it could be a family restaurant in Paris. An added bonus with the openness with the kitchen was that I was able to personally thank the chef for his incredible food. I also feel the need to mention the starter. We ordered the escargot (how could you not in a French restaurant?), and it was exquisite. The escargot was shelled, in case you are squeamish, and it was cooked and served in a garlic butter hazelnut sauce, so if you are not drooling at those four words, just go away. From the world. I have eaten a lot of food at a lot of different restaurants of a wide range of qualities and skill levels, so I feel I have a good gauge of a good restaurant, and this place is just plain, straight up, beautifully amazing. It's a special occasion place unless you are rich, but if you are looking for somewhere special to go in Monterey, this is a damn good bet.

    (5)

  • Varun V.

    We visited this place on our weekend getaway to Monterey. They had great selection of Wine for sure. The service was okay though. The appetizers, cheese and entrees were delicious. Would love to go back to this place sometime again.

    (4)

  • Darby C.

    Let me preface this review by stating that everything in this review is based on the overall cost of dining at Bistro Moulin. I chose this restaurant because it was somewhat of a celebratory night. I knew I wanted to go to a French style restaurant because when it's cold out, nothing sounds better than rich, buttery, savory, cheesy dishes. We set our reservation for 6:45pm and were seated promptly. The restaurant is a quaint little joint, as the name bistro kinda implies. We are seated at a small table for two, along a wall, next to the kitchen and a bussing station. We sit... and sit... and sit... 10 minutes go by and I look over at the waitress and kinda give her the "whats up" look while she opens a bottle of wine for another table. She immediately jumps on the bus boy and tells him to get to us right away. (points for the waitress) The bus boy brings out some water and crostini like bread and dip. The waitress then makes her way over to us, tells us the specials... we order some drinks, some appetizers, and the night is off and running. We order: tomato eggplant bisque which was the soup du juor, which was very good. pomme frites with aioli, which was also very good. the dinner salad, which was just some mushy mixed greens pulled from a salad bag and tossed in some dressing, thrown on a plate with 3 halved, out of season grape tomatoes. That was not good at all and was actually sent back because it just didn't taste good at all. For dinner, I had the rack of lamb special. It was really good, although the lamb was kinda cold and more on the rare side of medium rare. It mattered none at all, and I sucked those lamb lollypops down. And the spinach gnocchi was also really good. After dinner we had the crème brûlée and chocolate mousse. Both were really good although the crème brûlée was served in a dish that wasn't even half full. It was the shallowest crème brûlée I've ever had. Overall the food was great... but not blow you away outstanding. And that was the reason for only giving it 3 stars. If you're going to spend $115 on dinner for 2 people, it should be amazing, blow you away, outstanding. The service was ok. But again, not fine dining, outstanding. We kept having to ask for things like refills on water and ice-t , and the empty bread basket, 2 empty ice-t glasses, and finished bread plates were left on our tiny table while we're trying to eat our entrees. Again, really nit-picky stuff, but it's $115 for a table of 2. I expected it to be amazing but it was just standard. Delicious, but standard. I hope that makes sense.

    (3)

  • Anya A.

    This place did not disappoint. All the food was super delicious and authentic. I had the osso bucco which just melted in my mouth. The escargot, French onion soup, and mussels were just as they ought to be - rich and delicious. The service was prompt and the decor of old French theater posters and low lighting is very cozy and romantic. I would definitely come here again.

    (5)

  • Tracy D.

    Popped in briefly for a bowl of seafood chowder (red) and a glass of wine and everyone was very friendly and warm. The chowder, one of chef's frequent creations, was delicious and you should try it if it's the soup of the day when you go. The wine was good too, which the server helped me pick out. I would definitely return for a more complete meal the next time I'm in town.

    (5)

  • Eddie W.

    For my 100th review I knew it had to be somewhere great. Thanks to Yelp I was able to find this hidden gem. After reading countless 4 and 5 star reviews I knew this place was worth a try. The first thing I noticed was how tiny the place was but it had a great cozy vibe. As for the menu, I liked that it was concise. It means that they have more time to focus on making a few dishes excellent instead of spreading themselves thin by trying to accommodate everyone. I decided to try the Coq au Vin (braised chicken in a red wine sauce with mushrooms, lardons, and penne pasta) while my friend ordered the Confit de Canard (duck confit with Beluga lentils ragout and mache salad). While we were waiting for our food our waitress brought out a complimentary appetizer. It was similar to a carrot puree (forgot what it was called) served with thinly toasted bread. The puree was amazing and was a great way to set the tone for the rest of the meal. The Coq au Vin was absolutely amazing. The chicken was super tender and seasoned just right, the sauce had great depth of flavors, and the pasta was perfectly al dente. As for the duck, it might have took 25 minutes, but it was certainly worth the wait. It too was extremely moist, loads of flavor, simply a delight. For dessert, I ordered the apple tart tatin while my friend wanted to try the creme brulee. The crust on the tatin was light and flaky while the apples provided just the right amount of sweetness. As for the creme brulee, it was your standard brulee done right. Service was amazing, my glass of water was always full even if I only took a small sip. Overall Thoughts The food was amazing, service was spot on, and the ambiance was comforting.

    (5)

  • Andia H.

    Best French bistro in the area. I'm a local bartender and I send people there all the time!!!! Gnocchi " light fluffy air pillows of heaven in a Parmesan cream sauce" love love love it!

    (5)

  • Larry D.

    The food here was outstanding. And I mean outstanding! I had the coq au vin and my gf had the osso bucco. She said it was the best osso bucco she's ever had. The coq au vin was perfectly tender and delectable. Don't come here for the atmosphere or the decor. Come for great food. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Liz R.

    We ate in some fantastic restaurants in LA before heading up to the Monterey Peninsula. I have to say that Bistro Moulin was the best restaurant of the week. The wine list is excellent and nicely priced and the foot was amazing. I had the spinach gnocchi and believe they are the best gnocchi I have ever had including meals in Florence, Rome, Bologna... They were great. Everyone at the table loved their meal and the service was warm and friendly. This will be the first restaurant I visit next time I am in the Monterey area!

    (5)

  • Dana S.

    Excellent and authentic French restaurant. At the suggestion of one of the hotel staff we ventured a block off the beaten path to this little gem. Restaurant is very quaint and we were served bread with some dips which were delicious. Hubby had escargot which he absolutely adored. I had gnocchi which was fabulous. We are not wine or dessert people but the couple next to us were raving about the desserts. Staff was very attentive and very pretty atmosphere We are so glad for the recommendation and we look forward to returning.

    (4)

  • Randy F.

    What a wonderful find! After walking throughout downtown Monterey and Cannery Row, we were looking for a casual spot for lunch. We launched the handy Yelp app on the Blackberry and found the highly rated Bistro Moulin. You never really know when a place has under 50 reviews, but we were pleasantly surprised and it was the perfect spot for a quick bite. Bistro Moulin is located on Wave Street, only a block a two from the main hubbub of downtown. It's very busy for dinner, but at lunch, we were easily able to find a spot later in the dining hour. It's small and bistro-like, with a few tables and an adjacent wine/cheese store. Given we weren't super hungry, we decided to do a mix of appetizers that ended up being a very filling meal. Our choices: French onion soup - piping hot and with melting cheese, it's hard to go wrong with this choice. The broth was quite clear and delicious. Seafood chowder - after all the New England clam chowder tastings, it was nice to have a Manhattan-style tomato based chowder. Plentiful bits of fish, clams, and vegetables permeated the tasty broth Escargot - a bubbling hot plate of escargot was topped with salt, fragrant herbs, and plentiful garlic. Absolutely delicious! Spinach gnocchi - we ordered this based on the Yelp reviews and it was a decadent addition to our initial choices. Delicately made gnocchi were mixed with a buttery and creamy sauce that was definitely rich and not for the faint of heart. Thumbs up if you're looking for something rich and filling. Overall, a small but inviting bistro that served top notch food at fair prices. The care put into each item and the piping hot temperature of everything (soups, escargot, and gnocchi) definitely added to the fresh, just-made nature that I liked. Another score for Yelp. (so glad to avoid the mediocre touristy fare in downtown) Bistro Moulin happily accepts credit cards, including Amex.

    (4)

  • Sean W.

    My friends and I arrived without a reservation on a quiet Sunday night. The restaurant is small and cozy, and I could see how it might be hard to get a table on busier nights. I ordered the Confit de Canard, while my two friends ordered the Gnocchi Con Spinaci and a crepe dish that was on the special menu. All the reviews here mention the gnocchi, but I had some pretty good gnocchi relatively recently, so I thought I'd try something different, but I tried a bit of my friend's gnocchi. In hindsight, I should have listened to everyone and gotten the gnocchi. It was on a totally different level than anything I had ever had. Don't get me wrong, the duck was good, but that gnocchi... I'll never forget it.

    (5)

  • Sara F.

    This is a really nice small dinner restaurant close to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They accommodated us for a same day reservation when I left a message in the morning. Maybe it helped that it was on a Tuesday. The heirloom tomato carpaccio with goat cheese and French onion soup were both really good appetizers. The soup had caramelized onions, croutons, and cheese on top. Maybe that's how French onion soup is always supposed to be, but I'm used to instant soup so I'm easily impressed. We also got crostini with carrot tapenade. We got the Cannelloni Tartufi and fish of the day, with chocolate mousse for dessert. I'll probably come back some day and try something different next time. I'm sure it will be good.

    (5)

  • Matthew C.

    This is my second favorite place in the area these days. We ate here after one of the wine makers in Carmel Valley recommended it. If you've been to Casanova's, you'll recognize several of the menu items - including the unreal spinach gnocchi. (The owner is apparently the past chef at Casanova). We ate with a large party, and ordered nearly everything on the menu. The osso buco may have been the overall winner, although the cannelloni came in a close second. They have a nice wine list, with numerous French selections - it's not overwhelming. Also, although it is small, it was perfectly accommodating for our party of 6.

    (4)

  • Jessica H.

    We came here on our one-night mini-moon after reading some Yelp reviews. We were there late on a Sunday night, around 8:30 and the place wasn't very busy. We made reservations just in case but probably didn't need to given the day and time. It was a cute place with a romantic atmosphere. I liked it a lot. It felt fancy without feeling stuffy. For starters we ordered the gnocchi appetizer and the beet salad with goat cheese. The gnocchi sauce was very, very good, although I found the gnocchi to be a bit sticky and mushy. It was still delicious. The salad was nice and refreshing. For the main meal we got a seafood bouillabaisse and the duck confit, as recommended by the waitress. The seafood was all overcooked . . . so I wasn't the most happy camper. The sauce was very good but everything else was chewy which was extremely disappointing considering out proximity to the ocean, I wanted a good seafood dish! The duck confit was tasty. That was a good choice. One other point, don't order the Pellegrino. We ordered sparkling water without looking at the menu and it was 7.50!!!!!! Seriously. That. is. ridiculous. I should have gotten wine dammit. Overall the bill was around $90, with no dessert or wine (although I guess we did get special water!). I would like to come back and order something else besides the seafood, but at these prices I don't anticipate being able to do so for a while. It was a little pricey for me and I don't mind paying good money for good food, but with the bouillabaisse being overcooked and the price of the water I knock it down a star. Hope this helps!

    (3)

  • Crystalena M.

    I went here on a date and it was perfect. The service was wonderful and not at all pretentious. The place is small and the menu is small but the service and portions are just right. I got the duck confit with black lentils and salad. the duck was juicy and fell right off the bone. He got the cannelloni which came in a set of three filled with beef tenderloin and covered in a vodka sauce with ricotta cheese. Both were the best we've ever had. Overall a great place for special occasions. Reservations are recommended and parking is available in the garage nearby (free for locals in the 93940 zip) or street parking.

    (5)

  • Dick G.

    Small, comfortable space. Pleasant staff. Chef and kitchen open to dining room. My wife had an excellent chicken special. I had several small dishes, all good. The standout was the gnocchi of spinach with Parmesan cream sauce. Wow! My new favorite food item! I'll go back to Monterey just to have that dish again. Good wine selection. Prices were reasonable - $50 apiece with two glasses of wine each. Next time I'll ask the chef for his suggestions for that evening's meal. So many things on the menu looked very good.

    (5)

  • R M.

    Fantastic, can't say enough. Randomly decided to check this gem out after I saw a picture of the spinach gnocchi. I was alone as my husband was attending a work conference. I was seated promptly. The service was wonderful. Although the menu may seem fancy at first glance the people are very nice and genuine. Part of the kitchen is open so you can see the chefs cooking. I ordered the gnocchi which comes in both appetizer form as well as entree. Even know though I was not hungry I decided to go for the entree. It was amazing. The dish literally comes boiling. It was so delicious. I barely had room to finish the meal. I decided to order just a glass of Port for dessert. At this time the chef came out to say hello. He was very down to earth and lovely to speak to; very gracious (even offered another glass of port, no charge)! Next night I brought my friend along. She ordered the gnocchi and validated how wonderful it was. I decided to order the beef tenderloin cannelloni which was AMAZINZG. You could tell the pasta was fresh and the dish so filling. My friend had a baby in a stroller and they were so accommodating and friendly. I really appreciated this as it can be difficult going out to eat at a nice place with a child in a stroller. Again we exchanged a few pleasantries with the chef who once again thanked us for coming. I highly recommend this place for a wonderful meal and service!

    (5)

  • Alexis B.

    This place is small and friendly. The menu only has about 6 or so options of apps, entrees and desserts because each one they do perfectly! There is no need for an extensive menu of mediocracy which this place gets. The woman seating us was the chefs wife so it really has a warm family vibe to the place. Everyone was so helpful so the whole experience was great from start to finish. We were able to try a couple of their by the glass wines as well as some bottles and each wine was wonderful and reasonable. We started with the ham and cheese which was delicious with the reds, a simple green salad for an app which fresh and perfectly tossed, the hanger steak - done perfectly with amazing fries and chocolate mouse and ice cream. Yum! I know I am a pig - but it was soooooo damn good I couldn't help it.

    (5)

  • Jennifer A.

    Small place, seems they get crowded because they seemed hesitant when we walked in without a reservation (luckily we were kind of early for dinner so they seated us) I love a place that gives you something a little special with your bread. The tapanade (with I think tomato or carrot or something) they started us off with was nice. I had the moules frites - the mussels were a plenty and the broth was delightful. I enjoyed dipping my bread and frites in it...as well as just slurping it alone. The frites were not as shoestring as I'm used to, but still crispy and good. The chicken with green beans was good...I love any kind of roasted chicken (I think this was pan roasted). It wasn't mind blowing though. Overall, a nice little place, would definitely go back when in Monterey!

    (4)

  • john w.

    Very Crowded place with tables so close you have to walk sideways to get around the place. You can hear three conversations as you try to converse with you partner. The serves is excellent with a crew of people making sure your dining experience is above the food. On to the food. The menu makes it hard to choose because of the festival of foods from duck to wild salmon. The different reduction sauces add to your typical meats so you will taste a dish I promise you can not make at home. So have fun !!

    (5)

  • Ami T.

    Traveling with Yelp app on your iPhone beats any guidebook that's out there. Hubby and I were going to be in Monterey on a Saturday night and we wanted to go out for a nice dinner. He found Bistro Moulin and we made a reservation in advance (so glad we did, because it was really busy there that night). For our starters, I got the soup of the day (tomato soup) and he got the salad. They were both good. Their bread was served warm and it was very good. After reading rave reviews, I had to get their Spinach Gnocchi. I love spinach, I love gnocchi, I love cream sauce. So it was perfect for me. The cream sauce was SOOO good! Hubby got the Steak and Fries. He absolutely loved the steak. I thought it was pretty good, but the sauce was just okay, in my opinion. Fries and the garlic aioli were good too. We shared chocolate mouse, this was delicious. He didn't even want desert, but when it arrived, he stole half of mine! It was that good. :) The service was kind of slow. But the food was 5 star worthy.

    (4)

  • Anna B.

    We left Los Laureles pool Sunday early evening and headed over to Toast, one of our favorite spots in the valley, only to find that they were closed. With steamed mussels already on the mind we headed straight for town to hit up Bistro Moulin. What's better than a delicious meal after a sunny Sunday swim? Feeling completely at ease in swim suits and sweats and getting great service. I love fresh, simple, flavorful food and to me that's what French cuisine should be. It's a shame that French is often associated with globs of butter, cream and meat. There is much pleasure to be found in a few very well chosen ingredients working together to create a masterpiece. We were started off with a delicious, light Carrot Tapenade. We had the Beet Salad, Spinach Gnocchi appetizer and the famous Mussels. Everything was perfect. The greens were super fresh, the gnocchi was piping hot and the mussels had a ton of leeks, onion and garlic in a totally clear broth without butter which is why I prefer theirs over Toast's... but you still gotta try Toast when you're in Carmel Valley. $50 including tip.

    (5)

  • John Z.

    A friend of mine and I walked into the Bistro Moulin on a Saturday night, expecting to be turned away because we didn't have the chance to make a reservation beforehand... and yet somehow they squeezed us in! The staff was attentive though not excessively so, and their food was fantastic. You can't go wrong with whatever their evening special is--I had a Black Cod in a lemon butter sauce, and it was perfectly cooked. Bite the bullet. Make your reservation. You won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Tim L.

    We came here based on Yelp reviews really not expecting too much because of its proximity to establishments such as El Torito and Bubba Gump on Cannery Row. I was completely wrong -- Bistro Moulin served some excellent food. They served some bread with a tasty garlic and carrot tapenade which our toddler loved. The spinach gnocchi was pillowy soft and tasty. My coq au vin was tender and had a real depth of flavor. My wife also enjoyed the mussels and fries. Unfortunately, our toddler was tired by the end of the meal and we couldn't stay for dessert. The chef was also nice enough to check in on us. Bistro Moulin is a definite must for those visiting Monterey and wanting to avoid tourist traps!

    (4)

  • kate a.

    WOW. what an excellent genuine french bistro! A sweet little Frenchman and his wife run this delicious and adorable restaurant. He is the chef, and she waits the tables. Everything on the menu is amazing, but i would highly recommend the Spinach Gnocchi (the best i've ever had) or the Steak Frites, the sauce on the steak is amazing. Also the specials have never dissapointed me! Finish with the lemon tart or chocolate souffle and a nice espresso! Tres Bonne!

    (5)

  • Ches W.

    Delicious -- Corinne is a force of nature, keeping the place running like clockwork! The spinach gnocci indeed rocks, as all these reviews attest -- the escargot and mussels were great!

    (4)

  • JM W.

    My friend Richard B (see his review below) recommended Bistro Moulin to me for a nice evening out with the wife. He couldn't be more right. Hands down the best restaurant we have been to in Monterey. The staff were very friendly and the food was superb. I like the moules frites and the escargot. The price was reasonable compared to other Cannery Row restaurants. The evening brought back great memories of Paris. Going back soon!!!!

    (5)

  • Lynne G.

    I was very happy that we chose Bisto Moulin for our St. Valentine's Day dinner. The food was beautifully prepared and very tasty. I had the spinach gnocci, coq au vin and a lemon meringue tart; my sweetheart had the ham salad, steak with pomme frittes and fresh berries with cream. The service was impeccable. My only issue was that I was not informed ahead of time that it was a prix fixe menu that night and I was disappointed that I couldn't have what I wanted off the menu. I guess we will have to go back!

    (5)

  • Sandi P.

    After struggling through the hell of touristy Cannery Row, Bistro Moulin was a slice of heaven! We stopped in for a late lunch after too much rubbing elbows with the tourists. What a lovely respite! We each had a lovely glass of wine (okay, two) and shared the gnocci (orgasmic), jamon serrano, and a cheese plate (with real, European-style gorgonzola), all of which were accompanied by basket after basket of fresh bread hot from the oven. The staff was friendly and professional, and we sat for a leisurely hour as we enjoyed our lunch. The tab was a bit hefty at $100 with tip, but we'll blame that on the four glasses of wine. This was probably the best dining experience we had on our trip to the Central Coast.

    (5)

  • Robert C.

    Had dinner at Bistro Moulin last week. This is a small restaurant, and we had a reservation and were seated at a 2-top in the front window. Nice table location. Seating was prompt, and the service was excellent. We brought our own wine, and the waiter decanted it for us upon request. The bread was excellent, and was served slightly warm, which was very nice. We opted to go with entrees only, and had the spinach gnocchi and the coq a vin. Both were excellent. The presentation of the spinach gnocchi was particularly inviting. Two entrees and a corkage fee, plus tip, put us at around $85.00. This is certainly about average for nice restaurants on the Monterey peninsula. The food was better than most restaurants on the Monterey peninsula. The only reason to give 4 stars rather than 5 is probably the somewhat limited menu. We would definitely go again.

    (4)

  • J.A. K.

    (NOTE: Moulin has stopped serving lunch, now open only for dinner.) Amazing French bistro food from a tiny restaurant with a miniscule kitchen. It's only 1/2 block from the Aquarium, yet a world away from the hideous gastronomic tourist traps that line Cannery Row. Lunch is much more reasonable than dinner, but if you're hungry, the dinner entrees are huge and delicious. Let the waiter know what kind of pacing you need, and they'll happily accommodate you. After a long hike on the Monterey Coast Trail, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and came out feeling refreshed and oh-so-civilized, ready to take on the crowds at the Aquarium without a qualm. This is not children's food. This is a romantic (yes, even for lunch), charming, intimate bistro for you and someone you love. Moulin will make you feel like a local, even if you're just there for the day.

    (4)

  • kelly c.

    Love it, there were 5 of us and we all got different main dishes... we had hanger steak, mussels, duck, crepes and gnoochi everything was sooo good. Great wine list at really great prices.

    (5)

  • Jayne C.

    One word. Excellent!!! This is my favorite place now. Can't wait to go back and visit again. Service was excellent too!

    (5)

  • Roger B.

    This little bistro is just off the Cannery Row yet not the least bit touristy - we found it last year when it had just opened and it was the only place we could get a table during the Race / Concourse weekend. What a find! Our meal was so good we returned a year later and we were equally as impressed. I still remember the delicious Cassoulet as I write this. And quite the selection of half bottles too. This is more of a locals place but if you are in town this restaurant is worth a visit. It could easily hold it's own in our home town of San Francisco!

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    While I still love this cozy little bistro, I have found myself wishing they offered more vegetarian options on a regular basis. Since cutting meat out of my diet, I have found myself frequenting Bistro Moulin less than I would like because of the lack of options available to me as a vegetarian. I do have to admit that Chef Didier still makes some of the best soups available on the peninsula and when he offers vegetarian specials (usually on weekends), they're amazing and worth every penny.

    (4)

  • Bob S.

    We live in Pacific Grove and eat out at least once a week. This has been our favorite place since we discovered it about 6 months ago. The food, service, and ambiance are the hightest value in Monterey County.

    (5)

  • B C.

    As the French say - "C'est si bon," translates into: "It it so good." This quintessential french bistro is a cozy cafe. No large celebration parties here -- the maximum capacity for this intimate eatery is about 26 people. Reservations are recommended since the seating is so limited.Go with a special person who will truly enjoy simple, memorable flavors like yourself. The bistro carried a rustic atmosphere. The room adjacent to the dining room held a collection of french wines, oils and seasonings. In another corner, a display fridge revealed a crème de la crème variety of cheese tarts and french pastries. Although the restaurant has lunch specials, we opted to order specialty dishes from the main menu -- two types of soups (Soupe à L'Oignon and Soupe du Jour), Gnocchi con Spinaci, Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio, and Pommes Frites with a side of aioli. Our food came fairly quickly, and we were instantly delighted within our first bite. The pièce de résistance was the Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio; this outstanding dish hit all of my absolute favorite ingredients: basil, fleur de sel, and drizzled with olive oil & balsamic vinegar. What a true and memorable meal.

    (5)

  • Katie M.

    I am so impressed by this place! As soon as you walk in the quaint little restaurant, you instantly get that genuine French alley cafe vibe. The hostess was charming and our waitress was friendly. You couldn't really ask for a more comfortable ambiance. With candles, dark, rouge and velvety colors, walls of wine bottles, and white windows overlooking the bay, this place is almost magic. Even more importantly however, is the FOOD! It smells amazing from outside, so you know it's good. Within minutes of being seated we were served a small hors d'oeuvre of tiny french toast bites with a carrot/garlic/olive oil spread. Unbelievable. I ordered the Soup du Jour- a tomato based seafood soup, which I ate with the French bread that was later brought to our table. It was perfect- small, simple, refreshing. Just what I wanted. My friend had the highly recommend spinach gnocchi- also to die for. The meals are fairly light, and perfect for sharing. We had the fresh berries for dessert as a perfect ending to our perfect meal, which we both raved about all evening. Our total came to 26 dollars. Not bad at all. The chefs here know what they're doing. Excellent place, I am definitely making it a point to come back here every time I'm in the area!

    (5)

  • Felix D.

    The spinach Gnocchi is exquisite!! A must try if you are ever in the area. The moules frite was also an excellent dish. The atmosphere is great and the wait staff made the meal quite enjoyable. Highly recommended for a special night out.

    (5)

  • Tyler H.

    I'm a butcher and I love sausage. The toulose here was by far the most perfectly textured I've ever had. I live in oakland and am lucky to have countless restaurants around me that serve amazing food. This is one of the handful of places that I go to away from home that truly impresses. Perfect sauces, amazing steak, super fresh fish, great butter and delicious desserts. The beans and artichokes on the appetizer plate alone were worth the trip. Great wine list and a homey feel were rounded out by great service. The best food around.

    (5)

  • Simon Y.

    He said: After a fun-filled day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we literally strolled right across the street into this quaint little European bistro--mainly due to other Yelpers' recommendations. The Gnocchi con Spinaci was absolutely incredible. I feel that gnocchi is either really good or really bad, depending on the establishment, but this had to be the best gnocchi I had ever tasted. The portions were on the small side, but the food definitely packed quite a heavy punch. Suffice it to say, you get what you pay for and then some. The accompanying cream sauce was so good that we ended up drowning our bread in it. After tasting the gnocchi dish, I wanted to go over and shake the chef's hand for such a masterful job. Unfortunately, a bad waitstaff experience left a sour taste in my mouth. We had also ordered Pommes Frites for our meal, but the waitress thought we ordered "confit" and brought out a duck. Since my girlfriend speaks French, she was ordering the items by their stated French names. If we had wanted a duck, she would have ordered it by its full name, Confit de Canard. The waitress eventually fixed our order, but never apologized for the miscommunication--even after I apologized for troubling her. Even if she felt it was our fault, she should not have conveyed it to us with her body language and resolute silence. It was a damper on what would have been an excellent dining experience. PS: The Coq au Vin was not very good. She said: Hehe... well despite the "Pommes Frites" incident, I really liked those fries! I know people don't usually go to French restaurants and come out raving about the french fries, but they were crisped to perfection and dipped in lovely aioli butter sauce. Yum. The restaurant setting wasn't bad either; we were sitting by the window and the late afternoon sun came in warm through our window, creating a calm romantic atmosphere. If only we didn't have to leave feeling embarrassed. We said: Go there for a light snack of spinach gnocchi and fries. If you try the duck, tell us how it tastes.

    (3)

  • Jona J.

    My husband and I loved it. It was our first time trying french food but it was so good. I drink alot of water and they kept filling my cup more then three time. The waiter was very attentive and when we were finished one dish, the plates was taken and the next was served. The food tasted amazing. Can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • nesser H.

    Absolutely delicious! On an impromptu vacay, my BF and I wanted a local place with great food, atmosphere, and service. I had the spinach gnocchi, and it was cheese-sauce divinity in a pan. My boyfriend had the special, scallops, and they were perfectly cooked. Locals came in for date night and dinner with friends while Pink Martini quietly played. It was a perfect way to end the day.

    (5)

  • Tom W.

    My wife and I generally had great luck with Yelp reviewed restaurants on our three week trip through Oregon and California, but we struck out at the Bistro Moulin. The menu was very limited, which is just fine if all of the entree's are great. We had onion soup (very ordinary), pork medallions (good, but nothing special), and profiteroles for dessert which were highly recommended by our waitress as being fresh and a house specialty. The pastry had been frozen with the ice cream in advance and was tough and anything but fresh.

    (3)

  • Zee Y.

    We had dinner at this restaurant when we visited Monterey. This is a great small French restaurant tucked away from the main strip of Cannery Row. The food was excellent. I had Moules Frites (Mussels with fries) and my husband had Coq au Vin. The mussels came in this large pan with a nicely flavored sauce, and the chicken from Coq qu Vin was so tender! We finished with a lemon tartlet, which tasted delicious and fresh. Reservation is definitely recommended. I got this tip from the previous Yelp reviews and made a reservation. That was a wise thing to do because this restaurant gets packed up quickly. The other thing is parking- we had to pay $5 to park in a nearby parking space. There is a very small parking area behind this restaurant, but it was full by the time we got there. Overall great experience and we will definitely go back there!

    (4)

  • Rob M.

    I'm torn on Bistro Moulin, I don't know if it is a 3 star place or a 4 star place. Seeing as I have only been once I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt at 4 stars. It's a quaint little restaurant about half a block from the tourist traps of cannery row. The wait staff is very friendly, however our waitress this night was a bit green. Obviously that is forgivable, she told us later she'd only been working here for a few days. She was very pleasant and didn't try to sound like she knew more than she did, just happily took our order and looked for help with one of our more complicated questions. For starters the true benchmark for any french restaurant should be their onion soup. In it's best form it is simple and elegant, and to this Bistro Moulin did not disappoint. I have had better onion soups, but I'll put this on in the upper 1/3. We were seated at a small table next to the even smaller kitchen, so as I sat down I took a moment to talk with the chef who recommended the Osso Buco or the Sole special. We decided to go this route and ordered both. My osso buco was very nice, albeit a tad bit overcooked in my opinion, and the marrow wasn't as creamy as I have had in the past. The broth though was outstanding and I used the final pieces of bread to sop that up. My wife did not care for her sole which was done in a meyer lemon verblanc , I tried it and it was nicely flaky, albeit a little devoid of flavor. So would I go back? certainly, the atmosphere is good, the wine selection adequate. The prices? reasonable for the area, there was an average 50% mark up on the wine, which is less than you might see at other restaurants in the area.

    (4)

  • William W.

    The FOOD is very good,

    (2)

  • John K.

    Quite frankly the best French restaurant in the Monterey and Carmel area. Prepared by quite frankly the best French chef in the area. I have been a fan of Chef Didier's food for quite some time now, and since he opened this restaurant a while back, I have made trips from as far away as Novato for his specials such as cassoulet or coq au vin. The restaurant is maybe even more picturesque than many French bistro's in France as it not only possesses a nice view and very quaint decor, but the service is what you would HOPE for from a bistro of this style. The hostess, Colleen, is such a shiny, friendly face, as soon as you walk in, and no slouch in recommending the perfect wine for the dish or occasion. Every time I get one of her suggestions, my experience is elevated that much more. The food and wine in this place just seem to fit together as though it was Beaujolais and spring. I am a foodie, so I can say that this food is not made of foams, or soy lecithin, but with respect and humility. The same character that most grand mothers cook with, you will find in this near perfect every time restaurant. I live in Sunnyvale, and work in Palo Alto, and still find the time, to frequent, and always recommend this restaurant. It is worth a trip from outside the Monterey area, but if you live there...and haven't been to Bistro Moulin, you should try it. Relax, breathe in the atmosphere and smell the fish pan roasting, or the steak grilling, or the onion soup browning, or the crazy good escargot toasting. I am hungry just thinking about it....I think I may have to take a drive. See you there.....soon!!!!

    (5)

  • L. S.

    This restaurant has sweet decor and very helpful staff. We wandered in, and very much appreciated sitting down in a quiet, nicely decorated restaurant. The food was ok. I wish I could say that it blew me away, but the crepes tasted like something I could probably make at home. The sauce was appropriately buttery/creamy for a french sauce and good consistency - but it was lacking that je ne sais quoi.

    (3)

  • Cyndi L.

    I would go back just for the spinach gnocchi , the cheese sauce is the kind of stuff that makes me want to write poetry. The spinach gnocchi themselves are the lightest gnocchi I have ever had ( for spinach haters- it does NOT taste like spinach) the the cheese sauce is to die for- creamy, rich and delish. The osso buco was tasty, served with a nice creamy piece of polenta, portion a little on the skimpy side methinks. Boyfriend had the steak and frites, which he liked but wasn't bowled over- it did seem like a little something was missing there. Dessert was a special for the night- a lemon tart with a meringue topping. Personally I was happy with it, boyfriend said it tasted off. All in all not a bad price for the whole meal- have spent far more at other places for far less in terms of quality and service.

    (4)

  • B F.

    As a local, I hesitate to write another review praising Bistro Moulin. It's hard enough to get a reservation as it is. Luckily, after you have been there a couple of times, Colleen remembers you, treats you like family, and squeezes you in. You must have the spinach gnocchi, the french fries, the onion soup, and a bottle of Sancerre. Chef Didier does charming things with entrees too, but the gnocchi will keep you coming back. It is the stuff dreams are made of!

    (5)

  • rachel m.

    i missed the first two, so i had to make sure i caught the third great white shark at the aquarium. small little guy but at six months old he already moved around like he owned the place. i was in a touristy mood so afterward i dragged the man onto one of those super corny bicycle-powered golf carts (i looked it up, they are called 'surreys'). we'd pick up speed at street crossings and make hairpin turns between the narrow poles on either side. we almost hit several wary passersby. it was awesome. you really work up an appetite almost killing people. or maybe it was seeing my first bloodthirsty shark. in any case, i was starving. we walked back towards the car on the cannery row trail and i spied a tiny little european restaurant with a couple of fabulous specials on display. we walked into an even tinier interior and they managed to squeeze us in before the dinner rush. i don't do expensive meals as often as i used to because they can be so disappointing. this one caught me completely by surprise: everything was amazing. the little bread and roasted red pepper spread. the simple salad and great wine. and then the specials (insert contented sigh). i ordered the halibut, the man ordered lamb. they were both perfection. the kind of meal where you're both babbling like idiots the whole time about how great it is. i eyed the dessert menu. could it get any better? it could. the creme brulee was nirvana. why has no one reviewed this place yet? is it brand new? get thee there.

    (5)

  • chris m.

    started with the french onion soup, which was light on the cheese and tasted slightly burnt. it wasn't bad, but i've had better. entree was the hanger steak. it was very tasty and cooked perfectly. the frites that came with it were also very good. the service was solid, but our waitress seemed slightly annoyed with our rowdy party and the atmosphere was just ok. we ordered a few beers (duvel) and they were overpriced at $8.50 a bottle. i would recommend fifi's bistro in PG instead.

    (3)

  • Greg F.

    Our Valentine's Dinner was marked by a special prix fixe dinner. I was advised of this by Colleen (the lovely Miss Manni) when I made my reservation three weeks earlier. My sweetheart had escargot (delicate, delicious, traditionally prepared) and a slow cooked lobster in butter, accompanied by a risotto croquette. I had Didier's spinach gnocchi in a gorgonzola sauce, along with succulent lamb chops with a wine reduction sauce and delicately cooked scalloped potatoes. Our desserts (chocolate mousse and lemon tart) were at least as good as dinner. This is simply the best traditional french bistro food available anywhere in the area. Didier is an accomplished chef who does all his own cooking in plain sight this small bistro. His sweetheart Colleen greets everyone with a familial warmth that envelopes every person who visits their establishment. Our waitress Vanessa was attentive but unobtrusive. The wine list is well selected. I especially liked a 2007 Gigondas from a small southern rhone producer that they offer. Kudos and thanks for a memorable Valentine's Day dining memory.

    (5)

  • Andrew S.

    So sorry to say, I did not have a good experience here at all...I mean, AT ALL....First off, cute enough place, but the vibe when we first went in was a little chilly from the waitresses/hostess. Thought it was cute that they all wore black and looked like Audrey Hepburn in Funny Girl, but without the smiles, big heart, and kindness. You know when you have to make excuses as to why they aren't being nice to you, something's wrong. My wife even said, "Maybe our waitress is just shy." Okay, fine, but, she was too shy to check on us our our food one time! I usually give service a break if the food is incredible, but not so here. We had just eaten at La Bicyclette the other day and had a fantastic French food indulgence and were super excited to repeat that adventure here. Well, let me tell you, this food was so heavy and meh. We ordered the beet/goat salad. Okay, but with two tiny pieces of goat cheese. My wife and I were splitting everything and they didn't do us the honor of splitting the dishes into two plates(but offered only after they had set the food down). Then, we had the mushroom soup, which tasted like a glorified Campbell's soup to both of us. We dipped our bread in it (had to ask for butter) to make it taste worth eating. Then, we had a cheese plate. Good, but the waitress never stopped by to tell us what the cheeses were so we were kind of on our own there. In fact, come to think of it, our busboy did all of the serving, plating, drink ordering, bread bringing, etc. Poor guy. Then, we had the spinach gnocchi everyone on yelp was raving about. Uh...er...is it just me, or was it extremely, EXTREMELY heavy. Just pillows of bready spinach dumpling thingees in a heavy heavy cheese on cream on cheese and more cheese sauce. Now I typically enjoy heavy foods, but this was out of hand. My wife and I could only eat like three bites each. Ugh. Okay, so then for dessert, the profiteroles. Ewww. Tasted eggs with ice cream on it. Maybe it's a good dish if you like that sort of thing, but it was not so much. Okay, the worst part of our meal, unfortunately, was driving home. Both my wife and I started to get stomach cramps and the second we got home, both of us had to run to the bathroom. I've been in there twice tonight. Heavy food? Who knows. But we paid $100 for both of us spending a lot of time in the bathroom. No thank you. La Bicyclette, we love you!

    (1)

  • Richard T.

    This is what Yelp is all about... we would otherwise have been consigned to some mediocre tourist trap but found this place through Yelp and it was amazing. Spinach gnocchis, duck confit, and hanger steak were all great. (Steak was probably least impressive, but it came with delicious pommes frittes and a ridiculous aioli). Ended with an outstanding creme brulee. In addition to deliciousness, everything was served super-hot and seemed made to order. This (hotness aside) also goes for the creme brulee, which we could smell them torching fresh for us. If I lived in Monterey I would become a regular here...

    (5)

  • Luna R.

    Love this place! Lively and fun but most important, great food which is consistent! My favorite is the Mussel dish, but my kids love the steak frite and my husband loves the chicken. Service is great, they don't clear the plates until everyone is finished which is great! Make a reservation, it is small and fills quickly!

    (5)

  • Brent F.

    very petite bistro, that usually requires reservations, due to it's popularity and seating capacity. we called last minute and they got us in easily. we started with spinach gnocchi baked to bubbliness in a cream sauce. lightest gnocchi I've ever had very nicely done. also decided upon escargot since I was having a need to rekindle some Parisian memories. butter garlic and mollusks mmm. found them to be tender, they have a tendency for rubberiness like shellfish if not cooked right. there was also a bottle of joullian sauvignon blanc involved, which may have altered my food perception slightly lol. I do love my joullian though. for an entree we decided to split the chicken crepe because we were going to have dessert, if it was up to me dessert would be first lol. the crepe was delicate buckwheat, chicken was tender in a cream and mushroom sauce. very comfort food actually. it was topped with some kind of micro greens. I think this was when the wine was taking over because it was a bit fuzzy and we went crazy and got three desserts, creme brûlée, lemon tart, and chocolate caramel ganache tart. the brûlée was nicely done very simple. nice caramelized sugar shell with light custard, would have like maybe a few berries on the side though. the lemon tart was our favorite. light not goopy, good balance of sweet and tart and the crust gave nicely with each bite and didn't overpower the filling. the chocolate ganache tart was actually not the best, it was too thick and cold. it really should have been left out to let the ganache and caramel base layer soften slightly. you shouldn't have to manhandle a pastry. I was very happy with this bistro and look forward to going again.

    (4)

  • Hope S.

    This quaint little bistro is as good as it gets! If I could have just one dish for the rest of my life it would have to be the spinach gnocchi starter from this place. The pillowy gnocchi are enrobed in a velvety-rich cream sauce and they arrive to your table in a blazing hot serving dish which causes the sauce to bubble and brown around the edges. You have to order this dish! I could sing its praises forever, but on to the other dishes. We also ordered the French onion soup and it was a solid rendition, but nothing to write home about. For our main courses we ordered the Coq au Vin and Steak Bordelaise. Both dishes were tasty, but I couldn't get that gnocchi starter out of my mind. For dessert we shared the chocolate mousse which was good, but nothing special. This was a very special dining experience for my husband and I. I highly recommend it for a special night out and don't forget to order the gnocchi!

    (5)

  • Karen H.

    One of our most favorite spots in Montery! The steamed mussels are the best! As good as you can get outside of Paris. Colleen takes such wonderful care of each guest ! The wine list is exceptional we even found some of our favorites from Edna Valley. Try it, you'll be glad you did!

    (5)

  • ryan f.

    DONT GO. I cant rate the food because I left after trying to have lunch and then later the same day for dinner. We didn't eat there because they were busy, no, we didn't eat becuase the bitch who works there pretty much ran us off. We stopped in for lunch and the sign said "open, come on in" and there was a special board outside. We went in and the lady was very rude and basically said we were welcome to come back later but she could not help us. At this point we were still under the impression they were open and apparently they were no. We left, came back at 8 on a saturday night for dinner and there were open seats and a cook in the kitchen and we were told they were closed. We were a litte shocked that they would be closed so early. We commented on how early it was and the response was "We work our asses off here." Maybe so but it was very unprofessional and everbody in the place looked at her. Needless to say, I hope they go out of business and a place I would enjoy goes in.

    (1)

  • lin t.

    We have been here many times and it's always good. Good service, nice hosts and great food. Try the spinach gnochi or the hangar steak and fries - yummy! Will come back. Also, they sell the best olive oil

    (4)

  • reed b.

    This is one of the most exciting new restaurants I've been in in a long time. I was lucky to have heard of it over 18 months ago and have been there several times. .Wine list is very good and their menu is exciting, but The best dish is their osso bucco with veal shank.

    (5)

  • Lucy B.

    yum yum yum yum yum. in an area where outstanding restaurants is the norm, this place is a cut above the rest. reservations definitely recommended, and EARLY.

    (5)

  • Laurie G.

    Info: Spinach Gnocchi, Take-Out, Super Hungry Travelers We had planned to dine in at Bistro Moulin after a day of traveling, but our flight ran late and we ended up doing take out instead, because the place was about to close. After reading the rave reviews on yelp, we figured this place was a sure thing. We were starving from traveling all day. We ordered two orders of spinach gnocchi. To our horror, back at the hotel room we found within our large take-out boxes just a handful (12 pieces) of gnocchi in a bit of cream sauce. Our growling stomachs cried out "NO!!!" "WHY!" and "HOW WAS THAT MEAL WORTH $50??" Don't get me wrong - this was the most delicious gnocchi that I've ever had. Seriously, the best ever. I just wish there were more of it to sate a hungry, travel-worn adventurer for the night for about $19 a plate. If someone else was paying for my meal, I'd be back here in a heartbeat to order two whole plates of spinach gnocchi for myself.

    (3)

  • Joseph C.

    Love this place. Been dinning at this restaurant for years and have never been let down. The spinach gnocchi are just wonderful. Great place to share with friends or impress your date. I have had the opportunity to try most of the items on their menu and the specials of the day. My wife and I visit here for special occasions and a female server who has been there for years always remembers us. We recently had a child and where unsure if they would be okay with a baby at the table. I called ahead to see if it was okay and they were okay with it. They suggested sitting before 6pm if it was a Tuesday and they made my Birthday dinner possible.

    (5)

  • Olivia D.

    very nice restaurant & service! we had dinner there twice, the cannellonis, moules frites and steak are amazing. Keep some space for dessert, in particular the creme brûlée and the lemon tartlet! great choice of wines too!

    (5)

  • Sarah C.

    This restaurant gets an elusive 5 star! Why might you ask... First the tapenade you get upon sitting down was a nice palate waker upper. Second the bread came out with nice soft butter, not cold fresh from the fridge. And our server actually answered questions honestly. Boyfriend asked her opinion on the mussels versus the duck confit, and she couldn't pick. But we overheard her say to another table that she doesn't like 1 of the entrees, but it was simply personal preference. She also recommended wines to them, and I over heard the husband say he appreciated the fact that she didn't go straight for the expensive wines. Everything was delicious, and had a nice timing. We had time to enjoy the food, let it settle between courses. And when I asked for a dessert recommendation and gave her 3 options she didn't hesitate to suggest the profiteroles.... And they were yummy! And best part is they are something that I haven't attempted to make. Boyfriend had also mentioned it was my birthday, so she put a candle on it. Nice little touch. Oh yeah the dinner. I got a pork special, and every bit was scrumptious. Boyfriend got the mussels and the broth was practically slurppable. We also started with the pate, and it was soft but had texture. The onions added some good flavor, and it came with some horseradish that boyfriend thought might have been homemade. We both loved our meals, and love to return, and the price is low enough you don't need a special occasion. One note, vegetarians beware there is pretty much 1 thing you can get.

    (5)

  • Beau D.

    Wow. Just amazing. Food was authentic French cuisine. Fantastic service. I would 100 percent recommend!

    (5)

  • CJ W.

    We started with the French Onion Soup (very good) and Escargot (was decent- not the best, not the worst- still worth ordering). We continued with the Spinach Gnocchi (absolute FABULOUS. Our greatest recommendation!) and the Duck Confit (would never order again- very over cooked, lentils were extremely bland as well... Not sure how you mess up a duck dish- but this was not very good at all.) Overall- okay ambience. We walked in to the wait staff siting around and we had to ask if they were even open! A good place- would only come back for that Spinach Gnocchi!

    (3)

  • Meleah L.

    Lovely. We wandered around for a half hour looking for a nice place to have dinner. Found this one on yelp and decided to try it because of its 4 stars- It did not disappoint! I had the chicken and brussels sprouts. Melt in your mouth delicious! We matched it with a very nice Pinot Noir. Oh! and the tapas were a great way to start off. We stayed till after closing and really loved our dinner experience. Congrats on 8 years of business!

    (5)

  • BL L.

    The chef does provide a fine meal, although I would recommend the smaller portion of the gnocchi. Service is an important aspect of an enjoyable and memorable dining experience. Our server, detracted from the dining experience; which should be of concern to the chef and or owner. If service counts, please keep this review in mind.

    (3)

  • Jessie V.

    Phenomenal service and food. I cannot rave enough about the food! We ordered the gnocci and the hangar steak. Both were to die for. Pleasant mix of french and italian cuisine, romantic atmosphere, intimate... A must visit kind of place. WONDERFUL!!!

    (5)

  • Laura V.

    This place is dangerous if you're trying to diet. They serve a great evil called "Pillows of Heaven " otherwise know as Gnocchi. Go find out and order just that. You'll never be the same again. Mind blowing!

    (5)

  • David S.

    First off, delicious, delicious food, and that's why we eat out at restaurants, to experience different and pleasurable tastes that one cannot create at home -- or will go home and try to recreate. This place pleases the pallet and is a great experience all around; the service, the food, the prices! I'll list a couple shortcomings as to lower your expectations, and help you order more accurately. If you get the steak, you get a heaping side of fries. That's it, no greens on your place. Meat and potatoes. The fries are good, but it would have been nice to have some vegetables too, so I recommend a side of veggies with the steak. The gnocchi is awesome, but if you're expecting a potato based gnocchi you'll be disappointed. The gnocchi here is flour based, light and pillowy. We had them for an appetizer, and that was probably a smart move, because although we loved the experience of eating them (melts in your mouth), I'm not sure I would have made a meal of them -- that's how light and airy they are. Okay, now that you know what to expect with those dishes, let me tell you that the steak was tender and mouth watering. The pork special had excellent gravy/sauce and came with mashed potatoes and fresh yellow and green string beans. I'm excited to revisit the restaurant and try some of their other entrees. The service was great, everyone was friendly even though we were late for our reservation, and seated past seating hours. We called to let them know and they were totally cool about it. The ambiance is cute and romantic, but I'm sure the room gets stuffy on hot summer nights. I suppose the missing 5th star represents those extra touches that a place like this could be doing -- a table visit from the manager, informing a customer that the steak comes with a mountain of fries, explaining why a french restaurant has gnocchi and tiramisu on their menu - stuff like that. All in all we had a great meal experience for $100. Thanks Bistro Moulin

    (4)

  • Kristine E.

    Get the gnocchi trust me. When we found this place and saw the maker of the plate from casanovas made his own place here with the recipe for a little cheaper, i almost died. Seriously soooo happy. Whenever I have a little extra money to slurg as a broke college student, I always take it here! Tooo delicious. I dream of it. It literally inspired me and my boyfriend to make it together, which we did, not as magnificent as theres obviously, but just an amazing dish. :) So thankful for it. The service is wonderful as well, and the carrot spread served with the bread is outstanding.

    (5)

  • C K.

    We love this place for its casual atmosphere and delicious French comfort food. We are never disappointed and the servers have given us excellent suggestions on the food and pairings. We try to order different things but we always get the Spinach Gnocchi appetizer. We all shared many desserts there: profiteroles, crème brulee, lemon tarte, and tiramisu. We somehow can't get into eating cheese for dessert the French way so we've never tried it. All good. The servers are friendly but ours forgot a few requests this last time. No big deal. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Anna P.

    We had dinner here instead of the various seafood options on cannery row - a great decision. Very romantic interior and courteous staff. DELICIOUS food: we had the French onion soup, gnocchi, and duck confit. Very reasonably priced as well.

    (5)

  • Jonathan l.

    Spinach gnocchi, excellent Leg of lamb, semi bland Sea bass, buttery goodness And my wallet is thinner All I can say is I want to come back when I a refuel my wallet

    (4)

  • Valerie N.

    After scouring Yelp and talking to locals, we selected Bistro Moulin to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary in Monterey. We stayed at the Clement, so we asked the concierge to make our booking and walked uphill to the restaurant for our dinner. Lovely. Walking in the door, it was like stepping back into Paris. Café curtains, small table, perfect French jazz playing, aloof yet cool staff, casually cozy atmosphere... tres bien. We were initially seated awkwardly against a wall, but after noticing a vacant table in the front window, we asked to move. Much more romantic and lovely! We immediately ordered cocktails upon our seating - a kir royale for me, Champagne for hubby. These actually wound up pairing really well with the gratis carrot tapenade offered with crostini. Yum. We LOVED the French wine list and splurged on a Gevrey-Chambertin to accompany our meal. Our spinach gnocchi appetizer was pure heaven. Delicate gnocchi with the most perfect texture in a delicious, light cream sauce. I'm not ashamed to say I sopped up every last bit of sauce with my bread in a very non-Parisian way. So worth it - this is must order in my opinion! I would recommend ordering this as an appetizer and sharing so everyone can enjoy! The gnocchi also paired really well with Rose. After the awesomeness of the gnocchi, I couldn't resist ordering the cannoli tartufi and it did not disappoint. I ate absolutely all of it, except the few bites I let my husband steal. The vodka sauce perfection, the cannoli perfectly cooked, the beef super flavorful. Hubby had the pork cheek special, which came with apricots. Like all great French dishes, this one was perfectly balanced between sweet and savory and absolutely delicious. Just heavenly. To top it all off, we ordered a lemon tartlet for dessert, one of my fave desserts to get in Paris. The crust was perfection and the lemon the right balance of tart and sweet. The prices here are not the tourist prices featured elsewhere in town and along Highway 1, yet the food was some of the best I had on our trip and the portion sizes plentiful. Its definitely a great place to get a bang for your buck! The wine list was vast and full of French lovelies; it clobbered every other wine list I saw on our trip. To put it simply, this is the best restaurant in Monterey and the best place to celebrate an anniversary. Bistro Moulin serves as a peaceful respite to the craziness of Cannery Row just a few streets away - no crowds, quiet music, just perfect. The table sitting next to us were like the paparazzi to their plates, so understandably, I opted not to take any pics of our romantic meal. Just take my word for it - it was beautiful!

    (5)

  • Chris K.

    Imitation French cuisine. This restaurant is trying but doesn't get French cooking. The fish soup was watery and not made with real stock. The pork cheeks were not braised but soaked in a gravy that tasted like it came out of a can. The mussels were briny but without the delicate flavours of wine. It seems like they are following the cookbook but don't know what the food should taste like. Decor is cozy, service is friendly and wine selection good. I think a visiting French chef might get them in the right track.

    (3)

  • Archana P.

    Three and a half if 'twas possible. Carrot amuse bouche was not amusing. My lobster bisque was watery. Both our entrees were excellent however. Spinach gnocchi was divine, though very very almost too rich as an entree. The coq au vin was deliciously tender, and perfectly paired with whipped potatoes. Hello, yum!

    (3)

  • Jaylena P.

    My in-laws are extremely selective folk when it comes to their food. They are not so much into Tacos, Hamburgers and the like. So when we stumbled upon this small French restaurant, I prayed it would be suitable for them. Before we even went in, I called in advance to confirm authenticity. Who's the chef? Where is he from? IS HE FRENCH??! Chef Didouille hails from Normandy, which happens to be just north of Brittany. I was saved! His restaurant could not be any more authentic, then were I in a bistro along the Normandy coast. Oddly enough the best Moules Frites I have ever had were in Arromanches. I have been chasing that dragon for 13 years. Today, my tastebuds shot fireworks of joy!! I had found the long lost flavor of the perfect Moules Frites! It had an abundance of the requisite sliced garlic, onions and parsley. But truly it was the sauce that made this dish everything. I literally drank it with my spoon like a soup. The white wine and vermouth, combined with the other ingredients made for a superb dish. Perfection! Before any of the main courses arrived, we were served fresh bread, along with a creamy spread made of carrots, Greek yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper. This is something I could see myself making at home. The sweetness from the carrot combined with the tart flavor of yogurt was very refreshing. The French Onion soup was dripping with cheese, onions and plenty of wine. Not too salty and not too much bread. Though not my main course I did sample the Steak Bordelaise. Rare is something I never do but my father in-law insisted I try it. So glad I did because it was soft, tender and very succulent. Miam, miam! The desserts were okay. I have had better. The consistency of the creme brûlée was a bit thick for my taste. The mouse au chocolat however was moist and creamy. Keep in mind this is a very small bistro. One bathroom for staff and customers. The kitchen is in the open, so you get to see the action. The chef was kind enough to greet my family once I said they were touring California from France. They were delighted and he was charming. If you're in the mood for some delicious French cuisine, I highly recommend Bistro Moulin. Even the wine selection is worth trying.

    (5)

  • Anthony N.

    I absolutely loved this place!! It's a small cozy bistro in Monterey with great ambiance. Great place for a date. The service was excellent. It was a bit challenging getting a table reserved here; however it was for my own good. I can tell that they make sure that the service is excellent and don't overbook the place. If you have a reservation you won't be waiting around. We started of with the spinach gnocchi and the cheese plate. The gnocchi was very nice however I was more excited about the cheese plate. It goes really well with a nice red wine. The chef's special was the lamb chops. These were probably the best lamb chops I've ever had. Very tender and juicy. They were very lean and surprisingly very juicy at the same time. We also tried the osso bucco. It was delicious and had very nice flavors to it but nothing compared to the lamb. We finished off with a creme brûlée and a Sauterne. The creme brûlée was very creamy and delicious. You can tell its quality stuff and home made fresh. I would definitely come back here.

    (5)

  • Loreta B.

    Don't let the exterior fool you as it almost did me and my Wife. We were celebrating our anniversary in Monterey which is by far one of our favorite destinations and while staying at the Spindrift Inn (Also Excellent!) the people at the front desk suggested Bistro Moulin which was just off Cannery Row. They started us off with this carrot dip which I cannot remember the name of, but it was outstanding! Then we both decided on the spinach gnocchi, oh my, what a fabulous dish! The best I have ever had! Chef/Owner Didier Dutertre has created a winner for sure, it's a must visit/first stop the next time we are in Monterey, just wish Chef Dutertre would open a location in SoCal!

    (4)

  • Theresa L.

    Everything that I had here was amazing. Spinach gnocchi, duck confit, and escargot were all delicious! Also, the restaurant itself is very cozy and reminiscent of a small cafe in Paris. First of all, the escargot was seasoned richly in this sort of garlic-basil concoction and was served in the pans that are made especially for escargot (they look like small pots with holes in them...the escargot goes into the holes). The spinach gnocchi was served in a hot pan and I kid you not, it is as good as the gnocchi I've had in Italy. It is super soft and not too chewy and the cheese/sauce that it is served with is heavenly! The duck was super tender and literally fell off the bone.

    (5)

  • Cathy W.

    This place is like a hole-in-the-wall neighborhood gem. Looking on the outside, you probably can't tell this place is bustling with people inside making delicious food every night! We were really lucky to have gotten a table on a weekend night without a reservation. The server was very friendly and we had the pleasure of having: - warm bread + cold butter: not my favorite combination but the bread is good - complimentary amuse bouche: baguette with hummus...yum! - French onion soup: my husband really loves french onion soup and he totally approves - coq au vin with penne: I really love penne pasta and the coq au vin was delicious - pommes frites with garlic aioli: TO-DIE-FOR! I'm really glad we found this place via a random Yelp search - we've been to Monterey quite a few times and could never really find good "fancy" sit-down food. Definitely will keep this on the list so we can come back again!

    (5)

  • Ryan L.

    This is really a good deal, as long as you have a reservation, because it is small with limited seating. With the reservation, we were promptly seated and in for a treat. I had the pork chop, which was great and not dried out as happens with some restaurants. Perfect preparation. My GF had the Gnocchi, which can be filling but she has a big appetite. I sampled it also and it showed that they care about the food. Good service, no view but close to Cannery Row so you can avoid some of the crush. We will definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    I've enjoyed a half dozen or so meals here. Always triples and HRs. Last night's meal of Duck Breast with foie gras demi-glaze and Baja Sea Bass was a Grand Slam. We sat across from the kitchen, so when we were seated, we said hello to Chef with a courtesy How'ya doin? And he said good, but admitted he was still recovering from the Bastille Day celebration the day before. Note to self: always come the day after Bastille Day. Always order the Spinach Gnocchi, even as an appetizer.

    (5)

  • Jamela V.

    After researching places to eat during a day trip to Monterey, I decided on Bistro Moulin due to its rave reviews and my love for French food. I made a reservation for a 5:30pm dinner and my boyfriend and I were seated promptly upon entering. Our waiter brought over crostini with a carrot tapenade as we browsed through our menus. The tapenade was very enjoyable and provided a refreshing start to our meal. For appetizers, we ordered the escargot, which was prepared with melted hazlenut butter, garlic, and garnished with parsley. The escargot was very flavorful, and although delicious, I have tasted better. Perhaps the fact that it was served unshelled allowed the butter and garlic to permeate into the escargot meat too much, making it slightly salty in taste and a little too rich for my liking. The parsley helped in combatting this richness by providing a hint of freshness, but I was left searching for a little more. For entrees, we ordered the spinach gnocchi and the coq au vin. The gnocchi was fantastic and probably one of the best I have ever tasted. I usually find gnocchi to be very heavy, but this gnocchi was not. It practically melted in my mouth and the parmesan cream sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the gnocchi. I even found myself dipping my bread into the sauce. It was that good. The chicken in the coq au vin was a bit dry, probably due to overcooking. The red wine sauce, however, was very well done and slightly compensated for the dry meat. The mashed potatoes also provided good balance towards the dish. Service here was okay and I was expecting a lot more after reading some of these reviews prior to eating here. While the waiter provided good wine recommendations and managed to fill our waters in a timely manner, I found service to be slightly impersonal.This place seems to have strong local following and difference in treatment of wait staff to regulars versus new eaters is quite imbalanced. Overall, I would give Bistro Moulin 3.5 stars, but since Yelp does not do half stars, I would round up to 4, mainly because I really enjoyed the spinach gnocchi. Would I come back here again? Probably not. While the food was good, it was not enough to set it apart from other French restaurants, especially for the price you pay for the food.

    (4)

  • Richard O.

    Really very nice, just a bit out of the way off cannery row. Managed to walk in on a busy Friday night but a table was cheerfully located and we were seated promptly I had the poison de jour - halibut cheeks with a lobster bisque sauce - really liked the sauce The wife had the spinach gnocchi ( an appetizer) - very nice, Served in a small cast iron plate or skillet - kept the gnocchi warm Servings properly sized for us, so we had room for the excellent tiramisu Worthy competitor for Fifi's

    (4)

  • Chaska W.

    Food was only ok. Two for dinner was $100. Had the fish which lacked some flavor. Bismati rice had no flavor. Kept hearing about the dish coq au Vin on various tv shows so ordered that too, but don't know what the fuss is about. But then again I had nothing to compare it too. I was expecting more from all the rave reviews. The service was good and the ambiance was nice.

    (3)

  • Doll F.

    Delicious and well priced, this place did not disappoint. Authentic French food. The only problem is that it is quite small and cramped.

    (4)

  • Gabe d.

    Came here a couple months ago and forgot to review! Love the ambiance and location right up from cannery row. Really friendly and knowledgable wait staff. We began by trying to decipher their wine list which seemed daunting but after describing the style of wine I was looking for the server was able to help us find a great selection and we ended up getting a second bottle of it! Apps: Spinach Gnocci- to die for. AMAZING. Perfect little pillows that virtually melt in your mouth. WOW. My only suggestion is to order the entree portion for an appetizer, because you will undoubtedly want it all! Tapas plate- great cured meat, beets, cheeses, with marinated olives and roasted red peppers. Great to share, great flavors overall. Entree: Roasted Quail: This was a special they had that evening which was recommended to us by our waiter and it was on point. Perfectly cooked and tender the two quail breasts side by side, delicious. Underneath sautéed vegetables and mushrooms. Wonderful combo. Osso Bucco- you cannot go wrong with this dish! Veal osso bucco set over Parmesan polenta, this is a winner. They are kind enough to serve it with a small spoon so you can take advantage of the bone marrow! At the end of the meal I told our server that I wanted to meet the chef. She pointed to the kitchen and said, "by all means, go right ahead." I timidly approached to find Didier Dutertre hard at work. I introduced myself and thanked him for a marvelous meal. He was humble and thanked ME for coming in that evening. Excellent experience, I will be returning very soon!

    (5)

  • Sandy D.

    What a lovely dining experience! I had such a great experience at this restaurant. I must rave about it!!! The food was delicious, the bottle of pinot noir was remarkable. The osso bucco was the star of the night, the cannelloni tartufi while worth writing about, was overshadowed by everything else. We had ourselves a variety of different items from their menu. A bottle of Mercy Pinot Noir Starter: French Onion soup and escargot. Entrée: Osso Bucco and the cannelloni Tartufi Dessert: Double Latte, Lemon tart and Tiramisu All delicious and remarkable in their own way. I would not order the Cannelloni Tartufi again, but only because there are other things I would like to try. After The Intercontinental ruined our romantic weekend plans, our dining experience here made it a trip to remember. The ambiance in this restaurant is truly unique, its the type of place that leads one to partake in interesting topics of conversation. We happened to be sitting next to 2 old friends who were seeing each other for the first time in a while and their awkward conversations had us smiling at each other.

    (5)

  • Nancy R.

    This place is amazing! The spinach gnocchi au gratin that we had for our appetizer was delicious. It is a bit pricier that some other places around the area, but this place is definitely worth it. They also have a huge wine selection. Definitely a must go to place if you are in the area. Its not very fancy or big, but the food is reallyyyyy good!

    (5)

  • Rachel J.

    Monterey is beautiful. I had no idea it was also delectable. We rolled into town on a chilly Saturday night. We'd made 8pm reservations - it was booked solid 'til then - and wandered in early, hoping to be allowed to sit in the bar area & drink wine. Turns out they don't have a bar area, but they were able to seat us early. Which somehow made up for the sizable snootiness of the hostess. Huzzah!! I'm not much into French food, but everything we tried was delicious. We shared 2 dishes, the poulet rôti aux herbes (super tender chicken breast, mounds of roasted garlic, side of brussel sprouts) and the steak bordelaise (grilled hanger steak in a shallot-cabernet sauce, side of french fries.) Both the chicken & beef were cooked to perfection. My dining partner claimed it was the "best steak he's ever had." We topped off dinner with a creamy chocolate mousse. The menu isn't cheap - main courses range from $20-$30 - but I think it's worth it. ... especially because Clint Eastwood sat next at the table next to us. He ordered the same dish as me. Do I have good taste, or WHAT?????????

    (4)

  • Kari C.

    Adorable little restaurant 1 block away from the Aquarium. This place was recommended by my boss. We had reservations for an early dinner, but it wasn't that crowded. The place is cute, not that fancy, and the staff are super friendly. Some people brought their well-behaved kids. We were given a carrot dip and toasted baguette slices to start off. It was refreshing and something different. Bread could have been better, texture was a bit "old", but it was served warm. Can't complain too much since this was on-the-house. Our server brought water for us and we ordered. He informed us that it will take 20 minutes to cook the food. Our entrees came out faster than that, but the heads-up was a nice touch. DH got the special, which was "Joues de Porc", braised pork cheeks, brussel sprouts, caramelized onion whipped potatoes, and morel mushroom demi glace. The pork was meltingly tender and the sauce had just enough oomph to stand on its own. It is NOT over salted, like many fancy restaurants. The people who complained the food had no flavor are probably just used to super salty food. In that case, you can always order the spinach gnocchi. This is the "famous dish" that Bistro Moulin is known for. If you visit their website, you can see a video of how the chef prepares it. The gnocchi are not like the standard ones, they're larger and softer, almost paste-like. The potent sauce is definitely the highlight. It is super creamy, carefully caramelized on the top, and packed with whopping umami punch. Just don't think that you're drinking straight cheese + cream and you'll be fine. :) There is an appetizer sized version, but the dinner one is only a few dollars more. We shared a dessert, the "homemade tiramisu", which was largely house-made whipped cream with a little bit of spongy cake on the bottom. It was soaked with a small amount of liqueur. I didn't notice much of an espresso flavor. DH said, "It was fine, but not outstanding. It was not worth the money. It was mild. Needed more liqueur. Too much cream to cake ratio." Overall, a neat place to try in the heart of Monterey, that's quite different than the regular seafood spots. Food was technically difficult and executed well overall. Prices were around $18-25/entree, $10-15 for appetizers, $5-10 for desserts/coffee. If you get wine and apps, then it can really add up. If you're on a budget, I'd suggest getting an entree only, then getting your coffee/dessert/alcohol elsewhere.

    (5)

  • Ben M.

    I absolutely love this place. The location makes is very convenient if you are at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The reality is it's a convenient place no matter what you might be doing in town, or even if you are just passing thru. The last few times I have come to town I have been able to go to dinner here, sometimes on the late side as we didn't have a reservation. I'm sort of a creature of habit, I love the mussels and fries. They are absolutely delicious. The chef is totally classic and I love to watch him cook, if you happen to be seated in the right place you can watch him run the small open kitchen. He knows his routine and it's a joy to watch. I love to watch the French chef make the french fries. They have a wonderful selection of wine but the beer is a bit limited. If you order tea they have a huge selection, they bring you the collection of about 20 to pick from. The place its totally intimate, a great place to go for a romantic date night. It also is a wonderful place for the whole family. After a long hard day on the woods or at the beach this place never fails to satisfy. Just love it.

    (5)

  • Ashley C.

    We arrived in Monterey on a Tuesday night without really a plan for dinner other than wanting to avoid some of the tourist traps. Bistro Moulin was a good fit and said they could squeeze us in if we arrived early (by 6). We did and were glad we made it in (they were not even taking walk-ins when we left). The place is small and has a homey feel to it. Service was excellent. Our waitress provided an excellent recommendation for a half bottle of wine (without any of the upsell vibe) and helped in directing us to their best items. We wanted to order the escargot but unfortunately could not because it could not be made without nuts b/c of an allergy. Our waitress sensed our disappointment and promised that the spinach gnocchi would make up for it and it did! The gnocchi were perfectly fluffy and the cheese sauce was sinfully good (forget the butter for the bread and dip it in the sauce). My eyes wished that there were more gnocchi (it was a small dish) but my stomach was thankful that the dish was small given its richness. I ordered the mussels and my husband ordered the Steak Bordelaise. The mussels were cooked perfectly and the the herb broth was delicious and full of flavor. The steak bordelaise (that night it was a strip steak) was really good. The pomme frites were very good and I liked the aioli sauce (although they are on the larger side from the traditional thin pomme frites). Delicious food and great service make this place a gem.

    (4)

  • Ali B.

    This is a nice little place to dine in Monterey. The food is special and the wine is divine. It is a little hot and stuffy inside though which lowers the comfort level. I would give it a five otherwise. The steak was great except that the sauce was overly caramelized so it lacked subtlety. They have a few wines by glass and a large selection by bottle. I enjoyed their local Pinot Noir. I actually ordered a second glass as good as it was. The best for last was desert. Tiramisu is the one great thing they have although they seem to have other things to try for the future. I am impressed by this restaurant and I will visit them again for sure.

    (4)

  • Julisa J.

    Came here last night with my boyfriend. We decided to make a reservation since we figured it's summer time they must be busy. We got there and greeted as soon as we entered the door and we were sat right away. It wasn't too busy which was a plus. We wanted to try out some wine. The waitress was very informative and helped us pick out the perfect fruity Pinot noir. It was Pinot noir Lucia 2012 from Santa Lucia Highlands 14.3%. We ordered the spinach gnocchi to start off and it was just what I pictured, simply amazing. The perfect almost fluffy texture in the hot Parmesan cheese. It was gone in seconds. For entrees we ordered the mussels and the duck. Both were really good and flavorful. The mussels come in a big hot pan and they give you a lot. I took half home and ate the rest as soon as I got home. My boyfriend loved the duck, he ate that pretty fast too.. For dessert we were stuck in between the chocolate mousse and the profiteroles. One of the other servers helped us decide and we got the profiteroles. She informed us that theirs is a little different they use ice cream instead of cream. We got the dessert it looked really nice I just wasn't a big fan of it the pastry was a bit dry and flavorless to me. Next time I'll go for another dessert.

    (5)

  • Tony B.

    There are few French restaurants that can stand up to this one!! Escargot priceless! French onion to die for and the coq au vin marvelous excellent service!! A must go to in Monterey!

    (5)

  • Kathy Z.

    The food is awesome and service is terrific. We were stuck on the highway and arrived around 9:20pm. The waitress still saved us a table=) the portion is not as big as we have imagined but the food is still delicious. Ambience is nice too so a perfect place for dating.

    (5)

  • Darren L.

    This place is great! The food was delicious and cooked perfectly and the service was quick and friendly. I highly recommend it for a nice night out or a casual dinner.

    (5)

  • Marty O.

    Authentic French Bistro in Monterey. Very knowledgable staff, and our waiter Rafael really knew the wines. Our dinners were creative and tasty. Our appetizers were very tasty, and the wine complimented our meal perfectly. And to top it off, Profiteroles for dessert; Sweet! We look forward to coming back.

    (4)

  • Brendan A.

    Great food and a quaint little restaurant away from the tourist strip of Monterey. My wife had the duck and I had the gnocchi - both were delicious. The side of fries could have been a little fresher though. The staff were friendly. Would go back if I was in town again.

    (4)

  • Meg W.

    No one should ever come here. You know why? Because I tried escargot for the first time and it was one of the best meals I'd ever had. What if I try escargot somewhere else and it's not nearly as good and so escargot is ruined for me? Thanks a lot, Cafe Bistro, now I will forever remember this amazing meal and walk the Earth too afraid to try escargot ever again for fear of it not reaching the levels of greatness these garlic'd snails achieved. (Also the spinach gnocchi and carrot tapenade are great as well.)

    (5)

  • Yun W.

    This place is cute, friendly and a decent choice for country-style European food after a day of touring around Monterey. However, given the price, the quality of food it is really just OK, not spectacular compared to similar establishments in the Bay Area. We definitely had pretty high expectations going in based on the 4.5 star average Yelp rating of this place and left feeling somewhat underwhelmed. Tried the following for dinner: Cream of Mushroom Soup - 4 stars - pretty flavorful, recommended ( yelp.com/biz_photos/bist… ) Moules Frites - 3.5 stars - Steamed mussels with shallots and leeks in Sauvignon herb broth, pommel frites - the mussels were good. However, I couldn't really taste the broth and overall the mussels tasted pretty similar to ones I've steamed at home. The french fries were okay but providing a choice for the side would have been nice. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/bist… ) Confit de Canard - 3 stars - duck confit with heirloom Tarbais bean Cassoulet & petit arugula salad - we ordered this based on yelp reviews. The duck meat was cooked just right, however it was pretty bland and not very flavorful. The beans were decent, but the arugula salad was pretty plain and uncreative. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/bist… ) Overall cost came out to almost $40/person after tax and tip. For that price we have definitely had higher quality food. I would recommend this place to starving Monterey tourists and business travelers, but would pass on it for special occasion date nights or family gatherings.

    (3)

  • Gary H.

    I was sold on the decision of where to go based on some great reviews. The menu looked fun and interesting Great little restaurant and the chef has helped bring the feeling of France into Monterey. Great menu and excellent help from very knowledgeable wait staff. Right away I got me little toast teasers with dip. Great recommendations on the wine and the opportunity to have a sip to confirm the choice. Excellent! I went for the soup de jour, which was a tomato bisque with basil oil? The soup was amazingly hoy. Very impressive. On the sad side was the flavour. It was very thin and I could not taste the tomato, basil or anything. I had the Osso buco. As advertised, it was extremely tender, falling off the bones. There was not a great depth of flavour however, the polenta was the all star of the night. Full of flavour and saved a possible two star rating I would definitely go back. There were some huge signs of potential, hot food, great service, polenta and interesting menu. Sadly tonight's fare did not live up to expectations

    (3)

  • Saul D.

    The serving staff were all extremely attentive without ever feeling overbearing. They clearly knew the menu and were comfortable making recommendations upon request. Everything my wife and I ordered was delicious, and perfectly prepared. Order the gnocchi appetizer, it is AMAZING!

    (5)

  • Jingyu L.

    Great dining experience .The servers are so gentle,and they provide breads before meal. The daily special short rib is really delicious.

    (5)

  • Jeff L.

    Great overall restaurant and experience. The food was well-executed, and the place is cute. It's not exactly one of those places where any one thing is perfect, but it was a nice find in an otherwise very touristy area. The Moules Frites (mussels and fries) are really good. I can also recommend the duck, and the rack of lamb if available (a special when we were there). Prices are reasonable, and service is decent. We are definitely coming back the next time we're in the area. P.S. It's not the best place for kids, but it's not impossible to bring a toddler there and have a good experience if he or she is relatively well-behaved.

    (5)

  • Ben G.

    What a wonderful surprise in the center of the touristy universe just a block away from the aquarium! Situated in an old house, Bistro Moulin serves up your typical old-school French favorites in a friendly atmosphere. My son had the coq au vin which rivals anything I've ever had in France. My confit de canard was spot on perfect. My wife had the special rack of lamb which was quite possibly the best lamb I've ever tasted. Dessert was just about perfect. Since my last trip to France a year ago, I've been looking for a creme brulee that rivals what I had in a little restaurant in Amiens...and I think I found it at Bistro Moulin. Simply amazing. A great wine list and wonderful service rounded off the experience. The only down side of the experience was that, since the restaurant is in an old house, the air circulation isn't great and when the restaurant gets full it can get stuffy in some parts of the restaurant. It's an unfortunate aspect of the dining experience that really does affect the overall opinion. But if you can manage your expectations appropriately and you love classic French food, by all means call for a reservation and enjoy Bistro Moulin.

    (4)

  • Sasha W.

    Great quaint atmosphere, professional service, and fantastic food. Period. Highly recommend the Gnocchi Aux Epinards, Gratinee A Loignon, and especially the Steak Bordelaise!!! A favorite in Monterey.

    (5)

  • Marchus F.

    Amazing! Went here with my wife on our honeymoon and was on the top of our list of favorite things we did. Food was fabulous! The flavors were unlike anything we had ever experienced. Would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Monterey.

    (5)

  • Joe R.

    Saw the great Yelp reviews so decided to give this a shot...and I took a HUGE risk, as it was my 20th Wedding Anniversary! So needless to say, I was sweating it a bit. We arrived about 45mins early, and I was fully prepared to tally at the bar, or do a little window shopping around town, but the staff showed us right in and gave us pick of table (it was early enough to do that). It's a very small dining area, so the choice wasn't difficult. The friendly hostess sat us and introduced our waiter. I ordered the Gnocci appetizer and pork cheeks, my wife, the duck confit. I also ordered a half-bottle of French Pinot. The Gnocci and wine came out quickly. Melt in your mouth little balls of cheezy heaven! So good. Both my wife and I loved it. The main courses came out perfectly timed. The portions were much larger than I expected...a good thing! :-) The Pork was done perfectly and the sauce was very nice. However, for some reason I expected caramelized onions...but they weren't there. My beautiful wife and I often share food, so I tried her duck confit....it was incredible. The best duck I've ever had. It's a leg/thigh quarter brined overnight and then slow cooked....when ordered, they flash cook it in it's own fat to provide the crispy skin...it was delish! The atmosphere was romantic, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our 20th Anniversary dinner there....we will return!

    (5)

  • Brigette B.

    First time experience at Bistro Moulin last Wed - Aug 5th (my Birthday!) Made reservations for 7:15; arrived on time and immediately seated. = 1 star Overall ambience and décor of the restraunt was spot on to the authenticity of a French café = 1 star The service was VERY slow (even to initially acknowledge us) = 0 stars (with the exception of the hostess that seated us...she was very friendly :) Ordered the spinach gnocchi that other reviews raved about.......FAIL! = 0 stars! If you have every been to Vesuvio's in DT Carmel and had their Truffle gnocchi....you would agree! I ordered the Coq Au Vin which was DELICIOUS; great flavor in the sauce and the chicken was very tender (cut with a fork). My husbands' hanger steak with pomme frites was also perfection. Steak cooked to order (med rare) and the frites were served hot! = 1 star When I was in my 20's, I would have given Bistro Moulin 5 stars based on the food alone but as I am getting older, I do expect the level of service to be top notch to match the top notch prices. Overall, good experience but with all that the Peninsula offers in the way of GREAT restaurants.......I will not be patronizing BM again.

    (3)

  • Mariko M.

    First time trying French food and this restaurant was a great introduction. My lovely boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner on our weekend getaway to the coast. The setting is so intimate and romantic, and not at all pretentious. It's located right in the midst of Cannery Row, just a block up so parking is pretty accessible. I have been very skeptical about trying French food, mainly because I wouldn't know what to order and I had this notion that French food is so rich and heavy and creamy. Well I was pretty wrong, because it is DAMN good! They are the masters of culinary art for a reason. The service was very friendly and informative and never once did we feel neglected. I chose to go with the fish of the day (market price) which came with some sort of lobster risotto. I feel like an idiot because the server told me twice what the fish was called and I could not for the life of me remember what it was, mainly because I had never heard of it before. But it was local and fresh, and that's what mattered to me. It was DIVINE. Very light, seasoned well, perfectly cooked and the risotto complimented the dish beautifully. I really wish I could remember what it was called, but I didn't want to ask him a third time :( My boyfriend went for the chicken breast with some caramelized carrots. It was all very decadent and delicious. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely stop by again maybe when I'm a little more knowledgeable about what to order at a French restaurant.

    (5)

  • Christian P.

    We very much enjoyed this and there wine list is fantastic. My tip for you is get there early, sit back and enjoy your wine before the meal comes. We had there tapas special which tasted great and loved how they treated the beets, must try it myself someday. Our waiter Vanessa was pleasant helpful and very dexterous. Did not makes us feel rushed even though place was booming at 7pm.

    (4)

  • Kc S.

    Knew we were going to Monterey for about a month for a mini vacation. Yelped all the best restaurants and this was top of the list. I was so excited about the reviews and booked our reservation. When we arrived our table was not ready but the hostess was quite kind as we waited. Were not big wine drinkers, and we felt unimportant to our server who seemed to look down at us for this. The other tables had servers who were quite friendly and chatty...ours was not. Mediocre service from her at best. The food was such a let down as i was positive it would be the best meal of our time here. I ordered the Gnocci and he ordered the Oso. Mine was over salty it made it so hard to eat. And after desert and brushing my teeth I still taste salt! His was bland. Yes the meat was tender but our home made oso is better than this. Dessert, Creme Brulee. Worst Ive ever had. Couldnt even take more than 2 bites. The only reason I am even giving this 2 stars is because it has such potential and the setting is quite adorable. Even if our server had been more welcoming or friendly we could have had a better experience. But poor service AND overpriced poor food = poor review.

    (2)

  • Emily P.

    Very average. Mussels had sand in them and pasta was nothing special. Wine was the best part of the night

    (3)

  • Christopher C.

    My wife and I visited Bistro Moulin after a day of touring Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. We were looking for a quiet, casual restaurant with quality French food. Bistro Moulin provided the exact atmosphere that we desired. The dining room was cozy and quiet, using wine bottles as decoration. We agreed that the food was average: not the best French food we've had in California, but also not the worst. We certainly felt satisfied. Our biggest issue was with the service. The waitresses seemed disinterested in our table. Perhaps this was due to the time of our arrival. We were seated around 8:10 pm on a Monday and we were likely the last guests of the evening. However, we waited about 10 minutes to be greeted by our server, and she did not ask for a drink order until 10 minutes after her initial appearance. It took a lot of head-twisting to get noticed. I understand that there's a fine line between attentive and annoying, but the Bistro Moulin drifted too far towards apathetic this evening. Bottom line: The food was good enough to warrant a second-chance, but only when your craving for escargot and French onion soup becomes overwhelming.

    (3)

  • C B.

    Such an incredible dinner! The spinach gnocchi is to die for-the sauce is simply amazing! My husband loved his chicken and shrimp crepes and we both liked the butter lettuce with pears salad a lot. For dessert, the chocolate mousse was divine! The profiteroles were very good also. Order the rosé and you won't be disappointed! The staff were attentive and the food came out quickly. The ambiance has a cute Parisian cafe feel. We liked it so much we bought my Mother a gift certificate for her birthday and we will definitely return next time we are in town!

    (5)

  • Garey H.

    Finding a French café just outside your normal circles is a treat. Such is Bistro Moulan. Country Pat, breads and wine all to bring you back to France. Entrees close to excellent as the presentation. Service and ambiance quite good. Make reservations, including daily specials, for a better experience.

    (4)

  • Dave M.

    My grandmother is from Italy and her gnocchi are incredible, so I'm reluctant to try them at restaurants. Well, I'm sure glad I tried them here. They were absolutely amazing. The sauce was fantastic. The wine was great and the service perfect.

    (5)

  • Zhiyuan C.

    Both my wife and I loved what Bistro Moulin has to offer. The location is great! The restaurant is only about 1 minute walk from the Monterey aquarium, and is also just besides a big parking lot (15$ parking / day). If you are also visiting the aquarium, better just park the car besides Moulin, and walk there, so that you don't worry about moving your car after 1.5 hours at the spots with hour meters. The food is very tasty. We ordered the Escargots and the Spinach Gnocchi for appetizers, and the steamed mussels, and hanger steak for entree. The escargots were a little bit disappointing compared to the creamy Spinach Gnocchi. The entrees were both very tasty, especially the mussels, which were very tender and juicy that they melt in your mouth. To be frankly, the mussels tasted even better than the ones I've had in Paris. Both of the mussels and the steak came with a mountain of fries, which were surprisingly good, and were probably the best fries I've ever had. I strongly recommend the mussels for anyone. They have a nice wine collection, but since I'm not a pro, please just check out their wine menu yourself. The decor looked very homey. The only downside would be that the tables are very close to each other. Besides, the owner / chef, and the staff were also very friendly. Tip: if you'd like to have dinner there on weekends, better call them to make a reservation earlier, or let them know you are fine to be put on a waiting list (since there are always someone that cancel their reservations). The place was totally full the Saturday night when we were there, and there were several people waiting outside.

    (5)

  • Samantha M.

    One of the best restaurants in Monterey Bay, especially if you love French food. Always a delicious time, whatever I have ordered here. If I had to choose, I would recommend the duck confit and of course the escargot. The gnocchi are amazing too. I don't think you could possibly go wrong ordering a dish that sounds good to you, so don't be afraid to be adventurous. One night, my boyfriend and I had been working late, and arrived close to the time (+15mins) I know they wanted to shut the door. I asked them openly if they would mind serving us dinner, and to feel free to tell us no...but they still were happy to serve us. We had one of the best meals in Monterey yet, and we are so grateful!

    (5)

  • Natalie G.

    While cliche French decor, this place has an expansive wine list and is a nice find in Monterey. The food was tasty, well seasoned, and moderately priced. - Moules Frites: I always get this when I see it, so I consider myself a connoisseur of sorts, and Bistro Moulin does a good job. The mussels were well cooked,not rubbery, and fresh. They were a decent size, and the broth was seasoned well, and light. The only downfall were the fries, as it is a preference that I prefer a more shoe-string french fry then a fatter fry accompaniment. - Cannelloni Tartufi: This looked like enchiladas. It is a hearty and heavy dish, but tasty. The sauce and seasoning was good, but its a rich dish. Overall, this is a nice little find that is a nice and intimate gem in Monterey, and away from the tourist stops like Bubba Gump.

    (4)

  • Mary J.

    When I told my mom I was going to stay a few days In Carmel she had told me I needed to go to this restaurant, so what do I do? I YELP it! I was a little bit overwhelmed by the great reviews and it did NOT disappoint one little bit! Dont worry I'll get to the food but first I need to set the scene! I was with my bf his parents and aunt who I had told this was the only thing I wanted to do in Monterey so they humored me :D. Our waitress was Robin, she was veeerrry helpful with our menu pronunciations as well as being sweet and funny. She made recommendations that were spot on too! Ok THE FOOD!!! We were started out with spinach gnocchi which were fantastic. Colleen, the owner was so right we will be dreaming about them! I had the Salmon that was on special and it was perfect! A nice big piece with a crispy outside. Sauteed spinach and morel mushrooms! YUUUM My bf got the Steak Bordelaise which was a great piece of meat and the BEST Pommes Frites (fries) we had ever had and mind you, we are fry connoisseurs! (eh French eh? eh?) His mom had Crepes awesome! Dad had Lamb on special he wouldnt share :( haha. His aunt had the chicken which was so moist. Now Robin made fun of us for this because we were all "so full!!" yet what do we order? Not 1, not 2 but 3 desserts. Profiteroles, creme brulee and lemon tart. I really cant say " yum, perfect, amazing, fantastic, and drool worthy enough in describing these...so I wont I'll let you try it for yourself. PLEASE TRY THIS PLACE!!!!

    (5)

  • william p.

    The food here was good but nothing exceptional. Excellent bread, tasty soup and salad. Entre was average. It was reasonable priced. I did have a problem with a misleading wine description in their list. I quietly brought it to the attention of the owner's/chef's wife and she went ballistic. She all but told me that I don't know wines and that's the way the French describe their wines. I told her that I didn't want to argue and I had no intention of listing my wine credentials, but the wine list was misleading. I note with interest, that description was changed subsequent to our meal.

    (3)

  • Cynthia T.

    The service was unbeatable. Our server was polite, happy, and gave an outstanding wine recommendation to go with out meal. I ordered the mussels which were perfectly steamed in a light, sweet broth with pieces of onion and minced garlic. It was delicious. Generally, I prefer lighter flavors and the mussels certainly delivered. The winner of the evening was the spinach gnocchi. As an appetizer, you only get six or seven pieces. But those six or seven pieces of creamy, melt-in-your-mouth potato pasta served with a heavenly cheese sauce were the most delicious six or seven pieces of gnocchi I've ever had. Too bad every weekend can't be a long weekend in Monterey. I'd definitely eat here again. :)

    (5)

  • Lizete S.

    Wonderful meal coupled by great service! We had an excellent time at this quaint restaurant. We had the following: Escargot, Serrano Jam, Gnocchi and Sea Bass and it was all excellent. A nice selection of wine and beer made this a wonderful experience. We can't wait to come back very soon.

    (5)

  • Anna P.

    The food was tasty, but the service was slow. luckily, we had the time for a long dinner. Not much ambiance with the decor, but it's a cute place.

    (4)

  • Dustin H.

    It was an easy choice on deciding where to write my first review. My wife and I have eaten at Bistro Moulin twice, and each time I have left longing to return! The cuisine is traditional French, however, I believe this place is in another league in terms of select ingredients, outstanding food, and attention to detail. From the top-down, this restaurant is a must-try for any local or visitor. Since it is quaint in size, I recommend making reservations early, as this restaurant can fill up quick. The gnocchi is absolutely THE BEST I have ever had, and I have eaten at other French restaurants in the area such as Casanova, and this food is definitely superior in my opinion. My wife's personal favorite are the Mussels with fries. Let me tell you, the fries are addicting! Absolutely delicious with the side of aoili. The service we experienced was great as well. Friendly staff, nice ambience, and we received our entrees in a timely manner. Can't wait for next time!

    (5)

  • Katie O.

    My boyfriend and I went to Bistro Moulin on a Saturday night duing a weekend trip to Monterey based off a reccomendation from a friend and it was amazing! Each course came out on time, hot and tasted delicious! I got the spinach gnocchi which was SO good but super filling and my boyfriend got the hanger steak which was melt in your mouth good. We also got the french onion soup, escargot and profiteroles for dessert. Everything was so good it has my mouth watering thinking about it. (My Frenchie boyfriend says it was one of the closest dinners he has had at an American french restaurant to the real french food he would get at home when he was still living in France. Me...I'm happy to have anything with lots of cheese so I was pleased too). We will definately be back the next time we spend time in Monterey!!

    (5)

  • Elsie S.

    Ate here based on Yelp recommendations. I ate late after working on a Friday night in the area on a rainy day and was able to be seated without reservations. Ordered the Spinach Gnocchi appetizer as every Yelper raves about it. The sauce was rich and tasty, but the spinach gnocchi did not melt in my mouth and was not as soft as I was expecting. I was a bit disappointed that I had better gnocchi elsewhere. I did soak up the sauce with bread slices. I ordered the escargot which has plenty of garlic and salt. I do not use salt in my food, so this saltiness was a bit disappointing and overwhelming. It was late close to 9 - 9:30 PM and I did not want a heavy meal, so 2 appetizers were plenty for me. Maybe next time, if I come back , I 'll try an entree instead. However, service was great.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth E.

    Amazingly delcious food! Friendly service, great atmosphere. Couldn't ask for more!

    (5)

  • Linda N.

    Dined here for my birthday. The food was wonderful and the service was great. I want to return and work my way through the menu!

    (5)

  • Megan W.

    Not sure what all the hype is about this place?? Maybe, it's because it's surrounded by tourist trap restaurants and there's not much to compare it to? Anyway, I knew something was off when the mussels I ordered arrived. I could smell they were bad the minute the waiter left the kitchen on his way to our table. My husband's steak was ok (but nowhere near worth $28). The french fries were definitely frozen! I ended up w/the coq a vin which was good (but not restaurant quality). The gnocchi was good (but what isn't when covered in herb cream sauce). Certainly not good enough to warrant the calories!! Coincidentally, another person ordered the mussels and I had to endure the same rotten smell again. I order mussels all the time and am very aware of how they should taste and smell. Overall I would rate this place 5/10 on food, service, and atmosphere. Definitely not worth $100+ tab for dinner for 2.

    (2)

  • Bruno B.

    Quiet, quaint, rustic. Excellent food, service, and price. What's not to like?

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    Steer way clear of the Bubba Gump/El Torito/Chart House tourist traps and go straight here! We Yelped the area on arrival and found out about Bistro Moulin, and we're glad we did! Fantastic food and service. We started with French onion soup and the seafood soup special, and then had the duck confit (yum) and the sole special. To die for!

    (5)

  • Carol E.

    This unassuming little place is only blocks away from the tourist traps serving bad burgers...but is light years away in quality. We had a wonderful soup to start...canellini beans, tomatos and herbs. Simple but truly deep flavor. The halibut I had was a special, and deserves a permanent place on the menu. This was the most perfectly cooked piece of fish I can remember...crisp yet succulent, and delightful with the simple beurre blanc. My husband's pork tenderloin was also exceptional...with figs, a wonderful sauce, and exquisite potatoes gratinee. Service was cheerful and prompt; unlike our experiences in France where a server might be gone for an hour...This was the perfect blend of fabulous food and a bit speedier service than is typical in France. Would definitely go again...

    (5)

  • Yi N.

    This cute little French place near the touristy areas of Monterey has one of the best coq au vin I've ever had. Def try this place if you're in the area. It's not pretentious. It's good priced and off the tourists busy streets. It's too bad they don't price their wines street price, that would be my last ask!

    (4)

  • J B.

    Could not have asked for a more perfect meal on cold rainy night, and on our honeymoon! The restaurant is small, cozy, and romantic. We went late, so it was just a few table and the staff. When we arrived we discovered they had a prix fixe menu that night to celebrate a new wine that had come out. For $35 per person, we had the amazing pillow-like gnocchi, crab bisque, coq a vin, rabbit, and dessert! Everything was excellent, including the wine, which cost extra. The staff was great. We felt like we could've been in a French bistro. Will definitely go back next time we're in Monterey.

    (5)

  • g m.

    Wow. That's all I can say. I really thought this place wasn't going to be good since it's a block from the monterey bay aquarium and is flooded with horrible touristy restaurants serving food that is mediocre at best. When we walked in the place was dead so I was kind of scared. After eating there I became certain that I will never visit monterey again without making a stop here for a meal. Service was great. I had some of the best escargot of my life here and a gnocchi that was tied in first place with gnocchi that I've had at Fleur De Lys in San Francisco. Maybe they had Chef Keller hidden in the back of Bistro Moulin. If you are at the aquarium and don't want the garbage they serve at the restaurants on cannery row then definitely check this place out. It's only 1 or 2 short blocks up (3/4 of a city block) and is a hidden gem. It's not cheap but it's also not expensive. Great place!

    (5)

  • BB H.

    Can it get any better? I was very much looking forward to this place but was a bit cautious because I did not want to be let down. So many restaurants are raved about but often they fall short and don't deliver. BM delivers in spades. To start, it was my birthday and I was yearning for a quiet, intimate dinner with excellent food. Upon arrival, I knew that the stage had been perfectly set. The small eatery has the look of a corner Parisian bistro: small tables, nooks, and soft lighting. The service was prompt, attentive and very welcoming. In particular, Vanessa, was outstanding in her suggestions and effortless delivery. The runner was a also very good about refilling water and bringing out the dishes in a timely manner. For the appetizer course, we had the escargot and the gnocchi. Both were soft and tender and were draped in delectable sauces; the gnocchi was bathed in creme and the snails were swimming in a pool of garlic butter...heaven!! For the main course, the duck confit was expertly prepared. It was the right texture, temperature, and taste. Since the first time I tried this delicacy in Paris in 1997 I have been sorely let down by all renditions of this classic except for the other night at BM. The nostalgia wafted across me and for one moment I felt like I was back in France. My husband had the grouper special which was also very good. We had no room for dessert because we filled ourselves on the warm fresh bread that we used to soak up the sauces. At the end of the meal we met the owners who included the Executive Chef (charming) and his gracious wife. Next time in Monterey I will look forward to my return. Thanks Yelpers!

    (5)

  • carol m.

    I really love this place! It's casual and a little small -- but turned out to be very cozy and intimate. The star of the show, however, is the food. Really fabulous gnocchi. My purist friends tell me that since it's not made from potatoes it's not really gnocchi -- but I don't care...it's so yummy. My filet of sole was so flaky and good with a perfect meyer lemon sauce. And my husband's mussels were also just delicious. Be sure to ask for olive oil with your bread - both are very high quality. Loved it and will go back.

    (5)

  • Eegnam A.

    Went here for dinner on Saturday night. It was a nice walk from our hotel, the Monterey Plaza. Right up the street from the aquarium. The restaurant is a small and has that nice cozy feel. We were seated in a corner surrounded by wines...it was very intimate. We had the escargot and gnocci for appetizers. Both were good. I prefer my escargot more buttery though...but it was still good. For dinner we had the mussels and osso buco. The mussels are cooked in a white wine and onion sauce...and they give you a lot of mussels! It was quite tasty! The "petite" osso bucco was anything but petite! Comes with 2 large pieces of meat and a thing of polenta. The polenta was okay...nothing special. The osso bucco was fantastic! The sauce was really good and they even give you a little spoon to scoop out the marrow! Ask for some of those little crispy bread to eat with the marrow. This is a wine boutique so they have a great variety of wines. Our server suggested a nice Bourgogne to complement our meal. Overall a wonderful experience!

    (5)

  • L Y.

    Great food, great atmosphere! We came here once on a trip to Monterey and loved it so much we drove down again just to come here for dinner. The atmosphere is small and cozy and everyone is really friendly. It's great for a date and is really close to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The gnocchi is amazing! Also, the night we came their special was rack of lamb ... easily the best rack of lamb I've ever had. I've been to Michelin rated restaurants and this one is leaves most of them in the dust. You won't find a better meal for the price!

    (5)

  • Beau P.

    Lovely wine bar on the Cali coast. Try the cheese plate. Wonderful

    (4)

  • Stephen V.

    Very genuine good French Bistro food. I will return each time I visit the area and would dine here regularly if I lived nearby. The chef's selection appetizer felt like I could have been sitting á Paris (Toulouse sausage, pickled artichoke heats, oven roasted tomatoes and gigante beans) -- each item was very authentic and good (though none will knock your sox off). The coq au vin was exactly what you'd expect from a Parisian bistro; wine soaked, tender and pleasant. The moules frites was tasty, with shallots and leeks galore (though the moules on Monday night may not have been a good choice). The steak bordelaise was definitely the star of the night, amazingly tender and covered in a super Cabernet sauce; highly recommended. (Really have a hard time finding steak cooked well this was outside a genuine Parisian bistro.). The pomme frites were the only lesser authentic thing in the place; they were a little thicker cut than I'd expect to see in Paris. That being said, they were very good (and completely devoured). Lastly, everyone enjoyed the profiteroles. The atmosphere and decor is very casual, and typical of a relaxed neighborhood French bistro. The restaurant is located in a French wine and gourmet food shop. This is not super fancy French dining; it is a casual, enjoy good food with good folks type of place. The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is that I reserve 5 for the finest places and the decor and service here were fun and food, but short of a perfect 5. So in short, this is one of my favorite places in the area and I truly wish it were located down the street from my house. We love this place and would be here all the time.

    (4)

  • B R.

    Been here twice and everything that has come out of the kitchen and to my table on both occasions has been wonderful...go you wont be dissapointed

    (5)

  • Molly S.

    Whoa!!! I LOVE this little, secret spot! The food and the flavors and the ambiance...everything here is everything a foodie dreams of. This is a french restaurant, with what seems like a farm to table approach. There food is fresh and full of flavor, cooked to perfection. I had the special, which was sea bass that typically comes with rice but I substituted cooked spinach...and even the spinach was amazing, and lets be honest, that's big when you can say that the spinach was your favorite part. It was sauteed in butter and garlic and the flavors mixed with the fish made for a flavorful, yet guilt free foodie kind of meal. Even their tirumisu is wonderful. I live in SD or else I would come to this place often. I believe they take reservations, so make them if you can. It's just a block or so off the beaten path, but it's a tiny little place, so when they do fill up, I'm sure it happens fast.

    (5)

  • Pete R.

    I was first introduced to this restaurant about 6 months ago and I have been here 6 times since then. My wife sand I love it! It's a smaller restaurant with a nice atmosphere and good location. Definitely not for kids, we always leave ours with a sitter. I LOVE the gnocchi appetizer, best app that I have ever eaten! They are so light and the sauce is amazing. They have a small menu but they have mastered it. The duck confit is amazing, my favorite entree here. Good selection of wine as well. I don't know much about French wine so I always ask the hostess, who is also the owner, to recommend something and I have not been disappointed. Make a reservation and enjoy some of the best food on the peninsula....

    (5)

  • Andrea W.

    It was amazing! We went there the day we arrived in Monterey for our mini moon. The spinach gnocchi was to die for! The soup du jour was an amazing seafood bisque that was balanced perfectly with acid and spice. Service was friendly and atmosphere was quiet and still romantic. Really suggest making reservations as we went early which was the only way we got in on a Monday night. Much better than any other restaurant we tried in Monterey. Worth the walk up from Cannery Row.

    (5)

  • jacko l.

    #1 French bistro in CA. I recommended this to a dozen people and all have agreed. Charming, small, french decor, owner is chef from Normandy and his wife works the front. Very personable service and friendly. We came late to our reservation, they gave our table away, but then shuffled some diners and made a table available for us. Been here 4-5 times and its consistently perfect. One of the best onion soups, the best gnocchi I've ever had, escargot is good-to-excellent (not too crazy about the macdamia nuts in it), butter and bread was awesome, Coq a Vin was cooked perfectly with many layers of flavor and very tender, mussels with fries perfect, roasted chicken was average. Creme brulee is among the best, lemon meringue had perfect crust and tang.

    (5)

  • Marchello C.

    Finally a restaurant and meal worthy of five stars! My guest and I started off with a bottle of Georges Latour Matagny 2007, and Pate de Foie. Next we enjoyed Spring pea soup, roasted beet/goat cheese/mache/candied walnuts salad. We both selected the Crepes Normandes (chicken crepes). To finish we had the Graham's port and Mousse au Chocolate. Each was prepared to perfection. Service was attentive but not intrusive. What a difference it makes when the chef prepares your meal, not an upgraded steward. Thank you all for a wonderful and memorable meal. We will return.

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : No
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Romantic
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Bistro Moulin

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