Le Pompon — Restaurant in La Rochelle

Finally a place where you can drink a decent to perfect classic cocktail in La Rochelle.

Well, if you’re in luck.

I was lucky to experience it twice, but the four other times were quite a disappointment, sub-par cocktails served in the same kind of whatever glass, like a standard long drink in a tourist Spanish bar. At best one bartender knows his business, never more, the other one doesn’t take time to make appropriate drinks nor follow the orders (on the rocks, how difficult is that? It has ONE only meaning and it certainly does not mean “in an Orangina type glass”.) Waiters don’t know the cocktail game so I’m almost shameful to order something specific. Ordering a cocktail from the terrasse is most likely a miss rather than a hit.

I thought I had found the place, but definitely French people don’t care enough about cocktails to properly train staff.

All my love and respect for the 2 bartenders that are really caring and are knowledgeable, but when you’re not there or paying attention to what the other do, the quality is bad.

Edit years later: the service on the terrace is absolutely...

Passing through La Rochelle after a 10 hour drive up from Spain , boy was I lucky to stop at this restaurant . Great steak , and the best beer in France , with very cool , professional, and friendly staff , and all topped off by very obliging father and son owners ( I think ) on site . Top marks to the son ( unfortunately I didn’t get his name ) for booking me into the comfortable hotel next door , and to the bartender who introduced this Irishman to the wonderful Irish Slane whiskey . I was made very welcome and will most definitely visit on my next trip down next year .. many thanks to this wonderful establishment…...

If you're in La Rochelle and want anything from a simple beer through to excellent food , this is the place . The drink and cocktail list is first class the most original Spritzers I've seen . For dinner I ordered the steak it arrived cooked exactly how I like it (rare) , on top of that it came with easily the best fries I've tasted in a long time . My partner had guinea fowl , absolutely delicious and melt in the mouth . The wine list is excellent and not overpriced for this quality of restaurant . Highly...