Martel Bistro & Bar - Bistro in Fairfield - 2316 Post Rd, USA

What a pleasant surprise this place was. Food was so delicious, you absolutely should try their escargot in the appetizers section. Their whole chicken was really good as well. Great drinks selection. Place is rather small on the inside and was packed on a Friday night. They do have a bar and this is definitely a locals' favorite. A very pleasant atmosphere overall and friendly staff. Highly recommend, and I personally will be back for more !!! Small update: as expected we went back for more and it was just as delicious as before if not more! This time we had a party of 10, side note - do make a reservation ahead for anything more than 6 people. Salmon, trout and bransino were absolutely my favorite. Steak, lamb and short rib were fingerlicking good :) Service was on point and fast even though the place was packed. If you are looking for some really good food- definitely check them out!

Quaint french bistro with a nice wine menu. Steak was cooked well, nice crust and tender. Mashed potatoes were very very good. Creamy, buttery and hot. Pork shank was fall off the bone tender but could have used a little more seasoning. Coconut cake was moist and full of coconut. Some coconut desserts do not have enough coconut flavor, this one did. Dined here once before and was not overly impressed but it must have been a bad night because this meal was very good and made us want to come back again.

I’ve been driving past Martel on a regular basis on my drive home from work and have been wanting to stop as it always looks so inviting. Today when we were picking a place for brunch/lunch I remembered and finally made it here! I feel like it exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere was so nice and we were able to enjoy a breeze on this hot day while sitting at a table outside in the shade. My husband and I both ordered the Croque Monsieur, which we had come specifically for and it was delicious. We have had it at a few other restaurants and I would say that this one on par with some of the best I have had. The consistency was a bit lighter which I really liked. I also enjoyed the house iced tea which was a mixture of iced tea, orange juice, and strawberry essence. It was very refreshing and not too sweet. I usually take photos and completely forgot so I guess that’s a good excuse to return soon! I highly recommend a visit.

I haven't been to Martel in a few years, and wasn't sure if I'm still going to enjoy it. My fears were unfounded. The service was as always top notch. And the food...oh man, the food is some of the best in town. I had an amazing drink - Autumn in Manhattan. Followed by a lovely charcuterie board. My Fettuccini Bolognese was mouth watering. That pasta was so fresh, the flavors so good, and yet super light. My friend had a meatloaf, and loved it. I finished the meal with a great banana creme brule. Can't wait to go back!

Pleasantly surprised by how tasty the dishes were. We had snails, scallops, grilled calamari and French onion soup. Good cocktails too. Well done.

Felt cozy as we walked in. Amazing escargot dish! Sauce was excellent; you can put it on anything... Lobster risotto was also good and my wife enjoyed her branzino. Our server Paul was super. Will definitely be back.

As expected, valentines was crazy busy. Still, they were on top of their game, managing to bring the food out promptly and keeping it delicious. The space was really tight between tables though and you could easily knock stuff off other dinners tables trying to get up from yours. I had not been there before so I'm not sure if that's the usual restaurant setting or if they added tables to accommodate valentines crowds.

The food is really good in this quaint French bistro, and they don't skimp on the liquor in the cocktails when you eventually get it. I had been so very pleased to find that a French restaurant existed in my town, I just moved into the area two years ago, so I'm still exploring my culinary options. That said, I prefer my meal without a side of attitude. On Saturday [May 13] night, my sister and I decided to give Martel a try. We waited at the bar, and we were the only two people standing there while the others were seated and already served. The bartender Natasha did not acknowledge our presence, though she saw us. A gentleman came up to the bar, and she immediately asked him what he wanted to order. I let her know that we had been waiting to be served. He apologized for skipping over us. She didn't. I don't know if he was flustered because it was busy, but the big, tall gentleman whom I suspect is the owner displayed a brusque, impatient, and unwelcoming manner. We were fortunate enough to be seated next to friends, the only pleasant thing that happened there as we proceeded to wait for 15/20 minutes. When a wait staff member came to clear up their crusted dishes, we asked if she would be serving us. She looked her nose down and smirked a sarcastic "no" at me. Finally, our server Esteban came along. The first thing out of his mouth was not "Hi, my name is Estaban. I'll be....". It was "I came to ask for your order but you were talking." He did not. The place is so small, we couldn't have missed him coming to the table. Not for nothing, he was wearing a mohawk. How could I have missed THAT? We ran out of water, and he didn't refill until we waved him down. I wanted another drink, but since he didn't return to check on our progress, I never got to ask. I got the bill, and that was it. It seemed like the place was filled with regulars, I had hoped to become a regular, however I'll chose to spend my money where I am respected, not suffered.