Le Clos

If you’re looking for a great place to eat and you love French, than this is the place to go.
I recommend the Duck. I have been here twice and it never disappoints. The people giving this restaurant 2 and 3 stars obviously do not know good food.
I gave it a 5 because not only is the food excellent, but the staff are very friendly

My husband and I stopped at Fernandina Beach for the night after a day of driving. Le Clos seemed very cute from outside– a little French cottage and all. The dining room was full, but we were happy to be seated at one of the tables outside. We ordered the escargot (so buttery and garlicky!) and the pâté to start and having tried both we got real excited about the main course– and were not disappointed. My husband had the duck and I had the tuna– both excellent!
I loved the veggies that came with the entrees — the waitress was sweet enough to check with the chef how to make them– can’t wait to try and make them at home.
And yes, the bread was yummy too!

Perhaps the loudest restaurAnt I’ve ever been in. Food is good but the noise will give u a headache by the time you’re done. Can’t hear anything being said at our tBle.

Bring your earplugs! The food and service are wonderful, but the volume is unbearable.

Great food, always fun atmosphere in charming cottage. Fabulous service. Staff knows their menu and their wines. My husband and I come here whenever we want a great meal and just a truly enjoyable, relaxing evening.

Usually my reviews are a little more tongue-​in-​cheek than this one is going to be, but I hold French restaurants to a higher standard than most, so here goes.
I’ll start by saying that I had a nice time at Le Clos, and elaborate on what worked: the ambiance was lovely, the wine was REAL good (if overpriced), and everyone in my party was in an unsuppressably great mood thanks in part to these factors. The escargot we had as starters was pretty much perfection: piping hot and garlicky as hell.
Onto what worked «enough»: service was fine (our waitress being much more enthusiastic than the stressed out young food runners… oh, and they forgot to bring the coffee my friend and I ordered at the end), bread was fine (but they only gave us one piece per person… and it’s a French restaurant), & though the Caesar salad (which the waitress recommended over the others) was nothing really memorable except for its use of toasted buttered bread crumbs (I think that’s what that was?), it was fine.
The mains, though: yawn.
For what they charge for a main here ($ 20+), I’d have expected much better. Granted, I’m a huge francophile which means I’m a snob when it comes to French food, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, but this isn’t «French» food. This CERTAINLY isn’t «Provençal French» food, as their website claims. Not to be THAT GIRL, but I have been to Provence many times and come on, guys. This is not that. This is not even close to that, and you’re barely even doing much to pass it off as such! Can you GET shrimp and pasta, or duck and potatoes in Provence? Sure, but you can also get it ANYWHERE else in France — scratch that, anywhere in the world. If you’re going to boast that you’re Provençal, let’s see some damn bouillabaisse or some olives on the table. At least.
Anyway. When I saw the mains offerings on the menu, I was a little surprised that the majority of them did not strike me as a) particularly French or b) particularly inspired. Still, I ordered what sounded best to me, hoping that when the food came out it would turn out to be something more. My party of six each ordered something different so that we trade bites.
When they arrived, I noticed that they looked almost identical: Protein, carb (pasta or potatoes), & some kind of veg, arranged basically the same way on the plate. This shouldn’t have come as a surprise, as the menu did clearly mention «whipped potatoes» and «julienne vegetables» in their description of just about every main — I guess I just thought they would have been served a little more interestingly. Although not uniquely, the dishes were plated ATTRACTIVELY enough, with carefully swirled pasta, sprinklings of herbs around the rim, etc, but all in all it just sort of looked like the cooks were overcompensating for something.
My scallops were nice and plump and seasoned well, as were basically all the proteins I tried — duck, bistro steak, pork tenderloin, grouper (a special that night), & shrimp (my sister’s pork tenderloin was my favorite, by the way). Nothing was BAD. But nothing had that oomph that you feel deep in your soul when you take your first bite of something really special. And that’s what I’m expecting when I’m paying this much at a restaurant with 4+ Unilocal stars, I guess.
Finally, dessert. Only three options: gâteau au chocolat, créme brûlée, or vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce. Ok… yes, TECHNICALLY 2 out of 3 of these are French in origin, but they’re standard desserts at just about ANY restaurant in the world, French or not. Again, considering the «prestige» of this restaurant I was hoping for something you couldn’t get just anywhere. We skipped dessert and stopped for Ben & Jerry’s on the way home.
I think the main problem with Le Clos is that it is neither progressive NOR classic — it’s somewhere in this awkward middle ground. It does lean towards classic, but classic French dishes have more nuance, more warmth, MUCH more character. I would say this was «wannabe» classic French fare, but it seemed far too complacent to even be labeled as that.
A lot of people would agree that «French restaurant» in the US basically just means «expensive and pretentious restaurant.» Le Clos is pretentious in the true sense of the word: it’s pretending to be something it’s not. It’s insulting that they think they can dupe everyone, and annoying that they are probably successful 90% of the time.
If you aren’t as big of a food snob as me, you might find Le Clos and its prices to be completely memorable and worthwhile. Maybe the reason it has overwhelmingly good Unilocal reviews is because most of the restaurants on Amelia Island are judged with tourist standards. But I was disappointed and annoyed. I don’t like overly negative reviews and I hope this one doesn’t cause a drop in sales for Le Clos, but I DO hope it encourages the staff to do some more homework and up their game. Allez, les gars.

Ideal Location for Small Group Function!!!
My husband and I have been to Le Clos several times and had a wonderful experience each time we visited. I love the Poulet Poulet — the chicken is cooked to perfection, and the sauce would make a shoe taste good. My husband loves the pork shank and their daily fish specials. Plus the wine selection is amazing!
When planning our wedding a couple months back, we were looking for a small reception venue with amazing food for a small group of people (30 people in total). Julie from Le Clos worked with us to create the perfect event. From hors d’oeuvres in the back garden to choosing our favorite dishes to serve at dinner, Julie made everything happen. Every detail was executed to perfection — and she surprised even us by securing free beer glasses that all of our guests could take with them! She is absolutely amazing, just like Le Clos.
While I know this is an nontraditional Unilocal review, I had no where else to rave about this incredible experience. If you are planning a dinner for a small group — whether it may be a rehearsal dinner, anniversary party, birthday party, etc — you need look no further than Le Clos to provide you with a stellar dining experience for your whole party.

Hands down the best Resturant on Amelia Island! The servers are top notch! Friendly, accommodating, and efficient! The food is unbelievably delicious! My friends had the Duck, Scallops, and escargot. They said it was to die for. I am vegan and the happily made me the most delicious veggies and roasted potatoes. They also offer gluten free penne and gluten free rolls! Their wine list is on point! Definitely recommend! Call for a reservation, they book fast!

The appetizers were average. The steak was amazing. The dessert was good. The wine was excellent. The staff was very attentive. The ambiance and music were great. Was our second time to eat here and we will be back someday for a third.

YUM! We spent the weekend at Omni Amelia Island and came in for dinner each night to Fernandino Beach. This was recommended. We started with Vichyssoise and a salad which were both amazing and then split the entrée for the evening which was mashed potatoes, and a delicious Grouper. They actually split the entrée for us, which was so thoughtful. The wine was great and priced well. Service was fabulous and we loved the charming little house the restaurant was located in.

What a great meal. Went for a birthday meal and was not disappointed. Our table had the steak and the chicken pillard. Both were fab. We ended with the chocolate cake that was served warm. We will be back

I picked Le Clos based on Unilocal reviews during our weekend stay in Amelia Island. What the others say is true — the dining room IS cozy and my 6’2″ husband was a bit squooshed into a corner, but since the other tables around us were not sat yet it was ok. The rest of the dining room was taken up by a rehearsal dinner that was getting a LOT of service, but that’s what happens with big parties.
Let’s start with the negatives — wine list was eclectic and oddly priced. (For example, it was not a consistent formula for ratio of glass to bottle pricing). We were started with ONE piece of bread, and had to BEG for more. Literally. We even ordered the pâté because it said it was accompanied by french bread — it was not; it came with crostinis :(Oh, and as previous poster said, it was maybe 1 ounce of pâté. Maybe. Upon more pleading (and a wait) we each later got one more slice of bread. I removed a whole star for this. I mean, it’s a FRENCH restaurant. Let me eat bread :)
I had the steak au poivre. Hubs the scallops.
Agree with previous posters about the vegetable accompaniment being more of a garnish (and while I was craving meat, I truly love vegetables and would have enjoyed more). Both were prepared correctly, though Hubs had 4 scallops on his plate, and previous Unilocal pictures showed 5, so the portion was also a bit light. (Yes, we like to eat, and something about a day at the beach makes you even more hungry, right?)
Skipped dessert as it is not our thing. Overall, good, but the value wasn’t there for me/​us.

This is our third visit to Le Clos and we were disappointed. My husband and I are both lean, fitness-​conscious light eaters, and even so, we found the portions small. My husband ordered the pâté’ appetizer, and it came in a tiny ramekin about an inch in diameter. The portion should have been two to three times that. He asked for duck breast medium rare, and it came well done. The wine by the glass portions were also on the small side. My seared ahi tuna was delicious, but there were only a tablespoon or two of accompanying vegetables on the plate. The restaurant was about half full, and it still took a really long time for our entrees to arrive. We will not be back. Le Clos has a reputation of being the best restaurant in Fernandina, but I am not sure it is deserved at this moment.

We just loved this place. Small, cozy, and friendly. Its in a quiet area of town but it can get noisy since its a bit on the small side. Food was outstanding. Everything was very well prepared with outstanding flavor. The staff was so nice. Make reservations! We saw several people turned away. We are bookmarking this one for sure.

This place has been touted as the best restaurant around, but we were not impressed. It is a converted cottage with one main dining room with little space between the tables, so it is cozy but perhaps a little too cozy. There were several waitresses scurrying about but I didn’t feel like their varying responsibilities were executed well and their time could have been spent much more effectively.
We were served warm bread and butter and we ordered the calamari and escargot to start. The calamari were showcased by being towered onto two chopsticks, yet the breading was a little too heavy and overpowering for the light rings of squid. The escargot was extremely hot and served in individual ceramic baking dishes which added to the presentation. The broth which they were cooked was seasoned well and the dish was well prepared. We also ordered the potato leek soup which was split for us to share; it was light and tasty and I would highly recommend it. It’s hard to find good soups!
For our main courses we ordered the duck and the scallops. The scallops were barely seared and just perfectly cooked through proving them to be very tender and fresh. They were served on their own beds of sauteed spinach complemented with a serving of linguine.
All in all it was a positive experience but the service was very spotty which inhibited the flow of the meal and left it feeling rushed and paused throughout the night and we were left to pour our own wine.

Small? Yes. Loud at times? Yes. Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Yes! Make reservations, bring your wallet {or someone who is bringing theirs} and be in the mood for some simple yet perfectly executed French inspired cuisine and top notch service. My husband and I have come back time and time again to celebrate anniversaries and/​or birthdays and have never been disappointed. On this particular culinary trip we started with the succulent escargot and the special appetizer of the evening, the Fish Cake (essentially a crab cake minus the crab, with Grouper and Salmon instead) as well as the Caesar Salad (which they split at no extra charge for us.) All was prepared to perfection. We wanted to bring a bottle of bubbly with us but the corking fee is $ 25, not worth it in my opinion– spend $ 10 more for a decent bottle in stock. The ‘signature’ Hudson Valley Duck Breast with whipped potatoes and shredded veggies is my go-​to; have not been let down yet. Husband {die hard carnivore} had the Bistro Steak entrée-​ate every bite. Topped off the night with two tart espressos and the ideal temperature Crème Brûlée. Walked out happy and fat.

I did extensive research on restaurant options before a recent trip to Amelia Island, and felt fairly confident that I wanted to eat dinner at Le Clos one night. I was a little thrown off by their antiquated reservation request system (you fill out a form online and someone from the restaurant e-​mails you back to say when they have availability). It took about 24 hours to get a response, but I was able to get a reservation for 6:30 on a Saturday.
I was staying at the Hampton Inn across the street, so the restaurant could not have been any more conveniently located. As others have noted, it’s in an old house and has a very charming atmosphere.
I was seated right away, and my server called me by name throughout my time there (she knew my name from the reservation), which was a nice touch. She was very friendly and informative, giving me tips on various places to go on the island, etc.
The food was nothing short of superb, starting with the bread and ending with the dessert. For my main course, I chose a special: panko-​crusted grouper (caught that afternoon) with julienned vegetables and whipped potatoes. Excellent. I had crème brûlée for dessert, which was amazingly creamy and delicious. It was also the perfect temperature – cool but not cold.
One thing to note: contrary to the business info on Unilocal,this restaurant does not have a full bar. Beer and wine only.
If you’re planning a trip to Amelia Island, Le Clos should be at the top of your list of places to eat!

This is by far one of the most romantic places to dine on Amelia Island. The layout is like a house which creates a very cozy environment.
The menu has several protein options and all were described so well it was hard to choose. In the end I selected the salmon with whipped potatoes and juliened veggies in a butter wine sauce. Oh My! The salmon was not fishy and was cooked perfectly. The veggies in the butter sauce were perfect. The meal was light yet filling. Very clean eating. Be aware this is true french style cooking, the portions are smaller.
For dessert we had the chocolate cake. It was great. Simple in ingredients but big on taste. It was not the best dessert I have ever eaten but it was rich and satisfying. The whipped cream seemed home made. I paired the dessert with the moscato dessert wine. Desserts wines in general are not my thing but this was an exception. I truly enjoyed it.
This leads me to the drinks. After a couple tastings I had the vouvray white wine. This is a perfect and crisp wine that pairs well with fish. Overall I found their wine selection plentiful. They lay out the body level for red, white, and sparkling which allows for a easier selection.
Too bad this place is so many states away. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Le Clos is a charming little restaurant, tucked into a quaint house in the historic district. We ate there around 9:00 on a Saturday night, and it was still packed. A little too packed for my taste – as it made it overly loud and warm.
My husband and I shared a green salad for an appetizer. The portions were plentiful, I can’t imagine someone eating a whole salad themselves. The greens were so fresh they almost popped in your mouth. Another couple got the calamari appetizer and enjoyed it. It was very lightly battered, not overbreaded the way you often find it.
My husband had the shrimp, and enjoyed them. He did say later that whatever herb they used was «staying with him» (he thinks it was dill). I’m not sure if that’s a comment on their seasoning or his digestive system…
I had the salmon, and it was delicious, with a lovely crispness to the outside, and a rich, buttery flavor inside. The sides, mashed potatoes and julienned vegetables, were just okay. I mean, they tasted fine, but were rather uninspired.
All in all, it’s worth a trip, and you will not be disappointed in your food. However, there were enough small issues to keep me from giving it a five star rating.

Le Clos was a «maybe» on my list of dining options on a recent trip to Amelia Island, and it took a couple of tries, but I’m so glad we were able to snag Sunday night reservations to dine here! At the start of our vacation, we called for reservations but no one answered. We left a message and waited a couple of days but there was no call back. On our last day, we spotted Le Clos while parking and decided to try our luck by walking in to see if there was any availability for an evening meal. Luckily, they were very friendly and welcomed us back at 8:45pm.
Le Clos is a cute, charming house that is beautifully decorated with a french flair. There is a touch of romanticism, creativity, and personalization with hand-​painted murals and handwritten wine specials. There are far too many servers for this tiny restaurant, all ensuring patrons receive top-​notch service.
We ended up snacking before dinner and unfortunately weren’t hungry enough to eat more, so we each enjoyed an entrée. Everything on the menu sounds absolutely delicious and I had trouble deciding between two dishes, but I finally chose the Duck based on the server’s recommendation and the fact that this is the Le Clos signature dish.
Have you ever eaten anything that is so, so good that you desperately want to share with your company to let them experience this absolutely extraordinary deliciousness but you’re torn because then that means having less for yourself? Well, this Duck dish is it. Frankly hard to describe how grand and delightful this dish is, but I will try. The Duck is served on the side of mashed potatoes and julienne vegetables and honestly, even the sides are incredibly delicious. The potatoes are creamy and seasoned well without being too heavy and the vegetables are perfectly cooked– not too soft or hard, with just the right amount of crispness. On to the Duck– sliced and cooked perfectly on the inside with somehow a crisp, roasted skin still attached. It is topped with a sauce that is nothing short of heavenly– the right amount of sweet and tart that pairs with the Duck and the rest of the sides very well. Wow, just wow. This is easily one of the best Duck dishes I’ve ever had, if not the best. Must try!
Excellent service, great ambiance, amazing food. As good as it gets!