Bouchon

Save your money and dine elsewhere with better food, better service and cheaper prices.

Bouchon bills itself as a casual French Bistro. They try very hard to do that to. Bread is served on the table top with no bread plates. Water is served with no ice. Visit almost any restaurant in France and you will find much the same.

My visit to Bouchon was a little unique. I ordered the Trout Grenobloise and I had both Trout and Dover Sole prepared the same way the two previous nights at different Vegas establishments. So this was sort of a mini-food wars. Our waitress was interested in how they stacked up. Sadly, Bouchon finished last. There was nothing wrong with it really. Actually it was the "busiest" preparation of the three with little bits of cauliflower placed all over the top. It didn't add anything flavor wise though. In fact, most of it fell off the fish when you ate it. But Bouchon was the only one which had me picking bones out. The fish was deboned but not totally, a mistake not replicated by their competition. And although I can pick a bone or two discreetly from my mouth, at these prices you have to wonder why the other two can get it right and Bouchon didn't.

I like French Bistros. I've eaten at many in France. They are usually the place where people spend much if not all of their afternoon in. Waiters seem shocked when you are asking for the bill in less than an hour. But Bouchon was not the type of place I would want to spend an evening. They tried very hard to be French but they are just lacking that certain ambiance. Maybe it was the noise. Real French Bistros seem to lack that. They are places you can hear yourself think. My wife and I could barely converse without leaning toward each other.

In the end, I have to say my impressions of Bouchon are uneven. There were things I liked and there were things I didn't like. I probably won't go back. There are just too many other people doing it so much better in town.

After the French Laundry, we had expected something more. Unfortunately, it was a forgettable meal. Despite reservations, we were made to wait almost 20 minutes for seating. They did good service recovery with comping drinks, but the rest of the evening made the wait not worth it. skip it for the price

To my delight and surprise, my husband to be, proposed to me on bended knee on a hike in Red Rock Canyon with a 4.4 ct radiant cut diamond I had already made reservations for the evening at Bouchon, as this is my Mom's and kids favorite restaurant in Napa and we have been there MANY times over the years, since we can never get into French Laundry. I was thrilled to celebrate such a momentous event at Bouchon in Vegas. We both wanted to bawl at the service - we were treated like royalty when they heard our news. Glasses of complimentary champagne were immediately brought to the table, the fish, mussels and scallops were impeccable (my husband refuses to eat scallops anywhere else now). We were pleasantly full after our cheese course, but that wasn't all.....not one, not two, but three desserts were brought out to celebrate (also complimentary). Bouchon has superb authentic bistro fare, the best value with the absolute best service in Vegas and Napa. By the way, kid friendly is the Croque Madame - my kids beg for it everywhere we go, but nowhere else has it.