Cafe Des Artistes
41655 Fenwick St, Leonardtown, MD, 20650
Cafe Des Artistes Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Leonardtown for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Leonardtown for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Leonardtown for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
41655 Fenwick St
Leonardtown, MD, 20650 - Phone (301) 997-0500
- Website https://www.cafedesartistes.ws/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Betty S.
I was born in Southern France and the Cafe des Artistes made me feel I was back in Provence. It is an authentic cafe and as we know all memorable cafes have their quirkiness. So the screen in front of the ac (another review) is actually a thoughtful and resourceful touch. Food was wonderful, efficient and friendly service. A nice experience.
(5)J B.
The food is very different from anything else you can find in the area, but the preparation was so-so. I'll have to give it another shot before I completely make up my mind. The restaurant is kinda dingy. I sat next to an air conditioning intake that they tried to cover with a folding screen.
(2)swolfy w.
amazing- not a quick meal, but a lusciously prepared and altogether pleasing one. everything was A+...
(5)A C.
We had a family dinner thinking this would be one of the better choices in Leonardtown. The service was pretty bad -- the waiter forgot to bring us wine and then made some lame excuse about it (it was "leaking", but we were only informed about it at the end of dinner), our sons' steaks were switched (one likes medium rare, one likes medium well), their dessert went flying across table. Now food. Foie gras was way overcooked, and the same story with lobster. Scallops were overseasoned. The place is way overpriced for the quality of food it serves and the level of service.
(2)Maranda M.
The food is AMAZING!!!!! The staff is very friendly as well. :) I just wish there was a ta more lighting and the seating wasn't so close together. But the food is FANTASTIC!!! We will go again. :)
(4)Tullie H.
As a girlfriend of my went on about this place, about how good the food was and what a great environment it was, I really should have not gotten my hopes up. It is of course Southern Maryland - and when it comes to Fine dining with a specific genre of food, well I've not seen too many places that make me choose them over a chain food store. The atmosphere is dark and old, with some cute ecclectic pieces in the room, it felt like I was stuck in an old hotel diner in eastern Europe. The menu had additions such as duck or french onion soup - but lacked the room for a very french Salad Nicoise or escargot. I guess the "French" in Onion soup makes it Authentic. I found it very salty. I had the Eggplant Parm with a side Salad - This is not French. I wasn't impressed with it much at all. It was quite greasy and lacked the herbs and spices I was looking to have delivered. The pricing was very high and the service was slow. Now I'm not saying it was a horrible experience in the slightest, but Since I have been to France and eaten wildly good food, it's not worth the price for something that really isn't "French" not get a good meal. Sorry Cafe Des Artistes, but you lack a certain Je Nais C'est Quoi!
(1)Sherry H.
I have been here half a dozen times for dinner and it always falls short somehow. The food is over-salted. The prices are inflated. (But if it was good we would be happy to pay them). A company Christmas party was a very good event and the food was good, which gave us false hopes. So we went back for dinner a week or two later and were disappointed again. I had a fish that was on the menu as Escolar, but it seemed nothing like the soft buttery white fish I'd had at another restaurant. What was served to me was more along the lines of a tuna, with a very firm texture (and dry because it was over cooked. Won't return.
(2)David F.
Went here on a recommendation with hopes that it would be good. It isn't. The waitress hardly talked to us, was slow to bring us our food, and never asked us if we liked our food. If the service was bad, the food was terrible. The mixed vegetables were swimming in a yellow pool of butter. The dinner rolls were cool and chewy. The tuna fillet tasted like nothing.... literally nothing. I now know what it's like to chew air. My wife's eggplant parm was bad, too. The egg noodles were boiled to limp oblivion and the marinara sauce tasted like ketchup/spaghetti-o's. In southern Maryland, your fine dining choices are somewhere between disaster and catastrophe. Even with minimal competition (and perhaps because of it), this place managed to disappoint. They just don't know what a quality meal tastes like. Once again, my hopes have been dashed in this region of the country.
(1)Rick P.
Recently returned and tried their 3-course prix fixe menu $25 on a Sunday for brunch. Excellent value. Excellent food. Excellent service.
(5)Zach H.
Was passing through with a friend and found this place by suggestion from one of the locals... and a great suggestion indeed. The vibe of the restaurant was like a hybrid of an upscale French place and and small town cafe. One of the more unique drinks on the menu was the Hot Wine, which tasted great but all the alcohol was cooked off. Drinking non-alcoholic wine is like drinking non-alcoholic beer -- just pointless. For our entrees, we ordered the Seared Duck Breast and Beef Wellington. The duck had great flavor, but cooked more well-done than I prefer it. It was served with an amazing cheddar-garlic mash and sauteed veggies. The Beef Wellington was a perfect medium encased in a deliciously flaky puff pastry. It was served with potatoes gratin and sauteed veggies, both were nicely prepared. Overall, the food was great but the service was a bit lacking. It seemed difficult to grab any server's attention especially considering the restaurant was less than half filled. Aside from that small criticism, it was a great experience.
(4)Virginia R.
The environment is beautiful. Cozy and warm, just the right place to go on a cold, rainy day. The menu is a little confused. It is not properly "fusion" yet has Greek, Italian and Russian entrées that don't mesh with the environment or the rest of the menu. The French foods on the menu, like salmon encroat, are really excellent. The salmon was cooked to perfection inside homemade fill dough. It's classical and unimaginative but I like straight forward French cuisine. In contrast, a Russian dish, Beef Stroganoff, was insipid and lacking any flavor or texture that I couldn't get in my own kitchen. The menu is a little large and could use some pruning to stay true to the French character of this establishment. The basics of French cuisine are fantastic. The smell of fresh baked bread and artesian cheese hits you when you first come in. Do not leave without having a bowl of French Onion Soup. This is easily the best in town. I would heartily recommend the soup, cheese plate (I know its not French but go ahead and eat your cheese with fresh baked bread) and a café. If you are really hungry, there are delightful salads. If you are going with an entrée, try to stick with one of the French dishes, the Beef Wellington or Grilled Steak.
(3)Jim S.
Very disappointing. The Oysters Cafe had very small oysters about the size of a nickel, and canned collards not spinach. The crab meat on the oysters was old and tasted it. The French onion soup tasted like dish water. The Rack of Lamb had some coating on it that made it taste like a bad Thanksgiving stuffing with way to much sage on it. Will not see me again.
(2)Candace J.
My sister and I ate here last Sunday. Fine dining choices in Southern Maryland are very limited, so this place seemed a good choice. The atmosphere was quaint and the lighting was flattering. The 2 man soft jazz band by the bar was a nice touch. I started with the DELICIOUS French Onion Soup, then had the Wellington for my main course, It was divine. Even though I had asked for it medium rare and it was a tad over cooked, it literally melted in my mouth. The pastry was to die for! I had heard bad things about the service here, but it was good, friendly and fast. I will return!
(4)Matt P.
Short version: decent food, rude service. We arrived for our Friday night reservation, ordered some wine, an appetizer and so far, so good. My wife and I both ordered Beef Wellington for our entrees. I noticed a couple at a nearby table seemed to be just ahead of us in the queue. They got their appetizer just prior to ours, etc. Well, their entrees arrived, they had coffee, and we watched as dinner after dinner was paraded by us into the other dining room. It ended up being 45 minutes by the time we asked our waitress (the manager) what was going on. Her paraphrased answer was that they had a party of 32 in the other room, and she asked us if we wanted to continue to wait. As we were in this conversation, our food arrived, with no apology or acknowledgement of an undue delay. Mine was good, my wife's was a little on the well done side. The sauce was excellent. The whole time during the delay, and after we brought it to their attention, the manager offered no apology or consideration for the 45 minute delay. Too bad, since this place's food is pretty good.
(2)Huong P.
Stopped for lunch on Friday with my partner. The restaurant decor was very nice, full of French older bistro accents and a big collection of old cameras... The waitress pointed me to a very nice sparkling Moscato wine when I asked for something sweet but refreshing to enjoy with my meal. We ordered the Oyster Rockefeller and foie gras appetizers to share. Omg, the Foie Gras was to die for! Rich beyond compare with an apple, bacon , cognac, and heavy cream sauce on crispy buttered baguette toasts. I was glad to have my husband there to share it and he didn't even like liver in general! The oysters were nicely selected, large & plumb, full of a wonderful spinach and cheese topping. Both were wonderfully rich in their own way but complementing each other perfectly. Very nice start to our meal. To follow up, we get a lighter house salad, adding a medium beef steak and a French onion soup. Both were OK but not knock your sock off. I would expect a sweeter, more rounded Caramelized taste depth to the onion soup. The steak was a little under done to have much flavor bit it but it was cut up nicely for the salad. For desert, we ordered house made cheese cake and a limoncello sorbet. The cheesecake was served warms itch cold whipped cream, nice touch but was not fantastic. However, the limoncello sorbet was served in a fluted glass, beautifully yellow and white swirled filled with tangy, citrusy, and creamy goodness with a crispy triangle cookie on top. It made the people at the next table remarked that they should just start out with desert and go from there! I LOVED this dessert! Ate most of it down the flute then finally, reluctantly share a scoop of it with my husband to complement his blander cheesecake. It made him smile... We will be back!
(4)Jennifer C.
With limited choices for independent restaurants in St. Mary's County, this is a spot we frequent regularly. The atmosphere is enjoyable with live music quite often. The house salad is always a winner. My biggest wish is that the menu would be more innovative...very few changes in the past 15 years. The heavy, garlicky sauces tend to overpower the tasty food. The crab cake is always a winner along with the crème brulee and apple tart. Build upon a strong reputation and loyal following!
(3)Valerie G.
We have had dinner here several times and it never disappoints. The chef consistently serves up fresh, quality, classic dishes with just the right amount of butter and heaviness that you expect from a good French restaurant. The ambiance is exactly what you want it to be; dark lighting, kitschy decorations, and friendly staff and the location couldn't be any better - right in Leonardtown square in a perfectly East Coast brick, historic building. This visit, we intended to grab a couple cocktails at the bar to make up for our bust of a festival day. The bar here is really cute and comfortable with plenty of room for multiple guests to enjoy drinks and dishes. Once the bartender informed us that they had Hendricks gin, we quickly ordered a couple gin and tonics. Any bar that serves Hendricks gets an extra point in my book; gin and tonics made with it just cannot be beat on a warm Spring/Summer day. After enjoying our drinks for a few minutes, we decided to grab an appetizer because...well why not? The only complaint from this visit was that the bartender disappeared for a pretty long time in between handing us our menus and coming back to take our order. We were there at an odd time of day so he was probably doing some daily tasks that took him away from the bar, but in my mind, if you have paying customers in the restaurant, pay them attention while they're there. A woman walking around who I would guess is the owner noticed our wait and had a waitress grab the bartender and he took our order right away after that. I appreciated this; there's nothing like an owner or manager that stays on top of things and takes care of customers before they get irritated and angry. This restaurant always has unique specials on its menu and today we ordered a special of venison and hazelnut terrine. The texture of the terrine was perfect; not rubbery, not too thick, just perfect for slicing and eating on the warm baguette they provided. Overall, it was another perfectly pleasant and delicious visit to Cafe Des Artistes. If you've never been, add it to your schedule soon! It's a perfect place for a date night or just a quick drink at the bar. If you're coming for dinner, make sure to make reservations; they book up quickly. (review originally posted on bytheforkful.blogspot.com )
(4)Sunny S.
Food is very good. Seared Tuna perfectly rare, husband liked his crab cake, but servers need training. Waiter left us standing in the doorway "while I look for your reservation" (yes, we had one, we were 5 min. early, only two tables were occupied), waited several minutes (about 15) between water and first service. Bartender never smiled once & was on the phone a good bit of time. We will return for the food. The service? Not so much.
(4)Stacy M.
Offers different specials every week and are always on top of their game when it comes to food. They even know how to prepare camel well.
(5)Paul K.
I have been here twice. Got the Eggplant Parmigiana for dinner and Eggs Benedict for Brunch. Both were amazing dishes and exquisite. I've never had eggplant like how it came on the bed of spaghetti. In fact, I don't even like eggplant. However, it was so good it almost tasted like meat. I don't know what the chef did (btw, he is a very nice and generous man. He always encourages my wife for her new boutique store on the square and also donated some appetizers at a recent fashion show). I also had split pea soup with the dinner for the first time. And that was unique and delicious as well. Classy food and not too pricey.
(5)Linda C.
The Café Des Artistes is classy, quaint, little gem of a restaurant. It rivals many much more expensive restaurants that we have gone to in the DC area. We always have a pleasurable dining experience there as the service is consistently good and the food is excellent. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing, never noisy, with soft French music playing and sometimes a local entertainer or pianist. Especially recommend the Prix-Fixe menu offered before 6pm. It's a terrific value for a three course meal offering soup/salad, an entree and dessert. We also recommend getting reservations if you are going there for dinner as the place is frequently fully booked, particularly on weekend evenings.
(5)dan d.
It was only after I walked out that I noticed the sign outside advertising happy hour Budweiser specials, but the water stains on the ceiling tiles should have been an indication that this place wasn't going to live up it's billing as "Fine French Dining". Over priced, poor food and poor service. I will not be going back to rate the happy hour.
(1)Brett S.
Better experience here than The Front Porch. Food was better here, much better value for the price. Look on restaurants.com to buy a discount on your meal--if I recall, it was around $15 for a $30 gift card.
(4)Mark G.
In a word - AMAZING! We stopped for dinner, on a wine tasting outing. In the "main street" area of Leonardtown. A nice, but not great cafe is what you would expect...and you would be wrong; see above - AMAZING! Now, the inside is not all fancy...nice, casual/cafe feel and apparently Chef Jaffres is a camera collector with various camera and projectors on display. It has a very "home" type feel. Most anything on the menu, you will not be disappointed. Lobster Thermidor with Bechamel in a puff pastry - WOW!! LARGE pieces of lobster, and the sauce and puff pastry complement the lobster without taking it over. Steak perfectly cooked, with a green peppercorn sauce and is just outstanding. The Cafe Chicken and crab..equally amazing and NOT boring, with a generous amount of crab and then a provolone and beurre blanc sauce that again - complements the dish without taking it over. The night we vised, they had chocolate mousse that was the best I'd ever tried; and the Chocolate Fondant was equally spectacular. Chef Jaffres is very personable, as is the entire staff....a true hidden gem, that should not be missed.
(5)Denise A.
After an awful dinner at Kevin's Korner Cafe, we had dessert and coffee here. What a great place. We had a lovely server, Pat, who welcomed us and said we could sit anywhere. We sat outside on a beautiful night, had delicious desserts, and espresso. Ambiance, service, and dessert couldn't have been better. The other server was very nice and helpful too. Will definitely return the next time we're in town. Thanks for saving our evening!
(5)Tim G.
Very good French cuisine, especially for Southern Maryland. I really like the Parisian sidewalk cafe environment when the weather is nice. Service could be better.
(3)Timothy E.
Great food, mediocre drinks. Turtle soup was surprisingly flavorful and textured. The prime rib was cooked perfectly medium, juicy, and seasoned well. The salmon encroute might have been slightly overcooked, but still yummy, especially with the vegetalbles. The mimosas (we tried 2 different orange juices & grapefruit juice) were unimpressive and petite. The champagne tasted like cheap brut as opposed to prosecco.
(5)James T.
Pros: Nice staff, cool interior, interesting unique art and a great collection of old cameras. The menu is diverse and interesting. Recommendations: The bloody mary was just right. The French onion soup pleased me too. Service: 7 (very nice... but a little slow) Food: 7 (nice presentation) Atmosphere: 8 (outdoor street side seating is nice) Value: 8
(4)Jess K.
Stopped by here for lunch and was pretty impressed at their daily specials. I had a fried tilapia croissant sandwich that was pretty good, and a very delicious mushroom and corn chowder. The special was $10 including tax and tip, a very good deal considering the amount and quality of food. They also had a fantastic beer selection, would definitely stop by here again. Love the cameras displayed!
(4)Mike M.
Although only 3-star I'd say they deserve another shot. My wife and I both love swai and who else should do it well....the french (or french restaurant)! So we both ordered the swai....forgot appetizer was foie gras, incredible and hard to find cuz of all the libs out there!!!! My wife's swai rocked and I was eating my swai and it was terrible....my wife thought I was crazy when I said it was terrible. Then I tried hers and it rocked....so I can appreciate them making it fresh...but they were dramatically different. Perhaps the chef knocked the salt over on mine or something. Didn't have time to complain cuz the sitter called...but I'll try them again. I hope to update this with 4 or 5-star in the near future.
(3)Mike K.
The atmosphere was pleasant, service was nice, and the food was good. The girlfriend felt "transported" from St. Marys county by the place. The cheese plate was delicious and the bread was awesome. We both had the eggplant and we were both impressed. The only reason they didn't get 5 stars was the value of the experience. You get what you pay for though.
(4)Bodie B.
I am very surprised by the other reviews. I am new in town, and I went to this restaurant after it was recommended by a neighbor. The atmosphere was awful to say the least. It looked dusty and dirty. The food was terrible. I mean how to do you screw up a quiche?? (crab cake was awful too). Overpriced with awful food and mediocre waitstaff. I love good French food, but Cafe Des Artistes did not fulfill its billing as "fine dining."
(1)Alice S.
Ambiance wasn't that great but the escargot was just to die for :)
(3)Lisa O.
Great night at Cafe Des Artistes! We were with our new puppy, visiting our son at college. We thought, "Why not?" and asked if they would permit the dog to join us at one of their lovely outdoor tables...like a real French bistro! They couldn't have been more gracious, offering a bowl for our pup and filling it with water each time they topped off our own glasses. Actually, that was pretty adorable to watch. Food was outstanding, as usual, starting with three great appetizers. The corn & crab soup was in an unusually complex broth/chowder, subtle and somehow perfect for a warm October evening. Mussels were garlicky and delicious; nothing subtle about them! And the foie gras was silky and superb, served with sautéed apples over a toasted brioche. We each ordered steak. The beef Wellington was the winner but all were delicious. Even the coffee is terrific at this haven in a sea of chain eateries. Cafe Des Artistes gets it all right: food, ambiance and service. Can't wait to return.
(5)Jess R.
Delicious, charming, and remarkably affordable for a fancy french place. We shared a bottle of wine, two entrees, and dessert - and the total came to $90 with tax and tip. Dinner was lamb chops and a veal dish, both of which were perfectly seasoned and delicious. Mashed potatoes that were more like au gratin potatoes were particularly exceptional. We were there on a Saturday evening, so we finished the last of our wine while enjoying a band and dancing. So charming!
(4)D R.
The place has a few things worth trying, but you really have to have an open mind.
(3)Ray M.
The owner needs to learn some social skills. We parked in front of his restaurant on the day of the Leonardtown Crit Bike Race 2011 with the intent of going there when it opened after my race. I crashed during the race and while I was packing my bloodied body and bike back into my car one of the owners comes out and tells us we have to move our car. He never even noticed all the blood on my legs and arms but he was intent on protecting the parking in front of his restaurant a full 11/2 hours before he opened. Needless to say we did not stay to sample his cuisine. It is bad when you chase your customers away before they ever make it inside.
(2)Birdie S.
With the French chef, I thought I was safe ordering mussels. Not so. The frites were wonderful. My husband was very happy with the veal dish. I have been happy with the eggplant nepolian. Gone there many times. Can be hit or miss. They celebrated their ten year anniversary but I thought that they had been opened since the 70s given the decor. In the process of updating it but still needs work.
(2)