Recently I went to Le Croissant in San Rafael. It was around lunchtime, and I was hungry. There aren’t many diners located in Marin county, but on the Le Croissant website, it claims “diner,” so I decided to go there. The food was good, but the service was sketchy at best.
I decided to order takeout since I was on the go, and if I had arrived with the thought of dining in, I would have left.
Le Croissant (San Rafael) Atmosphere: F
If you walked into Le Croissant, you would never guess COVID was happening. The tightly packed diner was busy, and there was barely anywhere to stand to pick up food. The only thing that would resemble COVID precautions was the employees wearing masks, but the tightly packed diner with closeby seating was uncomfortable. Most businesses I’ve found have attempted to space out seating, sit fewer people, etc. I get it: businesses need to make money to survive, but it didn’t appear that Le Croissant took any COVID precautions.
Le Croissant itself is a smaller diner. There are about 10 tables inside a small building, and it has outdoor seating. It’s not a big retro diner, but a smaller building.
Le Croissant (San Rafael) Coffee: B
The coffee at Le Croissant was brewed hot and fresh. It was good but nothing of note.
Le Croissant (San Rafael) Food: B
The Le Croissant menu has everything a diner usually has. There are plenty of breakfast options, including eggs, pancakes, and specials. They also have plenty of lunch options, including sandwiches, burgers, and salads. The salads actually looked interesting, and the Sonoma Salad caught my eye with pears, avocado, and raisins. Like their name suggests there are plenty of good looking bakery items including muffins, croissants, and cinnamon rolls. You can see more information on their Facebook page.
I decided to order a BLT on sourdough bread with french fries. The BLT was good, but they gave me white bread instead of sourdough. I always know the sign of a good BLT was challenging to eat because it’s stuffed with so much. The fries were thin and cooked well. The meal was good but not exactly what I ordered.
Le Croissant (San Rafael) Service: C
When I went to pick up my food at Le Croissant, I ended up waiting for a while to pick up. I know the food was ready when I got there since I saw it. I could see my food but didn’t want to bother the staff. Finally, the hostess asked to put me on the waiting list, and I said I was “just picking up.”
Le Croissant (San Rafael) Cost: $
For my BLT and coffee, it cost $14. Keep in mind they don’t accept credit cards, only debit, and cash. Thank goodness I had cash on me.
Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back?
I’ve been fairly fortunate that most of the diners and restaurants I’ve been to during the pandemic seriously. I thought the food at Le Croissant was good and there are many other options I do want to try, but I cannot look past how they are taking COVID. I would go back but not during this time.
Atmosphere: F
Coffee: B
Food: B
Service: C
Cost: $8-14
Overall: D
You can see all the diner reviews here.
Questions for you:
Do you like BLTs?
Have the restaurants you’ve been to taken COVID seriously?