Le Penguin in Greenwich - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

My sister and I stopped by for lunch, and we were thoroughly impressed. Le Penguin has an inviting atmosphere with a great vibe, and the food was simply outstanding. The staff were attentive and made us feel well taken care of. Out of all the places we visited in the area, this was where we felt the most comfortable. Highly recommend!

We had an amazing lunch. Everything was cooked to perfection. I got the Croque Madame and it was delicious. The atmosphere was thoughtful and tasteful. I would highly recommend this restaurant!

Outstanding service, professionalism and good. Highly recommend

Le Penguin provided an outstanding dining experience that deserves five stars! The duck was cooked to perfection, bursting with rich flavors and tender texture. The steak frites were equally impressive, with juicy steak and perfectly crispy fries. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was impeccable. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a memorable meal!

Our first time at Le Penguin. Made a reservation on Open Table. The restaurant itself is nice. Street parking. Paid meters. Host Edwin was nice. Our server forgot our appetizers. It was a shame because everyone had such great reviews. Got the scallops and muscles and wine. Everything was delish. The host Edwin was accommodating despite the loss of appetizers. Maybe will give it another chance. Love French cuisine and always on the prowl for good service, good food and good atmosphere.

Le Penguin in Greenwich, CT, is a charming French bistro that offers a delightful blend of classic French cuisine, warm ambiance, and attentive service. Nestled in the heart of Greenwich, this restaurant has become a favorite for locals and visitors seeking an authentic and elegant dining experience. The menu at Le Penguin is a celebration of French culinary traditions for the main course, Le Penguin excels with its selection of expertly prepared dishes. The Duck à l'Orange is a standout, featuring succulent duck breast paired with a perfectly balanced orange sauce. The Coq au Vin, a classic French stew of chicken braised in red wine, is another highlight, offering deep, comforting flavors. The Bouillabaisse, a traditional Provençal seafood stew, is beautifully executed, with fresh, flavorful seafood in a fragrant broth. Le Penguin also offers a variety of delectable desserts that are the perfect way to end a meal. The Crème Brûlée is a classic favorite, with its creamy custard base and perfectly caramelized sugar topping. The Tarte Tatin, an upside-down caramelized apple tart, is another must-try, offering a delightful combination of sweet and tart flavors. The wine list at Le Penguin is thoughtfully curated, featuring a selection of French and international wines that complement the menu perfectly. The knowledgeable staff are happy to provide recommendations to enhance your dining experience. Pricing at Le Penguin is reflective of the high quality of the food and the elegant dining experience. While it may be on the higher side, the exceptional cuisine, ambiance, and service make it well worth the cost for a memorable meal. 🇫🇷Le Penguin in Greenwich, CT, offers an exceptional dining experience that brings the flavors and charm of a French bistro to Connecticut. With its exquisite cuisine, inviting atmosphere, and top-notch service, it’s a perfect destination for anyone looking to enjoy authentic French fare in an elegant setting.

Great experience. Like a 4.8 for everything. We got mussels, steak and frites, and ravioli. Mussels in the white wine sauce are as amazing and the steak was tender. For dessert we got the apple tart and arrogate and both were perfectly sweet and a delicious way to end the night. The ambiance makes for a perfect date night. Great spot in Greenwich.

1 hour from New York, Greenwich is a pretty town in Connecticut that is a great place to spend time. For a Quebecer, it’s like being in Westmount in Montreal. In summary, it is richness and simplicity. And this is what I experienced at the Penguin restaurant with simple and succulent dishes of French cuisine. Perhaps you will meet Antoine, a Frenchman who welcomes you with great warmth. Prices are affordable and the service is excellent. A very nice experience. Make a reservation because the restaurant is very busy!

One of our favorite restaurants in Connecticut. The food/desserts are amazing and so very delicious. Very pricy so this is definitely a special occasion restaurant.

Great service, and delicious food. Table of 8, and service was excellent. Relaxed atmosphere.

I never write reviews but today was very disappointing at a place I have been going to for years. I was actually there also the day before and had exactly the same ( steak au poivre it use to be fantastic and today it was so tough it was basically uneatable. My fault I eat a 3rd and told the waiter when we paid and he said sorry shook his shoulders and full charge. Not asking if I would like a new one or take it of the bill. Anyway I generally love this place but this was very disappointing. Both days was of, but the day before it was better but not close to what it used to be.

Very professional wait staff lovely, intimate setting!

This restaurant has great food, there are problems. We went to celebrate a birthday and wanted a meal enjoy. That was hard because the room was cramped with tables right next to each other. This made for many loud conversations all around so people could be heard over the general noise in the room. Additionally, the courses were brought very quickly. We had to tell the wait staff to slow down If you must go, pick a night when it's not busy.

A glorified TGIF. The food is average - good but average - with a seriously overpriced drinks/wine list. Tables are crammed together so that they can squeeze in as many seatings as possible. Over the years, it's become a 'fast food' experience with plates snapped up and the next ones slammed down in seconds in a rush to get you out. It's been going down hill for a while. The waiting staff are excellent but it's become unenjoyable. The noise level is deafening and the bell ringing/ birthday blasting music has lost its novelty. In a race to the bottom, the host (who I believe is the co-owner) is convinced he is running a Michelin star restaurant. The other owner (the tall French man,) is obviously the brains and charm behind the operation. He knows what side his bread is buttered on. The small co-owner is turning the restaurant into a school canteen with him as a the iron fist lunch supervisor. My daughter and I had a reservation last night but left because his over the top theatrics put a damper on our night. The crime? We sat in a corner booth that was apparently being held for someone having drinks next door and moved without asking. See photo below for the overcrowded state of affairs. We went to Hinoki instead and had a great meal. It's a shame. What was once a nice restaurant is now an average, over-stuffed food box with insanely priced drinks. Throw in a moody, insecure mall cop for a host/co-owner and we're out. Adieu and adios.

No introduction needed. You may or may not find your future mistress dining here. Maybe enjoying the signature Lobster Cobb and a crisp glass of champagne. It very well could be the place you are searching for.

One of the most intimate and lovely settings in Greenwich. My wife and I love going here for a romantic dinner.

Good was marvelous despite the fact that they didn’t have Soupe à l’oignon? What French restaurant doesn’t have onion soup? Tiny place but outdoor seating when appropriate- service was excellent and all our meals were terrific

Iván was very attentive and kind

A glorified TGIF. Used to be great but now an overstuffed sardine box with ‘service’ on a timer. The host (co-owner) is running it like a fast food joint and has killed the ambience. The food is okay but not good enough to sustain the downsides. If you like screaming at your dinner guest while being rushing through a mediocre dinner, then this is the place for you. In a word… pass.

A glorified TGIF. The food is average - good but average - with a seriously overpriced drinks/wine list. Tables are crammed together so that they can squeeze in as many seatings as possible. Over the years, it's become a 'fast food' … More

A fantastic experience overall! We had no reservation, so had to wait a while and hostess was tremendous--quickly bringing glasses of wine while we stood outside enjoying a beautiful evening. Fairly quickly seated on the outside patio and the service was excellent. Best of all was the food--absolutely delicious. One of us had the beef tenderloin, the other the grilled salmon. Both perfectly prepared. Great wine list and truly professional staff. Very highly recommend.

Had a great dinner experience. Place is small and cozy. Attention is A+, best french food I've had in the westchester-fairfield area. Appetizers, entrees, dessert and wine were all delicious. Will definitely come back, my new french restaurant in the area for sure!

We had not been to Le Penguin before, but remembered with great fondness the previous French restaurant at this site, Jean Louis. It was my mistake to expect the same lovely restaurant. While the food was very good last night, the overall experience was not. We were looking forward to catching up with friends whom we only get to see a couple of times a year. Unfortunately the noise level is so high and the tables packed in so tightly that we couldn't even carry on a conversation. Three times during dinner, the Beatles song "Birthday" blared across the room while a candlelit dessert was delivered to a table. Even above the din of the room, it was jolting. Service was okay, but the staff was not as attentive as they might have been if they had been able to maneuver through the crowded room. The restaurant is very dark -- so dark that I mistook a grilled lemon slice for one of the scallops on my plate. The specials are posted on a blackboard on the back wall of the restaurant, but impossible to see from our table. The waiter took a picture of the board and brought it over, but part of the text was obscured by the flash from the camera. Worst of all, I wondered how the room could ever be evacuated safely if there were an emergency. There seemed to be a lot of young people including some groups in the room. Perhaps this is the intended customer base. If you enjoy good food with a jam-packed, noisy ambience, you may enjoy this experience more than we did.

Nice people and staff but food was bland mediocre and overpriced. You wont feel impressed you wont feel cheated but you wont be satisfied. Truffle fries barely has any oil, ravioli had a watery diluted sauce, steak was ok. The salad was tiny portions and expensive and lacked taste. Its terrible.

Terrific food and great service. Only complaint is that tables are too close together, feels like we’re on top of the other people. There was one diner that was creating a scene, and we were unfortunately way to close to hear their meltdown. There’s also a giant mirror on the left hand wall, being seated on the left side was a bit strange because I don’t really want to watch myself eat when I’m going out to dinner with someone else. The Cajun chicken was fantastic, and the fries were perfectly crispy.

Nice place, good food, will definitely come back

It was a lovely food and wine experience, but the noise level isn’t good for anyone’s ears. Also, as a minority, what could be heard discussed even over the noise made the whole dining experience disappointing. It’s Greenwich, it’s classist, we shouldn’t have expected it to not carry over to the dining experience.

Great atmosphere, great service and food

Ok, so this might sound a little biased considering I have a very small ownership interest dating back 9 years, but the place just keeps getting better. It says a lot about a restaurant when the great and the good of an upscale town like Greenwich flock here every night, but with industry vets Anshu and Antoine acting as King Penguins, ably assisted by a stellar team, one can easily see why it is hard to get a ressie. If you want a menu catering to your midriff then maybe head to your local Chop’t, but if ogling oysters, feasting on foie gras or staring down a beautiful piece of fish are what turns you on then you’ve come to the right place.

Always a fabulous dining experience

Delicious food - best ingredients, well prepared - and nice service. The helpful cook staff even jumped my dead car battery! Only downside of the excellence is that we had to give up our table for the next customers; no lingering.

Le bonheur est dans l'assiette mais également dans les murs de ce restaurant.

It's really tight inside and every time I go it's like 3 people's birthday and it gets annoying when they make a big racket and sing happy birthday

Greenwich can command whatever price - people will pay - and the food can be so-so. Not anything great. Nothing to brag about. It should be a bistro of sorts but instead, prices are that of a high end restaurant - and this is not a high end menu. Pleasant enough atmosphere but again, for a mid priced bistro, not a high end french restaurant. Probably will not return anytime soon.

There were so many problems with this place I don't even know where to begin. I didn't expect to go to a "French" restaurant and have no one French serving my food. This place is a scam. If you are claiming you are a "French" restaurant maybe the whole wait staff, and the chef should actually be "French". The food was mediocre at best. The place is way too overcrowded and some of the tables are so tiny that you have to keep moving everything around. We ordered four different appetizers and because the tables were so small, they had to bring out one appetizer at a time and we had to keep re-adjusting everything on the table every time they would bring something out because there simply was no room on the table to put the food. If the tables were bigger, they could bring out all four appetizers at once. They do not have any signature cocktails of their own, which every restaurant should have, but they can make basic cocktails and do have a bar. They do not have their own list of one of a kind cocktails that they offer. In other words, if you want them to make you a martini they can, but they do not have their own signature cocktails. To me this seemed like some faux pas "French" restaurant. If you want real French food, go to L'ostal in Darien or Union League Cafe in New Haven. They are both exceptional. **One additional side note** - This is not the place to go if you want a romantic evening with your boyfriend. You will be packed in like sardines. There is no privacy or intimacy. If you want to have a romantic evening with your significant other, that won't be feasible because you have waiter’s and hostesses constantly scurrying by, often times bumping into you, you have tables on either side of you like an inch away where you can hear their whole conversations making it impossible to have any intimacy.

This is a quaint restaurant with a nice quiet atmosphere. Mostly couples when I went. Service was solid, and the menu had a nice selection between seafood, meat, and standard French fare. We enjoyed all we ate. Portions were decent. I would return.

Lovely place. Antoine and his crew make you feel right at home. Merci!

Delicious food and drinks; attentive staff; All around great experience. Will definitely be back

Excellent French spot in Greenwich. Great service, solid menu with all the classic French bistro classics - and a good wine list. And a great spot to celebrate a birthday as well! And even if it’s not your birthday - join in the fun!

Phenomenal restaurant. Best in Westchester. Fantastic bread, fresh tomato soup, hearty chicken and peas and fried egg, as well as molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.

Simply phenomenal food, service, ambience, and overall experience. It felt like we were in France. By far the best dinner we’ve had in months - and this could go down as the best French restaurant in the country we’ve gone to, having been to many high end restaurants in the area. Would highly recommend - enjoy the music, service, and delicious food from the bread to appetizers and dessert selection. We hadn’t found it for a while because it wasn’t directly on Greenwich Avenue - and we wish we has found this restaurant years ago. Will be back soon, best wishes to the owners and wonderful staff.

Came here for the first time and the food is amazing. I strongly recommend trying them out if you haven't yet.

Good food with a French twist. Great service!

Excellent! Delicious food and drinks; attentive and personable wait staff; and an enjoyable atmosphere. All around great experience. Will definitely be back!

Fantastic food, great staff, and location. Great snails and steak tartare. Unfortunately it was ultimately let down by someone placing our nice bottle of red that we were enjoying over ice. Who does that without asking first?

Went last week to celebrate our anniversary. The experience was excellent. Delicious food, warm service, great ambiance and they even served us complimentary rose when they knew it was our anniversary. Highly recommend

I haven't been to Greenwich in so long since I left in 1992. So it was definitely a treat to come back for a visit and stop at a bistro that I never tried. It did not disappoint. The plus was that I had my Mom and my sister with me. Food & service were both great. It is definitely a must go to French bistro.

The food and service is ok. Not close to exceptional. The management team and business model needs a tremendous amount of improvement which is really difficult to understand. Their sister restaurant in Old Greenwich The Fat Poodle is really pleasant. I'm not sure what's more upsetting. We made a dinner reservation, confirmed TWICE and management insisted we never made a reservation OR on their printed wine list they have one price and on YOUR check they have a HIGHER price. Its extremely hard to believe it was an accident. How could that happen? If we weren't having a bottle of Champaign for desert truth be told I never would have looked at the check. There's really no reason to eat at Le Penguin there's a ton of other options in the area including their sister restaurant Fat Poodle in Old Greenwich.

A local favorite for French inspired food.

Great atmosphere, Great food and very friendly staff

Great Service, good food, great atmosphere

Food was excellent. Service was fine. Tables were very close together. Noise level moderately high.

While the food is excellent, the owners of this restaurant are unscrupulous. We had red wine spilled all over us, and they truly could not have cared less. I have been a regular for years and will never return and this is one you should skip too! There are better places to spend your money.

Food was excellent, service was attentive, tables were tight and atmosphere was loud. Overall you will have a great experience

Some of the best French food you'll find outside of Manahttan.

Take out orders are always ready when I arrive and food is scrumptiously good

The cheeses were phenomenal. Best blue cheese I have ever had. The foie gras terrine was absolutely, mouth-watering delicious. The steak frites was amazing. And the profiteroles are absolutely the best dessert possible!

The perfect setting for celebrating my birthday I started my a champagne toast and escargot The experience was great the escargot was a little on the tough side. My BF had the tuna tartar which was delicious. For main dish I had the halibut and just in time because they ran out of it right after. It was yummy. And to top off the meal what’s better than chocolate mousse. I kept wilting why we hadn’t gone here before. It was a great dining experience. A French Pinot noir rounded out the experience. Best meal!

Excellent first dining experience here. Great service, food and wine. We will definitely be back - bravo!

Excellent food!! There are not many tables but it makes for a nice atmosphere. Food is excellent.

Good food, nice atmosphere, good service.

The restaurant was a snobby and unfriendly place. If the owner does not see you as a valuable person, you will feel his Indian-French hospitality. Food is average and wine worst, no more than $5 per bottle.

We dined for Father’s Day. It was solid, the food was tasty, the service was quick. We will be going back again.

Attentive but unintrusive service. Outstanding food.

Le Penguin is my go to place for dinner. The staff are very friendly and make great order suggestions. Highly recommend their filet mignon, foie gras, and cream brulee.

Fantastic service... amazing ambience made a great occasion memorable, thank you so much?

solid meal with a few misses... the foie platter was great and definitely our favorite! the steak frites was good but not cooked evenly- part of the steak was beyond well done while the rest was medium rare. ask for the peppercorn sauce with the steak! the Caesar salad was too anchovy for our taste, and my latte was very disappointing. the mussels were good, but not my favorite. overall, it is a solid spot with good food & friendly staff, but you have to know what to order.

They have a really great menu and are not to expensive. I also liked how friendly and attentive the staff were, and the food came out quickly. Fresh ingredients, good chef, delicious food made for a great lunch spot.

Will give 3 1/2 stars. Like this place more than their other restaurant, Le Fat Poodle. Here has more classic French taste. Service was ok.

Wonderful French bistro. Solid food, attentive service, good people watching and ambience -- who could ask for more?

The service was excellent, friendly and informative with suggestions from the menu. Food was wonderful. Only complaint was that they don't open until 5 and although they had tables outside we could not sit until 5 on the dot. Once seated we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Food was delicious. The menu is online only but they don't offer free internet.

Le Penguin is a local favorite for tradition French cuisine and atmosphere. My parents cannot come to Greenwich without paying Le Penguin a visit every time.

You will fore sure have an incredible meal here! We ordered the mussels, fries, lamb, and scallops, and all were absolutely incredible! Anything your order will be amazing. I will say, they are not very knowledgeable on the wine list but what we ended up ordering happened to be just right. We also went during ‘covid weather’ and they were oddly hesitant about allowing you to use the restroom, so just keep that in mind. That was obviously strange considering these are usually 2 hour dinners, but anyways, still an amazing meal.

Simply the best! Le penguin is our favorite place to go, it never disappoints and we always love having dinner there. The staff is so friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The food is always amazing, they are always tweaking the menu and have something new to offer. Every time we leave, we can’t wait to come back 💗

I like French foood and am in the restaurant business. Le Penguin was a disappointment on a number of levels. I asked who the producer was of Givry wine from Burgundy by the glass. The server seemed confused by the question. (These are not wine people.) Not having that wine, the server brought out a Vin de France Pinot Noir, for same price. I asked if it were cheaper, being an obviously lesser wine. The reply was no. No thank you said I. But the Bordeaux was quite pleasant. The wait for our entrees was too long. Something had happened. No worries, but it would have been nice had they alerted us to the situation. When I politely asked where the food was, the response was couched in such a way as to imply that I was being impatient, not that there was any apology to be had. Okay. Sure. I asked for my Steak Fries to be cooked medium rare. Came out solidly medium/medium well. Honestly, i’m hungry, we’re sitting outside in a cold enclosed space, and I’ve been waiting too long. I ate it, saving a few bites to show just how overcooked it was. When I alerted the server to this problem, noting admittedly that I’ve eaten most of it because I was hungry, he just walked away. No apology even. I didn’t want my meal comped, but maybe evince some empathy. The food was pretty good. My Frisée salad was okay and the French fries were awesome. The steak tasted good, all things considered. But the lack of knowledge and empathy by the server made me think I could find other places to visit and support.

Had the pleasure of dining here when it was warmer out. Food was absolutely delicious with service to match.

We have been I nPenguin many times and the food is agreeable. The type of French cuisine prepared by non French cooks one usually finds in the Tri-State area. Prices are as expected for Greenwich and the servers are generally polite and attentive, except a lady who’s always sullen. We tried to make this place our hangout, visiting a couple of times a week, but we couldn’t get over the tiny tables and the attitude from the host and management. Moving on...

We stopped in for a Sunday brunch. We opted to eat inside where the tables were spaced nicely. Service is very friendly. My wife ordered her favorite eggs Benedict which she said were maybe the best she had. She washed them down with a glass of champagne. I had a very good omelette. We will return.

Lovely little french bistro.. super food and service my husband and I rarely finish the entire bottle of wine but we did because we were having a such good time..cozy romantic with excellent service.. can't wait going back really soon.

Been here several times. In normal times it is packed, there is no space to move, and its loud - everything you expect from a bistro in Paris. The food is outstanding, and the service is great. The Steak Frites is the best in town.

Perhaps the chef was out Sunday night? We’ve read the great reviews and have had some wonderful meals at sister restaurant Orienta. Appetizer escargots de Bourgogne was a horrific dish of rubbery snails in congealed butter and most surprisingly the metal dense “puffy pastries” must have been left over from a previous evening and reheated in a microwave. The Carpaccio de boeuf was passible. I asked the waiter if the duck would be crispy and was assured it would be and ordered with the recommended medium-rare. I was served a fatty and rare duck breast slathered in a blueberry sauce you might buy in a can from Wal-Mart. The sautéed spinach was served on the plate in a ball that looked like an ice-cream scoop was used – like you might expect from the serving line at the free buffet at a La Quinta Inn. My wife’s Osso Bucco had such an awful flavor I wonder if the bus boy that was cooking this night might have accidently poured entire jar of rosemary when he reheated what was clearly made days in advance, refrigerated, and reheated for us. It got worse! The wait staff recommended the tart tatin, one of our favorites, which we ordered. We were served a slice of congealed apple pie that I would describe as something you might but prepared from your local supermarket. Our waiter actually looked a little embarrassed although we said nothing. Interestingly, this item was not on our check, perhaps the waiter had some level of embarrassment and integrity? This Bistro has a good reputation, not sure why we were served what our dog would reject (he eats rabbit droppings).

We decided we just had to get out. We love French food, we like brunch. My wife had eggs Benedict she said were excellent. She also had escargot which she said were perfect. She doesn’t say that often. I had an excellent omelette. Prices were very good.

The food and service is always excellent! The outdoor dining they have created is charming. One of my favorites!

My fiance and I absolutely love this place and it's sister restaurant Le Fat Poodle in Old Greenwich. The food tonight was phenomenal as always. We highly recommend this place

The poulet Cajon reminds me of the one at le bilboquet...amazing dish...super cool outdoor space.

Great Service Great Food Superb Manager

We recently stopped here for lunch. It was fairly busy but still comfortable. Our appetizers were outstanding and our main meals were excellent. The owner stopped by to make sure we were enjoying our visit. We certainly plan to return.

Delicious food and amazing service and wonderful ambiance

Cozy, elegant place with great French cuisines. Nice people there!

This is a lovely, though somewhat compact restaurant. It always seems to be full. The service is personal and good. There are always daily specials offer more than the ample menu offers and everything I've had has always been very good. Not cheap, but good...

Friday evening 7:15 reservation. Seated promptly. Place packed. Table spacing similar to the busiest of Manhattan restaurants - immediately on top of one another. Service quite good. Decent selection of wine by the glass. Shared appetizer of artichoke actually quite disappointing. The artichoke was shaved...

This is a very fashionable French Bistro downtown Greenwich. The food is good and service is excellent. The drawback is that it a very small place, tables very close together and extremely noisy. We were there for a special occasion birthday and I called in...

What a quaint space and excellent food. The drinks were fantastic (Vespers and Margaritas). The appetizer, steak tartare, was perfection. The entrees (mussels and fries and trout almondine) were delicious! Service was great, the music was good and the crowd was great. No bar space, only sit down service. But recommend it for the good food. Beautiful restaurant. Friendly staff. Great food and Awesome music. Couldn't be happier.

This restaurant occupies the space formerly occupied by the excellent Jean Louis. There is no comparison. The foie gras appetizer was dry. My cod entree was overcooked. The tarte tartan for desert was mushy. No worth the cost. I will not be back.

Fun place with good food and attractive people ! We went and it was someone’s bday and there was a big fun celebration with the whole restaurant.. like they do At Abyss but for adults !

Perfect Saturday night it’s like dinner with family. Thank you to the Le Penguin team for great service, food, setting. Our favorite spot in Greenwich. Without peer.

This used to be my favorite place. This last time, the best part of the meal were the French fries. Something happened. Hopefully an off night, but everyone’s food was bland or overcooked. So sad.

Really nice experience and great food.

Food well below average. All 4 mains not finished.