Here is my review of Butcher House Brasserie in Costa Mesa, CA 92626

We started with the burrata for an appetizer which has sauteed peaches, pistachios, and pickled red onions. I’m a huge fan of burrata and this was one of the best I’ve had. You can tell the burrata itself is fresh and high quality. I highly recommend this dish.


We also started off with the french onion soup which was pretty disappointing considering this is a french inspired restaurant. The french onion soup was a little bland and lacking onions out of all things.

For entrees I got the duck confit which came with casserole beans. The duck was super tender falling off the bone and packed full of flavor. It was topped off with a demi-glaze which really made this pop. The casserole beans were french style and really flavorful. I’m not a fan of beans but these were really good and a nice change of pace for a side dish.

My fiancee ordered the burger which was one the best we’ve had. The patties are made in house 3 different cuts of meat, and you can tell. The fries are also made in house and again you can tell. The fries come with a side of aioli which is very french, and yea I prefer ketchup, but this is worth a try.

For dessert we got a chocolate souffle and creme brulee. Again, you can tell this was made from scratch. In French style, they were not too sweet and had flavor where it was needed. The creme brulee was buttery with citrus, and the souffle was fluffy and light.

The food & beverage 4/5

The food is creative, made with quality and care, and most importantly, delicious. The french take is refreshing and different. Yes, the french onion soup was a bummer, but that was the only thing that wasn’t excellent. Cocktail menu was very average, but the wine menu was excellent.

Service and culture 2/5

Service was good. Friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. There were a few random issues like the bar couldn’t make mocktails? And they were out of straws? Seems like a pretty easy problem to solve. And the paper menus were beat up and dirty. I don’t get this, the average dish here ranges from $30 - $50 yet they can’t get you a clean menu? The host, server, and management ALL didn’t catch this or just didn’t care. All culture issues.

Atmosphere and vibe 3/5

This restaurant is small, consisting only of tables, and mostly 2 tops. Not a lot of room or privacy. A restaurant this size makes it hard to create an atmosphere or vibe. The decor is decent, nothing memorable. They do have a patio for seating that’s not as tight.
Overall 9/15

This place excels in the culinary department. If you're simply looking for some good french food, or just some good food in general and you don’t mind pricey, then I recommend you try this place, it seems easy to get a table and parking is simple, so it’s an easy dinner, but unfortunately the culture doesn’t match the prices here for me, and I don’t think the food stands out enough here for the lack of care in culture. There are other options at this price that will take better care of you IMO.

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