Chez Michel in West Vancouver

Today is our anniversary, and we selected this French restaurant to celebrate. I was excited for the evening, but unfortunately, both of us experienced stomach problems after returning home. The food quality fell short of our expectations. I was drawn to the lobster bisque after seeing it on Google Reviews, and it looked quite appealing. Before ordering, I showed the photo to our server and inquired if the soup would include cream. She replied that it would be similar with additional toppings. However, when the soup arrived, there was no resemblance to the photo. The main course I ordered is BOUILLABAISSE, $42 When the main course arrived it was even more disappointing. The salmon was tough and chewy, and it tasted unpleasant, The broth of the bouillabaisse was very thin and watery. I was expecting a true taste of France, but this restaurants food was a far cry from authentic. It was the worst meal Ive had in a long time, and I suffered from food poisoning afterwards.

This is one of the most disappointing experiences I ve had in a while. This older french restaurant we had hoped would be a hidden gem, however it turned out to be a place that I wished I hadn t found. The server was nice lady with a warm welcome, but then everything goes downhill from there. The French onion soup had barely any cheese or onion. It was more a beef broth soup with a soggy bread. When I asked if they forgot the cheese, they replied it had sunk into the soup. I dug around for it and maybe found a few strands of cheese, far from what a French onion soup is supposed to be. I also barely saw any onion as well but figured I d let it go. I selected the feature filet mignon with two lamb rack. When I inquired about the price, I was informed it was $55 and comes with a 6oz filet mignon. When it arrived, the piece of meat on one lamb rack looked bigger than the 6oz steak. I couldn t help but inquired about this and ended up being told the combined protein in this dish was 6oz ?! My jaw dropped but again, I let it go. I cut into my medium rare steak and it was fully well done. This was the same with the lamb chops. I didn t even bother taking a bite and informed them of this and they offered to cook another. When that one came, it was less cooked but nothing like I would expect of a steak. There s no crust to it and the middle was rare, but working with the approximately 3oz steak I can see the difficulty. Then it came to the taste. Aside it from being drenched in a mediocre sauce, there was a taste of lighter fluid/gas in the steak. I let my wife try without telling her what I tasted and she said the exact same thing, so it wasn t just me. I told the server this and she just said, maybe you just have a high expectation of your steaks. For the price, I expect a decent quality steak. I couldn t continue eating it and send it back. I didn t bother getting another dish. I also had a stomachache after leaving the restaurant. For the icing on top, they also charged me GST during this tax holiday .

Total hidden gem in Ambleside area / amazing duck breast / lamb rack filet mignon duo / French onion soup. These are must try. Our server Tanya was friendly and attentive. Will definitely come back for other items in the menu such as duck confit or Bouillabaisse. Nice ambience for dinner in a less crowded setting

Fantastic! chef Jose went above & be on our expectations in terms of the food.Tanya was our server accommodated to us. we came just before they were closing and they took us anyways everything was fantastic. Delicious.

Well, not sure where other reviewers dine, but this is not the same Chez Michel I knew and visited frequently, many years ago. There is nothing French about it, except some music playing in the background. The place is tired and not elegant as it used to be, service is average and half of the items on a menu on a saturday night, not available. Food is fine, but nothing to wow. Every single appetizer dish came served on a small salad plate with a huge bed of greens and hardly anything else we ordered. Saturday night, 7 pm and only three tables full, including us. We were very surprised and at the same time dissapointed. Even the entrance door is ugly and dirty.

There were 4 of us, we ordered 4 different dishes of which there were not 3, there was also no wine we ordered and not even one of the same grape. In the end we ordered 4 dishes of what they had and they forgot to bring one (I think they didnt have them either and they were embarrassed to tell us). Its not the first time we go. We had always done very well Only this time very very very bad

Best french food restaurant Ive ever had and nice atmosphere place with family or friends for dinner . Will definitely come back again soon

Horrible food, new owners havent a clue how to cook.

Used to be our ladies lunch restaurant every month. The menu has changed. We asked if they could make our favourite salad using ingredients they already have and they said no. Not even a let s see what I can do. Butter for the bread was hard and tasted like the fridge. Ordered the lobster bisque which tasted unpleasantly fishy. After only 3 bites, I returned it. The meal was not taken off my bill as apparently the chef said, and I quote: lobster bisque is supposed to taste fishy, so you re not getting a refund. While I understand that comment, there is a difference between good fishy flavour and bad fishy flavour. Had it been the good kind, I would have happily eaten the soup. New wait staff was not very pleasant, was no help at all and didn t try accommodating us at all. I think it s got new owners or new management. Such a shame because before this, we always had a wonderful meal, were always greeted by Michel, and they were always very accommodating. We will not return. And we are sad.

Such a wonderful place! Very peaceful ambiance, friendly and attentive lady, taking the orders and delicious food! Highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Absolutely loved Chez michele ! Very authentic and delicious food , love the ambiance very cozy and special! Tanya was our server , she was wonderful and very helpful and friendly! Definitely coming back soon

A traditional French restaurant with all the traditional dishes. Love the atmosphere at this place and the server was great! Parking: A few reserved spots at the back of the restaurant

Good ambience, very friendly service and most important, tasty food! Will definitely come again.

Ive been going to Chez Michel for the past 6 years and they have never disappointed me or any of my friends and family that Ive brought. Delicious, unpretentious and authentic French cuisine! The service is always top notch; warm, inviting, knowledgeable and attentive. The decor is nothing special. Its pretty boring to be honest. But it doesnt really matter too much when the food and staff are great!

Our mussels appetizer was delicious and our Beef Bourguignon and Bouillabaisse was exceptionally delicious and we finished with the Michel s Caramel Port Custard. Definitely will go back ! It was worth the 1 hour drive to West Vancouver from our home in Surrey. Thank you.. Parking: Great parking Kid-friendliness: Staff was mindful and polite to our friends 2 children and they both enjoyed the beef pie with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Some of the best food and drink Ive had in my entire life, paired with a nice setting and great service.

Great ambience atmosphere for memorable conversation and celebration. Angela who personally greeted us and ensure we were enjoying ourselves. Escargot and garlic butter, complimented the bread nicely. It s a must have. Nice experience; will be back.

Very nice, beautiful location. Great food, large portions.

Amazing food and the service is great.

Great food!

Amazing food, staff, dessert, and the view!!!

French food in west Vancourver, food is great and takes you to the savory memories of Paris restaurants.

I loved the food and atmosphere more than words can express. The escargot, French onion soup, scallops and crème brûlée were the perfect meal!

The food is good except a little bit salty. It could be because our Asian has different taste bud. The fresh out of oven bread is awesome.

Barely three stars. Sancerre was not like anything we have ever tasted so we asked for a different bottle. Calves liver was horribly chewy and hard to swallow, although the gravy was good. Beef Bourguignon was tough. Wont be coming back unless I start seeing better reviews on TripAdvisor. It seems like they are substituting less expensive products and hoping no one notices. Sad to see as Chez Michel was always such a treat. Great service but inferior fare, unfortunately. Pricing was fair at $462 for four w. tip (sharing appetizers and dessert) but the mains were mediocre. Pommes frites and bread were good, mussels and escargot tasty and our server was outstanding. Lovely lady. Hope the folks there can fix things before they lose all their loyal customers. Only four tables filled on a Thursday night.

Came for my birthday and felt like home for a couple of hours. Amazing Escargots & Beef Bourguignon for myself. My partner had the Veal and she loved every single bite of it. Profiteroles for dessert was the perfect way to be happy for the remainder of the evening. 10/10 will come back.

The food was very delicious and the staff was attentive to all our needs. 11/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a friendly atmosphere to just chat with friends, or have a nice night out with the family!

Very nice, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, delicious food. Very good 100% french restaurant

Thanks to wonderful Tanya, katy and kelly to make this a memorable wonderful night! And to all! Food

Thanks to Tanya her service was excellent The ambiance was good Food

The food was better past year. Its look less french food. Too bad it was better before

The food at Chez Michel is always amazing and the atmosphere inside is calm and quiet. The people who work there are always lovely. If you are looking for a quiet place to have a great meal, this is the place for you.

Always a great place for food and atmosphere.

Hidden Gem with excellent French food and selected wines.

Great food and service. Had well over 30 meals and allways leave happy

First off, Linda our server was top notch. She was super attentive and friendly - clearly a total pro. The food however left a lot to be desired and was a pretty forgettable meal. The food felt outdated, uninspired, and was underseasoned. I ordered the steelhead trout Amandine, and while the fish was cooked nicely, the vegetables and rice were incredibly boring. Nothing you couldnt whip up at home midweek. I know that Chez Michel is a West Vancouver institution, but after going I didnt feel that the restaurant has aged well, much like the dirty towel belt in the bathroom. The menu was like a classic French restaurant but in the 80s, and the portion was on the small side. Dont think Ill be back anytime soon.

My favourite restaurant in West Van. Every dish is perfect. Always start with the soup.

Delicious as always!

Nice restaurant. Great food and very friendly service. We had the calf liver. Perfectly done. Good texture and good taste. The crab cake was stunning, with lots of real crab meat. . A very traditional old French restaurant. Just a bit pricey. Will definitely go again!

Hidden gem nicest waitress ever!! Food is so tasty and you have some dish on no other french restaurant s menu!! You have to try!

A true neighborhood place, treated very nicely.

The best French cuisine cook by Chef Michel. We love all the staff. Everyone was so nice and professional. We had a fantastic evening.

My friends and I went there for my birthday, and I had a really great experience there. I ordered the bouillabaisse, and it was really tasty. I really enjoyed it. The service was really great too as they made me feel very special. Definitely will come back again.

Wonderful food, service and atmosphere-- Homey and not loud-has been in West Vancouver for many years---an understated gem.

Food is awesome!

Good service. Authentic. Open for lunch and dinner.

Excellent family run dining room. Authentic french cuisine. Fantastic duck preparation, red snapper provencal style. The wine list is reasonably priced and excellent. Highly recommend it.

This French restaurant is a GEM! A favourite spot of WV locals and visitors alike, stepping into Chez Michel is like stepping into a charming restaurant in Paris, complete with white tablecloths, French music, wine, delicious food and courteous, efficient staff. The food is exquisite and their unique specials are inspired, using fresh ingredients with each dish being beautifully plated and served. Personally, I have been going to this terrific restaurant since the late 70s and have never been disappointed! Excellent track record by any measure! Enjoy!

Im giving this place a two star review rather than a one because I respected the servers and their effort to make our night special. But the reason its getting such a low rating is because in the middle of our dinner, the owner of the restaurant decided to come around every single table without wearing a mask and leaning in way closer than needed to say hi. Were in the middle of a pandemic. You cant expect the people eating to put a mask on when they see you walking towards them. Have the courtesy to protect the people who are paying to come to your restaurant. Needless to say, we will no longer be dining at this place. Edit: The owner called my husband to shout for 11 minutes about this review. We feel its important to share the rest of our experience and adjust our review from 2 stars to 1 accordingly. We booked a table for 2, 47 days in advance for our anniversary, and didnt get a window seat. There was a 26 person party booked during our visit. More than half the restaurant had been sectioned off for the event.

Disappointing (both service and food) - my first and last time at this location - visited yesterday, didnt even sit down properly after arriving and the server told me that they needed the table in less than 2 hours (even though I called a few days earlier to made a reservation... never had a situation like this before...), but well, I thought I was there for the food... The daily specials looked good on paper, but the food was rather average, I ordered elk, did I eat it, yes (I was hungry), would I recommend it - no, it tasted like a typical average pub food, but far from French cuisine... Did I tip? Yes, because thats what I do, would I recommend this place? Definitely not... Real French cuisine tastes well better, my creme brule was the ultimate test... eatable thats it... We were rushed by 2 servers to finish before 7:30 (since they booked the table for someone else), Im not rushed to write this review... P.S. added later - just reading the owners reply to my review - same level of ignorance as during my visit there, which means they will keep on timing guests to the minute... No comment as to the average quality of food, so hes not only missing the point but maybe also missing the real French food LOL and just serving whatever or maybe he does not even know what good food is, in either case a sad story... Please, more places where the owners cook and serve with passion, this is unfortunately not one of them...

Great food and wine! The owner was funny and charming, he has great knowledge on Wine. Highly recommended, rating the place 5 out of 5 doesnt justify how please I am with Chez Michel.

Great experience and delicious :)

Excellent food and atmosphere.

Superb quality food, great service and excellent ambience. Worths keep on returning

From Service to Food every aspect good including pricing

Its part of the community now. They are well establish. I can always count on the quality and being consistent. I go there for the food mainly even though they know their wines. At the beginning, there was two owners Today, there is only one who keeps it french all the way, music included. I sang a few songs while waiting for my food. It does not take long to come to the table and the kitchen knows what to do. I was happy to have my frites and steak both warm. I know some place where they can not serve both hot. I always regret that, not chez michel. Bravo kitchen! I ordered what I like best or taste missing since the last them I was there. ( before covid). My regret is missing the food on their special of the day. So sad, one stomach and many plates. I will return and share of bottle of wine with my wife. I can not wait as long as I did. Guilty of staying in touch!

Went for 100yr birthday party, food and service was great. Comfortable seats, friendly staff.

Nice French restaurant, great service, great French cuisine. Would have given 5 stars if my French fries hadnt been over fried

Delicious!

Wonderful intimate atmosphere only surpassed by the food and service

Excellent classic french food in quiet, elegant restaurant with attentive, experienced staff. A West Vancouver gem.

Place where I loved and had alot of fond memories with family

Delicious Dijon kidneys. Superb apple pie. Excellent service.

One of the last great Traditional French restaurants. The food is exquisite.

Fine dining...with a French twist

Food is always on point and the service is friendly. Never had a bad meal here.

Great evening!

Had the snapper and oysters!! Coming back again

It was the best beef steak that ever had in my life. Thanks Michel!

Delicious French cuisine.

Absolutely adore this place. The food, the service are incredible. Keep going back and not once had a bad evening.

Good menu.A. nice treat for a special occasion.Well prepared and tasty food.

very goooooood

Amazing food. Will be back

Friendly staff and good classic French food.

Mediocre meal and service

We just love Chez Michele. The food in this wonderful little restaurant is always wonderful. The parking out back is great for wheelchair access.

Very good French restaurant. Welcoming owner and staff. A delight for the taste buds!

Outstanding service and great food. Highly recommended.

Very classy with a nice view. Excellently cooked meats and seafood. The owners are constantly present and will chat. Nice wine menu, definitely check their daily specials for wine and food!

Great food, great service. Gets crowded quickly though, and their parking is scarce

Our favourite

Very good French restaurant