La Forêt

Went to Pastis hour first with a friend tonight and then made our way on to the dinner menu! First impression was how beautiful the restaurant was and the incredible ambiance when you walk in! It feels like you're in Tulum! I'm pregnant so I ordered a mocktail that was incredible- a well balanced tropical pineapple drink. My friend had two different great wines with her meal.We ordered grilled artichoke, frites, and the escargot. Truly they were all amazing! The star of the show was the French onion soup - SO much flavor and we both raved about it! Dinner we shared the beef and pomme puree. It was so hearty and such a good comfort meal. Want to point out the server was incredibly kind, helpful, and took great care of us! Overrall it was such a great experience and I'm already recommending it to friends!

When I walked into La Forêt it felt as if I had left Denver and stepped right into a folklore/evermore esq world. The energy matched with the friendly staff immediately put me as ease. We stopped in after grabbing a bite to eat nearby for a pre-party beverage and I was not disappointed! The menu is very well curated and the names for drinks are so original and fun! Upon asking the bartender for a suggestion he recommended me the 'Summer in Provence' a light and refreshing cocktail that had me wishing I could stay in my fairytale world forever. Although we didn't grab anything to eat, the food menu was very impressive as well. Overall a great place to grab a drink with friends or even for a first date!

Starting with the best aspects, the service was friendly and knowledgeable. We were seated promptly at a nice table and took in the view of the beautiful interior design. There are aspen trees everywhere and hanging chandeliers of intricately woven twigs. The ambiance is just beautiful; you feel like you're in a magical forest. Truly a beautiful design. The cocktails did not do a whole lot for me; I started with the Summer in Provence, made of vodka, melon, black pepper, tarragon cordial, and lemon. While the ingredients sound complex, it tasted pretty sweet and less nuanced than expected. I later tried the Duke of Mirepoix- gin, celery cordial, lime acid, whey, carbonation, and tasted very little other than sugar. By far the star of the meal was the french onion soup, which was very flavorful, the melted cheese and bread setting it off perfectly. The smoked trout dip was good, it tasted like the one I make at home. I liked it, though I was hoping for something with a bit more oompf. I had the maitake mushroom and the pomme puree. The mushroom was pretty bland and could have used more of a sear to crisp it up. The potatoes were fine, nice and creamy. I tried my husband's beef bourguignon, which was good and tasted like one I make at home. Definitely yummy, but unremarkable. Parking was extremely difficult with mostly street parking and a couple lots around that were outrageously expensive. We circled for 10 minutes before finally paying $35 to park for dinner. Not the restaurant's fault, but it is something to consider- I would recommend taking an uber if you can.

Service: Incredible Ambiance: incredible Food: I would strongly suggest pickle brining the chicken at least 24 hours. Very dry. The sauce was amazing. I would've done a blanche on the green beans and cut the peppers smaller. They just lacked a freshness I would expect in my own kitchen. Portion sizes were very good.I think this place is impressive, but the food needs to match the prices.

La Forêt is a new French restaurant/bar that opened up on Broadway. The decor follows their namesake - The Forest. Tree branches and leaves adorn the walls and ceilings in a golden environment. The restaurant sign is small and set-in so look for the window with the gold branches. They have a great Pastis Hour from 4-5pm. Our knowledgeable waitress let us know that pastis is similar to absinthe and that the French drank pastis when absinthe was in shortage. The pastis is served in a highball glass with a side of large cubed ice and a small pitcher of cold water so you can add to the drink based on your taste. There are a few small plates to accompany your cocktails. The standout is definitely the elk tartine. With rosemary bread as the base, the tender (but not too gamey) elk is garnished with blue cheese and caramelized onions from their French onion soup. Delicious!

Pleasant woodsy environment. I was last here 3 months ago. I came for dessert and French sparkling wine. Kole and another bar person was attending the bar where I sat. I got the Creme Brulee served cold. I paired it with a glass of Vouvray Brut, a Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. Nice bubbles and creamy creme brulee. They still do not accept reservations. The house music was a bit odd.

Came for pastis hour! I loved our bartender and it was a lot of fun hanging out. I really like the interior in here - would be good for group seating. Drink was refreshing and also their French fries are the best. I'm a fan of the thin shoe string fries and this place also recently opened. I will be back for a meal and a nicer cocktail.

Location: 3 startsService: 4.5 starsFood: 3 stars I was a bit perplexed by the location, South Broadway is not nice, and a guy was panhandling on the corner. Not ideal for a nicer restaurant or bar. The service was great, our server was knowledgeable, professional, and friendly and always checked in after every dish. The front of the house was friendly and professional. The decor is a bit fairy tale inspired, not my vibe but it was cozy and broke up the space well. The booths look awkward to sit in for dinner, they seem more loungy. The food was not great. I was hoping to see more French fare on the menu and overall better execution and skill level to the dishes. The frog legs looked like chicken wings, and they didn't do a great job of execution. They could have sauteed them in butter, garlic, some sage, or something more traditional. Also, while they came from Florida and were most likely frozen they did not defrost well and there was too much water in the meat. You could tell it was frozen right away. The beets were good, and liked the rustic look but the plating was lazy. They could have made the goat cheese into a mouse so it would bring the dish together. The crumbs were a bit confusing too. The dish lacked skill and thoughtfulness. The mushrooms were OK but nothing special, they were very saucy. The haricot verts came out overcooked and acidic, they redid them and they were much better, but it was like two different dishes.Finally, the rabbit was very tender, but the sauce with it didn't compliment the flavor of the meat and just drowned it out. For the price, it just felt overpriced, especially since the location and the food did not impress.

This place is really cute, but I think the decor is much better in dim lighting. I went at 4pm with the sun shining in, and some of the decor looked cheap. Also, the bar seating is extremely uncomfortable. They packed it tight so it's hard to get in and out of the seat. I might go back at night and sit in the booths with what looked like really comfy seats.

The GM here is amazing! She is very personable, welcoming and the place is beautiful! I love the razzle dazzle they bring to Denver we need it! It looks like mountains meets Tulum and the food is SO good. Presentation is everything here. It is definitely a MUST!