Flags, French baguettes, fine dining and wine all marked the signs of celebration on Bastille Day at Pistache Bistro in West Palm Beach.
But worried faces and device checking painted a different story.
"I came here to celebrate, but now I guess I could say the wind has been knocked out of this a little bit for me," said Zachary Vongonten, who was eating diner.
"It’s kind of scary because you don’t know if they are okay or not and hopefully they will contact you soon and let you know if they are okay," said Sophie Beaud, whose father is French.
The owner of Pistache Bistro, Thierry Beaud, tried to keep the celebration alive despite the horrific news.
"This is exactly the opposite of what we are celebrating on Bastille Day…freedom," he said.
He was also checking his devices and monitoring his friends' Facebook feeds and safe check-ins.
"My parents are in France keeping me abreast," said Beaud. "So far there is a lot of confusion. It happened around midnight."
With the time change, many said it would be easier to get in touch with their loved ones in France on Friday morning.