Au Comptoir

We were looking for a good and authentic French restaurant in Vancouver for an anniversary. Many places around are usually French fusion and we wanted to have just the whole experience. Other reviews have said that service was curt and moody, but when we went, our waiter was great! He was super attentive (but not overbearing), glasses got filled up constantly, and plates were cleared promptly. We went quite early so restaurant was just filled with a couple other tables and noise level wasn't too loud.

We ordered 2 appetizers - the scallops ($22) and tartare de wagyu ($21). Scallops were nice and fresh and each bite was slightly tart due to the lemon. Serrano ham added a nice crunch. Super impressed with this dish. Actually really thought that the sardines balanced with the scallops. Tartar was pretty typical and tasty. The bread that it came with was soft and fluffy which I loved.

For mains, we ordered the duck breast ($42) and ribeye with fries ($42). Duck was my favourite! Duck wasn't cooked to absolute perfection but was tender enough. Loved the plum sauce as well, pretty similar to hk-style roast but it was a less thick sauce overall. Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy the ribeye - both the steak and fries were quite salty in my opinion (probably from the peppercorn sauce). Salad was on the overly sour-side from the dressing. Just a lot going on for the taste buds but nothing really stood out.

I actually really liked all their appetizers. Definitely on the pricier side but I had a great time and would consider for another special occasion.

Stopped in here to get out of the heat during the Khatsahlano street party. I didn't get any food, so I can't comment on that. I can comment that the drinks and service are impeccable though! The food did look and smell good though! Sat at the bar and ordered a few drinks. I asked them for a drink they don't normally make, they listened to how I like it and made it perfectly. Good banter with the staff while sitting there. Overall, standup place with a great staff. I'll come back to try the food next time!

A disappointing meal, considering we had heard good things from a friend. The service was barely passable, there were only a few dishes that didn't have meat, and the delicacy of the sablefish special was destroyed by the unpleasant fish volute and clams it was paired with. A shame since the fish was cooked beautiful with crispy skin but was a fillet slightly larger than my thumb and served with just two small carrots for $42. I did enjoy the truffle mushroom risotto, the only veg offering on the menu, (though I'm now nervous there could have been animal stock in it. Needless to say we skipped dessert, and though we were tempted by the idea of mussels and frites night, we won't be going back.

Wonderful French food! It's not super veggie friendly but they do have cheese plates, risotto, salads and soup. Last time I had the risotto, with the daily soup, next time I'll just have cheese and soup. My friends had the Wellington and fois gras. They said it was great. They have a good selection on their wine list.

The service is very good and it feels like a proper French bistro. They don't take reservations and your whole table has to be there before they will seat you.
I highly recommend this little gem!

Literally one of my favourite French bistro in town. We came here to celebrate one summer afternoon.

I love to start off my meal with good baguette and butter with fine red wine.

We had this scrumptious duck dish. The skin was crispy and the meat tender. We couldn't stop talking about it.

We also had the seared sea scallops which was cooked to perfection.

I wish we could make reservation as I would be here way more frequently but it is a first come first serve basis establishment. It is worth the wait? Definitely especially if you are here for dinner.

Rich cuisine ( as it should be ) along with St Germain stylings and people with French accents.

I love it here.

Our first DINNER here. My goodness did we enjoy ourselves. Warm, not loud -- fancy without being fussy. FRENCH. (Unapologetically French!). Thank you Charles for the great service. We sat at the bar. We lingered without pressure.

Came here for lunch on a Thursday to try. They open at 1130a and the tables fill up quickly

Very attentive waiters who actually are French.

Had Croque Madame. Nice and savory. Wonderful fries and nice salad sides. Not too expensive.

House coffee is quite good.

Nice atmosphere.

Street meter parking or paid lots around the corner on Yew between 4th and 5th

Here is what I got:

- GAUFRE MADAME: House-made buckwheat waffle, parisian ham, onion mornay, poached eggs.
- RIS DE VEAU: Roasted veal sweetbreads, winter squash, parsnip, mushrooms, poached eggs.
- FONDANT AU CHOCOLAT: Dark chocolate molten cake served with house-made liquorice orange ice cream.
- GATEAU BASQUE: Warm vanilla and almond pastry cream pie served with espelette black cherry sorbet.

Located in vibrant Kitsilano neighborhood, Au Comptoir is a cozy yet charming cafe serving French classic. They offer breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, a bar and outdoor seatings. Au Comptoir has been one of my favorite French restaurants for years.

Our first dish was the Gaufre Madam, every bite melts in your mouth. The onion mornay blended well with the waffle and was so delicious. Our second dish was the Ris De Veau. The veal itself was crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. Alll the ingredients were fresh, and cook to perfection. Last but not least, the desserts! I love both of the desserts, they were not overly sweet. My favorite was their Fondant au Chocolat, since they use dark chocolate, they are not sweet yet they are rich, but not too rich. It is served with homemade ice cream and caramel, so it balance out the bitterness. The Gateau Basque was also good, the pastry was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The black cherry sorbet was so fresh and add fruity flavor to the pastry. Every ingredients in each dishes were perfectly balanced out, and thoughtfully presented.

Overall, I love Au Comptoir for their splendid ingedients quality, taste and service. Recommended!

Came here for brunch and food was quite good especially the duck confit was amazing. Service? Hmm meh. It was very mid les faux bourgeois had a better service and was one of the loveliest. Not so much here. Dont expect a good service from a french restaurant and if you think their service is bad please avoid from giving a tip. Anyway, ask for the brioche but they gave a whole meal of salmon brioche instead. Asked whether this is right, but the answer was yes. Nothing but rude customer service. I have no comment on this. Instead of taking the mistakes, we have to suck it up? Lol anyway i have no more comment on this. I hope you fix the service. Although the food was good, if your service is bad, well youd definitely have to face some problems in the future.