RSVP in West Cornwall - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We really enjoyed our visit to RSVP - it’s an absolutely wonderful dining experience, with interesting and beautifully rich food, and a fun and upbeat ambience. It was a lovely occasion and a real treat.

Fun experience. Great hospitality

A truly unique experience. One dinner is served a night and it is traditional French cuisine set in an intimate cafe setting. Seven good size portions and a dessert means you will definitely be full. The food comes out at a good pace and the front man always has some witty comments. Bring your best bottle of wine, legendary empty bottles fill the restaurant from past dinners. It is shocking seeing some of the negative reviews of this place from people who would be better served eating at an Applebees. Don't go here if you're expecting to stop in and get a fast meal. You must call ahead and give your best pitch to the answering machine and hope to get a call back with a reservation.

Angry owner that seems to be more angey if you show up there. The whole town is closed at the time she opens so I guess that is his trick, nowhere else to go to be scolded by this guy and pay a lot for it

This restaurant transported us to the rustic, flavorful, creative, and transformative meals we had in Paris! A local treasure that also is in one of the most beautiful parts of the state. We look forward to the next visit. Our meal was 7 courses and starting at 7 was a lot to consume. I suggest starting at 6.

The food was exceptionally delicious, and the experience was very pleasant. You don't get a menu, you eat what the chef brings out. We had six courses. Officially it was five, the amuse bouche was substantial like an appetizer. Wasabi ice cream that was part of the amuse bouche started out the dinner with a bang. I really enjoyed it. It was followed by soup. Then a chicken dish, then a seafood dish, then a beef dish. Each one was excellent with interesting sides and sauces. Then coffee and dessert. The dinner lasted three hours. $140 per person. Plenty of free parking in the front.

Leave your allergies at home. No substitutions! ONLY go if you're prepared to let the chef make ALL the decisions. Like many others, I celebrated my birthday at RSVP. What a place! Unique food experience. I dare not say this is a meal. This is a night out. Expect 3 hours of fun, chat and new friends. It's a very small, very exclusive environment where you meet the chef and the tables around for a fun chat, then meal. Bring your own wine, sit back and let the environment take over.

Guy and Charles provide the very best of gastronomic experiences! Having dined in France, in Manhattan, and in California restaurants known to be at Michelin levels, this little gem is top of the class. Traditional French cooking is based on perfect sauces that complement and enhance the food, and Chef Guy is a master of saucing and pairing. Some have written that Guy isn’t modern; that is certainly true. However, this overlooks the amazing history of traditional French cooking which is the very best in the world. This meal was perfect in every way. One caution; be prepared to dine for 3 hours in leisurely style, and pay $140 per person. Quality has its price, but the experience is unparalleled

One of those hidden gems that I’m almost hesitant to review for fear of giving away the secret. Nonetheless, an awesome, unique experience every time. Embodies the character of northwest CT.

We just celebrated my birthday at RSVP. After having made reservations a month ahead, we were excited to finally experience the unique dining concept offered by this restaurant. No menu from which to order, no bar (BYOB), no credit cards taken, no dietary restrictions or substitutions allowed. The only requirements needed here are an adventurous spirit regarding food and a willingness to embrace whatever culinary delights Chef Guy chooses to prepare for the evening. We spent such a fantastic summer afternoon and evening in the peaceful town of West Cornwall, CT. Dinner begins with a loaf of freshly baked bread with creamy butter. Next comes an amuse-bouche followed by soup, poultry, seafood, meat, and dessert courses. Each course is truly a surprise and I found myself eagerly anticipating what would come next. Trust me, you will find yourself happily immersed in 3 hours of delectable cuisine all of which is perfectly proportioned, plated, and timed in its presentation. Charles is your host, server, and busboy all rolled into one. Charles and Guy have perfected a winning dining formula and you won’t find any restaurant owners more “hands on” than these two gentlemen. I already want to go back in a different season.

My boyfriend and I celebrated my birthday at RSVP and had a fantastic time. We had booked a month in advance due to the popularity of the unique dining experience offered by the restaurant. RSVP is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings with one seating of a maximum of 16 patrons each evening. Reservations are a must and since they have no website or social media, you have to call them direct leaving a message with all pertinent information. Once the owner (Charles) calls you back to explain how everything works, you then decide if RSVP is the place for you or not. They have no menu from which to make selections and you have to be adventurous enough to embrace whatever the Chef feels like preparing that particular evening. They do not accommodate any food restrictions or substitutions of any kind. Each course is truly a surprise. I found them all to be creative and absolutely delicious and I felt like the 3 hours just flew by. You begin your dinner with freshly baked bread followed by an amuse-bouche, soup, poultry course, seafood course, meat course, and dessert. RSVP does not have a bar so it is strictly BYOB. They also do not accept credit cards so bring cash or a check with you. The dinner is $140 per person that includes tax and gratuity. We did not feel that this was a pretentious place at all- it was very mellow in fact and we had a great time. Bear in mind that there are only 2 people working during dinner- Guy who is the French chef and Charles who is your host, server, and busboy rolled into one. They don’t have time to lavish attention on any one individual so if you expect this, perhaps pick another restaurant. They are personable but are super busy preparing delicious food and seeing that all tables are served quickly before the food gets cold. I would definitely love to return one day to this idyllic place in rural Connecticut.

What an amazing experience we had at RSVP! The food, service, atmosphere- just everything was amazing. We traveled over an hour for our first time here, not knowing what to expect and it truly exceeded our expectations and then some. If you appreciate excellent food and personable hosts, you will love it here. I definitely recommend giving it a try and bringing your favorite wine to pair! Can't wait to come back.

Love, love, love this West Cornwall treasure owned by neighbors and friends Charlie and Guy!

Loved being surprised by the food and it reminded me of bistros in France. Truly unique dining experience impossible to find anything similar or equal elsewhere in New England. Excellent food and we enjoyed the atmosphere. Nice to see the open exposed kitchen and chef working away. Very much looking forward to trying it again to see what they serve on a different night. This place is for the diner who is happy and willing to go along for the ride as there is no menu. To me, it’s a delight. Frankly, anyone that isn’t in for this experience strikes me as rather boring. But to each his own. Bring your own wine. Maybe a couple wine options(as we did) since you don’t know what will be served. If you’re an adventurous foodie RSVP is a must. Worth a trip from far IMHO.

A pretentious, bad food ,terribly serviced place . They only insist on cash payment Than they asked for $20 more per person When we we’re paying them .

RSVP was one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. The food was cold. The service unpleasant. The dishes all heavy with cream. One is in the countryside with fruits and vegetables and there were no summer dishes . Our server was a curmudgeon who doesn’t seem to want to be there. It was torture to sit through 4 hours of dining with very tired dishes to just pay $140.00 per person though we were quoted $120.00 prix fixe over the phone. We got better service and better food at the local dinner in Millerton, NY. The chef is uninspired and is just going through the motion. Please be warned. Don’t waste your money.

Absolutely AMAZING experience. The chef and host are both so much fun and made the experience that much better. The food was incredible, it's very clear that each dish was crafted with the utmost care. Will definitely be back again. Such a gem in a quaint town

A humble restaurant located in the rolling hills of Cornwall that will serve you delicious samples of professional heartfelt cooking. Bring your appetite!

One of the finest gourmet French restaurants in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut. Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights by reservation only (March through early December). May you be lucky enough to get a reservation the night Chef Guy is making tuna tartare with Wasabi ice cream as one of several courses. Bon Appetit!

Always a pleasure coming to RSVP, as good as any restaurant in the area including NYC. Call ahead for reservations about a month out as they are a must. All seating, limited to about 16 total, is currently outside on a lovely patio covered with an awning, in case of rain. Sunday dinner has one seating, starts at 5:00 p.m. and lasts to about 8:30. The food is impeccable, with fresh baked bread, an amuse bouche, soup, poultry course, fish course, meat course and dessert, ample portions but spaced perfectly to allow everything to be eaten. The sides and sauces as part of each dish are perfect. RSVP's website has good details of the experience. Be sure to BYOB, there is no corkage charge, and the meal is $120.00 per person, cash, including tax and tip. The host Charles is most gracious and the chef Guy is superb, this is definitely worth the scenic trip to West Cornwall, across the covered wooden bridge.

There is nothing to criticize about this meal. The outdoor eating area was beautiful and the food was spectacular. I would come back here in a heart beat, for friendly servers and amazing food.

Absolutely amazing! The food was delicious and perfectly executed. Would highly recommend this to anyone in the area.

What a gem of a find. They have been here for 20 years and we just discovered them. I worked in a french restaurant and this is truly one of excellent cuisine. Bring your appetite for this pris fixed meal.It is worth it!!

The restaurant & area it's in, is in & of itself a beautiful & peaceful place. The owners are welcoming & friendly. The meal was amazing, there was not one thing I didn't enjoy. As a local, I want to thank the owners. They treated the locals as well as they did the wealthy NYer's & that is a rare quality these days. Thank you✌️♥️😁

A wonderful find and a classic French dining experience. It would be hard to disagree with anything positive that the previous reviewers have stated. But.... Chef Guy is apparently Cordon Bleu trained before Nouvelle Cuisine. Those were the days when all depended on the sauces. Each of the dishes in the six courses was wonderful in concept and execution on its own, sans sauce, yet each dish (except the soup, of course) was sauced in the traditional French manner, with butter or cream enhanced reductions of fine stocks. This gilding if the roses produced a surfeit of richness that made it difficult to enjoy fully the spectacular and appropriately rich desserts. Taken individually, each dish was wonderful. Taken together it was just a little too much. They've been around for a number of years. Perhaps its time for a little evolution in recognition of changing tastes. Or not. It's hard to mess with an obviously successful formula.

Great place. Filled almost exclusively with regulars and repeat customers. Highly recommend it for small groups, particularly if you like wine. It's BYOB and definitely caters to those who enjoy opening nice bottles with friends. Owners are great and food was really good.

My cousin surprised me with reservations here. What a very special experience it was. Simply fantastic.

We have now been to RSVP three times. Each time it has been a very special meal. There is one seating, the meal is three hours, there is no menu, they serve what they purchased that day and made, they only accept cash and they do not have wine but you are encouraged to bring your own without a corkage fee. When there we feel like we are in a small restaurant in a tiny village in the countryside of France. The meal is as good as any we have ever had anywhere in the world. There are multiple courses: soup, poultry, fish, meat and dessert, plus an amuse-bouche to start. We recommend a car service to and from as the roads there are winding and if one drinks wine over three hours, it is better to not drive. If one does not drink wine over three hours, you wont have wine with every course. A fantastic experience, one we plan on continuing to repeat.

Very cool French dining experience, uniquely different. Seats about 20 people so it's not a large space. Quaintly decorated and not stuffy or pretentious. Bring your own beverages. Price is fixed at $125 per couple including gratuity, either paid in cash or by check. The meal is served as a number of courses over 3 hours, and service is only Saturday or Sunday. The chef determines the menu based on locally available ingredients. A few seats give a front row view of the chef at work. The servings are varied, incredibly tasty, rich, and deeply satisfying. The bread is warm and crusty, but try to go easy because there is A LOT of food coming! The courses will cover all the bases from veggies to fish, and poultry, and a either a beef, lamb, or pork dish. Our meal concluded with not one, but two desserts. There are no substitutions though they will try to accommodate folks with food allergies. Great for the adventurous who don't mind leaving their pallets to the creativity of the chef. Bon appetite!

Loved this place we experienced with great friends and this French restaurant is a "must do" if you are a foodie, the atmosphere is a perfect French country setting

A very special experience. Lovingly cooked French cuisine served in a spectacular way. The food is excellent. The space is small so reservations are mandatory. BYOB relative to wine and spirits. Plan on spending several hours.

Well worth the price that you pay. One of the best meals I've ever had.

RSVP is a tiny gem hidden across from the former train station in West Cornwall. The interior is not fancy. There are no linen tablecloths. The decor is not memorable. But the food is just a little taste of heaven. This is a six course meal, so don't eat lunch. You are served what you are served, no choice. First, an amuse Boucher with something unusual. Then a soup. Then a poultry course, a fish course, a meat course and finally, dessert. Everything is unusual and perfect. RSVP is expensive, $85 per person which, with tax and tip adds up to over $110. Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings only. One seating per night. The bottom line is that you go home happy and you feel you get full value for money.

Another fabulous dinner with Charles and Guy. Makes your reservations ASAP for the spring season at RSVP.

Always top shelf. Put this place on your bucket list! A must experience for anyone who loves great food and company. The guys are terrific.

Four of us went to RSVP for dinner in the quaint country village of West Cornwall (there’s even a covered bridge there!) Small cozy French restaurant with a homelike atmosphere, prix fixe (and compared to NY prices an amazing prix fixe! And BYOB to boot.) No menu, you get 6 perfectly sized courses of whatever Guy the French chef is making that night. Rather than a long review I’ll just tell you what we had, and rest assured every course was wonderful: 1st course - sea scallops on crispy wontons with wasabi ice cream. I didn’t think I liked wasabi but trust me... 2nd - lobster bisque with fennel creme fraiche. Deeply flavored with lobster, slightest hint of fennel. 3rd - tarragon chicken fricassee with shiitake mushrooms en croute. Flaky pastry puffed over a wonderful combination of chicken and shiitake mushrooms in a light gravy. 4th - Parmesan crusted halibut with cucumber, turnip & artichoke with red pepper sauce. The fish was terrific, turnip and cucumber just ok. 5th - filet topped with foie gras served with truffle butter mashed potatoes and asparagus. Filet was perfectly cooked medium rare, foie gras light as a feather. 6th - double dessert: small apple tart with caramel sauce topped with fresh apple sorbet, and dark chocolate mousse with fresh cream. Ended the night with espresso. We went on a slow Friday night and we also went with friends of the owners so take that into account. And the menu varies, of course. But the other diners had exactly what we had and seemed to be as happy as we were. The pace was wonderful, no rush, 3 hours of good food and friendly service, like having an amazing meal at the home of a good friend who happens to be a great cook. Reservations in advance are a must. Bon appetit!

Fabulous five course dinner, byob, a must to experience.

Four of us ate at RSVP last night (April 16, 2017) to celebrate our wives' birthdays. Here's what we were served -- of course, there's no menu and what's served constantly changes: 1. An amuse bouche of duck tartar with mustard ice cream made with “grain mustard.” The tartar was meaty, subtle, and delicious. Little scoop of ice cream was marvelous. Both were bite-sized and a remarkable start to the evening. 2. Fresh spring pea soup. Excellent, but probably not only because it was made with fresh peas -- it clearly was -- but also because it was made with fresh cream. 3. Tasty chicken with mushrooms and something delicious in a little pastry shell. 4. Sea bass with scallops in a saffron spice sauce. Absolutely yummy! 5. A tiny filet mignon topped with foie grass. Delicious beyond belief. 6. Poached pear with rum baba topped with whipped cream. Wonderful. 7. Crisp very thin cookie topped with chocolate/coffee ice cream. Fine. 8. Coffee or espresso or tea -- no sugar needed for the coffees or espresso. It's a tasting menu of small plates and bite sizes but, if you're a big guy, you won't go away hungry. The fellow next to us was clearly 6' 3 or 4" and well over 200 pounds and pronounced himself full at the end of the meal. If you're my size, best to consider not finishing every course if you want to leave room for dessert -- the key word there is "consider" because not eating every bit on your plate not easy to do. As RSVP's website spells out, it's a fixed price of $110 per person. Cash or check only; no credit cards. No wine or liquor served; bring your own: there's no corkage fee. It's a two hour drive from Manhattan's Upper West Side so you'll want to have a designated driver for the ride back. It's a 45 minute drive south from Gt. Barrington in the Berkshires. Dinner starts at 7 PM sharp (you're expected to be on time) and you probably won't leave before 10 PM so plan your trip accordingly. At night, the roads are dark and winding along the Housatonic River; it's no place to demonstrate your advanced driving skills. Come early and enjoy the views, a walk along the river, and the hamlet of West Cornwall. NEGATIVES: it's truly hard to make any complaint about such a wonderful restaurant. Just the opportunity to watch Guy, the chef, work his magic a few feet from you is a special pleasure: he's high energy, high skill, and high humor. But there are two drawbacks. (1) The restaurant is small and seats 20, barely, and if there's a loud group, it's hard to hear your own companions. A year ago, for our first visit, no problem; last night, there was a young group of 5 or 6 who made the rest of us miserable with their boisterousness at times. They were oblivious; the rest of us were happy to see them go. (2) Occasionally a particular plate that was intended to be hot arrived at the table luke-warm or cold, and we hesitated to trouble Charles (who was in charge of delivering the food) because he looked exhausted. Perhaps it's time to take on a waiter or waitress. The two men do the whole deal themselves except for a dishwasher (who washes everything by hand). It's an amazing feat. HINT: if you call enough in advance, ask for the "chef's table" which seats four-- it's both the quietest table by far and provides the best view of Guy working his magic. But my two "complaints" are quibbles. Other than getting on the plane to France, you're simply not going to find a more authentic French country dining experience in the Northeast. But call way in advance, for sure (and they're closed in the winter).

There's really not a lot that anyone can add to the comments about RSVP that hasn't already been written. It's wonderful! We American's tend to eat-and-run. Europeans dine. No truer words have been spoken. This is a wonderful way to spend an evening with your spouse, friends, or family while enjoying amazing food. A few things to reiterate: You'll need reservations as there is seating for about 20 individuals. Arrive promptly. Plan on spending 3-hours. Two bottles of wine is a smart idea. Jacques is the name of the poodle who from time to time, will greet you with his favorite ball in mouth when you arrive. He's lovely. Enjoy and see you there.

What an amazing experience!!!! Guy, Charles and Mike gave us the best dinner of our lives. Flavors, combinations, beautiful presentations and mashed celery root and skate are just a few of the amazing experiences that we had. We thank you for the amazing experience and atmosphere of friendship that engulfed us throughout an amazing evening.

While looking for a nice restaurant for lunch.we stopped here. The food was just fine...our problem was the hostess and staff. Not only were they unfriendly but thought they were doing us a favor to serve us.. Not going back unless it's the only choice we have.

Prix-fixe French cooking prepared with the outmost care and attention to freshness, flavor and seasonality. Genial, casual, and comfy, in one of the most picturesque New England towns. The chef and waiter will banter with you, which I love. An excellent choice for a party of two to six. Come hungry, there are a lot of courses!

We had a wonderful meal and a wonderful evening. Make a reservation (they're actually available more than you might expect), arrive at 7:00, and just experience. The night we were there, we had cream of artichoke soup layered inside of cream of leek soup, grilled monkfish with a lobster beignet, duck served three ways, and veal cheek over root vegetable puree -- among other dishes. It was probably one of the three best meals of my life (the others being at wd-50 under Wiley Dufresne in NYC and at Community Table in CT). More interesting, more personal, and much cheaper than at Baloud Sud or ALDEA in NYC. I would recommend unhesitatingly to anyone -- no matter how much of a "foodie". BYOB means you drink what you like, and pay only for the food. My wife took me out for my birthday, and I guessed the meal at almost twice what we paid. Go.

Others have explained the routine, so let me talk about food! If you're in CT and don't have time to get to, say, a French farm house with a Michelin 3 star rating, just beg to get into RSVP and you'll be transported to the...

The restaurant is extremely expensive. Around town the principals have the reputation for being unpleasant. I went there for the first and only time the week it opened. I ordered lamb "just enough cooked that it isn't still bleating"; it arrived cooked to the color...

This is truly a dining experience. Interesting. Entertaining. Eccentric. Leave your dining inhibitions and dietary concerns at the door. This is a very small, almost cramped, restaurant that is obviously a labor of love for the owners who do the cooking and serving. No menu...

I love, love, love this restaurant. The food is superb every time. Guy is an amazing chef, and Charles is always entertaining. I would eat here every week (sometimes more than once a week) when I lived close by. Call ahead for a reservation, BYOB....

Great meal in a hidden Gem. We drove up to the restaurant and we didn't know if it was a restaurant or someone's house we came to find out it was both!! It was so warm and inviting the food was delicious and service was...

This restaurant is one of Connecticut's most well kept secrets. A small building with a french themed decor is the home of one of if Connecticut's best chefs. The experience begins with a warm , friendly by the restaurants front of house Charles and you...

My husband and I have been enjoying this gem for a number of years. Our dinners never fail to impress. And, we always look forward to the clever company of Guy and Charles.

We have been going here for about 10.5 years at least 2-3 times a month. They just celebrated their 11th year and in the restaurant business that is an eternity. Not fancy but the best food you will find anywhere, but you do not order...

This is one of those places that so few know. There is no web site, no ads, and if you do call, they return calls only if they have room for you. We found out about RSVP chatting with a couple at the next table...

excellent rich food in classic french country style and atmosphere. bring your own wine is nice too. be prepared for the amuse bouche!