Rustique Lendal in York

My husband and I dined at Rustique last night (05.03.2024) to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The restaurant was very busy all evening so the atmosphere was great - lots of people happily chatting away, etc. Our waiter - neither of us took note of his name, unfortunately - was so friendly and nothing was too much trouble for him. During our initial chat with him my husband mentioned it was our anniversary and within minutes he was back with two glasses of complimentary fizz from the team! We chose to select three courses from the set menu - which is far more extensive than the 'cheap' options available at other restaurants we've dined at - and I would defy anyone to not be able to choose from it. Everything we ate was absolutely delicious - and so worth the money - and always served with a smile and a little chat. We honestly couldn't fault Rustique in any way - the food, staff and atmosphere is amazing and we'll definitely be back! Thank you!

Excellent food value and experience

This is the best French bistro restaurant we have ever found outside of France. Superb food, friendly and super-efficient service, excellent value. Just wish it wasn't 170 miles up the road from home!

Really lovely restaurant, service was quick, food was very tasty and plentiful. There were lots of staff, all that we encountered were polite and friendly. We will definitely return.

There was four of us and four different dishes all absolutely beautiful. The nicest scallops I’ve had

Delightful- service excellent, delicious food and reasonable prices.

Lunch before going to the opera house

Lovely food. Service is excellent

My partner and I booked here for dinner to kick off our York trip. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants great quality food and value for money. We were very impressed after having 3 courses off the set menu - SO much choice which was part of the reason we chose here and did not disappoint. Generous portions too and cocktails were delicious! Special shout out to Ethan who was attentive but not overbearing, friendly and made sure we were happy. A wonderful evening and the restaurant has a lovely ambience and atmosphere 🙂

Busy, vibrant atmosphere, super service with great food. What more can you ask for.

Classic French restaurant, good food, including loads of garlic! Great set menu offer

Restaurant is good but not worth the hype. The food is a good but nothing special and little tasteless. Ambiance and service is good. Not worth the visit.

A lovely restaurant, authentic French food beautifully presented. I had scallops to start which were perfect then chicken wrapped in dry cured ham. My husband had French onion soup followed by steak, we had a cheese board for dessert all of which I can highly recommend and we will return on our next visit to York.

Superb, can't fault the place. Top quality food and service and a lovely atmosphere. Will definitely go again. ✔️👍🤠

Honestly cannot praise this place enough. One of the best meals I’ve ever had. I’ve eaten all over the world and this place is in my top 5. It was actually that good. Escargot, moules, onion soup and pate for starters were all excellent. The beef bourguignon was unreal and so was the lamb. What a place 👌

Met with friends for the Set Menu, 2 courses. Food was really nice and a good price. Was quite busy upstairs & downstairs and our Server was a little brusk but didn't spoil our meal.

My regular every time I am in York. Best French restaurant and have never been disappointed. First class food with first class service.

had a really really lovely experience here - the food tasted amazing, upstairs is so magical and the menu is great, almost too good to be true - but after eating from the set menu yesterday i have come down with some pretty worrying food poisoning. just putting this fact out there and hoping that it doesn’t happen to others in future :)

If there were negative stars, I would put it down. Way to be inconsiderate when there is a wheel chair involved. I have been here several times, always recommended them to my friends and family. Today we had a booking for 3 people, and one had a wheel chair/mobility scooter small size for a very small lady. The receptionist treated us like we were contagious or sth, refused to help us and asked us to ask neighbouring shops if they would take the schooter because she won't. I am never ever coming again. You made the person so conscious about it and felt apologetic to everyone and felt like it was their fault, but this wasfar from it,the very least the receptionist should have been nice about it and apologise..

La comida muy buena. Además algunos días tienen la posibilidad de escoger un menú de entrante y principal, o principal y postre, y merece mucho la pena. Volveré seguro.

Great food, great atmosphere, great service. A real gem. Its really nice to be able to make the most of the summer sun on the outside terrace. Be aware though, this restaurant is always busy so it's best to book.

What a great place to eat. Incredible selection of food. All very high quality and cooked to perfection. 1000/10 will definitely be back.

Incredible food for amazing prices. We chose the set menu, fantastic value!

What a lovely little restaurant, went on a Sunday evening , the restaurant was full. We sat near the bar and ordered off the set menu which had so much choice, the cassoulet and confit duck leg were both delicious , the potatoes with the duck were nice and garlicky. We will definitely return

Superb French classics, great service attentive without being intrusive and it's fantastic value, thoroughly recommend 👌

Lovely find near parking, theatres etc Very French feel, lovely food and good service. Would go again and would recommend.

Wonderful set course dinner. From the minute we walked in we were greeted warmly and were impressed by the decor and finishing touches. We thought we were the only people there but within minutes the place filled upstairs with large tables and a steady stream of walk ins. Clearly a popular venue and well deserved. Our food and service were perfect and we will most definitely be back. Big thanks to Katerina and her colleague who were effortlessly welcoming.

Friends recommended the place for us. The service was up to per and the staff seemed kind and friendly. The starter mushroom was delicious, and the lentils soup was hot (good). For the mains we had stakes, mine with fries and my partner’s mashed potatoes. I had the creme Brulee for dessert, should’ve gone for the lemon tart. The food was delicious and had an enjoyable evening.

Wonderful restaurant the food is exquisite, spoilt for choice, served by wonderful staff, special mention for the lady with blond hair, what a sweetheart!!! nothing was too much trouble and although it was busy (Saturday evening) service was prompt and piping hot, would recommend the poulet, fish cakes and sea bass, crepes were divine and all cooked to perfection. Definitely recommend as the place to eat for good food excellent service and vibrant atmosphere. Well done to the whole team

Lovely food lovely service ( especially Di Di!). Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks ethan 😄

From entering to paying the bill everything was 5 stars. We definitely will be back.

Service was great I had my 1 year old with me and the staff were so lovely and playful toward and the food was absolutely divine

cosy little restaurant very busy but we managed to get a table from walking in, As a coeliac I found the menu to be limited ordered the mushrooms they were ok, the burger was disappointing slapped between 2 slices of gf bread, patty was dry barely any cheese best thing were the fries, for me over priced not value for money won't return

A fantastic French restaurant with exquisite food and friendly staff. My other half and I each had a set menu with 3 courses. We both had a Crème brûlée for dessert, as a main he had a Confit de Canard (Slow roasted leg of duck served with Dauphinoise potatoes and a port and redcurrant sauce) and I had Croquettes de Saumon,(Homemade salmon fishcakes served with mixed leaves, fries and tartare sauce) and for starters he had a Classic French Onion Soup which he claims to be as delicious as the one he had in Paris; and I had Fritot de Brie (Breaded brie served with mixed leaves and mixed berry compote). We also had a glass of white and red wine respectively. We highly recommend the restaurant, I would rate it 10/10. 🤩

A group of 8 work colleagues who eat out a lot at many top venues. We universally found the food excellent and very reasonably priced. Mussels were superb. The staff were brilliant and the venue was perfect. Thanks for a great night.

Absolutely fantastic meal last night for my fiancés 30th Birthday. The food was just lovely, we went for the set menu which doesn’t disappoint. Our waiter was lovely and added charm to the meal with his sense of humour. Thank you for a lovely experience we will definitely be coming again! P.s open a restaurant in Beverley!

Food was excellent, the staff were attentive but not obtrusive and we had a cosy table tucked away which made the atmosphere intimate. Going back again this coming July.

Exceptional food and wine, service was also very good. If you are in York please visit you won’t be disappointed.

Had a really lovely meal. The service was excellent with out waiter being friendly, attentive, excellent recommendations and good conversation. We've been before and will definitely be back.

Very good foood and lovely staff honestly

Just had a meal and drinks here. What lovely staff! Arrived at 7pm for our table, didn’t realise set menu finished at 7pm, so began to look at a la carte menu (it was fine) and the waiter then came back and said it was fine to order from set menu. So kind; said thank you and that he had made my birthday! Starters arrived….lush!!! Then a glass of champagne for my birthday FOC!!!!! So surprised and so happy! Made me feel special! Mains arrived, just as yummy! Didn’t feel rushed to leave! Just a perfect birthday meal with my bestie! Thanks Rustique xx

I adore French food and when I saw there was a French restaurant in York that had good reviews and fairly reasonable prices, I made a reservation for our first of four nights in town. We were seated quickly and had a nice table on the main floor. Our drink orders were taken post haste, a bottle of Les Vignerons - Carignan Syrah (£25.15) and a pineapple juice (£2.25), and delivered equally as fast. The male server arrived with an open bottle and started pouring, chug-a-lug-a-lug, no tasting, just sloppily emptying the bottle into my glass. It was tremendously unimpressive. Great start! We both ordered the three-course Set Menu (£25.95). For our entrees, I had the Moules Marinieres à la Creme (mussels in a wine, garlic, herb, and cream sauce) and my wife the Champignons a L'Ail (mushrooms in a garlic cream sauce). My mussels were plentiful for a starter and fresh, but I could barely taste the wine, garlic, or cream. The sauce was watery. My wife's mushrooms were very tasty. On to Les Plats Principaux ... Mine was the Steak Frites with Mushroom Sauce and my wife's the Tarte aux Champignons et Pont L'Eveque (mushroom tart with leeks and Pont L'Eveque cheese). My steak was tiny, four to five ounces max, and half of it was gristle, so I was able to swallow maybe three ounces of it. I told the server that the first bite was very tough, but I never saw her again until I had chewed and spat out half of the steak. The fries were hot and tasty and the mushroom sauce was good, but what a huge disappointment. My spouse enjoyed her tart, but I thought it was rather bland. For dessert, I asked for the Sèlection de Fromages Francais (French cheese board) and my lovely bride the Crème Brûlèe. My cheeses were very good, with three varieties and coming with a bit of lettuce and a few grapes as well as a small baguette. I left just enough wine in the bottle to savor one of my favorite things in life - cheese, bread, and wine. My wife's crème brûlèe was massive, the biggest I had ever seen, so she hit a triple while I had just s single - she hit 1.000 for the night while I hit a mere .333. Our server, Didi, was very sweet and felt terrible because I had not enjoyed my meal, so she offered to discount my meal. However, my journalistic integrity would not allow me to accept remuneration for my meal and we paid full fare - £91+ including tip. A couple of small things spoiled this meal and both were completely avoidable. A little more wine, garlic, and cream, a minuscule cost for the restaurant, would have brought the mussels to a five-star level. As far as the tiny, cheap cut of meat I received, I had no problem with the size had it been tender because bigger is not always better, just ask my friend's wife. Quality control in the kitchen was obviously lacking, hence my rating ... CombatCritic Gives Rustique 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Did not feel welcome and felt the food was rushed out the kitchen. I have had better mussels and steak elsewhere and the fact this was sent out and finished within 30mins of arriving was not good.

Good food, good waiter, good location. But not great.

We had the 2 course set menu with onion soup, casserole, confit duck, and sticky toffee pudding. The food tasted nice but felt unrefined and lacking opportunity. For example, the bread in the soup was served already disintegrating but had good taste. It may go without saying at this price point the dessert was all pre-made but still tasted nice. Overall a nice restaurant which is priced fairly for the food being served.

very rude waiter, had absolutely NO consideration of allergies, and continued to mock my coeliac disease as I worryingly asked which foods I would be able to eat- even though I rang ahead and was assured there would be a gluten free menu. Avoid this place if your not a fan of arrogant abelist men.

My husband and I had a fabulous lunch at Rustique today. Couldn't fault anything.. probably one of the best 3 course set menus we've ever had. C'est magnifique!!

Lovely. Duck breast from the specials was amazing. Only complaint was the French bread could have been fresher and warmer.

Lovely relaxed atmosphere, excellent food and friendly service.

Lovely Christmas meal with family. Food and service excellent as always.

What a fantastic experience! I took my girlfriend here for a romantic meal, the food was incredible, the wine options were great and well priced. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly! I will recommend this to anyone visiting york!

Good food lovely atmosphere and price was reasonable for such a good food standard

We went because of the outstanding reviews but we're disappointed by the quality of the food. It all lacked flavour and tasted watery. I have doubts about the freshness of most of the ingredients. The service was very nice and the interior is cozy. We had our meal heavily discounted after we told them we weren't happy with the food. The waiter and manager handled the situation well.

The staff here are very nice. However, the food is not very good quality. During our visit, it was under-seasoned, overcooked and the majority appeared not to be fresh (e.g. frozen, mass-produced bread). If you don’t enjoy your meal, you will be treated kindly. However, I would advise not attending in the first place.

This restaurant has it all!!! Super friendly, efficient and caring staff, wonderful flavored food with grand options and great prices. Everything was divine! Cocktails and wine choices were excellent.Clean, beautiful atmosphere. I would go back tomorrow if I could. Don't miss this one when in the beautiful town of York!

Cant fault anything. Excellent service, exceptional food, brilliant staff and a beautiful restaurant. Second time and will return 100%.

Definitely recommend this amazing place. Don’t hesitate to order the onion soup!

Second visit here, thought I'd give it another try after disappointing first experience. Unfortunately it was as bad, if not worse than my first experience. The chef obviously can't cook a steak! If they can't do that then abandon all hope. The steak is not tender at all, tough as old boots. We asked for medium steaks, they came back very rare. Asked for them to be cooked more. They came back exactly the same. Waitress was cold and unfriendly. We left and won't be back again.

Lovely French restaurant.. excellent 3 course set menu.. food cooked to perfection steak delicious as were other course's. Service good and nice atmosphere. Would recommend and definitely return.

Just a lovely place for that slightly special meal

Good value for money, the dessert was delicious, so was the dessert wine. The service was quite expedite and flawless, do keep in mind that they are quite busy so will require pre-booking and make sure not to show up too early, I made the mistake of doing so and had to wait, but all was good.

The food is divine, the staff are stupendous and the atmosphere is lively. There is nothing there to not like. We love eating here when we visit x

We always go here for our anniversary. Food, service and atmosphere is fantastic. High recommend visiting and try the steak.

What a disappointment. We ate here a couple of years ago and the food was great. We went last night and the quality of some of the food left a lot to be desired. The mushroom starter was a tastless thin sauce with half cooked mushrooms. My wife then had the chicken which was in the same thin tastless sauce. Awful. My meal was OK The resuarant was very busy and cheap. I would take the pressure off the kitchen by charging more whilst maintaining profits.

Really enjoyed the food here and the service was impeccable

Dined here without booking and we were very lucky to get in. The fixed price menu is very good with plenty of choice: written in French with translation. Had a house wine, which I found to be exceptional value for the quality. Food amazing, atmosphere buzzing and service was excellent.

Delightful menu, wonderful friendly service, great atmosphere and most importantly delicious hot food

An absolutely great restaurant which I would happily return to if I went back to York.

Had lunch here. Starters, French Onion Soup. Delicious. Main, Cassoulet. Average. Cheap sausage, tiny piece of belly pork The beans were dry and there was a film on the surface, consistent to it being kept warm in the dish for a while. Pudding, Chocolate Pot. Delicious. Service was hurried with too much emphasis on getting you through your meal ready for the next sitting.

Absolutely fabulous place to eat. Food is exquisite, staff are friendly, efficient and really look after you but without smothering you. We Absolutely love this restaurant and any time we're in York, make a point in going here for food as both the food and the wine along with the staff, just make you feel you've been out and had a really special night. If I had friends going to visit York, this is the one place I'd tell them not to miss out on visiting. Thank you so much for yet another lovely evening, in a lovely setting, with fabulous food and staff. Can't wait till we next visit York again so we can visit you again.

Brilliant! Set menu is such good value. Wine list good too. Highly recommended!

Second visit, came last year and loved it. Will be back the next time we are in York.

We were visiting York for the day, struggling to find a lovely place to eat, came across Rustique! Asked if we would be able to get a table as we hadn't booked and it was very busy, the lady at the front of house managed to get us a table straight away, the food, the service and the atmosphere was spot on, it made our visit very special. Thank you, we'd definitely come again!

Very good service and authentic French food

Absolutely incredible, every year we return here gets better, definitely our favourite restaurant and every meal is memorable, the staff are so friendly and attentive, there isn't enough star ratings here to give Rustique, its definitely a huge gem in the crown for york, thanks for the food guys

There is plenty to choose from and the atmosphere is amazing. Must try!

All in all a very good place to have a nice meal with a group of colleges.

Always looked busy so we were lucky to get a table. Thank god we did the service and food was excellent.

Great atmosphere. Lovely hot food. There were 10 of us and didnt have to wait too long. Friendly service.

Fabulous. Great food, great atmosphere and by far the best waiter known to man...a big shout out to Memet who gave exemplary service in a very busy environment.

Great French restaurant in the heat of York

Absolutely top draw meal...really great value for money on the set menu and a varied selection..great little restaurant..would definitely recommend

Fabulous food and really well priced!

Excellent service,food and atmosphere.

Everything is Superb. Can't be faulted.

A good spot for dinner, I had the muscles, they were very good. Service could be better, but not terrible.

We had sea bass and the monkfish special. Both were cooked perfectly. House white was pleasant. Staff were great. Lovely evening.

Enjoyable experience! Came for lunch on a Sunday, friendly and attentive staff and the food was excellent. 3 course set menu is very good value for the standard of service, will be back soon and would most definitely recommend.

Absolutely delicious! The set menu was fabulous!

Such a lovely restaurant. Delicious food. Excellent service. Was blown away. Will definitely be coming back

Really enjoyed this restaurant. Food was good quality and great service. Two courses for £22

First visit and won't be the last, have been to many restaurants in York based on online reviews and usually disappointed but this time reviews were correct. Good food, good service, nice staff, not overpriced and nice atmosphere. Will be back.

Really excellent service, and amazing value for money. The food was delicious and the portions were very generous. We had the set menu and was worth every penny.

Lovely meal here on Saturday night. The place is always packed apparently, so make sure you book! Food was delicious and service friendly and efficient. Lovely wine list with a few non-French options that were carefully considered. Sit downstairs if you can - upstairs is bigger and can be noisy. I will definitely be returning! My only gripe is that the set menu is not available on weekend evenings.

Fantastic food, great atmosphere ,friendly staff

We did not have a reservation and even at 5:30pm the restaurant was busy. However, they found a slot for us and we all enjoyed a fantastic 2 course meal for an excellent price, great value for money. Beautiful layout and very relaxing, we shall be returning on more than one occasion, highly recommended.

Very attentive service, good atmosphere, and excellent quality food all at a reasonable price.

Came here after reading all the great reviews and we weren't disappointed. Fantastic set lunch menu with so much choice! We had fishcake and French onion soup to start and also a side of garlic bread which tasted like a loaf had been dipped into a vat of garlic butter. It was amazing. Mussels and oeuf a la basque for mains and I had sticky toffee pudding. Our favourite meal we had in York!!

Just managed to squeeze us in for lunch. Didn't realise you should book! They were turning people away throughout lunch. Lovely meal, nice atmosphere. Will definitely go again. Revisited several times and went for lunch again today. The set menu hasn't changed and I'm glad- still has thesame french claassics like steak frites, cassoulet, and the delicious moules. Thre staff are very friendly and the ambiance is lovely. Lots of customers as always. Highly recommended.

Still going strong in a cost of living crisis - says a lot