Bistro Vida

4.8

2801 Reviews

$30 and under

French

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 42 times today

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Charming

Established in 1998, Bistro Vida is a neighborhood restaurant inspired by the great Parisian bistro culture and traditions of French cooking. Our mission is to bring the joie de vivre, comfort, and community of the City of Lights to downtown Menlo Park. The name " Vida" the Spanish word for life, was chosen as a toast to the enjoyment of life, love, and food. Each delicious detail of the chic interior from the smart bar to the blackboard menus, the huge cylindrical chandeliers to the long mirrors reminiscent of brasseries has acquired a warm patina over the years.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
French, Bistro, Californian
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
Phone number
(650) 462-1686
Website
http://www.bistro-vida.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Ali El Safy
Catering
From a small gather to a large corporate lunch or celebration, we have a variety of menu options for your catered event.
Private party facilities
We have several options for large groups, special occasions, corporate events, and more. Please contact the restaurant to inquire about holding an event at Bistro Vida. We will work with you to create a personalized event including a uniquely crafted menu and a signature wine experience. RESTAURANT BUYOUTWe offer availability for large parties in the form of a full restaurant buyout. Our dining room accommodates up to 100 guests for a seated dinner and up to 150 guests for a standing reception. PATIOOur private heated patio can accommodate up to 40 guests for a seated event and up to 60 guests for a standing reception.

Location
641 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Neighborhood
Menlo Park
Cross street
El Camino Real
Parking details
Street parking all around and public lot directly to the rear of the restaurant.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Huîtres$18.00
½ dozen oysters du jour
Tartare de Thon$16.00
ahi tuna, ginger, chives, yuzu
Calmars Frits$13.00
fried calamari, aioli mayonnaise
Coquilles$17.00
sautéed sea scallop, garlic, white wine, herbes de provence
Escargots à la Bourguignonne$20.00
Burgundy snails, parsley-garlic butter
Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée$11.00
caramelized sweet onions, beef jus, country bread, gruyère
Pâté de Campagne$15.00
country pâté, radishes, cornichons, baguette
Assiette de Charcuteries$19.00
prosciutto, saucisson sec, pâté, olives, cornichons
Tartare de Boeuf$19.00
hand chopped fillet, egg yolk, cornichons, caper berries
Olives Marinées$7.00
warm marinated olives
Assiette de Fromages$19.00
selection of three artisanal cheeses, toasted baguette
Fondue aux Fromages$16.00
gruyère & emmental cheese

Les Salades

Laitue$12.00
bibb lettuce, fines herbes, dijon vinaigrette
César$12.00
hearts of romaine, croûtons, parmegiano reggiano
Chèvre Chaud$13.00
mixed greens, warm goat cheese, roasted beets, champagne vinaigrette
Tomates et Burrata$16.00
tomatoes, arugula, basil, burrata cheese

Fruits de Mer

Moules Frites$30.00
mussels, sauce marinière, parsley, french fries
Clams Frites$30.00
clams, sauce marinière, parsley, french fries
Sole Meunière$32.00
fillet of sole, beurre noisette, haricots verts, roasted fingerling potatoes
Saumon Grillé$33.00
grilled wild salmon, beurre blanc, seasonal vegetables
Risotto aux Saint Jacques$30.00
seared sea scallops, asparagus risotto
Bouillabaisse$36.00
provençal fish stew, tomato-saffron broth, croûtons, rouille
Linguine de Palourdes$25.00
linguine pasta, manila clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic, white wine

Garnitures

Pommes Frites
french fries
Épinards
sautéed spinach
Haricots Verts
sautéed french green beans
Champignons Fricassée
sautéed mushrooms

Les Viandes et Les Entreés

Poulet Rôti$28.00
roasted free-range chicken, haricots verts, mashed potatoes, herbed chicken jus
Coq au Vin$30.00
red burgundy braised chicken, lardons, mushrooms, pearl onions, egg noodles
Cassoulet de Toulouse$35.00
duck confit, toulouse sausage, white beans
Pork Tenderloin$30.00
roasted pork tenderloin, caramelized onions, crème fraîche, potato gratin
Lamb Chops$42.00
grilled new zealand lamb chops, demi glace sauce, roasted potatoes, asparagus
Boeuf Bourguignon$33.00
beef stewed in red wine, pearl onions, baby carrots, mashed potatoes
Steak Frites$40.00
New York strip, sauce béarnaise, french fries
Filet au Poivre$44.00
filet mignon, asparagus, potato gratinée
Vida Burger$22.00
roasted red bell peppers, gorgonzola, french fries
Couscous$30.00
couscous, merguez sausage, harissa sauce
Gnocchi à la Parisienne$23.00
sautéed gnocchi, mushrooms, asparagus, peas, beurre noisette

What 2,801 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bistro Vida is a cherished gem in Menlo Park, offering authentic French bistro dining with "amazing" food and "outstanding service." Ali, the owner, is known for his attention to detail and community involvement. Guests rave about the "best French onion soup" and delicious mussels. A perfect spot for family gatherings or special occasions.

2,801 Reviews

P
Patti VIP
San Francisco21 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful meal at Bistro Vida. Salmon is always delicious.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner VIP
San Francisco1 review
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Ali and the team always do a tremendous job. It was a lot of fun celebrating my mom’s birthday here with great service and even better food.
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J
Jocelyn VIP
San Francisco6 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The owner Ali embodies gracious hospitality and refined customer service. The food was delicious, ambience felt like we were at a bistro in Paris, perfect afternoon lunch with friends. Rose, Salad Nicoise, frites ... was perfect. This is a neighborhood gem.
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J
Jacqueline
San Francisco5 reviews
4.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
We are patrons of Vida for years and appreciate that French Brasserie . Now with the opening of the new Bar,very nice, the noise in the restaurant is extremely painful and annoying. In the restaurant they have also dim the light? The atmosphere of the restaurant is changed ,for me not for the better. Why not keep the doors closed between the Bar and the Restaurant?
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco1 review
4.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
It was a nice place but very loud. The French onion soup was the best. Our main courses were good but not great. The Vanilla crème brûlée was delicious.
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A
Alex
San Francisco16 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Love this restaurant. Excellent food every time, and the friendliest most helpful staff!
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R
R. Eugene VIP
San Francisco54 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Still our favorite place for weekend brunch. Their Eggs Benedict are the best on the mid-peninsula!
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L
Lynne VIP
Los Angeles37 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Bistro Vida is our “go to” in Menlo Park. The food is great, the staff really friendly and helpful. It’s just always a great experience. I highly recommend the sole meunière and the poulet roti for lighter fare. The steaks are great as well. It’s always good to have an enjoyable, high quality alternative that you can count on.
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h
heather VIP
San Francisco18 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The aparagus soup was excellent. The risotto with scallops was excellent. And the warm chocolae cake with icecream was the best I've ever had
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E
Elaine VIP
San Francisco35 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Second time here in 2 weeks and excellent both times. Started with a cocktail next door at Loretta and then in to dinner at BV. Ali, the owner of both, is the quintessential host. Though he doesn’t know me, he made me feel special and welcomed me with a personal greeting & seating. Our dinner was delish—all 4 of us had different entrees, and we all enjoyed them. I had the swordfish which was done perfectly, and my husband had the scallops with risotto which I recommended to him— he loved the dish! More cocktails were excellent and the service and atmosphere were top notch!!
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FAQs

Bistro Vida offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 462-1686.

Bistro Vida is rated 4.8 stars by 2801 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 42 times today

Order delivery or takeout

641 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Additional information

Cross street
El Camino Real
Neighborhood
Menlo Park
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
French, Bistro, Californian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street parking all around and public lot directly to the rear of the restaurant.
Payment options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Ali El Safy
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.bistro-vida.com/
Phone number
(650) 462-1686
Catering
From a small gather to a large corporate lunch or celebration, we have a variety of menu options for your catered event.
Private party facilities
We have several options for large groups, special occasions, corporate events, and more. Please contact the restaurant to inquire about holding an event at Bistro Vida. We will work with you to create a personalized event including a uniquely crafted menu and a signature wine experience. RESTAURANT BUYOUTWe offer availability for large parties in the form of a full restaurant buyout. Our dining room accommodates up to 100 guests for a seated dinner and up to 150 guests for a standing reception. PATIOOur private heated patio can accommodate up to 40 guests for a seated event and up to 60 guests for a standing reception.

Bistro Vida

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Hors D'oeuvres

Huîtres$18.00

Tartare de Thon$16.00

Calmars Frits$13.00

Coquilles$17.00

Escargots à la Bourguignonne$20.00

Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée$11.00

Pâté de Campagne$15.00

Assiette de Charcuteries$19.00

Tartare de Boeuf$19.00

Olives Marinées$7.00

Assiette de Fromages$19.00

Fondue aux Fromages$16.00

Les Salades

Laitue$12.00

César$12.00

Chèvre Chaud$13.00

Tomates et Burrata$16.00

Fruits de Mer

Moules Frites$30.00

Clams Frites$30.00

Sole Meunière$32.00

Saumon Grillé$33.00

Risotto aux Saint Jacques$30.00

Bouillabaisse$36.00

Linguine de Palourdes$25.00

Garnitures

Pommes Frites

Épinards

Haricots Verts

Champignons Fricassée

Les Viandes et Les Entreés

Poulet Rôti$28.00

Coq au Vin$30.00

Cassoulet de Toulouse$35.00

Pork Tenderloin$30.00

Lamb Chops$42.00

Boeuf Bourguignon$33.00

Steak Frites$40.00

Filet au Poivre$44.00

Vida Burger$22.00

Couscous$30.00

Gnocchi à la Parisienne$23.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Bistro Vida offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Bistro Vida restaurant rated?

Is Bistro Vida currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information