Paris, Non
Wow, what a disappointment. I looked at that menu and it took me right back to Paris. But as it turns out, the Blue Talon is not Paris but just another noisy tourist restaurant. I ordered the plat du jour, Cassoulet, hoping the food would compensate for the noise. It was served with crunchy beans that were not cooked. How could the kitchen commit such sacrilege? The final blow came when the waiter told me that this was how the chef liked to serve it. I find that hard to believe! It's time for this kitchen staff to take a "road" trip across the Atlantic for a refresher course. ... And it would have been nice to see the years on the wine lis    [05 Jan 2006 15:55:13]

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Recommended Dishes: 2003 Rhone

     ­James   

Bistro oui
Wow, I can't imagine how I ate at the same place James describes. Simple, great tasting food, and a menu that made me want to come back and try more stuff. We had a fantastic foie gras terrine, maybe the best lamb shank I've ever had and a rotisserie chicken that was beautifully moist and basted with truffle butter. The best part was, we spent about $35 each, with wine and dessert. Sure, it's noisy, but so what?    [02 Mar 2006 12:28:59]

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     ­Keith   

Cassoulet non bistro oui
I positively second James' statement about Cassoulet. I was so disappointed too... Call it some nouvelle cuisine Bean Dish or whatever, just not Cassoulet.

As to atmosphere etc. Yes, very noisy, busy... Lunch time is a bit more quiet.
Hey, its a bistro/brasserie atmosphere by design; do like me, just don't go there when in need of calm.    [05 May 2006 00:11:20]

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     ­Marc, Williamsburg   

the worst meal I ever had
I had steak frite. The steak was raw and tough. I sent it back, complained to server whose attitude was couldn't care less. Steak came back still raw and like shoe leather.    [20 Jun 2006 21:49:08]

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     ­Anonymous   

Don't waste your time
Like I told the waitress, I've had school lunches with more flavor. For what you get, the food is extremely overpriced. If this restaurant was not in Merchant's Square, it would have been long forgotten. The wait staff needs some serious lessons on manners and service. Walk around the corner to some real restaurants!    [12 Nov 2006 10:20:27]

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Recommended Dishes: water

     ­Andy, Richmond   

C'est tres manifique
We went very skeptically to the Blue Talon after reading several not so complimentary online reviews, but had agreed to meet out of town friends there. Well! what a delicious dinner the 8 of us experienced. We all had different entrees and no one was disappointed with their choices. My chicken and shrimp crepes were superb as was the recommended wine, luscious bread and mouthwatering chocolate mousse. I would heartily recommend the Blue Talon to others.    [22 Apr 2007 21:27:05]

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Recommended Dishes: chicken and shrimp crepes

     ­Ann   

Very disappointing
We went there for 2 reasons: my 65th B'day and because the chef was formerly at the Ford's Colony Country Club which had received accolades under him. Something has changed and not for the better. My sister ordered sweetbreads, an item well loved by her but not easily found in restaurants. Sweetbreads were not easily found on her plate, either. A few small pieces scattered around the edge and a piece of veal in the middle of the plate, something not even mentioned on the menu. Particularly galling to her as she makes a point of not eating veal (her loss). My wife and I had very ordinary dishes and sadly, instead of a local dining experience, we had a very ordinary and rather expensive meal. So ordinary that I couldn't let my sister pay for it, as I felt responsible for the restaurant selection.    [19 Nov 2007 12:34:16]

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     ­Anonymous   

Good food - not-so-welcoming staff
My husband and I ate at the Blue Talon for the first time in December 2007. We arrived around 4:45pm for dinner and were promptly seated; however, as we were settling in, the "hostess" told us that they would need the table back in an hour, because we didn't have a reservation! I was simply too stunned at the time to react as I would have now (of course, I should have simply got up and left). A restaurant should not seat customers without reservations if they intend to impose time restrictions! We noticed that no one else seated after us were told to eat fast.
Certainly, my husband and I don't normally linger during a meal anyway, so we knew we would not be there longer than an hour; however, our dining experience was spoiled by this.

In addition, our waiter could not place our dinner order until exactly 5:00pm, which seemed a bit odd - even with computer-based ordering... but the food did arrive fairly quickly after 5.

While the food was good (except for the overly salty bread), it wasn't quite worth the $20 for the chicken and veggies. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing, but we were seated in the middle of two other tables (that were filled after we arrived) and then we felt a bit cramped. The bathrooms were clean, but there was no baby changing station (a lady who was in there had to change her baby's diaper on the window ledge).
Summary: if you make a reservation, and dress relatively nice, I'm sure they'll be nicer to you! The food was good, but a bit pricey.    [10 Dec 2007 11:11:36]

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Recommended Dishes: Honey lemon chicken

     ­Anonymous