La Ville Lumière: Cleveland French Restaurant Guide

Was super excited to try this spot especially because the menu was filled with everything I love! Unfortunately our experience was severely disappointing. We had reservations for two at 8pm. The hostess and server that greeted us at the door were very welcoming. We were seated and promptly ordered our drinks. Once those came out the server asked if we were ready to order. We asked for clarification on the caviar menu and what she recommends. The clarification on the caviar didn’t really help and the server said it was poorly displayed on the menu. The server was not able to give us a recommendation due to the menu just rolling out but from my understanding it’s been in rotation for at least a month. We asked for a couple minutes and then our server didn’t come back for 45 minutes. Another server towards the end of the 45 minute wait noticed us looking around and asked if we needed anything. We were never checked on prior to that. A minute later our actual server came to the table while my friend was in the bathroom and asked if we wanted to order or if she should come back. So at 9pm I was finally able to put in the order for the two of us which was chips & dip, the lobster pasta, and the steak frites cooked medium. By this time our drinks were empty and we weren’t planning on having more than one round but we still had to wait for our food. The chips and dip came out which was a bit shocking. They gave us two bags of TORRES chips that were poorly cut open and placed inside a metal basket. I guess I expected a different presentation and not be able to see that I just spent $32 on grocery store chips and essentially a tub of creme fraiche. You couldn’t taste any horseradish in the dip or any flavor in general. Another server delivered the appetizer and our actual server didn’t check in with us to make sure everything was okay or get another drink order put in. Our server finally came back when our entrees were delivered to ask if we’d like pepper. My friend took this opportunity to finally put in a drink order. She came back a minute later to ask how everything was and said she’d be back with the drink. It took around 15 minutes for the it to be delivered by another server. At this time the restaurant had cleared out and the bar was empty which left us confused as to why it took 15 minutes for a pear martini. I’d like to mention we didn’t have an issue with other people expoing the food or helping our server but it made it difficult to make corrections to enjoy our experience. The lobster pasta lacked flavor and had a fishy taste. The noodles itself did seem freshly made and the portion of lobster was more generous than most establishments. The steak was not cooked to the correct temperature, half was overcooked while the other was undercooked. It was also tough and chewy with no flavor. The fries were good and seasoned well. The dish came with three sauces which were ketchup, aioli, and LVL steak sauce. The aioli was just straight up mayo essentially while the LVL steak sauce was very obviously A1 sauce. With all that being said it was a very disappointing experience and we were really hoping to love it especially because of the menu options and their happy hour. My friend and I are both in the service industry so we understand people have an off night, but everything combined orchestrated a terrible experience.

Well worth the drive from the East side. Food was lovely, in a beautiful and cozy setting. They have a great happy hour - loved the mussels. Great service too, we had a really nice time.

I was very disappointed in the food - I think with a better chef could benefit such a promising menu. I would love to see “French” inspired restaurants create more of a French experience for patrons who are Francophones. Otherwise, it’s just another dining joint.

This was my first time coming to La Ville Lumière. I had to wait around 20 minutes for an opening at the happy hour which is 4-6Pm to 10-midnight all days except Sunday. I ordered the Steak Sandwich and Mussels which I thought tasted pretty solid for the price. The place had more than just French options.

The menu has changed since I last went, so what i wanted to order was not on the menu. They basically took half the menu and made it different weeknight specials. Loved the grand bread service and French onion soup is a flavor bomb. Steak was overcooked and my piece was extra fatty, even for a ribeye, which was disappointing because it was a premium price, thus the 4 stars. Server was good, but I couldn't hear her over the bartenders shaking drinks as we were the closest table to the bar. Seems weird as we were only a 4 top, but I asked her to repeat, and still couldn't hear her. Other than that, she was good as she took a drink off our bill because it wasn't made correctly. If you like Pistachio, the Pistachio cake was to die for. If I go back, it will be for happy hour, because what I wanted to order is on the happy hour menu.