Advertising

Showers 56° » 5-day

You are not logged in

New York Magazine

Skip to content, or skip to search.

Skip to content, or skip to search.

Home > Restaurants > L'Express

L'Express

249 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003
at 20th St.  See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
212-254-5858 Send to Phone

  • Price Range: $$

    Key to Prices and ratings

    Upscale
    • Almost Perfect
    • Exceptional
    • Generally Excellent
    • Very Good
    • Good
    Cheap Eats
    • Best in Category
    • Excellent
    • Delicious
    • Very Good
    • Noteworthy
    • Very Expensive
    • Expensive
    • Moderate
    • Cheap
  • Reader Rating:

    5.0 out of 10

      |  

    7 Reviews | Write a Review

  • Cuisine: Bistro, French

Official Website

lexpressnyc.com

Hours

Daily, 24 hours

Nearby Subway Stops

N, R, W at 23rd St.; 6 at 23rd St.

Prices

$10-$20

Payment Methods

American Express, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

  • 24-Hours
  • Breakfast
  • Brunch - Weekend
  • Late-Night Dining
  • Lunch

Alcohol

  • Full Bar

Reservations

Not Accepted

Profile

L’Express proves that a French bistro in New York can both cater to a mainstream clientele (it’s smack in the middle of the Park Avenue South party zone) and maintain some kind of discipline in the kitchen. Cocktails are strong and classic; beers include several lush, complex French and Belgian brews; and the atmosphere plumbs our collective memory of brasseries past without descending (too deeply) into stereotype. Above all, the menu is uncompromising, with Lyonnais specialties—pig’s feet, blood sausage, two kinds of tripe—sitting right next to less-challenging fare like steak au poivre, salads, and grilled salmon. Speaking of neighbors, yours will be well-dressed veterans of the Odeon, model types sipping apple martinis at the bar, and Francophiles delighted to discover that this place is open 24 hours a day. — Matt Gross

Brunch

Sat.—Sun., 10 a.m.—4 p.m.

Note
Reservations are only accepted on weekdays for parties of 5 or more.

5.0 "Mixed Reviews"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10		 Write Your Own Review
42% Would you go back?
42% Would you take a date?
28% Would you take kids?
28% Would you go on business?
14% Would you go on a special occasion?
Food: 5.7
Service: 3.9
Décor: 5.3
Value: 5.0

Downhill....

lpnyc from 11211 | Posted on 8/24/09

Overall Rating: 4 (Not Recommended)
Food: 4
Service: 3
Décor: 6
Value: 5

I'm not sure if this is typical L'Express these days, or just what happens on Monday nights, or maybe there was no manager on duty tonight, but we had a terrible experience. Here's what happened: 1. Horrible service from a waiter who made us feel he had no time for us (meanwhile the place was half-empty and there were at least 2 other waiters on duty); 2. The staff let a woman bring her dog into the restaurant. She stood at the bar for 5 minutes holding her dog up on a bar stool (she was standing) and chatting with the staff. The dog was not teacup-sized; it was more of a medium-sized dog and definitely not what you should see in a restaurant; 3. The food was barely OK. My entree of chicken and tomato sausages came with a flavorless accompaniment of sauteed spinach and smashed potatoes that needed tons of pepper to inject any flavor. 1 + 2 + 3 = I won't return anytime soon. Another reliable spot has become unreliable.

Roach and Rudeness

xdfxdfxdf from 80202 | Posted on 6/27/09

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Food: 5
Service: 1
Décor: 7
Value: 3

My partner and I ate here tonight and will never return. Not long after we were served, a huge roach crawled across the floor of the restaurant and settled under our table. I flagged a hostess and, while pointing out the roach, knocked over my glass of wine that broke into my dinner. They sent out a replacement dinner and glass of wine, however when the bill came they had charged me for two glasses of wine. I asked the waitress about it and she called the manager, who accused us of lying and refused to remove it from the bill. So I called the Department of Health (311) on the spot. Only then, the manager took the bill and removed the wine. I am amazed at the low standard of service and the blatant rudeness. Everyone knows (or doesn't want to know) that many, even high-end NYC restaurants have critters, so in truth, that wasn't even the issue. It was the attitude of the manager and staff that turned the experience truly sour. We paid the corrected bill, tipped and left. Needless to say, we would not recommend dining at L'Express.

Read All 7 Reviews >>

Advertising

Latest News Near

Advertising
Advertising
Advertise on this Site