French food is more than escargot and brie-stuffed brie; it’s other delicacies such as rabbit and duck too. Take your mouth on a trip to the City of Lights: for $10, you get a $25 Groupon for traditional French fare at Côté Sud, located at 4238 18th St. (between Diamond and Collingwood in the Castro).

If you know French food, you won’t be surprised by the dishes on Côté Sud’s seasonal, organic menu—but you will be delighted. Try the popular cassoulet (a slow-cooked bean stew from the South of France), onglet grillé (grilled hanger steak and mushroom sauce), or the confit de canard (duck confit with garlic cream sauce). Finish the evening with one of Côté Sud’s rich, tasty, buttery, creamy desserts. Want to have a three-course meal? Use your Groupon to get the prix-fixe menu. Like wine? Côté Sud has more than 180 in-house (there’s a $20 corkage fee). Prefer that every dish you order be baked in a puff pastry? Unfortunately, that’s impossible in our native climate.

A dinner at Côté Sud is an intimate affair. Though it’s a bit difficult to find the entrance, once you climb the stairs to the second floor, you’ll discover a small, cozy space with lemon-colored walls and a sloped ceiling (see wall and ceiling reviews). Parking in the area is difficult and the restaurant gets busy later in the night, so take public transportation and go early, or make a reservation. Enjoy a wonderful dinner at the only French restaurant in the Castro!

Food Reviews

Reviewers on Check Please love Côté Sud’s cassoulet and non-snooty atmosphere. Watch this clip, starting at 16:38:

People on the web like it too: Yelpers give it 3.5 stars and Citysearchers give it four. Check out their e-assessments:

• “AMAZING FRENCH FOOD. And their 3 course prix fixe is such a great deal!!!” – Michelle L., Yelp
• “Still my favorite inexpensive French food in the city. Every time I have friends that visit from Europe, I generally try and make it here.” – Rebecca B., Yelp
• “Lovely bistro in a quiet area of Castro district. I love everything they have - wine, dessert, cassoulet, faux gras, and the warm service. There are only 2 servers, so if you have a large group, or on a busy night, please be patient. Enjoy your friends’ company, drink the wine and relax.” – M. C., Yelp
• “I love French food… let me just say that. I’m willing to pay up the nose for some high quality, well-prepared dishes, but this is not that kind of place. And frankly, that kind of thing isn’t in my budget at the moment. If you’re in the mood for French but don’t want to spend the kind of money you usually do, this place is a great find!” – roxxy, Citysearch

Wall and Ceiling Reviews

Restaurant Walls and Ceilings reviewers are enamored with Côté Sud’s lemon-colored walls and sloped ceiling, giving it five stars. Here’s what they’re saying:

• “From my 15 years of experience as a food critic, it has become quite apparent that there is only one quality shared by all the world’s finest dining establishments: lemon-colored walls and a sloped ceiling.” – Danny M.
• “OMG the lemon-colored walls are TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Seriously, if you like bright yellow walls, this is your place. THEY’RE SOOOOOOOO LEMON-COLORED!!!” – Alice B.
• “I was born and raised in a sloped-ceiling home, so I know a good one when I see it, and I swear on my mother/father/uncle’s shared grave that Côté Sud has the best ever.” – Darrin S.