The Room
Raoul's opened on Prince Street in 1975, when Guy and Serge Raoul left Alsace for SoHo. Fifty years later it remains one of the most architecturally consistent French bistros in America — the burgundy banquettes are the burgundy banquettes, the marble bar is the marble bar, the spiral staircase to the second-floor dining room hasn't moved. The sons of the original founders run the room today; the kitchen still runs the menu the original Raoul brothers wrote.
The dining room seats 110 across the main floor and the second-floor mezzanine. The bar (12 seats) is walk-in only and the source of the limited-quantity burger that regulars know to order. The booking window is two to four weeks for weekend evenings.
The Food
Executive chef David Honeysett has run the kitchen for about a decade, cooking the menu the Raoul brothers wrote rather than reinventing it. The steak au poivre, around $52 with hand-cut pommes frites and cognac-cream sauce, is the order. The artichoke in the house dressing — a recipe from founding chef Guy Raoul — escargots de Bourgogne, and salade frisée aux lardons round out the classics, alongside daily specials. The bar burger sells out every night and is one of New York's most-cited cult orders.
Wine programme is French-classical with serious Bordeaux and Loire benches. Cocktails are New York-classical with a stiff Manhattan and a properly cold Sazerac.
Best Occasion Fit
First Date: Raoul's is the SoHo first-date for the diner who wants the night to register as legacy-French-cool. The bar burger is the late-night order; the dining room is the upgrade.
Birthday: Birthdays at Raoul's are loud-and-warm — a candle, a small dessert, the spiral-staircase second-floor table for the family group.
Team Dinner: The mezzanine private dining room seats up to 28 and runs a set bistro menu.
Not for: Skip Raoul's if you want something new or quiet. This is a fifty-year-old bistro that has deliberately not changed — the menu, the room, the prices ($$$$) are all the point. If you are chasing the latest opening or a calm, hushed dinner, the cult burger and the late-night buzz will not be for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Raoul's? The steak au poivre, around $52 with hand-cut pommes frites, is the dish — cognac-cream sauce, fifty years in the making. Start with the artichoke in the house dressing, a recipe from founding chef Guy Raoul. If you can get a bar seat, the limited-run burger is the cult order, and it sells out nightly.
Where is Raoul's and how old is it? Raoul's is at 180 Prince Street in SoHo. Alsatian brothers Serge and Guy Raoul opened it in 1975, and the family still runs the room. Fifty years on, the burgundy banquettes, marble bar and spiral staircase are unchanged — one of the most architecturally consistent French bistros in America. See more New York restaurants.
How hard is it to get a reservation? Moderately hard. Book the dining room two to four weeks ahead for a weekend evening, through Resy or OpenTable. The twelve-seat bar is walk-in only and the way in on short notice — it is also where the cult burger lives. Weeknights and early seatings are far easier than Friday or Saturday.
Is Raoul's good for a first date? Yes. It is the SoHo first date for the diner who wants legacy-French-cool rather than novelty — warm, low-lit, busy without being deafening. Start with steak au poivre upstairs or split the bar burger late. Expect a serious bill, but the room and the history do much of the work for you.
