Les Drôles — Restaurant in Bordeaux

When we entered this place, who knew this would be the top 3 worst dining experiences me and my wife ever had; This is not an unnecessary exaggeration, please read till the end for an honest review as this is the worst tourist trap we have encountered in a while.

We were welcomed very friendly, placed downstairs on a nice table in the corner. A friendly waitress, which was the owner, helped us wonderfully with recommendations.

The first course came, and it was disappointing. The French onion soup was bland, with too much cheese and no flavor. The foie gras was not fresh, and presented terribly with way too much cayenne powder (?) and 2 inedible pieces of bread on an empty plate.

Then, the main course arrived, what they’re known for; the duck breast. This dish was beyond disappointing and just a terribly technically badly made dish. We took one bite from the duck and the potatoes, and immediately called the waitress over.

We explained that the duck was burnt, overcooked, and completely tasteless. The potatoes were the same, overcooked, mushy and bland. We immediately requested to have this sent back and kindly explained no replacement needed as this dish, in combination with the first courses disappointments, had us made the decision to find dinner elsewhere. However, she did not understand and gave us the dish in a to-go bag, which we politely refused.

Then, the circus began. We arrived upstairs to pay the bill, happily paying for the items that we actually consumed, which was a few glasses of wine, the soup and the foie gras. However, when we checked the bill she charged us for the duck as well. The waitress, which proclaimed herself as the owner, told us we needed to pay for what we had, and held ferm for us to pay for an inedible dish that we refused.

Then, after we politely refused again, she started to threaten us, to either pay for the duck or to CALL THE POLICE if we don’t pay. This then turned into a very hostile situation where the kitchen staff started yelling at us, the other waiter joined in, with even other guests interfering as well.

We waited for a while, and things turned even humorous as the waitress then proceeded to cut the duck breast for us, trying to show us that is wasn’t overcooked, which it was, proving our point even more, without acknowledging it and then started hurling profanities at us calling us names I won’t repeat here.

We eventually decided to pay, as it seemed no other option was possible under threat from police involvement and increasingly abusive staff that shoved plates in our face that other guests did eat their food.

I strongly, highly, advise anyone that is looking for traditionally well made French cuisine and friendly understanding costumer service to avoid this place like the plague. There are so many great and better options nearby within walking distance (a place not even 5 minutes away had the best duck breast and foie gras we ever had, with incredible friendly service) that a much better job then this place, which cares more about making money on bad food and wasting police resources to prove a point.

Apologies for the long read, but it’s very needed to describe a detailed review to make sure everyone who reads this is prepared for the same terrible food and costumer service experience we have...

I was really looking forward to going here so much that i booked a reservation back in March. When I arrived at the restaurant for my 7.30 reservation I was told it was cancelled and was asked if I received another email asking to confirm my reservation. I had only received one reservation which said the following.

"We are pleased to confirm your booking for Saturday 06 May 2023 at 7:30 PM (2 people) .

We are looking forward to your visit and remain at your disposal by phone at 09 67 12 02 39 for any inquiries.

If ever you want to cancel, click on the following link: Cancel my reservation"

The staff were friendly but unable to help and I have no idea why my reservation was cancelled. Maybe call the restaurant a day or two before going to...

We got: Salmon tartare The cheese with bacon Duck breast Pork loin Chocolate cake Crème brûlée

And wow! What a steal for about 20 euros per person. The salmon tartare was a delight to eat and I considered getting another. Just tart and zesty enough, without overpowering the salmon flavor. The bacon and cheese was mid tbh, good but not mind blowing. Similarly, the duck breast was still a little rough to eat, the pork loin was softer. But the duck main course did have more flavor. I loved the little potatoes and the accompanying sauce. Now, as for dessert, the ones we got really were fantastic. The cake was dense like a brownie, but still moist and not overbearing. And the crème brûlée had a really nice crust and custardy inside....