Bistro du Marche Reviews

Since it is in a cozy setting just outside the downtown area of La Jolla, the parking is much easier. The menu had a good choice of entrees as well as a wide selection of appetizers. I was with a group of 5 and everyone said their food was excellent. They have a full bar, but a somewhat limited wine list. The prices were very reasonable.

We stopped by for a quick visit after a La Jolla sunset walk. We had heard some positive "buzz" about this place, and wanted to check it out. Because it was Friday night and restaurant week, there were no inside tables available, but were seated on the patio. It was no problem, because the night was quite balmy. There is a full bar and a nice wine list. The martini was prepared to perfection! We were quite hungry and were presented immediately with hot, crusty French bread. We opted to order from the restaurant menu with one additional entree so we could share the appetizer and dessert. The tomato tart was perfect. My husband had the fish medley and I ordered the steak and fries. Everything was prepared to perfection and the fries were quite possibly the best I have ever tasted. Dessert was profiteroles. The pastries were a bit dry, but the chocolate sauce more than compensated. I'm holding back one star, because the service was not perfect, but it was restaurant week and they seemed a bit understaffed. We will definitely return!

My wife and I are overjoyed to find that Tapenade has been resurrected. In the 1990s we lived blocks away from Tapenade and it was our favorite and most frequented restaurant. We are planning a trip to La Jolla just to eat at Bistro du Marche. Chef Diot makes my most favorite dishes and the Ravioli aux Champignons, Sauce Porto, Parmesan Reggiano is still my top favorite top meal...top....well... that and the Filet de Boeuf en Tournedos Poivre Noir...top.... Add Gigondas "Flauzieres Grande Réserve" and some Profiteroles....no meal could be better. Thank you to the review from BayouRuss for mentioning Chef Diot and Tapenade; it brings me great joy to eat some of my favorite meals from one of my favorite menus. My wife and I cannot wait to sit at the bar as of old and enjoy another fantastic romantic dinner. See you in the Spring.

Nice restaurant with a very European layout and feel. I shared a Ravioli starter which was delicious and then proceeded to have Scallops and a Risotto for main very nice but not outstanding. Wine was pricey but these seems standard for LJ ( and it left me with a chronic headache on just two glasses ??). Good meal but I I felt expensive for what we had. Popular spot with the more mature crowd.

The food was just about passable but the wine was unfinished. We ordered as carafe of Pinot Noir at about $44 and we just left it. Frankly 2 buck Chuck would have given it a run for it's money. Why do restaurants do this? Basically con you with terrible wine. We were seriously displeased. Americans are just too enamoured with France and show themselves to bed conned on a regular basis.

We loved this placed. It was just what we wanted and more. Efficient friendly service and great food together with excellent wine. Wish we had somewhere like this close to where we love.

We were great fans of the restaurant Tapenade for its 17 years in La Jolla, and when owner/chef Jean-Michel Diot transformed it into Bistro du Marche a few years ago, we were so happy to continue our fandom! Last night we brought our family for dinner and everyone was so happy with the whole experience. Favored appetizer was the the gougeres au fromage (aka cheese puffs) that were so delicate and delicious! Some had the crab salad which is a long-time favorite and some of us had the salade du marche which had the most incredible blend of market fresh vegetables. I especially loved the English peas.... exquisite! The entrees around the table inclueded veal loin for my husband (excellent reviews), duck confit for one daughter (so rare to find such an excellent preparation), gnocchi for another daughter (delicious), the classic mushroom ravioli for my son-in-law (this is a 5 star dish.... please try it when you visit), the special fettucini carbonara for my son, and I had the pork chop with pureed beets..... delightful! We were on our way to the theatre so the server was sure to keep our dinner on time and the evening was absolutely wonderful. The service is excellent, the smiles are welcoming from the moment you enter the door (Carla and Hadrian never fail to welcome each and every guest), and l will of course be booking at Bistro du Marche very soon again.

This is an average French restaurant in an fancy area, and unfortunately overpriced. We went for the Tuesday mussels special. Mussels were hard to chew and obviously pre-frozen. The "gougeres" appetizers were decent. The floating island was good but not worth the $12 price point. Overall, not a bad restaurant, just nothing to justify the prices, or going back.

Difficult choices of the week: “which night to go to Bistro du Marche?!” Mondays for moules & frites? Their mussels are fabulous..... Or Tuesdays for their steak au poivre & frites with the New York strip steak... Or perhaps Thursdays for seared foie gras, my favorite presentation and they prepare it so well! The answer is ANY AND ALL!! We happened to go last night, Wednesday and I enjoyed the steak ai poivre while my husband selected the special for the evening, red snapper. His snapper held so many delicate and delicious flavors. Delightful! My steak and frites was wonderful as always. Other specialties at Bistro du Marche include: Crab and mango salad, mushroom ravioli, duck confit, and profiteroles. Enjoy! Parking is easy at dinner time.... on street. Lunchtime street parking is a little more challenging as Girard has a lot going on during the day. Just be patient and persistent and you’ll fond a space. Don’t do u-turns during the day though because there’s a double-yellow line and the police often give tickets... words to the wise!!

We absolutely luv a nice, casual French bistro experience and Bistro du Marché didn’t disappoint! Our server, Tomas was excellent, definitely knew the menu well and easy very helpful! They had so many amazing items on the menu, it was hard to decide, so I let him pick for me and he did a great job! Their grilled shrimp “cocktail” appetizer is highly recommended… it’s not the typical shrimp cocktail tho, it’s grilled with an amazing sauce and a small, tasty salad. The shrimp was perfectly seasoned and prepared! Wine list is very nice here too, and save room for dessert, there’s plenty worth trying! Highly recommend making reservations for a really good dinner here!

Lost some of its panache. No longer able to have bar meal as before which is preferable to the heavier dishes. Mushroom ravioli is still my favorite and no one makes it better.

This is a French restaurant in La Jolla. It is a great place to have dinner outside in a quiet corner. The menu is not overly ambitious, but good and the many locals who go there are proof of the quality. We will certainly return!

Carla or Hadrian will welcome you at the door.... and your Bistro experience begins! Whether joining for appetizers and a cocktail at the bar (always a winner) or sitting at a table inside or outside, we love booking a date at Bistro du Marche or inviting friends for a great shared meal. For newcomers, we always recommend the crab/mango salad to start or the mushroom ravioli (an entree for lunch or an appetizer on the dinner menu). As you begin to explore their menu, be sure to enjoy their freshly made soups. We just enjoyed a bright watermelon gazpacho that was perfect for spring. If you enjoy foie gras, Bistro du Marche prepares it wonderfully, whether sauteed or as a terrine. Their salmon is delicious, whether as an appetizer or prepared as an entree. If you can order their John Dory when in season, do it!! On Tuesdays/Wednesdays (I can't remember which special is which night), they prepare mussles/frites one night and steak au poivre on the other. Both are delicious and I wish they would be added to the menu to be ordered any night of the week! Enjoy the ambiance and the gentle buzz of the locals enjoying shared company for a bistro meal among friends.

The food and atmosphere at Bistro du Marche--a short walk from the center of La Jolla--were excellent. The service was a little slow and our waiter was just okay, but the manager and rest of the team made up for it. They explained there were some new staff, took responsibility and apologized, and make sure we had out-of-the-oven fresh bread while the kitchen caught up. A nice save!

Our second visit and unfortunately the food is not what it should be. Had the coq au vin and it was extremely disappointing. I don't think they know what French food should taste like. The restaurant is quite expensive,( $14 for a small glass of wine) and somewhat noisy. The bottom line is, it is not worth it.

So consistent . Excellent personalized service , they know your name ...The drinks excellent from The perfect Martini to the excellent wine list . L'escargot is better than any restaurant in Paris , the Steak Au poivre soe perfect ..I have been going there for years not even one bad experience . No restaurant in San Diego or Orange County will have the same quality ...Lately most high end restaurant are going down except this one Please keep it up

We went to Bistro du Marche for dinner. They are the new location of the very popular Tapenade restaurant. I enjoyed my burata appertiser and my steak tartar. The service is good and so is the food. It is a bit hard to find as its off the main business/tourist area but if you want some french bistro food. This is the place to go in La Jolla.

Stopped in for a mother-daughter lunch before an afternoon of shopping. Our meal, the ambiance and the service set just the right relaxed tone for the rest of the day. For our first time here we tried the classic quiche Lorraine and green salad. It was one of the best I've had. The pastry was fabulous. I don't usually eat much wheat but this was irresistible. I had to have a few test bites. The salad dressing was just the right light coating of flavor on the leaves. The warm baguette (from a bakery in Hillcrest) and sweet butter transported us to Paris. To make it all even better, the soft Louis Armstrong jazz supported conversation, rather than overwhelming it as in so many places. The servers were just the right amount of attentive and unobtrusive. We'll be back to try the dinner!

Went to dinner here with my Dad, we ate and talked for 5 hours, all the while receiving great service, attentive and professional. I had the steak with black pepper sauce and fries, he had the foie gras and raviolis, great bottle of French wine. Off the beaten path but worth it.

When I think of brunch in San Diego, this superb LaJolla restaurant always comes to mind. Great wine selections, the best oven-fresh bread in town and delicious menu options never disappoint.

Wonderful French bistro experience, delicious food, great service, with a bustling atmosphere. Nice choices on the wine menu. Should be something for everyone here.

New restaurant in La Jolla. Service was excellent. Good location.Food was very tasty. Decor first class and inviting. Had the pasta of the day which was delicious.

My husband and I had a truly wonderful Thanksgiving lunch here today.The set menu had lots of choices beside the usual Thanksgiving turkey selection. The veggie choice for me was so yummy: Wild Mushroom Ravioli . Sitting on the sidewalk has become my favorite way to eat. The tables are spread out to include spaces in front of the next door antique store. Service was very caring and I could tell extra care was taken with the safety protocols. Yes, the endive salad was amazing. But the important point: The ice cream was perfection. It was soft...but not too soft. The berries were just perfect. We plan to come soon...but I am already starting to make reservations for Xmas Eve. And maybe start with dessert first !

We came here for Valentine's Day because my boyfriend knows how much I love french bistro and i was not disappointed! It has an elegant ambience, with French ads and posters on the walls, French waiters, French tablecloths, soft music, and all that romantic stuff but without going over the top. I also liked how the waiters didn't chitchat too much! Perfect ofr the romantic dinner atmosphere. I ordered the onion soup and the duck confit. The waiter brought us some really good fresh baguette and butter while we waited. When the soup arrived, my first reaction was what?! Where is the cheese?? Haha, I was not happy, but after I tasted the soup, I understood why there was no cheese. It was amazing, almost like the classic French onion except with a richer beef flavor and pieces of beef. It is a must. The duck confit was definitely the best I have ever had, and I was surprised because I usually only like duck breast. My boyfriend got the halibut and a sidecar and he was very happy with both. Like he kept raving he couldn't believe how good it was. Overall it was absolutely perfect for my Valentine's Day! It was really cute to see a few couples with their children and some older couples too!

Pros: Convenient parking; good ambiance; good service; scallops over risotto were fine. Cons: Escargot were undersized and devoid of the classic garlic butter flavor; the Coq au Vin was lacking the essential rendered pork fat seasoning and I didn't detect any mirepoix. Bread and butter looked better than it tasted.

I haven't been back here since 2018 , and it hasn't missed a beat, still as good as my 2018 visit in atmosphere, food and service. We were a party of 3 which included a very elderly person with a walker. We had to dine early, 5:00 Opentable dinner reservations. When we arrived the hostess was very gracious on offering us a table that was convenient for a walker. When we sat down Jessica P. introduced herself. She was very nice and attentive which made our evening wonderful. We ordered cocktails while perusing the menu. FYI they make a great Cosmo. We ordered was the Escargots, Burrata Salad and the Wednesday special: Steak Frites and the Steak Tartar. When the food came out, all was hot, fresh, nice presentation, cooked to order and tasted amazing. This restaurant is my definite go-to for authentic French. See you next visit to La Jolla. Atmosphere: French Bistro feel, indoor and outdoor seating. Service: excellent. Food: excellent.

One of the few more elegant restaurants in La Jolla where the patrons dressed accordingly. No signature tapenade as before so we ordered a "side". It came with unnecessary anchovies on the top but was good. The barman made me a very good Cosmo and my husband had a delicious Sancerre. The menu looked the same as Tapenades was, the food was good. The lobster bisque was over thickened with no lobster pieces. I had halibut with cauliflower puree the puree was too runny. The tiny pieces of chorizo were too hard. The halibut was delicious. My husband had duck confit which he enjoyed. We both had dessert the vacherin was very very hard meringue but the clafoutis was delicious. The bill came to about $160.00 for the two of us. The venue with only 23 people was very loud too loud. I liked the decor but to feel more French as the restaurant name depicts, a black and white floor,rather than the wood one would be nicer. The waiter brought the check before we had asked for it and before we had time to order coffee, it felt a bit rushed. It is a nice addition to the La Jolla dining scene but there is a lot of competition.

Bistro du Marche is a contemporary French restaurant in the heart of the village of La Jolla. The atmosphere is warm and energetic. Our table was perfect! We had requested a "table to the side, something more private and quiet." We were seated immediately and the staff wasted no time coming to speak with us. The menu was quite extensive and after an endive salad with a uniquely delicious dressing my companion had the duck while I had a filet. Everything was perfectly delicious. We were assured by the server to order anytime and that our food would be "served right when it should be." Unfortunately that was untrue as our entrees were brought before our endive salad. We followed our meal with a cup of coffee and when we requested refills the coffee added to our cup was not hot, not lukewarm, it was ice cold. A small pot was placed on the table and it too was cold. We had brought it to the server's attention that the entrees arrived before the salad (and had to be returned to the kitchen) and he removed the charges from our bill--a nice touch. The cold coffee? Not that important! The restaurant is lovely with a nice low key atmosphere. Parking nearby right on the street is readily available. If you're looking for a different dining experience, you must try it.

Mushroom ravioli that is the best you can ever imagine. Take a moment to enjoy the aromas before you take your first bite.... it's magical tastes are amazing whether you order it as an appetizer for lunch/dinner or perhaps while enjoying a drink at the bar. (We've requested to enjoy the mushroom ravioli as an entree before... it's ok to ask for this favor!) The steak au poivre is one of our family favorites with the best pomme frites in town. The crab and mango salad is such a blend of fresh and sparkling flavors, please taste this delightful appetizer and take the time to enjoy each bite! The smoked salmon on toast points is also a delicious appetizer. Entree specials are always creative and delicious. Owner Jean Michele Diot has created a wonderful new bistro after 17 years of being a classic La Jolla treasure at Tapenade. His entire staff provide excellent service and the ambiance is comfortable, relaxed, and perfect for enjoying lunches, brunch, or dinners with friends and family.

So I stopped in to this restaurant this evening for dinner. I use to love Tapanade so I was expecting a nice meal, nothing fancy, just a few solid plates and a glass of wine. Well the wine was great. I ordered the pork pate and sweetbreads; I was so disappointed. So, the pate was an unseasoned and bland pork rillette that was very fatty and mashed into a little jar. I had two bites on the toasted bread and that was that for the "pate." I really enjoy sweetbreads. I will almost always order sweetbreads if they are offered. When my plate arrived, I wished I would have ordered the confit. The plate consisted of some over-fried, over-crispy, fried chicken like glands that were chopped up taco shop style on top of some veggies and a nondescript tomato (I think) sauce. I had two bites. It was not to my expectations at all. This is the first time I have ever refused to eat both dishes served. I offered to pay for my wine, the house was kind enough to pick the glass up; thank you again. Chef Doit, your kitchen needs you.

Great ambience - fine wine list - super menu (filet!) - the mushroom ravioli is my main attraction. Love this place!

The decor is very nice. Good place for a romantic dinner who are completely in love and food is not a factor Dinner for 2 was $176. We ordered 2 glasses of wine 2 tapas 2 dinner plates (duck breasts and gnocchi ) 1 desert The ravioli appetizer was cold and not cooked. duck was cold and salty Service was bad for the price we paid it was slow and pretentious Not a repeatable one

Being a La Jolla resident, this restaurant is definitely in the top five in town but off the beaten path of tourists so probably doesn’t get enough reviews to reflect the quality of the service, food and experience. We had a nine person dinner with a wonderful table outside. The service was exceptional with a wonderful bread course, and be sure to order the tapenade. I had the halibut which was nicely size, perfectly cooked and delicious on a bed of fresh seasonal vegetables. Table mates had virtually everything on the menu and everybody loved their selections. Desserts are also tasty and I highly recommend the profiterole‘s. Whether you eat indoors with a French Decore or outside on a quiet sidewalk, this restaurant is not to be missed.

Our first time at the Bristro du Marche. Early dinner to avoid the rush during San Diego restaurant week, Execellent service, good explanation of the limited menu. I think the $50 charge per person was too expensive for the meals offered. The food was very good butI don"t feel we we saved very much by attending restaurant week. The onion & Beef Shank was excellent; Diver Scallops good but not spectacular; the dessert, Profiterole, Grand Maenier Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce, good but not out of the ordinary. Very nice ambience, quiet and intimate. Pleasant & enjoyable evening.

I had the beef short ribs and my wife had a salad which were both fantastic. We waited about 5 minutes for a table and the hostess(manager?) kept apologizing for the wait. When the waitress found out that my wife had laryngitis, she brought her some hot water with lemon and honey. Very sweet and caring person. Loved the place and the people.

My best friend and I enjoyed a lovely meal here not long ago. I had the Beef tenderloin with cafe du Paris butter and French fries. For dessert we shared the Floating Island. This place is great for a couples night out especially if you want to bring back memories of being in France at a quaint little bistro.

French food is nearly always butter-heavy but offset by the inclusion of well-portioned meats, creative vegetables and good bread. A very reliable enjoyment!

We dined at Bistro Du Marche recently and were so impressed with the experience. The service was attentive and the food cooked to perfection. It is pricey, no doubt, but worth doing if you want a flawless experience from start to finish. My only complaint is that my scallops were sandy... Bummer. Because otherwise everything was absolutely wonderful.

Came here with my MeetUp group and we had a very good meal with good service. The duck breast I had was well prepared, not overcooked as it is sometimes, and my friend's gnocchi was also excellent. The pork chop was also very good. We had some nice, not too expensive wines, and very good desserts as well. Parking is better than for most of La Jolla due to the location.

If you are in La Jolla and are looking for an authentic bistro this is the place. Quality French food and wine at very reasonable prices. No chain restaurant limitations here. Parking is great and staff are wonderful.

We're foodies at heart. We lived in San Francisco for nine years and really miss the great neighborhood restaurants. When we moved to Encinitas, we were really disappointed with the restaurant choices. Our favorite in Encinitas is Fish 101, run by a couple of guys from San Francisco. Super casual but awesome food. For a nicer dinner, our go to has been Nine Ten in La Jolla (downtown is a bit far). It was date night for us, and we wanted to try something new. Bistro du Marche had good reviews and something about the menu also reminded me of our favorite French bistro in San Francisco, Baker Street Bistro. Bistro du Marche did not disappoint. The atmosphere wasn't as charming as Baker Street Bistro, but the food and service were excellent. Our waiter was French, which was a really nice bonus (who doesn't love hearing a French accent?). We started with the Swiss Cheese Puffs, which were awesome. They are light, cheesy biscuits which were hard to put down. We then had the Crispy Reblochon Cheese, Arugula and Peppered Honey salad. It's basically a small arugula salad with two crispy phyllo rolls with honey inside. I would have like a little more arugula, but the combination was awesome. We then shared the fish of the day, which was Branzino with gnocchi and artichoke hearts and a light pesto sauce, which was amazing. To complement the amazing food, they had a really nice wine list. It wasn't extensive (in fact, quite small by most restaurant standards), but it had some really nice choices, especially by the glass. We definitely look forward to going back and trying other items on the menu. As a side note, and not to be underrated, parking was super easy. The restaurant is located far enough away from Prospect street so that there was plenty of open street parking.

This is the new incarnation of Tapenade, a French restaurant that we used to love to go to in La Jolla. The place is a bit different, with a different menu, but the food is still excellent. (I do miss the olive tapenade they used to bring with the bread, however.) The new place is also a bit more noisy than the old one, so go early if a lot of chatter bothers you.

I can't fault the new location and decor-so much more approachable and convivial. It's still very much Tapenade-not in name of course but the Menu and familiar faces. Service is the stand out. It seems the old Tapenade regulars have found their way back en masse. After dining here and sampling the better part of the "new" Menu I don't have a lot of good to say or faith in being blown away by anything new or exciting. I still can't get behind the "famous" wonton ravioli and some of what they pulled off really well many moons ago vanished from the Menu. It's disappointing when the scallops were less than fresh (taste and smell) and were ringed by banal butternut purée. Couquille can be such a wonderful dish and this wasn't. Steak was perfectly cooked to order but not seasoned at all other than the pan sauce, Pate was good but not great (there is EPIC pate not far down the road). Salads, chicken, sides and Dessert were all just ok. Decor is nice, the drinks are good, wine too. Service as I mentioned is very nice, attentive and professional but it's weird that the proprietor sulks at the Bar (on the Customer side) and disappointing that the Farmers Market hasn't inspired the Menu more. Certainly there's a niche for a classy reliable business dinner or date night establishment but I don't get the feeling (other than the decor and service) that there's a passion for channeling any fresh ideas or creativity or for that matter honing traditional classics here. Serviceable for sure but not very exciting riffs on what could be brilliant if executed by someone letting a bit more creative energy in. Overall the space is nice and the Servers really do go out of their way to make you feel welcome and well taken care of but as delightful as all that is-the food isn't. That all being said the Restaurant is very busy and keeping at near capacity for Dinner which is good for business but my opinion without a better effort outside of making the new space pretty and welcoming it's hard to know if the full dining room can sustain itself once the honeymoon ends.

We ate here on the advice of a knowledgeable resident and enjoyed it so much we returned for dinner the next evening. We enjoy dining at the bar if available and this is one of the rare restaurants that reserve at the bar. Food was excellent bistro fare and service was first rate from knowledgeable bar and wait staff. Our impression was that the clientele is mostly local versus tourists. Rather expensive but the food, atmosphere and experience are well worth it. We will happily return when we are again in La Jolla.

Excellent service! My scallop/risotto dish had such a delicate texture and light fresh flavor. My wife had the Coq au vin and she found it very flavorful. Portion size was nice and the wine selection was great. This was our first time at Bistro du Marche; we selected it after reading spotty reviews at some of the other well known French restaurants across San Diego. We were not disappointed in this restaurant in any way.

Located on southern end of Girard Avenie, there is plenty of on-street prking in the evening. Lunch time can be a bit difficult so just be persistent. We have been going to Bistro du Marche and its predecessor, Tapenade, for the 20 years they've been in business and we've loyally loved their quality if dinners, lunches, specials, as well as the service and ambiance. Ever friendly and gracious. For our dinner last night, I enjoyed two appetizers; the grilled ovtopus with citrus and cannelini which was absolutely perfect! The octopus was charred lightly and so tender and flavorful. Not tough as in many restaurants. The subtle blend of citrus, shallots, and cannelini beans provides a bed of wonderful flavor for the octopus. My second appetizer was seared foie gras with fresh figs. Bistro du Marche is excellent in their preparation of foie gras and combing flavors for balance and highlighting such delicious tastes. My hisband selected the crab salad which has been a favorite of ours for many years... always a reliable treat of flavors. As an entree he chose the beef short ribs and he felt it was the most delicious meal he had ever had in his 20 years at Bistro du Marche/Tapenade!!! That's hard for me to inagine, given our many exquisite meals, but those were his words! Our wvening was wonderful and we saw other friends enjoying the wvening as well. Bistro du Marche is primarily a place where locals go, it is not a touristy place like many of the restaurants on Prospect. So if you are a visitor from out of town and you are reading this, consider booking a table at Bistro du Marche.... you won't be disappointed! Bistro du Marche is only a few blocks away from the Prospect main collection of restaurants. Top specialties include: the mushroom ravioli (incredibly delicious with intense mushroom flavor); the crab/mango salad; steak and frites; cheese puffs; seared foie gras or torchon foie gras; lobster with English peas (when available); and the dick confit. Hadrian and Carla, the maitre d', are wonderful and very service-oriented.

Our evening at Bistro du Marche was so delightful last evening. Normally we make reservations but last night we were in the Village and stopped by... they could seat us at the bar for dinner and that was fine for us. It’s fun to enjoy dinner at the bar sometimes! Our bartender provided excellent service even as he was kept busy by a full dining room. We enjoyed our salads at the bar... my salade du marche was incredibly fresh and delicious, bursting with English peas, hericots vert, cherry tomatoes, and spring greens with a citrus vinaigrette. Scrumptious and such fresh flavors! My husband chose his favorite, the crab and mango salad with a lime and coconut emulsion which is both magical and exquisitely light! Amazing! After our salads, a table for two opened up and we did indeed move to a table... both were great, bar or table. For our entrees, I enjoyed the Ris de Veau, which is a seasonal entree. Served on porcini risotto, the sweetbreads were sautéed perfectly and were tender and flavorful. Just like my mom used to prepare!! My husband enjoyed the lamb special, four chops prepared medium rare, served over sautéed vegetables. He said he would order the lamb cooked a bit more next time but the flavor was excellent. We shared a wonderful creme brûlée, always prepared perfectly at Bistro du Marche! So much to enjoy over the course of an evening.... the food, the service, the soft buzz of a busy dining room of happy guests taking in the ambiance of excellence prepared with love!! Enjoy!

I love this place. Early dining tends to be older couples so it can be a little quieter. The menu hardly changes, everything is delicious. In February I had the venison another visit in March and I had the fish wrapped in potatoes, both were excellent. They have a bar area and make very good Cosmos. After appetizers and entree sadly I have yet to reach dessert.

I really liked that they have all the standards of a French restaurant, which seems hard to find these days. Excellent meat plates, escargot, and cocktails. Prompt service, too.

Pretty expensive for an average meal. It was good but nothing to write home about. I had the fish today which traditionally has great flavour but it was pretty bland. My husband had pasta and it was pretty typical. Over priced in my opinion.

Dined here for business. Quiet and very good for conversation. Service was attentive and professional. Food was extremely good. French perfection. I ordered the salmon and it was moist with a lovely white wine sauce. One of my guests had the steak and frits and it was cooked perfectly - rare with no apologies - just the way it should be. Quality ingredients and perfect service. One could not want for more.

The decor of this restaurant is most pleasing and very much in line with an upscale French bistro. The food was very much in line with what one would expect from a bistro and was delicious. The wine list was quite complete. The service was excellent and I would recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a great dinner in the style of a French bistro.

I was visiting this restaurant on a San Diego vacation with the whole family, we found excellent food and service. The palate feels fresh produce and a good portion for the consumer. Anyone who has the opportunity to visit San Diego should put this Restaurant on their agenda. Excellent

Nice, very French menu of delectables. We began with Basque cheese and French bread, followed by crab and mango salad in a coconut milk/lime emulsion, and finished with the braised rabbit loin in a chanterelle mushroom Moutarde sauce. No room for dessert! Busy place on a Friday night, but service was attentive and prompt. Very popular among the upscale locals,

Take a walk on a beach in La Jolla with vistas equal to any in the Cote D'Azur and at the end of the day plan a dinner at a newly located French Bistro - Bistro du Marche where guests are warmly welcomed at the door.by a smiling staff. Established by the great Chef/founder of Tapendade (a La Jolla Classic now closed), Jean-Michel Diot, has now built this new La Jolla restaurant that is destined to be a top choice for dining in one of the world's great seaside villages. Entering Bistro du Marche immediately transports you from the streets of La Jolla to an elegant and warm décor reminiscent of a prototypic Parisian bistro. But without leaving Southern California! And yes you can practice your French with many of the staff! The menu contains some of the classic dishes of Diot's former domain such as escargot, mushroom ravioli and smoked salmon but with new additions in the form of seasonal green salad, pate of the week, etc. And entrée selections include the satisfying preparations of salmon, halibut and coq au vin well known to all but with new additions including wonderful ris de veau, magret de canard, a changing pasta of the week dish, etc. Plus the always great pommes frites and other individual side dishes. Ending the meal with deserts and/or cheeses straight from Parisian inspired menu provides all with a terrific dining experience . Plus a great selections of cocktails and a very good wine selection sent from the zinc-covered bar manned by the charming bartender, Sami. Finally service by thoughtful and informed servers makes a meal a Bistro du Marche a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Reservations highly recommended as well as a check on hours to take advantage of this great La Jolla spot for a business or fun lunch.

Great service, great food and great ambiance! An authentic menu. They also have well priced special dinners during the week e.g. Wednesday is Steak Frites night. It is located at the end of Girard St. and a few blocks from the really busy area of La Jolla so parking easy and right outside the restaurant.

This reincarnation of Tapenade would be truly wonderful if the noise level in the restaurant was not absolutely deafening. The food was as good as ever...truly excellent; the service was as professional, efficient and friendly as always, and the appearance of the redo is just fine. Unfortunately, the hard surfaces, lack of carpeting, tablecloths, drapery and acoustic surfaces on the walls or ceiling make this new dining room deafeningly loud. Although everything else was great, normal conversation was absolutely impossible because of the noise level. Management told us that they were aware of the problem and are looking at possible remedies. We'd love to return, but will surely wait until a fix is hopefully implemented.

Consistently good and professional staff Duck confit always a good choice Sunday brunch is also delicious with fresh croissants, quiche, and tasty omelets

French cuisine; delicious, elegant, some say it could be the perfect mix of ingredients placed on a platter. When done right, French food can create a memory of excellence! Bistro Du Marche doesn't fail anywhere when it comes to French and excellence! We used Open Table to make a dinner reservation (highly recommend) as the restaurant is not small but not large either. The appetizers are delicious, we ordered a cheese plate which was an excellent value for the price. The drinks are amazing, great wine menu and hand crafted martinis served very cold. The Gnocchi with Butternut Squash Puree was perfect. Mushrooms, spinach, pecans and cubes of butternut squash come together in such a nice way. We also ordered the Tournedo (Filet Mignon) with herb butter, steak fries and a salad. Delightful, fresh, hot, and the meat cooked to perfection! We did order a dessert. A floating meringue in a vanilla bean glaze with caramel. The restaurant is good for dates, family, friends or a special occasion. I would not recommend taking small children as the restaurant does not seem to be set up for kid friendly guests.

Terrible food and the service is horrible. Don’t waste your money. So many better restaurants in La Jolla.

My aunt invited me to dinner at this place for my birthday. I didn’t have expectations because Ive never heard of it before. We were seated at a private terrace and had the place for ourselves. The food and service were fenomenal. I am a fan of scallops and these were some of the best I’ve eaten in my life! I don’t know how I didn’t hear of it before. Definitely be coming back soon.

I had high expectations as this restaurant is run by the team from Tepenade. They did not disappoint. The croissants were flaky. The service is good and the food is good. I also liked the decor. Definitely I will come back and fry their dinner.

not worth the money. Spent a lot of money for nothing. entrees were small. On a good note, our server was great. We won't go back.

Previously "Tapenade" and now in a new location, it remains one of La Jolla’s finer restaurants. New venue offers more casual feel and younger vibe yet retains high quality of food, service and value. New menu keeps many of Tapenade’s best dishes. Salade du Marché is excellent, Crab & Mango salad very nice, Burgundy Snails also very good and Mushroom Ravioli are best we’ve ever had anywhere. For mains, Beef Tenderloin is always excellent, Duck Confit consistently tasty. A few of areas for improvement: Wine list is good not great; cheese platter is also good, not great; finally, new space is louder than before so not the place if you want a quiet night out. Otherwise, this continues to be one of the best restaurants in La Jolla.

When my wife and I lived in La Jolla, our favorite restaurant was the Tapenade owned by Sylvie and chef Michel Diot. When forced to move to a new location, the Tapenade was reborn as the Bistro du Marché. On previous return visits to La Jolla, we were not able to have a meal at the Bistro, but on a recent visit we did and it was wonderful. Although we planned to order off the regular menu, the Restaurant Week Menu was just to good to pass up, so we ordered from it and ordered the wine pairing. Appetizers: I had the “Pork Shank “Hure” Celeriac Remoulade Perigord Black Truffle” which I would describe as a very coarse terrine. I know it would be a little too coarse for some people; however, I thought it was both interesting and delicious. My wife had the “Tri-color Organic Beets Salad, Watercress, Fresh Goat Cheese” and loved it. Entrees: I had the “‘Loup de Mer’ Topped with Lobster Mousseline “Auguste Escoffier” which was a wonderful fish dish I would love to have again. My wife had the “Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Port Wine and Truffle Sauce” and, once again was very pleased with it. Mushroom ravioli had been one of our favorites at the Tapenade. Desserts: we both ordered the “Julian Apple Tart Tatin, Salted Caramel Ice Cream” which was a perfect finale to a great meal. Although we loved the food and do think Bistro du Marché is a worthy successor to the Tapenade, we were sad that the delicious warm bread was served with butter and not with tapenade. I think the fond memories of the Tapenade restaurant should be kept alive by sustaining the tapenade tradition! Also, gone were the amuse-bouches and mignardises which we always appreciated and found to be a special charming touch at the Tapenade. Despite these minor disappointments, Bistro du Marché is a wonderful restaurant that will be on the top of our list every time we return to La Jolla.

Bistro du Marche is our favorite restaurant in La Jolla. Attentive, gracious service and a delicious menu with incredible traditions and special additions. One of the best items on the menu is the mushroom ravioli, whether as an appetizer or entree... you must try this. It’s magical!! My friend ordered it and she was just amazed at how intense and yet delicate the flavors were. Her husband ordered one of the evening’s specials, the beef bourguignon. He said it was incredibly tender and the flavors were wonderful. My husband and I both ordered the special entree of lobster prepared with corn and English peas in a vanilla emulsion. What an amazing dish!! Delicious! The service at Bistro du Marche is always excellent... always. Parking is on the street and is always easy at dinnertime. Seating is available i side or outside and in the bar. The owner is Chef Jean Michel Diot, an extraordinary chef and a wonderful owner who transitioned the restaurant well from Tapenade to Bistro du Marche.

Five of us met here for Sunday brunch a few weeks ago; none of us had previously eaten here and all of us were impressed with the food and service. The menu offered both breakfast and lunch options; portions were ample; and everything was offered with a very good salad. With a one o'clock reservation, we very much appreciated being able to linger and talk to almost three.

Looking for new restaurant for us to try, craving French and Voila! We found it! Bistro du Marche the atmosphere, service and food just absolutely loved it. Our server Peter was wonderful and very entertaining. I don't also mention drinks but the Honeymoon Suite and Lemon Drops were divine. While sipping our cocktails we looked over the menu. We started off with the Escargot and the Mushroom Ravioli and then moved to our entrees of the Duck Confit, Scallop Risotto, and the Tuesday special Mussels and Frites. All the dishes were excellent. the Mushroom Ravioli is a must order if you like mushrooms. Atmosphere: Bistro French feel, Service: excellent thank you Peter and the food: excellent!

Bistro du Marche is the best French restaurant in La Jolla. The food is always good, the atmosphere is always that of a busy French bistro and the bar is always full.

In California, even the best French restaurants rarely have foie gras available in any form, and Bistro du Marche is no exception. So when we found out that Bistro du Marche would be serving sautéed foie gras as an appetizer on Thursday evening June 1st, we immediately made a last minute reservation for dinner at 5:00 pm that night because later reservations were already booked up. Their sautéed foie gras was fabulous - a perfect-sized serving accompanied by some cherries in a jubilee-like sauce. The cost was $25.00 per serving, and both of us ordered it. The rest of dinner included one 15 ounce carafe of wine for $24, coq au vin for $28, tournedos with frites and a side salad for $38, profiteroles for $12, and fancy coffee with Kahlua and Grand Marnier for $9. Everything was delicious, even the French fries. The service was very attentive, but not intrusive. The restaurant provides a carafe of chilled water on each table and fresh-baked bread. The bread was so good that we asked for a refill, which we almost never have done at other restaurants. The manager suggested that we subscribe to their email announcements, so that we could be kept informed about any future foie gras events. Another couple told us that they thought that Bistro du Marche was planning to offer the sautéed foie gras on each Thursday evening during the month of June. In summary, although the cost of this dinner with the two foie gras appetizers, wine, and dessert was toward the upper end of our price range, it was absolutely well worth the expense.

We wanted a light and easy dinner so we stopped by Bistro du Marche to enjoy a bite at the bar with Chris the bartender! The Sancerre was chilled and I enjoyed a fig salad that was incredible.... arugula tossed in some kind if amazing dressing with bacon lardons and grilled figs with an incredible cheese melted on the figs. My husband chose the crab/mango salad and their signature mushroom ravioli.... both are amazing. I snuck one of the ravioli and it was so delicious. (I normally order an entire entree!) If you like/love/adore mushrooms, you must run, don’t walk to Bistro du Marche for their mushroom ravioli. They are so divine. Truly!! Seating is available inside or outside. Parking is available and easily found on the street at dinnertime. Lunchtime parking is a bit more challenging. Enjoy!

To all nasty reviewers, I am going to add my little grain of salt and testify how wonderful this gem of a place is ! Yes it is french and yes it deserved to be a bit pricey and the welcome we got, the wonderful service we got, the fabulous food we got was all so worth it ! We left feeling like we had been treated like long lost friends or even family and the feeling was priceless. The lovely young chef Amelie could not have been more friendly and more gifted, our waiter Julien was delightful every step of the way and our wine : Julienas ,was fabulous ( served cool and refreshing and just lovely). every dish we ordered was delicious : we had Duo de Canard, Moules Marinieres, Quenelles Lyonnaise, and we started with homemade Gougeres and fabulous rillettes with toasts. and for dessert some of us got Lemon Tart, I got Ile Flottante, and my brother got Fondant au chocolat and we recommend any of those dishes all heartily! Thank you to all the team and the owner who came to our table to give his regards! This place is a little piece of Lyon in La Jolla and we were delighted ! We had the best time and would come back often if it was closer to where we live. Nicole and family <3

Having recently returned from an annual trip to Paris with my husband, my friends and I met at Bistro du Marche for dinner. I have been eating there since they opened, and they never disappoint. The food, atmosphere, and staff are terrific. I feel like I am back in Paris, having dinner at a lovely bistro. One, where you know that anything you order will be prepared to perfection. So, if you are craving authentic French food, in San Diego, I highly recommend Bistro du Marche in La Jolla.

It was a birthday celebration. Unbeknownst to us, the restaurant week was on. We did partake of the full menu offering with wine pairings. Excellent food and great wine choices. We enjoyed our meal very much. Ate too much. Excellent value.

PERFECT in every way! Have dined here several times and never disappointed. Our guests have always left sated and happy!!

This was our 1st visit to this restuarant and we're planning to go back soon to try other menu items. The grilled halibut entrée was perfection. Our friends ordered the beef tenderloin and the coquilles st. Jacques (scallops) and both thought they were excellent. The house salad was fresh and delicious and a generous enough serving for two. We also enjoyed the carpaccio as an appetizer. The black and white decor, lovely bar area with open windows and a good restaurant vibe all added to make this a great dining experience.

This is a French restaurant from the front door to the back wall - the food and the wine reflect that culture and it is wonderful! The service is fun and efficient - try the cheese for desert - simply wonderful -

We had a delicious dinner I had the tenderloin and tried the lamb as well as the scallops and they were all excellent. The meat was perfectly cooked. For appetizers we had the ravioli, octopus, and cheese they were all very good. The raviolis were excellent I recommend getting some extra bread to dip in the sauce. The Meyer lemon tart was good service was very friendly and great recommendations by the server a woman with reddish hair. Definitely recommend and will be back. Good Covid safety as well.

We had a terrific server and the mushroom ravioli was exquisite. The duck confit while cooked well had a nondescript sauce neither sweet nor rich in savory flavor. Expensive meal for what you get. At other fine dining in the region duck is served two ways or two confit legs are plated. Here it was one. All in all it is a nice atmosphere, good attentive waiters and uneven food. I would come back if only for the delicious mushroom raviolis. It would have earned 4 if the entree was noteworthy.

Started with cheese puffs and got evev better from there. Pate and all apps were fine as were th entres. Duck was crispy without being overcooked. Prices were a bit higher than we were accustomed to in the east bet all was wonderful. Will go again when we return. Don't forget the wine selection.

We had lunch here and it was very good. We wished we could have had dinner as the menu had the items we were most excited about. Oh well - service was exemplary and food was good and took us back to Paris. Oh the Profiteroles were excellent!

When Tapenade restaurant closed in La Jolla, many of us felt we had lost a true taste of France. However, when chef Jean-Michel Didot opened up his new restaurant, Bistrot du Marche, he brought back his great French food we were used to at Tapenade.

We always love trying French restaurants in the San Diego area. My boyfriend always gets the duck confit wherever we go. Everything about the duck was great! However the sides that came with it bummed him out. For the price point you expect to get more than diner style fries and mixed greens with dressing. I chose the scallops and was very pleased! We started with the mushroom ravioli and they were awesome :) service was very friendly and efficient, complimentary bread was awesome as well.

There were three of us for dinner and my wife and I had high expectations since we were fans of the original Tapenade. The salads and the wine were excellent as was the service, but the pasta entrees were so-so. I would have given 4 points if my fish dish had not been served so poorly. The waiter warned me, but the plate was so scalding hot that it had overcooked the fish and the accompanying vegetables. Maybe I should have sent it back, but my other two guests had already been served. I am hoping for better luck next time. This was very disappointing, given the high prices.

I have been to many fine restaurants throughout this country and in Europe, including in the city of Paris. This was the first time I have ever been treated so poorly by a server. Our server, Hadrien, while not overtly rude, did not live up to the bistro's reputation of being welcoming or attentive. We arrived at this "Bistro" around 5:30 in the afternoon and except for one table and the bar, the restaurant was completely empty. When we walked in, I got the feeling of being "sized up." The hostess asked if we had reservations. I looked around the empty room and replied "no." I felt like they begrudgingly seated us. My daughter ordered a salmon entree and I ordered a salad from the appetizer menu. While we were waiting, our water glasses were filled and a nice young man brought us bread. Then each of us were served salads. Only one salad was ordered but I figured that maybe the entree that my daughter ordered included a salad. After my daughter and I finished our salads, the waiter began clearing the table of everything including the silverware. When I questioned the server about my daughter's entree, he claimed to not know that a main dish was ordered even though he had repeated it back when the order was taken. But ... he said he could quickly fry up some salmon for her. I could see where the experience was going so I decided to cut my losses. I declined his offer and asked for the bill. The one star given here is because the salads, bread, and water served to us were good.

Slightly off the central part of La Jolla, it is worth finding. Parking is very easy on the street. The menu is excellent for meat and fish. The sauces were the highlight of the food making every dish really terrific. This is my second visit since they moved to this new address. It is consistently excellent.

We had lunch here and really enjoyed it. Croquet Monsieur and quiche were both excellent with real French baguette. Not a big wine list but good choices and reasonably priced. We almost went back for dinner!

We visited earlier this week for dinner with friends and had requested an outdoor table. Everything was wonderful - the food, the service and the La Jolla ambiance. We split salads, shared an escargot appetizer, and had four different entrees. We all enjoyed our meals and the ability to be at such a nice restaurant with the option of outdoor dining. It was a very nice evening.