Le French Diner

"If you’re like us, eating the buttery French food at Le French Diner in the LES is a therapeutic exercise not unlike walking around the block or doing a sun salutation. Thankfully, that doesn’t have to stop now since they’re offering pick-up at their restaurant. Go online or call 212-777-1577 to place your order." - hannah albertine

"What It Is: A tiny French restaurant serving bistro food and natural wine Perfect For: Date Night To the person who wrote us the following email: “Subject: Le French Diner, LES Orchard St Body: Run, don’t walk, it’s a gem. Sent from my iPhone” Thank you. We took your advice, and now we agree. This restaurant is a tiny little place on Orchard Street that looks like it could have been a taco stand in a past life, and serves really excellent French food while a French hip-hop soundtrack plays in the background. Most of the seats are at the counter, where you can watch cooks prepare fantastic octopus or steak, and over which there’s a short menu and wine list written on a chalkboard. Expect a full review on this restaurant sometime very soon. The Verdict: Come here with someone you really like and want to share a bottle of wine with." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"The Waiting Room: Mary’s The Back-Up Plan: The Ten Bells If Le French Diner were a walk-in closet, it would be large. But it’s a restaurant, so it’s tiny. And unless you arrive at this Lower East Side spot just before 5pm, you can safely bet that you won’t get a seat anytime soon. Enter Mary’s. There’s a disco ball in the back, a weekday Happy Hour from 3pm-7pm and lots of seating, so drink a martini while you wait for your dinner phone call. Or—if it’s nice out—head to The Ten Bells, which has a daily oyster Happy Hour and $20 carafes of wine." - willa moore

"A narrow space with a pressed-tin ceiling, exposed brick, and a patchwork of Polaroid photos, Le French Diner has been open since 2005, but still feels like a well-guarded Lower East Side secret, even when there’s a wait to get in. Sit on a diner stool at the counter and sip a glass of wine while watching the chef deftly prepare things like grilled octopus, or hanger steak with perfect dauphinoise potatoes from a short daily menu. The food is restrained but flavorful, and has a personal touch—as if you’d lucked into a homestay run by a retired cook on your exchange semester in France." - bryan kim, willa moore, neha talreja, sonal shah, will hartman

"Consider a date night with french food, a bottle of wine that’s nicer than what you normally drink at home, and watching a new movie you justify renting by saying, “Movie tickets would be more expensive.” Le French Diner is the delivery spot you’re looking for. In addition to serving classic French dishes (like hanger steak with cheesy potatoes, tartare, and grilled octopus), this LES spot also has a section of their delivery menu dedicated to cheese boards." - hannah albertine