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My wife and I along with another couple had dinner at Chanterelle last night. Several of us had their wonderful seafood sausage. I ordered chicken pot pie -- quite nice, but at $40 I expected something more impressive. My wife had stuffed zucchini blossoms, which were terrific, and an order of fish which was pleasant. We were too full for dessert, but our companions ordered and enjoyed. The waiter did bring a tray of small cookies and candies. Service was very professional and informative, and the space is very appealing and conducive to conversation, unlike so many other NYC restaurants.

I had a late dinner there on Valentine's Day. And I don't understand the mixed reviews. So many people complaining about the price! It's menupages.com, the menu and price is right here! Its a $98 price fixe dinner. You know that going in. Anyway, I digress. I loved the food, the service, the decor, the spaciousness of the restaurant and the low noise level. The portions look small, but I was stuffed. And well before the desert and petite fours arrived. Unlike another reviewer, I only had half a roll. I was so full that I skipped the optional cheese course, which is too bad as I love gourmet cheeses and two tables in my view ordered it and it looked great. I thought the service was great, attentive without being overbearing, and they let us eat at our own pace. We sat down at 11pm and left at 2am. By the way, at 11pm, the place was packed. My date who is a vegetarian had no trouble finding something to eat, the waiter told us that the chef would modify some of the items on the menu for her. My only gripes and why I deducted a point on the value (I gave everything else a 5) was the wines. When we sat down in the waiting area we were asked if we would like a glass of champagne while we waited. As it was Valentine's day and we were being forced to wait a few minutes for our table, I assumed it was complimentary, true she didn't say that and I am ok with being charged, but $25 a glass for a so so champagne? Also the wine list seems very expensive. I think they are using a very high markup. As far as I can tell the wine list is not available on line. Not here and not at corksavvy.com. So the wine pricing caught me by surprise. My alcohol bill was more than my food bill. They do have a $50 corkage policy, which is a bit high, but given their wine list, WHEN I go back, that is what I am going to do.

Took my family for a special outing. Not a big spender, I had been saving this place but decided it was time to go. Where else can you ward off the doldrums and feel so special. Was worth every penny. Welcoming staff ushered us into the warmth of an apricot glowing room where Karen Waltuck’s flowers once again made us awestruck. Impeccable service provided help on choosing wine – wide range of prices. Cheapsters that we are, we went for the lower end and still had a wine that was out of this world, a white Crozes Hermitage. Each appetizer was accompanied by moans of enjoyment – highlights included the oysters with vegetables, pigs feet and lemon zest – who would have thought, and the hot and sour duck consommé. Main courses were outrageous, but roast squab with porcini flan and venison with creamed sauerkraut and paprika courses (a take on a choucroute as only Chanterelle can do) were the unanimous favorites. Desserts (Gingersnap goat cheese torte, crispy coconut cardamom rice pudding) took us over the top. One member thought portions were on the small side – this criticism didn’t seem so pertinent as he groaned his way home. My one mistake – waiting all these years.

Some years ago, Chanterelle along with Lespinasse and the old Bouley, was an absolutely reliably marvelous restaurant. Not now. The food is simply no longer outstanding. I go back, in spite of my better judgment, about once a year to see if anything has changed. The last meal was just OK. Of all the food, starting with the amuses bouche and the bread and better, and ending with the petits fours, the only memorable dish was the seafood sausage. In addition, to paraphrase an old joke, although the food was not great there was not enough of it. I resent having to fill up on bread and butter and petit fours, regardless of price level of a restaurant, but certainly in one that charges $98 for a prix fixe dinner. I cannot imagine what has happened. Usually a restaurant goes down with a change of chef or a change of location or the chef's opening one or more new restaurants and spreading himself too thin, but that apparently is not the case here.

To get a reservation here is difficult to say the least. The place is not PerSe on any level except getting a reservation. They say men must wear jackets but when I went I was one of the few men wearing one. I do not mind dressing but do not say I must if I do not need to. The hostess was unfriendly almost rude. The waitstaff was adequate. The food was good but not exceptional. The prices far exceed the food,the place and the service. I will not go back. I cannot recomend it to anyone else. There are so many fine French restaurants in this city where the food is better, the service is better and the value is much better.

Went recently for a birthday dinner. I thought the restaurant was elegant and nicely understated, and the service was wonderful. I do think it was a bit pricey which I know is par for the course at a classic hot spot like Chanterelle but I was underwhelmed enough by the food to make me agree with most of the other reviewers here that it's not a place to which I'd return. It's a real creative menu with some good seasonal choices, but the softshell crab was just par for the course and I found the choices of appetizers to be a little limiting. I would not recommend the lobster consomme. Overall, it's a nice experience, but not the best value and for what it was, my expectations were higher.

The restaurant is excellent, but it shouldn't be as difficult to get a reservation as it was. I tried twice and was told that they only had 5:30. I arrived at 5:30 to find the restaurant empty and when I left at 7:30 there were still 6 empty tables. I always assumed that restaurants are in the business of selling meals and booking tables. Why the hesitation by the reservationist on the telephone? Do they want us to think that they are sooooo busy and have us think they are in great demand. Can't figure it out, but it is annoying!!! I doubt I would go back because of this. Too bad the restaurant wasn't full. I would have felt better.