Cafe Un Deux Trois

Un Deux Trois has been a great eating place and theater district hangout for years - the food got even better a couple of years ago when they changed chefs. They serve great generic bistro food at prices that are alarmingly reasonable. It's bright but not too bright and cheerful like the staff. Kids like it and so do actors (very much the same breed). Tell Jose at the door that Buck sent you.

I've eaten here twice now, despite a bizarre first visit. Both times, the food was passable--not exceptional, but not bad either. Desserts are definitely not their strong suit: don't get excited about them. The chocoloate souffle is NOT a souffle, rather a molten chocolate cake--and an unimpressive one at that. The first visit was really strange and I'm not sure where to begin. We ordered a bottle of Alexander Valley Shiraz only to have the waiter bring out some Chilean Shiraz. When I pointed out that it wasn't the bottle we ordered, he seemed puzzled and said, "it's a Shiraz" and I insisted that he find the one we ordered. Finally, he returned with the correct bottle. Next, two of party ordered the carrot ginger soup...when it arrived and they tasted it, they asked the waitress (apparently a shift change occurred during our meal) and she said, "Oh no, we're out of carrot ginger". Well, what was this, lentil soup? "Yes, but it's soup. You wanted soup." We didn't want lentil soup. "Well, what do you want then?" Unreal. At least our meals were all correct and flavorful. Overall, there are far worse places to eat and less for your money. However, I will only eat here as a last resort since the service is inconsistent and the food is not really worth the hassle.

Maybe we hit Cafe Un Deux Trois on a bad night. I have eaten there before and previously liked it. A couple of years ago they seated us next to Danny Glover, and the food was good. Last week we went after a show. Though it was late, the service was slow. We had to eat the rolls on the paper tablecloth that protected the linen ones because the waiter never brought us the appropriate plates. The main courses (Steak au poivre and duck) arrived before the appetizer (escargot), and the waiter apologized and took them back to the kitchen. The escargot was tolerably good. When the entrees arrived for the second time, they had obviously been placed in a warmer for a long time. My steak was good but not great. Some of the pommes frites were dried out; others seemed soggy at the same time. McDonalds serves better fries. My companion had the duck, which was overpriced and low in taste and was almost cold. The drinks we had were disappointing. We had barely cut into our entrees when the waiter informed us the chef was leaving soon, so if we wanted dessert, we would have to order it immediately. We did not. We finished our meal (or at least the half we ate) and went elsewhere for dessert and more drinks. Perhaps we ate there too late on a bad day and on a day our waiter was having a bad day as well. I am not sure if I would take a chance and try again this restaurant that I used to like quite a bit.

New York has changed a lot and so have restaurants especially in midtown, but not Cafe un deux trois. We went in a Sunday night and had a splendit time. A youngish looking manager but yet very hospitable and presentable made sure we got a good table and didn't forget to see if everything was going well throughout our stay. Warm and just in time service, quiet but with wonderfull french classics in the background. I ordered the Foie de voie and it was delicious just like always.

We came upon Cafe Un Deux Trois while looking for some place to eat before going to the theatre. The location is handy to Broadway. The restaurant's atmosphere is pleasant. We opted to order off the regular menu rather than choose from the prix fixe as none of the prix fixe offerings interested us. My wife and son had the steak and pommes frites, and they reported their food to be fine but nothing special. I had the lamb shank, and was disappointed. The lamb shank was tasty; however, it was very small in size, and if it weren't for my wife's left over fries, I would have left hungry. We thought the food was merely OK and not a good value. Service was efficient but sterile.

The food was great. The waiter was attentive and patient. There was certain food my mother can not eat. The waiter recommend certain dishes and explain what was in the dishes. It was quiet. There was not any loud music and people talking loudly. You are able to talk and hear what everyone at the table is saying. Also a perfect place to take your date

I have eaten at this restaurant many times over the last five or six years, and still love it. The prix fixe menu is great before a show, it's easy to get in there, and if you go there after eight, you're sure to get a table- the place clears out for theater. The wine list is excellent for a mid-town restaurant and while there are some drawbacks this is still one of my favorite restaurants. Where else can you order Boeuf Bourginon and color on the table cloth while you're waiting? Is it authentic? Not completely. But if you're eating in mid-town you're probably just looking for a fast, decent meal before going on to do something else.