Le Fer Rouge — Restaurant in Colmar-Ribeauvillé

Shocking and Hostile Experience at Le Fer Rouge in Colmar

I rarely feel the need to write negative reviews, but after the appalling experience my mother and I had at Le Fer Rouge in Colmar on April 28, 2025, I am left with no choice but to share what happened.

From the moment we entered the restaurant, we felt uncomfortable. We were greeted with laughter from the staff, which immediately set a bad tone. I called over one of the waiters to place our order, but instead of a polite response, he started yelling at us in French, in the middle of the restaurant. His aggressive and rude behavior was completely unprovoked, and my mother, who has a heart condition, was visibly distressed by his actions.

When he left, I spoke with another waiter to try to understand what had just happened. I was left with the impression that perhaps the so-called "manager" didn’t appreciate us speaking to him in English instead of French, and that our non-local accent may have triggered some kind of prejudice based on our origin. This theory became even more apparent as the situation escalated.

I asked for the manager, and when the same waiter returned, he shockingly revealed that he himself was the manager. He then stormed over to our table, continuing to shout, “I’m the manager, and what are you going to do about it? This is a bigger problem than you think, but for me, it’s nothing.” The hostility in his voice and his actions were frightening, and we genuinely feared he might physically lash out at us.

In the midst of this chaos, we felt completely intimidated and unsafe. As if the situation weren’t bad enough, the manager then told us to leave, saying, "Find another place because you won’t be served here." We were utterly stunned by this response. No apology, no attempt to understand or resolve the issue—just cruelty and utter disrespect.

I had traveled over 1500 kilometers to visit Colmar, expecting a warm and welcoming environment. Instead, we were treated like we didn’t belong. It’s incredibly disheartening to encounter such hostility, especially from someone in a position of authority. Both my mother and I are still shaken by this experience, and we felt completely dehumanized.

To anyone considering visiting this restaurant, I would strongly advise you to think twice. The treatment we received was beyond unacceptable, and it was clear that we were not valued as customers. We will never return, and I would suggest finding a place where you can enjoy your meal without fear of being verbally attacked or treated...

To be honest I’m quite shocked with what I experienced with my family at this restaurant this evening. We went for a special Alsatian meal and queued outside and we’re delighted to be allocated a table. Whilst the kids menus were somewhat disappointing and expensive, my wife & I looked forward to our main courses. I chose Bakeooffe and my wife a chicken dish. Whilst my wife’s dish was nice, mine was extremely disappointing with only 3 or 4 tiny pieces of meat - you expect much more for c€23. When the waiter asked if we were happy with our meal I mentioned that my wife’s was good but mine wasn’t due to a lot of bone being present (which I showed the waiter), and very little meat. The waiter then consulted with management and came out to us with a bill with no reduction whatsoever despite my representation earlier in a polite, calmness manner. I explained this to the waiter who squared up to me (crazy I know) so I stood up to him as I’m not being to be walked over in front of my family. I then walked into the restaurant with Google translate to explain again my food was mostly bones and very little meat. Eventually they took my dish off the bill but really that should have happened when I originally complained and showed all the bones which were in the dish. I settled the bill, and on the way out I explained to a couple we had been chatting to what had happened, and a female member of staff stormed out saying we should not speak to them - I thought France was a free country! 😁. We then headed home, mystified by the awful experience at this restaurant, which I’ve never experienced anywhere else in the...

Le Fer Rouge enjoys a superb location in the heart of storybook Colmar and offers very good food, which makes my recent experience all the more disappointing and concerning.

I visited with my wife and my elderly parents-in-law (both in their seventies), looking forward to a pleasant evening. A courteous gentleman on staff kindly informed us that we could take a table he would first clear. However, when we approached, we were met by a young waitress whose expression and body language were openly hostile. When I explained that we had been directed there by her colleague, she did not respond, she simply stared at me in a way that made us feel distinctly unwelcome.

As a 62-year-old customer, I find this behavior entirely unacceptable. When I mentioned the incident to the same gentleman, his only response was that she might have been having a “bad day,” with no visible effort made to address the situation or reassure us as guests.

This was not only poor service by this individual waitress, it left us with the uncomfortable impression that our presence might have been personally objectionable to her. I sincerely hope this was not a matter of prejudice or bias, but the experience was sufficiently unsettling that it cannot be ignored.

For an establishment with such a strong reputation, I trust management will take this feedback seriously, investigate what happened, and ensure that every guest, regardless of background, is received with the warmth and professionalism that Colmar...