Le Cavalier

“Nikki the bartender was super nice and helpful! He was able to explain me the food menu as well drinks and made some modifications upon my request. It was so worth to visit Delaware! The restaurant is the prettiest place ever! You have to go there!”

“So we ordered the escargot paired with bone marrow, short rib bolognese, Burrata meze plate and the trumpet mushrooms. The food presentation was great, flavor was good but not knock your socks off. Now the ambiance and decor was stunning! Beautiful environment, with a friendly and professional staff.”

“Had a wonderful anniversary dinner at Le Cavalier! The service from Brittany was excellent—very attentive and welcoming. We both loved our main courses: the Roasted Chicken was perfectly savory with a delicious Marsala brown butter jus, and the Swordfish was fantastic. We also appreciated the baby-friendly touches like the soft Warm Madeleines. The historic setting of the Hotel Du Pont makes it a truly special atmosphere. Highly recommend for a celebratory night out!”

“First time here and found it through a post that somebody had put on Facebook. Actually wasn't even a friend it was just somebody who showed up on my feed as someone I might know so I thought let's take a chance. Let's start with the decorations, the decor, the history, and the architecture. Step back at time look around and see where we've evolved from. A step-by-step Journey. Gazing at the ceiling made me feel like I was in the dining room of the elite on the Titanic. Much time can be spent walking around and enjoying this atmosphere before dining. Now on to the food. Starting out with the La Petite Saucisson. A wonderful housemaid sausage in a fine flaky pastry with french fries that were cooked absolutely perfect. These fries are made to order not under a heating element waiting for the next person to come along. The wild mushroom Tartine had a wonderful deep earthy flavor. Fresh mustard green salad followed up with the braised lamb shoulder did not disappoint. Lamb and duck are two things that I rarely order when I'm out because I have not found many of these choices to be desirable but I certainly found it today in that lamb shoulder. Then we got the slap in the face. Literally the worst french onion soup I have ever tasted in my life. I felt like they had scraped the bottom of a burnt pan and a burnt coffee pot and mixed them together. I've had french onion soup before that has not been five star but I could still finish it. Two bites into this and we pushed it away. A huge disappointment. Remember the sandwich is only good as the roll you put it on in the chef is only good as the people he surrounds himself with. This strikes me as a rookie mistake by somebody new in the kitchen and I hope they can make adjustments on this because everything else was wonderful. And I definitely will be back. Especially for the four foot and pepper grinder!”

“⭐ 1 out of 5 — A Beautiful Space With the Worst Meal I’ve Ever Had I want to start by shouting out Frank F., our server. Frank was truly exceptional — warm, attentive, and the absolute highlight of the evening. If this review were based on service alone, it would be five stars. Unfortunately, everything else about Le Cavalier (Wilmington, DE) fell painfully short. My husband and I were excited to dine here for a special celebration and intentionally chose this restaurant for its reputation and ambiance. In hindsight… we should have listened to the 4.2 Google reviews. The experience began with the shrimp appetizer. One of the shrimp tails was brown — an immediate red flag — and the overall dish was unappetizing and underwhelming. Then came my entrée: the short rib. And I say this with complete sincerity as someone who has eaten at many restaurants and absolutely loves food: this was the worst short rib I have ever had in my entire life. It tasted as if it had been boiled in plain water, completely untouched by seasoning, depth, or care. No flavor. No richness. No technique. Nothing. I genuinely could not believe a French restaurant would send this out of the kitchen. I found myself smiling through the meal out of sheer disbelief — mostly because we were already looking at a $200 bill for what became the most disappointing dining experience I’ve ever had. The final blow? I woke up at 4 a.m. with food poisoning. Hours after leaving the restaurant, the only thing I could think about was what I had eaten there. That alone speaks volumes. Le Cavalier is a gorgeous restaurant with stunning interiors, but great décor cannot hide poor execution. For the price point and the reputation, the food should not be this careless. I’m deeply disappointed and honestly hope the restaurant reevaluates its kitchen operations. The only redeeming part of the evening was our wonderful server, Frank. Beyond that… I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone.”