Papillon

My husband and I went for dinner last night. It was recommended to us about two years ago as being a really good «French» restaurant. I should have looked at the menu, as this is NOT a French restaurant. If Applebee’s and Black Angus are on your dining circuit, this would be one step up. It’s a very dated restaurant with fair service, at best. If you’re looking for farm to table food and something current, you will be disappointed. The crowd is much older. I’m 50 and I’m pretty sure I was the youngest person there by 10 – 20 years. I’m not trying to be mean. It’s been in business for a long time and the restaurant seemed to be full, so people do enjoy it. It was not for me.

Very much enjoyed dinner here. Wine list was reasonable and there was a wide variety of food, particularly seafood which was good. The Dutch Crunch bread and butter was awesome — had to push it away to save room for the other food. Chicken cordon bleu stuffed with crab was very tender. Also particularly enjoyed the Lobster Ravioli. Definitely plan on coming back — service was great. Very good place I think in particular for special events (birthday, Valentines). Didn’t try the desert but will next time. The table next to us had the Baked Alaska (the ice cream flambeau) so definitely will try that.

I don’t have words how tasty the food is here specially Lobster ravioli and onion soup is must try. Every thing is so fresh. Love this place and service is also very very good.

This is a standard GNO default restaurant for us. The best part about the restaurant is the back room.
My favorite dish here is the escargot. The pesto sauce with it is so worth the calories! Ask for your bread to be warmed then dip it in this sauce after you slurp all your snails! Sounds strange? Try it! You get hooked. I promise. For last night, we ordered mostly appetizers as we were not too hungry. We had the special foie gras, the burrata cheese, fried shrimp, grilled salmon, grilled sea bass, angel hair pasta, escargot and onion soup. This is probably the best onion soup in the area. On the very top of the soup with covered with the dome of phyllo pastry. Beautiful presentation and super yummy! It’s definitely a meal on its own. The fishes were not great but still tasty. I did not order the calamari steak for my entrée today but definitely one of my favorites!
The service is spectacular! We had our regular good looking Fillipino gentleman from the UK. The chivalry of the English, go figure the service level. He is always attentive and super polite.
The location is on the main road of Fremont. Awesome that they have their own lot. Although the décor is dated and has a some what musty smell, the restaurants service makes it all worth our while. Hopefully one day, they will redo the interior.
Overall 4. Service 5, food 3.5, ambience 3. Definitely worth your trip if only for the escargot!
Until next time, Bön appetite! Ciao!

Went there for an anniversary dinner.
To cut to the chase:
Food: 4 stars
Ambiance: 3.5 stars
Service: 6 stars
Food:
Smoked Salmon Carpaccio: Delicious, best Arugula that I have had in ages (no bitterness)
House salad: Equally tasty, with a delightful vinaigrette
French Onion Soup: Tasty, the puff pastry crust instead of croutons works surprisingly well (and the cheese is baked into the crust). There was more cheese stuck to the bottom of the bowl, which I passed on, having reached my limit of lactose for the night. The broth itself was just about right.
Angel Hair pasta: Seasoned just right, and cooked to perfection. No mushy vegetables.
Seafood Wellington in lobster bisque: Tasty, but in the end, I would have preferred Beef Wellington. But you just have to try new things sometimes.
Meyer Lemon Parfait with caramel and meringue: Too die for!!! Just the right amount of sweetness and tartness in the parfait. Best-​tasting Caramel I have ever had and melts on your tongue.
There were a few surprises as to ingredients that weren’t listed on the menu. If you have any food allergies/​intolerances, make sure to ask.
In general I’m not a fan of French Cooking (or Central European in general) as it is just so heavy. I did feel a little bit weighed down after the soup, and much more so after the entrée. Luckily the desert was crisp and light. I have to say that the quality and presentation of the food were all top notch. If I was more into French food, I would probably give it 5 stars.
There wasn’t much light fare on the menu. If I had to work after eating here, I’d probably make a course of salad, starter and dessert, skipping the entrée.
The portion sizes were more American than French (except the soup), which makes the prices actually reasonable.
We dined in the back room, which is classy without being pretentious. Wood paneling, muted colors, paintings on the walls. Lighting was subdued enough to border on romantic, but bright enough so you don’t have to squint to read the menu. The room is spacious and absorbs sounds reasonably well. While we could certainly hear the crowd in the room, we had no problems conversing at normal volume. (Partly this was because we were in a booth. Getting up to go the bathroom did noticeably increase the perceived noise background.)
There’s a bit of a musty smell upon arrival, which quickly fades away. Funny how human perception deals with that.
For a Saturday evening, the crowd was quite mixed. Couples in their 20’s to 60’s (and beyond?). And one group that looked like a family gathering of some sort, with kids.
I have to gush about the service. I dread going to fancy restaurants, because usually service degrades after the drink orders. We don’t drink alcohol, which is where the big money is in dining. So waiters working for tips usually focus on the more imbibing tables. Not so here. Table service was astoundingly effective. Efficient and unobtrusive, clearing dishes quickly (without feeling like we were being hurried). We basically never felt intruded upon by the staff, but they were always there when we needed somebody. It had a certain Downton Abbey air to it.
We left a 25% tip and I felt like it should have been more. Seriously, tips should be for good service, not for having run up a large bill. I’ll probably do more next time, because I have never had service this good in an expensive restaurant. (Now keep in mind that this is Fremont expensive, not San Francisco expensive, so it’s not even that expensive.)

So I would like to preface my review by saying I have dined here about a dozen or so times over the past few years as kind of an in between spot for a relative of mine and I to have dinner together. The service has always been pretty good and the food as well.
Today my experience has completely changed my opinion about this establishment and I will probably never return.
I ordered beef wellington (rare) and my pregnant wife the mussel, scallop, and prawn dish. Relatives ordered the sea bass and the sole.
We ordered the coconut shrimp app (not bad but I have preferred some of their others like the raw oysters in the past).
Was looking forward to their peach bread pudding after dinner as well which we skipped because of our experience.
Long story short:
The Wellington came out more like a medium. I was pretty disappointed and actually stopped eating the dish about half way through because I really wasn’t into it. Not a huge big deal but I was a little let down. What happened with my wife’s order just about sent me though the roof though. The mussels were all bearded still when served which leads me to believe they weren’t properly cleaned. My wife did not know what the pieces of beard were on the mussels and asked me after she finished the dish. I informed two individuals on the wait staff and one person, when shown the beards, just identified what they were for me. Thanks?
The other person went to the kitchen to inform me they usually do debeard the mussels as a part of their cleaning process.
So Papillon is serving my pregnant wife I uncleaned shellfish with literally not as much as an apology? Sorry, we won’t be back.
Listen I know some folks make complaints trolling for free stuff or bill credits but I assure you I could care less about that. We expect good food that has been properly prepared. The way the situation was handled was horrible as well. You’ve lost 4 customers for life at least.

Went there for my anniversary. Food service and wine was great. The maitre d was very attentive as was the staff. No complaints about the food. They gave us a free desert for our anniversary. Don’t understand why it had taken me 9 years to dine here but I will definitely not wait 9 years to return.

Great place !!! Me and my fiancé found this place a while back right before i asked her out Connor was our waiter he was awesome best waiter ive had the we went back in Oct and the food and service was even better. This place is a breath of fresh air after dinning at restaurants that have bad service and good food and vise versa. Connor was our waiter the 2^nd time definitely making it more authentic. Love this place will be back soon.

I love this restaurant. I’ve been here for lunch with friends several times. All of the food I have ever ordered there has been amazing. The lobster ravioli and tuna tar tar salad are fantastic. It’s always a special treat eating at papillon. I love sitting at the bar and chatting with Ellen. She is the best bartender /​server. She is great with customers. Makes us feel welcome every time.

I really like this old place it has a long history and seems to have a lot of customers that have been going there for a long time. I loved the Victorian theme the wall paper and décor is elegant and the fresh flowers all around the place make it bright and friendly. The service is five stars and the food is ok. It has a French influence and the flavors are extremely rich. If you like rich flavors this is your place. We had the seafood Wellington and beet salad. My moms husband ordered smoked salmon and the bread they placed on the table was the mostly amazing bread I have had in life. The French onion soup looked amazing and so did the beef Wellington.

Food is always perfect. This is my go-​to celebration place for large occasions in my life.
It’s clearly family owned, I love the little decorations they make on your plate and on their soups. It really makes you feel like you’re having such a classy experience.
Oh yeah, and their Cream of Mushroom ranks in the top soups I have ever had in my life.
Whenever I’m here, I tend to get their lamb. It’s just my staple, but they have seasonal specials that my friends have raved above. Oh, and their crème brûlée is to die for. So so good. Share it w/​a friend, it’s usually too much for me to finish by myself.

For years I’ve passed by this little restaurant on mission. I finally had the pleasure to dine here right before Christmas Eve because my work’s original plan of dinning at The Vine fell through due to being closed for winter break (who does that?). But anyway, was glad The Vine was closed for «winter break» because I finally got to try this little gem.
They had a complimentary dutch crunch bread and it was the best bread I’ve ever had. So good that I asked for some to go afterwards! I ordered the braised kobe beef and upgraded my soup that comes with the entrée to a french onion soup. The french onion soup had a puff pastry over it and it was the best french onion soup I’ve had. The cheese was not too stringy, unlike at other places I’ve had french onion soup. The soup was a good size and it was so good, I was pretty full by then. The Braised Kobe Beef came out after some time and it was simply delicious. It was accompanied by horseradish mashed potatoes, which was the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the braised Kobe Beef.
The service was amazing and they were very attentive. There were two gentleman who tended to our table.
Must be back for more soup and bread and must try the dessert next time.

Wow! Who would have known that such an amazing restaurant is located right off Mission Blvd. I was there for birthday celebrations. I shared a lemon drop with a friend. They divided it up into two separate glasses. They get a star just for that!
We had the smoked salmon and crab cakes for appetizers. My favorite was the crab cake. Perfectly crispy on the outside. My entrée was the pork belly with gravy and mashed potato. It was cooked perfectly and had a lot of flavor. The service was impeccable.
We ordered three desserts to share, macaroons (our friend failed to share those), cheesecake and chocolate mousse. YummO! When I say the service was impeccable, well all three desserts were on the house! Who does that? They stop serving at 9 pm. We stayed until 11 pm and were one of the last people there. They never hassled us to leave. That’s a restaurant that cares about customer service and making the gathering special.

Was here with 6 other friends for a birthday. I would say the food overall is just okay. The appetizers was better than my main course. I really liked the lobster ravioli, the sauce is so good for bread. Here is what we got or I at least had a bite of:
Escargot: it’s good. But not memorable.
Calamari: too much breading and very few pieces of calamari. A lot of fried vegetable.
Foi Gras: not fatty at all. The salad is good that came with it.
French onion soup: it’s interesting idea with the bread crust. And overall it is tasty, but not something I rave about. I feel like it is too much bread and not enough cheese and soup.
Filet: I got medium rare, but it came out more medium to medium well. And the crab topping is almost weird. Maybe the shrimp scampi would have been better.
All other dishes I tried are just okay too. I had the chicken and prime rib.
Would come back, but not highly recommend to friends.
They are very nice on birthdays. My friend got a big desert plate for free. It had crème brûlée, ice cream and cheesecake.

Papillon is the epitome of quaint fine dining. Family owned with lots of charm, there is no doubt that Pap is the best place in the Bay Area to satisfy your French food craving.
My friends and I started off with the french onion soup which is honestly a MUST have. They’ve absolutely perfected this traditional dish. It comes with just the perfect amount of cheese topped off with a delicate and flakey puff pastry.
We also tried the pan seared foie gras with mixed berries. I’m typically not a fan of foie gras when it’s just served cold. However, this foie gras was cooked perfectly. The sear made it melt in your mouth and the berries, which I wasn’t expecting to pair so well, complimented it amazingly.
For my main entrée I ordered one of their specials of the evening which was angel hair pasta with shrimp in a wonderful lobster sauce. You can tell that the meal was freshly made and just absolutely delicious with some cracked black pepper on top.
Overall, Papillon is great place for a heavenly meal. I would definitely recommend making a reservation, especially if you plan on going over the weekend because it does get quite busy. Ask for Channah as your server! She knows the menu like the back of her hand and will definitely assist with any questions you may have. If not, you also have the option of sitting at the bar. Ellen makes fantastic drinks and is quite the character to chat with while enjoying your meal :)

I have lives in Fremont for over 40 years and am ashamed to say I have not been to this restaurant but once before this visit. Hubby and I celebrated our 23^rd wedding anniversary here on October 13, a Tuesday night. I made reservations for 6:30 and we were seated by a window right after we walked in. Our waiter was Sam. He was awesome. I had major back surgery two weeks prior. My husband asked him if they had a pillow for my back. Immediately he brought me two to choose from.
Our meals were delicious. I had the scallops sautéed with mushrooms and baked with cheese. OMG, to die for. Hubby had the diner with peppercorn and flamed brandy. They brought our complimentary dessert to polish off the night.
We have plans to go back with our good friends next month.

Goodness me… for the prices? I feel like I could get much better quality food and service. Ambiance of the place was pretty meh — felt like some old mexican restaurant turned into «fine dining»
Here are my main complaints:
1. Free bread tasted too processed, no crispiness /​freshness
2. Menu was not sorted by type of meat (steak vs. seafood etc.) which left me a bit frustrated having to read every single line item/​description
3. Salmon was okay, but if I’m going to be served a $ 30 entrée, I’d prefer my mashed potatoes to be fresh… not powdered or pre-​processed. Sauce was decent but overly salty.
4. Vegetables tasted overly cooked and buttered.
5. Side salad of «caesar salad» was ginormous, though the shoddy labeling left us being charged $ 4.50 since the cost for a caesar salad over a house salad was apparently… that much.
6. Bf not at all thrilled with chicken cordon bleu that was filled with some pre-​made crab stuffing…
TLDR: Given the location and the price, I’m surprised this place has 4 stars. Check the elite Unilocalers’ reviews, save your money and go elsewhere if you value quality over quantity.

We had a group of 16 here for a birthday dinner, and we were the youngest ones in the restaurant. It seems this restaurant attracts the elder, not that it’s a bad thing. Upon walking in, we were greeted with a gentleman playing in the piano next to the bar. Our whole party wasn’t here yet, so some of us ordered Hennessy shots at the bar while we waited.
They reserved a section of the restaurant for our large party. It wasn’t enclosed, but we had the entire space to ourselves. My friend opted to do a pre-​fixed menu for her birthday dinner instead of having everyone order off the menu. I was disappointed because she didn’t include the beef wellington (and I’ve been dying to try one since watching Hells Kitchen. I believe this is the only restaurant in the Bay Area that serves beef wellington). But we still got to pick our appetizer, entrée, and dessert from a limited list.
I went with the calamari ($ 10) and ribeye ($ 33), which both ended up being mediocre, unfortunately. The food was good, but didn’t impress me too much. The birthday girl got her free ice cream and I ordered my favorite, crème brûlée!
The only reason I would come back would be to try the beef wellington. Other than that, I’d probably venture elsewhere.

Papillon was so perfect!
This place has been on my radar for a long time but due to its price point, I was saving it for a special occassion — Finally! It was time to try it!
Service was amazing, ambiance was great, and the food was perfect in every way!
Crab cakes: Delicious, crispy, soft and flavorful patties that barely holds itself together. It came with some salad on the side. I loved this starter dish, but 2 pieces per dish is sooo little. Is there a larger plate option?
Calamari: A bowl of tempura-​styled mixed things including zucchini, calamari, and misc things. This was just okay. It came with a sauce but overall this dish didn’t leave a whole lot of impression because each piece was so small.
French Onion Soup with Puff Pastry: I’ve had soup with puff pastry before and the puffy thing on top almost always guarantees it to be good. This was the case for their french onion soup, however I did feel like I prefer puff pastries with creamy based soups rather than the salty french onion soup! The soup itself was wonderful though, the pastry gave it a bit of texture and neutralized the saltiness that is a normal attribute of french onion soups. Good value if you choose this as an add-​on to your entrée instead of ordering it as a separate starter.
Seafood Wellington: DELICIOUS! The pastry outside was soft and flavorful and the seafood mix inside was creamy, moist, and overall very yummy! There was a lot of shell though. Even if they were super tiny pieces, they did detract from the experience a bit.
House Salad: Light salad, fresh, tasted like your average salad. Good for balancing out your meals.
Filet Mignon: They cook this with brandy/​fire in front of you! How cool! Can’t speak for the taste. but it looked perfectly cooked to the medium rare that was requested. They also warm up the delicious sauce in the pan in front of you and pour generously over your filet mignon. Yum!
Grilled Alaska Salmon: By far the best salmon I’ve had at any restaurant… The salmon had very little sea flavor and was perfectly soft. Each piece came apart slowly and beautifully. The sauce on top added the perfect flavor, accompanied by the creamy mashed potatoes that gave each bite more texture and creaminess (if you eat bites of salmon with bites of mashed potatoes!)
P. S. The asian waiter sounded EXACTLY like Thor (from the Marvel comics)!!! The exact voice with the exact accent. This made my evening :)
All the waiters were very attentive and cordial, water cups were filled often, they made sure we had everything we needed.
Finally, if celebrating a special occassion, there’s always a special complimentary desert at the end!

The last time I was here I brought my high school sweetheart (1999 I think?) that was before my days of fine dining (and Internet) so for Fremont being my home town, this was the most expensive restaurant i know of other than Black Angus. And man did I splurge lol.
Anyway fast forward many years, this place still looks cute, a little old fashion, even the workers and diners are of age. My wife made a reservation and we were 45 mins late and they still kept our seating. Excellent service.
We ordered the escargot, aside from the temperature being warm (could be hotter) it was delicious. Flavor was good and great for bread dipping.
Speaking of the bread, it’s a little different than the usually bread from most restaurants, it’s ultra soft! I enjoyed it a lot with that block of butter it came with.
Second starter we got was lobster ravioli and it was good too. It kind of tasted like Shui Mai! Haha we played around with mixing it up with a little Escargot sauce and it was yummy too.
The salad was decent, large. Good but nothing out of ordinary. The Onion Soup in a pastry was yummy. I’m not really a fan of onion soup like my wife but this one was just perfect amount of saltiness. Crispy flakes and good amount of cheese. At this point I’m already super full and very satisfied with our meals.
As for main entrée we ordered Pork Tenderloin and Scallops. We swapped out the rice that came with the scallops with pasta (got that idea from other Unilocalers)
I thought pork tenderloin wasn’t good. The flavor and the texture something was off about it. As for the scallops, flavor was really good. It was buttery and very flavorful. However the scallops itself lacked flavoring.
For dessert we ordered the strawberry crêpe ice cream, the vanilla bean ice cream was really good. I feel the dish could have had a little bit more. Perhaps some kind syrup, banana? I don’t know exactly what but it just needed a little bit more.
Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant a lot. Service was good, waiters were pretty attentive at filling out ice teas and asked us how we are doing. We didn’t have high hopes before coming here considering the east bay just don’t have many good fancy restaurants. This restaurant is definitely at least a solid 4 stars.