The best French cuisine restaurants Côte Ouest Etats-Unis

This restaurant all dressed in yellow and with an original decoration is located at the west exit of Needles. It is one of the classic stops on Route 66, which merges here with the Old National Trails Highway. The building dates from 1955 but the restaurant has only been open since 1978. The dishes are of good quality and typically American (fried chicken, sandwiches, burgers, salads, etc.), with some Mexican specialities too. An address not to be neglected before going further into the desert areas surrounding Needles.

This successful little French bistro has expanded, taking on the allure of a Parisian establishment. Thanks to this new space, the wine and beer lists have been extended, and the crêpes, as good as ever, are wonderfully accompanied by these Californian and European nectars. Both sweet and savoury crepes are recommended, and for breakfast you can enjoy pastries, a good baguette, a croissant or a nice fruit salad. It's a French-style treat, but it's only open until lunchtime.

In a very Route 66 atmosphere and decor, they serve you burgers, soups, salads, sandwiches but also desserts that smell like the fifties... It is necessary to say that the place was at the same time a café and a gas station during the years 1950-1960. So you can really feel that era while tasting your meal. They also serve hearty breakfasts for a small fee. The waitresses also play the game fully and are ready to describe all the dishes without begrudging! Beware: the place is very crowded at meal times.

Rod's Steak House opened in 1946, during the heyday of Route 66. The sign in the shape of an ox clearly shows the specialty of the house. The animal is served there in all its forms or almost. You can, for example, taste liver prepared the old fashioned way or excellent beef ribs. All main courses include a soup of the day or a green salad as well as baked potatoes, French fries or green beans. The establishment was temporarily closed in 2022, with no announced reopening date.

A.O.C. is the second establishment opened by chef Suzanne Goin and sommelier Caroline Styne, a talented duo. Suzanne Goin, who studied with some of the world's greatest chefs, prepares an inventive cuisine with Mediterranean influences, flavored with spices from around the world. As for her, her partner has elaborated a wine list that has won several awards and presents a hundred references. A special feature is the wood-fired oven in which the delicious black rice with squid and the brioche with prosciutto and Gruyere cheese - among others - are cooked.

A complex of restaurants as charming as others installed in the Union Hotel. Here you will find a typical American kitchen restaurant, pizzeria and bakery. Wooden decor, lovely staff, fireplaces and breads and desserts are home made, happiness in pure condition!

We would like all neighbourhood restaurants to be so refined. The menu is inspired by the Santa Monica farmer market and changes every month. The list of wines has been carefully designed, but the price is paid. Artisanales beer also has their sommelier, which is why it is just as impossible to choose at the time of order. Here, everything is organic and everything is good!

Michael McCarty opened this restaurant on his behalf in 1979; it then influences Californian cuisine and becomes the leader of the fusion movement. He was among those who popularized the alliance of goat cheese with arugula and caramelized onions. He is also among the first to have deign taken California's wines seriously. Today Michael seems to have remained stuck in his golden age. A small lifting of the menu would not hurt anyone. The breakfast on its terrace is simply a necessity. Artists, writers, actors and all those who can afford it come here.

In the heart of the lively Gaslamp district, it is the place to go if you are homesick or just want to eat well. Here everything is homemade, chef Eric supervises the pastry and bakery part, Ludivine, the owner takes care of the salty menu. We enjoy brunch, salads, sandwiches and pancakes, gourmet pastries and pastries. In the evening, it is a wine bar with plates of cold meats and cheese. They were voted "best desserts" by San Diego Magazine in 2019.

The same concept as its small brother and neighbour, the Crossroads Café, the servers and employees are ex-inmates in a reintegration program (the Delancey Street Foundation). The staff were very friendly and helpful. For the evening, typical American kitchen and excellent cakes (taste chocolate-based, a delight) for a few dollars. A very good address.

Brasserie atmosphere for the oldest French restaurant in San Francisco... In Bush Street, on the right going down to Market Street, impossible to miss! A vintage red Tabac sign in the French style marks this establishment which plays on the made in France. It exists since 1974 and it is an institution. The specialities? Cassoulet, black pudding and filet mignon. Unfortunately all this is a bit overrated and rather touristy. But the room is pleasant and the location, just a step away from Union Square, is convenient.

The Holland Burger Café takes us back to the blessed years of Route 66. The building was built by Bab and Kate Holland in 1947. In 1979, Richard Gentry bought the business as a gift for his wife, Emma Jean, who had been a waitress there for several years. The place was naturally renamed Emma Jean's Holland Burger Cafe. We enjoy eating the homemade burgers in this small building still run by the family.

A family business of which Joan is the boss. This child of Czech immigrants grew up in New Jersey before going to Manhattan for cooking classes. She opened her own cooking school and first restaurant there before flying to the West Coast in the 1970s. Its current establishment, which opened in 1995, has since grown steadily. Joan On Third is now more than ever a trendy address that is constantly reinventing itself, and it is also a major caterer in Los Angeles. Another address has opened in the Studio City area.

With his old zinc counter, it looks like the Figaro is straight out of the beautiful quarters of Paris… Madonna even turned a clip to Louis Vuitton in 2009. Los Angeles is a real culinary paradise mixing all the influences of Asian, Mexican and American traditions, so we don't recommend that you throw yourself on a fried chat; but if you have a sudden envy of Burgundy snails or marinative mussels, this restaurant will be all right. The hotel is held by a Frenchman and offers typical cuisine from home, without falling into the clichés. The chocolate soufflé is divine; during happy hours, you can sip kir, wine or small aperitifs from 5 US $ unity.

Mathilde is a French restaurant located in the SoMa neighbourhood south of Market Street, right next to the Yerba Buena Center. By pushing the door of the restaurant, a story begins: cosy, modern atmosphere, outdoor patio: ideal for a two-way dinner. The map includes classic French cuisine. Like the premises, you will surely spoil yourself with the bucco or verbal osso, but one thing is certain: keep room for desserts, they are excellent.

This fine address opened its doors in 1981 in the lively Sunset Plaza district. Le Petit Four's success is due in part to its charm, which is comparable to that of a brasserie in the south of France. Its eclectic Mediterranean cuisine includes a wide variety of salads, meats, fish and pastas, as well as a few pizzas and vegetarian dishes. From Napoleon to cheesecake, from saint-honoré to tarte Tatin, the desserts are an admirable blend of French pastry expertise and American gourmandise.

Located in the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Palazzo, one comes to this trendy restaurant for its atmosphere and for its successful cuisine at the crossroads of Japan and Latin America. The establishment offers a culinary mix between Japan, Brazil and Peru. You can enjoy Japanese tempura and sushi, Brazilian churrasco and moqueca, as well as Peruvian anticuchos and ceviche. It is possible to eat in the room or at the bar. As Sushisamba is very busy, it is highly recommended to make reservations.