MESA — Restaurant in Lille

Dear Mesa,

I rarely write reviews, but this time I feel the need to. I believe that this establishment has the foundation to be something great, but I have been left with desires unfulfilled after visiting. This concerning the service, not the food.

The welcome in the foyer and the hostess showing us to our table gave the impression of a wonderful evening to come, unfortunately this was not the case.

After being seated at the table, we waited 15-20 minutes before a waiter came with the wine menu, and before that there was no one there to welcome us to the restaurant (other than the hostess showing us to the table of course), no introduction to the concept, just the QR code on the table.

For a restaurant with this kind of reputation, we expected more, already at this point. After making our decision on what to eat, we waited another 20 minutes before someone came to take our order. So almost 40 minutes in the restaurant without anything on our table yet, this was not a great start.

The food and the drinks were great, but the presentation from our waiter was missing. The waiter introduced the cooking method of the entree, which was to be expected and something both me and my husband enjoyed, but from there the food was just put in front of us without any introduction.

As a main course, we both ordered the pasta with truffles and our waiter told us not to start yet because he would come back with the parmesan, when this did not happen, our food went cold and we had to remind the staff of the missing cheese.

I ordered a glass of wine, which was nicely served at the table. Unfortunately the waitress was not paying attention to me, looking away from the table after serving a sample to taste. Which meant I had to ask for her attention after an awkward moment, in order to get my glass of wine.

There was absolutely no one who asked us during our meal if everything was good, no one checked up on us. Again, that is the basic of good service, which we didn't get.

After finishing our meal we asked to finish with a cocktail on the terrasse. We waited again 20 minutes just to order our drinks, we almost left without.

We felt like we didn't have the staff's devoted attention when they were serving our table, felt like there were more interesting things happening around them and there was no one going the extra mile for good service. A generally young staff with a big lack of professional experience in high end service, which is a big shame.

The lack of a manager working the floor was evident, no one was managing the team of an impressive amount of staff. This resulted in a very frequent amount of clustering, with the staff giving more attention to each other, by constantly chatting in the corners, than the guests.

Had the staff been very busy with serving tables, one could have had a certain understanding with the lack of service.

As a couple who shares many years of experience in the restaurant industry as managers, this place did not live up to the hype and the expectations we had.

As I wrote in the beginning, this place has an amazing concept and the brand is on point, with the logo even showcased on the straws. But all of this fades into the shadows, when the service experience doesn't follow. I really hope the direction is taking these reviews seriously.

I would not recommend this establishment, unfortunately.

P.S. Please turn down the music inside, it was almost impossible to have a...

We visited Mesa for a company dinner, hoping to enjoy a memorable evening with our international colleagues in a stylish setting. While the location itself is stunning and full of potential, the experience didn’t quite meet our expectations.

First, we encountered some difficulty entering the parking area—our car had different license plates than those provided during the reservation. We tried calling the restaurant for assistance, but unfortunately received no clear help. The response was, “I have to check with my manager”, while a line of cars formed behind us, in the street. A more proactive and customer-focused approach would have made a big difference.

Once on the terrace, some colleagues waited over 20 minutes to receive their cocktails. The terrace itself is lovely, offering great views over Lille and a wide variety of drinks—but the wait time left a poor first impression.

Dinner was served indoors, but the table setup (an “U” shape) made group conversation difficult. It felt like form had been chosen over function, which didn’t suit a corporate dinner.

The food, however, was very good—nicely presented and well-cooked. It’s clear the kitchen takes pride in its work.

Overall, Mesa shines with its atmosphere, terrace, and live music, but the service needs refinement to match the level of the venue. It’s also worth noting that despite a stated dress code, not all guests seemed to follow it, which affected the upscale ambiance slightly.

Mesa is worth visiting for the views, the drinks, and the potential of the space—but manage your expectations when it...

Une très belle expérience dans un lieu unique à Lille au 9ème étage surplombant Lille. Tout d'abord une équipe à la communication soucieux du moindre détail pour l'organisation. Le parking pour se garer au sous sol est un super service pour 2 € la soirée dans un quartier où il est juste impossible de se garer dans rue. Nous sommes accueillis au RDC par une hôtesse comme dans un hôtel de luxe ; un ascenseur privé nous emmène au 9ème où nous attend une seconde hôtesse qui nous place sur une table ronde entourée d'une banquette cosy et très confortable. Il est 21h15 environ, la musique est discrète mais très entraînante. Le système son est top ! La juste basse, les justes aigus. Nous découvrons un lieu gigantesque ; nous ne nous attendions pas du tout à cette dimension : le bar, la cuisine, la salle...et la double terrasse en rooftop dont la première est totalement protégée de la pluie. Nous commandons des cocktails et mocktails, savamment étudiés et très bons. La carte via le QR code reste à mon sens compliquée à utiliser pour faire son choix ...surtout quand certains n'ont pas leur téléphone...nous tentons de choisir une stratégie pour le repas ...partage de plats ou plat pour chacun ? Difficile de choisir et au final, le choix est resté compliqué car il est difficile de savoir pour combien de personnes sont prévus certains plats (plateau asiatique, canard des forêts, côté de boeuf angus). Nous avons eu du mal à choisir la formule pour tous. Tout cela n'enlève rien aux diverses réalisations ! Tout est succulent ! Le plateau asiatique permet de goûter des sushis et makis jamais encore testés, le canard était justement cuit et épicé. La poêlée de légumes top, les pâtes à la truffe extra ! La carte des vins est bien achalandé avec des prix justes et d'autres vins et champagne à des prix de folie mais justes, réservés à une clientèle à la hauteur. Tout le monde y trouve son compte. A 22h, on change doucement d'ambiance, le DJ se met aux platines, le son monte au fur et à mesure, des morceaux très bien choisis sont joués mais malheureusement ce soir là, souvent mal enchainés...dommage à une époque où la technique est à la pointe pour parfaire ses enchaînements. Néanmoins, c'est un détail, la soirée fut excellente et réussie comme nous la voulions. Merci à toute...