PicNic Market & Cafe

Didn't realize that it was Mother's Day when we went here on recommendation of friends. Expensive prix fixe, three courses, no options. They would not swap one starch for another--ridiculous, since all the entrees cost the same. The foie gras terrine was good. But the service was dreadful--dishes placed in front of the wrong person every course--and my entrée, chicken, was hopelessly dry. Love mashed potatoes but the mountain of them was unappetizing and absorbed the meager sauce; the greens were undercooked. It was one of those meals that reminds you how much you can spend on bad food and inattentive service in New York.

My family and I had dinner, and the food was delicious and wines were too. Service was top notch. I'll vouch for the onion soup - it hit the spot in a homely way. The bill was big, so I was glad the head of the table paid for it - But I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants a great meal at a french bistro style spot.

Previous reviews made me apprehensive about this place but the food was quite respectable and the service was swift, attentive and accommodating. Hits were the calamari/chorizo appetizer, the duck breast (served rosy as ordered with crispy skin) with spaetzle and kale, the boeuf bourguignon, the lemon tart. The onion soup was a miss. The vegetable lasagna and the chocolate mousse were ordinary. Good wine by the glass at reasonable prices.

After living near Picnic Market for 9 years, my husband and I purchased a Groupon for a deluxe three-course dinner for two to try the place out. From the moment we stepped in until the final morsels of our tartes, we could not have been more pleased. Our waitress was absolutely charming and efficient, as well as professional. The French onion soup was excellent and not overloaded with stringy cheese, the steak was prepared to perfection as were the frites, served in the traditional cone with aioli on the side, and the tartes were a little on the tart side, but still quite good. Our experience will be the first of many visits, especially since Alouette has closed. I would recommend Picnic Market to anyone. Truly a neighborhood gem.

"Paella" is rice & some few vegetables, with left-over roast chicken (not cooked with the dish) and dried out mussels. Altogether: Leftovers with Rice. Service very amateur, too many staff hanging around

Fish was dry, french onion soup was dishwater, and the 15 dollar cheese plate was a poor value. Don't go here!

Short Version: Loud, Painfully slow service, Mediocre food at best, Way too pricey, Incompetent wait staff. Long Version: My boyfriend and I dinned on a Friday night. The place was hot and loud. I order the tomato soup for appetizer. I'm not sure how it took so long for the kitchen staff to put an already prepared hot soup in a bowl, but it did. The soup was pretty good though. For the main courses I ordered the trout with a substitute of kale. My boyfriend ordered the lamb. Again, our order took so long to arrive, I have to wonder if the kitchen is short staffed. At one point the chef was yelling at the wait staff at the pass. It was not appropriate since the customers have full view of the kitchen and can witness any arguments. I got my trout, but my order had been screwed up--They forgot the kale substitution. My boyfriend's lamb order was unappetizing. It was dry, bland, stringy, and didn't seem fresh. In addition, the actual lamb in the dish (which consisted of chickpeas, rice, greens) was miniscule. The chickpeas were hard and burned. Our meal totaled $88! Outrageous!