Le Ramus - Restaurant Aix-En-Provence — Restaurant in Aix-en-Provence

This was probably the biggest disappointment of our entire week in Aix, especially after reading so many great reviews. We had tried as walk-ins two times but they were fully booked, so we made reservations for Wednesday evening and were keen to see what all of the hype was about.

We started with the burrata and tomato salad, and a few aperols. The burrata looked like it had been frozen, thick skinned and not creamy at all. It pretty much stayed whole when we tried to cut it, I'm not sure if it was a bit dated so the taste wasn't really there. The pesto and tomatoes were ok, but it was an average dish overall.

Things only got worse from here. We ordered two of the kids meal 'burger steaks' and asked for them medium to well (as we always do for our young boys). The first one unfortunately had a hair in it, which we promptly told the waiter and he apologized and asked for a new one from the kitchen. The second one was medium to rare and we werent able to find more than two bites that were safe enough for a five year old to eat. By the time the new one was made we were all turned off by the whole experience.

I ended up as lucky diner number two in our family when I also found a hair in my foie gras, after which I quickly put it aside and didnt continue the meal -- besides the fact that it tasted like it had been sitting out for a while and had this 'smelly old chicken' type of a feel.

Finally was the culmination of my husband's 28 euro 'Le Ramus burger' which looked amazing as we were walking in and I had noticed a few people ordered it. Big mistake -- first it was overcooked, he asked for medium and got well done, but the most unappealing part of this disaster was the attempt to subtly smoke the entire dish with a rosemary stalk. I don't know how long the chef tried to smoke this thing but the entire thing tasted like a burnt, smoky monstrosity to the point where it was inedible. It was probably one of the worst burgers we've ever had and by far the worst thing Ive eaten the past three weeks in France.

The only saving grace for this place are the nice staff, especially the young man greeting folks up front. The bearded gentleman who I assume is the manager needs to work a bit on his graciousness and customer-focus, and at a minimum I wouldve expected a visit to the table to apologize for the hairs in the food!

Save yourself the hassle and go somewhere else, there are a bunch of good options in the area. This place is...

Tip scammers serving good (but overpriced) food

We had lunch at Ramus, and while the food was genuinely excellent – refined and beautifully prepared – the overall experience left a sour taste, and I feel compelled to warn others.

On the positive side: the location is fantastic, right on one of the prettiest squares in Aix-en-Provence. However, don’t be fooled – the restaurant itself has nothing to do with the charm of the square beyond occupying the address. Inside, the décor is tasteful and elegant, and the atmosphere is lovely.

That said, this place is not kid friendly – no options or welcome for children, and staff were visibly irritated by their presence. Prices are also extremely steep: starters are close to €30, and lunch for one adult can easily exceed €75 without drinks.

But the worst part – and why I’m leaving this review – is the tipping scam. When you go to pay, they ask you to step inside, where they discreetly prompt you to add a 15% tip. I was told, falsely, that service is no longer included – despite the receipt clearly stating “prix net. Service compris.” When I confronted them, they looked embarrassed and gave me a half-hearted, unconvincing excuse about this being “the old system” and that “things have changed”. Nonsense. Let me be crystal clear. They seem to pretend it was a misunderstanding between an English speaking guest (me) and the waiter. NO. It wasn’t. I am fluent in french and the conversation was held in french. The waiter stated the service is NOT included in french when he handled the terminal and was insistant that a tip was expected. I confronted him by showing the mention on the ticket and reminding him french law. He told me the law and system had changed. A clear embarrassed lie and it’s very clear to me there is a deliberate systemic abuse of naive tourists. So yes, I am standing by SCAM. The way to deal with this is Apologise Pledge to end this practice with immediate effect or to be ready to get a visit from the DGCCRF.

It’s a scam, plain and simple – an abuse of people’s kindness and a trick designed to take advantage of Anglo-Saxon tourists who may not know better and feel pressured to comply.

Yes, the food is good. But at these prices, scamming guests for more is unacceptable. Be alert – and don’t let a dishonest tactic ruin an otherwise...

This is such an amazing, local restaurant offering amazing small plates, as well as full entrées… but save room for dessert, those are equally as stunning as the other dishes! The venue is gorgeous, very beautifully decorated! There’s a large outdoor seating area, which is probably great during nicer weather. When we went, it was cold, so we sat inside one of their two dining rooms. Everything had such amazing attention to detail, especially the toilet! Might sound odd, but that room was gorgeous! The pottery used for dishes were spectacular and very country’ish! Prices were great and service was even better!

We started with the Panissie and its Aioli Curry, which were fried up perfectly, nicely salted, and the curry in was set in was stunning! Next up was their Truffle Pinsa which was superb! WOW!!! The creamy cheese and truffles on top were something I dream of!! These two starters were so filling, we split the beef cheek stew as our entrée and once again – AMAZING! The beef was tender and perfectly prepared. The bourguignon was nicely prepare and tasted great spread over the mashed potatoes that came with the dish.

To finish, we opted for their Tarte Tatin, which is basically an amazing open-faced apple pie sitting on a thin, stunning filo type dough. It was truly outstanding, just like everything else.

Service during our visit was exceptional too… Our server spoke perfect English and was very helpful.

The entire dinner experience was great and we would most definitely highly suggest...