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Home > Restaurants > A.O.C., (l’Ail ou la Cuisse)

All Reader Reviews of...

A.O.C., (l’Ail ou la Cuisse)

314 Bleecker St., New York, NY, 10014
at Grove St.
212-675-9463

6.7 "Recommended"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10		 Write Your Own Review
71% Would you go back?
71% Would you take a date?
42% Would you take kids?
42% Would you go on business?
71% Would you go on a special occasion?
Food: 6.5
Service: 5.4
Décor: 5.3
Value: 6.9
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  • Showing reviews 1 through 7 of 7

Excellent Food, Everyting else bad

ajw18 from 10003 | Posted on 4/11/09

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: (NA)
Service: 3
Décor: 5
Value: 7

This is very European like. There is a open space in the back that is available for seating during the summer. The food is spectacular and the waiters are very knowledgeable about the great wines and the menu choices. Service is very slow, and they only take American Express. They are also very keen on rushing you out during busy times that is off-putting. Definitely a must, but try going a little early if possible.

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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

HORRIBLE--BEWARE

gabjen from 10016 | Posted on 10/7/08

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 2
Service: 2
Décor: 4
Value: 3

OK, LET ME JUST SAY 1 WORD AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF......HAIR., AND IT WAS INTERTWINED AROUND THE KNIFE, SO BIZARRE I WANTED TO THROW UP. THE PLACE WAS DIRTY AND DISGUSTING. SERVICE WAS HORRIBLE, THEY JUST WERE OUT OF SINC...ONE PERSON CAME ASKING A QUESTION THE OTHER JUST HAD ASKED, LEFT HAND DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WAS DOING.

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3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Garden Gem

SophieGoodwin from 10011 | Posted on 8/2/08

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 8
Service: 9
Décor: 7
Value: 8

The intimate garden hidden in the back of this West Village Bistro is the perfect place to cozy up with a date, a bottle of wine and some solid French fare. The menu is extensive and may leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed, but the food delivers and the pleasant servers are happy to help you navigate through it. For a late afternoon pick-me-up, try the Charcuterie Plate and a bottle of the Rose de Provence. They do meat best, and a more hearty meal should include the juicy Onglet A L'Echalote or the Confit. For those who truly believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you can have not only eggs any style but also virtually everything off the entire menu. I'm not sure how I feel about eating Coq Au Vin at 8AM, but it's rarely busy through the week and a peaceful place to read the paper over coffee. Be sure to arrive early as they do not take reservations for outside. Also, you'll need an American Express or Cash Money since they don't accept anything else.

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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Good French food without French Prices

blueshiva from 10004 | Posted on 5/25/08

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 9
Service: 9
Décor: 8
Value: 10

My first encounter with AOC was on a February Sunday around lunch time. All the other bistros around the area were over-packed and this one looked charming and had seats. I had a simply delicious lunch with very adequate portions and coffee refills. Everything was marvelous and very reasonably priced. Now I am in Paris contemplating lunch out on a May Sunday 2008 and expecting to pay at least 40 Euros ($60.00) for something similar. Alas, missing NYC in Paris! We've got it good in NY. Looking forward to coming home and going back to A O C.

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3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Poor choice for large party

MarcusMaso from 10002 | Posted on 4/16/08

Overall Rating: 1 (Not Recommended)
Would you go back? No
Would you take a date? No
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? No
Food: 1
Service: 1
Décor: 1
Value: 1

Recently tried to plan a birthday party for 15 people here and was completely disappointed. We spoke to the first manager who told us it would be $75/pp for a prix fixe. When we called back to negotiate, we then spoke with a different manager who quoted us a price of $55/pp. We made a deal with the second manager (with reason, seeing the $20/pp price differential) and thought the case was closed. Tonight we get a call from the second manager saying that since we spoke with the first manager and had "negotiated" a price of $75, we were bound to that price. RIDICULOUS. We never accepted $75 per person, so there was no binding agreement. In fact, we called to counter their $75, and the second manager offered $55 for the menu that was presented. He took my credit-card info and said the contract would be ready for tomorrow. Both offers were without gratuity & tax, but I would have gladly done the deal at $75 without gratuity & tax to make up for the arbitrage between both managers. The restaurant business is part of the service industry, which tonight they failed miserably.

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5 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

Authentic and Rich

FTC5150 from 10003 | Posted on 3/26/08

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? No
Would you go on business? No
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 10
Service: 7
Décor: 5
Value: 10

The food here is absolutely divine! The portions are unusually large for a French restaurant and the wine list is superb. The service is somewhat lacking, but that does not detract from an amazing meal. Very quaint, and very delicious.

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5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

French?

stevensteven from 30340 | Posted on 7/4/07

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)
Would you go back? Yes
Would you take a date? Yes
Would you take kids? Yes
Would you go on business? Yes
Would you go on a special occasion? Yes
Food: 9
Service: 7
Décor: 7
Value: 9

Always ask for the Garden area; it won't be offered. The service is friendly but hardly efficient. I had a salmon tarter that was a wonderful mixture of tart and sweet. The entre was a superbly done stripped bass with cauliflowered potatoes. My partner had a fois gras pate followed by a salad nicoise with the tuna rare. All was accompanied by a reasonably priced pinot noir. This is a little gem that delivers on the promise of affordable, innovative continental cuisine.

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47 out of 129 people found this review helpful.

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